Why Fitness In Technology Is Important To Me

fitness in technology

We are products of our environment and our jobs, that is no secret and there is a reason why Fitness in Technology is important to me.  I’ve been in the technology space for over 10 years and I know first hand the pitfalls of working in this industry when it comes to health and fitness.  People think I am obsessive about fitness, and frankly, I am.  I think the problem of poor health stems mainly from our jobs, and our childhoods.  I myself was raised in a house where I’d eat an entire bag of chips watching Transformers after school.  What else about the technology space makes it hard for us to be healthy?  Let’s think about it for a second and you tell me if any of this sounds familiar.

Fitness in Technology – The Desk Job

First of all I know when I was an admin and even now I sit, and sit, and sit for very long periods of time.  The best and worst thing I got was my Fitbit One because it tells me JUST how much I DON’T move.  Although some of us in the technology jobs workout, the fact we sit for such long periods of time actually offsets the calories we burned working out.  So the net result may not be weight loss, just weight management.  We stare at laptop screens, PowerPoint slides, and lines of code for hours at a time.

Fitness in Technology – The Snack Cart

Maybe this was just my job, but seriously one of the companies I worked at had a daily snack cart of cookies, chips, soda, and other junk food.  Working from home that could be all easily accessible in your own house, or the corporate cafe’.  What about bagel day, or pizza day, or the endless supply of caffeine loaded drinks around you.  The bottom line is we are sometimes driven to be hopped up on empty calorie bad for us snacks to keep going, when in fact we just need some real nutrition and whole foods.

Fitness in Technology – The Conference Food

We all go so a lot of different conferences from user groups, to large scale gatherings all year long.  How often is there more coffee than water? Or better yet clean healthy food options for breakfast instead of a pile full of danish options?  We as technologists are very smart people in our fields, but when it comes to realizing that we are not eating very smart…..we are pretty dumb.  People laugh at me because I carry my food in supplements, and even request a fridge for my room.  You’re damn skippy I do, because that’s what I need to stay on track and make the right decisions.

Fitness in Technology – No Time For Exercise

Yes, I get this all the time from ever walk of life.  I don’t have time to work out or eat right.  Guess what people, life’s too short!  You get one chance to make a difference in this world for yourself, and your families.  You need to make the time to do the things you want to do.  In fact my wife’s favorite saying is exactly that.  “We make the time for the things we WANT to do”.  Many people I know in technology seem to want to work 80 hours a week, or never get up from their screens, or do anything but work.  Not me, I love living life, enjoying my time here on earth.

Why Such a Passion for Fitness in Technology?

Really, it’s because I care more about people as I get older.  It’s not about me anymore, I truly enjoy helping people through fitness.  I’ve been criticized for my enthusiasm and my passion, but I already know I have helped inspire just a few people to be more fit.  At the end of the day a more healthy you means you are more efficient anyhow.  You find ways to get more done in less time because you are firing on all cylinders.  I’ve seen more than my fair share of unhealthy IT professionals, and I was one of them.

At the end of the day people will do what they want, but I am here to help those that want the help.  The ones that don’t that’s fine but never criticize the ones that want to better themselves.  I love technology and fitness and I will always continue to try to reach out and help those that want more in 2013.  I think leaner meaner IT professionals is something to be reckoned with for sure.

It’s not easy it never will be.  If you want to continue to learn more than please follow my other blog site Virtual Fitness and the Facebook Fan Page for motivational, inspirational and helpful hints.  We are all on this Journey of life so let’s make the journey worth being on and let me help you with your fitness goals.  Maybe you can then become your own inspiration to others and in turn help them.  In the end that’s what this is all about and why I love being a Team Beachbody Coach.

About Chris Colotti

Chris is active on the VMUG and event speaking circuit and is available for many events if you want to reach out and ask. Previously to this he spent close to a decade working for VMware as a Principal Architect. Previous to his nine plus years at VMware, Chris was a System Administrator that evolved his career into a data center architect. Chris spends a lot of time mentoring co-workers and friends on the benefits of personal growth and professional development. Chris is also amongst the first VMware Certified Design Experts (VCDX#37), and author of multiple white papers. In his spare time he helps his wife Julie run her promotional products as the accountant, book keeper, and IT Support. Chris also believes in both a healthy body and healthy mind, and has become heavily involved with fitness as a Diamond Team Beachbody Coach using P90X and other Beachbody Programs. Although Technology is his day job, Chris is passionate about fitness after losing 60 pounds himself in the last few years.

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