As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/
We're funding a new Acquisitions Incorporated series on Kickstarter right now! Check it out at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pennyarcade/acquisitions-incorporated-the-series-2

The Health of a Gamer

1235

Posts

  • ilmmadilmmad Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    I have a ridiculously high metabolism and this combined with the fact that the only things to snack on in my house are vegetables and that my favorite athletic activities are running, bicycling and frisbee means that I find it very hard to actually gain weight aside from building muscle when I lift. I actually weigh the most during school because I have a routine, but right now I'm hovering around 130 at 5'8" and will drop 5 pounds if I forget to eat enough in a day.

    ilmmad on
    Ilmmad.gif
  • MorninglordMorninglord I'm tired of being Batman, so today I'll be Owl.Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    ilmmad wrote: »
    I have a ridiculously high metabolism and this combined with the fact that the only things to snack on in my house are vegetables and that my favorite athletic activities are running, bicycling and frisbee means that I find it very hard to actually gain weight aside from building muscle when I lift. I actually weigh the most during school because I have a routine, but right now I'm hovering around 130 at 5'8" and will drop 5 pounds if I forget to eat enough in a day.

    Wel you have nothing to worry about until your late twenties when your metabolism starts going PPPFFFffffttttt......*gasp-gasp*

    Morninglord on
    (PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
  • Brodo FagginsBrodo Faggins Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    I've been a fat gamer since I was about 8 years old. I pretty much fit the sterotype. I am 30 now, and married, and when im not on my computer at work, I'm on a computer or a console at home.

    That being said, I still take care of my home with my own manual labor, so I'm not a complete waste of space.

    I hate exercise, fucking outright hate it. Goddamn boring, repeitious shit with no payoff. Fuck running for 12 miles and ending up at the same place I started. I liken exercise to jerking off without the orgasm.

    One thing that does get me moving is fixing, building, or creating something. Absolutley love it. I recently got into gardening, at first because I was sick of paying such high costs for produce, but I ended up really liking it. I built these 4x4 foot boxes in my backyard, filled em with soil and compost mixtures, and am now gorwing my own veggies and having a blast doing it. Fucking Rabbits are going to be the death of me though, sons of bitches wont stay the hell out of my beans

    The Fitness thread in H/A would jump all over you. You're like most Americans when it comes to fitness, they want results ASAP, and they want it done with minimal effort. Obviously you're not going to see results ON THE FIRST FUCKING DAY, your body doesn't work that way.

    See your body as a DIY home project, that you have to work on day by day. Take pics everyday and compare yourself in a month. If you're doing it right, the results you see should be enough to motivate you.

    Brodo Faggins on
    9PZnq.png
  • ilmmadilmmad Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    ilmmad wrote: »
    I have a ridiculously high metabolism and this combined with the fact that the only things to snack on in my house are vegetables and that my favorite athletic activities are running, bicycling and frisbee means that I find it very hard to actually gain weight aside from building muscle when I lift. I actually weigh the most during school because I have a routine, but right now I'm hovering around 130 at 5'8" and will drop 5 pounds if I forget to eat enough in a day.

    Wel you have nothing to worry about until your late twenties when your metabolism starts going PPPFFFffffttttt......*gasp-gasp*

    O god I know, and I'm very worried.

    ilmmad on
    Ilmmad.gif
  • fallaxdracofallaxdraco Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Started biking 4 days a week a couple weeks ago... the nature trail thing going through west Houston is actually really really nice!

    I tried it on a major road though, but went a little bit too far, and it was night by the time I was getting home... almost got run over like 4 times.

    Think I'll stick to the trail in the future. Problem is there is construction blocking either end of it, so if I want to go further than roughly 3 miles I have to detour a good distance on major roads! Guess the people in charge of building the park have good intentions but never actually go outside, or something.

    fallaxdraco on
  • unknownsome1unknownsome1 Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    I've doing some running during the summer as well as push-ups and crunches. I've spent a good amount of time playing video games but sometimes I don't play very much since I worked night shifts over the summer (haven't gotten many hours though) and I've been doing other things. I've been exercising in part because I'm in Army ROTC at college and I want to be faster and stronger for it but the main reason is for health.

    For about 3 weeks though, I wasn't able to do much exercising cause I caught a cold, but I still cough due to allergy reasons most likely.

