Related
•
CoSIDA Goodwill & Wellness Committee
•
Communicators Outside the Lines Feature Series
This is the next profile in a series entitled
Communicators Outside the Lines: Better Yourself, Better Your Community produced by the CoSIDA Goodwill & Wellness Committee. Read past profiles at
CoSIDA.com/CommunicatorsOTL.
WE NEED YOUR IDEAS!
If you have any ideas for this series, which will revolve around CoSIDA member volunteerism and health and wellness, please contact Goodwill and Wellness Committee chair
Megan Jameson, St. Edward's University Associate AD for Marketing and Communications, at
mhardin@stedwards.edu.
Amie Canfield Pushes Aside Pandemic
Vassar, Assistant Director of Athletics for Communications
by Joe Browning – UNC Wilmington, Senior Associate A.D./Athletic Communications
CoSIDA Goodwill and Wellness Committee Member
It’s the crack of dawn, inching toward 5:30 a.m. in bustling Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and the sun begins to peek over the horizon. Commuter trains start to hum, sirens wail from a nearby fire station and a small studio apartment on the corner of the four-way intersection starts jumping, literally.
It’s
Amie Canfield’s time of day.
The Assistant Athletic Director for Communications at Vassar is kick starting the week with a routine that’s not only helped her cope mentally with the global wide Covid-19 pandemic, it’s been a lifesaver amid weight and anxiety worries.
Once “north of 280 pounds,” Canfield, through a steadfast commitment to nutrition and fitness, has whittled down to 172 pounds and has her sights set on the 150 mark. Eventually.
Tracing Canfield’s remarkable journey of perseverance tells a compelling story of personal discipline, sacrifice and resilience. It’s one that’s even more impressive considering ever-present battles with anxiety that continue to haunt her.
“It was scary because I’d never been that heavy before,” Canfield, 40, reflected. “I have a staircase to the loft in my apartment. I would get to the top of the stairs and be winded. I told myself, ‘Damn, that’s not good.’
“I realized I couldn’t do the things I wanted to do. Not only that, I was way, way too heavy. That was my tipping point…”
Gallery: (6-16-2021) Amie Canfield, Communicators OTL
The St. Johnsbury, Vermont, native’s transformation began last June by casually walking the retired train trestles straddling the Hudson River. Plantar fasciitis, however, left her feet “destroyed.” Simply walking was difficult. “As much as I wanted to do it, my feet said, ‘No we don’t want to do this. You’re subjecting us to this?’”
Enter Beachbody, an online streaming service that offers hundreds of workouts, nutrition guides, workout calendars and even cooking shows. Canfield plunked down an initial spend of $100 on June 8, 2020. The investment has been well worth it.
“I saw an ad on TV about Beachbody offering half-off and I said, ‘What’s it going to hurt?’ I ended up getting a subscription. I bought a good scale and five-pound weights. After my first workout with Beach Body, I was just dripping sweat. The next day, I could hardly walk. The next day, I thought what on earth did I get myself into? I absolutely thought of quitting right off the bat.
“I just kept showing up each day. It started with total body cardio, then to lower body and then to yoga….something different every day. When I finished it, I was so glad I didn’t give up.”
Canfield’s dedication to the program ran the gamut of Beachbody programming, from 21-Day Fix to Country Heat to Let’s Get Up. All types of names to perk the imagination of subscribers, capped by Autumn Calabrese’s Nine-Week Control Freak, a real “butt kicker,” said Canfield.
The days rolled by. The weeks piled up. The months advanced. There were times when Canfield didn’t see much progress. Even so, the dividends were evident.
“It’s definitely changed my life and the way I think of myself when I work out. It’s changed my concept of what I can and can’t achieve. I started at size 22 in pants and now I wear size 12. My tops are large now instead of plus sizes.
“Whether you’ve lost two pounds or 80 pounds, just feeling better and more confidence in yourself, that’s really what matters,” she said. “My goal is now 10-pound increments. After losing over 100 pounds, it gets harder. My bigger goal is just the confidence in my body. That’s the bigger goal - to be able to do the things I want to do.”
