Skip Channel4 main Navigation
Episode 8 - Nicki Philips
Nicki Philips is a 35-year-old mother of two from Nottinghamshire. At 5ft 7, she weighs in at nearly 20 stone and usually consumes double the daily average calorie in take. She confesses that she is lazy when it comes to food, always opting for the convenient option. A particular favourite is chips and pineapple fritters, and it’s the same fast food for her kids too.
Despite Nicki’s appalling diet and condition now, she used to be a medal-winning athlete, with over 40 awards for figure skating. Now, having retired from competitive skating, she coaches from the side of the rink.
Luckily Gillian is on hand to help get this former skater’s figure back. She starts by inspecting the contents of Nicki’s kitchen cupboards and is amazed by the amount of tinned vegetables she finds. Gillian asks why she doesn’t buy fresh vegetables and whether she has ever looked at how much salt these tinned vegetables contain. Next Gillian raids the fridge, and finds gateau and éclairs; not special birthday treats in Nicki’s case, but part of her usual daily diet.
To get a proper sense of just how out of control Nicki’s eating habits are, Gillian asks her to keep a food diary for a week. It includes 48 biscuits, 5 portions of chips, and odd combinations such as cheese and honey sandwiches. Gillian is particularly concerned about the amount of hidden salt in Nicki’s diet, and she thinks that her sweet and savoury cravings could be the result of a mineral imbalance.
Next Gillian gives Nicki a holistic check up. She notices that her ankles are very swollen and says this is a sure sign of fluid retention. When Dr Sanj looks at Nicki’s blood test, he observes that she is extremely deficient in zinc, essential for maintaining healthy bones and immune system. He tells Gillian that a sign of zinc deficiency can be an alteration in sense of taste and smell, and Gillian confirms that these are all over the place in Nicki’s case.
Nicki Philips is a 35-year-old mother of two from Nottinghamshire. At 5ft 7, she weighs in at nearly 20 stone and usually consumes double the daily average calorie in take. She confesses that she is lazy when it comes to food, always opting for the convenient option. A particular favourite is chips and pineapple fritters, and it’s the same fast food for her kids too.
Despite Nicki’s appalling diet and condition now, she used to be a medal-winning athlete, with over 40 awards for figure skating. Now, having retired from competitive skating, she coaches from the side of the rink.
Luckily Gillian is on hand to help get this former skater’s figure back. She starts by inspecting the contents of Nicki’s kitchen cupboards and is amazed by the amount of tinned vegetables she finds. Gillian asks why she doesn’t buy fresh vegetables and whether she has ever looked at how much salt these tinned vegetables contain. Next Gillian raids the fridge, and finds gateau and éclairs; not special birthday treats in Nicki’s case, but part of her usual daily diet.
To get a proper sense of just how out of control Nicki’s eating habits are, Gillian asks her to keep a food diary for a week. It includes 48 biscuits, 5 portions of chips, and odd combinations such as cheese and honey sandwiches. Gillian is particularly concerned about the amount of hidden salt in Nicki’s diet, and she thinks that her sweet and savoury cravings could be the result of a mineral imbalance.
Next Gillian gives Nicki a holistic check up. She notices that her ankles are very swollen and says this is a sure sign of fluid retention. When Dr Sanj looks at Nicki’s blood test, he observes that she is extremely deficient in zinc, essential for maintaining healthy bones and immune system. He tells Gillian that a sign of zinc deficiency can be an alteration in sense of taste and smell, and Gillian confirms that these are all over the place in Nicki’s case.
Gillian sets about devising a new mineral-rich diet for Nicki, and once Nicki has consulted her GP, introduces her to the foods that will make up her 8-week eating programme. Breakfast is a vegetable juice, packed with minerals and vitamins. To take care of her sweet cravings, Gillian prescribes naturally sweet foods, such as pumpkin, sweet potato and parsnip soup. Nicki finds all the new foods appealing, and says these are the kind of foods she would rather eat.
Nonetheless, Nicki encounters difficulties in the supermarket when she tries to put her enthusiasm into practice. She finds the fruit and vegetable aisle tricky to negotiate, particularly with small children in tow. Gillian decides to take Nicki to a farm and farmers’ market so she can not only see food growing in its natural environment but also buy according to seasonal availability.
Two weeks in, and Nicki is sticking to the diet, but is not exercising. She says that she doesn’t have time to fit it in, but Gillian is not taking any excuses! She tells Nicki to get her skates on and do 15 minutes on the ice after she has finished coaching.
Four weeks later, Nicki is cramming in as much exercise as possible, snacking on fresh vegetables, and she now reads her labels avidly checking for hidden salt. At the end of the 8 weeks, Gillian returns to find she is transformed. She has lost almost 2 ½ stone, and 4 dress sizes. Nicki is sparkling and full of vitality. Gillian is thrilled, and we end with a new trim Nicki, skating elegantly and looking every bit the accomplished former athlete that she is.
Nonetheless, Nicki encounters difficulties in the supermarket when she tries to put her enthusiasm into practice. She finds the fruit and vegetable aisle tricky to negotiate, particularly with small children in tow. Gillian decides to take Nicki to a farm and farmers’ market so she can not only see food growing in its natural environment but also buy according to seasonal availability.
Two weeks in, and Nicki is sticking to the diet, but is not exercising. She says that she doesn’t have time to fit it in, but Gillian is not taking any excuses! She tells Nicki to get her skates on and do 15 minutes on the ice after she has finished coaching.
Four weeks later, Nicki is cramming in as much exercise as possible, snacking on fresh vegetables, and she now reads her labels avidly checking for hidden salt. At the end of the 8 weeks, Gillian returns to find she is transformed. She has lost almost 2 ½ stone, and 4 dress sizes. Nicki is sparkling and full of vitality. Gillian is thrilled, and we end with a new trim Nicki, skating elegantly and looking every bit the accomplished former athlete that she is.
Advertisement
