Since 2008 SOE has been sponsor to The G.I.R.L—Gamers in Real Life—Scholarship. The purpose of G.I.R.L is to positively impact the way females are depicted in video games and create and influence content to be appealing to women. Another purpose is to help raise awareness of the serious female gaming audience to the media in an effort to encourage the gaming industry to positively promote women throughout all facets of games, game production and into game management. And 2012 marks the 5th pairing of G.I.R.L. and SOE to bring the scholarship to a very fortunate student. The recipient will be awarded a unique opportunity to get a foot in the door with an optional internship at SOE, plus $10,000 towards tuition and other educational expenses at the school at which the student is currently enrolled.

“The goal of G.I.R.L. has always been of opportunity, education and recruitment to get more women into the gaming industry,” said Laura Naviaux, Senior Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing, Sony Online Entertainment. “Over the last few years, we have been nothing short of impressed with the hundreds of amazing submissions from talented students nationwide. Now in our fifth year, we can’t wait to see the creativity that comes out of the G.I.R.L. program.” 

The G.I.R.L. Scholarship is for any individual who is 18 years of age or older at the time of entry and a legal resident of the United States, who is currently enrolled at an accredited school in an undergraduate program related to video games, including programs related to video game art, design, animation, production, programming or visual effects, has an average GPA of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale), and will not graduate before the end of the 2012 spring term. The SOE internship is an optional ten (10)-week position at one of SOE’s studios (room, board, transportation and living expenses not included). The internship will provide invaluable real-work experience & will offer the student an opportunity to grow both professionally and personally, as well as make tremendous networks for a future in gaming.

2010 G.I.R.L. Game Design Competition Winner: Sylvia Liu

The post Sony Online Entertainment Helps Women Make Waves In Gaming appeared first on GamerFitNation.com.

Previous Iterations: Play or Pass

Yes, The Darkness II just released! But, what’s that, you haven’t played the first one? Well, that may or may not be necessary. Sure, many game franchises continue one large storyline (as with Assasin’s Creed), but not all do. Sometimes, even with a continuous story line, playing all of the previous iterations is not always necessary (as in Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim). Take some time to read the reviews of previous title releases; decide for yourself whether or not you are interested in devoting the time to the back story or if you are ready to jump in feet first. Your decision could be wildly based on how many releases are part of the franchise, how inexpensive it would be to invest in the franchise, and if there is any benefit to revisiting those missed titles (such as will the carry over benefits in the Mass Effect titles).

Are you passionate about the Genre

It’s true, Star Wars the Old Republic looks great! The community it has created is fun and all of your friends are playing it. The screens, the memes, the universe itself, is so intriguing that this game has been put on your ‘to play’ list. There’s just one catch, you’re more of a FPS kinda player. MMORPGs have never really been your ‘thing’. This might be the kind of game that can get cut from your backlog team. While it is great to broaden your horizons from time to time, save it for the off season or when there aren’t more interesting things at your disposal.

Zeitgeist

Multiplayer games are tons of fun when there are other players to play with. A multiplayer title that has been on your radar since before release should probably move up to the top of your backlog. This title should be experienced with other players, and you will have the most opportunity to play with others closest to the release of the game. That’s not to say that there aren’t folks to play with later on, but nothing stinks like jumping into your favorite multiplayer game (such as a racing game or co-op action adventure) and not being able to find folks to play with.

Budget of Time

What kind of games are in your backlog? Are they the kinds of games that require 3-4 consecutive hours at a time? Do you have that much time to dedicate right now on a regular basis? Do you commute to work? Is there a game in your backlog you can play for short amounts of time more frequently? Carefully look at the time you are able to allocate to catching up. If you have an hour break each day for lunch but only use 15 minutes of that for actual food consumption, that might be a great time to pull out the laptop and grab a few quick levels, achievements, or quests. Perhaps you can take that handheld with you on the commuter train. Whatever games are in your backlog, understanding how they can fit into your budget of time without interfering with what caused your backlog in the first place, will go a long way in helping you to reduce it.

Whether you are trying to catch up before the newest iteration of a franchise drops, working through games you bought while on sale, or are just now getting to titles you always meant to play, the inevitable gaming backlog can seem like a daunting task.  Examine what you have, the time you can allot, and how excited you are about the game(s), and your backlog should seem more like a plethora of unexplored adventure, rather than a race to catch up with the masses.

