Meet Steve Vaught, a man of slightly more than 400 pounds. He's 39, and married, with two children. A retired marine, he struck and killed a married couple, senior citizens, late one night, and hasn't been quite the same since. He became depressed; depression led to eating, and eating led to obesity.
Needing to move on with his life, and also fearing that his family might have to move on without him if his body failed him, he decided to lose that weight -- and his depression -- for good.
By walking.
3300 miles, from SoCal to New York.
His wife, April, has been amazingly supportive in this, maintaining the web site that chronicles his journey. He's in Arizona now, having started his walk on April 10th.
Cockamamie notion, but I wish him well and thanks for the heads up.
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
Wow - that was kind of fascinating. Wish I had that kind of motivation....
FG
Posted by Foust (Member # 3043) on :
Walk, Forest, walk!
Posted by Sid Meier (Member # 6965) on :
Terry Fox!
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
He's gone over 500 miles so far. And his doctor is on his supporters list.
Maybe not such a crazy idea after all!
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
I think it's wonderful.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
It's not a bad idea, provided that he really is able to internalize some of the determination it'll take him to complete the stunt.
Posted by CT (Member # 8342) on :
I am getting ready to bike to work each day. This, too, will require some serious commitment and internalization of determination.
I also want more granola.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
I will soon be moving to an apartment only three miles from work. I could bike that, easily.
It's so hot here most of the time, though, that it's only feasible for me to do it for about six months out of the year. I can't arrive at work all grody and sweaty. Besides the unjust assault on my coworkers' noses, I hate being sweaty in clothes that were not meant to be sweated in.
Posted by FoolishTook (Member # 5358) on :
I salute the man. What a great idea!
Maybe he'll start a movement, and soon it'll be A Lot of Fat People Walking. That's something I could be a part of.
Posted by docmagik (Member # 1131) on :
I first heard him on the radio about a month ago. The makers of the insoles who are sponsoring him were having him do radio interviews to sponsor them.
Personally, I thought it was a terrible idea. And not just because he's going to walk right through New Mexico, a state which has driven even some who've attempted to drive through it insane.
And not just because, even though the six months is already half up, he's not even 1/6th of the way.
The fact is that, for all his talk of "No quick fixes for me!" on the website, this is still a quick fix. It's a long, slow, torturous quick fix, but it's a quick fix just the same.
After, all, what is a quick fix but a one-time "stunt" that is meant to make everything all better, but that is so far removed from your natural reality as to be ineffective in the long term? In this case, once he gets back home he's still going to have to go through the process of finding an exercise program, figuring out a healthy diet, and completely changing his life for the purpose of maintaining any weight he lost, or losing any weight he doesn't lose in these six months (or more).
It'll be like a six-month long, arduous liposuction treatment. It won't actually change his life pattern.
And he'd have to spent six months (or more) of his life away from at least part of his family. Granted, this is the part of his story I know the least about, but that could easily be throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Is it worth it to try to change your life, if your family goes to pot in your absence?
But now that I've seen the site, I see his kids are pretty young, and are kind of tagging along in the support van with Mom. Which turns this whole thing into a big six month long family vacation, which I've got no problem with at all. I wish this guy a ton of luck.
Of course, he really is still going to have to get down to the real business of changing his life, eating habits, and exercise patterns once he gets home. The temptation will be to say, "Alright, now a week off." The week will become a month, then a year, and then he'll be back where he started from. And pretty soon his kids will start saying to him, "Daddy, when are you going to walk across the country again," and he'll realize he's back where he started from.
But that doesn't have to be! And I must say, this is a heck of a way to kick off a turnaround.
Posted by Katarain (Member # 6659) on :
I read through the entire journal (am looking forward to the next installment), and I really don't agree that this is just a difficult quick fix. He's doing something that guarantees that he can't easily give up, and he's also doing it to instill a new mind set in himself. This is a man who got fat because of depression, not because of years of just sitting around. He was a fit marine, after all. I see this as an incredible kick start.
His wife has replied to naysayers who think he should have stayed home with his family on their website. They both believe that something this drastic is the only thing that will SAVE their family, by saving him. Who are we to step in and say their family decision was wrong for THEM? (Besides, when he was serving, he was away from his family for longer periods at times.)
