Name:
Marko Kotze
Age:
26
Location:
Pretoria
What do you do?
Accountant (SAPIA Trainee)
What else do you do?
Music lover, play the guitar. Gym, play video games, go to the shooting range etc.
YOU AND SLEEKGEEK
How long have you been a member of Sleekgeek?
Since 2020, not that long yet, but getting there.
How did you find Sleekgeek?
I saw a Facebook post and joined, did not know about Sleekgeek beforehand.
What is your favourite part of the Sleekgeek Community?
The people, everyone is so supportive and are ready to help, no questions asked. It’s a great community.
YOUR TRANSFORMATION
Describe the “old you” before you made your transformation. How did you get there and what were you like?
The old me loved coke and any fizzy drinks and fast food. I’m not entirely sure how I ended up there, it came over a period of years, just living unhealthy and not making the correct choices. Also, fighting with my brother when he asked me to join him at the gym and get active.
What ignited your initial motivation to change?
After having McDonald’s for breakfast for a week, I realised something needed to change, I could not continue with this trajectory. I was so unhealthy and unfit I feared a heart attack from the lightest of tasks. I was ashamed of what I looked like and how I ended up and decided something needs to change.
What are some of the things that the new you does differently now?
For starters, I am actually active, I gym at least 3 times a week, sometimes more. I no longer drink fizzy drinks, I made the change to 3 – 4 litres of water a day, and overall just making more healthy choices.
What are some of the things that the new you still struggles with?
One of the biggest hurdles is still motivation, somedays you just don’t feel up to exercising, that’s when the mindset needs to be correct. Sometimes, there is still that craving for fast food that is hard to say no too, but once in a while, it’s fine. One of the hardest things is making healthy choices when the people around you are not (for example at the office).
If you could give yourself 1 piece of advice to help with that struggle, what would it be?
Stay focused on your goal when things are hard, and remember, you are not striving for perfection and it’s okay to fail sometimes.
Did you plateau, get stuck, or get disillusioned, or even slide backwards a bit on your journey?
I did, and I don’t feel ashamed to admit it. I did hit a plateau and even slid a bit backwards in my journey, it’s just part of the whole process.
What is better since you got healthy?
My WHOLE LIFE! ?
I have a lot more energy, my confidence is up and in general I feel a lot better about myself.
As a bonus, my chronic illness is also better and the medicine dosage has been halved, with the prospect of completely leaving it. It is also great to be able to motivate others.
TRAINING
What’s your favourite form of exercise? [Running, yoga, weightlifting, etc]
Weightlifting and just overall strength training
How long have you been training and how did you get started?
Almost a year and a half now. I started at Body20 due to my unfitness, and just took it further from there.
What does your typical workout look like?
A little bit of arms (mostly dumbbell curls), push-ups and always stomach (sit up variations), then I take it from there for leg day/arm day etc.
Favourite exercise? [Distance / pose / movement / etc]
Bit of a cliché, but bench press (or anything that requires only bodyweight/resistance bands and not a huge amount of weights to carry around)
Least favourite exercise? [Distance / pose / movement / etc]
Barbell squats
How does exercise make you feel?
Elevated, energized and a lot less stressed. A great feeling of accomplishing something.
Do you prefer to train alone or with others? Why?
It depends on the training when running, I like to do it with others as it’s a nice group activity and it’s always nice having someone to chat with.
When doing weights/strength, mostly alone, it just helps me focus better.
Most embarrassing training moment?
Having to train with ripped pants, and then on top of that doing the movement completely wrong. Not one of my proudest moments.
Top 3 things you must have at the gym or in your gym bag?
Deodorant (and gym towel), Protein Shake and a dry shower (for days when everything is just going too fast).
Your next training goal?
My next training goal is to get toned, I last all the fat I needed to and now it’s time to build a bit of muscle and tone up.
Top 5 songs on your training playlist?
The Parlotones – Push me to the Floor
Muse – Supermassive blackhole
Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk
Bruno Mars – Locked Out of Heaven
Roxette – Joyride
How has exercise/training/Sport Changed your life? [Made it better, etc – please be specific]
I have a lot more energy, I can do things I have never done (even enter a warrior race), and my health overall is much, much better. Cholesterol and blood sugar down.
NUTRITION
What’s your favourite meal?
It will be a nice Variety basket from Mustang Sally’s or a cheeseburger.
OK, now what’s your favourite healthy meal?
Grilled chicken, bulgar wheat and mixed vegetables.
Favourite protein?
Chicken
Favourite fat?
Avocado
Favourite carbohydrate?
Bulgar Wheat
What’s your nutrition philosophy / approach? [If you have one]
90% of the time eat healthily, 10% something you like that’s not healthy.
How many meals a day do you eat?
3 main meals a day, snacking 2 – 3 times a day in between (basically eating every 2 hours)
Do you have a cheat meal / treat strategy?
1 cheat meal/treat over a weekend when you don’t feel like eating something healthy.
MINDSET
Most memorable personal best achievement to date. Something you maybe never imagined you could do?
I won the Body20 member of the year competition with my total weight loss of 45.8kg, completing my first ever warrior race Commando level.
Favourite quote?
“God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile” – Max Lucado
“Learn from Yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow”
Favourite book?
The Hobbit
What inspires and motivates you?
The need to stay healthy and fit, and the thought of never going back to the way I was.
For what are you most grateful?
I am most grateful for a great family and friends who were only supportive throughout everything I did and the hard journey I took to get where I am today.
What do you want to say to other community members who might be nervous or hesitant to make a start?
It might sound a bit cliché but just do it. Nothing can happen if you don’t start. As soon as you start you will see that you will feel much better each day. You need to make the decision to want to change, as it all starts in the mind.
Even when you are busy, it is not that hard to keep eating healthy, just do your prep beforehand.
You will thank yourself in the future for making the change.
What are your top 5 tips for anyone starting on a healthy journey?
1. Get your head right, the way you think is half the battle.
2. In tough times, just push through, it is worth it.
3. Don’t follow a diet, rather change your lifestyle to a healthy one so that you can be consistent (don’t cut food groups from what you are eating)
4. Stay determined and train hard when you are training.
5. It is okay to fall off the wagon, you won’t lose all your progress, just get back up and keep going the next day. DON’T FEEL GUILTY.
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