Stuck in reruns...

Though a lot has happened in the last few weeks, I feel like I've been stuck on repeat.  Obviously, this blog is dedicated to my health and fitness journey...so why, oh why, do I rerun my least favourite episodes?!  The ones normal viewers would glance at and then change the channel in favour of something a bit more exciting, fresh, edgy.

It's December 1st and I haven't blogged in over 2 months...it's almost like last season's programming went a little downhill and I'm trying to come up with an exciting fall opener that will have people raving about the clever writers that must have been hired to keep the show alive, even in it's umpteenth season.

I have also come to the realisation that this programme may not be about weight.  I am already the Biggest Loser, I have completed the Taking If Off component of this performance, and as the TC Health Challenge concluded in April of 2013 - the Celebrity Weight Loss component has certainly come to a close.  Now, for those that want to see some reality TV...despite how terrible it is...let me rerun my Weigh-In Wednesdays for the last few months. 

Starting weight - January 16th, 2013 - 294lbs

53rd weigh-in - January 22th, 2014 - 151.8lbs

54th weigh-in - January 29th, 2014 - 144.3lbs

55th weigh-in - February 5th, 2014 - 154.8lbs

56th weigh-in - February 12th, 2014 - 146.1lbs

57th weigh-in - February 19th, 2014 - 143.7lbs

58th weigh-in - February 26th, 2014 - 145.7lbs

59th weigh-in - March 5th, 2014 - 141.4lbs

60th weigh-in - March 12th, 2014 - 145.1lbs

61st weigh-in - March19th, 2014 - 149.4lbs

62nd weigh-in - March  26th, 2014 - 143.3lbs

63rd weigh-in - April 2nd, 2014 - 147.1lbs

64th weigh-in - April 9th, 2014 - 147.4lbs

65th weigh-in - April 16th, 2014 - 140.7lbs

66th weigh-in - April 23rd, 2014 - 141lbs

67th weigh-in - April 30th, 2014 - 149.3lbs

68th weigh-in - May 7th, 2014 - 144.1lbs 

69th weigh-in - May 14th, 2014 - 140.5lbs

And this is where I left you...fortunately, my programme continued over the summer hiatus...but wasn't aired because of a writer's strike.

 

It was shortly after this weigh-in that our protagonist returned to work.  After a year and a half of living the life health and fitness, credit card bills and reality forced her back into the rat race.  If only it were a race, she would have ribboned for sure.

70th weigh-in - May 21st, 2014 - 143.3lbs

71st weigh-in - May 28th, 2014 - 144.3lbs 

72nd weigh-in - June 4th, 2014 - 157.8lbs 

73rd weigh-in - June 11th, 2014 - 141.3lbs 

After moving from a management role and into an artist's position with her cosmetics company, Spitfyre was excited to show off all her hard work by donning a kick-ass outfit and making a guest appearance at a training session in Vancouver.

74th weigh-in - June 18th, 2014 - 138.7lbs

On her 74th weigh-in, Spitfyre came the closest she had ever come to reaching her elusive goal weight.  After 18 months of clean eating and training dirty, she celebrated her success in Vancouver with her Croatian Conscience.  

75th weigh-in - June 25th, 2014 - 143.9lbs

76th weigh-in - July 2nd, 2014 - 148.8lbs

Success has it's consequences, after getting so close to her goal, Spitfyre indulged in old habits...

 

