Vishal Sacher has swapped his paunch for a rippling six pack in a period of two years- a journey of transformation which has been both hard-hitting and rewarding.
The 31-year-old customer service executive born and brought up in Punjab, has recently won the beach model category at the Victorian Championship held under the aegis of NABBA and World Fitness Federation (WFF)- the two peak governing bodies for competitive body building in Australia.
In this category, bodybuilders are judged on the overall quality of their muscles and proportion.
“I am incredibly happy. It’s been a long journey. And I have sacrificed quite a lot to achieve this title,” Mr Sacher told SBS Punjabi.
Mr Sacher who arrived in Australia in 2006, used to play cricket in Punjab and even represented the state a few times.
But he claims that the move to a new country and the struggle to settle took him away from fitness and sports and his weight eventually ballooned, tipping the scales at 110 kgs.
“The struggle to settle in this new country had kept me away from paying attention to my body," told Mr Sacher.
His fitness journey began after an encounter with a few friends who pointed out that he had gained a significant amount of weight post marriage, a moment which inspired him to re-evaluate his health.
“In that moment, I decided that I would prove them wrong. I embarked on a strict diet and exercise routine and have never since looked back,"said Mr Sacher.
“If you’re determined, nothing can stop you from being fit. All you need is a little will power, an endless portion of family support and natural diet. Trust me nothing can stop you then."
Seeing his transformation, many of his friends and family members reach out to him for fitness advice.
“I am always available to help anyone who wants to lose weight,” said Mr Sacher who believes that natural ways are way more effective than relying on supplements readily available in the market.
“Youngsters these days often resort to copious amounts of supplements."
“They forget that supplements can only enhance the performance of the body to a limited extent. They do not help in staying fit or healthy.”
“Stick to a natural diet for your protein intake and exercise regularly to stay healthy,” advised Mr Sacher.
Having won the state championship, he is now gearing up to compete at the national level in the same category in October.
