Body Optimization: Why Stop at Health and Fitness?

(03/08/2008)

2:25

What is this session going to be about: click here to get the panel description.

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:25

2:32

Panelists:
Tantek Çelik Chief Technologists, Technorati

Noelle Murata ninjapixie.net

Kathryn Myronuk Knowledge Sommelier

Sean Bonner CEO, Bode Media Inc

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:32

2:33

"You are probably wondering how technology and health/fitness are connected?" says Celik.

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:33

2:35

Celik had a wake up call from his physical from the doctor (overweight, high BP, high cholesterol, et) - realized he needed to make a healthy change.

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:35

2:36

He wanted to change - his friend pushed him to 'convince yourself to change' - he says peer pressure worked and he began change.

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:36

2:37

He started keeping a food log, 48 hour fast, budget caloric intake, structured exercise... at first sounded good on paper, but realized that it was a difficult struggle

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:37

2:38

He started experience:
grumpiness
Having to fight various cravings
social awkwardnesses
loneliness

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:38

2:39

All of this (to me) is like yeah, yeah, yeah... okay... tell us how this relates to tech.
This guy is the chief technologist of Technorati... so I'm waiting to hear his POV.

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:39

2:40

There are a lot of assumptions about fitness and health - how can you be unconventional about approaching health lifestyle.

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:40

2:40

Introduce Sean. He is a vegan.

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:40

2:41

Sean is talking about how he turned into a Vegan. Celik (the technorati guy) is just facilitating panel.

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:41

2:42

Sean couldn't believe how many things started feeling better since cutting out meat and dairy.

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:42

2:43

Side note from me: obviously this is nothing new to me... but I find the reactions of the tech audience interesting... they are not necessarily health savvy... and are looking at this panelists like - if these techies can do it, so can i (perhaps?)

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:43

2:43

[Comment From GuestGuest: ]

yeah...I share the grumpy, awkward, frustrating...let's see what the technorati guy says

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:43 Guest

2:43

[Comment From ShelleyShelley: ]

oops...that's me

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:43 Shelley

2:44

Celik - twitter.com/t
Sean Bonner - twitter.com/seanbonner
Noella Murata - twitter.com/fiveinchpixie
Kathryn Myronuk - twitter.com/kathrynmyr

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:44

2:45

Sean says that it's so easy to spend hours in front of the computer... so he decided to bike everywhere.

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:45

2:45

Sean bikes about 10 miles a day - his house and work are about 5 miles away (he lives in LA)

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:45

2:47

What I find interesting is these tech people are still turning to traditional forms of exercise when there are things like indoor cycling classes in places like Second Life

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:47

2:48

Now Noah is speaking.

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:48

2:48

She used to spend time in front of the computer 10-15 hours a day on average.

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:48

2:49

She felt horrible at the end of the day.. .sh. started cutting soda and fast food... then quit her job and got another one... this time the new job had a free gym membership

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:49

2:51

They are talking about "Burning Man" and how they learned to drink water and paying more attention to their body's needs.

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:51

2:53

(At this point, I'm a bit frustrated... this session is turning out to be about people just talking about their fitness experiences who happen to be in techno field - not about how technology and fitness are inter-related)

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:53

2:54

So Noah took up yoga and now she's a certified yoga instructor

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:54

2:54

Now Kathryn Myronuk is talking.

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:54

2:56

She studies data and background is in stats and technology.

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:56

2:57

She's talking about the floods of data about health. i.e. the Genome Project

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:57

2:57

in the future, you'll be able to buy your entire genome for several hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:57

2:58

you'll be able to understand your health better...

Saturday March 8, 2008 2:58

3:02

Open source participatory genetics: find out about your genes then add qualitative discussion. Let someone else analyze the correlations. Someone with this gene who suffers from depression - what can they learn from them

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:02

3:04

Kathryn is talking about some key things you can do to deal with unhealthy behaviors.
1) If you're a smoker, take the nicotine patch.

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:04

3:04

2) Take a long walk.

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:04

3:05

(This is so basic)

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:05

3:07

(although these things are important to talk about... and I'm not suggesting it has to be super scientific - but I wonder how the audience is responding)

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:07

3:08

Because she's into looking at data... she's showing a lot of graphs using BMI.

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:08

3:08

K: It's really hard to find good data online about health - supplements in particular.

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:08

3:11

She is basically talking from experience - she says.

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:11

3:11

Celik: the first thing you do before optimize a code - "cut the fat" - now apply this to life.

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:11

3:12

Celik: you can change code randomly and something probably will happen... but if you are selective, you may have better luck in having an effective code. Apply that to losing weight...

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:12

3:13

Mmm, i wonder if that thought process actually connects with the programmers in this room.

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:13

3:15

K: Just do 2 to 3 simple things a day.

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:15

3:18

(Sorry guys... this session was a bit flat - I was expecting a little bit more innovative conversations.)

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:18

3:18

(maybe I should ask them what is appealing to tech people about fitness)

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:18

3:20

(I think it's good that ANY session about health is here at SXSW, it's complementing to a technology audience - so it's better than not having anything at all)

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:20

3:20

[Comment From MikeMike: ]

Hi Folks. Just joined you from Cote d'Ivoire. Just finished 53 min yoga. Trying to get my mind in sync with your discussion.

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:20 Mike

3:20

[Comment From MikeMike: ]

I'd like to know how to measure increase in fitness level. Are there some devices and software that would interface with my Pocket PC?

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:20 Mike

3:24

People are lining up for questions. It's evident that this audience really concerned about health, want to know about diet and exercise, and want to know more about it. Unfortunately, I'm not convinced this panel is NOT equipped (outside of their personal experience) to answer these kinds of questions.

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:24

3:25

Audience member - lost 110 pounds over the course of six years.

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:25

3:27

Thanks for participating in this session! I'm logging off...

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:27

3:28

Any questions - please email me directly; befitwithbiray@gmail.com

Saturday March 8, 2008 3:28

3:28

This Live Blog has now ended.

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