Obese Man Crosses U.S. to Shed Pounds By PETER JAMES SPIELMANN, Associated Press Writer Wed Mar 22, 6:31 PM ET NEW YORK - Steve Vaught is trying to shed unwanted pounds the long, slow way: step by step as he walks across the United States. ADVERTISEMENT Vaught, 39, began his trek last April in Oceanside, Calif., and has covered more than 2,300 miles. As the distances have mounted, so too has interest in his journey, with supporters monitoring his progress online and newspapers and television stations tracking the adventure. Vaught began the trip to lose weight and break the bad habits that led to his obesity. "When I first started this walk, I weighed around 410 pounds, and I was carrying an 85-pound backpack," Vaught wrote on his Web site earlier this month as he crossed Ohio. "Now I weigh 296 pounds, and I am carrying a pack that weighs only 30 pounds. That is an overall reduction of almost 175 pounds off of my feet. So it will only get easier from here," he said. Vaught, who lives in San Diego, is about 600 miles from New York, with freezing Midwestern winds snapping at his back. He expects to finish the trip in about six weeks. He initially thought he could avoid the temptation of junk food on the road, where he usually camps in a tent at night between towns. "It is amazing how hard it is to find good, healthy food while on the road," he wrote. "Most restaurants, fast food and sit-downs, offer limited choices, and usually you are relegated to a small variety of beef products with potatoes." Vaught used to manage auto-repair businesses, but quit work before making the transcontinental journey. He seeks donations for each mile he travels and advertising for his Web site. Vaught said he was not always overweight. "I have been many things in my life, from a lanky teenager to a muscular Marine, and now I am fat," he said. "This latest incarnation is without a doubt the worst." ___
rawhide! ...i kick it at karaoke with that one and i have em rolling in the isle. i cant believe princess leia was in that thing.
I'm impressed with anyone who walks from one end of the country to the other. But a 410 pound man, now I'm really impressed.
Gotta give it too the man, atleast he's not blaming society, racing Walmart gokarts and overdosing on weight loss pills. Yeah, we'll see if he call's a cab & a pizza on the way back though. Wonder if he's running in slo mo. Hope more catches on to this thing called "excercise" that he's doing. heh Tired of giant asses blocking the aisles
My guess is that it was "washed down a dozen bran muffins with a gallon of warm prune juice and then took the biggest dump of my life."
Thats awesome, walking is seriously the best exersize...I lost a ton of weight over the past year from just taking an hour and a half to walk 4 miles every night. It really makes you feel good.
I used to walk alot, but I haven't in a while. I always really enjoyed it. I need to get back into that habit.
If only it were that easy. Plus there aren't enough matches. I was diganosed with diabetes and hemochromatosis (great genes that run in the family, I won the wrong lotto) back in Novemeber so I figured it was time to get my ass in gear and make some changes. I got an eliptical machine for Xmas. I started using that and I'm to around 4 and a quarter miles everyday on it. I alos just plain started eating better, cut down on carbs and cut sugar out completely. I'm down to around 217-218 from from 248. I told my doctor I'm shooting for 190.
Vaught is most definitely getting some excellent exercise, but I wonder if he ever stops to eat at Subway while on his journey?
