Unless there is a twinky taster out there, I would venture that software developer tops the list of unhealthy jobs – simply because just about everything we do is sitting down. Growing up, I was always very slender. Then I made a life choice (perhaps it should be called a death choice) to start smoking during my late teens and early twenties.

The good news is that I have been smoke free for years and no longer desire the product. The bad news is that smoking was replaced with snacking and when combined with years of IT work my body is now unhealthy. I've packed on some pounds, get winded when walking up steps, and my energy level is really low.

I don't think of myself as a big person (well didn't anyways), but it was when colleague Jeff Odell sent off some photos of our Tampa Firestarter event that I spoke at yesterday that, it hit me like a brick. I'm getting big and I've got to do something! So, I headed off to Lifestyle Family Fitness and signed up.

Of course, there are many people who pay their monthly gym membership and remain unhealthy (because they don't show up). I'm trying something a bit different and going the boot camp route. Hopefully the structure, peer pressure, and big guy with whistle help me move towards a healthier direction.

So tomorrow at 7:30 pm I report for the first day of what I hope will be a healthier future. I'll be sure to take before pictures. I'll be speaking again at Orlando CodeCamp later this month so don't expect any miracles by then – but hopefully by our April or May user group meeting there will be a difference.

Although I also want to lose some weight and expect to, my primary goal is to become healthier so no more wheezing when I go up the steps or shooting hoops with my brother. A common misconception is that skinny people are healthy. Although being too heavy is not healthy, there are plenty of skinny people who are also very out of shape.