    As for what foods I eat, I'm not on any diets but I control my eating habits (I refrain from eating too much junk food like chocolate). I am big soda drinker though but I also drink Hawaiian Punch and lemonade quite a bit. Much of the time, I don't eat breakfast which is nothing new since at college, I never ate breakfast since I'm not very hungry when I wake up and I rather get an extra hour of sleep.

    During college, I'll be getting plenty of exercise cause of ROTC. I'm not yet a contracted cadet but last semester (the only semester that I've been in ROTC for), I attended all physical training sessions (including a Ranger Challenge session) and I did well on the physical training test. I'll definitely be attending all the sessions again this upcoming semester.

    unknownsome1 on
  • Captain KCaptain K Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    If your problem with exercise is boredom, you can really easily pass the time doing cardio on an exercise bike. Get your favorite podcast going on some headphones, or even park yourself in front of a TV and watch something entertaining, and you'd be surprised how quickly an hour melts away.


    I need to get an exercise bike. ><

    Captain K on
  • November FifthNovember Fifth Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Exercise isn't about living forever, it's about making the best use of the years that you have left.

    You don't need to run 5 miles a day or spend x amount of hours in the gym to receive benefits.

    Start out walking for 30 minutes a night after dinner.
    Throw in a few push-ups or sit-ups.
    Start fixing your own meals most nights. It doesn't need to be health food. Almost anything you fix for yourself will be better for you than whatever cardboard box you are moving from freezer to mircowave to stomach.

    You may not lose a pound, but you will feel better.

    November Fifth on
  • KyouguKyougu Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    I was the stereotypical fat gamer till about a year or so ago, when I finally decided to do something about it. Ending up losing 70 something pounds through exercising 5 times a week and changing my eating habits for the better. All it takes is an hour or so of my day to workout now, and you quickly get used to eating right.

    It's probably the best thing I have ever done in my life.

    Kyougu on
  • KarrmerKarrmer Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    meh, I eat poorly and don't exercise and I'm unrepentant because we all gotta die sometime. I think the real problem is people too terrified of their own mortality that they fritter their lives away on the treadmill instead of having fun. Honestly though, I do admit exercise can make you physically feel good, but I don't think anyone should feel guilty about being fat or not exercising or being too hedonistic just because The Man tells us that these things are ugly and bad.

    Wow. Seriously? That is one of the dumbest things I have ever read.

    "The man" doesn't tell you that being a fatty is ugly, human evolution does.

    And instead of wasting away your life on a treadmill, you could just try eating decent food - then you get to spend all that time playing video games that you like AND you won't be fat AND you'll live a good 40 years or more longer!

    Simple concept, I'd think.

    Karrmer on
  • CervetusCervetus Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    40 years? Being obese might drastically increase the chance of a fatal heart attack at 36, but it's still not very likely. What being a healthy weight will definitely do though is improve quality of life.

    Cervetus on
  • zanetheinsanezanetheinsane Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Wear gloves or wrap your fists up though.

    Hitting the bag is a great aerobic exorcise. It's satisifying (for me at least), but make sure to move around and get into it and don't just sit there like a lump throwing arm punches. That being said, please please anyone considering it take this man's advise.

    Anyone who thinks they are being macho or awesome or lazy by not putting on wraps and gloves is a huge fucking idiot. Other than your feet, your hands contain the most bones in the body. They are very small bones and very complex. A overly large percentage of boxing injuries are hand and wrist injuries, which may seem like common sense, but keep in mind these are properly wrapped hands in 14-16oz gloves and trained professionals. If you seriously injure your hand or wrist you may be looking at an expensive medical bill. That being said, taking the right precautions it's very unlikely you would ever suffer anything more serious that a strain. You don't have to murder the bags to get a good workout. Here's a good quote:
    ...the reason for most hand injuries in boxing training is due to improper punching technique. The fist should be kept straight (ie. it should not bend at the wrist) and make sure the thumb is below the knuckles and not at the side or over the top. This is especially important when hitting bags and pads, to prevent finger injuries, ensure that the wrist doesn't bend at the point of impact. Also, make sure that it is a punch and not a push.

    zanetheinsane on
  • KarrmerKarrmer Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Cervetus wrote: »
    40 years? Being obese might drastically increase the chance of a fatal heart attack at 36, but it's still not very likely. What being a healthy weight will definitely do though is improve quality of life.

