Gallagher has lost more than 30 pounds since last season by changing his eating habits and subscribing to Sunfare, a company which provides personalized, healthy, fresh meals. The company, which delivers meals in Los Angeles and Phoenix, also lists Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood and catcher Geovany Soto as happy clients.

Now that Gallagher has lost the weight, what's the difference?

"My energy level is through the roof," Gallagher said Tuesday. "I wake up in the morning, and feel better."

That should help as the young right-hander tries to keep a spot in the Cubs' rotation. He'll make his third big league start in the series finale against the Astros.

"It might not seem like anything, but my confidence level is up, too," Gallagher said. "I feel like I look so much better. When I left Chicago for the last time last year, and I stepped on the scale, I was embarrassed. Mentally, I said, 'I'm fine, it's not that bad.' But when I saw that, I said, 'It isn't me. This isn't what I want to be.'

"That's when I talked to Woody, and everybody else. I said, 'I have to make a drastic change.' I set my goal, and did it."

What's tough now is keeping the weight off. Gallagher is exploring other food services in the Chicago area. The last time he stepped on the scale, he weighed 208. His goal is to stay around 210-215, quite a drop from 250.

"I talked to Soto about eating right up here, and sometimes you want to go for the sweet stuff, but you have to have the willpower to just say no," Gallagher said.

Anyone who has tried to keep weight off can relate to that. They probably don't have as much free food available as Gallagher does. The dining room in clubhouses is overloaded with temptations.

"You walk in here and they all have the little snacks, the candy, the Yoo-hoo, the Twinkies, and it's like, 'I wish,'" Gallagher said. "Every now and then, I'm sure you could spoil yourself and do some extra cardio the next day. That's the hardest part -- keeping it off. But if I start eating bad again, and start picking up bad habits, I know I'll gain it back real quick."

He did skip the grilled chicken breast, and ate an ice cream bar to celebrate his first win in his second career start against Pittsburgh.

"If I do that every once in a while, I'll be fine," he said. "If I start picking it up, I'll be back to bad habits."

Pitching matchup
CHC: RHP Sean Gallagher (1-0, 4.40 ERA)
Gallagher, the fifth-youngest pitcher to start for the Cubs in the last 10 years, gave up one run on four hits and three walks over six innings in his win against the Pirates. He benefited by the Cubs opening a 6-0 lead after two innings. Gallagher threw first-pitch strikes to 17 of the 24 batters he faced.

HOU: RHP Shawn Chacon (0-0, 4.14 ERA)
Chacon set the Major League record for most consecutive starts without a decision to open the season with his ninth in his last outing. He needed help from the offense to get it. In his worst start of the year, Chacon was raked for eight runs -- five earned -- on six hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings against the Rangers. The right-hander said he didn't have good command of any of his pitches, and that lack of control cost him dearly as he allowed a pair of homers to Josh Hamilton.

Tidbits
Carlos Zambrano is on track to start Friday in the series opener against the Pirates. Zambrano was bothered by a stiff neck in his last start, something he woke up with that morning. ... MLB disciplinarian Bob Watson, who is involved in selecting players for the U.S. Olympic team, talked to Cubs manager Lou Piniella on Tuesday about adding outfielder Tyler Colvin to the team. "He mentioned that [Colvin] used a 36-ounce bat, and that's what Watson used to use," Piniella said, "so I guess if you use a heavy bat, Watson is going to like you." ... Jim Edmonds made his second straight start Tuesday. "We have to give him some at-bats," Piniella said. "He'll be a big help to us when and if he starts swinging the bat." ... Derrek Lee may get Wednesday off. "It wouldn't do him any harm, believe me," Piniella said. ... Soto's inside-the-park home run on Monday was the sixth by a rookie catcher since 1990 and first since Toronto's Ken Huckaby did so in 2002. ... Kevin Hart struck out six and gave up three runs -- two earned -- on five hits over five innings in Triple-A Iowa's 5-4 win over Omaha. Matt Murton homered and was batting .368. ... Ron Santo will take part in grand opening ceremonies at Little Cubs Field on June 14. Santo, who is not going to Toronto or St. Petersburg, Fla., for the Cubs' Interleague games, will be in Freeport, Ill., from noon until 2 p.m. CT. Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins will make an appearance at the field, a replica of Wrigley Field, on July 19.

Tickets
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On the Internet
 MLB.TV
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On radio
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Up next
• Thursday: Off-day
• Friday: Cubs (Carlos Zambrano, 6-1, 2.45) at Pirates (Zach Duke, 2-2, 4.23), 6:05 p.m. CT
• Saturday: Cubs (Jason Marquis, 2-3, 4.96) at Pirates (Phil Dumatrait, 1-2, 4.39), 6:05 p.m. CT