So I saw this picture of myself at Formula D at the Sonoma Round on Speedhunters.com and was pretty horrified.  I knew I was at my all time fattest ever but since we started MotoIQ, I find myself working 10+ hours a day mostly sitting.  Traveling with Team Falken isn't good for health either, eating out all the time, eating late at night, starving all day because we are too busy then pigging out right before sleeping on high calorie food, ugh...  I knew I was getting fatter but this pic was a bad wake up call.  I look twice as thick as Dai!  Look at the jowls and the huge gut.  I look like William Shatner without the gridle...  How can Sharon stand looking at me?  The first thing out of Klaus from KW's mouth (I havent seen him for around 10 months) is "what happend to you, you are so fat!"

So my goal is to loose weight and get to at least my normal level of fatness.  So far I have lost 10 lbs just by watching my eating and this week tuesday I started working out again.  God I am so sore!  I am so out of shape, about 1/3 my normal level of weights and my cardio, ugh.

So here is a pic from Dai's blog on GT Channel taken Monday as we were testing for Formula D at Irwin dale this weekend.  I am talking to KW chief Engineer Klaus Frank about some technical damper stuff.  Actually we were pretending to be talking for the cameras.  I already look a lot better.  I am still 5 lbs fatter than normal but at least my pants are not super tight.

I am really motivated because being middle aged, out of shape and fat is a prime course for heart attacks, diabetes and other lame things and being a father, I am responsible for being around to raise my daughter.

So to keep me motivated I will post whats going on so now I have to do something or lose face!  I don't want to get good looking or buff, just healthy and off the blood pressure meds I have had to start taking lately.

I lost 40 pounds doing the Atkins diet 7-8 years ago. It killed me not to have pizza and potatos for a long time and I will never do another lettuce wrapped burger again. After a first painful week of my body adjusting to a seriously reduced carb intake, I never went hungry. My weight has crept back up 10 pounds to ~190. My main exercise is karting a coupla times a week and walking around work every day. LOL

I think it's absolutely great that you are taking a hard look at yourself and making a change for the better... or at least for the "more healthy".  I myself am dedicated to being in good shape and trying to be in the best health possible. One thing I can say is that you really have to make it a lifestyle. I know it's hard with your current schedule but let's face it, at our age (and that's not really all THAT old ) it takes a bit more effort.

Anyway... congrats on ten pounds down!! Keep up the good work Mike. No excuses!! This is SPAAAAAAARRRRRTTAAAAAA!!!

Do yo drink soda MIke? I cut it out and have not had a sip in over 3 years. I lost 10 lbs as a result and have not gained it back. I have fallen off the wagon recently as well, I am not putting weight back on but I am losing definition for sure.

Keep it up MIke, you want people to ask you if you have LOST weight not comment on your fatass...

Ok.. since people are posting before and after pics I guess I will do the same...

Before = 230 lbs. and a big time Jack-in-the-Box habit (among other crappy things)

After = 190 lbs.

There's no secret formula. It's eating right and working your ass off! This was the result of about 6-7 months of intense training. I'm bigger now (about 220 lbs.) but it's very little fat and a lot more muscle. I'm in the best shape of my life now. That above after pic was a bit too skinny for my taste but my wifey loved it. She's not crazy about the muscle factor going on now. Oh well... can't please 'em all huh? Oh.. I'm 6' tall.