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It's funny. Laugh. IT

IT Workers Are Getting Fatter 366

Posted by kdawson from the wide-boys dept.
buzzardsbay writes "While technologies such as virtualization, multi-threading, and blade servers have made the data center leaner, those who work there are getting... well... not leaner. According to a new study by CareerBuilder.com, 34 percent of IT workers say they have gained more than ten pounds in their current jobs. And 16 percent say they've gained at least twice that. The culprits seem to be the stressful-yet-sedentary nature of tech work coupled with our famously poor eating habits. According to the survey, some 41 percent of IT workers eat out for lunch twice or more per week, making portion and calorie control difficult. Eleven percent buy their lunch out of a vending machine at least once a week."
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IT Workers Are Getting Fatter More

IT Workers Are Getting Fatter

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  • Not just IT workers (Score:5, Funny)

    by Lord Grey ( 463613 ) * on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @09:42PM (#23486884)
    From TFA:

    ... IT workers [in the United States] can take heart in another CareerBuilder finding: They are less chubby than financial services and government workers. Fifty-three percent of financial workers said they have gained weight at their current jobs, while the number for government workers is 52 percent.

    I guess if you're a sysadmin for the Internal Revenue Service then you're really screwed.
  • Nothing wrong with eating out (besides the financial hit). Just don't go to fastfood :)

    • Re:Eating out (Score:5, Funny)

      by TheRealMindChild ( 743925 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @09:59PM (#23487060) Homepage Journal
      Actually, I have found that just smoking more crack on the days that I eat McDonalds solves the problem~

    • Re:Eating out (Score:5, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @10:06PM (#23487136)
      OR you could move about occasionally at work. I know that I don't *have* to sit and stare at my happy little green on black terminal all day- though I sometimes do. Little stuff like kicking your legs (Pretend that someone cares, you are alone in that dark room and you know it) can help lots. I personally have a set of 15lb dumbbells under the desk. Good for passing time, or threatening that damned mail room guy who vehemently claims that I slow down his machines on purpose. Despite his nice habit of subconsciously closing out ads as they open.

      Anger in the workplace has done nothing but good for my health. Sitting there shaking in rage at the Pointy-hairs burns calories like no other! The same can be said about the ten minutes of heart pounding after I am 'surprise' visited by my uppers.

      Sometimes I wish that I had a bowflex down here just to toy with them. Make them think that I actually DO have time to work out. Even better would be the questions as to how it GOT there in the first place. Piece by piece, just like I learned from MASH.

      Oh, and working out. Moving around. Sex. Eat whatever you want, just move about some more to compensate!

      • Re:Eating out (Score:5, Interesting)

        by apok04 ( 630953 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @11:26PM (#23487768)
        While I agree with much of what you say (I walk to lunch if I'm going out to eat, and I take the stairs all day), I've found that stress alone can actually cause me to *gain* weight. A study in a recent volume of Men's Health (can't find the link right now) also pointed to a link between high stress and weight gain.

        The caveat is that for me, high stress can be the motivation I need for an extra-hard workout at the gym or an extra 2 miles on my run that day. Recently, after a manager whose job title could officially be "chief roadblock" sent me an email (CC'ing my boss) accusing me of being a "PowerPoint Engineer" (because he couldn't understand my UML diagram since he has no background in software), I hit the gym for 2 hours and took a 15 mile run in the same day. I definitely felt a lot better after that.
        • Stress causes your body to produce chemicals that make you gain weight.

          I'm Partially agreed on the stress making me want to exercise more. With me, it depends on the kind of stress.

          If it's something that makes me angry, I can work it off. If it's something that makes me depressed, working out doesn't seem to help me.

          You work out and run. Me, I work out as well, but instead of running, I have the habit of taking a bokku-to out and using it until it snaps or spending an hour or so against a heavy bag.

          • Re:Eating out (Score:4, Insightful)

            by digitig ( 1056110 ) on Wednesday May 21, 2008 @05:00AM (#23490008)

            If it's something that makes me depressed, working out doesn't seem to help me.
            Working out is supposed to help with depression -- endorphins and all that -- but the trouble is that when I'm depressed I can't be bothered to work out.