What games are in your current backlog?

What helps you through your mounting library? Don’t forget to leave us a comment below. 

The post Tips for Getting through your Backlog appeared first on GamerFitNation.com.

For the first time ever, Fan Expo Canada™ is extending its show westward!

Highlighting celebrities, shopping, panels and workshops, you will be able to find the newest and hottest in Anime, Manga, Comics, Sci-Fi, Gaming and Horror.

April 21st-22nd 2012, come out and meet your favorite celebrity or creator and shop for the hottest or most rare in comic books, graphic novels, manga, toys, t-shirts and more!

Fan Expo Vancouver™ is brought to you by way of Hobby Star Marketing Inc. HSM was founded in 1992 as one of Canada’s premiere sports and entertainment marketing agencies. The company first staked its claim in 1995 with the successful launch of the Canadian National Comic Book Expo. It has since been re-branded as Fan Expo Canada featuring Comic, Anime, Science Fiction, Horror and Gaming. The event has evolved into a spectacular, annual, multi-media even with prestigious acclaim, becoming North America’s 3rd largest event of its kind.

Fan Expo Vancouver is uniting all fans of comics, gaming, anime, horror, and sci-fi. For years fans have been asking Fan Expo Canada to come to Vancouver. Comicon Hollywood North has final arrived!  Tickets go on sale: February 21, 2012.

Special Guests include:  Adam West (Batman), Burt Ward (Robin), Tom Felton (Harry Potter), Colleen Clinkenbeard (Fullmetal Alchemist), Veronica Taylor (Pokemon), Richard Cox (Inu Yasha) Trevor Deval (Mobile Suit Gundam), Mike McFarland (Dragonball Z), Brian Froud (Bakugan & Jimmy Two Shoes), Nicholas Brendon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Kristen Bauer (True Blood)…and more to be released soon!

FanExpo funtimes will include:

• Celebrity Autographs & Photo Ops
• Celebrity Q & A’s
• Sketching Duels
• Costumes
• Workshops & Seminars
• Web Series for Grown Ups
• Artist Alley
• Retailer & Exhibitor Area
• Voice Acting 101
• Ultimate Fan Expo Party
• Horror Author Panels
• The 501st Legion: Star Wars Photo Session
• Sci-Fi Fantasy Author Panels and Readings

The expo takes place April 21-22, 2012 (Saturday & Sunday) at the Vancouver Convention Centre, 1055 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC. Tickets go on sale: February 21, 2012.

Visit the official site for ticket information or here for media accreditation.

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You may have heard rumblings around the internet yesterday following the Wednesday issue of Nature, The International weekly journal of science. In an article by Robert Lustig MD, Laura Schmidt PhD, MSW, MPH, and Claire Brindis, DPH entitled Public health: The toxic truth about sugar, a bold statement was made.

Sugar should be controlled like alcohol and tobacco to protect public health.

Their suggestions included:

• “Taxing “added sugar” — any sweetener containing fructose that is added to food in processing, including sugar-sweetened beverages and sugared cereal.
• Controlling the location and density of fast-food outlets and convenience stores around schools and offering incentives to open grocery stores and farmers’ markets.
• Limiting sales during the school day or designating an age limit to buy drinks with added sugar.”

There is no disputing that sugar is one of our greatest foes in the fight of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

“As long as the public thinks that sugar is just ‘empty calories,’ we have no chance in solving this,” said Lustig, a professor of pediatrics, in the division of endocrinology at the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital and director of the Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health (WATCH) Program at UCSF.

“There are good calories and bad calories, just as there are good fats and bad fats, good amino acids and bad amino acids, good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates,” Lustig said. “But sugar is toxic beyond its calories.”

“At the levels consumed by most Americans, sugar changes metabolism, raises blood pressure, critically alters the signaling of hormones and causes significant damage to the liver — the least understood of sugar’s damages. These health hazards largely mirror the effects of drinking too much alcohol, which they point out in their commentary is the distillation of sugar.”

