Mariano Diaz

For most of my adult life, I struggled with my weight and my relationship with food. Staying active was always a challenge, but I managed—until May 2022, when the outdoor bootcamp I attended shut down due to COVID. The idea of joining a traditional indoor gym, filled with loud music and "gym types," didn’t appeal to me.

"I’ll be alright," I told myself. "I’ll just go for runs and take the dog for long walks."

But slowly, the weight crept up—one kilo at a time—until, before I knew it, I had gained over 20kg in less than 15 months, tipping the scales at over 100kg.

The extra weight took a toll. My back pain returned, making my physically demanding job even harder. I wasn’t sleeping well, my energy was at an all-time low, and my mindset suffered. I hid behind baggy clothes, pretending nothing was wrong, but deep down, I knew I had to make a change.

That’s when my best mate, Andy Withers, became the catalyst for my transformation. Over the past year, I had watched him achieve an incredible physical and mental transformation with Vision PT Sylvania. He spoke so highly of the gym and kept encouraging me to give it a go.

After getting tired of feeling terrible all the time, I finally took the plunge and joined Vision PT Sylvania in late June 2024.

Taking the First Step

At my first goal-setting session, I met my personal trainer, Jackson Gibbons—a key part of my success. His high energy and positive attitude were exactly what I needed. My initial goal was simple: lose the 20kg I had gained and strengthen my core to help with my back pain.

But what surprised me most was that I wasn’t asked to go on a crazy diet or train every single day. Instead, Jackson introduced me to the MyVision app, showing me how to track my food intake and understand my macronutrients. This was a game-changer! For the first time, I could clearly see the impact of my food choices, which made it much easier to make smarter decisions.

In addition to my two 30-minute PT sessions per week with Jackson, I started attending Vision’s group classes in the mornings or evenings. From day one, the community was incredibly welcoming, and the encouragement from other members kept me motivated.

There are no egos, no posers—just real people, all working towards their own goals.

The Results Speak for Themselves

With the combination of better food choices and increased physical activity, my weight started dropping at an average rate of 1kg per week. Seeing that progress kept me motivated to stick with it.

Now, 24 weeks later, I am down 23kg!

The number on the scale is what most people focus on, but for me, the real transformation has been:
✅ Feeling physically stronger
✅ No more back pain
✅ A completely improved mindset

The Hardest Part? Making That First Call

The toughest moment in this journey wasn’t the workouts or the food tracking—it was making that first phone call and admitting to myself that I needed a change.

But that single decision changed everything.

Jackson, along with the incredible team at Vision PT Sylvania—Chris, Mitchell, Kate, Nathan, and Joel—has been there every step of the way, guiding, encouraging, and supporting me.

If you’re thinking about joining a gym, I cannot recommend Vision PT Sylvania highly enough. These trainers know what they’re doing, they’re passionate about helping people, and most importantly, they change lives.

They’ve certainly changed mine in more ways than I ever imagined possible.

If you’re on the fence, just remember: Only YOU can do it. But with the right support, you’ll never have to do it alone.