Matt vs. Fat

End of the road?

Posted by Matt Shurrie

Has it really been six months? Wow. It's hard to know where the time has gone.

Over the past six months not a day has passed when I haven't pinched myself -- almost stunned by the success of this fitness challenge. The truth is that it has been overwhelming.

But don't be fooled. I fully realize that this is not the end of the road.

The comments -- both positive and negative -- have been incredible. In fact, in some way it's all of your support and encouragement -- and criticism -- that has pushed me to keep on fighting. There's nothing like someone doubting you to make you push just a little bit harder. The same is most certainly true for those who offered up their own personal stories -- or just offered an encouraging word be it through a comment on this blog or an email. Thank you!

Now that this portion of my weight loss is complete, there are plenty of people I need to thank -- and I'd like to start right at the top.

First, and foremost, I want to thank personal trainer Marla Arndt of Frameworks Fitness. She'll never truly understand or appreciate how much her encouragement and pushing has meant to me. It's well documented by now the number of times that I've set out to lose weight -- only to come up well short of my final goal. And while it's true that I never actually reached my initial weight loss goal in this challenge, the success that I have been able to achieve is due to Arndt's ability to motivate. She's nothing short of a saint in the way that she dealt with my complaints -- and the battles that we engaged in over healthy food choices. I certainly wasn't always the model client. However, through it all there was Arndt -- my rock -- ensuring that I was being pushed (something that doesn't always happen when I'm working out on my own). Thank you, Marla ... for everything that you've given me over these past six months. You remain an inspiration to me and many others in Guelph and across Wellington County.

Second, I want to thank my family and friends for their ongoing support. In fact, it might be fair to suggest that many of the hits generated on this site since September have come from those of you closest to me. In particular I want to thank my parents, Jim and Cathy, who have become regular Internet users in part because of the Matt vs. Fat fitness challenge. My father hadn't ever really turned on a computer, let alone navigated the Internet, before this whole event started. I was soon alerted to his new skills when he would call and ask me about something he read on this blog. The same is true of my mother -- another Internet convert sparked by this blog. Their love and support throughout this crucial period of my life has been a true blessing. They're special people -- and I'm so happy to have them both in my life.

Third, I want to send out a special thank you to a few other special people in my life for their ongoing support with this project. My sister, Amanda, has been a real inspiration for many years. Somewhat of a yo-yo dieter herself, she took control of her weight years ago -- something that left me both impressed and stunned. And she hasn't looked back. Her courage and determination are just two of her qualities that I admire. As well, I'd also like to send out a personal thank you to my girlfriend, Gillian. I'm not sure I would have been able to achieve these results without her support over the past six months. At times when I was tempted by some bad food choices, she was there to steer me in the right direction -- even if I didn't want her to do so (OK, especially if I didn't want her to do so). Each day I feel grateful to have met her. Finally, I'd like to thank my aunt Barb for her continued support. She has been a regular reader of the Matt vs. Fat blog -- and a regular responder via email. On the anniversary of my grandmother's death, she wrote to tell me how proud my grandmother would have been of me for pursuing this goal. A note that left me pumped. Thanks for your support, Barb!

Fourth, I'd also like to thank other family and friends who have taken the time to follow me online, especially Craig, Wayne, Jennings and Rob. It's amazing to know there is such support out there.

Finally, none of this would have been possible without the support of Guelph Mercury managing editor Phil Andrews and city editor Brian Williams. Their encouragement from start to finish has been amazing. In fact, not even my layoff at the newspaper proved to be an obstacle to finish this fitness challenge -- something Andrews addressed almost immediately. I'd also like to extend special thanks to my former work colleagues, including Scott Tracey, Rob O'Flanagan, Charlotte Parkhill Prong, Thana Dharmarajah, Rob Massey, Greg Layson, Vik Kirsch, Bob Henry, Sally Sarachman, Kate Hopwood, Tanis Fowler, Brent Butcher, Greg Rothwell, Tony Saxon, Joanne Shuttleworth, Declan Kelly, Nicole O'Reilly, Roger Leblanc, Ryan Pfeiffer, Nick Iwanyshyn and Brad Needham. It seemed almost impossible for a day to go by without someone offering up a comment or even a healthy lifestyle tip. Near the end of this fitness challenge, I was often met with kind words about my progress -- something that never got old or felt bad. They'll never know how much our little chats meant to me.

