Josie is a 31-year-old tech consultant living in Highgate who joined THRIVE Personal Training & Health wanting to lose a little bit of weight, feel more toned, and generally get in better shape. Alongside this, she was keen to learn more about how to look after her health long term, particularly around training, nutrition, and longevity.
She signed up to the 6-Week Foundation Programme looking for structure, clarity, and proper coaching — not just training sessions for the sake of it.
The Challenge
Before starting, Josie wanted to feel stronger and more confident in how she trained. She also had ongoing sciatica, which she was keen to improve through the right type of movement and strength work rather than avoiding training altogether.
Like many people, she wanted to understand what to do and why she was doing it, especially when it came to building habits she could stick to beyond the gym.
The Turning Point
Throughout the 6-Week Foundation Programme, Josie fully committed to the process. She stuck to the routine, engaged with the coaching, and made use of the support outside of training as well.
One thing she particularly valued was the weekly emails, which she regularly read and used to learn more about nutrition, recovery, and longevity. These helped her connect what she was doing in training with how she looked after herself day to day.
She also really enjoyed working with the coaches, which made the whole experience feel supportive, clear, and motivating.
The Results
Over her six weeks, Josie saw improvements across the board. Her biggest subjective wins were a 4.5-point increase in fitness and a 4-point increase in hydration, alongside marginal improvements in every other lifestyle marker we track.
One of the most meaningful changes was her sciatica, which has improved significantly and is now practically gone. Feeling stronger, moving better, and training consistently played a big role in that progress.
Beyond the data, Josie became a genuinely positive part of the THRIVE community. She brought great energy into sessions, engaged with others, and helped lift the atmosphere in the room. A highlight for everyone was when she turned up with Santa hats for the whole group during our Christmas jumper training session — a small gesture that summed up her attitude perfectly.
As Ross put it:
“I loved learning what to do and feeling myself get stronger. The coaches have been great and I’ve really enjoyed the whole programme.”
What This Means for You
Josie’s experience shows what can happen when you combine proper coaching, consistency, and education. Building strength, reducing pain, and learning how to support your health long term doesn’t require extremes — just the right structure and support.