After years of not being able to go to the gym because of her anxiety, and pain from fibromyalgia, Emily Sweet is working out again thanks to Koby, her service dog.
Sweet trains regularly at a Mississauga gym, where she is working to get back into shape after her medications contributed to her weight gain. She was advised by her doctor to exercise, but wasn't able to for years because she feared going.
"Sometimes I would wake up in the morning and I couldn't even sit up -- it was that bad," she told CTV Toronto.
All that has since changed.
Over the past year-and-a-half, Sweet has lost more than 20 pounds. She said part of her success can be attributed to her dog, who she trained herself to become a service animal when she was in high school.
"At first I felt really overwhelmed but I knew I had Koby and so he helped ease the anxiety initially to get me to come here," Sweet said.
Koby can sometimes be seen pacing alongside Sweet on the treadmill. It's not uncommon for the dog to draw friendly stares from other gym members.
Sweet also credits her success to her fitness advisor Erin Walker, who she said is one of her inspirations.
Walker also suffers from anxiety and depression. Her father battled cancer for 14 years when she was growing up, and her mother had diabetes.
"I was on medication for a lot of things and losing 50 pounds has actually helped reverse all of that," Walker said.
The fitness advisor said regular exercise has helped her keep the weight off for more than six years.
The Mississauga gym recently recognized Sweet for her amazing progress in a campaign called "The Struggle is Real."
Sweet said she also plans on becoming a fitness trainer.
With a report from CTV Toronto's Pauline Chan
