'Fat man walking' takes get-slim detour - After training in L.A., he'll resume journey

ap on San Diego Union Tribune ^ | 2/23/06 | J. Harry Jones

[NormsRevenge]

EDUARDO CONTRERAS / Union-Tribune

Steve Vaught is eating only prepared meals donated by a company associated with his trainer and is working out three hours a day during his stay in North Hollywood. Vaught has been fighting depression much of his life. Sixteen years ago while driving, he killed an elderly couple who crossed an intersection in front of his car in Clairemont, and he served 10 days in jail.

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EDUARDO CONTRERAS / Union-Tribune

Feb. 22, 2006: Steve Vaught, left, works with his personal trainer Eric Fleishman, right, at Body Image Private Fitness Training in North Hollywood.

[InvisibleChurch]

take your time, pal ... let the press wait .... and wait

[gaijin]

The man just hates cardio of any remarkable intensity and like most people he dislikes green, leafy vegetables.

[Hong Kong Expat]

Children dislike green leafy vegetables. Adults like them. :)

You know, if he walks across America, he'd lose a lot of weight. When I was in Marathon Training, (maybe 9 hours of working out/running a week) I lost a solid 20lbs. Just walking and controlling his food intake would make a huge difference.

[goldstategop]

The look of a fat man having dinner but what really leaves me shook - is the look of love. That's the look I want to see.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[Larry Lucido]

My doctor told me to walk ten miles a day. A year later I call him. "Doctor, I'm 3000 miles away!"

< /Rodney Daingerfield >

[ThirstyMan]

Right, how come he's lost only 100 pounds?

That'd disappoint me, to walk all the way from CA to Ohio and still weigh 300lbs?

There's an obvious flaw in his plan if he does arrrive in NY and is still a porker. Tell me that wouldn't reinforce a futility?

My guess is he's stopping because he doesn't want to arrive in NY in that condition. If he does, what's the point? he'll be quite depressed and wonder even more what life is all about.

[ArmstedFragg]

This has always been about me.

'Nuff said.

[opinionator]

Don't hire a trainer. When you get to New York just turn around.

[david06]

Simple math

2200 miles * 100 calories/mile = 220000 calories burned

220000 cal/ 3500 calories/pound of fat = 62.86 pounds of fat burned off.

So by doing California to Ohio and losing 100 pounds, he's actually ahead of the game.

[goldstategop]

More seriously fastest way to lose the gut is eat nothing but salads. Ditch the carbs and he's well on his way to becoming trim.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[ThirstyMan]

I'm not sure your "simple math" reveals the whole picture.

A person who is 5'8" (he looks shorter than that) and weighs 400 lbs will lose weight rather quickly at first. The first 50 pounds would glide off him if he changes his lifestyle by starting even moderate exercise.

IF he doesn't change his eating habits then he will never realize his goals. But the story seemed to indicate he was being provided his meals by a weight loss company. So something doesn't make sense. His weeks off to recuperate may have something to do with his lack of success.

The rule Ive heard is 80% of your weight is diet related, 20% is exercise.

[KurtZ]

"Feb. 22, 2006: Steve Vaught, left, works with his personal trainer Eric Fleishman, right"

I'm glad they clarified that for me, wasn't sure who was who.

[A CA Guy]

If the walk is supposed to be what loses the weight and you show up after like a buffet specialist, well so be it.

This is about $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

He is going to present the wrong reason for why he lost weight.

[GOP_Proud]

I went to the website and looked at what I guess are before pictures. Except for a humongous (no kidding) gut and pecs, the guy looks average.

[foolscap]

His weeks off to recuperate may have something to do with his lack of success

I don't think 100 lbs points to a lack of success. I did not see that his goal was to lose all his weight as fast as humanly possible. It may well be he has chosen a slower more healthy route to his goal. Also you are not factoring in the amount of muscle he has gained in the process of walking and working with weights. Muscle weighs more than fat.

[metesky]

I really like the way the scummy newspaper tries to make it look like the military is resposible for Tubby's weight gain:

Vaught, who had served in the Marine Corps, fell into a depression that has never really abated. He flitted from job to job, got married, had two kids, gained 175 pounds, but never conquered his demons.

But then they let the cat out of the bag in the picture caption:

Vaught has been fighting depression much of his life. Sixteen years ago while driving, he killed an elderly couple who crossed an intersection in front of his car in Clairemont, and he served 10 days in jail.

Marines or manslaughter? You be the judge.

[ThirstyMan]

Marines or manslaughter? You be the judge.

You make a good point...but don't rule out the other factors...the unhappy marriage and the two kids.

A cursory review of his life reveals nothing spiritual going on, a sad grasping at straws. He has so many "reasons" for being a depressed person, unable to take control of his life, that it is impossible to list them all.

If you are a depressed being, about to arrive in NY still overweight, with a hungry press gaggle following your every move, everything becomes a factor of his failure.

[metesky]

Maybe we'll get a best seller about failure then, eh?

[ThirstyMan]

How to be a la-hoooooser? ha ha!

If he takes two weeks off for an intensive personal trainer time, apparently all his support is being donated by well wishers, how does the average person relate to that? And the "man bites dog" part of the story is only if he is able to keep the weight off.

That'll be the sequel, when he succombs to failure and relapses to his "true" self.

Boy am I in a cynical mood this AM.