Peterborough Woman Wins First Fitness Competition After Losing Over 155 Pounds

Peterborough’s Terri-Lynn and her three-year weight loss quest of over 155 pounds resulted in a first-place finish at the International Drug Free Athletics (IDFA) Bodybuilding Competition at the City Playhouse Theatre in Vaughan.

Terri-Lynn’s before and after photos of her 155 pound transformation. Her competition outfit was made using roughly 6,000 rhinestones that she handmade. Photos courtesy of Terri-Lynn.

Terri-Lynn (who requested her last name be withheld) won in the intergender Transformational Challenge on Oct. 23. She started training for the event in July, working out six days a week for two to three hours. Terri-Lynn lost an additional 20 pounds leading up to the competition.

“I’ve been training with Krista Easto,” she explained. “She gave me a set meal plan and workout plan and was with me every step of the way including cheering me on when I walked across that stage.”

She started her transformation in February 2020 after feeling dissatisfied and coming to terms with her prior lifestyle. She did lots of weightlifting as most of her workout routine during her weight-loss journey.

“I was just not happy. I wasn't living my life the way I wanted to,” explained Terri-Lynn. “I couldn't move very easily. I had knee pain and I was on medication that I didn't want to be on. I just needed to make a full lifestyle change.”

Terri-Lynn said she felt she was regressing in her exercise routines and needed something to reignite her fitness regime. The competition was the perfect motivation to get her back on track.

“In July, I had gotten back into a rut and I needed something to motivate me and get me out of it,” she explained. “I've seen a few people I follow on Instagram who have also lost a massive amount of weight. They were doing fitness competitions.”

Originally, Terri-Lynn wanted to enter the competition to give her ‘biggest loser’ finale moment as her journey’s climax and becoming dramatically healthier.

“This was solely for me,” she said. “I didn't care to compete. I wanted to walk on that stage — in a jewelled bikini that I made myself — and show off to the world that I did it.”

For anyone wanting to start their journey similar to Terri-Lynn’s, she says now is the best time to start.

“Just do it,” she said. “You slowly start to fall in love with doing that it makes you want to do more and be more active.”

Terri-Lynn says she wants to compete in future competitions next summer if possible.

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Photos: Fifth Annual Annie’s Pace Global Adventure For Heart Health Awareness Kicks Off

Smith (left) has worked as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor for 28 years. All photos by David Tuan Bui.

Annie Smith has kicked off her fifth annual Annie’s Pace Global Adventure to raise heart health awareness in a four-day Walk-a-Thon and Spin-a-Thon at the All the Right Moves Fitness Studio in Omemee.

Smith encourages anyone to join in on her for as long as they want as she’ll walk 80-120 km on a treadmill during the four-day span from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. A barbecue fundraiser is also being held on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Her campaign encourages others to post their heart stories and/or weekend activities on Smith’s Facebook or Instagram page while tagging themselves during the event.

To join AGPA visit the Facebook group. To donate click here.

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Omemee Woman Hosting Fifth Annual Heart Health Awareness Campaign With Four-Day Spin-A-Thon and Walk-A-Thon

Omemee’s Annie Smith is raising heart health awareness for a fifth straight year through Annie’s Pace Global Adventure (APGA) in a four-day event beginning this Friday.

File Photo.

Smith is hosting a walk-a-thon and spin-a-thon at All the Right Moves Fitness Studio in Omemee, encouraging those to ride a bike or walk with her — for as long as people wish — as she attempts to go 80-120 km on a treadmill during the four-day span from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. A barbecue fundraiser is also being held on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

APGA encourages participants to take control of their heart health by being active for one hour a day. Over the course of the four-day event, participants are invited to share online what activity they are doing that day to stay active and keep their hearts healthy.

“Your life is worth one hour a day,” said Smith.

The campaign has people participating all over the world in countries such as Hong Kong, Scotland, Greece, the USA, Switzerland, Australia and more.

“It’s about the world, it’s about creating the healthy habit,” said Smith.

The proceeds go towards the Test Your Limits (TYL) Initiative at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research at UHN in Toronto. The funds help in research for heart failure and transplantation.

