Basically a fitness site for gamers with a goal of GenCon 2010:

http://geeksdreamgirl.com/2009/08/20/what-will-you-look-like-at-gencon-2010/

I think that's a fairly good goal, really. But it blurs the goalposts. Obsessing with weight itself is the wrong perception.

What you have to want are two things: to be healthy and to look good.

So aiming at going from "Fat bastard" to Keanu Reeves overnight is just an unrealistic expectation. Hell, if you're starting from "fat bastard" EVER getting to "keanu reeves" is simply unrealistic, and shouldn't be the point.

As Penn & Teller proved in their Bullshit episode on weight, body-mass index is a crock as it presently exists, its based on faulty 19th century science; and being thin doesn't necessarily mean being either fit or healthy.

Nor does it mean looking good; the thin guys at Gencon who were dressed in torn cheese-sauce-stained t-shirts that hadn't been changed in 4 weeks are no better to either the eye or the nose than the fat guy in the same shirt.

So if we're going to re-educate the Gamers on this, we need to get them to start practicing daily hygiene and dressing up nicely too.  Not everyone might want to go around wearing suits, but understanding that shirts (or pants) which have developed holes or permanent stains are not the way to go, would already be a big step forward.

As for physical health, if you exercise, you will lose weight. If you exercise regularly, you will hit your ideal weight and be healthy, whatever that weight is. And you will feel better and look better.
The point isn't to be a bodybuilding adonis, and in fact most of those guys are actually quite unfit from putting too much strain on their body.
For my own part, I have a bit of an "alpha male belly" natural for a man my age, size and body.  My body is otherwise thin, and I exercise daily (secret Tibetan Buddhist Yoga!), and my weight has stayed steady (give or take a kilo) for years.
I can sit in the lotus posture, I can bend fully to touch my toes standing up, I can contort my torso; I can do 21 leg-lifts, I can do the "backwards crab", I can do repeated sun-salutations, my leg muscles can support my whole body leaning 45º backwards. I am, in other words, fit.

And between that and my sense of dress style, while I am certainly not as muscular as Kyle Aaron's alleged photo would show him to be, I sure as fuck am better-looking than he is.

And that should be the goal: A Gencon 2010 full of well-dressed healthy people who don't smell funny!

RPGPundit

Quote from: RPGPundit;322473And that should be the goal: A Gencon 2010 full of well-dressed healthy people who don't smell funny!

RPGPundit

And it should take place on the Moon!

Quote from: RPGPundit;322473I have a bit of an "alpha male belly" natural for a man my age, size and body.

Wow.  That is just too precious.

Thanks for the link to the #fit4gencon project, Abyssal Maw.  :-)

Pundit, I'm not sure where the "obsessed with weight" idea came from... I've made it clear that the community is open to both those looking to lose weight and/or build muscle.  My goal happens to be losing weight through healthy food choices and exercise.

For some folks, exercise isn't an option.  We're talking those geeks who have to ride scooters around because they can't walk.  For them, losing weight is the first goalpost.  Then they can start to incorporate exercise.

We're keeping this project as open as we can so people can set their goals and do things the way they want to do them.  If they want to track the hours they spend working out, cool.  If they want to track pounds lost, cool.  Both?  Go for it.  We're just building a supportive community of other geeks who want to be healthier when GenCon 2010 rolls around.

Quote from: RPGPundit;322473As for physical health, if you exercise, you will lose weight. If you exercise regularly, you will hit your ideal weight and be healthy, whatever that weight is. And you will feel better and look better.

I always feel slightly queasy when Pundit posts something I agree with.

Still, at least he included an unnecessary jab at Kyle, and admitted to having a pot belly. What about the moobs, though, man? C-cup yet?

While I struggle with my keeping OT issues: it's not easy to keep as healthy as you'd like to be. I admit, I've little time for those that get themselves into trouble and moan about it. But it's not easy.

Gen Con this year actually made me feel better about my weight and looks this year.

Why was I the "last Klingon Standing" compared to previous years?

 Answer: Because I could still fit into my outfit !! Thats why!!
I even let my diet slip the 2 weeks beforehand - and I still fit into the garbv each of the 4 days.
Though I would like to comfortably go back to the tighter notch on the Klingon belt.

My team mates pointed out that comparatively speaking I was better looking than I realized and not as overweight as I thought I was.  


- Ed C.

I was just informed by my doctor (this afternoon) that my cholesterol and fat levels were some of the lowest he'd ever seen in an adult. In his words, I have "virtually no cardiac risk." He gave me a license to eat bacon and steak- at will.

I ascribe to the theory that I don't enjoy life enough as it is to reduce my enjoyment further in a vain attempt to drag the misery on a few more dreadfully bleak years.  Thus I too have a license to eat all the bacon and steak I want.  

Of course, if Aos is eating all that bacon and steak, maybe I should just plan on eating HIM and cut out the middleman....

There's plenty to go around; make sure to bring your lady friends.

Quote from: Aos;322474And it should take place on the Moon!

Touche.

RPGPundit

Quote from: GeeksDreamGirl;322496Thanks for the link to the #fit4gencon project, Abyssal Maw.  :-)

Pundit, I'm not sure where the "obsessed with weight" idea came from... I've made it clear that the community is open to both those looking to lose weight and/or build muscle.  My goal happens to be losing weight through healthy food choices and exercise.

Ok, fair enough. And welcome to theRPGsite!

There were really two things I focused on in your initial post: the first is that it seemed to focus on weight as a measure of healthiness, which is not really the key by itself; though given what you say above clearly it was not your intention to push "weight loss uber alles", so good.
The second was that thinner gamers alone will not make for a good gencon experience, if you don't also focus on some of those basic social elements so many gamers seem to lack: basic hygiene and sense of dress.
Not to mention social behaviour, but at this point we're shooting for the moon, as Aos so aptly pointed out.

QuoteFor some folks, exercise isn't an option.  We're talking those geeks who have to ride scooters around because they can't walk.  For them, losing weight is the first goalpost.  Then they can start to incorporate exercise.

Jesus Christ, if you let yourself get to that kind of a point of obesity, due to causes unrelated to say, serious injury or disease, I'm not sure that much can really be done.

QuoteWe're keeping this project as open as we can so people can set their goals and do things the way they want to do them.  If they want to track the hours they spend working out, cool.  If they want to track pounds lost, cool.  Both?  Go for it.  We're just building a supportive community of other geeks who want to be healthier when GenCon 2010 rolls around.

I do think that's a very laudable goal.

RPGPundit

Quote from: Quire;322500I always feel slightly queasy when Pundit posts something I agree with.

Still, at least he included an unnecessary jab at Kyle, and admitted to having a pot belly. What about the moobs, though, man? C-cup yet?

Nope. Maybe a training bra.

RPGPundit

Truthfully Pundit, I'd be satisfied with improved hygiene. T-shirts and jeans, ripped or otherwise would seem to be fairly appropriate for a recreational gaming con. i mean if it were a pro show (and for a minority it is) that would be different. However, as someone who works outside during the summer, I've got to tell you that size of person and their ability to generate a funk are definitely linked.

Quote from: Aos;322508I was just informed by my doctor (this afternoon) that my cholesterol and fat levels were some of the lowest he'd ever seen in an adult. In his words, I have "virtually no cardiac risk." He gave me a license to eat bacon and steak- at will.

I can only eat bacon per encounter and steak as a daily.