Starving Foodie

Wii-Fit Great for Extra Exercise

Since leaving H3I, I try to at least get one “ThermoWalk” in a day.  Most of the time it is an after dinner walk.  However, this time of year in Jax, the weather does not always co-operate.  Afternoon and evening downpours are common.  So how to get your exercise? Enter Wii Fit.

Don’t fire your trainer just yet.

Unless you’ve not been working out at all, most of the games, aerobics, strength and yoga on the Wii Fit will not challenge you.  The Fit is not a replacement for a full exercise program.  But what it can do, it provide you with some entertaining, low intensity exercise.  A great replacement for walking  after dinner.

Games, Aerobics, Strength, and Yoga

The Fit has balance games, aerobics, strength and yoga.  The games mostly focus on balance.  For example, the ski slalom requires you to use a slight squat and balance side to side.  In the aerobics area, there is a hula-hoop game that can get take your heart beat up a notch or two.  The strength and yoga  items hold not surprises.  For many of the exercises, you use the Wii remote or the balance board.  The game then keeps track of your score.

Weight Log

The Wii also measures your weight. I’ve seen this change by as much as 2.5 lbs in 30 minutes, so the Wii board is quite sensitive to how you stand on it.  I’ve found I get more consistent results by doing my weigh in at the end of the workout.  The best thing is this provides a very easy way to track your weight.  The accuracy is not too important.  What you mainly want to see is the graph moving in the right direction over the month.  Don’t worry about +/- 2lb gains along the way.

Integrating the Fit

Integrating the Wii Fit into your daily/weekly schedule.  If you plan on walking but just don’t feel like getting outside.  See if you can manage 10 minutes on the fit.  While dinner is cooking, you may be able to find 5 minutes of low impact games.  The goal is to increase your total exercise level not to get Fit by using the Wii.

For example, if 2x a week I forgo my 20 min walk due to some reason, I’ve given up 160 minutes of exercise a month. But if I get on the Wii instead,  I don’t lose that 160 minutes of exercise.

Getting the Kids Involved

I don’t have kids so take this for what it is worth.  While I think kids my like the games on the Fit, they probably will not like the other routines.  I can’t imagine getting a 4 year old to do Yoga.  However, the Fit comes with Wii Sports.  That game can get you moving.  For example, with Wii Bowling, bowl into  lunge and hold it until the ball hits the pins.  Switch legs have way through. Don’t worry about the score.  Get your exercise in.

With the baseball, hold the Wi-mote in one hand and a weight in your other.  Be a switch hitter to balance the work out.

Buy a Fit

At first, I did not like the Fit, but now I probably rack up 90 minutes on the fit weekly.  That’s 6 hours per month of additional exercise.  For someone my size and the intensity I work out on the Fit, that is at least 1700 calories a month.

By using the Fit, I can expect to lose an additional 5 pounds per year.

Five pounds may not seem like much, but if it is combined with walking more, eating better and other lifestyle improvements, that fiver gets added to another fiver and soon we are talking significant weight loss.