    Living to 100 is not uncommon now. By the time that year even comes close to approaching for the majority of us 110 or 120 will probably be rather normal.

    If you're a huge fatty at the age of 18 that won't go outside and prefers to only eat pizza and plans to stick with this type of life until the day he dies, I doubt you'll see 65.

    Karrmer on
  • Shoegaze99Shoegaze99 Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Captain K wrote: »
    If your problem with exercise is boredom, you can really easily pass the time doing cardio on an exercise bike. Get your favorite podcast going on some headphones, or even park yourself in front of a TV and watch something entertaining, and you'd be surprised how quickly an hour melts away.
    Yep. I used to read while on the bike, but that's a bit awkward, so I started listening to podcasts or dragging the bike to the TV and watching Lost or something while I ride. Time slips by without you noticing. Next thing you know, you've done a few more miles than usual.

    Shoegaze99 on
  • major_tommajor_tom Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Wear gloves or wrap your fists up though.

    Hitting the bag is a great aerobic exorcise. It's satisifying (for me at least), but make sure to move around and get into it and don't just sit there like a lump throwing arm punches. That being said, please please anyone considering it take this man's advise.

    Anyone who thinks they are being macho or awesome or lazy by not putting on wraps and gloves is a huge fucking idiot. Other than your feet, your hands contain the most bones in the body. They are very small bones and very complex. A overly large percentage of boxing injuries are hand and wrist injuries, which may seem like common sense, but keep in mind these are properly wrapped hands in 14-16oz gloves and trained professionals. If you seriously injure your hand or wrist you may be looking at an expensive medical bill. That being said, taking the right precautions it's very unlikely you would ever suffer anything more serious that a strain. You don't have to murder the bags to get a good workout. Here's a good quote:
    ...the reason for most hand injuries in boxing training is due to improper punching technique. The fist should be kept straight (ie. it should not bend at the wrist) and make sure the thumb is below the knuckles and not at the side or over the top. This is especially important when hitting bags and pads, to prevent finger injuries, ensure that the wrist doesn't bend at the point of impact. Also, make sure that it is a punch and not a push.

    Man, I can't believe there are people that think that wrapping up your hands and knuckles in bandages is anything other than totally awesome. I always do it as slowly and deliberately as I can so I feel like some kind of kung-fu badass.

    What, it's a guilty pleasure.

    That said, it also needs to be stressed that decent gloves are a must if you plan on weightlifting seriously. Unless you plan on never ever touching another human being for the rest of your life (your hands will be covered in callouses).

    major_tom on
    This is what i get for caring about gamercards...
  • NamrokNamrok Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Well, time to toss my own story on the pile.

    I was never a FAT kid. But for the longest time I had skinny little arms, a gut, slight manboobs, a somewhat fat ass. I looked a little bit like a potato. Senior year of highschool was a constant cycle of LAN parties every weekend, where we would stuff our face with junkfood, soda, and not sleep. Somehow I think I actually lost weight during this time, but I was sick constantly and I felt like absolute shit. At any rate, I was around 180 lbs here.

    Freshman year at college I started doing some pushups, crunches, and naturally you have to walk all over campus. I was also too lazy to go get food, and I ended up dropping down to 165. This is the least I've ever weighed. And since I'm 6' tall with a somewhat broad frame, I looked downright skeletal.

    Senior year, I began running a few miles a day. Nothing major. Just a mile, mile and a half, maybe 2. Felt like I had broken glass in my knees for a while until I started to consciously improve my form.

    Got out of college flat broke so I moved in with my parents while I saved up some money and paid off loans. That didn't take very long, and I spent a lot of time in the basement lifting weights and I even installed a speedbag to work with.

    I moved into a condo that had a proper gym where I could actually work all the major muscle groups. This is when I started doing more than working just my chest and arms. After a while though the gym got boring, so I took up martial arts. For a while I stopped going to the gym entirely because Tae Kwon Do was wearing me out so badly, but eventually my body adapted to that and I began hitting the gym again.