I think he's an inspiration, and I don't think he'll be nearly as likely to gain back the weight as if he had gone on a diet or had surgery. (Generally, I think exercise programs are more effective for long term weight loss.)
He's getting used to an exercise routine, and his eating habits are changing out of necessity.
-Katarain
Posted by Hamson (Member # 7808) on :
I seriously doubt he will make it to NY by the sixth month. Considering hes already more than 3 months through, and barely halfway through Arizona. I'm gonna bet he'll be toward the end of his fourth year when he makes it to NY.
Posted by docmagik (Member # 1131) on :
Katarain,
You were able to read through his whole journal, but you couldn't read my whole post?
Doc
Posted by Katarain (Member # 6659) on :
Heh.. Doc, I read the whole thing...but the well wishing at the end wasn't enough to counter the pessimism at the beginning!
I just had to say something!!
Really, there are a lot of people who are really negative about the whole thing (I don't think you're one of them.) and I'm wondering what in the world is wrong with them.. You can see what I'm talking about by searching for Fat Man Walking in google and looking through some of the links.
-Katarain
Posted by 1lobo1 (Member # 7762) on :
doc - take back what you said about New Mexico...ha....(native New Mexican)
Posted by digging_holes (Member # 6237) on :
Sounds like fun. Just the other day I was suggesting to my dad that we either walk or bike across Canada. Not for weight loss, just for the heck of it. He thought it was a good idea. I'll let you guys know if we ever do it.
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
dogmagik -- I have to somewhat agree with Katarain that you kind of put in a 'kick in the gut' to this guy's efforts with your words.
I mean - -at least he is doing SOMETHING -- that is so much more than most people ever get around to doing once they get on a downward cycle this way.
Yes, you end your post upbeat, with one sentence. But all the rest of it says "I don't have faith in him; he's so gonna fail." So sad. I'm sorry you have so little hope in people.
If nothing else, hopefully he will continually re-read all the posts people have written him as encouragement. That would be such an emotional boost to stay on track.
And I'll be the media even keeps him accountable some on his return home -- just because he knows everyone will be watching to see if he can keep it up.
However, I worry about him crossing Arizona/New Mexico in these record-heat days.
Farmgirl
Posted by OlavMah (Member # 756) on :
I dunno, I think Nebraska or Kansas are more likely to drive someone insane by driving across them. Or west Texas. (I'm also a native New Mexican, and... uh... so are some of OSC's nieces and nephews, so THERE.)
Not sure why OSC should read this.... Did he strike and kill anyone while driving recently?
Posted by theCrowsWife (Member # 8302) on :
quote:Did he strike and kill anyone while driving recently?
*blink*
The first post didn't mention driving ("he struck and killed a married couple, senior citizens, late one night"). Here I was thinking that this guy had beat them up or something. I couldn't understand why everyone was being so supportive of a guy who beats senior citizens to death!
(OK, those who live in snowbird states might be perfectly happy with that, at least in the winter...kidding).
Posted by OlavMah (Member # 756) on :
Yeah, if he beats senior citizens to death, then gets depressed about it, he's got bigger problems than obesity. I certainly don't want someone like that walking across my state....
Posted by docmagik (Member # 1131) on :
Oh, his route wisely avoids Kansas. I didn't say he was insane already.
And Farmgirl, my post was basically cut-and-pasted from my own get-out-of-debt-and-lose-weight blog, The 365 Day Turnaround. It tracks my year long effort to get out of debt and lose around 60 pounds this year. Hence why I said, " . . . a heck of a way to kick off a turnaround."
It's a very optimistic blog. The message is that anybody can lose weight and anybody can get out of debt. I have tremendous amounts of hope in people. If there's an overarching theme to it, it's that intensity is often more valuable than technique, or even intelligence.
However it does, and I personally, pooh-pooh the idea of one time "stunts."
Living in the age of modern television, we've become accustomed to thinking our problems can be solved in an hour if they're serious, half an hour if we can see the bright side of them. We think in terms of single "solutions." One big, Herculean effort up front, and then we live happily ever after. And the bigger, flashier, and more Herculean the effort, the better.
