Client of the Month: Simon

Simon conquered cancer and shed 20kg (44lbs) to reclaim his health at the age of 53

When Simon was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma 14 years ago, he faced a life-and-death battle for his health.

Now 53, Simon is fully clear and cancer-free – but it brought his long-term health into sharp focus.

He lost weight and started living a healthier life on his own – but progress was slow, and ongoing medication was making weight loss harder.

He would often blame his weight loss struggles on his prescribed medication, but after working with Dr. Stretch, he realized that was merely an excuse.

Training with Dr. Stretch twice a week, Simon has lost an astounding 20kg in 23 weeks and feels happier, healthier, and more confident than ever before.

“Five years after my treatment, I really struggled with my health because of the medication I was on. I was having side effects, and my bad habits accelerated during that period.

“When I came to Dr. Stretch, I was hoping for weight loss, but I’ve achieved more than that.

“I never thought I’d get to the point where I actually look toned and the athletic type. I always thought I’d be stocky for the rest of my life.”

Here, Simon speaks about how his trainer has completely changed his perception of dieting and weight loss, and how the 24/7 accountability kept him motivated during his time with Dr. Stretch.

What motivated you to partner with Dr. Stretch?

Fourteen years ago, I was seriously ill. Around five years after my treatment, I really struggled with my health because of the medication I was on. I was having side effects, and my bad habits accelerated during that period. From there, these habits have just materialized and continued to impact me.

I’m still on medication now, so it’s about learning to live with it. I used to put not losing weight down to my medication, but really that was rubbish. It’s all about consistency.

On top of this, the pandemic hit me hard from a mental point of view because I went from being in the office five days a week to being at home full time. I started my journey on my own last year, doing a lot of running and exercise, and I achieved a great deal. But then I found that my old habits came back.

Tell us a little bit more about your condition and how it affected you?

My medication is an immune suppressant after I was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma. I spent nine months in the hospital, but I am fully clear and in remission now, but at the time that was a massive shock and changed my perception of life. It’s taken me a long time to get over it and realize that I need to look after my health.

Aside from prioritizing your health, did you have any other goals in mind?

When I came to Dr. Stretch, I was hoping for weight loss, but I’ve achieved more than that. I initially wanted to develop more of an understanding of how nutrients affect my body and how to fuel my body to promote healthy weight loss. I also was keen to learn about the importance of consistent exercise and good nutrition and how I could sustain a healthy lifestyle going forward. Keeping fat off and knowing how to manage it was always my problem, so understanding that has impacted my physique.

I’m 53 now, approaching 54. I didn’t want to hit 50 and be in an unhealthy state. I didn’t want my health to be impacted anymore and really wanted to look after my nutrition and my diet. I understood a few principles I just didn’t know how to put all the pieces together. When I found Dr. Stretch and looked at what the values were and what was delivered, it made logical sense to invest in myself.

What was your lifestyle like before Dr. Stretch?

I used to eat relatively healthily, but I had a yo-yo diet. I tracked my food during my diet phases through apps, but I just didn’t have the support mechanism there. It was all willpower and what I thought to be correct.

So, I found myself thinking I was eating healthy, but actually my nutrition wasn’t always right. I was also doing too much cardio and not enough weight training and felt deflated a lot of the time, as I could lose weight but couldn’t keep it off.

Following your transformation, have you found your day-to-day life has improved?

Definitely. My journey at Dr. Stretch has taught me how to manage blips on the scale and how to eat and train sensibly. It’s also made me realize you can enjoy social events and weekends away as long as you are consistent.

I’ve learned a lot about myself, and I feel so much more confident than I’ve ever felt before, both mentally and physically. I’ve really noticed that my general mood is a lot better than it was ever before.

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