Marco Lucchi

Before joining Vision Crows Nest, my lifestyle was anything but perfect. I did not eat bad food - as an Italian I always try to cook my own meals - but maybe I ate a little too much. Also, I really had little knowledge of what macronutrients are and how they affect your body and your overall health. As for fitness, I was totally unfit. I hadn’t been inside a gym for several years and I used every excuse not to walk/run/exercise.

I decided to join Vision Crows Nest because I had enough of being unfit, being tired after 10 minutes of any physical activity and also because I was getting dangerously close to the psychological threshold of 100 kilos. As it happened, I met my Personal Trainer-to-be, Robbie Mattei, by accident. Unbeknownst to either of us, we were neighbours and one day we just bumped into each other and started talking. I had to undergo a small operation that year, but I promised to get in touch with him after I’d recovered. Which I did.

If my memory serves me, my Vision adventure started in January 2018. The impact was not nearly as traumatic as I had anticipated. As a matter of fact, Robbie and I only started “getting physical” after about a week of preliminary conversations and tests. Only then did we begin the actual fitness program. Robbie tailor-made the program for me. My goal was basically to lose about 10 kilos and get fitter, so we focused on that. Yes, I did get exhausted during the first few weeks, but I expected that and, in hindsight, it was proof that the program was working.

The results came almost immediately. During the first year I managed to lose about eight kilos and certainly felt “lighter” when I negotiated stairs or slopes. I also acquired a consciousness of what I was doing right and what I was doing wrong (and I’m not ashamed to confess that sometimes I did break the rules, you know, dinner parties, holidays etcetera). But at least I took responsibility for my actions and learned what to do to make up for my “sins”.

My will power is not particularly strong, so it was indeed very helpful for me to have Robbie play the good cop-bad cop routine to keep me honest. I wouldn’t have done it without him. He keeps motivated and I do welcome his candid evaluations as to whether we have or haven’t reached our targets.

My next goal is to shed a few more kilos. I’m a realist, and I know that at 60 I can’t pretend to turn back the clock… too much, but the target is certainly achievable and with Robbie’s guidance and help I am confident that I will get over the line sooner rather than later.

The atmosphere at Vision Crows Nest is certainly conducive to achieving results. Not only do they have all the equipment you need - and they certainly keep it clean and oiled above and beyond the call of duty - but they’re also a very professional team. They always come up with new ideas and projects to make training programs more interesting and less routine for members and they are extremely flexible (a must in this day and age). It doesn’t hurt that, apart from being pros, they’re also a friendly mob with a great sense of humour and unwavering enthusiasm. If you live in the North Shore, you’ve got to check out Vision Crows Nest!