Viv Owers

Finding Marc's training sessions and joining in is the best thing I have done all year! 

My friend Fiona found Marc's website and set the ball in motion for us. We had both recently had babies and continuously complained about being unfit and unsightly. During my pregnancy, my second, I was really unwell and as a result was quite sedentary. After Harry was born I was lethargic, flabby and very disappointed with how I felt and looked.

Fiona and I started going to the mums with prams sessions, once a week and then Marc started a second session for us which was great. We now do the Saturday mornings with real people too. In the beginning I could only do 10 push ups, ab stab for about 20 seconds and any kind of running was a disaster. After the first few sessions, I was so unfit that I felt really sick and had to go home and lie down.

Now we've been going for 3 months, I've lost a bit of flab but more importantly have gained a great deal of muscle strength and I feel really good. I have energy and am way more enthusiastic about life.

Marc is fabulous with our babies and he is really considerate and understanding of limitations of post baby bodies. He knows how hard to push you and he is so positive and kindly complimentary when he can see you’re doing your best. Being able to take babies to train is fabulous. What an innovative guy!

Finding Marc's training sessions and joining in is the best thing I've done this year... besides having Harry.  

Liz Matthews

I am now at my goal weight and have lost 7-kilos in only 11-weeks! 

In April, I was working long hours, stressed and suffering from guilt about the time I wasn't spending at home. I was tired, grumpy and no fun to be around at home or at work. I was overweight and not happy about that either. I knew I needed to break out of the rut and I came across an ad for Marc Stafford's Biggest Loser program. I jumped at the chance to break the downward cycle I was in.

Now I am at the weight I set as my goal, I have lost 7-kilos in only 11 weeks! But, although I thought it was all about weight loss at the start, attending training is really all about feeling great and having the energy to live life to the fullest.

I appreciate the holistic approach Marc takes to health and fitness. The physical training is supported by educational and motivational sessions to give you the best chance of achieving your personal health and fitness goals. However, I would not have left a nice warm bed on so many early mornings over winter unless the training sessions were fun and varied and with a great group of people and trainers.

The environment at the training sessions at the beach or at the gym is inclusive and supportive where there is a real sense of camaraderie between the group as we endure another ramp run or Lisa's extraordinarily long minutes or make yet another contribution to the swear jar!

Many thanks, Liz Matthews. 

Troy Morris

I am 100% pain free in my back and my fitness is the best it has been in 10-years!

I approached Marc in early January with lower back related pain, which I have had for the past 12 years. I have been to every back specialist in Melbourne without success. Marc started me on some light core strengthening exercises and stretching for the first few weeks. Progressively we have worked up to extensive 1 hour work outs twice a week, concentrating on building my core and leg strength as well as cardio and full weights sessions.

I am 100% pain free in my back. My fitness is the best it has been in 10 years. Marc’s personal attention and dedication to my health and fitness has been nothing short of amazing. He has advised me on nutrition and has set an eating program which is very achievable.

Marc’s sessions are always different with all sorts of surprises and challenges; I look forward to every session with anticipation. After each session I know I have improved my health and fitness, without Marc this would not have been possible.  

Thanks heaps Marc. 

Sue Hall

In 9-weeks I have lost 8.5kg's, 13.5cm's from my waist and 6cm's from my hips and bum! 

My body had not undergone any form of exercise in 5 years. I had a holiday booked in 9 week's time. I figured a good personal trainer was the only way I was going to shed many unwanted kilograms and gain some general fitness back into my life.

I looked up Marc's website and felt very comfortable and reassured with whom I was dealing with. I signed up for training sessions for the following 9-weeks with Marc. He always planned my sessions well, he altered them when needed, we had a mixture of indoor and outdoor sessions and we had a lot of laughs on the way. My body is much more toned, I feel a lot fitter, stronger and enjoy coming back to the gym.

In 9-weeks I lost an amazing total of 8.5kg’s which I never thought possible! I also lost 13.5cm’s from my waist and 6cm’s from my hips and bum. My body shape has totally changed and I feel the best I have in years.

Marc has great people skills, he is passionate, he listens, he has empathy, he is perceptive and he is TOUGH. Marc is professional, organized and a fun guy to be around. Training has been something that I have looked forward to not dreaded (to my amazement) and I look forward to continuing on with my training with Marc to achieve my next goal.  

Stuart Beaumont

In 13-weeks I have lost 8kg's and can run 10km's in under 50mins! 

In June last year I started with the Saturday morning sessions once a week with Marc. After only a couple of weeks I started to feel great and with the help of a friendly and motivating group they encouraged me to attend sessions during the week.

My fitness improved rapidly however I still wasn't looking after my nutrition. When the new year came I was determined to lose some weight to go along with my improved fitness. Marc added additional sessions to the timetable that enabled me to attend 3-5 sessions every week.

In the last 13 weeks I have managed to lose 8 kilos and even compete in my first fun run (8kms without stopping!). Six months ago running 500 metres was enough for me. I had always thought that running was something I could never do. Now I attend the running class every Friday morning and am improving each week.

I have just achieved my other goal also of running 10km’s in under 50 minutes! I am well on track to meet my next goal of losing 14 kilos.