77th weigh-in - July 9th, 2014 - 150.3lbs

78th weigh-in - July 16th, 2014 - 153.3lbs

79th weigh-in - July 23rd, 2014 - 157.1lbs

80th weigh-in - July 30th, 2014 -  149.4lbs

81st weigh-in - August 6th, 2014 - 150.4lbs

82nd weigh-in - August 13th, 2014 - 153.3lbs

83rd weigh-in - August 20th, 2014 - 155.3lbs

84th weigh-in - August 27th, 2014 - 155.3lbs

85th weigh-in - September 3rd, 2014 - 161.9lbs

86th weigh-in - September 10th, 2014 - 154.2lbs

87th weigh-in - September 17th, 2014 - 163.6lbs

88th weigh-in - September 24th, 2014 - 154.4lbs

89th weigh-in - October 1st, 2014 - 152lbs

90th weigh-in - October 8th, 2014 - 150.8lbs

91st weigh-in - October 15th, 2014 - 156lbs

92nd weigh-in - October 22nd, 2014 - 149.2lbs

93rd weigh-in - October 29th, 2014 - 152.9lbs

94th weigh-in - November 5th, 2014 -156.7lbs

95th weigh-in - November 12th. 2014 - 154.7lbs

96th weigh-in - November 19th, 2014 - 156lbs

Twenty weeks of reruns.  Up, down, up, down, up, down, up up, down down, same, down, up, this show is getting pretty boring, I hope I don't get cancelled.  Of course, that's up to me, isn't it?!?  Not the cancelled thing, the boring bit.  I need some more inspiration, I need to find my audience again, I need to stop my daytime soap opera saga and get back into writing dark comedy, drama, and sitcoms.  

I never understood why people watch soap operas.  The pace is so slow, something afforded to a daily programme.  At least with weeklies, you see the episode and look forward to the next one.  And time passes, but you're not witness to the mundane details of the characters' existence.  The writers are lazy, but you can be when you are writing about the day to day minutia of life.  Interest builds when you have an economy of air time, how do you tell the story completely in one hour a week?  You need to be clever.  If it's a serial, you have most likely established your characters and their back stories and you can focus on events and situations that intrigue, humour, and excite the viewer.  So that's what I'm going to do...start this season with a bang! 

True friends run stairs, while you do weighted burpees...

"What keeps you motivated?"

And, my answer is a myriad of things...but most recently, it's been my gym peeps.  

I've been seeing the ninja twice a week for personal training for the last 13 months, and I believe I have only called off one session due to illness.  There was that accountability, i.e. someone waiting for me to show up, warm up, train, and then do some cardio after - but he also works at the Crystal Pool & Fitness Centre most mornings, so if I were not to show up...he'd notice.  My own health and fitness is ultimately my responsibility, but it's nice to have someone else at the gym that knows what I want, and how I am going about getting what I want (because he's most likely told me what to do and when to do it and designed the circuit training, weigh routines, and cardio combinations that I am doing).  So, what has changed lately?  Well, I have continued with the personal training, and ninjas are extremely motivational as I wish to be one some day, but it's the other people that have become involved in my workout routine who are inspiring me to push harder.      

Enter, my friends in fitness.  Whether it's Skylar, Barb, Dawn, Dana or anyone else at the front desk of the Crystal Pool, or Michele (one L) on the treadmill around 9AM most days, or her mother Doris with a pool noodle, or Kombucha Geoff sweating up a storm on the spin bike and then a yoga mat, or kickboxing Nathan on the bag, roaming the halls, or giving pointers in the weight room, or anyone, for that matter, that has stopped to talk health 'n' fitness with me, run next to me on a treadmill while egging me on, or high-fived me after a session on the big ropes, these people are my new community...my extended support system...my fitness ninjas.  People who make time each day at the gym for themselves, for self care, and in turn give me strength to do the same.     

I will tout the praises of having a personal trainer (Jonathan Carpenter of MIJO Sport), a yoga teacher (Taryn Strong of Anahata Moon Yoga), spin instructors that make me push harder than I ever thought possible (Mary-Kay and Teresa of Quadra Sport & Fitness), and every other expert that I see on a regular basis to challenge me physically, but it's also the comradery that I feel with people in the same boat as I.  Yes, I'm talking about the workout buddies.  Namely, Jacqueline and Troy at the moment.

I have about 10 pounds to lose before I reach yet another goal I set...weighing 137 pounds (remember, I like odd numbers!)  Yes, folks, it's the last 10 pounds.  And it's always good to stack the odds in your favour, right?  So not only do I have a lot of sport professionals involved, but I have some die-hard workout neophytes in my corner as well.  We're all in the similar situations when you break it down.  We want to lose weight by eating clean and exercising.  Are these guys going to pry the Doritos out of my hot little hands after I lose my inhibitions after a girls' night?  No, that's all on me.  Are they going to notice if I'm not at the gym when I say I'm going to be?  Yes.  Am I going to make plans to meet them regularly so we can walk, run, bike, stair-climb, box, kick, elliptical, burpee, lift, circuit and cross-train together?  You betcha.  And, should you find a workout buddy or two to inspire you?  If you're in it for the long haul, then yes, yes you should!

