How does a World-Series champion manager spend his off-season?
Charlie Manuel spent this off-season decompressing from baseball and recharging his batteries. The Phillies manager needed to relax and take some time away from the game after leading the Phillies to back-to-back World Series, he said.
So, he headed down to Florida with his fiancée Melissa to get some R&R.
“I’ve been kind of laying low,” Manuel said. “Trying to take it easy.”
But, that doesn’t mean that the 66-year-old is just sitting on his tuchus.
He is working to get into shape for the season so that he can take part in batting practice and on the field like he never could before.
Manuel, now a spokesman for Horsham, Pa.-based Nutrisystem, credits his diet for this brand new vigor in the gym.
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“(The diet) made me feel much better.”
In less than a year he has dropped about 55 pounds with Nutrisystem and exercise.
He always worked out but he can now extend his workouts longer because he has much more energy. The Phils skipper hits the gym almost every day of the week to build up his strength. He does about 45 minutes on the treadmill twice a week and mixes in arm, chest, leg and back workouts on alternate days.
By shedding the pounds Charlie took a lot of strain off his knees -- something that was incredibly important for the 6-foot-4 former ballplayer.
All that time spent in the gym allowed him to build more strength and it showed on the golf course.
“I’m hitting the (golf) ball much better, farther,” he said. He plans on doing the same thing to baseballs once the Phightins season gets under way.
Charlie’s energetic persona made an impression on his lady as well. “She’s noticed that I have more energy,” he said.
Forget about the energy -- does Melissa like how Charlie looks without all that extra weight?
“I think she does,” said Manuel coyly.
Manuel wasn’t so modest about answering other questions like whether his Phillies will return to the World Series, what he thinks about Roy Halladay and what it’s like to be a weight-loss celebrity. Check back throughout the week to find out his thoughts.
