Breakfast Topic: How do you make time for working out?
by Stephanie Drury 
Jan 19th 2011 at 8:00AM
A recent NPC comic strip touched on an issue I find very near and not quite dear to my ... mid section. It has one of the main characters admitting he's gained some weight; he then suggests that a rule be enacted that he cannot play WoW until he has worked out.
Sounds simple, right? Some would say that depends on your level of self-control and willpower. Having tried this rule myself, I also say it depends on your raid schedule, your work schedule and any unexpected overtime, the traffic levels on your drive home, what's for dinner ... There is so much to this balancing act that such a rule is tough to keep in place. Do you make 24 people counting on you to be in a raid wait for you or replace you while you do your workout regimen?
An obvious rebuttal: Work out in the morning! Well, as the comic strip characters find out, that doesn't always pan out either. On a regular day I get up at 5 a.m., which is plenty early enough for me without a workout on top of it.
How do you balance your gaming habits and health concerns? Do you work out in the morning? Do you have a rule in place as the comic characters did, that you can't play til you work out? Or perhaps you're one of the lucky people who just have a high metabolism? /jealous
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Guest Posts
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
Tavil Jan 19th 2011 8:09AM
I dont. Just not much of an exercise person.
Eternauta Jan 19th 2011 10:15AM
Same here.
Me and my beer belly are inseparable pals.
Hob Jan 19th 2011 3:00PM
Kevin James said it best. Although he was talking about greeting cards, IMO it works for WoW, too:
What is it about the card? They don't represent real life... A big sunset, with the two deer drinking out of a pond, creating the ripples of water. That's not our life! It should say "I'm fat, you're fat, see you in the kitchen in 10 minutes."
Frase32 Jan 20th 2011 10:22AM
I am of the opinion that it is not ok to be fat. To clarify I don't mean this from a social perspective. It should never be ok to discriminate against someone who is fat. That should go without saying.
That being said, obesity is a disease and it will kill you. If you have cancer, you treat it right? You change your life to beat cancer. Endure surgery, radiation and chemotherapy that leaves you weakened and hairless. But, when a lot of people become obese, they go straight into denial. Usual suspect excuses like "I'm not fat, I'm just big boned.", are tossed around.
These excuses, and there are many more than the one example I gave, only enable people to remain in the delusion state they are probably in with regards to their weight. An obese person is statistically much more likely to become a chronic burden on the health care system and more importantly on their family.
jealouspirate Jan 19th 2011 8:10AM
I do about half an hour of weight training and then run for half an hour three times a week. My schedule varies, so the time and day may not be the same each week.
It's just one of those things you just have to do. Sometimes (usually?) I'd rather just be cozy and play WoW, but I've found that after keeping a consistent exercise schedule for a few weeks you really start to notice the benefits and it becomes a lot easier to motivate yourself. You feel good after exercising, and you know that neglecting it will make you lose all progress you've achieved. That's a big motivator for me.
elfindale Jan 19th 2011 9:48AM
Err... this is EXACTLY what I would have said here if you hadn't already said it. Lol.
Ikarus Jan 20th 2011 11:23AM
This. If you can hang in there 2-3 weeks until you start to see some of the benefits it can be a real motivator. I"ve also found that, for me anyway, there's a momentum that build if you can be disciplined those first few weeks.
Luis Alluren Jan 19th 2011 8:11AM
I swim for almost 26 years... For as much as busy I might be, I always find time to get in the pool for at least 20 mins per day - I rather spend that time there than farming gold - and if I have a bit more time, I then get on the wetsuit and go to the sea instead
If one wants, there's always rme for exercising and traffic, overtime or any of the others should never be an excuse...
... And ask any people that does (proper) workout and they will all tell you that you "middle section" isn't groing because you dont exercise: it's what you've been eating
Ste Jan 19th 2011 8:18AM
You swim for 26 years before you allow yourself to play WOW?
Josin Jan 19th 2011 10:22AM
I've been getting 2 half-hour swim workouts in every week. My swimming's gotten a bit better but my midsection's still about the same so far.
Going to try to increase the frequency to 3 times a week if I can.
Uthame Jan 19th 2011 3:24PM
@Josin
I'd look more to your calorie intake than anything. There's free apps all over the place that can help you track it. I don't know about you, but if you're a guy like me, purely consuming less calories than you burn in a typical day will give you the fastest weight loss.
Of course, people take that to mean starving themselves which is plain stupid. You merely use the many available online resources to come to some kind of consensus on your daily intake, and try to get just below it by a 50-100 calories.
Kennebec Jan 19th 2011 8:12AM
I get enough exercise at work, jumping to conclusions, doging work, and evading bosses that I don't need to worry about exercise at home.
Bazz Jan 19th 2011 4:20PM
Haha, liked that one
Kaphik Jan 19th 2011 8:13AM
I enter the LFD as DPS, and then do my workout waiting for the queue to pop.
jealouspirate Jan 19th 2011 8:15AM
This is a great idea!
TobiasX Jan 19th 2011 10:44AM
Exactly the same for me. 20-30 minute queues give you more than enough time for some aerobics or weights and as my weights are in the same room as my pc I can carefully put the weights down and relax my muscles when I see the queue pop.
Necromann Jan 19th 2011 1:51PM
I have recently started this, unless of course my guild wants me to heal, then I don't get to.
The Angry Intern Jan 19th 2011 2:52PM
LOL, I never thought of this, but that's actually a pretty good idea!
duskhawk Jan 20th 2011 11:46AM
This is a great idea. 40 min DPS queues seem to be average.
Contra Jan 19th 2011 8:13AM
I don't. But now I just might - a friend of mine has been recently brought into hospital with a cardiac arrest. At the age of 33.