My heart goes out to you. I know exactly what your talking about. Please accept my condolences.
>.<
Deepest sympathies.
40 is way too young.
Heartfelt sympathies and keep good memories.
Questions about the game, either side? /t @Neuronia or @Neuronium, with your queries!
168760: A Death in the Gish. 3 missions, 1-14. Easy to solo.
Infinity Villains
Champion, Pinnacle, Virtue Heroes
[ QUOTE ]
Please, take care of yourselves. Get some exercise. Eat leafy greens and other vegetables. Get regular check-ups from your physician and follow his or her advice. And encourage your friends to do the same.
[/ QUOTE ]
You know, that's good advice. I'm not 40 yet, but I am pretty sedentary, and my diet is pretty crappy. Lately, I've been exercising more and eating a little better. Nothing earth-shattering yet, just a half hour or so on the treadmill and buying decent meats, cheeses, and breads at the grocery store instead of making Wendy's runs, but it's a start.
I have a doctor's checkup next month. So far, I've been lucky in not having high blood pressure or other non-trivial health maladies. I'm hoping my good luck can keep up just a little longer while I work on a few lifestyle changes so that I don't need so much of it.
Hopefully other gamers will read this and, if they have the sedentary thing going too, will make a few changes, even if little tiny ones at first.
We've been saving Paragon City for eight and a half years. It's time to do it one more time.
(If you love this game as much as I do, please read that post.)
Indeed, and condolences. 
I agree, we should, as gamers, do what we can to take care of ourselves better. I have seen on these forums alone a few folks who are turning their sedentary/poor eating habits around and are making positive progress. I am one of these few.
I gained over 40 pounds this last 3 years due to my job's sedentary nature as well as my gaming time. This last few months, after experiencing a heart condition at 42, it was time for change. More exercising, better quality of food, and portioning has helped to drop a good chunk of weight already.
Great advise to all. 40 is too young to go. Take that extra time and effort to prevent this, after all, your body is the greatest instrument you will ever own.
my deepest sympathies, i've buried way to many loved ones in my short life, and know way to well what you are going thru.
i came the same conclusion as alot of folks on this thread though, just a couple of months ago. put myself on the DASH diet, it's the AMA/AHA (american heart assoc.) diet, it's for lowering BP, Blood Sugar, and Cholesterol. basically just eat alot of whole grains/fiber, calcium, vit. D, and omega 3's, i've found if you don't even change how much you eat, just make sure you are getting alot of the above in each meal, that it works quite well (18 lbs in a month 
i fit in my 36's again, doubled my available wardrobe) and all my levels are down to decent levels (weren't horrible to begin with, but high enough to be worried). really not hard to do actually, was alot easier to stick with it then i thought. i'm not recommending my plan to anyone else, just that you get A plan, would like to see the players here stick around for awhile and whatnot 
i've also added a rule that i MUST do 30-45 minutes of cardio before i get on the game on saturday mornings (my main play time), but as of right now i have been less then stellar with following thru......... but you keep working at it.
Oh yeah, that was the time that girl got her whatchamacallit stuck in that guys dooblickitz and then what his name did that thing with the lizards and it cleared right up.
screw your joke, i want "FREEM"
Sorry about your loss. 40 is too young.
A few things I do to try to keep in shape while gaming:
While waiting in game lobbies or waiting for everyone to group up for missions, etc. :
- Get on the ground and do as many pushups as you can in 2 minutes. If you do that everytime you wait for gaming to resume, you might end up doing 200 pushups in a gaming session.
- Stand up out of your chair and do some basic stretches, toe touches, pull your arms behind your back, calf stretches, etc.
- Stand up and do some squats with no weight. Just up and down 15-20 times and sit back down to game. You will be surprised at how sore this will make you the first few days.
- Or just go buy some 20-50lb dumbells from your local second hand sports store. They will be cheap and you can do a variety of exercises from your desk/gaming area while you are idle.
All of these things are small steps, but will help keep you in a little bit better shape than you would've been just sitting there.
P.S. Skip the soda, buy some Vitamin Water instead. Tastes good, less calories per serving and packed full of vitamins.
A sad time for you, KeepDistance, and a good warning to us all.