Consequently, we end up with two groups of misguided people who never really achieve their goals.
The first are those that wait for their ship to come in. Once they hit the lotto, or get their first book published, or have that "magic moment," they'll start living and start finding joy. Then they’ll start enjoying their kids and smell roses.
The second group are people who attempt to make one big, flashy effort that will have them right back on track so they can start living their life again. In other words, they sort of brute force a ship's arrival.
Obviously, these folks are a step ahead of the first folks. But they still need to remember that "Happily ever after" usually isn't. After their ship arrives, they're still going to have the same habits, the same cravings, the same knowledge, the same emotional issues which worked in combination to get them into trouble.
So I am skeptical of it. Not kick-in-the-gut skeptical--like I said, seeing the website allayed a lot of my initial concerns about his endeavor--but still a little dubious.
People shouldn't think this is the kind of thing that has to be done in order to, say, lose weight.
The fact is, when this guy gets home, he's still going to have to do exactly what Joe Sixpack would have to do if he decided he wanted to start losing weight that day.
Figure out how to work healthy eating and healthy living into his daily life. How to buy healthy foods on his budget. How to fit time for exercise into his hectic schedule. Those things are easy when you're living in the vacation-esque world of no work for six months. Not so easy when life descends upon you again.
Like I said before--I think what this guy's doing looks great. I'd love the chance to go out and try something along the lines of what he's trying. My brother and I have talked about doing things like marathons or cycling from Northern to Southern California. They all sound like loads of fun. Fantastic vacations.
However, fantasy and reality eventually merge. The further separated from reality your fantastic cure is, the more difficult it becomes to streamline the two together.
Tom pointed out an obvious thing this walk might offer--it might teach the man determination. I'd add discipline. If he can carry those characteristics back into the day-to-day with him, this will have unarguably made him a better man.
However, if somebody's sitting at home reading his website thinking, "I wish I could take six months off to do something like that, so I could change my life," I just have to reply--you don't have to.
The real challenge this guy's eventually going to have to face, and the one you face right now, are exactly the same. Might as well skip the six months and just get right into the thick of it.
Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
I kind of agree with doc.
Posted by Wonder Dog (Member # 5691) on :
I really agree with doc. As an obese (slowly becoming less obese) person, I know from experience that the key to a healthy life-style is changing your normal habits and STICKING TO IT. Healthy diet and excersise(sp!) need to be a normal part of your life. No 3 week or 6 month or trans-continental health program will solve your health problem forever. If you want to be happier with your body, living your normal life, you need to change your normal life permanently.
However - I applaud his effort and desire for change. And I think it's wonderful that people from all over thw world are encouraging him. The proof of his dedication, however, will be when he returns to his normal environment. So - keep on encouraging him, but don't stop when he reaches NYC. He'll need encouragment far beyond that.
Another caveat(sp?): The link between depression and wieght gain. Many times through out my life I have been extreemly depressed, and have thought "only if I could loose more wieght, I'd be happier". Upon losing the wieght, though... the depression didn't disappear. While I yo-yo up and down on the scale, I have committed myself to rejecting depression, no matter what I mass.
Depression is not a motivator - yet our society sends a strong message (IMO) to the obese that many, if not all, of thier problems will be solved by wieght loss. So, it's okay to be depressed 'cos you're fat, but if you loose the wieght, you won't be depressed. Life will be all roses again. What a load of bull.
Each person has a responsibility to get the most they can out of thier lives, no matter what thier circumstances. If you want to change something in your life - who doesn't? - do it! But don't tell yourself that you can't be happy until you're 100 lbs lighter - you have worth NOW, at your present weight, in your present condition. People care for you and love you THE WAY YOU ARE.
I'm not saying your shouldn't make changes for the better in your life - you should be working on growing yourself (or shrinking, as the case may be ) every day. Please, though, get it through your skull that you have infinite worth and potential NOW, as you are. You are not a failure because you're fat.
(*Whew* Sorry if I ruffled any feathers - this has been mostly self-therapy. Thanks for letting me rant! )
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
quote:but don't stop when he reaches NYC
But NYC is on the East Coast. If he doesn't stop, he might drown.