Weigh-in Wednesday #26 & #27

2 and a 1/2 weeks ago (Wednesday, July 10th), I dropped a colossal 6.5 pounds to 200.1  Then last week when I stepped on the scale I only lost 0.7 pounds on Weigh-in Wednesday #26, but that was to be expected after such a big loss the week before.  And yet, why am I pleased as punch?  Well, I dropped enough weight to put me under 200 pounds...a-thank you!  

So this Weigh-in Wednesday, I wasn't sure what to expect.  Lately my pattern has been 2 weeks of meh...then 1 week of YAY!  Which means I'm going to have to buckle down if I want to reach my goal of 100 pounds down.  Wednesday's scale read 197 pounds...that's a loss of 2.7 pounds, and I'm cool with that...I don't know when the last time the scale has been so low, actually.  I haven't seen a 1 at the front of my weight since probably 1999 just before I moved back to Montréal.    

Starting weight:  292.1
1st weigh-in:  286.8
2nd weigh-in:  280.1
3rd weigh-in:  276.4
4th weigh-in:  274.1
5th weigh-in:  270.6
6th weigh-in:  266.2
7th weigh-in:  262
8th weigh-in:  261.4
9th weigh-in:  257.7
10th weigh-in 251.4
11th weigh-in 247.3
12th weigh-in 243.6
13th weigh-in 241.7
14th weigh-in 235.4
15th weigh-in 235.4
16th weigh-in 227.7
17th weigh-in 223.5
18th weigh-in 223.5
19th weigh-in 221.6
20th weigh-in 221.6
21st weigh-in 215.6
22nd weigh-in 213.2
23rd weigh-in 207.9
24th weigh-in 206.6
25th weigh-in 200.1

26th weigh-in 199.7

27th weigh-in 197 

So what's the plan for this week?  So far, it's been an insane amount of cardio, strength training, and really clean eating.  I'm even skipping potatoes and rice this week.  Just a little.  Wish me luck for Wednesday, if I drop 5 pounds this week...I'll reach 100 pounds down!  The anticipation is killing me!

Love yourself! Go on, I dare you...

One of the possible side effects of losing 50 odd pounds has been unmerited über confidence - reverse body dysmorphism of sorts...at least for me.  

Last Saturday I was walking around like a rockstar...wearing size 18 blue jeans and a 3X leopard print sweater.  I even pulled out my old motorcycle jacket to go with, in my head I'm all Sophie Dahl meets Beth Ditto in Jean-Paul Gauthier (here I go with the comparisons again), but really, I'm Suzie Spitfyre, a fat girl in regular clothes.  I did don a pair of fabulous Tom Ford cream-coloured cat-eye sunglasses that I purchased last year in New Orleans though, so not ALL "regular."

I used to live under the cover of darkness...my entire wardrobe was black.  And I honestly thought that was my style, very New York, very chic, very MAC, but I think it was just a way to cover up what I didn't like about my body.  It's true what they say about black being slimming, but come on...how svelte can you look at 292 pounds?  On Saturday, I wasn't wearng a stitch of black...in fact, the only black that I had on was my eyeliner and mascara.  It made me wonder, how many people are out there running around, as I had been, hiding themselves under clothes that don't really do anything for them...clothes that don't express their style or personality?  Clothes that expound shame, self-loathing, and fear.

It is true that plus-size clothing leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to fit, colours, patterns, availability, cut, and cost, but they should never make you feel hopeless, unworthy, and depressed.  In the past, when I would get a new piece or an outfit even, I don't think I ever felt sexy or good about it, I was just thrilled that it bloody well fit.  And, that's a terrible way to live.  They are only  clothes after all!  They shouldn't dictate you mood or demeanor.  But, I couldn't have been the only one who yelled at their husband for throwing that extra, extra, extra large chemise that it took me years to find and went perfectly with all of my extra, extra, extra large dresses in the dryer.  I put so much stock into that one piece of clothing, that when it was shrunk beyond all recognition my life, for a few minutes, was over.  How horrible is that?