    • There's nothing wrong with fast food. In fact it can be pretty economical -- you DON'T have to order the triple patty meal with the large fries and the giant drink. One to two items from the dollar or less menu and a water, it's all you really need.

      • Re: (Score:2, Redundant)

        by Khashishi ( 775369 )
        That is, if you don't care about something called nutrition.

        • Re:Eating out (Score:5, Interesting)

          by edalytical ( 671270 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @11:50PM (#23487968)
          Except nutrition is about balance. Of course you should eat fruits and vegetables etc, but a hamburger has nutrients too. And besides just eating nutritiously won't make you loose weight! A soda has about as many calories as fruit juice.

          • Re:Eating out (Score:5, Insightful)

            by TheModelEskimo ( 968202 ) on Wednesday May 21, 2008 @12:24AM (#23488302)
            Funny, I thought the conversation was about nutrients, not calories. Compare soda and fruit juice based on nutrients and you should (unless you're talking about Capri Sun or Sunny-D) come to the conclusion that yes, fruit juice is better for you. And it goes without saying that "balancing" a fruit-and-vegetable diet with hamburgers is something you really shouldn't be worried about. Or just be prepared to explain why your diet needs more enriched white bread, corn syrup condiments and carcinogenically enhanced (charred) meat. :)

            • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

              by edalytical ( 671270 )
              The article is about getting fatter which has everything to do with calories not nutrients. The conversation IMHO is about the original poster incorrectly correlating fast food with weight gain because it's considered "junk food". That is plain wrong. If you'd like we can call it "junk food", but it's still overeating that makes you fat. Like I said before "eating nutritiously won't make you loose weight." And that's a fact. My statement about soda and juice was supporting that fact.

              • Re:Eating out (Score:5, Funny)

                by Gordonjcp ( 186804 ) on Wednesday May 21, 2008 @02:26AM (#23489154) Homepage
                Like I said before "eating nutritiously won't make you loose(sic) weight."

                Yup. After reading a leaflet about "Five a Day" [dh.gov.uk] I started eating a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables and drinking lots of water at work, instead of chocolate and crisps and fizzy drinks, and I gained a lot of weight. I mean, I felt great - I had loads of energy, never felt hungry, and I looked and felt generally healthier - great. Shame about gaining about gaining so much weight.

                Of course it wasn't until a couple of weeks later while we were out shopping that my girlfriend pointed out that it's meant to be five *portions* of fresh fruit and vegetables per day, not five *kilos*...

      • Re:Eating out (Score:5, Insightful)

        by Xzzy ( 111297 ) <`gro.h7urt' `ta' `rehtes'> on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @11:16PM (#23487702) Homepage
        Eating out at work can have other benefits too.. such as escaping the office environment for some mental recovery. Complaining about the bureaucracy with co-workers can be very therapeutic. ;)

        • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

          by hey! ( 33014 )

          Complaining about the bureaucracy with co-workers can be very therapeutic.

          Actually, it's not therapueutic.

          Pop psychology has adopted a model of the human mind from the early days of the industrial revolution: the steam engine. You correct a dangerously overheated boiler by "letting off steam". You can't fix an overstressed mind that way.

          The human mind is something for which we don't have an exact mechanical analog yet, but it certainly doesn't work such a simplistic way. True, you feel better after "lett

  • Only PC is getting fat... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Aardpig ( 622459 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @09:47PM (#23486932)
    ...Mac is still skinny. He better watch out; PC may get peckish, and eat him.

    • Re:Only PC is getting fat... (Score:5, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @10:19PM (#23487260)
      Wouldn't be the first time. A while back, Windows XP got really hungry on his way to the store and he ate the resident hobo, Windows ME. He got really sick afterwards, went into a coma, and once he woke up, he ran away and changed his name. We now call him Windows Vista.

  • Get out more (Score:5, Interesting)

    by bluefoxlucid ( 723572 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @09:50PM (#23486948) Homepage Journal
    IT jobs like to hand you infinite snacks these days, there's a load of chips and such in the break room. Company culture tends to gravitate towards dubbing a measure of weight gain "The ACME Corp 20" or such nonsense, to which newbies gain some 20 pounds or so and then start limiting snack room visits.

