Zac Murray

Tell us about life before joining Vision?
I've always enjoyed being active, and many years ago I was pretty seriously into cycling, covering hundreds of kms each week. I gave up the hours in the saddle when my daughter was born, and swapped it for activities that don't take quite so much time and are a bit more family-friendly - mostly walking and running. During the COVID lockdowns all that stopped, and by the time we got through that phase I'd put on too much weight and lost a lot of fitness. I needed to make a change!

What impact has Vision had on your life since achieving your amazing results?
Since joining Vision, I've restarted some of those fitness and wellness habits that I had dropped over the years. I'm much more mindful of the exercise I do and the food I eat. My weight and my fitness are back where I want them to be, and that has enormous benefits for my general happiness and motivation for daily life. Somehow along the way, I also became one of those mysterious "morning people" - I actually enjoy getting up early for a workout.

What results have you achieved there?
Since joining Vision I've lost nearly 14kg and managed to keep that weight off for 2 years. My body shape has changed for the better, and my new routine is definitely helping me keep the "middle-age spread" at bay. My general strength and fitness is great, and I've achieved some personal best times for 10k and half-marathon runs.

What are some defining moments during your journey?
The first 9 week program was hard, but very rewarding. There were lots of bad habits I had to overcome, but it was clear from quite early that the results would be good, and I lost around 10kg in those first 9 weeks. Those results made it a lot easier to continue into the second 9 weeks, and before long I'd established a bunch of better habits and another 4kg. I've also taken up running again since joining Vision, and even overcame my fear of running longer distances. Along the way I managed to run a 10k in 55 minutes (I never thought I'd beat 1hr), and I very nearly ran a half-marathon in less than 2hr (I'll do it one day!)

What advice would you give someone who is currently thinking about taking a positive step towards changing their health and fitness?
Firstly, good on you! It takes courage to change, especially when it's likely to push you out of your comfort zone. I was nervous at first, but my trainer and everyone at Vision were very supportive, which definitely made things easier. The other advice I would give is to embrace the goal-setting approach at Vision. I believe that it's ok to be less than perfect... but it's super important to try and do the best you can in the moment. You may fall short sometimes, but if you show up to every session and do what you can, then the results will surely come.