Are you from Canada, eh?

M

Minus56

Member
Hello,

I mentioned in a post on the Ask Cathe forum that I live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. I received replies from three other Canadian Cathe fans, and would love to learn a bit more about the Canadians on this forum.

I was born (33 years ago!) and raised in a very small town in southwestern Ontario. Seven years ago we moved to Alberta, where I'm currently working on a graduate degree at the University of Alberta. I have a daughter who will turn three years old in July, and have a very loving and supportive husband who merely turns a blind eye when he sees a new Cathe video on the shelf.

I began doing Cathe's videos about 5 years ago, took a three year hiatus during my pregnancy and for the 2 years following, then picked the videos off the shelf last July, when I could no longer ignore how uncomfortable it felt to be 60 pounds overweight, and carrying around a 25 pound toddler for much of the time. I've lost 68 pounds since then (the toddler's gained 5), and am in the best shape of my life. Cathe's workouts have given me the energy I need to be a better mom, and a better academic.

Can I hear your story? :)

Sandra
 
Hi Sandra,

I moved the opposite direction from you. I was born in Edmonton, Alberta (my family are still all there and I go out often - so we'll have to get together for a workout!), and then moved to Montreal, Quebec about 12 years ago.

I'm 40, married and no kids. I have a great hubby, who does some of the Cathe workouts with me.

How did you get started on Cathe? I used to do The Firm workouts about 11 years ago, and last year I saw on Ebay that there were a whole bunch I hadn't seen before, so I started ordering them up. Through that I bought Cardio Step Mix from someone who suggested I go to the YaYa's board, and from there (swapmeet) I realized there was a whole other world of exercise videos out there that I had no idea about! I bought videos/dvd's like a crazy women (thank goodness my hubby is good about that), and now I must be in the hundred club

I tried my first Cathe and was definitely hooked. I've been working out for about 8 months now, and getting good muscle. Now I've had to face the fact that working out alone won't make me lose that extra weight (I only need to drop 10-15 pounds) and that I might have to start eating a bit better - rats! I'm turned 40 this year, so gotta watch that metabolism.

I work full-time at a pulp and paper company, and spend free time working out, and playing with my house full of pets (2 cats and 3 birds).

Nice to meet you! What are you doing your degree in? Must be hard with kids! I salute you!


Take care,

Jodi
 
Edmonton seems to be the connection. I grew up in Edmonton!! I moved to Fort McMurray, AB 15 years ago to teach. Thought I would stay for 2 years and here I am 15 years later. I taught gr. 7-8 for 14 years and this past year I moved to the high school to teach gr. 9 math.

I went to St. Francis Xavier High School. I have a Phys Ed degree and an after degree in Education from the University of Alberta.

Jodi, I am also 40, married, no children. We have one dog - a West Highland White Terrier that we adopted by the name of Baron. Oops, I just turned 41 in early May.

I started Firming when the Firms first came out and they cost about $50.00 each and you had to pre-order. I then got into working out at a gym and put the videos aside but along came a Shape magazine with the ad for Collagevideo so I called to get a catalogue. I was quite intrigued by Cathe Friedrich's Pure Strength Series and IMAX. So, I ordered those a few years ago. Then I found the YaYa's through eDiets and the rest they say is history. I found a whole new world of exercise videos and gadgets. I have a nice area to work out in that my husband calls the "Slimnasium".

I have run one marathon and several half marathons. Now, I am down to running about 3-4 times per week for about 30-40 minutes. I have no idea how I managed to train and run a marathon. At the time I figured if Oprah could do it so could I!!

My husband is very much into fitness - he has run close to 40 marathons and has done the Ironman 3 times. I can't convince him to do workout tapes though. That's fine - those are my little indulgence! :7 I'm scared to count how many videos I have....the YaYa's have helped my wallet to become lighter.

We are going to Edmonton next weekend for some shopping and I'm going to run the Heart Beat of Edmonton 5km on Sunday.

It would be fun to have a Canadian YaYa and Cathe meet and greet some time when we are all in Edmonton.
This thread was a great idea.

