Victoria's Suzie Spitfyre sheds more than 100 pounds in health challenge plus
Sandra McCulloch / sa国际传媒
August 13, 2013
As Suzie Spitfyre sits down at her dining room table of her Vic West condo to talk about life since she completed the sa国际传媒 Health Challenge earlier this year, a couple of things are immediately apparent. Spitfyre, at 38, is much smaller, and much happier, than she used to be.
The challenge offered six participants 12 sessions with a personal trainer as well as advice from nutritionists, mental coaches and financial advisers.
Losing more than 100 pounds has profoundly improved her life, she said.
鈥淚 feel like I鈥檓 the same person but I have to say, I鈥檓 way happier and less judgmental of everything,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 because I鈥檓 more comfortable in my skin and I鈥檓 doing something that I鈥檓 really proud of.鈥�
She lost 52 pounds during the 12-week sa国际传媒 Health Challenge that ended in April, and has lost another 50 since.
At five feet, two inches tall, she has become something of a local celebrity. Even now, more than three months after the challenge concluded, Spitfyre is recognized on the street by sa国际传媒 readers who praise her efforts to get in shape and get healthy.
The idea that she鈥檚 become an inspiration to people means a lot, she said.
She had a friend visit from Montreal and as they walked down the street, Spitfyre was greeted by three different strangers.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a small town!鈥� Spitfyre offered as explanation to her friend.
She can do so many things that she couldn鈥檛 do before 鈥� such as hike up Mount Douglas, go kayaking with her parents and go cycling on the Galloping Goose Trail.
After summiting Mount Doug, Spitfyre thought she might take on Mount Fuji next spring, which at 12,000 feet is the highest mountain in Japan.
鈥淏ut then I thought, maybe that鈥檚 too easy.鈥�
On Jan. 15, Spitfyre weighed in at 292 pounds. On Aug. 7, she tipped the scales at 190. Her waist has shrunk to 38 inches from 54, and her hips to 46 inches from 59.
Her goal is to be healthy and fit, and to be at a weight she can maintain.
She鈥檚 lost the weight by focusing on 鈥渃lean鈥� eating of whole foods 鈥� whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, and lean meats.
Her exercise regime is intense and includes brisk walking, spinning, kick-boxing, circuit training, spinning, cycling and hiking. She walks everywhere in town, including to and from her personal-training sessions at Crystal Pool 鈥� a round trip of six kilometres.
She鈥檚 added yoga to her routine, and says it has given her a new sense of calmness.
Her trainer says Spitfyre can reach 140 pounds, a number that she can鈥檛 quite wrap her mind around.
鈥淚t鈥檚 totally mental, like 99 per cent mental,鈥� Spitfyre said. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 kill me to eat healthy food. It鈥檚 ridiculous how excited I get about breakfast.鈥�
A high-fibre cereal is just the start, she said. She adds skim milk and maybe a banana, 鈥渁nd maybe some strawberries and possibly a handful of blueberries, so it looks like fruit with a glaze on it.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 so rewarding that I can eat this nutritious meal and it makes me feel good, and I don鈥檛 get heartburn at all,鈥� she said.
She fills up on fruit or vegetables, and only limits her intake of fat, protein and complex carbohydrates.
She laughs that she 鈥渟acrificed junk food and it made me feel awesome.鈥�
What used to challenge her in workouts has now become much easier.
鈥淭he weight has lifted in so many ways,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ow I don鈥檛 think, 鈥極h, hopefully I can do that.鈥� It鈥檚 鈥榃hy can鈥檛 I do that?鈥� The confidence definitely is there.鈥�
Her parents are thrilled to see their daughter lose the weight. They pay for the personal training sessions and join her on fun outings like kayaking.
Her husband St茅phane has lost 40 pounds and is enjoying a new outlook on life as well.
鈥淲e keep each other on track, and it鈥檚 quite hilarious,鈥� she said.
鈥淲e go out and we don鈥檛 go to a restaurant; we go out on our bicycles and find ourselves in Langford.鈥�
Right now, she just wants to stay the course and keep losing weight. But a goal for the not-too-distant future is to have a baby. By then, Spitfyre will have worked out how to keep her health as the top priority as she juggles both family and fitness.
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Applications for the next sa国际传媒 Health Challenge will be accepted starting in December. Watch the sa国际传媒 for details.
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SUZIE鈥橲 MANTRAS
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鈥� Progress is progress 鈥� whether it鈥檚 a one-pound loss or 100 pounds, it鈥檚 something of which to be proud.
鈥� Exercise in the morning, before your brain figures out what you鈥檙e doing.
鈥� I may not be the strongest, I may not be the fastest, but I鈥檒l be damned if I'm not trying my hardest.
鈥� You aren鈥檛 going to get the butt you want by sitting on the one you have.
鈥� You are what you eat, so don鈥檛 be fast, cheap, easy or fake.
鈥� Strength: A river cuts through rock not because of its power, but its persistence.
鈥� Go do something that makes you sweat.
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Advice
鈥� Set a reachable goal, such as losing 20 pounds, and once you reach it, set another one.
鈥� Fill your diet with healthy foods 鈥� fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains.
鈥� Journal everything.
鈥� Get a personal trainer to help keep you focused.
鈥� Don鈥檛 beat yourself up if you slip up. Nobody is perfect, so move on.
鈥� Get friends and family behind you 鈥� you鈥檒l need their support.
鈥� Believe in yourself!
Suzie鈥檚 blog is at timescolonist.com
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