When Marcus was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma 14 years ago he faced a life-and-death battle for his health.

Now 37, Marcus is fully clear and cancer-free – but it brought his long-term health into sharp focus.

He lost weight and started living a healthier life on his own – but progress was slow and on-going medication was making weight loss harder.

He would often blame his weight loss struggles on his prescribed medication, but after working with Ultimate Performance he realised that was merely an excuse.     

Training with U.P. twice a week, Marcus has lost an astounding 20kg in 23 weeks and feels happier, healthier and more confident than ever before.  

 Marcuss m37 23wk Pt Lds Front Ultimate Performance

“Five years after my treatment I really struggled with my health because of the medication I was on. I was having side effects and my bad habits accelerated during that period.   

“When I came to U.P. I was hoping for weight loss, but I’ve achieved more than that.  

“I never thought I’d get to the point where I actually look toned and the athletic type. I always thought I’d be stocky for the rest of my life.”  

Here, Marcus speaks about how his trainer has completely changed his perception of dieting and weight loss, and how the 24/7 accountability kept him motivated during his time with U.P.

 

What motivated you to partner with Ultimate Performance?  

Fourteen years ago, I was seriously ill. Around five years after my treatment, I really struggled with my health because of the medication I was on. I was having side effects and my bad habits accelerated during that period. From there these habits have has just materialised and continued to impact me.

I’m still on medication now so it’s about learning to live with it. I used to put not losing weight down to my medication, but really that was rubbish, It’s all about consistency.

On top of this, the pandemic hit me hard from a mental point of view because I went from being in the office five days a week to being at home full time. I started my journey on my own last year, doing a lot of running and exercise, and I achieved a great deal. But then I found that my old habits came back.

 

Marcus before working with the professionals and completing his transformation at Ultimate Performance.

Tell us a little bit more about your condition and how it affected you?  

My medication is an immune suppressant after I was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma. I spent nine months in hospital, but I am fully clear and in remission now, but at the time that was a massive shock and changed my perception of life. It’s taken me a long time to get over it and realise that I need to look after my health.

 

 

Aside from prioritising your health, did you have any other goals in mind?  

When I came to U.P. I was hoping for weight loss, but I’ve achieved more than that. I initially wanted to develop more of an understanding of how nutrients affect my body and how to fuel my body to promote healthy weight loss. I also was keen to learn about the importance of consistent exercise and good nutrition and how I could sustain a healthy lifestyle going forward. Keeping fat off and knowing how to manage it was always my problem, so understanding that has impacted my physique.

I’m 37 now, approaching 40. I didn’t want to hit 40 and be in an unhealthy state. I didn’t want my health to be impacted anymore and really wanted to look after my nutrition and my diet. I understood a few principles I just didn’t know how to put all the pieces together. When I found U.P. and looked at what the values were and what was delivered, it made logical sense to invest in myself.

 

 

What was your lifestyle like before U.P.?  

I used to eat relatively healthily but I had a yoyo diet. I tracked my food during my diet phases through apps, but I just didn’t have the support mechanism there. It was all willpower and what I thought to be correct.

So, I found myself thinking I was eating healthy, but actually my nutrition wasn’t always right. I was also doing too much cardio and not enough weight training and felt deflated a lot of the time, as I could lose weight but couldn’t keep it off.

 

 

Following your transformation, have you found your day-to-day life has improved?  

Definitely. My journey at U.P. has taught me how to manage blips on the scale and how to eat and train sensibly. It’s also made me realise you can enjoy social events and weekends away as long as you are consistent.

I’ve learned a lot about myself and I feel so much more confident than I’ve ever felt before, both mentally and physically. I’ve really noticed that my general mood is a lot better than it was ever before.

 

 

How did U.P.’s approach help you get into the best shape of your life?  

The reason I decided to come to U.P. was the one-to-one support and the app that both me and my trainer had access to. I’ve found my trainer pushed me when I wouldn’t necessarily push myself.

Some movements I do here, I did at my own gym a couple of years ago, but I never progressed in the same way because I was either scared or just gave up.

Now, I’ve got the ability, the drive and the desire to progress because I know what I’m doing. It’s given me a lot more confidence and knowledge to continue with my training.

 

Marcus enjoying a more active lifestyle inspired by his training at Ultimate Performance.

 

What would you say the highlight of your transformation has been?   

I’ve realised that I can still have fun and do things that I enjoy. I always give anything I do 100%, so I expected to look different after my transformation, but not as different as I do.

When I got to 76kg on my own, I never fit into the clothes the same way I did when I got to 76kg here. Now I’m just under 70kg, around 10 stone eight. I fit into 30-inch jeans and my torso, chest and arms look good.

I never thought I’d get to the point where I actually look toned and the athletic type. I always thought I’d be stocky for the rest of my life, but now I’ve got here, I never want to lose it.

 

IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START TO GET FIT, PUT YOUR HEALTH IN OUR HANDS LIKE MARCUS AND SEE WHAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE. ENQUIRE ON THE FORM BELOW…

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