But changing the way we use sugar, on a global scale, would be no easy feat. In fact it would take some a strong  political stance by many governments to put such an action into practice. If you are amongst those that believe that sugar can, or is, the subject of addiction this becomes a series of actions in which you are asking people to help fight in a silent but dangerous global pandemic caused by the very substance they are already addicted to.

“Worldwide consumption of sugar has tripled during the past 50 years and is viewed as a key cause of the obesity epidemic. But obesity, Lustig, Schmidt and Brindis argue, may just be a marker for the damage caused by the toxic effects of too much sugar. This would help explain why 40 percent of people with metabolic syndrome — the key metabolic changes that lead to diabetes, heart disease and cancer — are not clinically obese” says Science Daily after examining the recently published journal.

“There is an enormous gap between what we know from science and what we practice in reality,” said Schmidt, professor of health policy at UCSF’s Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies (IHPS) and co-chair of UCSF’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute’s (CTSI) Community Engagement and Health Policy Program, which focuses on alcohol and addiction research.

“In order to move the health needle, this issue needs to be recognized as a fundamental concern at the global level. We’re not talking prohibition. We’re talking about gentle ways to make sugar consumption slightly less convenient, thereby moving people away from the concentrated dose. What we want is to actually increase people’s choices by making foods that aren’t loaded with sugar comparatively easier and cheaper to get.” she said.

Of course taking action against over consumption of sugar doesn’t have to start only when, and if, global or governmental restrictions are implemented. Examining your own diet and sugar intake is a great place to start. If you suspect that there is too much sugar in your current lifestyle consider switching to a meal plan that will help kick the cravings. Opt for high-protein, low-carbohydrate meals. And of course before implementing any drastic changes to your health and wellness plan, consult your physician or nutritionist.

The post Is it Time to Start Treating Sugar like a Drug? appeared first on GamerFitNation.com.

If you are a student of game design or art and you intend to work in the games industry after graduation (and you live in  Scotland, India, China, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, or Sweden), this is a competition you will not want to miss out on! Run by the University of Abertay Dundee, Dare to be Digital sees hundreds of students every year competing to become one of the 15 teams to build a working game prototype in just nine weeks.

At the end of the competition, the prototypes are displayed at talent showcasing event Dare ProtoPlay. The general public and industry experts get to play and vote for the games.  At the Dare awards ceremony, three prizes of £2500 will be awarded to the three highest scoring teams based on the criteria of innovation and creativity, market potential and use of technology (none of the three will be specifically attributed to any particular criterion). Seven months later the winning teams attend the BAFTA Video Games Awards to compete for the coveted “Ones to Watch Award”. What better way to spend your summer semester than kicking down the door of opportunity with other ambitious students?

The competition is open to all Universities and Art Colleges in the UK and to sponsored Higher Education Institutions outwith. Be sure to visit the official site for details.

There are a specific terms and conditions for applying but I don’t want to leave you in the lurch so here they are:

