I recently chatted with Chuck Wicks. You can listen to the interview here. He was on the road with Brad Paisley this summer, which is where he met his girlfriend, Julianne Hough. Brad LOVES to prank people. When it was time to prank Chuck, Brad recruited Julianne to be part of it!!

    I’m trying to lose weight. I’m fat. Here at the radio station there is usually food EVERYWHERE. Today was no different, but it’s almost like somebody raised the stakes a bit. Today as I walked into the kitchen to get some water there was some homemade fudge on the counter. Not just fudge, but fudge with M&M’s, nuts, peanut butter cups and huge hunks of caramel on top. Bring it on food gods. If I can ignore the Victoria Secret show that was on my large screen tv last night, I can ignore you too.

     Tom George and I kid around on the air about my weight. We’re good friends and honestly, we just poke fun at the obvious between us. But it really is something I need to address. I recently applied for life insurance and got it. But after I took the required insurance physical they DOUBLED the price of the policy. Without saying “hey, you’re fat” they said I was just too fat and unhealthy. The company that did the blood work gave me a copy of the results and I was a little shocked. I have worked out most of my life. Up until 2 or 3 years ago, I was in pretty decent shape. Hell, at one point, I was in great shape. I even competed in a body building competition. I know what it takes to get in shape. I know how hard it is to get there and stay there. I don’t know what hit me this weekend but I just decided I’m not buying anymore clothes another size bigger. I’m not going to spend my entire day behind a computer screen then go home and do the same thing. I HAVE to make a change for me, for my wife, for my son. Since Jeanne passed away (my wife of 14 years) I have packed on 60 pounds. I don’t notice it bit by bit, day by day. Then, it hit me. Holy crap, I’ve never been this big. My grief counselor is awesome. She pointed out to me how food can be used in many different ways. To celebrate, to comfort and sometimes to just plain wallow in. I never looked at it that way but she’s right. For many of us being healthy is about habits. I’ve gotten in a very unhealthy routine and I need to change that.

       I used to work with a guy at WYSL named Mike Morgan. He smoked most of his 60 some odd years on the planet then one day he picked up the pack of smokes and said to himself “what the hell am I doing.” The pack went in the garbage and that was the end of that. I’m inspired by people like Mike and some of my friends like Jimmy and Judy who have made positive changes in their lifestyles. They look better, but more importantly they are healthier and just seem happier. There are chemicals that our bodies release when we excercise that make us feel better. I can’t wait to feel that high again. This morning I hit the ground running. First thing was a workout on the elipse machine. Then I packed some healthy whole foods for the day. My wife Val is being very supportive. She has been nudging me every now and then that she needs me around for the long haul (translation: get off your butt and do something to get healthy.) I sometimes feel like I’m going to rob them of what precious free time I have by spending it working out. But if I’m not around or just plain unhealthy down the line, that’s not doing them a favor either.

       Everything is in place. Support from the people who love me. Knowledge of what I need to do to lose the weight and be healthy. Faith that I’ve been to the “fitness mountaintop” and I know I can do it again. Wish me luck. Better yet, if you have a few pounds to shed why not join me. Leave a comment and we can get thru this together. Oh, these are before and after pictures. I hope to have a better “after” picture up real soon.