Posted by Wonder Dog (Member # 5691) on :
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
Your blog is very fascinating, dogmagik -- I hope to be able to read all the way through it when I get a few downtime minutes at work.
quote: Oh, his route wisely avoids Kansas. I didn't say he was insane already.
(okay - and I will ignore that direct slam against my beloved state. Personally, I'd much rather walk Kansas than Eastern New Mexico/West Texas, from what I've seen there -- at least we have grass!)
All you say is right, of course. I just didn't want us to downplay whatever it was that made him suddenly one day say "enough is enough" and decide to DO something. I see people all the time who wallow in despair and just can't seem to take that first step out of the hole.
And I get frustrated with myself and my own weight. Seeing as how I was unhealthily skinny for 35 of my 44 years, being overweight is somewhat "new" to me, and I just can't seem to get myself into a routine to get out of it. I really miss the days of running cross country, and playing softball and fitting into size 10 clothes. It feels so unreachable when you're a size 16.
I get upset that I feel better when I'm faithfully taking certainly multi-vitamins and supplements, yet I can never afford to keep ordering them. Upset that I work in a job now that gives me no physical activity whatsoever after years of working on the farm that was ALL physical activity. I LIKE hard, physical work -- it makes me feel good about myself -- but now I only get a few minutes in the evenings after work to do that.
And I'm not depressed. I'm really a very happy person, and I love my life overall. God has been good to me. I am just upset at my own lack of self discipline to eat less now that I move around less.
So I'm gonna read your blog. See if I can pick up yet more tips (besides what I have already gleaned from Prevention magazine, and every other web site and publication out there. Lots of information, just no time to implement any of the recommendations)
And I'm still going to admire this guy for taking that first step.
Farmgirl
Posted by Bekenn (Member # 6602) on :
Ack... I suppose I should explain why I thought OSC might like to see this.
Basically, it's because this guy and his family seem like characters straight out of one of Card's works. No specific character, but the hallmarks are there: tragic events in his past (accidentally killing an elderly couple while driving at night) that continue to significantly impact his life today (reminds me of Stilson or Bonzo, though in this case there was no aggression, which makes it even worse for Steve), a major problem in his life for which he can blame only himself (obesity, which is a topic Card wrote about in Maps in a Mirror, combined with Card's own self-described fluctuating waistline), a deeply committed family that nonetheless has its own struggles, and finally the determination and will to try and fix the problem on a quest of truly epic proportions. Think a 3300 mile walk isn't epic? Try starting that one out at 400+ pounds, along with over 80 pounds of equipment on your back.
Seriously, when reading through that journal, the events described reminded me an awful lot of Card's style of writing, and given the particulars, it seemed like something he might be interested in. Nothing more than that.
Posted by Samarkand (Member # 8379) on :
Does he have an iPod? For God's sake, somebody buy that man an mp3 player! Oooh, and then he could put LOTR on it - all three books. That's like 80 hours! And people could send him podcasts. That would make walking much easier.
Posted by Rember (Member # 8273) on :
Docmagik's methods have my vote. It's troubling that Steve wrote that his trip may cause him to lose his house and possessions. Walking out on one's financial obligations can't be the wisest option. The ensuing guilt is just more baggage to weigh him down.
Posted by CT (Member # 8342) on :
quote:Originally posted by CT: I am getting ready to bike to work each day. This, too, will require some serious commitment and internalization of determination.
I also want more granola.
On the somewhat off-topic side, me & my Magna Fugitive self-locomoted into work today at an average speed of 7.5 mph. Go us!
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
So.. we will see if you are sore tomorrow. *grin*
Unless you've been working up to this. How far is it from home to work?
Posted by CT (Member # 8342) on :
It's, uh, 7.5 miles.
And this was the first time I've been on a bike in over 3 years, except for that one time I visited Olivia.
And, well, let's just say that there is a lightbulb moment when one realizes that flat tires = hard to locomote.
(I don't know if the gears work. It's a yard-sale bike, and I have no head for technology. I kind of pushed around on various levers until it seemed easier to pedal. They didn't click much, except on one side, but I think something happened. I do know how to brake, and I was wearing a helmet. Luckily, it's mostly a dedicated bike/pedestrian path the whole way. Thank goodness for Madison.)