Michele
 
Hi Sandra and other fellow Canadians!! I'm from Toronto, Ontario, a 29 year old (i'm dreading hitting the big 3-0 in November) mother of a 2 year old daughter. I started working out with Cathe about 7 years ago and haven't looked back. I love all of her tapes and have almost all of them except the very old ones (Rock Bottoms, Step N Motion, etc). Even during my pregnancy I couldn't give her up...i modified of course. I'm anxiously awaiting the new series to come in. Glad to hear from other Canucks!:7
 
Hello everyone! I'm from Vancouver Island, a tiny town that's getting smaller every day. (By coincidence, DH works for pulp mill, but we've been shut down about 6 months of the year for the last 4 years. Things may be looking up though. Fingers crossed.)
I'm 47, and have been into fitness off and on. Unfortunately during the off periods, I really packed the weight on. Finally about 8 months ago I made a concerted effort to get my you-know-what together, and although it was so hard at first, I've stuck with it, and have lost 40 lbs. I still weigh 200, but my cardio vascular health has really improved, and I can do Cathe now! Modified, and on a low step, but still........... I love weights as well, although I've never done them to videos before. I'm not really impressed with the Firm, as the tapes I have seem to skimp on sets and reps, and interject a few cardio intervals. Is this really an effective way of training? I have to say I prefer heavy weights, and plenty of sets. I've ordered the Pure Strength series, and also some Cory Everson tapes, so looking forward to doing those.
I have 2 stepchildren, a DH who has discovered weight training as well and is hooked, and a very grumpy old cat who bites the hand that feeds her, (mine).
I'm starting a computer office program on-line in September.
Nice to meet you all! Maybe we should keep in touch so we can exchange videos without customs taking their cut, lol.
Rainbell
 
Hi,
I'm 26 years old going on 27 this July 4th. I was born and raised in Oakville, Ontario a posh little rich town except I grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. (I actually lived near railway tracks when I was quite young). :*

Then at 23 I moved to steeltown Hamilton, Ontario. I've been in Hamilton almost 4 years and I'm still trying to get used to it. It's a lot noisier than Oakville, that's for sure!

I discovered Cathe (thank God!) in January 2003. I started by ordering her Pure Strength & Slow & Heavy tapes. I loved them and fell in love with Cathe's style and personality and decided to order all her DVDs. Now, isn't that insane? I've also preordered her Body Blast series (from CK Sales in Edmonton; there's that Edmonton connection again) and can't wait for those to come out. Cathe is a really amazing and gifted fitness teacher. She's the only one out there that pushes you to advance further and makes you feel like you can accomplish it even when you think you can't.

It's really nice to see Canadians on this forum. The people here are pretty special:D
 
I am from Canada as well. I grew up in Winnipeg Manitoba although I moved from there a year ago. I now live in a little mennonite town called Blumenort, about 40 minutes from Winnipeg.:D

I started Firming about 7 years ago when Time Life brought them out for $20.00 Most of my tapes have come from CK Sales. (I always try to get their previously viewed tapes). I am expecting two Cathe tapes from them next week and am picking up a step from a friend of mine the week after that. I am looking forward to starting my Cathe tapes and getting my body back.

I gained 50 lbs from baby one and didn't lose that weight, x( then three years later baby 2 came along and I lost a lot of weight (I went down to size 12). Baby number 3 suprised us a two years after baby 2 and a year earlier than we "planned" and now I have 10 lbs to lose to get back to my size 12's. Once I get there my next goal is to get back down to size 6. :eek:

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.;-)

Sheila
 
Hi Guys! I'm signing in from the East Coast, from Amherst, Nova Scotia, a small town of 10,000 on the border of N.S. and New Brunswick. I am 35, married to a fantastic guy, with a son 7 and daughter 4. I discovered Cathe back in the late 80's and actually still have her "Fit and Firm" and "Cardio Challenge". I have gone through fits and starts over the years, depending on how crazy life was at the time. I have gained weight with both pregnancies, losing 60+ the first time with Cathe's help, and 80 the second go around. I've been pretty stable in my weight the last 2 years, thanks to Cathe. I also am a volunteer instructor at our YMCA and teach 3 classes a week - Advanced step and two "Cardio Kicks" type classes. Cathe is a constant source of inspiration for my classes!! My current challenge is getting some strength training added to my routine, which is tough cuz I'm a Cardio lovin' gal. When I'm not working out, either at home or at the Y, I try to remember I have a career - I work in the legal profession, so the exercise is also helpful to reduce the stress!! I would love to keep chatting with the "Cathe" Canadians, and would love to see a regular check in. Cheers, Cindy
 
Like Jill, I married a Canadian that grew up in Winnipeg. We now live in Minneapolis. We visit there ALL the time though. I know all the funny Canadian quirks. The weird thing is then my sister married a canadian and moved to Vancouver. I guess the countries had to even out and make a trade. My husband for my sister! :)
 
