Counteracting the "Unhealthy Gamer" Reputation
By Wizardtrain187 22 Comments
I love video games and at the same time I love being in good shape. Unfortunately the two don't always go hand and hand, especially if you're a hardcore gamer and are used to a more sedentary lifestyle. Besides the “violent video games make kids shoot people” claim, those pushing for anti-gaming legislation do have a bit of ammunition to use in validating the negative consequences of video games, and that’s the physical shape and health of most gamers.
First, lets be honest with ourselves; video games (besides maybe the Wii) do not promote health. That’s not saying they’re bad, its just that they can contribute to a less active lifestyle which in and of itself is bad. There are a lot of us that have found a happy medium, while others have gone to the extreme end of the spectrum. Extremes are never good. I relate it to consuming alcohol; when you’re in control it’s can be a pleasurable pastime but too much and it turns into a mess.
Second, how can we possibly be good stewards of video gaming and represent our hobby well if we’re in poor health and look like slobs? People attach poor health to video games because there are millions of gamers out there that illustrate the fact. You could hardly defend the use of alcohol if you’re slurring your words and vomiting all of yourself, how can you possibly defend games if your belly hangs over your pants and you’re wheezing after walking 30 yards?
I don’t believe that video games necessarily have addictive qualities, but like food I believe people allow themselves to become addicted as a means of coping. That’s fine, I escape to the digital realm on a regular basis, but I’ve also found other ways to escape that make my mind and body feel great.
I understand working out isn’t for everyone, but that’s not what this article is about. This article is about introducing yourself to fitness/better health through the medium you love the most and after while you may just find that you like it, even crave it.
1.Change your beverage habits while gaming. In my hey day, I’d consume 5-6 soft drinks while playing long late night stretches of gaming. A Mountain Dew (my beverage of choice at the time) has 170 calories and 46 grams of sugar, which doesn’t sound like much until you realize that after 6, I’ve consumed over half of my daily caloric need and its all from empty calories. Start by splitting your time between diet and regular, than go all diet, then split your diet with water and finally use water as your gaming beverage of choice. You’ll be hydrated, consume 0 calories and realize that your energy level steadily increases without the aid of stimulants such as caffeine.
2.Change your eating habits as well. If I didn’t eat before I played, I’d often reach for easy foods such as chips, candy and other junk staples. After I put down a bag of Taco flavored Doritos, I realized that between that and the pop I’d consumed my calories for the day, and my body had received nothing of nutritional value. Make sure to get yourself a healthy meal before playing, and if you want a snack, go for low fat popcorn, grapes or unsalted almonds (obviously in moderation).
3.Get some sleep. Sleep is very important to your health, and lack of it is dertimental. Reduce your late night gaming to the weekends, when you can sleep in a little longer the following day. keep in mind though that illuminated screens like tvs and computer monitors make it difficult to sleep, so give yourself enough time in between gaing and your bed time to let your mind cool down a bit.
4.Give yourself activity breaks. When I first began my transition into a healthier way of living, I told myself that for every hour I played I’d take a 5-10 minute break to walk the stairs, do jumping jacks or other physical activities. This helped because I didn’t feel bored or too tired after exercising like this and realized that after playing for 3-6 hours I actually got a solid workout in. Eventually I increased the intensity and would do plyometrics for ten minutes each break, which got my heart rate going and increased my energy.
5. “Punish” yourself for poor gaming. I remember when I played football I’d have to do pushups, run laps ,etc if I made a mistake on the field. Why not translate that to gaming? I got to the point that I did a few push ups every time I died in Bad Company 2, which resulted in around 30-40 push ups by the end of a game (I obviously wasn’t very good). It not only got me stronger but actually made me think more about the strategy I was using. No more stupid mistakes because the more I made, the harder it was to hold the control.
6. Use gaming as a reward. In the beginning, I fooled myself into thinking that I could play for a bit before going to workout. Three hours later I’d lost interest in being physically active all together. Once you’re consistent with a workout routine, make sure you complete it before embarking on a session of gaming. Your brains derives pleasure from both and will sometimes be content with only completing the easier one. Make your brain crave exercise and the reward of video games will be much sweeter.
7.Try a Wii. The Wii is a great tool for beginning your transition, even if you don’t like the fitness games. Because you’re forced to stand more than sit, you actually end up burning more calories and working stabilizer muscles at the same time. If you’re sitting while playing the games, you are kind of missing the point (all though I know there are some games that are more old school in their control schemes).
It’s not that tough and once you see and feel the results of these slight modifications to your gaming routine, you may just want to do a little more. If you truly want to stick it to the haters, finish a 5k with a Contra shirt on or pull up your shirt to reveal washboard abs while contesting the reputation of gamers. In the end, a true gamer wants to play for as long as they can, don’t miss out on future generations of gaming because of irresponsibility and a premature death.
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