    Eventually I moved again, and this place had an even better gym. Around here is when I started watching what I eat. Cutting out a lot of sugars, drinking mostly water, eating a lot of protein and energy bars. I began biking too. Up to 30 miles on a pretty good trail every other weekend or so.

    These days I weigh about 185, and I'm closing in on benching my own weight. My upper body is great. I've been doing tae kwon do for about a year and half/two years now and my core and lower body is solid. Been biking for about 6 months now, and my stamina is through the roof. The habits have slowly formed over the course of about 6 years, but here I am.

    Baby steps I guess.

    Namrok on
  • NamrokNamrok Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    major_tom wrote: »
    That said, it also needs to be stressed that decent gloves are a must if you plan on weightlifting seriously. Unless you plan on never ever touching another human being for the rest of your life (your hands will be covered in callouses).

    This man speaks the truth. My hands are very nearly one huge callus. On the bright side, once someone accidently dragged a lit cigarette across my hand as they were falling down, and it didn't leave a mark. They ended up burning themselves pretty badly however.

    Namrok on
  • WordsworthWordsworth Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    I feel like tossing my story in here. I was a sedentary kid almost all through highschool, I got up to about 200 lbs (which at 5'10" was not very acceptable, and I'm like the poster above me who puts weight on in a fashion that turns his body into a weird potato-shape).

    Thankfully, I got into wrestling. Not, you know, legit wrestling. The kind of stuff on TV. I know, lots of people have their own opinion of it or whatever, but I fell headfirst into it. I learned all the moves, me and my friends would actually script entire matches and perform them on gym mats and whatnot. I was in great shape before I knew it, and all because I was doing great cardio. But to me, it was fun, I was just playing with my friends.

    Something that amazed me was that once you start getting into shape, even if it's by accident, you want to stay there. I became almost obsessed with working out, keeping my body in the best shape possible. My confidence went through the roof, I had so much energy, it turned my entire life around to finally be in shape.

    So, after we graduated, me and this friend decided to actually enroll in a wrestling training school here in Texas. We trained under Paul London's original trainer for a while (if you know anything about wrestling that might impress you). The training was really grueling, lots of weight lifting, lunges, running. I got in even better shape than I had been before.

    Unfortunately, I got hurt because wrestling is no fucking joke. That's not a trampoline those guys are falling on - if you fall incorrectly, you're gonna get hurt. I jacked up my neck and had to drop out.

    So, I went back to gaming, smoking, my old vices. Because I was too banged up to work out with any intensity, I fell out of shape gradually. I didn't gain any weight, strangely, I just lost my "tone". It took about a year for my neck to be 100% again, and I considered going back to training, but I didn't. It taught me an interesting lesson and I guess that's the whole point of my writing here:

    Work out, but don't push yourself. Know your limits - the healthiest people in the world, the ones who live the longest, are people who spent their lives doing low-impact exercise at regular intervals. Walking regularly each day and a sensible diet is essential.

    Also, if you smoke cigarettes, expect it to cut your energy levels at least in half. Even now that I'm back in good shape again, I have a hard time running long distances or exerting myself because of the weakness of my lungs. It's the final vice I'm working on, and it really is crippling to physical activity.

    Remember, working out can be fun! Find something you enjoy doing that requires activity, it doesn't have to be that by-the-book gym-lifting stuff. Hell, you can get in great shape by playing Paintball regularly.

    Wordsworth on
    Xbox LIVE: Wordsworth IV
  • Typhus733Typhus733 Yip! Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    On the working out is boring bit: It can be really fun if you do it in a gym with some friends, I worked out in our school gym with a bunch of friends during my senior year and even the toughest shit wasn't too much since at the same time we were all joking around just having some fun.

    Typhus733 on
  • PacifistPacifist Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Regular visits to the gym and a healthy view of food makes all the difference in the world. I'm by no means thin, but I do follow a regular workout routine that does leaps and bounds for my general mood and outlook on life.

    Keep that shit in check. Start slow if you have to but get into something healthy. You can't sit around on a couch all day.

    For the workout is boring crowd, get the fuck over it. You'll eventually find that you don't want to miss a session.

    For reference, I used to weight 320lb at 6'1", now I'm down to 228lb.