1. The closing date for applications set out on this website is final. Entries received after this date will not be considered. (April 10th)
2. Dare to be Digital (the Competition) is open to undergraduate or postgraduate students studying at Universities or Art Colleges.
3. Entry for teams must be 5 members except specified countries sponsored by the Scottish Government, namely China, India, and Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden). Teams from these countries must be 4 members.
4. Those teams applying from the island of Ireland MUST have a mix of team members (a minimum of 1) from institutions (further education and 3rd level colleges) in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
5. Teams with members graduating in 2012 are eligible to apply.
6. A maximum of 2 members in a team of 5, similarly a maximum of 1 member in a team of 4, can be graduates of up to 2 years as long as they are not currently employed in the games / interactive entertainment industries. The rest of the team must fit the normal entry criteria as set out in (2) above.
7. A maximum of 2 members in a team of 5, similarly a maximum of 1 member in a team of 4, can be studying at a Further Education college as long as the remaining 3 team members fit the normal criteria as set out in (2) and (5) above.
8. Applications from individuals are not permitted.
9. No applicant should have had any extensive (more than 6 months full time) work experience in the games industry as a graduate or study break. Part time relevant work, internships or placements undertaken during consecutive years of study are permitted. Please refer to the Dare team if you are unsure.
10. Applicants who have previously taken part in the Competition are not permitted to apply. This includes applicants who were successful in securing a place in the Competition but who later withdrew from the Competition either prior to its commencement or after the Competition had started.
11. Applicants who have previously applied to the Competition can re-apply. This includes applicants who were successful in getting to the interview stage but who were then not selected to take part in the Competition.
12. The selection dates announced by the organiser will be the sole dates for selection. No other date will be set with any team.
13. The Competition will be hosted at Abertay University, Dundee, Scotland between 11th June and 12th August 2012. Each Team Member is required to work on the Team Project at the host centre for a minimum of 35 hours per week during Normal Working Hours and attend the public showcase event Dare ProtoPlay from 10-12th August 2012.
14. You are not permitted to take any time off (Monday to Friday) during Dare, unless it is under exceptional circumstances, of which the Competition Organiser will be sole judge. Any time off will be deducted from your weekly stipend.
15. All Team Members will be present during Normal Working Hours (9am-5pm) on Compulsory Attendance Days (comprising the first and last two weeks of the Competition).
16. No Team Members are allowed to engage in any form of paid employment during the course of the Competition other than work outside Normal Working Hours which has the prior consent of the Competition organising team, and which does not impinge on the Team Project and has the approval of all fellow Team Members.
17. A judging panel involving industry and funding representatives will determine which teams will be selected to take part in the Competition. The judges’ decision is final and not open to negotiation. No correspondence will be entered into.
18. All works and ideas submitted must be original, created specially for the Competition and not infringe any copyright.
19. All Dare participating teams can start the preparation work for their game idea as soon as they are informed that they will be entering the Competition. Any work done prior to the start of the Competition will need to be declared when the Competition starts.
20. All successful candidates have to make their own travel arrangement to arrive Abertay University, Dundee before the starting date of 11th June 2012.
21. Accommodation will be provided throughout the whole Competition period between 11th June and 12th August 2012.
22. Successful applicants will have to abide by the IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) conditions set out in a formal contract before they start the competition. The contract sets out that Dare to be Digital will own any generated IP until proposals are made by any team to explore exploiting their game IP after the competition finishes. Post-competition IP agreements will protect team members from each other and allow freedom to explore non-commercial and commercial activities. Dare to be Digital will not require any payment for post-competition exploitation until a team creates profits and, even then, the payments are currently planned to be limited to £1,800.
23. Each Team/Team Member shall consent to taking part in the filming of a documentary film of the Competition for the Competition period. The Competition organiser shall be entitled to use any such film for any purpose at its sole discretion. This will be used in the promotion of the Competition.
24. The above terms are subject to change.

The post Aspiring Game Designer? Now’s the time. Dare to Be Digital! appeared first on GamerFitNation.com.

From The Smithsonian American Art Museum:

“The Art of Video Games will explore the 40-year evolution of video games as an artistic medium. The exhibition will highlight how new technologies have allowed for increasingly interactive and sophisticated game environments while staying grounded in the traditions of each game type. It will feature games with striking visual graphics and recognize some of the creative individuals who have made significant contributions. The exhibition will also explore the many influences on game designers and the pervasive presence video games have in the broader popular culture, with new relationships to video art, film and television, educational practices, and professional skill training. The Art of Video Games is not about the most popular games of all time, nor is it about the individual games themselves. This is not a historic review that seeks to capture every memorable moment in video game history.”

The exhibition will not only include a national tour (below) but will also be host of an opening weekend you will not want to miss.

Exhibition tour includes:

• Boca Raton Museum of Art (October 24, 2012–January 20, 2013)
• EMP Museum in Seattle (February 16, 2013–May 13, 2013)
• Hudson River Museum in Yonkers, NY (February 15, 2014–May 18, 2014)
• Flint Institute of Arts in Flint, Michigan (October 25, 2014–January 18, 2015)
• Memphis Brooks Museum of Art in Memphis, Tennessee (June 6, 2015–September 13, 2015)

 “GamesFest is a three day festival celebrating the opening of the ground-breaking exhibition, The Art of Video Games, with insightful talks by video game pioneers, panel discussions where you can meet designers and artists, movie screenings, costume photo-ops, and hands-on play.” 

