"You don't realize the difference in fitness levels between college and the real world. In college, you go play whenever. When you graduate, your priority is work."
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When Mike Salvi was in college, he was an endurance machine. He played basketball 10 hours week, played football with his friends every week and went all-out, all the time. His nickname was 1,000% Salvi. Standing 6-foot-2, he weighed a slender 170 pounds.
Then, upon graduating in the summer of 1999, Mike went looking for a challenge and decided to run the Boston Marathon. For the next 9 months, he went through a rigorous training regiment, running 1,000 miles during that time. When April rolled around, he was fit for the 26.2 miles and completed the race.
After the marathon though, Mike went from heavy physical activity to very little. He was burned out of running; in fact he hated it. He did not exercise regularly. The only activity he stuck with was basketball, but that was down to once a week. Between working more than 60 hours a week and constantly traveling, Mike was quickly becoming out of shape.
“You don’t realize the difference in fitness levels between college and the real world. In college, you go play whenever. When you graduate, your priority is work. Then to socialize, you go out,” said Mike. From April 2000, when he ran the marathon, to the end of 2001, he gained 50 pounds, pushing his weight up to 220.
His diet was the perfect epitome of the American diet. Since work paid for everything, he would order out all the time and eat as much food possible during one sitting. Here’s an example of lunch from Wendy’s: 2 spicy chickens, a biggie fry, chili and a large coke. In addition, whenever he traveled, he would go out to dinner with clients, who would always pay too. So he would order the works: appetizers, entrées, desserts and drinks.
With his heavy workload, Mike’s sleep suffered. He averaged 5 hours a night, yet there were times he would only sleep 2 or 3 hours. He would get to work at 6 a.m. and sometimes go nonstop until 2 a.m. He was a far cry physically from the guy he was just two years ago, training for the marathon.
Then at the start of 2002, Mike came to work at SparkPeople. He knew about the coaching services they offered and wanted to not only get back into shape but he also wanted to ‘live the brand.’ So in February, he started working out with Coach Joe Downie two times a week. He set two goals right away; he wanted to dunk a basketball and turn his stomach into a ‘6-pack.’
With his new job, Mike did see a big improvement in the sleep department, as he started getting 7 to 8 hours a night. “That’s the best part about SparkPeople, the sleep,” said Mike. However, he did not see improvements in many other areas of health and fitness during the first 9 months with Joe.
His weight stayed right at 220 during the entire stretch. He experienced excruciating pain in his knees, around August he received a cortisone shot in each. Looking back, he offered two reasons why he did not achieve results right away. First, he was not giving usual 100 percent he was known for. Second, his nutrition was still not good. He would eat out all the time and never cooked. Basically, he remained in the same condition for the rest of 2002.
Then around the beginning of the 2003, he experienced something that was very stressful. Now Mike is usually never stressed, so needless to say it was not a pleasant time for him. Working out became a release; a two-hour sanctuary from what troubled him. He used this as motivation and decided it was time to get serious.
He started an everyday fitness streak. He stopped eating junk and fast food. He also started using GoalPilot to track what he ate. His goals were drastic but obtainable: eat less than 2,000 calories a day and get his weight under 200. As he put it, he wanted a test, just like when he decided to run the marathon.
Within two weeks, he started to see results. However, it was tough. He really tried to obtain these goals. If he went out to a ballgame with some friends, he would write ‘NO’ on his hand to remind himself not to get a beer and a hot dog. But the reminder system worked. He also made sure to eat three healthy meals a day. Yet, he also rewarded himself for his hard work; every Sunday evening was his ‘pig-out’ meal.
Mike also had reinforcements. He talked to Coach Joe about everything involving his diet and his exercising. He also had two goal-buddies, co-workers Chris Stormann and Sean McCosh. The three of them started working out together and reminding each other about using GoalPilot.
Mike lost 30 pounds, his weight is now hovering around 190. His fitness streak is at 133 days. He makes sure to workout for at least 15 minutes a day, some days he works more than others. He says it’s important to listen to your body. If your body is out of it, don’t push it. But if your body can handle more, go for it. Now, he is returning to some old goals and adding new ones.
Once again, he is starting to concentrate on dunking a basketball. He has improved his vertical by 4 inches since he started working out with Coach Joe and can now grab the rim with two hands easily. He wants to get his weight around 185, but is not as worried about that. Keeping his fitness streak going the rest of the year and keeping a healthy lifestyle is taking precedence over a number.
Despite all he’s accomplished during the past four months, Mike is far from satisfied. He does not even consider himself a ‘success story’ yet, not until he accomplishes more. Mike is a great example of sticking with something for the long haul and pushing yourself to achieve your goals.
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Printed with permission from the American Institute for Cancer Research
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