    Pacifist on
    XBL: Pacifist NJ
  • zanetheinsanezanetheinsane Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    I never really worried about it as much when I was younger, but as I get older one of the things I stress over most hasn't been mentioned here at all. Everyone mentions getting fat, being out of breath, and hearth conditions, but I haven't seen anyone talk about a very real and serious ailment caused by sitting at the computer for hours on end, and that's blood clots in your legs.

    It's probably one of the things I'm worried about the most, because this isn't something you can rationalize by saying "oh I don't care if I'm fat". It doesn't matter if you're naturally skinny, after a while you're going to start to feel the effects. At first it might start as a little joint pain, maybe a little cracking or pain when you bend your legs, but then you'll eventually feel a slight warming sensation in your leg(s) and that's when you know it's seriously time to change your lifestyle.

    This is one of those things that will seriously kick your ass. I recommend anyone who tries to pass off their bullshit sedentary lifestyle, please look up "deep vein thrombosis" and tell me if that sounds pleasant to you. If that doesn't scare the hell out of you and get you off your ass, then you deserve everything that's coming to you.

    zanetheinsane on
  • Lave IILave II Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    My Dad had an accident that cause DVT. It's not fucking pretty let me tell you.

    Unless your into taking rat poison for 6 months. Or dropping dead.

    Lave II on
  • Dareth RamDareth Ram regular
    edited August 2008
    I used to weigh 360 lbs! I was 160 lbs overweight! So unbelievably fat.

    Now I'm.... 20 lbs overweight? Still trying to lose that last bit. Should be done by mid-September.


    I'm a lot happier then I used to be.

    Dareth Ram on
  • Lave IILave II Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Dareth Ram wrote: »
    I used to way 360 lbs! I was 160 lbs overweight! So unbelievably fat.

    Now I'm.... 20 lbs overweight? Still trying to lose that last bit. Should be done by mid-September.

    Fucking good work man. Kudos!

    Lave II on
  • major_tommajor_tom Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Lave II wrote: »
    My Dad had an accident that cause DVT. It's not fucking pretty let me tell you.

    Unless your into taking rat poison for 6 months. Or dropping dead.

    Ah, warfarin. Thins up the blood right proper, it do.

    major_tom on
    This is what i get for caring about gamercards...
  • Radikal_DreamerRadikal_Dreamer Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    I was never a fat gamer, mostly because my metabolism is freakishly high. As a kid I ate pretty horribly, but I played a ton of basketball, and so I probably burned a lot off there. Now I go through fazes of eating better and not. I always eat a decent cereal for breakfast (total raisin bran... I know, it's pretty high in sugar, but the rest is pretty good, and I don't put sugar in my coffee at all, so it evens out).

    Now in my own apartment I don't think I eat enough really. I try not to buy chips and cookies and stuff just because at 4-5 bucks per bag/box, I can eat the stuff in one or two sittings, and it's just not worth it to me anymore. So, eating less coupled with the fact that my job involves probably walking a few miles a day (I work in a deli, and if you actually do what you're supposed to, you end up getting a pretty good workout throughout the day), I've been losing a ton of weight. I'm 6'3" and I was down to 155/160-ish last I looked.

    I really wish gyms were cheaper, as I'd love to get a membership. Either that or I'd love to get a treadmill and walk/run whenever I'm walking/running in a game. That'd be pretty awesome. You'd get so fit playing oblivion with no fast-traveling. Again, though, treadmills are kind of expensive, so I'm giong to wait until I find a really cheap one at a rummage sale.

    I do a lot of in apartment exercises when I'm at the computer or between games. I'll do pushups, crunches, and sometimes some running back and forth. It works somewhat. If I could find a decent court around here I'd go play basketball again just like my childhood.

    Radikal_Dreamer on
    theincidentsig.jpg
  • FalstaffFalstaff Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Grah. This thread reminded me I have to cut the grass, walk the dog, work out, then bike to work. Starting now.

    Fuck all of you.

    Edit: I don't want to misrepresent myself though; when I'm not at school, excluding the above mentioned routine, my job and my life are fairly inactive. I do try to work out for 45 minutes or so daily though, and I don't think I'm particularly overweight at somewhere between six-one and six-two and 181 pounds. If I dropped two days of weights for two hours of cardio, I'd probably be in much better shape.