The other day I stumbled upon a page on social media called Big Hips and Red Lips - "A celebration of life, love, laughter, lust, and learning to love your body."  This page helped me see things slightly differently, it embraced beauty at all sizes, and made me think maybe I should have started this love affair with myself much, much sooner.  Don't get me wrong, I don't think I hated myself all the time....but I certainly embraced a lot of negative self-talk.  "If only I could lose some weight, then I'd be happy.  If only my thighs were smaller, if only my boobs were perkier, if only my gut didn't jiggle so much,"  I said a lot of mean things to myself, and I started to believe them.  And, don't be fooled, this isn't just a fat chick thing...this is universal.  I know plenty of girls and guys of all shapes and sizes who want to change this and that...and my point is...LOVE YOURSELF THE WAY YOU ARE!  Don't be afraid to accept yourself and rock out what you've got.

This is such an important message, because I've been there, and I know how it feels.  I have experienced thin, fat, toned, lumpy, fit, flabby, and everything in between.  If I had loved myself the way I was, whatever I was and taken care of the important things like my health, I wouldn't be posting this...but I didn't, so here I am pleading with my audience to accept themselves.  It's much easier to change the things you don't like if you know yourself and love yourself no matter what.  I now have the extreme pleasure of changing my life.  A change spurred on by the Times Colonist Health Challenge, but also a change spurred on by the triumph of the human spirit, and the knowledge that healthy and hopeful is much better, mentally and physically, than unhealthy and hopeless.

I am still going through this process of practicing radical self-love and body acceptance.  There are still times when I feel amazing, sexy, and powerful, and then I see a picture that someone has taken of me and posted online, and I think, wow, do I ever have a long way to go.  But, that doesn't get me down any more...that simply gets me even more motivated do everything I can to reach my health and fitness goals.

In the words of the saucy redhead behind the front desk of the Crystal Pool & Fitness Centre, "People see you how you see yourself."

So I conclude:  Confidence is always sexy...no matter what size you are.

Do something every day that makes you sweat...

...AND THEN SEND ME THE PROOF!  I'll post it on my Sweat T-Shirt Contest Page!

When I started this blog 3 months ago, I took a picture every week or so of my sweaty t-shirt...and then posted it for all to see, but I think it would be much more interesting if you would take a picture of yourself and send it to me.  

After all, I wanted to inspire people to get moving because, honestly, if I could do it, anyone could...and a lot of you did.  And, many of you have told me your stories.  Here's your opportunity to show me (and the people of the interweb) the proof.  

I want to see your workout gear, your funny t-shirts, your downward dog yoga pants, your gym hair...I want to see you sweat! 

Send your submissions to me at suziespitfyre@gmail.com and tell me how you got so sweaty in the first place!

"You spin me right round...like a record, baby!"

Today (and by today, I mean Monday, April 1st, when I actually started writing this post), I celebrate a return to routine and regular blogging.

It has been a while since Weigh-In Wednesday # 9...but I have been busy, busy, busy.  On Thursday, March 21st, my Montréal bestie Del came for a visit.  So rather than be anti-social and write into the void, I hung out with her instead.   

I must say, I'm more disciplined than I thought.  

Not only did I get in a 2 hour workout before we went to the airport to pick her up, but I managed to drag both her and my lazy bones to the gym the next morning for a cardio machine/aerobics class/cardio machine sandwich combo to which my super bendy yoga-going friend was not accustomed.  1/2 an hour on the elliptical, an hour of aerobics, and then 1/2 an hour on the treadmill...no big deal, for me...kinda big deal for Del, but she soldiered on!  Here's something I didn't expect, I am pretty good at keeping a straight face when I screw up a combination in Manda's class when I'm alone, but I burst into uncontrollable laughter when I see my best friend making up steps and looking back at me.  I usually utter some sort of disclaimer to those around me when I attempt the dancy classes, but we should have been placed into a soundproof room.  Haha... 

I should have remembered to suck in my neck..haha...

Good friends will come visit you, great friends will attempt massive amounts of cardio with you...except if you decide to attempt a sp!n class.

No doubt you are aware of Del's first indoor cycling experience - Sit 'N' Spin - so you can imagine my excitement when both she and my mother said they'd come and try "weaving" with me.  Monday morning started off similarly to Friday morning, mandatory elliptical, then aerobics, back onto the elliptical for a bit more...and then hop off, join Del on the bleachers for a bite to eat...at which point she breaks the bad news.  She will not be attending the class with me.  Then I get a text from my mother saying that she's punking out as well.  Really?  How bad is this  sp!nn!ng?  Haha...I mean, I've ridden a bike before, I should be fine, right? 