Check out the PDF schedule  for a FULL list of events that will be occurring during GAMEFEST.  Events like:

• 3–6 p.m. - Evolution of Video Games - Panel Discussions
• 7 p.m. - Nolan Bushnell: Video Games in Retrospect (advance registration required)
• 8:30 p.m. – Film: TRON

• 11:30 a.m.–7 p.m. - GameFest! Day 2: Open play, craft activities, live action gaming with Spontaneous Art and dj MKO, and musical performances by 8 Bit Weapon and Triforce Quartet. 
• 5 p.m. - It’s All in the Design with Robin Hunicke
• 7 p.m. – Film: The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

• 11:30 a.m.–7 p.m. - GameFest! Day 3: Open play, craft activities, live action gaming with Spontaneous Art and dj MKO, and musical performances by ComputeHer, 8 Bit Weapon, and Triforce Quartet.

The Smithsonian American Art Museum invited the public to help select the video games to be included in the exhibition. The 240 games on the ballot were selected by Chris Melissinos, who worked with the museum and an advisory group consisting of game developers, designers, industry pioneers, and journalists. The games were selected based on a variety of criteria, including visual effects, creative use of new technologies, and how the game fit into the narrative of the exhibition. Voting took place between February 14 and April 17, 2011. More than 3.7 million votes were cast by 119,000 people in 175 countries!

Want to know which games will be featured and under which categories? You can read THIS pdf to see all of the winners and runner-ups for each era and category.

Still not sure why The Smithsonian would take a stance on this,  for some reason, controversial embrace of video games as art? No need to guess because they have addressed this directly in their exhibit FAQs.

“Why are video games being featured at an art museum?

Art is beguiling. Much like a great novel or film, you can become engrossed in the world created by a video games and the Smithsonian American Art Museum wants to celebrate the designers and developers who create these worlds. Video games are an emerging medium for creative expression and we’re very excited to explore their artistic evolution over the last forty years. All video games include classic components of art—striking visuals, a powerful narrative, a strong point of view. What’s new is the role of the player. Of course, contemporary games have taken this creative expression to a whole new level, so the museum decided that this is the right moment to look at this popular global phenomenon.”

So no matter which side of the video-games-are-art debate your opinion falls, The Smithsonian American Museum of Art is about to open its doors for some fantastic exploration, discussion, and retrospect on the genre and its development. If you live in the Washington, D.C. area, or can get to it with ease, and have an interest in video games I encourage you to check out the Smithsonian exhibit, The Art of Video Games, or the GamesFest opening weekend events. Don’t forget to share with us your experiences at the exhibit or panels. We would love to hear from you.

Visit the official exhibit page at The Smithsonian American Museum of Art for more information.

• Hands On: LBP for the PSVITA
• Great Games for your Family Library.
• 10 Reasons Dating a Gamer Rocks!
• Let’s Discuss: Video Games aid in The Demise of Guys?

The post The Art of Video Games at The Smithsonian appeared first on GamerFitNation.com.

CNN.com advises that spending beyond your limits is dangerous. But if you do, you’ve got plenty of company.

“Government figures show that many households with total income of $50,000 or less are spending more than they bring in. This doesn’t make you an automatic candidate for bankruptcy – but it’s definitely a sign you need to make some serious spending cuts.”

In order to keep yourself from overspending it is a good idea to take a look at the upcoming releases and plan for which ones you want to buy at launch and which ones  can afford to join your collection a little while later. Here’s a list of some of the titles to watch out for in the early stages of 2012.

Don’t forget you’ll also see the release of the PlayStation Vita on February 15th in North America as well. This new handheld will run you  $249.99 for Wifi systems and $299.00 for Wifi and 3G enabled systems.

So no matter where your gaming interests lie, there is something out there for everyone in the first quarter of 2012. With the spending fatigue of the holidays be sure not to get yourself into financial woes. Examine your ‘must have’s and your ‘must have now’s and ensure that your gaming hobby remains a balanced and healthy part of your 2012.

Don’t forget to check out some of my other articles here at GFN. 

• Hands On: LBP for the PSVITA
• Great Games for your Family Library.   
• 10 Reasons Dating a Gamer Rocks!
• Let’s Discuss: Video Games aid in The Demise of Guys?

The post Budget for Gaming in 2012 appeared first on GamerFitNation.com.

Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD Locks and Loads for First Person Adventure on PlayStation Network

The Fabled Oddworld Series Makes its Return in High Definition via PSN

 It’s time for gamers to scrape together “moolah” and step back into the boots of Stranger, the most fearsome bounty hunter in all of Oddworld. Just Add Water, developer of the hit retro arcade game, Gravity Crash, has completed production of Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD in collaboration with Lorne Lanning, the original creator of the Oddworldfranchise. The HD version of Stranger’s Wrath is now available in native 720p resolution, running at 60 frames per second on the PlayStationNetwork $14.99.

Stranger’s Wrath follows the story of Stranger, a fearsome bounty hunter that captures outlaws to raise “moolah” for a mysterious surgical procedure. After encountering the backwater town of the Grubbs, Stranger discovers that there are a few too many secrets about the past and his future as a bounty hunter.

Just Add Water worked with Lorne Lanning to preserve every nuance of the original while making sure that the new game took full advantage of current generation hardware. The updates include:

• Gorgeous Characters - The game’s 84 character models have all been beefed up with increased polygon counts and high resolution textures, including Stranger’s unique “Live Ammo” system for fluid movement
• Beautiful Environments - All the game’s locations feature upgraded, high resolution textures, along with reflective surfaces and textured vegetation
• Upgraded Audio - All in-game audio was up-sampled to 16-bit, 44kHz stereo, with support for 5.1 DTS/Dolby Digital surround sound
• Trophies - Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD has 37 trophies, including a Platinum

“The original Stranger’s Wrath was very significant for us since it broke out of the traditional Oddworld mold and took us into the world of FPS. It was a tough labor of love for the original team,”

said Lorne Lanning, Co-Founder of Oddworld Inhabitants and creator of the Oddworld series of games.

“Remaking the game with a polished look and new content while remaining true to the original was not an easy task, but Stewart and the team at JAW did an incredible job and delivered a great complement to the original team’s creation. I’m looking forward to working with them on our future titles!”

“The Oddworld franchise represents one of the pinnacles of achievement in the canon of video games, and Stranger’s Wrath is such a unique game that we felt it needed to be represented on the next-generation consoles,” said Stewart Gilray, content director for Just Add Water. “We knew the only way to do justice to the original was to work with Lorne Lanning, one of Oddworld’s original creators. Together, we’ve dug up some new concepts that were passed over for the 2005 original to give gamers an amazing Oddworld experience on the PlayStation 3.”

I love the current trend of bringing some of my favorite titles to HD and Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD is continuing the trend with gusto!

Don’t forget to check out some of my other articles here at GFN. 

• Hands On: LBP for the PSVITA
• Great Games for your Family Library.   
• 10 Reasons Dating a Gamer Rocks!
• Let’s Discuss: Video Games aid in The Demise of Guys?

The post Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD Locks and Loads for First Person Adventure on PSN appeared first on GamerFitNation.com.

But do New Year’s Resolutions really work?

January has been adopted as a time for new beginnings. Gyms and fitness clubs will begin intensives and you will easily have a harder time getting onto your favorite treadmill at the gym in January (and even February) because we all start out with the best intentions. But eventually life gets in the way again, your new low carb diet goes by the wayside in favor of convenience and by March you’re wondering why you even make resolutions to begin with.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Consider this year’s resolutions in a slightly different way. You already know you want to achieve a healthier lifestyle and you are ready to figure out how. Resolutions need not be rules. It doesn’t have to be a competition. Rather, consider your resolution as guides to healthy living. Make your goals achievable, allow yourself to slip up (and reward yourself when you don’t), and stick with it throughout the entire year no matter how long you may have fallen off track.

Andrew Weil, M.D.,  (a world-renowned leader and pioneer in the field of integrative medicine) states that

“Getting healthy need not be overwhelming. Here are six simple, straightforward ways to get on track toward optimum health in 2012.”

His list of six easy-to-follow new year’s resolutions is a great place to start when considering your own list. Have a look!