So, what's next? That seems to be the big question facing me in the coming days, weeks and months. I wish I had a good, clear answer. Truth is I'm not sure at the moment (although I've got some ideas). It's the one question that Arndt keeps asking me -- almost daily. I have assured her that I have no plans to go back to the person I was before this project got started. One thing is certain -- I won't be flying to an aircraft carrier anytime soon to unveil a banner reading Mission Accomplished. The real challenge before me is how to keep going -- and reach even better weight loss goals (I still want to one day return to that 200-pound mark -- and I don't think it's out of the question).

At the end of April I will be leaving the Royal City -- my home for the last year and a half. Perhaps the move will do me some good and provide the right environment to regroup and continue to take stock of my life. At this point I feel like there's bound to be opportunities out there for me -- you just never know what kind of venue I'll reappear in next.

However, I've given plenty of thought to the idea of carrying on the Matt vs. Fat project -- and the feedback has been somewhat overwhelming (at least no one has objected to this point). In order to move the project forward -- and continue this discussion -- I have started an independent website called Matt vs. Fat. The new website can be found at the following link:

http://mattvsfat.blogspot.com/

At this point I would invite you to join me for an open discussion about health and fitness. I promise to try and keep you updated on my own progress -- and invite you to do the same.

A final thank you to everyone for visiting this blog over the past six months. It's been an incredible ride -- but one that certainly isn't over.

I'd sure love to hear from all of you directly. My personal email address is: mattshurrie@hotmail.com.

Take care ... and I look forward to seeing you on the other side!

Sincerely,

Matt Shurrie

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Posted by Matt Shurrie

Is it a bad sign that I couldn't life my arms this morning?

And that's no April Fools -- I can assure you of that.

Once again I'd like to offer up kudos to my fellow boot campers for their stamina during last night's intense session. A special thank you to Samantha and Tracey for their input (and also to Susan for her kind words).

As much as I like to poke fun at exercise -- something I've regularly done with this blog -- the truth of the matter is that I really do feel fantastic after personal trainer Marla Arndt whips me into shape (and there's been plenty of that over the past six months). There's hardly a better feeling in the world than knowing that you have pushed yourself to the extreme -- and woke up the next day to tell everyone about it.

However, I'm quite serious about my arms today -- we're talking excruciating pain here (it was a challenge to straighten my glasses at certain times of the day). Something tells me I've awoken a whole new group of muscles deep under my skin (and I'm still wondering how it's possible they even got there in the first place).

The good news is that I was able to make it through the day -- even if my sleep was a little bit restless with my arms burning (is that really normal?)

Just a quick reminder that the final instalment of the Matt vs. Fat series will be available in this Saturday's edition of the Guelph Mercury. As for the future of this blog ... it's still up for consideration (I'm contemplating a relaunch under a new website). Let me know if you'd be interested in keeping up with my exploits in a new home.

Take care!

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Posted by Matt Shurrie

I guess I'm somewhat of a survivor after all.

No, not that weekend trek to Algonquin Park -- a one-hour session at personal trainer Marla Arndt's boot camp.

Trust me ... if they handed out survival badges to everyday people -- then the participants who attended tonight's session would be at the front of the line.

Some of you might think I'm exaggerating when I write that a workout under Arndt's watchful eye at boot camp is like surviving some sort of torture technique. OK, maybe that's a bit extreme -- but I'm still trying to catch my breath, almost four hours after the session ended.

Tonight's boot camp saw me and the other suspects -- er, I mean willing participants -- work our way through the accumulator. Remember the old TV show American Gladiators? If you answered yes then you'll probably remember the end of the show when participants made their way through the eliminator. Well, the accumulator is a lot like that -- only harder and there's no cash prize for finishing.

Apparently all that's on the line is your dignity.

For that reason I'm somewhat happy to report that I got through it -- all 10 stages of this incredible workout.

Basically the way the accumulator works is you start with one exercise -- in our case tonight it was 10 pushups -- and you follow it with nine more workouts. The catch -- and there's always a catch -- is that you have to continually go back and start at the beginning. Essentially you are accumulating exercises along the way -- hence the name.

