Male IT Workers, 25-40.

SeanMurphy
SeanMurphy Posts: 62
edited October 1 in Health and Weight Loss
Pretty specific, but I'm looking for MFP peers to help keep me honest. I'm an IT worker with a sedentary job. 33 years old at time of this post. I started out at 315 pounds in 2010 and I'm now down to 280 and hope to see 260-265 by Christmas.

I'm lucky in that the town I work in has a subway restaraunt, and not much else. A few pizza places, but I don't crave that the way I used to. I often get stuck for lunch, and I'm glad those 280 calorie 6" turkey sandwiches are there and don't feel a lot of guilt if I've had a rough day and need two.

I occasionally bike commutes to work 6km each way and semi-occasionally rock climbs (indoor gym mostly, but some outdoor crags).

Feel free to add me if you feel like we might be of a kind.

Replies

  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    35 years old. I work in IT, I feel I have a sedentary life style. I make it a point to try to work out almost every day.
    I have bike commuted only twice. Its great, but I'm not a morning person.
    I never tried rock climbing.

    CCDP MCSE Sec+
  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
    I'm 41 and a Business Intelligence developer (so yes...IT)...I am doing the Couch to 5k program myself(on wk 5 now), feel free to add!
  • ladycomix
    ladycomix Posts: 104
    hmmm...I only hit 2 out of the three. 35 year old female *nix SysAdmin. *close but no cigar*
  • SeanMurphy
    SeanMurphy Posts: 62
    I'm not a morning person either, far from it. I find that I have to force myself to get on the bike first thing in the morning on monday and sometimes tuesday, but then i get momentum and I don't even think about it for the rest of the week unless its raining and then I can sometimes still convince myself to do it, but often it's time to get in the car those days.

    I think about how much I want to be able to see the abdominal muscles I know I've built up training for rock climbing for the past couple years during off seasons. :)
  • peteb79
    peteb79 Posts: 386
    I am 32 and in IT as well, software developer work mostly with vb.net and ms sql. I have also played around with Android development, but never published anything.

    I started MFP at 296lbs, my high was just over 300.. I am currently at 272.

    Feel free to add me, I have been looking for some friends to add with similar goals.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    36 yrs old programmer. Work out 6-7 days a week. Having a small fridge and stocked "pantry" in my cubicle is one of the secrets to my success (and also gets me some weird looks sometimes). Three of my daily meals are during the work day. Subway may be ok in a pinch, but don't make a habit out of it. As an IT geek type, you may get a kick out of finely controlling your dietary intake.
  • SeanMurphy
    SeanMurphy Posts: 62
    I am 32 and in IT as well, software developer work mostly with vb.net and ms sql. I have also played around with Android development, but never published anything.

    I was tech support for the university I got my degree from, off an on, since I started classes in 1997. I now am their network and security analyst dealing with mostly Cisco switches, routers and wifi, and currently branching out to HP Procurve equipment.
  • SeanMurphy
    SeanMurphy Posts: 62
    Subway may be ok in a pinch, but don't make a habit out of it. As an IT geek type, you may get a kick out of finely controlling your dietary intake.

    my diet is pretty finely controlled about 5 days out of 7, and I consider having subway sandwiches to be part of that. There's nothing wrong with carbs, in my opinion, and the turkey they use isn't so highly processed as to be entirely full of sodium, unlike their "cold cut" selection of processed salami, etc.

    I could never get the hang of the 5-6 small meals a day vs 3 sensible sized meals. To stay under a daily calorie intake on 5-6 meals means usually 300 calories each, assuming no extra-meal snacking, and unless themeals consist mostly of large amounts steamed vegetables, I find it hard to feel satisfied from such small meals. I agree that on such a diet, one doesn't ever really feel hungry.. but one doesn't ever really feel satisfied either. I enjoy food too much to just be grazing in small spurts all day. If it works for you, that's awesome, as I agree it is a healthier way to eat, but I don't think it's for me.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    Subway may be ok in a pinch, but don't make a habit out of it. As an IT geek type, you may get a kick out of finely controlling your dietary intake.

    my diet is pretty finely controlled about 5 days out of 7, and I consider having subway sandwiches to be part of that. There's nothing wrong with carbs, in my opinion, and the turkey they use isn't so highly processed as to be entirely full of sodium, unlike their "cold cut" selection of processed salami, etc.

    I could never get the hang of the 5-6 small meals a day vs 3 sensible sized meals. To stay under a daily calorie intake on 5-6 meals means usually 300 calories each, assuming no extra-meal snacking, and unless themeals consist mostly of large amounts steamed vegetables, I find it hard to feel satisfied from such small meals. I agree that on such a diet, one doesn't ever really feel hungry.. but one doesn't ever really feel satisfied either. I enjoy food too much to just be grazing in small spurts all day. If it works for you, that's awesome, as I agree it is a healthier way to eat, but I don't think it's for me.

    I do eat 6x a day, but I don't necessarily advocate it. I'm pretty much in the "meal timing is largely irrelevant camp" now. Definitely do whatever keeps you satiated and whatever fits into your schedule. Actually I keep thinking of transitioning to 3 meals per day, simply so I don't have to prepare food or shakes so darn often. But inertia keeps me going like this. And I like that there's always more food around the corner.

