Take a look around you at any con and you'll likely see the problem right before your eyes: our industry has an obesity problem. The numbers back it up, too: those who work in office environments (as many of us do) are more obese, exercise less, and suffer pay discrimination. Many travel a lot and live out of a suitcase. Our meals come from airports and fast-food restaurants. Who has time left over for the gym? Add to that the hidden health dangers of obesity and you have a recipe for disaster. Whether you're obese (like I was) or not, you can learn something from this rant: our community is the biggest support group you'll ever have to get yourself on the right track. I'll share my personal story as an example of what you can do. It's time we come together as a community to help fight this problem. Won't you join us?
Michael Schearer (""theprez98"") is a law clerk/almost a lawyer who spent nearly nine years in the United States Navy as an EA-6B Prowler Electronic Countermeasures Officer. He is a graduate of University of Maryland Law School and Georgetown University's National Security Studies Program. He has spoken previously at ShmooCon, DEFCON, DerbyCon, and other conferences. In August 2015, he tipped the scales at 339 lbs (he weights a little less now) and does not even lift. He claims to live in Maryland with his wife and four children, but has been missing since the Baltimore riots of 2015.