    Me, I use the stairs to get to floor 5. I have leg weights. I was in a martial arts class but a shift change took that off my plate, damn. Need to get back to the dojo. Diet? Exercise? Screw that, my entertainment and normal transportation (that is, without elevators) keeps me from being a fat ass.

    • Re:Get out more (Score:5, Insightful)

      by j0nb0y ( 107699 ) <(jonboy300) (at) (yahoo.com)> on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @09:54PM (#23487014) Homepage
      I don't think most IT workers have seen infinite snacks since the dot com days... These days you're lucky to get free coffee.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by oatworm ( 969674 )
        Free coffee? My work won't even give me chicory root to satisfy my stimulant needs. Fortunately, ephedra-rich Mormon Tea grows natively here, so, if I ever pick some weeds out of my yard, I can run off that...

    • Re:Get out more (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Achoi77 ( 669484 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @11:38PM (#23487832)

      When I've started my new job I started hitting the gym. At first it was mostly an hour of cardio, perhaps something like every day for about 3 months. Began moving up to more intensive exercises gradually, starting with the elliptical, then moving to exercise bike, then eventually hitting up the treadmill. Nothing too intensive, just consistent, even if it's a weaksauce 'performance' compared to the other members. (I've eventually worked up to roughly 5 miles in an hour)

      I try not to hit the gym during peak hours - that's when all the muscleheads and casual gym attendees show up, trying to out-do each other. Sometimes I get caught up in the act too - cranking out heavier weights than the next guy out of sheer ego - but that's just a waste of time and excessive strain on the body without much improvement. Dumb dumb dumb. I've noticed the biggest improvements when doing consistent exercises with very small, gradual increments. So it's best to keep your ego in check and just keep on trucking at a casual pace. You don't want to damage something that may potentially put you out of commission out for a few weeks at the gym.

      It's been about 6 months now and I've been bored strictly with the cardio, so I've been lifting weights more - again gradually increasing intensity. When I don't feel like hitting the weights, I just get back on the treadmill, usually around once a week. The rest of the week is on the weights rotating different muscle groups each day. Nothing too serious, just doing various exercises to keep my heartbeat up.

      I started at 210lbs, now I'm at 176lbs. Not too shabby. I've been trying to drop a pound a week, but now that I'm lifting heavier weights I've been focusing less on the scale.

      Now it's become such a routine that even if I don't feel like going to the gym, I just go in to get my heartbeat up.

      I think the biggest factor to the weight loss itself wasn't the gym, but more the portion control. I try not to eat these humongous single meals anymore. What I do notice is that I have less cravings for specific fatty foods, I have no idea how that change has come about - I still love to eat burgers and fries, I just don't crave it like I used to. Maybe the cardio affected my physiology, *shrug* who knows. Too bad it hasn't affected by nicotine cravings :(

      What's pretty funny was when I started seriously playing World of Warcraft as soon as I get home from work. I would log on immediately when I got home, play straight thru the night, then go to bed around 2am because I was tired from raiding, skipping dinner entirely. I think I lost the majority of my weight during that span of time - talk about ironic.

      This became such a regular occurrence that I've noticed I was less hungry in the morning when I went to bed hungry, and whenever I went to bed on a full stomach I would wake up starving looking to eat anything - and eating a little too much in the morning. Because of that I've tried to make it a habit not to eat so much at night. Maybe that helps? Probably not :-) *shrug*

      • You wouldn't believe the looks I get from my family when I tell them that WoW has improved my diet and helped in my effort to control my weight, but it's true. As long as I'm getting regular exercise before sitting down for my marathon sessions, WoW is actually more interesting than snacking.

        This won't work for everyone, especially if you like to bring cheetos to your computer, but for me it's been a very pleasant surprise.

        I've also found that Rock Band drums give you a pretty decent workout, the Wii sport

  • Even more? (Score:3, Funny)

    by gmuslera ( 3436 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @09:50PM (#23486950) Homepage Journal
    What next? to have their own gravity field too?

