CSM Game-Changer Issue with Cristiano Ronaldo 2019 BODY ISSUE - Lauren Flodquist | Page 160

CSM: This is your feature debut to be on Center Stage
Magazine, what is the experience like when you are
included in our roster for 2019’s Summer Body is-
sue?
MARCO: I feel honored to be featured in this maga-
zine since I have a deep connection to the Philippines.
My girlfriend is from the Philippines and I’ve been
travelling to Cebu last year. I really love it, people in
the Philippines are the friendliest I’ve seen so far and
the nature is amazing.
CSM: What do you think makes Center Stage Maga-
zine stand-out or makes it unique in other publica-
tions around the globe?
MARCO: I like the fact that it’s not only a fitness
magazine. You’re featuring a broad spectrum of
unique and inspirational personalities and that gives
a great variability for the readers.
CSM: What are the duties and responsibilities that
entail to your current profession or career?
MARCO: I’m a self-employed Personal Trainer and
have my own company in Switzerland. I love helping
people reaching their fitness goals and make them
feel healthier, stronger and younger. I do have clients
from all age groups, people in their twenties, thirties
and even older than 60. Age is really not a limiting
factor, it’s all about your mindset towards your age.
Showing people how to really get the best versions
of themselves is what I really love about my job. Of
course, you have a lot of responsibility since clients
are trusting you with their health. So, you really need
to know what kind of exercises are beneficial to im-
prove someone’s health and which exercises should
be avoided. In terms of nutrition I do blood testing
to see what kind of insulin sensitivity someone has.
That tells me exactly if it should be a carbohydrate-
based diet or a rather ketogenic (almost no carbohy-
drates) diet. As a matter of fact, all of my clients get
individual training and diet plans, because each of
us is different and that’s why it has to be individual.
Apart from that I’m a professional fitness model and
I’ve been featured already on 14 Magazine Covers
all around the world. As a professional fitness model
I always need to be in shape. That’s why I’m strictly
following my diet and keep training 4-6 times a week
in the gym.
CSM: This year’s bimonthly edition is about going
for game-changing results in careers and individual-
ity and inspiring people (being a beacon of inspira-
tion); describe how you defied your limits and exude
confidence in your career and what did you do to
push those boundaries.
MARCO: Originally, I’m an investment banker. I
like economics and banking, but it was never my pas-
sion. That job was a means to an end for me. I do like
economy and business, I’m still interested in these
topics, but I always knew that it’s just not my pas-
sion and not fulfilling me. So while working there,
I prepared for my future fitness career in every way
I could, slowly and steadily. I used my salary and
vacation days to get the best training there is, and
eventually started modeling and personal training on
the side. The results I was able to achieve with my
personal training clients were astounding. The word
spread and I was so busy bringing people in shape
that I decided my preparation phase was over. I could
bring much more value to many more people doing
what I love than working in the bank, so I quit my job
and never looked back.
CSM: Being assertive and attentive is required for
this profession. Have you ever made or encountered
difficult decisions? How did you manage that?
MARCO: It’s important to understand that a personal
trainer is not a doctor or a psychologist. So, when
I meet new clients I first talk to them to see if they
have a mental or health condition where it’s advised
to work with a doctor and/or psychologist first. I did
have situations where I couldn’t take clients due to
this fact. Being honest can be hard sometimes and it
also happens that people do not understand why you
can’t coach them. Fact is, you first have to mentally
ready and get things that happened in the past sorted
before you take the road to a healthy and fit body.
CSM: How do you handle the situation if people get
intimidated by you and your work?
MARCO: It sometimes happens that people get in-
timidated when they see a man with a significant
amount of muscles, because it‘s not mainstream.
Usually they change their opinion as soon as they
start a conversation with me and get to see my char-
acter. I‘m a person who can listen to other people
needs very well and that‘s definitely a skill of mine
and people really like that. Moreover I‘m a very posi-
tive and open-minded guy. So, when people talk to
me they feel very energized afterwards. You should
not build your opinion upon the looks of someone.
When it comes to my work as a professional fitness
model and personal trainer people are normally not
intimidated. If they are intimidated it‘s because of
the hard work they need to go through when trying
to achieve a body transformation in case they get my
clients. I always tell my clients that nothing was ever
built without hard work.
CSM: What game-changing results do you look for-
ward this year?
MARCO: This year has been phenomenal so far. Most
of all I’m very happy that I could further improve my
health by still following my vegan diet. I’m 32 and
my doctor told me that I have blood values of a 20
year old guy and my skin also looks very healthy and
young. I know that this has to do with my decision to
turn vegan 2 years ago. By doing this I do have much
less acid in my body and a boost of alkaline which
makes me feel like 10 years younger.
I’m also very grateful to still increase the number
of covers that I’ve landed so far. It’s not about the
number, but by landing more and more covers I can
spread my message which is to generally reduce an-
imal protein intake. I’m the best example that you
don’t need animal protein to look great. It’s all about
your attitude.