Any computer nerds out there

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kathrynkatana
kathrynkatana Posts: 90 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Work and play for me involves computers and computer related things. Sitting in front of a computer is pretty much my life. Looking for any tips from my fellow nerds on what to do about getting active while still finding time to pwn some noobs and all that. Also, ways to keep myself from snacking during those times as well. Any advice would be great.

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  • Avalonis
    Avalonis Posts: 1,540 Member
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    Work and play for me involves computers and computer related things. Sitting in front of a computer is pretty much my life. Looking for any tips from my fellow nerds on what to do about getting active while still finding time to pwn some noobs and all that. Also, ways to keep myself from snacking during those times as well. Any advice would be great.

    Haha, you just described my life for the last 10 years. Except this last year. I decided to take my life seriously, and get out of my "Dungeon" as my family called my computer room.

    Find some hobbies. I took up tennis, Rock climbing, racquetball, Kite Surfing, and weightlifting. Occasionally running
  • kahlenberg
    kahlenberg Posts: 1
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    Stand when your using the computer.
  • juday3
    juday3 Posts: 78 Member
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    Buy one of those exercise body balls to use as a chair while you are infront of your computer.
  • Trishkit
    Trishkit Posts: 290 Member
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    As a graphic designer, I'm on my computer all day at work, and come home and snuggle up on the couch with my laptop (CR-48, baby!). My main anti-snacking tip at work is to keep a water bottle next to me at all times, and it's one of the ones with a straw, so I can drink from it throughout the day without really thinking about it. I have snacks planned at around 2-hour intervals, so I keep relatively full and don't snack mindlessly. I also try not to keep sources of endless snacks around, such as bags of chips or pretzels -- otherwise, I'll end up eating them!

    I fit activity in on my way home from work. I change into workout clothes before I leave work, so it reduces the chance that I'll flake out on going to the gym and head straight home. On days when I really don't want to go to the gym, I make myself hop on my bike, which is currently set up stationery in our office, and I put on my good headphones and watch Star Trek (2009). And that's the only thing I watch when I bike. Because I'm a nerd and it's high-energy. :smile:
  • robertf57
    robertf57 Posts: 560 Member
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    "Step away from the keyboard!"
  • PA21
    PA21 Posts: 95 Member
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    Great topic!
    Firstly, I would say if you don't want to change your lifestyle (i.e. get active and cut your computer time down drastically), maybe go for these:
    1. keep weights by your computer to do arms with during loading times (even better a chin up bar)
    2. Water & fruit (water will keep you hydrated and your brain flush with water = pwnage of newbs from being so smart)
    3. Chair exercises- google it up and find ones you like
    4. Set a timer so every 20 minutes you do 5 minutes of cardio (jumping jacks, sit ups, push ups, running in place, JUMP ROPE)
    Only buy food you should be eating and keep only those in the house. No soda.
    Good luck and all your base will belong to us soon enough.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
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    Hi and welcome! Fellow nerd here.

    Nerds make for great fitness and weight loss people because they're used to doing research, and applying what they just learned in order to tweak things and get desired results. Once you've made the decision to Do It, you just need to come up with a plan and start executing your plan. It's like editing a few of your "config files", so to speak, and restarting a few processes so they pick up the new changes.

    Believe it or not, you can still pretty much maintain your mostly sedentary lifestyle. I still work all day in front of the computer, and spend way too many hours in front of the computer when I get home. The major things I changed are that I now eat extremely well. I know what foods I should and should not eat, and 99% of the time I make sure I have the food I need at home, at work, or during travel. And EXERCISE. I exercise religiously and intensely 6-7 days a week. Normally it's anywhere between 20-60 minutes on any given day. The rest of the time I'm still a major lazy *kitten*.

    You might find some crazy things will start to happen... like you might start to love eating healthy and exercising. And you might start to wig out when you can't get your cardio in.. Stuff like that :)

    I consider myself living proof that anyone can succeed at this. So you definitely can too!
  • duckpond11
    duckpond11 Posts: 197 Member
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    I am a computer nerd too. I agree that you just gotta go out and find a hobby that is more active. There will still be plenty of time for geeking out later -- but our bodies weren't designed to sit all day and all night. I also have a sit/stand desk at work so that I can stand while I'm on the computer, or if you work at home you can make your own treadmill desk.
  • Trishkit
    Trishkit Posts: 290 Member
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    Oh, and start tracking your stats! As things start changing -- being a nerd -- you should enjoy graphing the changes and watching the downward trends. I love doing that and it keeps my motivation up.
  • fenix1976
    fenix1976 Posts: 33 Member
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    Lol u hear you world of Warcraft forced me to gain weight... I have now deleted my account ( cry cry was an epiz geared priest ) ;(
  • utaviator
    utaviator Posts: 55 Member
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    Always have a glass of ice water next to your keyboard, and set an alarm to take breaks every 15 min or so.?.
  • kathrynkatana
    kathrynkatana Posts: 90 Member
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    Thanks, these are awesome suggestions. :D
  • AshDHart
    AshDHart Posts: 818 Member
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    Merge the two together. If you have a smartphone get a bunch of apps on it and then get out. I have updated my blog while walking, tweeted while hiking, emailed while stretching. You get the idea. :bigsmile:

    Then if you are a nerd who loves numbers graph the heck out of it. I have MFP and an excel spreadsheet with a summary. Then I make a ton of cool graphs to track trends. :glasses:
  • Coleman73
    Coleman73 Posts: 42
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    I was able to mount my keyboard and mouse on my treadmill. Its not hard to lose track of time while even walking at 2 miles an hour while playing. Of course after my weight started to melt off i found an epic life, and stopped playing my warrior, and Druid, and paladin. Wow passes time, but you have to find you own way on that one.
  • brandiuntz
    brandiuntz Posts: 2,717 Member
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    Another fellow nerd. Here's what I do to be more active:

    1. At work, I make a point to stand up periodically, especially if I'm on the phone with a client. I also walk around whenever I can.

    2. At home, I make myself take breaks from the computer, to go do something else.

    3. If I'm playing video games, I avoid the ones where you get stuck playing multi-player for hours. I set limits on how long I can play at once.
  • mrstudz
    mrstudz Posts: 30 Member
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    get a hot girlfriend who likes to go dancing.

    All your problems will be solved.
  • trishtrish84
    trishtrish84 Posts: 237 Member
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    Lol u hear you world of Warcraft forced me to gain weight... I have now deleted my account ( cry cry was an epiz geared priest ) ;(

    Same here!
    I have moved my computer chair away from my desktop and added one of those big balls that you use for balance and core strengthening and that is what i sit on.

    While I am waiting for Pugs I do lil sit ups on the ball.

    While I am flying from place to place (which sometimes it takes like 20 minutes to get places) I do lil random exercises with the ball. You can Google them.

    As far as snacking.... I keep water as my desk and if I get the munchies I grab some fruit or veggies to snack on.

    At work I took all the dollar bills and change out of my purse and put them in a jar at home so I don't buy stuff from the vending machine.

    Hope this helps.
    For the Horde.
    Look me up. Im on Fenris.
    Name is Pixiee
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
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    get up from behind that computer every blue moon may help

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