I am from Toronto.. born and raised
I am 49, 3 kids one teenager left.
I have lifted with weights at home with joyce vedral, tried firm tapes and joyce vedral tapes.. bought cathe after looking at ya ya.
i now alternate the tapes with body pump classes. cathe is the most challenging. i run/treadmill 3 x week. tonight i'm running a 5 km race. i like cathe because of the challenge. the exercise has helped my bone density.. my bone density is great. there is proof exercise helps. my BP is low, and pulse low. I think exercise is the magic solution to many medical and emotional issues.

i have always exercised, this has kept me feeling fit, happy, and full of energy. I find the older exercisers an inspirtation. i am pretty fit, and often tire of looking at 20 something underweight models in magazines. don't know if this culture will ever change.

i work full time in health care, currently avoiding SARS.

i find my diet is intergral to my weight management.
 
Hey what part of Winnipeg is your hubby from? I grew up in East Kildonan and then moved to West Kildonan (just across the river) when I moved out of the house.

Sheila:7
 
Ok you lurkers - I know there are more of us Canadians on the list! Jump in and introduce yourselves.

I think this is too cool. I wish we could somehow all get together. Does anyone go to the big fitness conference in Toronto in the summer?

We had a group from VideoFitness get together here in Montreal and go to a fitness expo earlier this year. We had a blast!

I wish we could somehow arrange a group to go down for a couple of days and take a couple of Cathe classes live!
 
Another Canadian checking in.

I was born in Montreal to french canadian parents, but moved around quite a bit when I was a kid, living in Texas and Edmonton (both places where I learned English). My folks moved to Sherbrooke, Qc, where I went to school. After transferring to McGill University for the last part of my training, I moved to Rouyn-Noranda, Qc for 3 years where I practiced pathology and where my DS Jordan was born. Me and my SO have been back in Montreal for the last 3 years though and now I'm expecting my second child (due in January 2004).

I've really been into Cathe for the last 18 months, but had worked with videos and the gym before that. I discovered Cathe through videofitness and have been hooked ever since.
 
Janick - that's so cool - I learned more about you in this email than when we met! (Punky = Jodi who you met at our outing in Montreal).

I didn't know you were expecting again - congrats!!!!!! Weren't you training for a marathon?
 
Jodi (yes, I recognized you), I was training for a half marathon, which I completed in a respectable time of 2:20 on April 13th. I just found out 3 weeks ago that I was pregnant, and it was an unplanned and surprise pregnancy. I was in shock the first 24 hours, and kinda panicked, but now I'm happy (but extremely nauseated and tired).

I also started a new job a few days after learning about my pregnancy status (coincidentally, that's when the nausea started).
 
Canada's birthplace

Good afternoon from the birthplace of Canada (that's Prince Edward Island for those of you not up on your history!;) )

I live along to coast of PEI overlooking the Northumberland Strait and the Confederation Bridge.

I'm 28 with a great hubby (no kids yet though - unless you count my 28 nieces & nephews!)

I've been a home exerciser for about 10 years but just discovered Cathe a few years ago. I enojy a well balanced regime of cardio (running and tapes), weight training and yoga.

NIce reading about fellow Canadian exercisers.

Although, I must admit, I cringed when I read the heading with the stereotypical "eh"? in it. Guess we all have our pet peeves.

Keep fit everyone
 
One more Canadaian to add...sorry have not been online for quite some time.....
I am 29 years old and living in Maple, Ontario which is about 20 minutes north of Toronto; where I actually grew up until I got married in 2000. I worked in an orthodontic clinic in Richmond Hill until I had my daughter in April 2001, and then became a stay at home mom.

I dicovered Cathe in April 2002, when I became a home excerciser, as going to the gym was no longer an option....as I had seperation anxiety from my daughter up until recently......Now I can actually leave for more than a couple hours and not be a basket case!!!

I can't say enough about this forum.....The wealth of knowledge and support is great to see......

Jenn
 
I'm from Toronto, and that's where I live, with husband and three kids (son and daughter twins age 11 and another daughter age 5). Been using almost nothing but cathe for my home fitness for about the last year and a half, in fact other than yoga DVD's I don't own anything else!

Hi to other Torontonians and HI JANICK!!! congratulations! I guess canfitpro is a no-go this year?

Christine
 
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