Posted by CT (Member # 8342) on :
Dave thought I was insane. He made me promise to take my cell phone. But I made it!
*dances
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
quote:today at an average speed of 7.5 mph
Oh duh. I thought you really had put some type of speedometer on your bike. But basically you're just saying you made it to work in one hour.
Way to go! I'm assuming you will ride HOME after work, as well?
Farmgirl
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
Umm, not to rain on your parade, but 7.5 mph on a bicycle is absolutely crawling. Nothing wrong with a leisurely ride, but you could probably make it to work in 20 minutes once you get into bike shape.
Also, if the bike hasn't been used much, or used recently, it would definitely be worth it to bring it to a bike shop for a tune-up. This will typically include lubing the chain, checking the tires and brakes, adjusting the derailleur (the shifter), and generally oiling and tightening everything that needs oiling and tightening. It's nothing you can't do yourself, but it sounds like it's way over your head for now. This usually runs about 30 bucks (call around for prices).
Believe me, your yard sale bike will ride 9000 times better after a good tune-up.
Congrats, and welcome to the world of self locomotion.
Posted by CT (Member # 8342) on :
quote:Originally posted by El JT de Spang: Umm, not to rain on your parade, but 7.5 mph on a bicycle is absolutely crawling.
*adjusts EJTdS's sarcasmometer
There ya go. *grin
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
I took the first statement as a joke, but then when you answered that it actually was 7.5 miles to work, I thought you were serious.
Don't tell me your yard sale bike has a working speedometer/odometer.
Anyway, 7.5 mph isn't outside the realm of possibility, especially if you're not used to riding (which you're clearly not). But I'm happy you're not as out of shape as you pretend to be. Now I don't have to worry about you having a heart attack en route to work.
Posted by CT (Member # 8342) on :
Farmgirl: The "uh" was a kind of abashed confession that it was the only way I could have figured that out was if it happened to line up that way. Not a dis on you, but a joke on me. *smile And yeah, I'm riding back home, and I'm riding in tomorrow, too.
Which, given that I won't need to find a gas station to refill the tires, should take less than an hour.
*grin
Posted by CT (Member # 8342) on :
quote:I took the first statement as a joke, but then when you answered that it actually was 7.5 miles to work, I thought you were serious.
I was serious about the 7.5 mph figure (because it took me an hour to go 7.5 miles), but you have to figure in all the other stuff. Like finding a gas station with an air hose (I walked my bike there), etc.
It's cool. We're on the same page now.
quote: But I'm happy you're not as out of shape as you pretend to be. Now I don't have to worry about you having a heart attack en route to work.
I guess I shouldn't tell you about my two prior open heart surgeries? (Seriously. But it's okay, I know what I'm doing and who to get clearance from first, which I did. And I'm absolutely awesome at physical assessment. *grin)
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
Good.
Biking to and from work is a fantastic way to get into shape. It's low impact, anaerobic, and makes sure you're fully awake when you sit down at your desk.
Posted by CT (Member # 8342) on :
I've been completely buzzed all day. I think it's going to be great for my mental and physical health, as well as my productivity at work.
The bike path is awesome. Moms and dads rollerblading their babies' strollers, seniors walking dogs, lots of bikers, walkers, and such a beautiful place. Mostly partially tree-shaded, and it abuts many backyard garden areas and stretches of prairiegrass and flowers. Everyone smiles.
I can't wait to get back on my bike! *smile
I'm also working from a great webpage for self-tuning, as well as consulting with a local bikeshop.
Woo-hoo for bikers! *makes secret biking-person handsignals
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
) every day. Please, though, get it through your skull that you have infinite worth and potential NOW, as you are. You are not a failure because you're fat.![[ROFL]](graemlins/rofl.gif)
![[Dont Know]](graemlins/dontknow.gif)
They didn't click much, except on one side, but I think something happened. I do know how to brake, and I was wearing a helmet. Luckily, it's mostly a dedicated bike/pedestrian path the whole way. Thank goodness for Madison.)
![[Cool]](cool.gif)
We're on the same page now.