1. Post It On the Fridge! Adopt the Anti-Inflammatory Diet
The anti-inflammatory diet isn’t a weight-loss program (although you can lose weight on it) or a temporary eating plan. It is a lifelong guide intended to counteract chronic inflammation, now known to play a central role in the development of heart disease, many cancers and Alzheimer’s disease. Poor diet is perhaps the main contributor to chronic inflammation. The anti-inflammatory diet can help you correct that: it points the way to food choices that can help you remain optimally healthy. Here’s a link to the anti-inflammatory food pyramid. Print it out and post it on the fridge. Along with influencing inflammation, the diet will give you steady energy and provide all the vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and dietary fiber you need.

2. Get Smart About Snacking
Snacking throughout the day is actually a good idea, as it can help keep blood sugar levels and energy steady – which leads to improved mood, better productivity and more effective appetite control. But if you’re trying to lose weight or to eat a healthier diet, that convenient bag of chips can sabotage your efforts. Processed foods contain too many calories, the wrong kinds of fat and carbohydrates, and have too much salt and too many additives. Instead, plan snacks ahead of time and make sure you always have healthy ones on hand: fresh or dried fruit; raw, unsalted nuts (pistachios, cashews or walnuts); flavorful natural cheeses and dark chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa solids. And don’t forget to set aside leftovers from the healthy meals you’ll be preparing.

3. Get Serious About Breathing Exercises
Simple breathing techniques offer a drug-free way to help lower your blood pressure, calm a racing heart, or settle an upset digestive system. Proper breathing has direct influence on emotional states and moods. When you’re upset, you breathe rapidly, shallowly, and irregularly, but you can’t be upset if your breathing is slow, deep, quiet and regular. At first, the effects are subtle, but they will gain power the more you repeat them. Whether you want to address health problems or just relax and reduce stress, make this the year to learn and practice breathing techniques.

4. Fitness: Consider a Personal Trainer
If you’re really committed to getting into shape in the coming year, a personal trainer can get you off to the right start. A study at McMaster University in Canada found that people who are new to exercise do better when they have some professional help. If you plan to do strength training (and you should!), you’ll need a trainer to learn the correct form so that you won’t injure yourself. If you can afford it, continued weekly training sessions will keep you motivated and ensure that your workouts are appropriate to your age and fitness level. If you can’t afford weekly sessions, pay for one or two to set up a program. When you’ve achieved your initial expectations, schedule another training session to set new goals.

5. Take Time for Tea
Drinking green tea can improve your cholesterol ratio, as well as help protect against cancer and bacterial infections. The difference between green and the more familiar black tea is in the preparation: both come from the same plant, Camellia sinesis, but to make black tea, leaves go through an oxidation process that darkens them. This process deceases some of tea’s beneficial compounds, including polyphenols called catechins. Green tea is unfermented, which means that it contains more catechins. But don’t think of tea drinking only as a utilitarian way to imbibe those healthful compounds. Learn to appreciate the subtle fragrance of good quality green tea and use tea time to unwind, meditate and as a respite from your stress du jour. 

6. Volunteer to Help Others
Service organizations always appreciate donated money, but giving of yourself, especially in a way that draws on your unique talents or skills, is more satisfying. You can volunteer to feed the homeless, help people with terminal illnesses, and help to clean up the environment. Donate clothing you no longer wear and other items you don’t use. Look for ways to help those close to home: take meals to shut-ins, offer transportation to elderly or disabled neighbors and tutor or read to children. Don’t focus only on the needs of strangers. Look for ways to help friends and family members, too.

And of course, GamerFitNation is here to help you achieve your goals of a balanced and healthy 2012. From our weekly recipes and workouts, to our team of experts, to our health hub, we are here to provide you with access to all of the information that can be an integral part of your success.

GamerFitNation wants to know about your resolutions. Did you achieve all you set out to in 2011? Are there any new or repeat goals on your list for 2012?  Please, share with us below so we may work together and share in each other’s joys and struggles.

Wishing all of our readers at GamerFitNation a happy and a healthy holiday season!

The post Do New Year’s Resolutions Really Work? appeared first on GamerFitNation.com.