By the time tonight's boot camp finished participants had walked more than 1,000 stairs and completed roughly 100 pushups, 90 standing jumps, about 50 to 70 bicep curls, 50 to 70 arm raises, about 20 to 30 knee bends and about seven minutes worth of planking. And those are just some of the exercises my cloudy memory will allow me to remember at the moment.

Remember, all of those exercises were squeezed into a 60-minute session.

The fact that each one of the participants managed to get through the rigourous routine in one piece is a testament to their conditioning and strength. I wish I could say the same about myself. While it's true I finished -- it certainly looked like I had spent considerable time in the pool.

And while it's fun to poke fun at Arndt and her boot camp -- there's no denying how great you feel after you have completed it (OK, maybe not right after -- but I'm assuming I'll feel OK in a couple of days).

Monday, March 30, 2009

Posted by Matt Shurrie

I'm pleased to report that I survived a weekend trip to Algonquin Park.

And while it's true the weather wasn't completely cooperative (unless, of course, you were a duck) I'm happy to say that all was not lost -- we managed to get out for a bit of snowshoeing with the park providing a wonderful backdrop.

This annual excursion to the Great White North continues to be orchestrated by my buddies Craig and Wayne. Last year we rented a yurt and narrowly escaped an impressive ice storm. This year's trek had been billed as an outdoor camping extravaganza. However, once we saw the forecast and learned that a yurt was available, we quickly snatched it up -- and it sure paid off Sunday when conditions deterioriated and it rained for about 12 to 14 hours.

However, before the rains came (and yes, that turned into a bit of freezing rain and snow overnight into Monday) we did take advantage of the balmy conditions on Saturday (temperatures were about 7C) and tackled a small portion of one of the park's impressive trails. The two-hour trek took us through some impressive wilderness -- and while we didn't spot any bears or moose, we did get an up-close-and-personal look at some deer as we entered the park.

Anyone who knows me probably won't be too surprised to hear that being in the great outdoors isn't necessarily my greatest passion. Most of the time I'm the one tagging along just for the camraderie and the chance to get caught up with my buddies.

This year, however, was a bit different since I felt like I could at least hang with them during a portion of the hiking (that certainly wasn't the case a year ago when I found myself huffing and puffing my way through Mother Nature's scenery). And while this year's snowshoeing excursion lasted only about two hours, I never felt like I couldn't manage (even if some of the trails were coated in a slick, slushy mixture).

It was a great feeling knowing that all of my hard work these past six months had paid off as I made my way along the trail.

I might even be looking forward to next year's adventure. Maybe Mother Nature will be a bit nicer to us.

 

Friday, March 27, 2009

Posted by Matt Shurrie

Personal trainer Marla Arndt and I took advantage of today's sunny conditions to hit the streets walking -- a fine way to celebrate the return of spring and push toward the finish line of the Matt vs. Fat program.

Although trust me when I say it's no walk in the park when you're out for a stroll with Arndt. She makes sure your heart is pumping and you feel every step (if not while it's happening, then the next day).

Before I set out on our walk I stepped onto the scale for our weekly weigh-in and was somewhat pleased to see that my weight hasn't changed since last week's measurement. It means I'm still in the 45-plus pound weight loss -- but it also means I'm still shy of that 50-pound weight loss goal.

I'm off to Algonquin Park tomorrow with some buddies -- maybe a couple of nights with Mother Nature will help this body of mine push through to the end of this challenge.

When I return I'll offer up a sampling of what the weekend's events included.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Posted by Matt Shurrie

As the end of the Matt vs. Fat program nears (at least through the Guelph Mercury website) I'm pleased to report that a final video taking a closer look at some of our accomplishments has been completed. It is now ready to be viewed on the Mercury's multimedia site. To view the video, visit:

http://news.guelphmercury.com/videogallery/458219

It's important to acknowledge the talents of photographer/videographer Ryan Pfeiffer -- who has been a very good friend of the Matt vs. Fat program. I am very grateful for his immeasurable talents throughout this process and the role he has played in ensuring my success.

View the video and let me know what you think. I'll try to share some of those responses with Ryan.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Posted by Matt Shurrie

800 . . . 801 . . . 802 . . .

Those were just some of the thoughts running through my head earlier today when personal trainer Marla Arndt and I returned to the 100-stair challenge (OK, 107 stairs -- for those of you keeping track at home).

It's been more than a few months -- and almost 50 pounds later -- since we last tackled the stair challenge.

