Wednesday, November 10, 2004

ASP.NET Performance Tuning/Analysis: "section, the need for benchmarking is apparent. The .Net CLR ships w/ dozens of performance monitoring counters. I will attempt "

Tuesday, November 09, 2004

Workouts for desk jockeys
Question 1:I have been gaining weight since I started a desk job straight out of college. I've heard that if I suck in my tummy and squeeze in my butt when I am sitting at my computer, it will work out my abs and my behind. Does this exercise actually work?
Question 2: I work in an office where I am seated most of the day, and as a result my behind is getting a wide, flat look. Are there any exercises I can do that will take away my pancake behind and give me a nice tight peach?
Answer: We weren't designed to sit at a desk for eight-plus hours a day, but that's how many of us now spend our time. And it can take a toll on our bodies, particularly when we sit fixed before the monitor for hours on end—a practice some have dubbed "binge computing"—and skip regular workouts outside the job.
One of the risks of such a sedentary lifestyle, especially if it includes pastry from the cafeteria, is weight gain. As suggested by Reader No. 1, cutting back on physical activity—from a lifestyle that requires hiking all over campus to one that necessitates little more than short strolls to the copy machine or coffee maker—can pack on the pounds.
Another risk from sitting all day and not getting much activity after hours either is deterioration of muscles, such as the gluteus maximus muscles that define our backsides. Reader No. 2 complains of a "flat look," one that would indicate muscle atrophy.
But just because you spend a good deal of your time at a desk doesn't mean you're destined to become fat and flabby, experts say. It does, however, mean that you're going to have to make an effort to get in shape during your free time to help counteract the effects of those sedentary days.
That means burning calories through walking, jogging, biking, aerobics or other physical activity to help maintain weight and keep yourself in good cardiovascular health. And you'll need to strength train to keep muscles in shape. "It's use it or lose it," says Michael Bracko, an exercise and occupational physiologist at the Occupational Performance Institute in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and a spokesperson for the American College of Sports Medicine.
So for Reader No. 2, the issue isn't so much your sitting as your lack of physical conditioning. "Sitting down will not specifically cause your butt to be flat," Bracko says. The prescription: work out the glutes with exercises like the elliptical trainer and the leg press machine.
It all adds up
Keep in mind that all exercise adds up. Health and fitness experts now say that people can get their government-recommended half hour of physical activity a day in short spurts. So if you have an extra 10 to 20 minutes at lunch, consider taking a brisk walk outside. Even brief bouts of activity, such as opting for the stairs instead of the elevator or walking a memo to a colleague down the hall instead of e-mailing it, help.
Little exercise breaks during the day are also important in preventing common work-related pains, such as back aches, Bracko emphasizes.
Such accountability is one of the keys to coaching’s success, experts say. Regular appointments with a coach may serve as motivation for making health improvements.
"Prolonged sitting is a risk factor for herniated disks," he says. Taking short exercise and stretch breaks alleviates pressure on the disks and nourishes them, in addition to getting muscles throughout the body moving, he notes.
Aim to sit no longer than 50 minutes at a time, Bracko recommends. Then take a few minutes to get up and get your body moving through a short walk or activities like side bends and arm or ankle circles. Stretching is a good idea because muscles get short and tight (particularly those of the neck, wrist, back, hip, shoulders, chest and the hamstrings) when we sit hunched over at our desks for long periods. Consider doing some of these exercises before work too, as a warm-up.
"We want to avoid people engaging in binge computing," says Benjamin Amick, an associate professor of behavioral sciences and epidemiology at the University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston.
Of course, good work-station ergonomics also are important, says Amick, whose research has shown that correct ergonomics, including a properly adjusted chair, can help workers stay healthy and productive. If you have an ergonomics specialist on site, it's a good idea to set up a consultation to ensure you're not at high risk for repetitive stress injuries.
One note of caution for people who have aches and pains at work: your strength-training regimen may be worsening the problem, notes Bracko. For instance, if the muscles of your chest and front of your shoulders are tight from being hunched over at work, strengthening them too much without stretching them and also strengthening the back can spell more trouble. Aim for a well-rounded workout that takes into account any symptoms you're having on the job. A good personal trainer or physical therapist can offer guidance.
Last November, Wellcoaches and the American College of Sports Medicine announced a partnership to train the association’s members in coaching skills, and so far more than 100 have completed the 10-week program.
For many people, particularly those who are out of shape, gyms have an "intimidation factor," she says. People who aren’t happy with their shape may feel uncomfortable with a buff trainer or working out among other hard bodies. Coaching can help them find ways to exercise with more privacy.
Others who don’t have time to go to a gym or who simply prefer to exercise outdoors or at home can work with a coach to fit exercise into their life.
Exercise physiologist Walt Thompson, a professor of kinesiology and health at Georgia State University in Atlanta and an American College of Sports Medicine spokesperson, says coaching may be more successful than personal training because it takes a "holistic" approach, addressing issues that can interfere with healthful behaviors and developing strategies for achieving overall well-being that are tailored to the individual’s needs and preferences.
"I think it’s the wave of the future," he says.
The hope is that coaching will promote positive—and long-lasting—health behaviors, but how well it effects permanent change is not known.
Unregulated industry
Without geographic boundaries, coaching offers a way for many in the fitness industry to dramatically expand their client base—and their income. The cost of coaching sessions varies widely from about $35 for a half-hour session up to $150 or more, and many coaches want a three-month commitment.
But some experts are concerned unqualified people will embark on coaching or overstep their bounds.
"Like the personal training industry, it’s unregulated," says Thompson
One worry is that shady coaches won’t know when to start referring. Coaches are not trained to deal with eating disorders, clinical depression or other serious issues that warrant a trip to a therapist or other specialist. Likewise, a coach with an extensive fitness background is probably not the best person to help you decide how to finalize a divorce settlement or whether to sell your stocks.
And because coaches may never see clients, there are concerns about safe exercise practices. To address this, Wellcoaches has set up a system to allow coaches and clients see each other through computer video, provided both parties have the technology. Still, people who need a lot of fitness instruction and supervision may be better working with a personal trainer—or combining coaching with training.
Conway said he felt confident he was exercising correctly, so it didn’t bother him not to see his coach in person. In fact, he liked the freedom from regularly scheduled face-to-face sessions. "To be very honest," he says, "I felt it was less intrusive."

Thursday, October 28, 2004

Thursday, October 07, 2004

: "A delegate is a proxy for a method. Clients interact with the delegate and the delegate forwards the operation to the method it represents. The advantage of this indirect arrangement is that the client code is relatively independent of the target method. The client sees only the delegate and does not need to know much about the method the delegate represents. Delegates are used in many places throughout the .NET Framework Class Library. Classic examples are as callbacks in user interface programming and as the way to specify the work to be performed by a thread. "

Thursday, September 23, 2004

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