Nick Cleinwerck

To say that so much has happened in such a short amount of time is an understatement, but there's no better way to describe my journey since starting with Vision Personal Training. Within less than two years, I have achieved things I never thought were possible.

Before starting with Vision Personal Training Engadine, I was underweight, was embarrassed and hated my body. I had no self-confidence, was not fit or had any strength and was spiralling down in my mental health. In 2014 I was diagnosed with severe anxiety and mild/moderate depression and hearing those words brought my world to ruin, even though through my eyes already at that stage it was. I have struggled for years with both, going to counselling and therapy to help fix it, but the most beneficial factor in helping overcome this, was when I started at Vision Engadine and the exercising to release the stress and anxiety.

I had always been insecure with my body, even to the point at times I would be embarrassed to be shirtless around my family because I hated my body. I specifically remember one year when my family would go away for New Years, I was sitting with my Aunty on the side of the pool and she asked why I wasn't in the pool with everyone else having fun and I responded "I can't go into the pool without my shirt, I look fat" and my Aunt just turned and asked what do you mean and I responded "I am, look when I sit down, I have stomach rolls, like I'm fat it's obvious isn't it'. My aunty couldn't believe what she had just heard and was shocked to see that I felt that way, a 17-year-old who was very underweight yet in his mind could see himself as fat.

 I would only ever eat junk food, never any food with any nutrients, always packaged with so many additives in them. I would always ask my family for take-away/junk food at any opportunity and thought because my body shape wasn't changing, I was still "healthy" but little did I know, there was barely any muscle on a small body. I didn't play any sports or do any physical since, I haven't looked back.

Since joining Vision Engadine, I have accomplished a lot of things I never thought I would. In my first year alone, I went from not running at all to completing my first ever half marathon and transformed my physique massively by gaining 10Kg of pure muscle. Now almost 2 years into my training, I've completed 3 half marathons, the Coastal Classic (a 30Km trail run through the national park), completed numerous running events/obstacle courses and toned up my physique more. The biggest change however is just the overall feeling within myself. I no longer struggle with my mental health and are now starting to use the word "LOVE" when I talk about myself and my body. There's such a massive transformation in fitness, both physical and mental and now have the confidence to fully be myself and start to show my body off more now when I used to shy away from any clothing or activities that showed too much skin.

This journey would not be possible without the team at Vision Personal Training, especially the two Personal Trainers I have had along with me for this journey, both Luke and Matt. The community as well has been so supportive and now coming up to my 21st Birthday, I have never felt more healthy, confident and happy within myself and am now training for my first full marathon in 2018.