To call today's climb easy would be more than a little stupid. However, to suggest the climb was a little easier now that I'm a little lighter would be a fair comment.

Upon arrival at Arndt's personal gym I was greeted with a surprise -- a bag filled with more than 40 pounds of weights. It was suggested that I carry the bag as we walked the stairs as a reminder of just how much weight I was carrying the last time we climbed the mountain.

Thankfully, she backed off on this additional challenge (at least my legs, knees and ankles are thankful).

As we began walking the stairs my body actually adjusted quite well to the pressure. One by one we descended and ascended. After having climbed the set of stairs five times -- a new personal best for me -- Arndt rewarded me with a five-minute break (standing, of course). After that it was back to work and we climbed the staircase another three times (despite the fact that I was convinced I could only do it twice more).

It marked quite a milestone for me. To think the last time we tackled the stairs I was only able to do it twice -- today's climb bettered that mark by four times the amount. In total, 856 stairs were ascended and descended.

Quite an achievement.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Posted by Matt Shurrie

Today proved to be an exhilerating day for me.

Almost six months ago a trip to see my family doctor felt like quite a chore -- my weight was hovering near the 290 pound mark and I felt like crap.

That wasn't the case today when I stopped by the office of Dr. David Parratt in Stratford as part of the research for my final Matt vs. Fat article (look for it in the April 4 edition of the Guelph Mercury).

Although it was only a brief visit, Parratt seemed almost shocked to see how I have transformed my body in just six months. And while it's not perfect -- I'm going to fall far short of the 200 pound goal that I set at the beginning of this process -- losing about 50 pounds is an impressive accomplishment.

Maybe even more impressive when you consider that I've stopped by Parratt's office before -- and previously promised to drop some weight. Needless to say I've never been successful.

In fact, I can remember meeting with him about two years ago when my weight was teetering very close to the 300 pound mark. I can also recall a time last summer when my weight was more than 300 pounds.

To see my weight hitting the 240 pound mark (or very close to it) is cause for celebration.

In the coming days I expect that personal trainer and I will offer up some more concrete measurements and some critique on how I've fared in this entire process.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Posted by Matt Shurrie

Today started out like most Mondays -- a visit to see personal trainer Marla Arndt.

And while we've been couped up inside for the past few months ... today we took advantage of the sunny skies and brisk temperatures to venture outdoors. It was wonderful to go for a brisk walk through parts of the city -- even if it left me a bit winded.

I'm actually looking forward to tackling the 100 step challenge later this week -- it's been a while since I climbed that mountain and I'm curious to see how it feels carrying about 45 fewer pounds.

I say today is/was like most Mondays ... but it's always important to remember that unlike most Mondays in the past today I won't be going into work (sorry for dwelling on this point). It's a strange concept to me -- not working a regular shift for the first time since I graduated from university.

Despite the depressing prospects ... I'm going to try and make the most of it. There's always some packing to be done ... and lots of general running around (I wonder if that counts as cardio -- it really should).

I'll keep you posted as the week progresses.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Posted by Matt Shurrie

As promised in a recent post, I thought it might be fun to offer up some of the encouraging emails I have been receiving throughout the Matt vs. Fat adventure.

The following message was received from Gary in Guelph a little while back.

I hope you enjoy it.

Matt

From Gary:

I have been following your saga with interest. I'm a lot older than you are. About eight years ago I was given advice by my doctor to go on a low fat diet. That got me paying attention to what I was eating. First I started cutting down my intake of fat, especially saturated fat. Then as I got more into it and read a few books about the connection between health and diet (duh, rather obvious you'd think) I realized that I really had to make major adjustments to my regular diet. I had always avoided salt, but now I also watch my suger intake, especially sugars that the body is quick to absorb. It took at least a year and more likely two (!) years for my new diet habits to become really ingrained. I now exercise most days (I hate indoor artificial exercises so I xcrountry ski, cycle, hike, anything to be outdoors and doing something I like rather than sweating in a gym). The most difficult challenge is eating healthy food when I am travelling -- over time one gets skilled at finding healthy choices even in some truly dreadful restaurants. My point in writing is to encourage you to stick with it until you get to the point that you really don't want the unhealthy stuff and are quite happy with a new regime of fueling your body -- it will take a year or so. Then it won't feel like you are dieting, just being intelligent about how you treat your body.