Diet and Exercise...

I think I might start a side blog where I record my progress with my diet and exercise program. Back in 2002 I put my diet updates and progress approximately every month on a website here http://garysavage.tripod.com/diet.htm. When I started that diet I had gotten to about 220 lbs and wasn't very happy with how I looked. In six months I dropped down to about 173 and was very happy with my progress. I dropped from size 40 pants down to being able to wear some size 32 pants. Mostly I wore 34 inch waist pants though. At that point I began traveling alot with KB Toys. I was on the road 3 weeks out of every month Monday through Friday in some far away place eating at restaurants and sleeping in hotels. It was not exactly a recipe for success for diet or exercise and I slowly started climbing back up the scale. It took me about five years to pass the worst point from before.

On April 9, 2008 I hit 239 and was barely fitting in my size 42 pants. I was cow like and needed to lose weight. I was concerned with my colesterol, my blood pressure, my back pain, and continually thought about my good friend Jim who had a stroke in his 30's. So I started a diet on April 9. To date I have hit a few milestones. I comfortably fit in size 36 pants, I'm down to 199 lbs, and my fitness goals are going very well. I run between 4 & 5 miles a day, I lift weights 3 days a week, my blood pressure is below normal, and my back pain has virtually disappeared. I'm not there yet, but I'm well on my way. I noted that my dimensions now are much different than when i was at the same weight back in 2002. In fact I am at the point now that I was at 185 back then. I figure I've added quite a bit more muscle mass. I'm not too disappointed with 40 lbs lost in 3 months. It took Valerie Burtinelli (Van Halen's wife) 6 months to lose that much :-), and she probably had personal trainers. So anyway, I would like to have a 31.5 inch waist. Where ever that falls on the scale is just fine with me. So I think I'll start a side blog just to record my fitness levels and my progress on the scales. Look for that sometime today.