Raechel Gray
Taking part in the Times Colonist Health Challenge “was one of the hardest things I have done in my life, but strangely enough, I think because I was so busy with school, kids, work, home life, exercise and eating healthy, it helped me stay focused on the right path,” said Gray, who worked out at Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre.
“I knew that I had to stay focused if I wanted to survive the first 12 weeks of my new lifestyle and being accountable to the TC folks and my trainer made it harder to let taking care of myself slip to the bottom of the to-do list.”
Gray came into the program loudly proclaiming her distaste for vegetables. But a new diet plan has her not hating them quite so much, and that’s progress.
“Eating healthier will always be a challenge for me, but I know now that I can do it,” Gray said.
“I may not always be perfect, but as long as I have more good days than bad, that will be good enough for me. I am actually excited now when fruit goes on sale.”
She’s finding that a balanced diet gives her more energy, and with her busy life as a mother with a full-time job, she needs that boost.
Suzie Spitfyre
“What a crazy journey this has been, and will continue to be,” said Spitfyre, 37, who dropped an incredible 52 pounds in three months of workouts at Crystal Pool and Fitness Centre.
She said the experience wasn’t so much about weight loss as it was about positive connections with people — “the people in the grocery store who stopped to tell me they were going to go for a bike ride, the guy in the car who honked and shouted, ‘Keep up the good work,’ the gal on the treadmill next to me who’s always up for a quick check-in, the dog walkers on the beach who waved me over and asked me loads of questions about the TC Health Challenge.”
She feels like she does everything faster, longer and with more spirit.
“I walk all over the place instead of relying on car rides or the bus. I live so close to town, it’s nothing to just trot across the bridge. I do feel stronger, and I know I’m not a hard-body yet, but I have earned a few [definition] ‘lines.’ And don’t think for a second that I haven’t stood in front of the bathroom mirror flexing and admiring my muscle definition.”
Elisabeth Westlake
Westlake, who worked out at Oak Bay Recreation Centre, has dropped 10 pounds and found joy again in life. Her husband, Tony, died last summer and Westlake, 58, is bravely carrying on.
“January was cold, grey and rainy and I missed my husband, Tony, with an aching exhaustion,” she said this week.
“I knew I needed to look after myself after a long bout of looking after others, but the effort required seemed overwhelming. Suddenly, I was a finalist and I had a reason not to crawl back to bed in the morning. Being chosen to participate was like a warm embrace by a friendly universe that understood my distress and offered practical help.”
“Tony would be proud of me. I am proud of me. That my children have offered to walk the TC 10K with me is all the proof I need to know that they are proud of me. I have not only made it through my first winter without Tony, but I have a new, slim body, fresh energy and a knee that no longer prevents me from thinking about gardening, walking, travel and adventure. How great is that?”
Nathan Robinson
“I’ve got so much energy, I could go for a run around the gym right now,” Robinson said Sunday at the Times Colonist Health Challenge finale at the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence.
Robinson, 40, worked out at Esquimalt Recreation Centre, where he has racked up the mileage walking on a treadmill.
He took part in a recent five-kilometre run in Esquimalt and plans to challenge himself with the Times Colonist 10K on April 28.
On a recent visit to his doctor’s office, Robinson chatted with overweight people in the waiting room about obesity surgery.
“I said, ‘Just go for a walk!’ ” Robinson said.
The challenge changed his life. He has lost 35 pounds and hopes to lose 200 eventually.
He’s six-feet, six-inches tall and started the challenge weighing 484 pounds.
He wants to lose the weight so he’ll be around for his children, age two and 13.
Steve Holub
Holub, 26, has more energy, is eating better and exercising regularly at the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence.
“I’m happier and my confidence is at an all-time high,” said Holub, who starts job training this week.
After a few weeks of struggling to make the workouts a habit, Holub settled into a routine of regular workouts, and increased his muscle mass and lost 13 pounds of fat.
He’s most proud of the fact that he finished.
Seeing the change in his body composition was motivating, Holub said.
“It makes me want to come back and work out more.”
He’s planning on doing another 24 workouts with trainer Lindsay Forget at PISE.
“That’s going to be really sweet,” he said.
Sandra McCulloch
This was the first year the Times Colonist Health Challenge has had a reporter as a participant. Reporters normally like to be in the background, so I thought I’d be able to keep a low profile while getting my overweight, diabetic body into shape.
A week before the challenge got going, I fell off a horse and broke my right arm. Five weeks later, I broke my left ankle.
So much for that low profile. But despite these rather large obstacles, I didn’t even think of giving up. I wanted to get in shape more than anything. OK, running off with Matt Damon might be up there, too.
I gave my all in the workouts with my remaining functioning parts. I haven’t lost much weight but my body is changing. I detect a hint of a waist. The muscle mass is crowding out the fat. I’m getting compliments from colleagues.
One day this week, I ran up a nasty hill near my home six times before catching my breath to hike with my dogs.
I’m healing and I feel great. Life is awesome. I’ve signed up for 12 more weeks of workouts at PISE, because I’m worth it.
