Gaming Fit - An Introduction

Here's a story you may not know about the Sarge...

I used to be fit, super fit. I could run long distances, bench press some big weights, and went to the gym more than I played games. I enlisted in the Defense Force and wanted to be the soldier that terrorists feared. Unfortunately life sometimes gives you hurdles, and things sometimes don't work out exactly as planned.

I was discharged from the RAAF for medical reasons and I think a part of me died when that happened. Instead of returning to my super soldier training regime, I gave up. I refused to press continue...

Health problems caught up to me and fast forwarding 4 years, I had a stroke in the base of my brain.

I'm ok! didn't use my brain anyways!

Things aren't as depressing as this probably sounds because I have an amazing wife who supported me and helped nurse me back to health, she became my pillar to lean on, my strength, and she brought me back from the dead so to speak. Almost 2 years have passed since then and things have been good. Yes, health has been a struggle, but we have made many leaps in progress and I am very lucky to have good friends who gave me a job when I refused to sit at home on a disability pension, and who are still very supportive of my constant doctor visits which probably interrupt their business more than they let on.

Reason #1 for health kick... Hospital food is shit!

You see, all my friends and family who have helped me out never asked for anything in return. They would drop everything to help me, put up with hearing about my problems, all while never asking for a thing.

But now it's time to pay them back...

It's not about time or money.
It's not about working more hours.
It's about giving people the best of me...

I owe it to my parents, my friends, my boss, my readers, my wife, but most importantly I owe it to myself.

Now as much as I want to go back to super soldier training, my body can't handle that at the moment. But I have been cleared medically for light cardio exercise and I intend to lose weight and shape up, and in the future, return to my old fitness level, and I want you all to join me.

So please enjoy our new weekly article about gaming fit, using video games as physical rehabilitation, along with health and fitness advice by trained professionals, and I hope that it may encourage people to find a good balance in life and a healthier, happier you.

Thank you all for your amazing support.

Sports! Graphics are awesome, gameplay is hard!

Joshua Hawthorn (Sarge)