The fundraiser’s goal is to raise $6,500 this year, trying to raise $25,000 over five years.

Smith is a Personal Trainer and group fitness instructor for 28 years. She was diagnosed with cardiac sarcoidosis, an invisible, rare, incurable and life-threatening disease, in 2016. Her physical capabilities have become limited ever since.

Her campaign encourages others to post their heart stories and/or weekend activities on Smith’s Facebook or Instagram page while tagging themselves during the event.

To join AGPA visit the Facebook group. To donate click here.

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Hometown PTBO: Wanda Beatty On How She Became a Fitfluencer and What Being One Entails

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday talks to fitfluencer Wanda Beatty about what it means to be a fitfluencer, how she became one and how she started teaching at Goodlife Fitness.

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Hometown PTBO: Judy Doughty on Becoming a Fitness and Figure Competitor at age 40

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday speaks with 60-year-old fitness and figure competitor, Judy Doughty about her accomplishments at the 2022 NPC North American Championships in Pittsburgh, earning her pro cards and how she started training with Jason Green at TEAM GREEN Physiques to enter her first competition at age 40.

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The War in Ennismore: Amateur Boxing Returns to The Kawarthas

Corcoran’s Boxing Club is hosting its first-ever show as a fundraiser for the club’s youth program and competitive team on Saturday.

Pete Dalliday (left) throws some punches with Jay Corcoran (right). Photo by Luke Best.

The War in Ennismore: Revival is held at the Robert E. Young Recreation Complex in Ennismore. The Ontario Boxing sanctioned event will feature 12 amateur fights from boxers across the province.

At least one women’s match will take place, as well as fights featuring boxers as young as eight years old. Corcoran’s Boxing Club features a youth program that is run in conjunction with the Ennismore Optimist Club.

Ennismore was chosen as the location to host the event due to multiple club members’ ties to the area. This includes Jay Corcoran, the club’s founder, who was born and raised there.

This is the first amateur boxing event in the Kawarthas since the start of the pandemic.

Doors open at 6 p.m. with the first fight at 7 p.m. Admission is $20 at the door.

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Hometown PTBO: Heather-Lynn Fraser Winning Silver In Her First Fitness Competition at 42

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday talks with fitness competitor Heather-Lynn Fraser about how she started competing, how she remained motivated and earned a silver medal in her first competition all at the age of 42.

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Mike Dalliday Launches Redesigned Pilates On Demand Website To Honour Late Wife’s Entrepreneurial Vision

Pilates on Demand, an online platform offering Pilates, Yoga, Barre and Meditation classes has launched a redesigned website with upgraded member features to honour the vision and legacy of the company’s founder and former CEO, Jess Dalliday announced on Tuesday.

Jess Dalliday with her daughter. Photo courtesy of Innovation Cluster.

At the young age of 32, Dalliday suddenly and tragically passed away during childbirth in April 2021 along with newborn daughter, Angeline.

Her passing left husband Mike, 2-year old daughter, family, friends, and the Peterborough community completely devastated and in shock. Jess was fiercely passionate about changing the fitness landscape to be an inclusive, accepting space, and was dedicated to defying fitness industry norms that suggest exercise is a way to change your body, instead of loving your body right now.

Mike Dalliday with daughter. Photo courtesy of Innovation Cluster.

Jess’ husband Mike is honouring his late wife’s vision by becoming the CEO of Pilates on Demand, stepping away from his career as a Physician Assistant. With no entrepreneurial experience taking over Jess’ successful business seemed daunting, but through the Innovation Cluster’s mentorship and expertise Mike has been able to drive Jess’ vision forward, which most recently has involved the launch of a redesigned website and platform.

“We are beyond excited to introduce this all-new experience to our members and to anyone new to our service,” said Mike. “Since losing Jess last spring we’ve been working hard to ensure her legacy is carried forward. We continue to pride ourselves on being an online exercise platform for everyone. We don’t focus on pounds, inches or appearance. Our goal is for our members to feel comfortable and confident in the body they have right now, and we really feel our new design and user experience will help us and our members achieve that goal.”

Pilates on Demand provides hundreds of convenient and safe exercise classes that members can do anywhere, anytime, and at any skill level.