One of my gamer friends made fun of me for working out until I told him, "I don't do it because I like it. I do it because I don't want to hate mirrors."
--NT
They all laughed at me when I said I wanted to be a comedian.
But I showed them, and nobody's laughing at me now!
If I became a red name, I would be all "and what would you mere mortals like to entertain me with today, mu hu ha ha ha!" ~Arcanaville
Oh my, yes - Sorry to hear about your friend, but everything you say is true.
I realized that in a month or so, the San Diego Comic Con is coming up, and I know that in my current state of body affairs, I won't be able to walk from end to end of that building without being exhausted.
I'm definitely going to have to get off my chair and get outside again. It's sad that these things require such a terrible heads-up to remember.
Please read my FEAR/Portal/HalfLife Fan Fiction!
Repurposed
[ QUOTE ]
Lately, I've been exercising more and eating a little better. Nothing earth-shattering yet, just a half hour or so on the treadmill and buying decent meats, cheeses, and breads at the grocery store instead of making Wendy's runs, but it's a start.
[/ QUOTE ]
I'm really glad to hear you're making a change. That's really the reason I posted at all - if even one person decides to change their habits because of this, or a few people stick with a program they were wavering on, it makes the loss more tolerable to bear.
- KD
And for a while things were cold,
They were scared down in their holes
The forest that once was green
Was colored black by those killing machines
[ QUOTE ]
Sorry about your loss. 40 is too young.
A few things I do to try to keep in shape while gaming:
While waiting in game lobbies or waiting for everyone to group up for missions, etc. :
- Get on the ground and do as many pushups as you can in 2 minutes. If you do that everytime you wait for gaming to resume, you might end up doing 200 pushups in a gaming session.
- Stand up out of your chair and do some basic stretches, toe touches, pull your arms behind your back, calf stretches, etc.
- Stand up and do some squats with no weight. Just up and down 15-20 times and sit back down to game. You will be surprised at how sore this will make you the first few days.
- Or just go buy some 20-50lb dumbells from your local second hand sports store. They will be cheap and you can do a variety of exercises from your desk/gaming area while you are idle.
All of these things are small steps, but will help keep you in a little bit better shape than you would've been just sitting there.
P.S. Skip the soda, buy some Vitamin Water instead. Tastes good, less calories per serving and packed full of vitamins.
[/ QUOTE ]
Lordy, stay AWAY from vitamin water. That stuff is one of the biggest scams going atm. When you add in all of the undesireable ingredients used in almost every brand of vitamin water, you're almost better off drinking soda. I kid you not.
http://bodyecology.com/08/09/18/why_...erous_scam.php
"They've got us surrounded again, the poor bastards." - General Creighton W. Abrams
[ QUOTE ]
Lordy, stay AWAY from vitamin water. That stuff is one of the biggest scams going atm. When you add in all of the undesireable ingredients used in almost every brand of vitamin water, you're almost better off drinking soda. I kid you not.
http://bodyecology.com/08/09/18/why_...erous_scam.php
[/ QUOTE ]
/tangent
This isn't true. The site you're pointing to is selling their own competing line of products, so please don't take anything they say about competitor's products worth a grain of salt. If you check out Coca-Cola's web site, it will claim just the opposite.
So how do you know who to trust? Look at independent testing performed by organizations such as the FDA. They have done extensive scientific testing on Aspartame (Diet Coke), and there's no evidence that it causes the health problems listed. Also, while VitaminWater isn't as healthy to drink as just plain water, there's nothing inherently dangerous in it, either. Worst case scenario, you're consuming calories that you'll need to burn off, which pretty much describes all caloric food and beverages.
Of course, some foods and beverages are better and some are worse for you, but please don't resort to scare tactics. Even eating the worst of foods for you won't kill you, as long as you do it sensibly in the context of an otherwise healthy diet and, most importantly, get enough exercise to keep your body and mind healthy.
We've been saving Paragon City for eight and a half years. It's time to do it one more time.
(If you love this game as much as I do, please read that post.)
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Lately, I've been exercising more and eating a little better. Nothing earth-shattering yet, just a half hour or so on the treadmill and buying decent meats, cheeses, and breads at the grocery store instead of making Wendy's runs, but it's a start.