  • Meeting with food... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by martin_b1sh0p ( 673005 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @09:51PM (#23486970)
    I didn't RTFA, but one thing to mention is a lot of companies these days have lots of food just laying around.

    Where I work there is always a meeting with food somewhere in the building, and they always order more than they can eat. So of course as soon as the meeting is over, everyone goes and gets the leftovers. Next thing you know, you've had two lunches, two cookies and a bunch of soda you don't need.

    It was the same at the last two companies I worked for and I asked a few friends and it's the same where they work.

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by TubeSteak ( 669689 )

      So of course as soon as the meeting is over, everyone goes and gets the leftovers. Next thing you know, you've had two lunches, two cookies and a bunch of soda you don't need.

      That means your stomach is about 1 lunch, one cookie, and a bunch of sodas too big.

      If you're willing to put up with a period of gnawing hunger pains, your stomach will shrink to match the volume of food you should be eating.

      The most important thing is not to diet.
      The path to success is through progressive and sustainable changes in your eating habits.

      I see the difference at all-you-can-eat wing night.
      I eat about half the wings I used to.

  • If you work from home (Score:5, Insightful)

    by linzeal ( 197905 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @09:56PM (#23487032) Journal
    Try some Ankle Weights [amazon.com]. Adding just 10 lbs extra to your weight you have to carry around burns calories and adds muscle tone. If you do not have a place you can walk to from your home, a coffee place, bar or the like...find one even if you have to drive to it. Walking around a museum or city park is still walking and you might find a new friend or more. An art museum in my town costs about 50 bucks a year for a year long membership, the natural history museum is almost 150 bucks and the parks are always free.

    • I have built in weights (Score:5, Funny)

      by EmbeddedJanitor ( 597831 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @10:01PM (#23487082)
      around my belly mainly.

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by bladesjester ( 774793 )
      Try some Ankle Weights.

      This is where I have to add a word of caution. Be careful with the ankle weights. Overdoing it can result in damage to various parts of your legs.

      Be kind to your knees. You only have one set of them. Be sensible and work your way up.

    • Re: (Score:2, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Walking around a museum or city park is still walking and you might find a new friend or more.

      Yeah, but the only kind of friends you're likely to meet are the ones who like walking around a museum or city park... and I hate those people!
  • It's pretty simple. I take the train to work. The train station is about 1.5 miles from where I work, which I walk, rain, snow, or shine. Then, I come home and lift weights 3-4 times a week. It's a bit gone to hell since I'm in the process of moving, but I might actually add a body building section to my Linux blog. Just because we like the Penguin, doesn't mean you have to be built like one!

  • Actually (Score:4, Funny)

    by dunezone ( 899268 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @10:00PM (#23487074) Journal
    My friend started working IT at the local hospital about 3 months ago. Just moved into his new house.
    This was the contents of his fridge and pantry:

    Bologna
    Beer
    Hot dogs
    Chocolate Syrup (three of these)
    Two cartons of ice cream (only two, yet three chocolate syrup bottles)
    Three Jack's frozen pizzas
    Four containers of butter, and one box of sticked butter.
    Bucket of fried chicken
    Two pizzas from some pizza joint
    The Pantry:
    No bread just hot dog buns
    Three containers of peanut butter
    At least a pound to a pound a half of sugar
    I'm missing a few items, but its all about time. He just didn't have enough time to think about what hes eating. Hes on call most of the time and instead of buying healthier solutions he chose quickly made and heavily preserved foods.
    • For me it's that it's so easy to run through a fast food place on the way out to or back from clients. I finally ended up suborning a cupboard and hauling in a mini-fridge, saves money and time.
    • If he's a coffee drinker that would explain the sugar. If, like me, he has his own espresso machine then that would explain the three chocolate syrup bottles -- homemade mochas.

    • Re: (Score:2, Funny)

      by Anne_Nonymous ( 313852 )
      Start the hot dogs. I'll be over with a half-rack of PBR in 20 minutes.