Thanks heaps Marc,
Stuart Beaumont

Jane Chadwick

In 8-weeks I ended up losing 4.5kg's and my body shape dramatically changed! 

When I first read of Marc Bayside’s Biggest Loser Program 2008 I thought, "now that’s exactly what I need.” Then I checked my diary and realised that there wasn’t much happening in the coming eight weeks, except for a girls weekend away – my first ever since motherhood! Hmm, what to do. After giving it a great deal of thought I decided to go for it.

As I was already attending three group training sessions with Marc and was fairly dedicated to my exercise routine, I knew that I would have to do more and work harder – really push myself. So, additional to the training I took on 2 running sessions per week. So that was the exercise part taken care of, now what about everything else?

From the first meeting of the Biggest Loser I knew I had made the right move – it was all positive! For years now, I’d even go so far as saying for most of my life, I have battled with my weight – I have always exercised, be it at a gym, running, even training with Marc. But this was the whole package.

The support of the group and the endless support and information provided by Marc and Lisa empowered me to believe I could do anything I put my mind to. And I’ve got to say, I use to exercise just to try and keep in shape, now I exercise because I love it and really look forward to it!

During the program we were not put on a diet as such – however, we were given endless nutritional information and were in charge of our own diet. I think this was a great way to do it – it gave us choices and we had to be accountable.

After five weeks on the program I did go on my girls weekend away and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I didn’t feel deprived, in fact I probably enjoyed it all the more because I had dropped a few kilos, hence looked better and definitely felt fitter and healthier.

I can honestly say that the Biggest Loser Program changed my life. I am so much more self confident than I have ever been. I ended up loosing 4.5kilos and my body has dramatically changed shape. I love feeling this good and I get lots of comments from friends and people who I haven’t seen in a while – I can’t belief it’s me getting those comments – I was always the one giving them!  

Ian Lawrence

Now I am much fitter and healthier and have lost over 10kg's! 

I have been "working out" with Marc Stafford for just over a year now and I have benefited significantly from that. On day one I found that I was having great difficultly completing the one hour session without a rest to recover. Now I am much fitter and healthier as a consequence of the effort and have lost over 10kg's.

This would not have happened without Marc's help. He creates an environment where we are a team within a bigger team.  We keep each other on our toes and do not want to let the side down, without going to an under comfortable extreme if we are not handling the exercise too well.

Marc is very aware and knows when to push and when to slow us down. The sessions are always varied and interesting although "board days" can be an unwelcome surprise! :)

Tania Walker

I have lost 6kg's in 8-weeks! 

2006 saw the arrival of my precious Tess, however pregnancy was not kind to me. My health and wellbeing took a beating, seeing my weight balloon after an aggressive and lengthy treatment of steroids.

Prior to joining Marc, I joined another trainer who didn't understand my delicate condition. The sessions always included lots of jumping and jarring as a result I ended up with a stress fracture that I could have done without...especially with a newborn!!

'Mums with Prams' in Hampton was my introduction in to Marc Stafford Health & Fitness - accept not substitutes!!! Not only were the other mums really friendly, Marc's slow and steady approach was exactly what I needed. Frankly, I can't understand why every mum doesn't participate in these classes. From 'Mums with Prams' I was addicted to training so I joined other sessions without my young Tess which further advanced my health and fitness levels.

Although I have not quite reached my pre-pregnancy weight, I am definitely stronger and steadily losing weight. With Marc's skilled training, there is no doubt that I will reach my goals!!! In the meantime, I can happily report...

Before - Huffing and puffing after 1 lap around the tree and back;
Now - 3 continuous laps...you bet!

Before - Rowing machine I struggled to keep under 3:00/500m and complete 2 minutes;
Now - 5 minutes at 2:20/500m...no problems!

Before - Shuttle runs would kill me...
Now - Warm-up only...what's next!

Before - 1st attempt at 1000-step challenge I could only go half way;
Now - 2nd attempt I finished in under 30 minutes!

From my experience Marc Stafford Health & Fitness is unlike others and it is definitely not as expensive as you may think. Marc offers variety in all sessions, together with special events/challenges to push you to the limit! After participating in a session you'll be glad you did!!! 

Michael Campion

9.5cm's from my waist in 11-weeks!

Within 11 weeks Michael lost an amazing 9.5cm from his waist line! He also completed his first ever 10km run without stopping in the Sandy Point fun run. Michael can now do 55 push-ups, 8 chin-ups and hold 'the plank' for over 3 minutes. To top it all off he has also lost a total of over 6kg's.

Congratulations Michael!

Jill Lawrence

My fitness has improved out of sight!

It took a bit of convincing for me to attend the sessions with Marc, feeling self-conscious about going along to a gym environment with all of those fit people! I remember on the first day I thought I would throw up, and that was after 5 minutes on the cross trainer…

Well things have changed a bit since then. With Marc’s encouragement and awareness of our strengths and weaknesses, my fitness has improved out of sight. While we train in small groups, the personal attention is always there for the individual. The group work builds our team skills (and our competitive spirit!).

I now look forward to our sessions and just when I think I have peaked, along comes another challenge (1000 steps anyone?). My biggest achievement of the year was completing the Susan 4km fun run, I never thought I would be able to run so far!

Thanks heaps Marc,

Jill Lawrence