Believe it or not, I have always been a very athletic person.
Those who know me today may scratch their respective heads at that one, but it is true. I was the prototypical jock all through school –– goalie in hockey, forward in basketball, QB in football, pitcher in baseball. I went to journalism school because I wanted to be around sports and sportswriter seemed like a pretty good gig. In fact, I recall getting my weekly $400 at my first newspaper job and thinking I won the lottery each time.
I could not believe I was getting paid to write sports.
With more responsibility comes more time, more pressure and longer hours making it hard to make time to exercise and eat right. That is not a complaint. If I didn't love the newspaper industry, I would have been gone from it long ago. Sometimes we learn lessons the hard way.
At a couple of points in my life, I have had very good success with heading to the gym, working out and seeing the weight melt away. For one reason or another, I get away from it, and the weight comes back in a hurry.
I have always been a big boy, youth, man. I have been very lucky to avoid any issue with high blood pressure, blood sugar problems, and high cholesterol. My goal in working with the folks at White Oaks is get everything working efficiently, get in great shape and steer clear of the health landmines which are becoming epidemic in proportion across the country.
That is why we are looking at this as a journey, a long haul.
There is lots of work ahead. Like everyone, I want to be able to do whatever I want with my kids, whether that be play basketball all afternoon or swim for hours. I also plan to use cycling as a key component to getting me to where I want to be. In 2012, I plan to put that hard work to good use and participate in The Big Move, a fundraiser for the Walker Family Cancer Centre. I want to do the 100km bike portion and I will be looking for sponsors, so everyone should have their wallets ready when I come calling over the next year. That will be my reward, along with being healthy, for busting my butt for the next year.

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