Simone had been suffering with multiple sclerosis for 14 years with her flare ups often leaving her partially paralysed for many weeks and unable to move about.

 

Meet Simone and her Mum Lola! Lola was inspired to take up personal training for the first time in her life at 74 years of age after seeing her daughter get stronger and healthier.

Week in, week out these two lovely souls grace our studio to train together. It hasn’t always been this way though. February 2018 marked Simone’s 8th year training with Assist PT (back when we were known as Body Blitz Health & Fitness). We arranged for Simone to meet with us once a week however she had an initial goal of wanting to drop 15kgs so she could sit within 70-75kg and find her hourglass figure again. During the first couple of years Simone had a few nasty flare ups and had to take a few weeks off but as soon as she could walk about with a walking stick, she would return. After trialling many different medications, Simone came back to us with a lot more vigour and an even greater determination to overcome the set back she had experienced. With a change in diet and lifestyle Simone was soon swapping the men’s jeans she was dressing in for women’s jeans and feeling much more confident within herself. She began training with us 3 times a week and persisted with her training pushing through with a limp and never ever gave up despite always finishing last in any group sessions. Her efforts were inspirational to everyone who witnessed them. She was a woman on a mission to manage her illness better. Fast forward to 2012, Simone’s MS attacks were now much less frequent. Instead of one every 3 or so months, they began spacing out to one or two every 12 months so we knew her body was now at a point where her nervous system could handle a little more work so we challenge Simone with a goal to make her work a little harder. The deal was if she dropped 10cm from her waist in 12 weeks we would treat her to a pamper session at the studio. So Simone decided that she would like to try fit back into a suit she hadn’t been able to fit into for 10 years and our goal was to get her in that suit over the next 12 weeks. In true Simone style, she not only achieved her goal, she smashed it! She got her pamper session and when she tried on her suit, it was too big for her! But this was only the beginning. Simone’s Mum was so inspired by her daughters mental and physical change that she too decided to come train with Simone! Don’t be fooled by her innocence, Lola certainly dished out the attitude in her sessions but it wasn’t long before we had her Lola deadlifting, for the first time in her life at the ripe age of 74. We just love this power duo! Since 2014, both Simone and Lola have been seeing us weekly. They are wonderful support to one another and fill our space with lots of good energy and inspiration! They are always up for a challenge. Simone owns the saying “Nothing ventured, nothing gained”. Her life truly is a reflection of this! Simone could have used all the excuses in the world to hold off starting her journey or give up after her setbacks but she used it as her reason to create change and stay consistent. Personal training has helped with that, knowing that someone was at the studio waiting for her with a planned session.