Sarah Dolan

How were things before you joined Vision? I had been the same weight for a while before the pandemic hit. Then, with the lockdowns, lack of exercise and comfort food, my energy dropped and a year later, I had put on 9kg. My clothes didn’t fit, my food had changed (I ate a lot of blue cheese) and I wasn’t exercising much. I tried to reverse it, but nothing worked, and I didn’t know what to do. I was flat, tired, and sluggish, and thought I would just buy new clothes and settle for my new reality. In March this year, a flyer from Vision Ivanhoe arrived in my letterbox. I kept it on my fridge for a while, then decided to email them. Lee called, invited me to a consultation and I have never looked back.

Tell me about your latest journey. It took a while for me to understand what I needed to do, then one day, the penny dropped. The nutrition tips finally sunk in and I began to increase my protein, reduce saturated fats, turn up my cardio and really concentrate on my PT sessions. When the 2021 lockdowns struck, I did online sessions, joined classes, and started experimenting with the App recipes (I am not a great cook). Little by little, I started to notice changes. The highlight was learning new exercises and knowing that others were going through what I was. I never felt alone. My trainer Marco has supported me every step of the way and I see a different future for myself now.

What results have you achieved lately? I have now lost 10kg. Better than that, I can do a lunge, lift a weight and even box (not well). I have started doing two run/walks a week and will aim for a 3km fun run next year. If I had heard this about myself a year ago, I wouldn’t have believed it. Now I feel healthy, fit, and happy.

What would you tell someone who is thinking about joining Vision? Please give it a go. It is such a life changing experience. It’s not just losing weight, there’s a whole lovely support system backing you up. Seeing people’s smiling faces each week is motivating. No one rushes or judges you. Everything is in balance now: my Vision world, and all the other things I still love to do. I am grateful beyond words.