​Hi, I’m Joey and I’ve been working with Marios regularly for just over two years. In that time I dropped 22 kg of fat.

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"I dropped 22kg of fat"

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A Setback

 

Unfortunately in February ‘24 I suffered a minor injury that set me back quite a bit.

 

In October I made the decision to essentially restart my program and fully commit to dropping the weight again.

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This is not the first time I’ve had to restart a program for one reason or another.

 

I’ve struggled with fat loss and overall health improvements since I was 25.

 

Starting Afresh

 

Now, starting my 40th year I’m confident that I’ll be able to attain my goals in ‘25 with Marios’ continued support and the knowledge he has already prepared me with.

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From the beginning, in July ‘22 I had just moved to Alexandria, Virginia just south of Washington, DC in the United States.

 

Going Fully Vegan

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I had also just decided to go fully Vegan in April ‘22 after approximately two years of being lacto-ovo vegetarian.

 

I was specifically looking for a trainer that could guide me both in the gym and the kitchen. So I did a Google search for vegan virtual trainers and soon found a link to Marios’ website.

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'I was specifically looking for a trainer that could guide me both in the gym and the kitchen'

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I usually train with Marios on either Tuesday or Thursday, occasionally both at 11.30 which is 06.30 my time, morning has always been my preferred workout time so this was the perfect arrangement.

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What I hope to get out of my training is;

 

-an increase of muscle mass

-a decrease of fat,

 

I’d like a lean build with increased muscle tone.

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Starting weight: 110.6 kg
Goal weight: ~72 kg

Starting Body Fat%: 34.1%
Goal Body Fat%: ~15%

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Goal Tracking

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To reach my goals I’ve started tracking my physical measurements regularly, I’ve got a connected Garmin scale so all I need to do is step on and it’ll do the rest.

 

I’m also tracking many of my vitals through my Garmin VivoActive fitness watch.

 

I send these stats to Marios regularly and he provides feedback on how I’m doing and guidance on how to improve any areas that may be deficient.

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Some of the root causes of my failure to maintain include my schedule which stays busy, chaotic, and stressful.

 

Stress is the number one problem I face, which has a rippling effect on all areas of my life, from lack of sleep, overeating, and immune system problems, just to name a few.

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'Stress is the number one problem I face, which has a rippling effect on all areas of my life'

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What I’ve done to try and mitigate these issues are small, sustainable changes in my daily routine:​​

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•⁠  ⁠I have been researching different methods of slow/simple living to help reduce the stress. This part is especially difficult living in the city with a 90 minute round trip daily commute.

•⁠  ⁠I pack my gym and work bags the night before so I don’t need to think about them in the morning.

•⁠  ⁠I ensure healthy meals are prepared to avoid overeating and the likelihood that I’ll order take out which tends to include unhealthy, highly caloric meals.

    * I don’t believe in “cheat” meals, it’s perfectly okay to eat the foods you love just in smaller quantities. I also try to follow an 80/20 Whole Foods diet and have more recently begun trying to make more of my foods myself. I love experimenting in the kitchen.

•⁠  ⁠I recently purchased and am setting up a hydroponic garden in the spare room, hopefully this will produce some great homegrown plants to use in my cooking.

•⁠  ⁠I’ve begun using devices less often, replacing them with reading, dog walks, an extra lap or two in the pool, and similar activities.

•⁠  ⁠I’ve begun using my network for additional motivation when I need to. It’s amazing how much harder I’m willing to push myself with others cheering me on.

 

November Update:

 

One full month into this new program and I’ve lost 3.9 kg and my BF% is down 0.3%.

 

I logged 27 workouts, and walked a total of 141,280 steps, the equivalent of 109km.

 

Many things happened this month out of the ordinary, such as a vacation in Miami where I ate out every day, my birthday, and Thanksgiving here in the US.

 

I exceeded my calorie limits on multiple days but I did some extra cardio to stay on track.

 

I’m looking forward to seeing what December brings and whether I can beat my November stats!