Secret Life of the Gym is a British docu-reality television series produced by Leopard Films which takes an exclusive, in-depth look at what is driving each one of a group of 16 men and women to train in a gym, unravelling their personal stories.
The series originally aired in the UK on UKTV Style in late 2005. There are 10 half-hour episodes in the series.
Secret Life of the Gym premiered in South Africa on DStv's The Home Channel on Monday 15 September 2008, at 09h00.
Repeats
Tuesdays: 13h00
Wednesdays: 17h00
Fridays: 21h00
Synopsis
In this fly-on-the-wall observational reality series we head for the gym to keep watch over a group of men and women all intent on changing their lives.
But this is no Pumping Iron-style exposé. Instead, Secret Life of the Gym takes an exclusive, in-depth look at what is driving each of these pilgrims of exercise on their personal journey. Expect no blood, but the odd tear and plenty of sweat.
This 10-part series centres around a group of men and women and explores their varying reasons for joining Pulse 8, a state-of-the-art health and fitness complex in the heart of Middle England, and for visiting Nirvana, its multi-award winning spa.
Take 23-year-old Meagan. An accomplished singer-songwriter, Meagan is also 82kgs and feels that her size is holding her back from securing a record contract.
As she struggles to lose the pounds via her new fitness regime, we discover that Meagan's problems with food are far more complicated than they first appeared. Will those forthcoming auditions with some of the UK's top A&R men keep her on the straight and narrow?
Then there's 43-year-old divorcee Annette whose husband left her for, in Annette's words, "a younger model". A firm believer that her ex would have never strayed if she'd kept herself in better shape, Annette's goal is to lose two stone in just eight weeks - or she'll resort to liposuction.
As luck would have it, daughter Stacey is a fitness instructor at Pulse 8 and is determined to keep mum away from the expensive cosmetic surgeons.
The focus is not just on the girls. At 26, Jan is an eternal student who's looking for love. He's also hoping to transform himself into Brad Pitt. Unfortunately, a lack of discipline and self-esteem make it difficult for Jan to stick to his exercise programme.
We soon find out if a physical makeover at the hands of a stylist and a mental transformation courtesy of hydro holistic therapy in the Pulse 8 jet pool will help him find the woman of his dreams.
And there are many more characters to follow - from 71-year-old June whose passion for aqua aerobics has given her the incentive to learn how to swim; to competitive teenagers Chantelle and Jessica who are working out to look like Britney and Christina; to The Naked Apes, three 30-something fellas in a three piece punk-pop band trying to get fit for their first overseas tour.
There's also a racing driver who needs to visualize his racing successes and a model who wants to become a pole dancer.
Obsessions, vanity and determination make this an entertaining and revealing appointment to view ... and we secretly listen in on some sexy private conversations in the sauna.