On the Nintendo 3DS system, Capcom’s Resident Evil® Revelations launches on Feb. 7. In a new chapter of the hit survival-horror franchise, players fight a new enemy and virus in 3D without the need for special glasses. METAL GEAR SOLID® 3D Snake Eater from Konami arrives in the first quarter of 2012. The game is a re-interpretation of METAL GEAR SOLID 3: Snake Eater, and offers a rich jungle world with customizable stealth and camouflage options. On March 23, the epic odyssey Kid Icarus™: Uprising soars into stores and lets players help the winged warrior Pit fight Medusa and her Underworld Army.

The Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS will also be busy with a variety of downloadable offerings. Dillon’s Rolling Western™ brings tower-defense strategy and touch-screen driven action to the Old West. Armadillo ranger Dillon defends pioneer villages against waves of attacking rock monsters using gun towers, defensive structures and his own exciting attack abilities. In Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword™, players travel to ancient Japan and guide a young warrior as he battles waves of enemy soldiers. Players must identify the enemy’s attack, dodge and counter-attack with the mystical Sakura Sword to win the battle. The critically acclaimed VVVVVV and NightSky from Nicalis, mind-bending action of Mighty Switch Force from WayForward and immersive 3D visuals of Mutant Mudds™ from Renegade Kid™ round out a diverse selection of downloadable games.

Details about distribution in Canada for the Circle Pad Pro will be announced shortly.

On the Wii console, Rhythm Heaven™ Fever arrives on Feb. 13 at a suggested retail price of $29.99 in Canada. The game asks players to test their rhythm in more than 50 easy-to-learn, tough-to-master minigames to prove they’ve got the groove. Two weeks later on Feb. 27, PokéPark™ 2: Wonders Beyond lets players take on the role of Pikachu™ and his Pals — Oshawott™, Snivy™ and Tepig™ — as they try to make it through PokéPark and discover the secrets of a mysterious new world. On March 11, Mario™ and friends reunite for a new party game adventure in Mario Party™ 9, which introduces new game-play elements to the series such as boss battles and vehicular travel across a wide assortment of stages.

Below is a partial list of upcoming games for Nintendo systems. Note that game titles and launch dates are subject to change.

Nintendo 3DS

2K Play
Nicktoons MLB 3D – March

Capcom
Resident Evil® Revelations – Feb. 7

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
METAL GEAR SOLID® 3D Snake Eater – Q1
Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 – January

NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.
TEKKEN 3D Prime Edition™ – February
Tales of the Abyss® – Feb. 14

Nintendo
Kid Icarus: Uprising – March 23

Published by SEGA® of America
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games™ – Feb. 14

SEGA® of America
CRUSH™3D – Q1

Ubisoft
NCIS The Video Game (Based on the TV Series) – March 6
Horses 3D – March 6
Funky Barn – Q1
Rayman® Origins – Q1

Nintendo eShop

Collecting Smiles
Colors! 3D – Q1

Nicalis
VVVVVV – Q1
NightSky – Q1

Nintendo
Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword – Q1
Dillon’s Rolling Western – Q1
Kirby’s Block Ball™ – Q1

Renegade Kid
Mutant Mudds – Q1

Shin’en Multimedia
Fun! Fun! Minigolf TOUCH – Q1
Jett Rocket Super Surf – Q1

WayForward
Mighty Switch Force – Q1

Zen Studios
Zen Pinball – Q1

Wii

2K Sports
MLB 2K12 – March 6

GameMill Entertainment
Country Dance™ Special Edition – Feb. 1

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
Karaoke Joysound – Q1

Nintendo
Rhythm Heaven Fever – Feb. 13
PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond – Feb. 27
Mario Party 9 – March 11

WiiWare™

Nicalis
La Mulana – Q1

Nintendo DS™ Family

2K Sports
MLB 2K12 – March 6

ATLUS
Shin Megami Tensei®: Devil Survivor™ 2 – February

GameMill Entertainment
Silverlicious™ – March 20
Xia Xia™ – March 20
Gogo’s Crazy Bones™ – March 20

Mentor Interactive
Chess for Kids – Feb. 14
NARABA: The Labyrinth of Light – Feb. 21
NARABA: The Mysterious Palace – Feb. 21

Nintendo DSiWare™

Cosmigo
Box Pusher – Q1

Cypronia
Cake Ninja – Q1

Remember that Wii and Nintendo 3DS feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/wii and http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.
For more information about Nintendo, visit http://www.nintendo.ca.

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