Personal fitness is something everyone should look out for, whether that be through diet alone or also through regular exercise. Statistics suggest than Alabama residents need to heed this advice more than most – Alabama Public Radio reported that one study found the state was in second place, behind Mississippi, when it comes to poor eating habits.
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Geeks are perhaps more at risk than others. While it’s a lazy stereotype that geeks are unfit, there have been studies that suggest certain types of geek, like gamers, are often less fit than the general populace. Suffice to say, there’s good reasons to get into the fitness scene alongside your chosen fandoms.
Customizable gear
Fitness can be a very bland affair, but it has the potential to be exciting, too. Much fitness wear actually lends itself to overall comfort, with joggers, shorts, vests and tee-shirts very well suited to the Alabama summer heat, while also being comfortable. What’s more, fitness gear is often very customizable, meaning that you can still enjoy and represent your favorite fandoms while exercising. You’ll already have seen the huge proliferation of now mainstream universes, such as Marvel and Star Wars, but it goes even deeper than that in the fitness scene. Hoping to bridge that alleged gap between geeks and fitness nuts, Nerd Fitness has become a beacon for showing how proper fitness routines and gear can help you to become the characters in your favorite shows, books and games. Their goal is to do it in a non-patronizing way; that is, to show geeks that they can have fun and get fit while also devoting time to their fandom, all without needing to be infantilized.
Better cognitive ability
The joy of geekdom is being able to look through and absorb material from multiple different universes, fictional and otherwise. The only way to continue doing this is through having the willpower and drive to learn and read. Exercise can help you in this way – researchers with Harvard found, many years ago, that regular exercise improves memory and concentration. Basically, getting out and exercising is going to help your brain to stay fit and stay fresh, allowing you to get more out of your favorite subjects.
Aiding a sedentary lifestyle
Geeks are often relatively sedentary. This isn’t a bad thing, but books, TV and computers are best enjoyed from the comfort a chair. However, prolonged sitting down can have a dual impact. One, on cardiovascular health and circulation. Two, on your posture and your hip alignment, which can make movement difficult. Addressing this is as simple as either doing stretches throughout the day or, better yet, going out for any form of physical exercise – from something simple like yoga, through to running or swimming. Anything you can do to keep your body in good shape will help you to be able to ‘afford’ those days spent at home following your favorite fandom. Addressing your fitness in this manner will help you to tailor your fitness approach to your needs, rather than that of what the media would push: a simple, no-brained approach to ‘getting fit’ at all other costs.
Being a geek is a lifestyle choice, but supporting that requires lifestyle changes that sit outside of what you would consider geek past times. Supporting your body will help to support you to make positive changes and enjoy more of the culture you enjoy. Putting a geeky slant on how you conduct yourself will make it seem all the more worthwhile, and by undertaking it in the right way, you can be sure patronization is a long way away from how you conduct yourself.
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