An admitted Diet Dr. Pepper lover, Canfield, who worked in the offices at Vermont, RPI and Mount Holyoke before landing at Vassar, has, not surprisingly, undergone a dramatic change in her diet. She uses Beachbody’s container system as a road map to better eating and a healthier lifestyle.
Oh, M&M’s are still her “go-to,” she said, but a diet replete with vegetables, proteins, carbs, healthy fats, seeds and dressings targeted toward a specific calorie total has made a huge difference.
“I had a lot of people ask me if I’m being safe, endangering myself in any way or starving myself. It got to the point that I started posting pictures of my food. You will never find me harming myself. For me, if I try to give something up, I just want it that much more. I found a way to make the weight loss and the whole journey work while also being able to have a night out with friends or eat fast food. The whole thing taught me about making smarter choices.
“I don’t drink soda. I drink water and average 100-150 ounces a day. Sweets are my biggest indulgence.”
Canfield has not been alone in the journey. What began as a book club has evolved into a strong support system. Along with Amanda Radtke (UNF), Canfield’s posse includes Chelsea Chamberlain (formerly LSU), Kristen Keller (Concordia), Danielle Percival (Piedmont), Bridgette Robles (Richmond) and Sammi Wellman (Cascade Conference).
“Everyone needs to find a support system. I’m blessed to have them and a family that cares. If I didn’t have that group, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I wouldn’t be where I am without those women. You have to surround yourself with likeminded people.”
The most difficult part of Canfield’s journey has been what she calls the “plateau” moments when the pounds don’t come off as easily.
“There have been moments when I’ve had to take a step back and take a breath. You get frustrated and want to give up. It took me awhile to get to the point where I stopped looking at the scale as being a hindrance and finally looking at it as a reminder that I may have indulged too much.”
Canfield said she’s still not comfortable working out in a gym and is fine with her home routine as lively felines Romeo and Othello cheer her on.
“There are hundreds of Beachbody programs and I haven’t scratched the surface. It costs money, but it’s an overall investment for me. If feels so good to get into the day knowing that I’ve already accomplished 30 to 40 minutes of exercise. It gets me going to gets me ready for the day.”
The recipient of CoSIDA’s Rising Star Award in 2015, Canfield is often asked for advice from those struggling with weight issues. She did admit to dropping 60 pounds earlier in her career before gaining it all back quickly. This time, it took sticktoitiveness and a mindset to overcome the odds.
“First of all, you’re not alone,” Canfield said. “We all struggle with something in this profession. For me, it was my weight and my anxiety. Those things are not a good combination when you’re a chocolate lover.
“Second, you can’t give up. Losing weight sucks and it’s hard. It’s defeating when it’s not going in the direction you want. I have been through every possible emotion on the planet when losing weight. It’s the single biggest joy in your life when it’s going in the direction you want.
“Thirdly, if you’re not ready to lose weight, it won’t happen. If you don’t have a goal mapped out, you’re just doing it to do it.”
Canfield has become a celebrity of sorts. She posts workout photos on social media to keep friends and family apprised of her progress, pointing out that the mentions keep her accountable.
“I don’t see myself as an inspiration. I see myself as someone who was horribly overweight and needed to make a change. Basically, I needed to get my @&#! in gear.
“It got to the point where I couldn’t carry equipment to the press box and it was hurting to go up and down the stairs of the press box. I was scared; I ate my feelings at the start of the pandemic. I spent a lot of time eating chocolate and I was by myself. I was struggling with everything.
“If I can inspire other people, I must be doing something right. It is very humbling. For the longest time, it’s been hard to believe in myself in this journey. It gets me a little emotional and makes me feel good. If I can do this, anybody can do it.”
With most of the college athletics world relieved to see the pandemic easing, Canfield sees a silver lining in the cloud that has been the last 19 months.
“In the grand scheme of things, the pandemic has taught us a lot about ourselves and about how much we need to take care of ourselves. Everybody is dealing with something in their life, so just be nice.
“I’m excited about being together again at CoSIDA,” Canfield chuckled. “I’m excited to have most people not recognize me. It will be tons of fun!”
Click here to learn more about CoSIDA's Goodwill and Wellness initiatives and find out how YOU can get involved.