Jade takes the Sky route from Annacloy to LA

Jade takes the Sky route from Annacloy to LA

28 August 2013

ANNACLOY woman Jade Heath is to star on Sky Living’s new weight loss programme Fat: The fight of my life.

Personal trainer Jade is helping Downpatrick man Geoff Trainer lose weight and get fit, with his progress and fascinating personal journey to be chronicled on the satellite television station.

Twenty five year-old Jade was head-hunted by the Eyeworks Production Company to work on the new weight loss programme and was one of 10 personal trainers from the UK chosen to participate in the series.

The programme tracks ten clients over a year during their inspiring journey as they got fitter and healthier through a carefully designed programme. Working alongside head trainer Jessie Pavelka — the world renowned LA-based trainer — Jade was delighted to be afforded the opportunity to enhance her career through such a high profile television show.

She was the only female and Irish personal trainer selected for the programme and was assigned to help Geoff whose starting weight was 35 stones. The amount he lost over the past 12 months remains a closely guarded secret, but all will be revealed shortly.

Geoff’s fitness programme involved two hours of personal training every day for a year and the bond formed between him and Jade became clearly evident as the programme evolved. The secret results — which are to be revealed shortly — have been described as “exciting and inspiring.”

Jade’s daily programme for Geoff included walks in Downpatrick, doing circuit training at the Ballymote Health and Well-Being Centre, swimming at the Down Leisure Centre and walks at Delamont Country Park outside Killyleagh and Dundrum’s Murlough beach. He also spent time at the outdoor gym at Delamont.

Periodically, Jade and Geoff flew to London to continue training under the Sky cameras. They also had their own hand held cameras, with Geoff making a video diary and Jade filming the Downpatrick man on his inspiring journey to lose weight.

The 10-week programme on Sky Living is currently in its sixth week with the episode featuring Jade to be screened shortly.

Throughout their year together, Jade and Geoff were both inspired and while careful not to give too much away, Jade described the past 12 months as an “incredible.”

She continued: “Geoff and I become close friends as we walked, swam, laughed and cried. We loved our incredible journey as the end product will prove.

“Geoff’s journey is so inspiring. The programme will highlight his daily struggles. While I haven’t seen what will be screened, Geoff’s story is really touching and during our time together I saw more of him than I did of my own family.

“We developed a fantastic trainer/client respect and rapport and following the time we spent together and the journey we made I can honestly say that Geoff is now a friend for life,” said Jade.

The former Assumption Grammar School student played football for a number of local ladies soccer teams and was a member of the Down Ladies Minor Football team which won the Ulster Championship in 2006 after defeating Monaghan. She was also a member of the Northern Ireland U-17 football development squad.

Jade was always involved in sport and had a passion for being fit and healthy so it was no surprise that this interest lead her towards her chosen career.

Following her A levels she studied sports science at Chester University with an eye on becoming a PE teacher, but Jade decided she wanted to train adults which resulted in her moving to London to study a personal training course. She also studied sports massage therapy at Bangor College.

Jade started her own personal training business when she was 21, visiting people at their own homes across Co. Down and Belfast and held exercise classes in Crossgar and Downpatrick.

She is now based in Los Angeles and is loving life doing something she loves. Working with Active Nutrition, Jade is immersed in a city where everyone is into health and fitness.

“I absolutely love it here,” she declared. “I have been here since June and every morning I am on the beach taking an exercise club which attracts around 200 people. It is amazing and unreal.

“Every Tuesday and Thursday morning there is a half mile swim in the ocean, while in the afternoon there is a one-and-a-half mile hike up to the famous Holywood sign at Runyan Canyon.

Jade says while she loved her job “back home,” LA is now the place for her.She continued: “Everyone here is into fitness and healthy lifestyles and when the opportunity arose to come here I jumped at it. I am told that A list celebrities are often out and about walking, but wear baseball caps and shades to disguise themselves. While I haven’t come across any of them yet, I intend to keep looking.”

Jade continues to work with people in Northern Ireland, helping them with nutrition plans and devising fitness programmes for them. Her email contact is HealthCoachJade@gmail.com.

• Sky Living’s Fat: The Fight of My Life is screened on Monday evenings at 9pm. The episode featuring Jade and Geoff is expected to be screened on  September 9 or 16.