Friday, September 26, 2008

But they Don't Fall Down

Continuing on my theme, a Zen master once told me that the only thing Zen masters have in common with each other is hemorrhoids. I'll also throw out there that you can pretty much judge a spiritual teacher by how late they are. Apparently, real spirituality requires throwing away your watch. Applying this to game store owners, the one thing we seem to have in common is spread.

Increasing girth is a common problem for store owners, one that I've experienced over the last four years. My recent trade show experience reminded me of that. The problem is that our jobs are fairly sedentary, along with our "career development," playing tabletop games for fun and education. I spent the last three months painting non-stop, so I'm feeling fatter than ever before. It's not just that I weigh more, it's that everything seems to settle towards the center, like a weeble wobble toy. It doesn't help that I'm getting older, with some gray in my beard along with my expanding midsection. I started working out again yesterday, a minimal distance on the treadmill at home; a circuit mile to start. Man, what a difference. Now I just have to continue it.

10 comments:

  1. Maybe you can install some treadmills in the gaming area so the customers who are so large they can't even fit on a seat can try and get some exercise while the game :)

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  2. I've been finding grey hair in my beard, and I haven't even reached 30 yet. Aging is compulsory, but growing up... I refuse to do that!

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  3. Must remember to get my name corrected next time I go in. Seems you've gotten my surname into your database wrongly!

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  4. I blame my increasing gut on marriage and my wife's breakfast preferences. Used to be I either skipped breakfast or maybe had a breakfast bar or a pop tart. Now I have a full meal of eggs, bacon and some form of toasted bread product most mornings.

    The phrase "I'm skipping breakfast this morning" isn't acceptable in our house :-P

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  5. I used to think it was a trick to fatten me up so no other woman would find me desirable. It worked. ;)

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  6. I wouldn't say to skip meals or anything drastic like that, just watch what you eat and how much of it you eat. Being consistent with a workout plan is very important as well.

    My first step was quitting soda; I've never looked back at my chunky self since. Good luck.

    -Josh

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  7. Yeah, soda is another factor. I had given it up before getting married, but my wife is addicted to the stuff, and with it always being around it's hard to stay away from it.

    I found that in my thirties at least I tend to operate better on two full meals a day: an early lunch and a late dinner, with small snacks as necessary. When doing that I have enough energy to get things done while being able to maintain my weight with very minimal excercise.

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  8. The problem for a lot of us is more subtle. You might gain just a pound a year, without a big lifestyle change. Then you find yourself with a slowing metabolism, and that pound a year after twenty years is twenty pounds. Worse, your metabolism makes it harder to lose it once it's off.

    I lost about ten pounds walking around Paris two years ago and probably ten pounds with the move, but they all come back and with a vengeance when your metabolism slows down again when your life goes back to normal.

    My goal now is just a mile a day of walking. No radical diet change or activity change. Just a mile.

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  9. I think Gary that you will find that will work wonders.

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  10. I have to say, after four or five days of the walking, it's been a great improvement in my energy level and state of mind. It's also a good time to listen to gaming podcasts, which nowadays I find tedious and dull (and as self indulgent as some bloggers I know ;).

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