    I'm also pretty strongly against all the low-carb propaganda, so it almost hurts my feelings that you sort of implied I had some issue w/ carbs :sad: I'm always the first one to stand up for the poor carbs that everybody keeps bashing. :smile:

    Sorry to knock Subway. Sounds like you have it well calculated into your day. Some people seem to think they can just go there and eat anything because, you know.. Jared...
  • SeanMurphy
    SeanMurphy Posts: 62
    I'm also pretty strongly against all the low-carb propaganda, so it almost hurts my feelings that you sort of implied I had some issue w/ carbs :sad: I'm always the first one to stand up for the poor carbs that everybody keeps bashing. :smile:

    I didn't mean to hurt any feelings, I was just covering all the bases for why I hear other people knocking it. I have seen people go in there and get a cold cut trio sandwich loaded with cheese and half a jar of mayo, so I know what you're talking about. I usually get a 6" turkey with all the vegetables I like on it (onion, lettuce, green pepper, cucumber, jalapenos) and no sauce or cheese. MFP lists that as the "Jared Turkey" sandwich, and I think it's as close to a healthy meal you're gonna find in a fast food restaurant without going to an overpriced salad.
  • MissMaryMac33
    MissMaryMac33 Posts: 1,433 Member
    Female/IT 49 so I don't fit the requirements...but about 80% of my office sounds just like you :)
    Female geeks have the same problems though... especially when they go from a cubicle by day to an MMORPG at night!

    My best tip would be to start cooking healthy meals in bulk and putting them in individual serving sizes. I'm lazy so I usually spend Sunday afternoon cooking for the week so I can just grab and go on work days. I do a great quinoa/oats thing in the crockpot for breakfast. As for the carb thing, those were my downfall before....mostly because I pretty much lived on bread, chips, donuts and crap.... I still eat carbs, but I try to get them from better things now -- whole grains, quinoa etc. I'm addicted to label reading -- it can be shocking.

    The single thing that made the biggest difference was deciding to exercise.. I started just walking my dogs and eventually joined a gym. I HATED it before and now I actually plan my day around my zumba classes... walking is an easy one at work though. Everytime one of your co-workers goes for a smoke, go for a walk :)

    Good luck!
  • SeanMurphy
    SeanMurphy Posts: 62
    Great tips, Mary. I didn't mean to exclude the ladies from this request, I was just looking for people who would have a closer sort of diet requirements to my own for ideas and such. Most of the ladies on my mfp friends list have far far lower caloric requirements than my own, so their diets aren't really applicable to me.
  • pnieuw
    pnieuw Posts: 473
    I'm 44, but been in either IT or business analytics since I was 21, so 100% of my working life has been in the office.

    I fight the urge to eat fast food by bringing my own. I freeze leftover dinners for my lunch, and I stock the freezer at work with whole wheat bagels, and my desk with low fat peanut butter, Kashi bars, etc. I bring two pieces of fruit to eat during the day too.

    For exercise, I have to hit the gym before work, or I'm too tired after. Routine is gym, breakfast, mid-morning fruit, lunch, mid-afternoon fruit, dinner at home, evening bowl of cereal for my snack, bed. Very little processed food, lots of fruit and veg, and little effort to pull it off.
  • mike_hill
    mike_hill Posts: 61 Member
    30, been in IT since during my college days. Nice to have a group of similar guys (and gals) out here on MFP. Here are the things I have done the past couple months, although most you probably already have heard from other sources.

    Water - I drink about 100 oz a day on average.
    Learn to say "no" to that donut/bagel/cake/whatever at work. Once you can say no, you have taken the power away from food! It is a great feeling to get to the point where you can do this :)
    Log everything you eat. Don't cheat and don't worry about "bad" days. Treat each meal and day as a new chance to make good choices.
    Every meal doesn't have to be super duper healthy, but on average I try to look for the healthy options. I love your subway suggestion, and I probably eat my Jarod Turkey sub once a week.
    Excercise - do whatever is comfortable for you and stick with it. There are many days we don't feel like walking/running/weights/gym/whatever but if you stick with it, it always feels better in the end.

    I am only about 3 months in and so I am no seasoned expert, but it is working for me and I don't feel deprived or unable to "live life" because of my choices. For this reason I believe I can keep it up and be a success.

    Best of luck to everyone with their weigh loss goals, especially those in IT.
  • dshale
    dshale Posts: 265 Member
    I'm a 34 year old software developer with a140 mile daily commute for work. I used to write medical software now I'm more into CRM and sales automation. I can associate which the struggles of putting time in at the office, keeping up with technology, and neglecting yourself.

    I'm currently trying to build up my strength and endurance which is the easier for me to change over my eating habits. However, keeping myself busy has cut out most of the evening snacks. I'm not afraid of exercising, I just got out of the habit of doing it. My wife and I have two boys, two and four, which keep me busy too. They are also a great motivator for me to get into better shape.
  • SeanMurphy
    SeanMurphy Posts: 62
    I'm a 34 year old software developer with a140 mile daily commute for work. I used to write medical software now I'm more into CRM and sales automation. I can associate which the struggles of putting time in at the office, keeping up with technology, and neglecting yourself.

    How do you find the time to do anything with like, what? 4 hours of driving a day? Good lord, sir.
  • Saruman_w
    Saruman_w Posts: 1,531 Member
    Well I'm a Software Developer so I guess that's close enough to IT. Sit around all day staring at a computer screen.
  • dshale
    dshale Posts: 265 Member
    I'm a 34 year old software developer with a140 mile daily commute for work. I used to write medical software now I'm more into CRM and sales automation. I can associate which the struggles of putting time in at the office, keeping up with technology, and neglecting yourself.

    How do you find the time to do anything with like, what? 4 hours of driving a day? Good lord, sir.

    Almost all interstate travel going away from most commuters. I can do the 70 mile one way in about an hour and fifteen to an hour and a half.
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