In an age where we hire personal trainers to make our bodies represent a level of perfection previously attributed to celebrities, it was only a matter of time before we started hiring life coaches. Robert O’Connor gives you five reasons why Kickstart, a new part-time course that gives people the tools to make permanent changes from the inside out, could be for you.

You’re short on time

Kickstart doesn’t require full-on “I’m checking into rehab for exhaustion” levels of commitment – the six week course is something you can do while continuing to work, play and manage your family and friends without anyone even knowing that you’re in life reconstruction mode – and if you’re of a truly private nature, you can go totally one-on-one and skip the group classes. Many people feel intimidated going into large corporate gyms and even classes, so if that sounds like you, this could be the solution you’ve been waiting for.

You’re sick of quick fixes and gimmicks that don’t work

Every week there is a new fad diet in the press or being endorsed by your favourite celebrity as the reason for their svelte red carpet-ready figure, but when you try it, you just end up starving, sick and fit to kill. Kickstart aims to get to the root of why you are where you are, so it’s going to require honesty – and while that might sound a little scary now, it’s the only way to really determine what you need to do the be where you want to be both physically and mentally in the future. Clare Gardiner, a qualified and registered Herbalist and Naturopath with Dublin Herbalists, will go through your diet and body functioning with a fine tooth comb and come up with a bespoke diet and detox plan that fits your body like a made-to-measure suit.

You like to learn new skills

We spend money on learning new skills and languages, so why shouldn’t we spend money getting to know ourselves? What could be better than being in touch with your body and mind, and knowing how to manage both like a boss? Kickstart aims to arm its members with information about their relationship with weight-loss, smoking, alcohol and even creative blocks, so you can look forward to running at optimum levels again.

You’re exhausted trying to figure things out

Whether it’s a new career or a new body you’re looking for, everyone is different and the mind plays a bigger part than you might think in affecting your chances of securing either. Dublin Herbalist’s Anne Marie Downey will take the time to listen to you and work with you and help to engage your mind with the task of moving towards what you want your reality to be. From avoidance to excuses to being resistant to change, the professionals have seen it all – you’re not the first and you won’t be the last – so open up and outsource your issues for someone else to analyse!

You wouldn’t mind meeting other like-minded people

If you decide to go with the group option – you will still get all the one-on-one consultations – but what you’ll also get is a series of group lectures occurring once a week for four weeks. According to Kickstart, this is an opportunity to catch up with Claire and Anne Marie alongside other members who are in the same frame of mind – seeking change and serious about it. The lectures will cover areas such as the importance of diet and detox, and how to make behavioural changes, and more importantly how you can sustain your new good habits.

Interested? Here are the details on how and when you can get started

The course starts on September 15 and run for six weeks in Smithfield – the consultations will be held in 79 Queen Street, while weekly lectures will happen in Generator in Smithfied Square. The price is €395, and you can start by leaving a €50 deposit and paying €200 upon your first office visit. Go to the website to take your first step to the best version of yourself.