Me Fit: A Pledge to Break the Fat Gamer Nerd Stereotype (and Not the Scale)

 
We all know that one stereotype about nerds: fat gamers who live in their mothers’ basements. Well, let me tell you – I may live with my mom (hey, the economy’s in bad shape!), but I most certainly do not live in her basement. In fact, our house doesn’t even have a basement.

But I digress. Somewhere along the line, I became that stereotypical nerd – an overweight guy with a penchant for Big Macs and long stretches of World of Warcraft playtime. It didn’t always used to be this way; as a child, I did put in many hours of gaming, but I also spent a lot of time playing outside. By the time I finished college, I’d put on the Freshman 15, and then some – because who has time to cook healthy food when you’ve got an Assassin’s Creed game that you can’t stop playing?

I’m not saying that I’m fat because I’m a gamer. Not only does logic dictate that there are gamers out there with balanced diets and active lifestyles, I count many of them among my friends. I’ve come to realize, however, that taking things in moderation is something I’ve struggled with for many years. It can apply to gaming, and it can certainly apply to eating.

It’s no lie that gaming is often part of a sedentary lifestyle, and those with sedentary lifestyles like myself also tend to make not-so-great decisions about what they eat. When I finally started counting many calories I’d consume in a fast-food fueled D&D session, I admitted to myself that I was making poor choices and knew it was time to take action. I realized that not only am I tired of being fat, but also that I’d need to make some changes – or else my “Game Over” might come far before I’m ready.

Let me be clear about one thing: I respect all body types, and I am in no way passing judgment on bigger folk. Hell, Mario is the most famous video game character in the world and he’s got more than a few extra pounds (must be all that Italian food)! However, I realized that I am not the person I want to be. I’ve spent so much time playing video games or tabletop RPGs, taking on the role of another persona, that I’ve lost sight of me.

So, I’ve made a decision – not a New Year’s Resolution, or a choice to go on a short-term diet. I want to make a lifestyle change. I want to be a nerd who’s in good shape. I want to be a gamer geek who makes healthy choices about what he eats. I’m capable of level grinding in games, so why can’t I level grind IRL?

This is my journey to a thinner, healthier me. This is Me Fit.

I originally wanted to call this column “Mii Fit”, but then I figured lawyers might get involved, and I don’t want Geek Life getting slapped with a nasty cease and desist letter from my favorite gaming company. So, instead, I’m going with “Me Fit” – just think of it like all those third-party games with “We” in the title that are obviously trying to make a reference to Wii.

Now, I know our very own Jamie has talked about fitness on a budget a few times, but I wanted to share this ongoing process with you in hopes that it might inspire someone out there. I’m just a regular nerdy guy, and I’m not going to go on any crash diets or buy any of those crazy exercise machines you see on infomercials. I’m just going to get fit and eat healthy, plain and simple – and because I’m a geek, I’ll even use games and apps to help me out. Won’t you join me?

Next time: why Wii Fit didn’t work for me, and how Nintendo can improve on a good concept.
 

About Jon

Jon can remember the location of every heart container in the original Legend of Zelda. Okay, maybe not every heart container, but most of them. A native of Northern California, he grew up with NES, a Windows 3.1 computer, and The Disney Afternoon. Aside from his obvious love of video games, Jon geeks out over music, movies, and "gadgets and gizmos aplenty" (to borrow a phrase from The Little Mermaid). If Jon were sorted into a house at Hogwarts, the Sorting Hat would consider Ravenclaw, but eventually place him in Hufflepuff. He currently works at an elementary school, where he occasionally has nerdy conversations with kids about Marvel superheroes and Star Wars.

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