A nutritionist on a new TV show knows all about the stress and shame of being overweight as she has opened up about being a was a weekend binge-eater with bulimia. Angharad Griffiths, 45, from Carmarthen but now lives in Bethesda in Gwynedd, has spoken movingly about overcoming her own problems.
Angharad, a law graduate who has worked in the media for a number of years, had a form of bulimia during her teenage years and has had a 30-year battle with yo-yo dieting and binge eating. She said she would “turn weekends into a total binge and then hate myself and start to cry”.
She finally found her own “cure” with a far better relationship now with food and is on a mission to promote healthier lifestyles and eating habits on the new S4C reality programme, Ty FFIT. She is one of the two specialists on the health transformation series a spin-off of the popular ‘FFIT Cymru’ which went through six series and is again being made by Caernarfon-based production company Cwmni Da.
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Angharad, 45, a mother and stepmother of four, teams up with fitness expert Cadi Fon to guide the five participants through seven weekends of what producer Siwan Haf describes as a “light-touch boot camp”. They will spend seven weekends at a beautiful but remote house in a secret location in Wales as Angharad and Cadi, as well as five other inspiring mentors, will be there to guide them through what should be a “life-affirming experience”, reports North Wales Live.
Angharad shared her personal struggle, saying: “I’ve had problems with food since I was 12. I had a form of bulimia during my teenage years and I’ve always had a really bad relationship with my body and with food. I’ve been on various diets. I’ve tried everything and anything new that came out.” For the latest health and Covid news, sign up to our newsletter here
Angharad has had her own struggles with food(Image: No credit)
She continued to describe her journey: “It’s been a 30-year battle with yo-yo dieting and binge eating. I would turn weekends into a total binge and then hate myself and start to cry. Whilst trying to find the best food plan for myself and researching to try to cure myself, it transformed into a career change.”
Reflecting on her role in helping others, she said: “I can empathise with our five people. I hope we get a range of people who have different reasons for taking part, including finding out why some are overweight. I want to get to the root causes of why they are overeating and gaining weight. I know what it’s like to have a bad weekend but my relationship with food now is much healthier.”
Discussing the programme’s approach, Angharad added: “Cadi runs a cafe and there’s cake there,” and added: “But we also have complementary skills to help people out.” She concluded with advice on sustainable change: “They might want a quick fix but it’s about a sustainable approach where you still enjoy your life but get results.
“We want to give people the tools to enjoy a really healthy life, the life they dream of where they get up in the morning and know what to do. This is a really unique two-month experience that can turn their lives round and give them a blueprint to manage a healthier lifestyle for themselves and their families.”
Cadi, 39, juggles her role as a personal trainer with being a partner in ‘Braf’, a popular cafe and studio near the beach at Dinas Dinlle, close to Caernarfon. She’s also a mum of two and was thrilled to be part of the programme.
She said: “This is something I’m really interested in because it reflects what I’ve been doing in my classes and my work for the past ten years. I love lifestyle programmes and as a personal trainer my focus is on improving people’s health in a way that allows them to enjoy the process so this is right up my alley.
“It’s about cultivating the habit of being active in a way you enjoy so that you lose weight, look good and feel happier. Be ready to work hard, to incorporate new habits into your daily routine but more importantly to have a lot of fun on the journey to make fitness, health and being active a way of life.”
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Ty FFIT’s producer, Siwan Haf, who also worked on the original ‘FFIT Cymru’ series, sees this new series as a natural progression. She said: “There’s an element of Big Brother about it but we won’t be filming in any of the bedrooms. We’ll be following and filming every move in what is going to be a unique and once in a lifetime experience for anyone who wants to set themselves a challenge.”
She added: “It’s not all about losing weight that’s a by-product of living a healthy lifestyle. It will be about wellness and gaining self-confidence. As well as following a health plan unique to each client, they will also undertake weekly tasks, lead by one of the five inspirational Mentors, which will involve psychology and creating a “can do” attitude.”
Adding her thoughts on the show’s aims, she said: “It’s about a positive transition in their lives which is what we have done in FFIT Cymru over the years and what we are looking to do again in this new, exiting series. The chosen five will stay for seven weekends in a beautiful part of Wales and we will be making the most of the landscape in the challenges. They will stay in an amazing house at an epic location.”
Siwan added: “Cadi and Angharad are experienced specialists in their fields and are the people behind the individual health plans which will be tailored to suit each client. It’s really a great opportunity for anyone who wants to try to change their life for the better. fancies a new challenge and kick start their health journey. Everyone is welcome at Ty FFIT.”
For the chance to participate in Tŷ FFIT, fill in an application form at www.s4c.cymru/tyffit – closing date is Wednesday, July 10.
