Cindy happily reports she’s exactly the same shape and weight as she was when she completed her stint on Taking It Off in Season One.
Following the show, she continued to compete in fitness competitions across North America. She won two titles on the Nova Fitness circuit in 2002, one a masters title for North America, the other a world masters title. In the both competitions, she also placed in the top five overall (second and fourth place respectively), competing against women as young as 18. She now has her sights set on competing in the 2005 Masters Games in Edmonton. In late 2003, Cindy retired from her airline career to consider new options. Acting -- which viewers will remember her trying during Taking It Off -- is one such direction she’s testing. Already, she’s appeared in an American car commercial and is taking workshops in voice-over announcing.
To maintain her level of fitness, Cindy continues to work out at the gym four or five times a week, and to ski, bike and run.
What keeps her going: "As far as the motivation, I just know how good I feel afterwards. But there are mornings when I wake up and think, ’Oh I don’t want to go to the gym.’ "
What the Taking it Off experience taught her: "(Maintaining fitness) is the same for anybody, no matter where you’ve gone with it. It’s a continuous job. I don’t like to use the word ’hard,’ but it’s a life choice you make and in order to maintain it at any level, you just have to change your lifestyle."
Cindy’s best advice: Cindy wants others to know that while, yes, staying fit requires effort, it’s like anything else - it pays off in direct relation to the time and effort you put in.
Cindy doesn’t advocate fad diets. She believes people should evaluate honestly how much cardiovascular activity they’re doing in order to determine which meal plans will allow them to lose weight.
Cindy’s favourite food strategies: Chicken, fish, steamed and grilled vegetables and salads are the backbone of Cindy’s diet. She sometimes indulges in her love of bread and pasta, but only eats whole wheat products and only in moderation. "I can actually feel the sugar rush when my body is too full of those carbs."