    Falstaff on
    Still verbing the adjective noun.
  • PacifistPacifist Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Dareth Ram wrote: »
    I used to weigh 360 lbs! I was 160 lbs overweight! So unbelievably fat.

    Now I'm.... 20 lbs overweight? Still trying to lose that last bit. Should be done by mid-September.


    I'm a lot happier then I used to be.

    Yeah man, those last 20-30 pounds are turning out to be a real bitch. When you weigh so much it's easy to get comfortable with something that's still unhealthy, just not as unhealthy as before.

    Pacifist on
    XBL: Pacifist NJ
  • mrsnackroadmrsnackroad Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    I think the "life situations" aspect isn't being touched on.

    It seems like when gamers get to college and have to fend for themselves a majority of them panic and throw tons of money at Ramen Noodles. (I did)

    I'm not that same college kid, I worked overnight stock for a while... a punishing job for the unhealthy, definitely. Then, I got promoted to a department manager, and to keep that healthful habit up, I ride a stationary bike for 45 minutes to an hour a couple days a week. Ultimately, that doesn't add up to much, but its exercise piled on top of the miles a day I walk while at work.

    I could probably benefit from a more sructured exercise plan, but really, who couldn't?

    mrsnackroad on
  • FalstaffFalstaff Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    I had a very different experience when I first started University.

    No car, no mom brining me snacks, large campus to walk 4-8 times a day, lots of good looking people to envy (and covet, heh). My room mate actually helped a lot too: he had recently lost 100 pounds or so, and was remarkably health conscious and dedicated. By second year, he had me working out three to four times a week, while he did his best to make me feel like a fat slob by running every morning on top of it all.

    Incidentally, for you folks struggling with the end of a really big loss, he's in amazing shape now. It is possible!

    (wrote this between sets)

    Falstaff on
    Still verbing the adjective noun.
  • ButterBeanButterBean Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    I ran my first 5k race about two years ago. Up until I resolved to run that race I had never run a mile straight, I was always the fat lazy kid who walked the mile in gym class. I went from running a half mile to three miles in one run in less than three weeks, and from that point on I felt like I could do anything. I lost thirty pounds in about six months, but even better than that I feel more fit. I'm running a 10k in a couple of weeks

    Eating smaller portions, learning how to make foods more flavorful with herbs and spices, avoiding drinking my calories, and learning about the foods I ate helped a lot too. If you eat shitty food you will feel shitty. It's crazy how much a nasty lunch can ruin your afternoon. That's not to say you can't have delicious/unhealthy foods occasionally because you should.

    Everything in moderation. Even moderation (sometimes).

    The only thing I'd say I haven't invested enough time in though is weightlifting, because it's way intimidating. The weight area at the gym is full of hulks and I don't want to be the idiot lifting improperly in front of them. And I don't know where to start.

    ButterBean on
  • OverlordOverlord Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    I used to be pretty heavy 250 lbs. (I'm 6 ft 2) But then I had to goto the doctor for a checkup and they basically said it was fucking with my heart. Here I am 7 months later and I weigh 185. Go hard work and exercise.

    Overlord on
    sigsh.gif
  • Hexmage-PAHexmage-PA Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    I never really worried about it as much when I was younger, but as I get older one of the things I stress over most hasn't been mentioned here at all. Everyone mentions getting fat, being out of breath, and hearth conditions, but I haven't seen anyone talk about a very real and serious ailment caused by sitting at the computer for hours on end, and that's blood clots in your legs.

    It's probably one of the things I'm worried about the most, because this isn't something you can rationalize by saying "oh I don't care if I'm fat". It doesn't matter if you're naturally skinny, after a while you're going to start to feel the effects. At first it might start as a little joint pain, maybe a little cracking or pain when you bend your legs, but then you'll eventually feel a slight warming sensation in your leg(s) and that's when you know it's seriously time to change your lifestyle.

    This is one of those things that will seriously kick your ass. I recommend anyone who tries to pass off their bullshit sedentary lifestyle, please look up "deep vein thrombosis" and tell me if that sounds pleasant to you. If that doesn't scare the hell out of you and get you off your ass, then you deserve everything that's coming to you.

    Thanks to you I'm afraid to sit at all. I'm standing as I type this.

    Damn you, sir.