"During the times of the pandemic, Pilates on Demand has seen exponential growth and has been able to pivot their business to focus on the growing demand for virtual exercise,” said President of the Innovation Cluster, John Gillis. “With the launch of the new website, new and existing members will be able to experience a new and convenient way to exercise. POD is not only a place to exercise but also a place to be part of a strong community."

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Local Teacher Earns NYC Marathon Spot While Outpacing Mental Health

It is an opportunity very few people get but Julie Vallières has been selected as one of six Canadian teachers to run in the New York City Marathon in the fall.

Vallières has been helping her students battle mental health issues since 2015. She serves as the school’s cross-country and track and field coach. Photo Courtesy of Julie Vallières.

She was selected as part of Team Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) who pick 50 North American teachers as representatives.

Vallières submitted her video application to TCS with her story, how running helped her teaching and why she should be picked. She promoted running as a way to help with mental health issues her students were facing at St. Peter’s Catholic Secondary School.

“I’m glad I get to be with people with the same passion for running,” she said. “It’s nice to gain some mental strength from running long distances.”

TCS supports physical and mental health among children and provided Vallières and other selected teachers with integrated technology education resources for easier teaching.

She learned about Team TCS from Niels Walkau, a local colleague and friend who participated in the marathon two years prior.

Vallières constantly trains, running four to five times a week to prepare for the 26.2 mile-long marathon. She has participated in several running events or marathons as part of her training regime.

The event is not set in stone for Canadians since border travelling is still in limbo from the pandemic. Vallières is hopeful that the world will have enough normalcy to allow her to participate.

“I’m hoping by then, everything will be good,” she explained. “I’m keeping a positive mindset here and we’ll be out of the woods with vaccines and stuff.”

Vallières plans to bring her family to watch her run at the marathon. Her children are eligible to participate in a 5-kilometre run, the day prior to the main event.

Last year, the NYC marathon was postponed but Vallières was able to earn a medal in their digitized version through an app.

“It will be a great experience for all of us,” she said. “It’s about the people that support the community. I know it’s a great experience and I want to be able to share it with my family.”

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Local Man Creates Virtual Fitness Challenge For Mental Health Awareness

Joe Keating of Peterborough has created the 4,000 Reps for Mental Health Awareness virtual fitness challenge to raise mental health awareness on Saturday.

Joe Keating ran the campaign saying working on mental health is as important as physical health. Photo Courtesy of Joe Keating.

Keating will perform 4,000 kettlebell swings on his front lawn (weather pending) live on Messenger Rooms — 1,000 times an hour for four hours — and encourages anyone to join.

The 4,000 reps can be anything so long as participants are physically active. Running 4,000 steps, jumping jacks or jump rope skips as some of many alternative exercises Keating suggests for the challenge.

He was diagnosed with clinical depression in 2015. He struggled and had a hard time with it before reaching out. Keating’s doctor advised him to do more physical activity to help him cope with his illness.

“I’m a certified kettlebell instructor,” he said. “It’s my go-to exercise. If I had a bad day, it’s something I can pick up, swing it and bang out a couple of reps to feel better.”

The pandemic has limited physical activity options and the event is another outlet to exercise according to Joe. Photo Courtesy of Joe Keating.

The campaign’s goal is to help erase the stigma of having a mental illness and open up a conversation about having one without feeling shame.

“I’ve always been very open about it,” said Keating. “Some people still seem to be too afraid to still talk about it and not talking about it can lead down to a dark path like suicide.”

There are approximately 4,000 suicides annually in Canada which is why the event encourages that many reps according to Keating.

Alexis Keating, 11, Joe’s daughter, will participate with her own kettlebell lifts for the event. Photo Courtesy of Joe Keating.

When the event was put on social media, the response was overwhelmingly positive in ways Keating had not anticipated.

“It was way bigger than what I was expecting. “ he said. “I thought it was going to be with family and friends and in my close-knit group. I have people from Vegas, Calgary and a team from Montreal going.”

If the event is successful, it could become an annual challenge that could include fundraising said Keating.

The free event will run on April 24 at 10:00 a.m. Head to the event’s Facebook Page for more details.

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