[/ QUOTE ]
I'm really glad to hear you're making a change. That's really the reason I posted at all - if even one person decides to change their habits because of this, or a few people stick with a program they were wavering on, it makes the loss more tolerable to bear.
- KD
[/ QUOTE ]
You know, it does kind of make the wheels turn. I wonder if there could be some kind of program started among the gaming community to try to get people to be a little less sedentary? I'm in Atlanta, for example. I wonder how many of my fellow Atlantans would get behind doing something like going out to Stone Mountain once every few weeks, meeting up at a gym, and other such activities? Maybe all of us keep in touch online to share ideas for activities and reports of how it's going?
We've been saving Paragon City for eight and a half years. It's time to do it one more time.
(If you love this game as much as I do, please read that post.)
Sorry for ur mate.keep on groovin'
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Lately, I've been exercising more and eating a little better. Nothing earth-shattering yet, just a half hour or so on the treadmill and buying decent meats, cheeses, and breads at the grocery store instead of making Wendy's runs, but it's a start.
[/ QUOTE ]
I'm really glad to hear you're making a change. That's really the reason I posted at all - if even one person decides to change their habits because of this, or a few people stick with a program they were wavering on, it makes the loss more tolerable to bear.
- KD
[/ QUOTE ]
You know, it does kind of make the wheels turn. I wonder if there could be some kind of program started among the gaming community to try to get people to be a little less sedentary? I'm in Atlanta, for example. I wonder how many of my fellow Atlantans would get behind doing something like going out to Stone Mountain once every few weeks, meeting up at a gym, and other such activities? Maybe all of us keep in touch online to share ideas for activities and reports of how it's going?
[/ QUOTE ]I'm envisioning now a gaming group that plays in the meeting rooms of a gym after they've done an hour of exercise. "Come for the gaming, but get some workout done."
I'm not being sarcastic.
My grandfather died of a heart attack in his late forties (if I remember correctly), my father was terrified of the same fate. I know I've inherited a weak heart, and that's part of what keeps me motivated to stay reasonably healthy. Still - your friend can say he has the legacy of helping other gamers improve their lives, which is quite frankly, pretty special.
Sorry to hear about your loss.
@macskull, @Not Mac | XBL: macskull | Steam: macskull | Skype: macskull
"One day we all may see each other elsewhere. In Tyria, in Azeroth. We may pass each other and never know it. And that's sad. But if nothing else, we'll still have Rhode Island."
"One day we all may see each other elsewhere. In Tyria, in Azeroth. We may pass each other and never know it. And that's sad. But if nothing else, we'll still have Rhode Island."
Im sorry to hear abou your friend. My deapest sympathies and prayers will be with you, and with him.
(QR)
Very sorry to hear about your friend, I hate it when people die.
I agree, sitting on your rear end all day lends itself to obesity, in fact, I got pretty damned fat for a while there. I got fatter than I had ever been and freaked out, and I thought "you know if I don't do something now, I'm never gonna lose this and I am gonna end up with some serious issues".
I've lost 40 pounds in the last 3 months and I have about 40 to go.
I'm only ladylike when compared to my sister.
Dang, what's your diet / exercise plan!
I need to drop about 30 lbs. It's all in my legs/rear, sadly.
Please read my FEAR/Portal/HalfLife Fan Fiction!
Repurposed
Yeesh, that's spooky. I'm turning 40 soon and just went into the hospital with outrageously elevated BP (217/135) in December. Glad it's under control now (meds & better diet).
I've been toying with different diet and exercise plans since high school. As far as I can tell the best rule of thumb is "calories in, calories out" - but there does seem to be a trick to consuming fewer calories without feeling like you're starving yourself. The trick is, "Eat low calorie density foods".
I have a mental spectrum going from zero calories/gram (water) to six calories per gram (candy). The zero-to-two segment is the "green zone" and I can eat pretty much as much of that as I can stuff in my mouth. The two-to-four segment is the "yellow zone", where I need to eat things in moderation, and the four-to-six segment is the "red zone" which I try to avoid (with a few exceptions). (There are 28 grams per ounce, so the zones in ounces is 0-50 cal/oz, 50-100 cal/oz, and 100-150 cal/oz, roughly speaking. It's all approximate anyway.)
