Healthy Gamer Discussion

[Sinshroud]

Hey guys and girls, I'm a former life-long gamer turned health and fitness enthusiast.

I know from past experience that due to the nature and preference of most gamers, being regularly active and living healthily is hard. It can be even harder to maintain some kind of balance as time goes on, especially if you don't have the right kind of support and encouragement from those around you.

There is also a funny grey area if you are an avid gamer as well as someone trying to be healthy. You often get discouragement and contempt from fellow gamers who do not care about being healthy, and you are afraid to talk about one of your favourite past times with the guys you meet at the gym.

Jim Rohn said: "You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with". Meaning if most of your friends and family are unhealthy, then there is a VERY good chance you will be too as everything you do together reinforces that unhealthy is normal. But the awesome thing is that one of the easiest ways to change your habits is simply to spend more time hanging out with (or talking to online) other people who are trying to be healthy.

Over the past 5 years that I've made a change, I've gone from being ugly, fat, shy, unconfident, foreveralone, and living such a small introverted life to being attractive, athletic, confident, dateable, and living a much bigger life than I could ever have imagined.

I've done (and do) things that if you had told me I would be doing them 5 years ago I would have laughed. I consistently go to gym 4-5 days a week and love it, I do not crave sugar or junk food - and when I do eat it I'm completely guilt free and in control, I've had 5 different dates in 1 week, I've trekked through the Himalayas to Mt. Everest Base Camp, I love socialising and talking to people now, I do things like the Warrior Races and Impi Challenges, and most importantly I do not fear new or unfamiliar things anymore.

I'm passionate about helping people become healthier, especially people that I can relate to. I'm not a personal trainer or nutritionist, I won't prescribe any highly specific advice and I won't try to tell you any product or service.

What I want to do is just get people talking to me (and others) about things like what your concerns are about your way of life right now, what would you like to change, what are you already doing right, what have you tried in the past, and so on.

[Solitude]

There's nothing wrong with an introverted life mind you. I'm an introvert and my wife and I keep to ourselves and we love it.

As for the healthy gamer thing. Well I gym 3 times a week and even though I'm not in tip-top shape, I'm happy with my progress. My biggest downfall at the moment is my craving for food. I swear I'm hungry the whole time and then when I eat, I eat too much. So I'm trying to control that better. I'm so glad that me exercising hasn't turned me into a socialising, talkative person. Whew. It sounds horrible.

But yes, it's important to be healthy and to take care of yourself.

[Fivel]

Great to get the conversation going. I'm curious as to why you gave up gaming completely as if a healthy lifestyle and gaming are somehow mutually exclusive?

[Sinshroud]

There's nothing wrong with an introverted life mind you. I'm an introvert and my wife and I keep to ourselves and we love it.

As for the healthy gamer thing. Well I gym 3 times a week and even though I'm not in tip-top shape, I'm happy with my progress. My biggest downfall at the moment is my craving for food. I swear I'm hungry the whole time and then when I eat, I eat too much. So I'm trying to control that better. I'm so glad that me exercising hasn't turned me into a socialising, talkative person. Whew. It sounds horrible.

But yes, it's important to be healthy and to take care of yourself.

Definitely nothing wrong with it. I'm still definitely an introvert at heart who still geeks out all the time with friends, gets drained from too much social interaction and needs a few days to "recharge" every so often, chooses movies or dinner evenings over full-blown parties and bars, etc, etc.

Something that I always try get people to recognize is:
1) There is progress, as in improvement.
2) Then there is "where would you be right now if you weren't making any effort at all".

Exercising is a bit of a catch-22 sometimes, the more you exercise the hungrier you tend to get haha.

Great to get the conversation going. I'm curious as to why you gave up gaming completely as if a healthy lifestyle are somehow mutually exclusive?

I've always been an MMO fan, I've played World of Warcraft since the release dedicately throughout Classic, TBC, WOTLK, and Cata. When MOP and WOD hit I started to lose interest a bit. I still sub for a month or two now and then, but the game just gets old, and I've gained other interests (like health and fitness among other things). I've never really been able to get stuck into any other game for long although I've certainly tried.

I haven't given up gaming completely, but it's true that I very rarely game anymore although it's not because I don't let myself or something like that. They definitely aren't mutually exclusive. In fact it's only really half way through last year that my time spend gaming has dramatically declined.

The funny thing is, I help run a health and fitness company now but very much online and tech based. So I'm actually still facing similar struggles that I would face as a gamer in terms of being stuck in front of a computer for most of the day. It's also perhaps why I don't game as much anymore because I'm at the computer for a lot of the day and then don't really want to spend more time in front of it in my free time.

[Fivel]

I haven't given up gaming completely, but it's true that I very rarely game anymore although it's not because I don't let myself or something like that. They definitely aren't mutually exclusive. In fact it's only really half way through last year that my time spend gaming has dramatically declined.

The funny thing is, I help run a health and fitness company now but very much online and tech based. So I'm actually still facing similar struggles that I would face as a gamer in terms of being stuck in front of a computer for most of the day. It's also perhaps why I don't game as much anymore because I'm at the computer for a lot of the day and then don't really want to spend more time in front of it in my free time.

I think you've hit the nail on the head for me, we are all struggling with many demands on our time. Physical activity is one of the best ways to stay healthy yet we (I generalize) seems to let go of that first when we don't have enough time.

