Our story

Meet Terri. For much of her teens and twenties, life was shaped by the number on the scales. Like many people, she moved from one fad diet to the next, constantly chasing an idea of what she thought she should look like.

Exercise wasn’t about enjoyment back then. It was about trying to lose weight or “fix” something. Food felt complicated, confidence was low and movement never really felt like something that belonged to her.

She didn’t really know what she wanted from life either. She settled down young and became a mum to two children.

But becoming a parent began to shift something.

As her daughter faced a childhood illness, Terri started to rethink the way she saw her own body, health and wellbeing. It became less about appearance and more about strength, resilience and showing up for the people who mattered most.

In her 30s she discovered running - initially taking part in a charity event - and something clicked.

For the first time, movement wasn’t punishment.

It was empowering.

And she was hooked.

Raymond grew up in the 70s and by his own admission was a bit of a handful as a teenager. Sport wasn’t really his thing and exercise didn’t feature much in his early life.

Like many people, life ticked along- work, routines, habits- until one day he decided something had to change.

A local parkrun took place near his home.

One Saturday morning he turned up to see what it was all about.

That simple decision changed everything.

Through running he found community, friendship and a new sense of purpose. Before long the miles started stacking up and he was completing marathons and even ultramarathons.

Fitness had become part of who he was.

It was through running that they found each other. As the miles stacked up, their friendship grew. Until one day, when Raymond looked at Terri and said, "You're alright." 

Years of miles, adventures, challenges and friendship eventually led to their wedding day.

But their story didn’t stop there.

Together they turned their shared passion for movement and wellbeing into something bigger - Smile & Sweat Fitness.

What started as two people discovering the joy of movement later in life became a mission to help others do the same.

We know first hand that fitness doesn’t have to start in your twenties.

You don’t have to be naturally sporty.

You don’t have to be perfect.

You just have to start.

Through personal training, group fitness classes and our online Smile & Sweat Squad community, we help people build strength, confidence and healthier habits that fit around real life.

Because we truly believe it’s never too late to make yourself a priority.

And the journey might just surprise you.

Whether you’re looking for personal training, supportive group classes or flexible online workouts, we’d love to support you.