The green zone includes pretty much all fruits and vegetables (except maybe avocados - not sure), cottage cheese and yogurt, lean meats, and some roots and tubers (potatoes). The yellow zone includes unsweetened bread products, fatty meats, low fat cheeses, and some roots and tubers (I think sweet potatoes are in here). The red zone is nearly all processed foods - chips, cookies, crackers, candy, fried foods, fatty cheeses - though strangely nuts are here too.
Evaluating most of the fad diets out there, they generally end up causing people to stick to green zone foods, or at least significantly reduce the red zone intake and increase green zone intake. If you look at Atkins, for example, it lines up almost exactly with the calorie density recommendations, except for potatoes (which Atkins tells you to avoid) and nuts (which it tells you are OK). Raw diets avoid almost everything in the red zone except nuts, and a fair percentage of the yellow zone. The caveman diet is similar to raw except you can eat meat, which again is mostly green and yellow zone.
Because nuts seem to be OK in every diet I've looked at closely, I make an exception for them, though even there I try to eat them in moderation. Other than that I try as hard as possible to stay towards the "green" size of the spectrum. I also try to eat unsweetened versions of things rather than sweetened (for example, yogurt) when possible, and avoid hydrogenated vegetable oils when possible.
Anyway, if someone's looking for a simple and reasonable general plan, I would say green-zone food plus 30 minutes of cardio exercise per day is enough to lose probably a pound a week. If you're starting out cold, I'd recommend taking the exercise part easy for the first few days to get a feel for it - no use burning yourself out and quitting after a week.
I wish I had put all these thoughts in order and convinced my friend to give it a try three years ago, but at least I'm doing it now.
And for a while things were cold,
They were scared down in their holes
The forest that once was green
Was colored black by those killing machines
Well, thankfully for me I'm actually allergic to milk and wheat, so my intake of, say, cheese or ice cream is dramatically curtailed already. plus, I can't have potatos any more My lack of exercise has really been my problem though. In the 2 years I've been out of work, I've gained all those pounds just pretty much by not being up on my feet and walking around a shop. :/
FYI avocados: http://www.avocado.org/healthy-living/nutrition
Calories 50, from fat 35. So yeah, they're on a slightly different scale, but they're otherwise enormously good for you. Many nuts are high in fat, witness how they make oil from them
Please read my FEAR/Portal/HalfLife Fan Fiction!
Repurposed
[ QUOTE ]
Dang, what's your diet / exercise plan!
I need to drop about 30 lbs. It's all in my legs/rear, sadly.
[/ QUOTE ]
Eat less.
I cut out all the sugar, soda, etc.
Drink only water.
I have 2 peanut butter & banana sandwiches for breakfast (holy crap I love those). Thereafter I have a banana or an orange here or there during the day, and then at night I repeat the sandwiches. Lost a LOT of weight at first.. then plateaued. To get rid of the plateau.. I ate like crap for a week and gained 3-5 pounds back.. then went back on my diet. My change in metabolism brought on by the sudden intake of so many more calories kicked butt on my fat deposits for a good week or two thereafter when I resumed my diet, and I lost those 3-5 along with another 15.
Eat whatever you want.. I just love those sandwiches.. but eat LESS for a certainty. Your appetite will reduce.
I'm only ladylike when compared to my sister.
This past weekend I said my final goodbyes to a good friend and fellow gamer.
I won't go into the personal details; that's not why I'm writing this. I will say that, although he was not a City Of player, he attended GenCon and Origins for most of the last ten years and many of you who go to those cons have probably seen him around.
He was admitted to the ER with extremely high blood pressure, which had weakened his heart to such an extent that he required immediate surgery. He never recovered. He had just turned forty.
I know it's a stereotype to say all gamers are overweight. Still, I know from personal experience that gaming can be extremely sedentary, and the social structure around it can lend itself to poor eating habits. Those factors along with our general societal trends can put gamers in a pretty high risk category for obesity and its related health problems.
Please, take care of yourselves. Get some exercise. Eat leafy greens and other vegetables. Get regular check-ups from your physician and follow his or her advice. And encourage your friends to do the same.
Respectfully,
- KD
And for a while things were cold,
They were scared down in their holes
The forest that once was green
Was colored black by those killing machines