  • More than just IT (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Midnight Warrior ( 32619 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @10:01PM (#23487088) Homepage

    Never attribute this kind of stuff to your job unless other factors can be ruled out also. Lots of people without access to free snacks/pop put on weight starting about the age 25. For many, getting married seems to add a the pouch and love handles. Also, about age 25, you aren't as hyper as you were when you were 21, and so you are less anxious to run around. When I was 18-25, and in college, I ate like crap, out of vending machines and a quick pizza for lunch. Lots of un-diet sodas. I was still skinny as a rail. When I turned 25 and got married, then I started putting on weight.

    Even with eating better, it still doesn't help because my activity levels are far lower than they were when I was younger.

    IT and lights out management have nothing to do with it.

    • For many, getting married seems to add a the pouch and love handles.


      No kidding! The marriage certificate should come with a warning: "tying the knot may lead to a 15% increase in weight."

      -Grey [silverclipboard.com]

      • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

        by spikedvodka ( 188722 )
        15%... dang... if only... my weight from before I met my wife to now (7 years on, of which 4 have been "married life") has been 120%

        now that being said...
        Before: 6 foot 2, 100 pounds even... competative ballroom dancer... 19 years old
        now: 6 foot 2, 220 pounds... IT worker, 2-year old at home.

  • Suckers (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @10:04PM (#23487104)
    I'm still only 30 and my metabolism hasn't slowed down yet.

    Given the other studies I see about less computer graduates, that would indicate an aging workforce.

    So we have people who have been sitting in uncomfortable office chairs for 20 years writing code, eating Cheez Its or Doritos or jujubees or whatever and drinking copious quantities of caffeinated and often sugary beverages. Is it really surprising that on average they might have a couple extra pounds?

  • How many professions don't get fatter? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by quantaman ( 517394 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @10:05PM (#23487126)
    I have a hunch this isn't so much a function of IT specifically but of the fact that as people get older, they tend to put on weight. The article even indicated that this wasn't just an IT issue.

    "But, hey, no matter the culprits, IT workers can take heart in another CareerBuilder finding: They are less chubby than financial services and government workers. Fifty-three percent of financial workers said they have gained weight at their current jobs, while the number for government workers is 52 percent."

    I actually draw a different conclusion from the article, the fact that 34% of IT professionals have gained 10+ lbs in their current profession means they've been in that profession a few years (generally you don't gain that weight overnight).

    I don't know about financial workers but this hypothesis is backed up by the growth of government workers who don't change jobs a lot.
  • It is definitely harder to keep the pounds off in my graying years. Depression has led to alcohol and more pounds. Not sure what to do at this point ...

  • Solo (Score:2, Funny)

    by Straterra ( 1045994 )
    (insert fat, deep laugh) Just because I'm unafraid of thermal detonators, collaborate with bounty hunters, have a small rat-like thingy, gammorean guards and a passion for live, frozen wall ornaments does NOT make me fat!


    PS, Where's my money Solo?

  • One very workable solution... (Score:5, Funny)

    by heretic108 ( 454817 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @10:12PM (#23487186)
    ...would be to have a treadmill or cross-trainer in every cubicle. The harder the worker exercises, the higher the priority his/her processes are given.

    "Hey, Joe, you're covered in sweat!"

    "Yeah, I know, those KDE apps take ages to compile!"

  • And this means? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by troll -1 ( 956834 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @10:14PM (#23487220)
    I don't see any mention of a control group or comparison to other occupations.

    Maybe 34% of all people gain 10 pounds anyway regardless of their profession or even whether or not they're employed. A lot of people gain weight over time irrespective. What phenomena is being described here?

  • If you want to lose some fat (Score:3, Interesting)

    by steveha ( 103154 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @10:17PM (#23487240) Homepage
    The Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle [burnthefat.com] program has worked for me. I wrote a long summary of it a while back, and I'll just link it:

    http://science.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=226411&cid=18343433 [slashdot.org]

    steveha

    • Re:If you want to lose some fat (Score:4, Insightful)

      by Mean Variance ( 913229 ) <mean.variance@gmail.com> on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @11:00PM (#23487582)

      The Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle [burnthefat.com] program has worked for me.

