Natalina, 34, has MS – deadlift 90 kilograms

If someone said a year ago that Natalina Larsson would allow herself to be photographed at NWT wearing tights and a tank top to the gym, the answer would be…

– No, that will never happen.

A diagnosis of MS has turned life upside down. Through thick and thin.

Today, it radiates strength and pride.

– I want him to inspire everyone.

Training made her stronger than she was before.

– I really want to train every day, but I also have to rest, says Natalina Larsson.

We meet her at the gym.

You feel at home here, you say, picking up weights and exercise machines.

From the impression she gives, it is hard to accept that she is as sick as her. The diagnosis of MS is about 1.5 years old and the disease affects it in many ways.

Mom is tired

My legs don’t really work and I can’t walk much longer. And I’m so tired. This exhaustion cannot be explained, it is in a completely different way. I just want to sleep and that’s too weird for me to be hyperactive.

– You had to learn how to lie in bed and on the couch and play with Barbie. It’s good, says Natalina.

The two daughters, Molly and Wilma, are four and six years old.

They have a very tired mother. They also have a mother who loves to exercise and prefers to be with them. And who is the least fit, who puts healthy food on the table, who is determined to stay strong.

This was not always the case.

– I found it so hard that I couldn’t be a role model for children. I didn’t really want them to get baby obesity, that would be horrible.

When she was ten years old, Natalina Larsson weighed 110 kilograms.

– I’ve had difficulties all my life and food has been my comfort, she says.

bariatric surgery

She grew up in Ulster south of Monkfors where she lives today. She was diagnosed with ADHD and had been struggling with mental illness issues over the years.

At the age of 25, she weighed 144 kilograms and underwent a gastric bypass operation. An anti-obesity operation where most of the stomach is separated.

I lost 50 kilos in a year. It was really hard, food has always been my comfort, says Natalina Larsson.

– But then I got pregnant and had my kids and I’m very happy about that. I had no period before the operation.

life stabilized

Life seemed good, she had her family, her weight was stable even if at a high level, and in 2020, she can start training to become a care manager.

My ADHD makes it very difficult to read a regular book or sit in a regular exam room. Now I got great support, among other things with digital books.

In March 2021, the body began to struggle. The caregiver took a few months to determine what was happening to Natalina.

– It started with my eyes really bad. We had digital lectures during the pandemic and I could only close my eyes and listen.

Then came the emotional loss and dizziness.

Various investigations were conducted that did not show any clear results.

– One day when I was working, a doctor called and said, “We found something in your brain. Come here at once, but you may not drive.” My husband Emil works in Sunne and had to come to Hagfors and pick me up and drive me to Karlstad. Natalina Larsson says you have time to think a lot during that time.

Notice in June

In June, the last word came that MS, a neurological disease that affects the central nervous system.

– For the first time, I just think day in and day out. Not forward or backward. It’s impossible to plan things because I don’t know how I feel.

He spent the summer starting therapy and trying to understand what had happened.

– I had one year left in education and I wanted to finish it badly. I haven’t been able to finish anything before.

As part of the treatment, she met a physiotherapist who somehow managed to kindle a spark and hope in Natalina.

Muscles weaken

A consequence of MS is that the muscles become weaker.

– I had an untrained body and now it’s weaker. And I was so tired. Then she comes and asks me to start training. How can I deal with it?

It was just before Christmas and the physiotherapist insisted that Natalina still attend and get her exercise programme.

– I came home to Emil and said that you have to do it with me, otherwise it will never work.

On Christmas Day, the family did the exercise program together on the living room floor.

– Ten minutes took, among other things, pelvic and knee lifts. Natalina says she is miserable.

Smile at the memory. Now training is on a completely different level. Completed 50 Tabata rounds and 90kg deadweight slings.

– I decided to continue for 30 days. I know building a new habit takes time. I’m the type to start things and give up.

I found the motive

Now you no longer need Emile’s support, she has found her own engine and training programs are longer. Emil is back running but the kids still sometimes cling:

– It’s so much fun.

I know building a new habit takes time. I’m the type to start things and give up.”

– Natalina Larsson

She has learned to deal with her limits.

Strength training works well for me. Cardio training does not work. I need to rest in between.

For patients with multiple sclerosis, it is difficult to keep the body temperature at a good level. After the workout, Natalina needs to cool down quickly with cold towels and quickly take a shower.

Want to be strong

As silly as it may sound, Natalina thanks her MS diagnosis for finding her new, more mobile life. and its energy to the point where it goes head-to-head.

– She gave me the will to be strong. I wish I had found this earlier. Then maybe I missed a lot of things.

I really want my story to inspire others.