Joe Wicks is hard not to love. The Body Coach isn’t just a fitness influencer; he’s the man who bounced his way through our lockdown mornings in neon shorts, convincing kids and parents alike to lunge, stretch and plank their way out of cabin fever. His relentlessly sunny attitude, quick-fire recipes, and zero-gym-needed workouts turned him into more than just a fitness coach, but something of a national treasure.
So when Wicks announced he was cutting out sugar completely earlier this year - fruit included - his followers paid attention. His words carry weight; this is the man who made burpees a national pastime, after all. But his description of sugar as “addictive,” paired with talk of “relapse,” when breaking his 11-week sugar-free streak, raised eyebrows among registered dietitians and medical professionals. Was this just a passing comment in Wicks' health journey? Or a move that risks making food feel like something to fear?