[Sinshroud]

I think you've hit the nail on the head for me, we are all struggling with many demands on our time. Physical activity is one of the best ways to stay healthy yet we (I generalize) seems to let go of that first when we don't have enough time.

I actually have a standing desk that I absolutely love, as it makes getting up and moving around much more accessible. For some reason I found standing up from my comfy chair seems too hard - even to go to the bathroom or get something to drink. If I'm already standing then I don't even think twice about going to fetch something or taking a quick walk.

Standing throughout the day definitely isn't a fix-all solution though. Some people just can't do it as it's too tiring or too uncomfortable (I love it though). The best thing really is finding a way to schedule reasons to get up and move around regularly.

Like, if possible have a routine. You arrive at work, start working, then after an hour or two you get up to fetch some coffee. Then every morning at 11am you schedule in a quick 5 minute walk around the office. Then every lunch break you try move around a bit rather than eating at your desk. Then 3pm comes and it's another coffee and maybe another walk before heading home. It's not much, but it's better than nothing.

[bradbear117]

Mmmm, I live in the gingerbread house. My wife runs her catering business from home so my environment sucks for weight loss. there is a constant stream of cake, confectionery, roasted all sorts and pasta's etc. its insane. My goal is to be under 100kg's. Im currently 113kg's.

I surf pretty much everyday and have been surfing for 19 years so thats been my saving grace(best thing Ive done with my life was learn to surf). I have recently taken up running but running really sucks lol, I also do yoga because its really, really good for surfing and keeping injuries at bay.

I am the only person out of my regular group of friends who plays videogames, but I still game a few times a week for a few hours because I fuckin love videogames.

[brendanvb]

Well, I'd like to gym or at least work out at home and get more toned, but so far I've just not really been motivated enough. I've been a pretty slim guy all my life (just under 70kg's now), never really had to watch what I eat (and still don't), so I've just not really been bothered. Not ever been into sports or any strenuous activity though (I guess that's called lazy ), so while I'm thin, I don't have much in the way of definition XD. Which is something I'd like to change, but with work and family and friends and life I just feel like it'd be another 'job' added to my day, cutting away even more free time to do things I actually want to do. So it's somewhat of a goal I hope to complete at some point before I'm old and grey, but as I already feel like I have the SO I'm probably going to spend the rest of my life with, and neither of our appearances having deteriorated in the 8 years we've been together, finding the motivation to work out is really, really hard. I know, cry me a river right?

[Sinshroud]

Mmmm, I live in the gingerbread house. My wife runs her catering business from home so my environment sucks for weight loss. there is a constant stream of cake, confectionery, roasted all sorts and pasta's etc. its insane. My goal is to be under 100kg's. Im currently 113kg's.

I surf pretty much everyday and have been surfing for 19 years so thats been my saving grace(best thing Ive done with my life was learn to surf). I have recently taken up running but running really sucks lol, I also do yoga because its really, really good for surfing and keeping injuries at bay.

I am the only person out of my regular group of friends who plays videogames, but I still game a few times a week for a few hours because I fuckin love videogames.

That's really tough, but sounds like you are managing to cope pretty well. My girlfriend has a huge sweet tooth and is constantly bringing home junk food or ordering dessert when we go out to eat. I just make sure that she understand what my goals are and that she respects me if I say "no thanks" to something sweet, etc. I've definitely found my discipline has gone down a little bit though with her around - but I guess there are pros and cons in every relationship, right?

Well, I'd like to gym or at least work out at home and get more toned, but so far I've just not really been motivated enough. I've been a pretty slim guy all my life (just under 70kg's now), never really had to watch what I eat (and still don't), so I've just not really been bothered. Not ever been into sports or any strenuous activity though (I guess that's called lazy ), so while I'm thin, I don't have much in the way of definition XD. Which is something I'd like to change, but with work and family and friends and life I just feel like it'd be another 'job' added to my day, cutting away even more free time to do things I actually want to do. So it's somewhat of a goal I hope to complete at some point before I'm old and grey, but as I already feel like I have the SO I'm probably going to spend the rest of my life with, and neither of our appearances having deteriorated in the 8 years we've been together, finding the motivation to work out is really, really hard. I know, cry me a river right?

In a way you are actually lucky. Working out and exercising can be huge fun, but for many they first have to overcome the embarrassment of being overweight at gym or the aches and pains that come with being overweight. You on the otherhand might have some small insecurities about your body being skinny, but it's nothing near what others have to go through when first getting started.

I can tell you now, your bodies won't remain unchanging forever. Sloooowly overtime things will take their toll in some shape of form. This isn't necessarily the end of the world though. One should never feel guilted into working out. I will say that I have seen relationships completely rejuvenated when one or both parties start getting more in shape. Energy levels usually increase, it adds a new exciting dynamic to the relationship, there are new things you can discover together like healthy foods, hiking trails, more physical outdoor activities, yoga classes, and so on. When's the last time you two did something for the first time together? It's an exciting feeling. Not to mention the increased testosterone and sex drive!

If you want to find something really fun, check out http://www.nerdfitness.com/ they do a great job at making getting healthy relatable and interesting to someone who games a lot or has quite an imagination.

[BeoTeK]

Nice initiative [MENTION=3831]Sinshroud[/MENTION] - I would love to get back to where I once was, but constraints of being a single father make me devote my time and personal time elsewhere.