Bodyfit by SLG

NEVER EVER SAY NEVER.
Make yourself a cuppa. Take a seat. Get comfortable. Let me tell you a story...

Huge shout out to this incredible lady and the journey she’s been on. I’m going to to dial this story right back. Before I started up Bodyfit by SLG, my job was as a paramedic is the Ambulance Service. My career ended after a double disc prolapse that to this very day has left me with no sensation below the right knee. I turned surgery down and chose to try and repair myself. However, this meant that my neurosurgeon would not sanction my return to front line service and my career was over.
Fast forward to my change of career to a Personal Fitness Trainer after much rehab, research then courses to be able to start my own business. What did I have to lose, right? My greatest interest has always been human anatomy, physiology and medical health and still is to this day.
Now we really are going to fast forward. To September last year, 2025.
Claire had been with me as a client since April. Positive, strong, keen, determined, nothing I couldn’t throw at her that she wouldn’t take on as a challenge. She progressed so quickly in both strength and fitness. Results like these don’t happen overnight- they’re built through consistency, commitment and showing up even on the days when motivation isn’t at its highest. Every workout, every positive choice and every gain adds up.
Do you believe in fate? Claire should have been with me at 10am one sunny September morning. I was struggling with an injury and had been offered a physio cancellation. I messaged Claire offering her two other time options and she chose the one that suited her. 1545 that afternoon.
She went into work instead in the morning shifting 25kg sacks of sugar to make ice cream at her brother in law’s business (shout out to Stew n Drew’s, Hopeman). The last photo that she sent me is below.
Duly at 1545 Claire arrived, started her warm up - less than 10 minutes in she put her hand to her head, went to say she felt dizzy and slumped to the floor, unconscious and fitting.
I keep very thorough PARQs. Nothing on it stated she had epilepsy, wasn’t prone to fainting, no blood pressure issues and not on any medication.
The learned skills never, ever go away. I called my husband to help and we got Claire into the recovery position. She was in and out of fits, foaming at the mouth and completely unresponsive. We called the ambulance immediately. Claire’s breathing started to change. Rattly, shallow, then it would stop. With the assistance of my husband and under my direction, we administered life saving treatment until the ambulance crew arrived.
Do you believe in fate?
Remember this - Claire wasn’t even supposed to be with me when this happened. She would have been on her own at home. Thank goodness she was with me and thank goodness she’d chosen the time she did. She wasn’t on her own. She wasn’t driving. She was with me.
It took the ambulance crew 45 minutes to stabilise her before she could be blue lighted to hospital.
From Elgin she was transferred to Edinburgh. Claire had suffered a huge brain aneurysm that had ruptured. No signs. No symptoms. She was in an induced coma for a long period of time and the family were told that she would almost certainly have no quality of life - if she were to even to survive. How on earth do you process information like that?
Now remember what I said about Claire earlier? Positive, strong, keen, determined, would take on any challenge. And Claire being Claire, that’s exactly what she did from deep within her somewhere.
11 months later - here she is. Back with me. Back at the start line of a new journey. The two of us together again. I am so proud of how far she has come, not just physically but mentally too.
Once again with her unwavering determination, her confidence and her strength will grow with each session and I am honoured to play a part in this new journey. We have bigger goals and challenges ahead and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

Thank you everybody for your concern and offers of help. Due to the damage done, My bladder and bowel are not behaving as they should due to pressure on the nerves - the concern being Cauda Equina, a spinal emergency and I’m needing oral morphine and diazepam to control the pain. Neither touch it at all.
A catheter has had to be inserted because my bladder won’t empty even when I think it is. Bloods done to ensure kidneys are functioning.
The orthopaedic consultant has been and I’m being admitted to surgical ward then ambulance to ARI tomorrow. Nil by mouth incase an MRI says I need surgery. God I hope not, I’ve classes and mountains to do and not ready to have a ‘rest’ over summer!
Rewind 25 years ago a double disc prolapse is what ended my career as an ambulance paramedic, I really can’t face this nightmare all over again so send as many healing vibes as you possibly can my way please 🙏

I find fast days really quite empowering, the energy is fabulous. 0700 in the gym. 0800 taking my amazing kettlebell class then 0915 covering an aquacise class - always a great sweat and I love “dad” dancing at the side of the pool watching everybody singing.
The refuelling and protein is super important and a salad never has to be ‘boring’