15 January 2019
A television programme which aims to transform the health and fitness of five people is accepting entries for the new series.
Cwmni Da, the televison company which produces S4C's FFIT Cymru is encouraging people to put their names forward to be part of the next series, by visiting the website, s4c.cymru/ffitcymru, and clicking on the 'Apply Now' button.
The series sees five people who want to transform their lifestyle and improve their health, selected as the show's Leaders. Over seven weeks, the five leaders are given tailor-made diet and fitness plans, as well as professional advice from the three FFIT Cymru experts; dietician Sioned Quirke, personal trainer Rae Carpenter and psychologist Dr Ioan Rees.
During the last series, the five Leaders shed 13 stone between them and more than 180 inches from their clothing measurements. More importantly, the transformation brought about significant improvements to the health of all five Leaders.
Leon Welsby, one of series one's Leaders, who comes from Bridgend, said: "I look back at it with special memories. The programme has given me opportunites that I never knew were possible."
Before embarking on his FFIT Cymru, Leon was diabetic, had high blood pressure and fatty deposits in his liver. But when his doctor gave him a further blood test after he appeared on the series, the results showed a dramatic change.
Leon added: "I'm no longer diabetic and not one of my health indicators are close to being high any more. It's not just weight that I've lost, it's had an effect inside me. I think FFIT Cymru saved my life, literally.
"Just go for it. If you've reached the point where enough is enough, just go for it and change your life."
Mathew Thomas, from Gaerwen, Anglesey, said: "If anyone gets the chance to do as I did and go on FFIT Cymru – don't think about it; go for it. Everyone loses their way in life and it put me back on the right track. I know how to live my life now – it's given me the tools to do it."
Catherine Lewis, from Caernarfon, said: "It's changed my life in so many ways. I have wanted to do a job in nursing or health care since I was in school, but never had the confidence to do it. But FFIT Cymru taught me that I can. So I went for it and I got the job."
Since the end of the last series, Nic, one of the Leaders who lives in Penygroes, Carmarthenshie, has ran the Cardiff Half Marathon, as well as completing a 50-mile bike ride and helping out with his local running club.
Nic said: "Six months ago, if someone had told me that I would run a 5k, I would have laughed at them, but now I've ran 13.1 miles. It felt amazing. I'm a lot more fit now and I feel like I can do anything.
"If you're thinking of losing weight, becoming fit or just wanting to be happy, this has worked for me and for my family. Just go for it."
The FFIT Cymru journey had a significant effect on the health of Judith Owen, from Llanwnda, near Caernarfon, so much so that she no longer needed an operation that had been arranged for her before the start of the series. She has also gone on to lose a further stone since completing the eight-week plan.
Judith added: "It's opened a lot of doors for me personally, it's made me look after myself.
"We all reach a point where we think of an excuse not do something because you're comfortable. But once you're pushed out of that little bubble of comfort, you realise that you weren't really happy. It's your own choice to push yourself out of your comfort zone.
"You have to tell yourself, 'I need this change and I am going to do it'. For me, after things started moving forward for me and my health, going back to the way I was is not an option any more."
To apply to become one of the Leaders of the next series of FFIT Cymru, go to the s4c.cymru/ffitcymru website and click on the 'Apply Now' button, by January 25, 2019.