    Hexmage-PA on
  • Brodo FagginsBrodo Faggins Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    ButterBean wrote: »
    The only thing I'd say I haven't invested enough time in though is weightlifting, because it's way intimidating. The weight area at the gym is full of hulks and I don't want to be the idiot lifting improperly in front of them. And I don't know where to start.

    It seems a lot of people have this issue. It's nothing to worry about, everyone one of those hulks started where you are. If you're lifting improperly they might intervene and correct you, but they won't, for example, make fun of you or anything.

    Brodo Faggins on
    9PZnq.png
  • GlocjtGlocjt catstronaut in spaaace.Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Ztribal wrote: »
    So any tips for someone who cannot comfortably run/jog?

    I'm trying to exercise more since I've put on some weight this pass year, but I've moved into an area where gyms are far too expensive.

    I'll be going to the local park soon to check out their racquetball courts but I can't do that every day when school starts back up.

    Also, is Wii Fit a viable option? I've been tempted to pick that up for ages. If you guys give me the go ahead I'll crumble under want next time I'm at the Nintendo store.


    I started working out with a kettlebell mixed in with pushups and crunches (reverse and bicycle) late May, and am loving it. I wasn't particularly heavy to start with (5'10", 145 lbs), but decided it was time to get a bit stronger and put on some muscle mass, and was looking for something that didn't require me to get a gym membership (and a 16 kg bell and Pavel Tsatsouline's Enter the Kettlebell are a lot cheaper). And while my weight hasn't changed much the last few months, my body composition definitely has, and being consistent with exercising has almost earned me a six-pack. :)

    Glocjt on
  • KyouguKyougu Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    ButterBean wrote: »
    The only thing I'd say I haven't invested enough time in though is weightlifting, because it's way intimidating. The weight area at the gym is full of hulks and I don't want to be the idiot lifting improperly in front of them. And I don't know where to start.

    It seems a lot of people have this issue. It's nothing to worry about, everyone one of those hulks started where you are. If you're lifting improperly they might intervene and correct you, but they won't, for example, make fun of you or anything.

    Yeah, seriously at the gym, most people only care about themselves, and will hardly ever notice you. Everyone is there for basically the same reason, so they won't judge you.

    Kyougu on
  • jeddy leejeddy lee Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Kyougu wrote: »
    ButterBean wrote: »
    The only thing I'd say I haven't invested enough time in though is weightlifting, because it's way intimidating. The weight area at the gym is full of hulks and I don't want to be the idiot lifting improperly in front of them. And I don't know where to start.

    It seems a lot of people have this issue. It's nothing to worry about, everyone one of those hulks started where you are. If you're lifting improperly they might intervene and correct you, but they won't, for example, make fun of you or anything.

    Yeah, seriously at the gym, most people only care about themselves, and will hardly ever notice you. Everyone is there for basically the same reason, so they won't judge you.

    You may want to check out planet fitness. It's a gym chain designed around a 0 intimidation policy. They don't want body builders, people dropping weights or grunting and being jockish retards there. It's a fairly good gym with a really cheap membership fee too.

    jeddy lee on
    Backlog Challenge: 0%
    0/8

    PS2
    FF X replay

    PS3
    God of War 1&2 HD
    Rachet and Clank Future
    MGS 4
    Prince of Persia

    360
    Bayonetta
    Fable 3

    DS
    FF: 4 heroes of light
  • AxenAxen My avatar is Excalibur. Yes, the sword.Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    This reminds me, I have a PT test coming up. Gotta run 2 miles in under 15:30 minutes, do 45 (I think) pushups and 55 (I think) situps both under 2 min each.

    Weeee! Never failed a PT test yet, but I certainly haven't been keeping in shape this summer. I suppose I should start.

    Axen on
    A Capellan's favorite sheath for any blade is your back.
  • Hexmage-PAHexmage-PA Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    OK, I need someone to clarify DVT for me. It's only a concern if you're sitting for a very long period of time, right? Just sitting at a computer for an hour or so won't kill me, right? I mean, I know it hasn't yet, but...

    Hexmage-PA on
  • Brodo FagginsBrodo Faggins Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Just get up and stretch every couple hours or so.

    Brodo Faggins on
    9PZnq.png
Sign In or Register to comment.