      Those style websites like that one or this [fireyourpoolguy.com] with the large screaming letters, so-called testimonials, and long, long single page have all the class and allure of a used car salesman in a plaid blazer.

    • That's a good summary you wrote. Not enough emphasis on fiber and micronutrients you get from whole grains, fruit and vegetables, but spot on for the macronutrients.
      Avoiding simple carbs and fats (except for a small amount of good fats) is the key. Among other things, this means no fries, no sodas, no burgers, no candy bars. Not regularly, anyway.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by steveha ( 103154 )
        Not enough emphasis on fiber and micronutrients you get from whole grains, fruit and vegetables

        Well, it was just a terse summary of an entire book. If you actually read the book I think you will find more emphasis on that stuff.

        steveha
  • "According to a new study by CareerBuilder.com, 34 percent of IT workers say they have gained more than ten pounds in their current jobs. And 16 percent say they've gained at least twice that. The culprits seem to be the stressful-yet-sedentary nature of tech work coupled with our famously poor eating habits."

    -I think that extra 10 lbs is upper-arm muscle, thanks to a few hi-def pix of Capt. Janeway and Seven-Of-Nine.
  • Comment removed based on user account deletion

  • The culprits seem to be the stressful-yet-sedentary nature of tech work coupled with our famously poor eating habits.

    I'm a lazy bastard who'd rather sleep in in the mornings and chill out at the end of the day than go to the gym.

    Stressful-yet-sedentary: I could exercise in the other sixteen hours of the day. I just don't.

    Poor eating habits: I eat out a lot but they have this cool thing called "salad" now. It's like a complex collection of cellulose based food stuffs. If you have them put the CH3(CH2)nCOOH (they call this "dressing") on the side and only add enough for taste, it's surprisingly good for you.

    Yep, at the end

    • 16 hours in the day? clearly you don't know what a fucking stressful work environment is if you think they have a spare 16 hours in the day to exercise.

      come to think of it you probably don't even have a job do you? probably some wet behind the ears high school kid attempting to have a conversation with the adults ?

  • Join a gym.

    Start running or cycling (no, walking isn't enough.)

    Most of all, learn about proper nutrition. Being in shape is 60% nutrition, 30% exercise, and 10% genetics.
    There's many good sources of information. Reading Men's Health may be a good start, or find some good books on the subject.

    Schedule a couple of hours per week. It's not hard.
    • it's more like 50% genetics. i know lots of skinny people who by all reckoning should not be skinny. i'd say only 1/2 the people i know who are over weight are so due to food or lack of exercise.

    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      by blahplusplus ( 757119 )
      "walking isn't enough"

      Speaking as someone who walked off 50 lbs in four months, walking is enough if you do A LOT of it, i.e. 3-4 hrs 7 days/week, you have to go by distance over time walked, i.e. you count distance, not time. All it takes is some balls and commitment and you can makeup for it on days off and what have you, one of people's biggest reason for not losing wait is making excuses and having become accustomed to bad habits.
      • I agree but who will want to invest that much time?
        With more intense exercise an hour per day is enough.
        I started with an hour of running during lunch break.

  • cube size (Score:3, Funny)

    by gbh1935 ( 987266 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @11:17PM (#23487714)
    but have the cubes grown in proportion to the programmers?
  • ...wives are also getting fatter. Scientists have attributed this swelling to an unexplained allergic reaction to gold and diamonds.
  • Here I am, sitting and eating lunch while I read Slashdot.

    I am definitely getting fatter.

    Mind you, I find it hard to read Slashdot while I am out pounding the sidewalks getting exercise. So that leaves the other major thinning moment: when I am sitting on the toilet.

    But I don't take my laptop into the toilet room (no, it's NOT a bathroom, it has no bath; the bath is in the room next door, oddly enough that room is called the bathroom).

    So yes, whenever I am reading an article about IT workers getting fatter,
  • I just flunked a cholesterol test.

    I take Zyprexa for my mental illness [geometricvisions.com]. It makes most people gain weight, because it eliminates the feeling that you've had enough to eat.

    Well I've sworn off the ice cream, and am now bicycling to work and elsewhere around Silicon Valley.