There is this complete knockout that always sneaks into the back of Manda's aerobics classes, and after one such class, I spoke with her:

"I want to be you when I grow up."  I told her.

This woman is gorgeous.  She has a rock solid bod, fantastic hair, wonderful freckles, and if she's at the Crystal...then, no doubt, you can hear her laughter...and to top it all off...she's really, really nice!  Turns out Teresa teaches  indoor cycling.  Of course she does.  She gave me a two-week pass to Quadra Sports & Fitness so I could give it a try...and she gave me 3 other passes too so that Del, Stéphane, and Barbara could do the same.  Yet, I am the only trooper apparently.

Monday, March 25th, 2013 - my first class with Teresa @ Quadra Sports & Fitness - the ninja has already warned me that the seats are small and hard, the classes are tough, and that I should probably do half of what she tells us to do...just to get used to it.  Trepidation?  Sure.  Del, also reminds me that the clock will not advance and that it'll feel like I'm going to die.  Nice.  So, I choose my bike with a due sense of exhaustion and dread.  Teresa makes the necessary adjustments, and I hop on...and think, wow, this really is a hard and tiny bike seat.  There are so many fans set up in the racquetball court in which the class takes place, but I am at the edge of them...so I will sweat.  WHAT AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

Sitting up on the seat, we do some arm, shoulder, wrist stretches while our legs fly around at uncontrollable speeds...or perhaps that's just me.  Tension set at 65%, so pretty much...none...and then we are meant to slip one foot out of the straps and place it on the centre bar.  Um...what?  Haven't we all had that super scary kid-injury that involves a pedal hitting a shin at a truly unsafe velocity?  I think it's usually on one of those red and white tricycles as the pedals are attached directly to the front wheel and when you're flying down Roslyn Avenue...anyway, that's all I can think about.  But, I do it...warming up one leg and then the other.  And then we're off...or we would be if the bikes had two wheels and weren't stationary.

This is what you need to know about indoor cycling classes, it's fast and furious and fun.  Once you get over the fact that all of your weight at times will be on the ball of one foot, and if you don't lower your seat enough it will constantly poke you in the arse (lesson learned)...it's really quite enjoyable...and you sweat A LOT.  Warm-up consists of lower tension sprints, hill climbs, and circuits that include push-ups, hover, hover sits, only the leg on the left, only the leg on the right, stand-up, sit down, fight!  Fight!  Fight!  The tension moves from 65% which takes very little effort to 95% which is like pushing through wet cement.  It's constantly changing...as is the routine.  Pull up, push down, pull up, push down...breath in through your nose, out through your mouth, in through your nose, out through your mouth.  Thank gods our feet are strapped in securely, unfortunately, I have no feeling in them at this point.  "Weaving" is part strength and part speed...all endurance...and then it's over.  

I honestly couldn't believe how the time flew...but then again, it was new and exciting and Teresa does a good job with the encouragement.  Of course, she IS at the front of the class going through everything that we are going through...does that mean that if I continue sp!nn!ng, I get to look like her?  Gah!  I hope so.  That's motivation enough. 

Also...FYI....from an email I received from Rhona Attwater, Executive Assistant to John R. Baudhuin, CEO

Mad Dogg Athletics, Inc.
2111 Narcissus Ct., Venice, CA 9029 Phone: 310.740.8834
Fax: 310.823.7408

E-mail: rattwater@maddogg.com www.maddogg.com

Mad Dogg Athletics, Inc. are the creators and exclusive owner of all rights to the popular physical fitness programs branded under our federally registered SPIN® and SPINNING® marks, among others, for indoor cycling and products and services related thereto.   The founders of our company, Johnny Goldberg and John Baudhuin coined the terms SPIN® and SPINNING® for indoor cycling in 1992, approximately 20 years ago, in Santa Monica, California, and grew the brand into a worldwide phenomenon.  We currently have over 200,000 licensed SPINNING® instructors in over 35,000 fitness facilities in 80 countries.  The generic term that should be used is “indoor cycling” and not Spin® or  Spinning®.   Our Spin® and Spinning® trademarks are not the generics term for indoor cycling.
Now, we all know what to call "weaving."