What is FIT Blackpool?
FIT Blackpool is a free 12-week healthy lifestyle programme funded through Sport England and Public Health England which combines workshop and physical activity to support people in achieving their goals. The weekly sessions are 90 minutes, starting with the workshop we discuss the benefits of all food groups, barriers to physical activity, alcohol, how to read food packaging and food labels as well as providing everyone with an individualised calorie plan and 5% & 10% targets.
The physical activity differs from session to session, some being circuit-based training, we run a football session and are launching a new Boxing for fitness session in June too. There is also chair based (low impact) options at a number of the daytime sessions.
At Week One all participants complete a lifestyle questionnaire and have baseline measurements taken, these being height, weight, waist and blood pressure. These are then re-done at Week Six and the final Week 12, although the participants do have the option to weigh on a weekly basis too. All participants are also provided with a pedometer in Week One and once they have created a baseline step count, they are set weekly challenges to increase their daily steps.
What’s Next?
Upon completion of the programme participants have the option to continue and take part in our ‘Keep Fit’ maintenance sessions which run weekly from the stadium. These are 45-minute physical activity sessions where graduates can weigh in and continue the physical activity level that they reached throughout their 12 weeks.
We are also able to signpost people to some of our other sessions such as Walk & Talk which helps people maintain their steps and increase in physical activity levels as well and recommending other local activities.
There is also a FIT Blackpool Facebook group that participants are encouraged to join which provides a community for people to share hints, tips, ideas, encouragement, and support from like minded people.
Judith, who joined FIT Blackpool in 2022 said, “FIT Blackpool is magnificent, it really is, it truly has been a life-changing experience for me. I’ve lost weight, I feel fitter, I am fitter. It’s been such a good course with absolutely fantastic teaching and great sessions. On top of that, you become part of a group and that really helps you and you’ve got the knowledge that going forward there will be maintenance sessions and that helps you too. It’s really brilliant and I can’t praise it enough, it’s changed my life.”
Kim Follows our Community Engagement Team Leader said “I am so lucky to love what I do, meeting so many incredible people and supporting them through their 12 week journey knowing this is just the beginning for them. Watching people’s confidence grow through achieving the weekly goals they set themselves and combining them with what they learn in the workshop is amazing. Encouraging and supporting people to reduce their time spent in a sedentary position and ultimately become more active and seeing the progress in people, I have seen people progress from chair based activity to now being able to do standing circuits, people reverse their type 2 diabetes, people no longer use a stick to go for a walk and so much more is why I do what I do”.
Did you know?
- FIT Blackpool started back in 2018 with just one 12 week session every three months.
- 2023 we are delivering nine cohorts every three months!
- We have now seen over 850 people take part in the programme.
Join Us!
For more information on the new FIT Blackpool sessions starting in April please email fitfans@bfcct.co.uk, call 01253 348691 or following BFCCT on social media.
