Toronto Mayor Ford says trips to gym have replaced heavy drinking

NEW YORK, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Toronto Mayor Rob Ford said in an interview Tuesday he is preparing to run for re-election, and his days of excess have been replaced by visits to the gym.

"Have I had a drink? Yes," Ford told NBC's "Today" show in New York, but denied drinking excessively.

"That's past me, and we're moving on," he said, adding he has been "going to the gym every day," and "I don't use illegal drugs [anymore]. I experimented with them probably a year ago".

Ford said he is focused on mayoral debates prior to an Oct. 27 election in Toronto, and added the biggest change in his life recently has been the weight loss since faithfully working out at a gym.

"I'm going forward in a positive direction. I'm down [in weight]. Come back in a few months," he said.