Gym? I Hardly Know Him
If the definition of “computer specialist” can be stretched to include software engineers, then software engineering qualifies for Heather Boerner’s list of America’s Surprisingly Unhealthy Jobs. Though Boerner states that computer specialist jobs are associated with issues of ergonomics and her article appears to equate unhealthiness merely with injury, it is worth considering a sedentary work environment as a source of other health issues.
I have been developing software for more than full-time over the past two years. My day typically consists of working in front of a computer with some breaks for personal upkeep, which includes things like eating and sleeping. Unfortunately, physical activity was not included in my upkeep. It can be said that I’ve consumed a lot of calories or energy units without actually using them, and my body has been storing them daily in its own way.
I was looking to join a gym at the start of the year. The prices at that time were very high. The gym that is most convenient to me was charging and continues to charge above 50USD per month. That’s about 600USD per year, with some of it due at initiation. People can debate the value of my health and assign it a worth greater than 600USD per year, but I really could not make such a big financial commitment. The expense was just not financially feasible. So, I fished for a deal. I monitored the 24 Hour Fitness site on Mondays for the deals that they make available for only four hours, and I snapped up a deal for a year of membership at 200USD. That’s just about 17USD per month and is about the same amount that I would have paid at initiation for the club’s normal membership pricing.
I go to the gym every other day on average over the week. My workouts are fairly consistent. As it is early in my membership, I may decide to vary my routine at a later time. The current goal is to raise my heart rate and keep it high for a set period of time, and maybe burn some calories. I want to be able to eat what pleases me, but with some exercise, I hope to be able to slow the rate that my body stores the unused energy that I consume.
June 10th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Good to hear. Gagne and I work out 3x a week, and Josh is starting too. If you want some tips (and I spent a lot of time, wasting my time), just let me know. Happy to help you accelerate.