Lionel Thomas

Lionel Thomas is a father and avid gamer with a deep passion for artificial intelligence, health, environmental sustainability, and the gamification of everyday life. With over 12 years of experience in the gaming industry and more than 25 years in the Online/IT Industry, he has continually expanded his diverse expertise. In 2010, Lionel founded ‘Vitality For Gamers‘ after a wake-up call from a back injury in 2009, which resulted from his sedentary lifestyle as a Gameaholic, characterized by spending over 40 hours a week gaming on top of a demanding 60-hour work schedule in the computer games sector. This personal challenge catalyzed his commitment to creating a new Gamer Lifestyle, aiming to level up one’s physical avatar, skills, knowledge, and health as one would in a game. ‘Vitality for Gamers’ was created to promote this healthier lifestyle, sharing it broadly with the community.

Recognizing the unique challenges faced by parents of children who game, Lionel also established ‘Parents with Gamers,’ a platform dedicated to supporting parents in navigating their children’s gaming habits in a healthy and positive manner.

Through the innovative lens of gamifying life, Lionel seeks to enhance health and lifestyle standards, all while making significant contributions to the conservation of Our Earth. He firmly believes that as we elevate our personal health, we concurrently foster the well-being of the Earth, establishing a symbiotic relationship between individual wellness and environmental health.

Vitality For Gamers

The goal of Vitality For Gamers is the Gamification of Life.

Our website provides researched information on Health, Mindset, and Knowledge to assist in leveling up your real-life Avatar. We also aim to gamify this and more. By integrating game-like elements into everyday activities and tasks, we wish to create gamer-like enthusiasm in life.

Our vision extends beyond individual transformation, fostering a sense of community and friendly competition among friends, families, classrooms, schools, and nations. Read more…

Parents with Gamers

The goal of Parents with Gamers is to give parents, guardians, and teachers tools for the gamification of homework, chores, sports, hobbies, and other tasks/activities. Read more…

Battle with Gameaholicism 

“Gameaholicism” is an excessive or compulsive engagement with video games.

As a passionate gamer, I vividly recall the thrill of purchasing a new game late at night from a retail store and eagerly starting to play it at 6 a.m. the following morning. Immersed in the game, I lost all sense of time until, feeling uncomfortable and thirsty, I glanced away from the screen to discover it was already night. A search for a clock revealed it was 6 p.m.; I had been gaming for an astounding 12 hours straight without a break. This episode, coupled with a subsequent back injury, was a wake-up call that I needed to change my habits. Aware that I couldn’t trust myself to play for only short periods, I decided to limit my gaming time.

I devised a “Point & Reward System” to cultivate healthier habits, allowing myself gaming time only after achieving certain tasks or activities. Whether it was working on my hobby, Vitality For Gamers, tidying up, exercising, or similar activities, I would reward myself with some gaming time. Initially, the challenge was finding a motivation stronger than the allure of the games. At that time, losing weight and improving my health became my top priorities and the creation of Vitality For Gamers served as the perfect platform for this transformation. I encourage others to identify a personal responsibility or passion that drives them, something that can help balance and enrich their lives alongside their gaming interests.

Articles:

• Gameaholic: How I Gained Control of My Game Addiction
  
  
• 10 Top Tips to Take Control of Your Gaming Addiction
  
  
• How to Quit Gaming Addiction?

Asperger’s Syndrome

Growing up with Asperger’s Syndrome has been a path filled with distinctive challenges and, equally, distinctive strengths. Currently, mentioning my place on the Autism Spectrum sometimes garners puzzled looks, but I attribute this to an internal drive that pushes me to continuously enhance myself, leveling up one step at a time, no matter how small. This drive has enabled me to overcome social awkwardness and achieve a sense of normalcy, marking a significant journey, while still aiming for even greater heights.

In my early years, I was extremely introverted, avoiding social gatherings as if they were detrimental to my well-being. Conversely, I found solace and intense focus in activities such as gaming, programming, drawing, and exploring environmental interests.

Articles:

• What Video Games are Good for Autistic Children

• Gaming with Awareness: Strategies for Parents of Autistic Kids