    I've only just started this, so I don't have measurable progress yet, but I'm very determined.

    Several times I've put on a lot of weight then managed to lose it. Usually cycling is a big part of that.

  • Dont want to sound mean, but it's the truth.

    Even though we're in an era of people being more health conscious, most people don't apply it.

    Cut out the crap food and just work out. It's that simple. I've been skinny most my life. Actually being a skinny geek is what motivated me to work out because I had a negative body image. I stopped working out though when I turned 30, and coupled with a poor fast food diet, I went from 190 lbs to 240. All fat. One day I realized, this isn't me, and got back to my o
  • IT people aren't fat. They're just big boned.
  • You can partly blame the government for it, because their food pyramid is complete and utter nonsense, because basically it was made by the food companies.
    Just a few days ago Haward released a food pyramid that is not driven by big business:

    http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/pyramid/index.html [harvard.edu]

    *That* is how the food pyramid should have looked like from the start. More information here [harvard.edu].
    • "unaffected by businesses and organizations with a stake in its messages"

      except harvard of course, because universities never do anything out of self interest right...

      i love how they just throw that stuff about big business out there then don't back it up one bit.

  • numbers say otherwise? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Eil ( 82413 ) on Wednesday May 21, 2008 @12:30AM (#23488322) Homepage Journal
    Wait a minute, what's going on here? None of the figures quoted in the summary or article are above 50%, so wouldn't that mean most I.T. workers are either staying the same weight or losing weight? Wouldn't that make the majority of I.T. workers a fairly healthy bunch overall, the exact opposite of what the rather smugly-written article is trying to say? I could see if they were saying that the numbers have increased compared to an identical survey in the past but they're not even doing that. Forget making mountains out of molehills, this article made one out of a canyon.
  • I have kinda bad work-lunch habits. Mostly vending machine stuff, though I don't go calorie crazy with soda and pie and stuff (usually) but it's definitely not healthy. But seriously I can and have tried an all cookie diet for 2 days and I just simply don't gain weight. It's genetic. So not to go all Hitlery on everyone not so lucky but if you have superior genetics like me, you're more likely to be healthy in IT :D plus I got a kick ass immune system so I never call in sick cuz I never am and I have ab

    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by longbot ( 789962 )
      Give it five years. I used to be the same way, now it's starting to catch up with me in my "old age".
    • how do you know your healthy though? skinny people can have high blood pressure and high cholesterol and it's just as dangerous.

  • I use this simple trick (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Qbertino ( 265505 ) <moiraNO@SPAMmodparlor.com> on Wednesday May 21, 2008 @05:04AM (#23490034)
    People here are giving well meant advice like 'Cycle to work', 'Change diet', etc.

    However, I've observed that most of my geek friends - including my once slender geek buddy now turned fatso - have gained the habit of eating far beyond their appetite. And my fat buddy does a lot of exercise.

    Newsflash: Exercise doesn't help you lose weight very effectively. There is a far more effective solution: Eat less.

    Whenever I notice my jeans pinching and my belly gaining (my thighs have gained to much allready - I ought to get them a tad thinner aswell) and my belt going up a notch I simply eat less. It's become something of a bi-monthly rythym of eating normal or what my spoose has trained me to consider normal (read: eating to much!) and barking at her or simply refusing to eat when she heaps to much on to my plate despite me telling her that I'll help myself.

    Eating over your appetite has become a social thing, and if you refuse to do it you get queer looks from all sides. Especially if you're still what other *call* slender. Well, guess why I *am* slender, fat-ass!? It's not because I'm doing Aikido twice a week. I simply restrain myself from stuffing my face. Eating slowly helps btw. Eating to fast is one of my prime cause for overweight tendency.

    Bottom line: If you can't come up with anthing better, switch to scheduled Broughth and Ramen for 10 weeks and you'll be suprised how well your body starts eating away at those extra pounds stored all over the place. And train yourself to eat less, even if it takes a few ups and downs along the JoJo String. You'll eventually reach your ideal weight if you apply reason to your image in the mirror.

    My 2 cents.

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