Wii Fit | Debate

iTim__

Some say the Wii Fit will help you loose weight. Others say it is something else that will be part of the fitness fad history.

Yahoo article: http://videogames.yahoo.com/feature/the-truth-about-wii-fit-and-weight-loss/1284826

What are your thoughts?

iTim__

Some say the Wii Fit will help you loose weight. Others say it is something else that will be part of the fitness fad history.

Yahoo article: http://videogames.yahoo.com/feature/the-truth-about-wii-fit-and-weight-loss/1284826

What are your thoughts?

DETERMINED2Drop

Anything can help you drop pounds as long as you are up moving and burning calories!

cab2424

I love my Wii Fit, but I do not feel that it as good of a work out as aerobics, etc. I just do it for the fun and extra calorie burn. I was thinking about adding hand weights when I do it to increase the workout a bit.

Sandydur

I love my Wii Fit. Since I started my program in January with this site I at least do the body test daily and when energetic I try to do 30 minutes of the different programs such as yoga, strength and arobics. I also do my elipitical for 30 minutes so when I do both I gain an extra 200 calories. :laugh:

I love the strength exercises because it focus's on certain areas which I need. It does make exercising more fun and makes the time go faster. I recommend the Wii Fit. :glasses:

Chellekk

I read that even though people use the Wii Fit as a work out tool, you really don't burn that many calories. The is in comparison to jogging/walking/swimming/ect.

I figure any activity is better then no activity AND if this is something you use to get to know your kids...why not!? You're not only being active yourself, but you're getting your kids up and moving, and having a good time with them!

I myself do not have a Wii, or kids, and am basing the above from reading, the TV, and friends.

msarro

Using it for 1 hour I was able to burn about 750 calories (according to my polar f11). However, that was really getting into it, making sure I was using full body movements to get my heart rate going (arms people, use them!). It also meant almost no downtime between exercises, since downtime means dropping heart rate, and dropping heart rate means less calories burnt.

CasperO

Infuriating, exasperating device that just needs one little tweak to be really cool.

Ok, so you get on your Wii fit, and you want to exercise. So you surf through Eleven-teen menus and select an exercise. And you do your exercise and it's fun and you start to break a little sweat. So far so good, right?!?!

Well,,,,,, that exercise only runs about 3 or 4 minutes. Want to do something else? Do that one again? Well,,, surf through the menus again and select what you want and,,,,, And all this time, while selecting, your heart rate is going down and you're getting cold.

If it only had a way to set up a routine of ""Exercise 1 - straight to exercise 2 - straight to exercise 3 - cool off with exercise 4,,, etc.etc."" You could cue up 20 or 30 minutes of steady movement and it would be super. As it is, it's just frustrating.

There's my $.02. As Dennis Miller said, back when he was funny - "But that's just my opinion,,, I could be wrong".

msarro

Infuriating, exasperating device that just needs one little tweak to be really cool.

Ok, so you get on your Wii fit, and you want to exercise. So you surf through Eleven-teen menus and select an exercise. And you do your exercise and it's fun and you start to break a little sweat. So far so good, right?!?!

Well,,,,,, that exercise only runs about 3 or 4 minutes. Want to do something else? Do that one again? Well,,, surf through the menus again and select what you want and,,,,, And all this time, while selecting, your heart rate is going down and you're getting cold.

If it only had a way to set up a routine of ""Exercise 1 - straight to exercise 2 - straight to exercise 3 - cool off with exercise 4,,, etc.etc."" You could cue up 20 or 30 minutes of steady movement and it would be super. As it is, it's just frustrating.

There's my $.02. As Dennis Miller said, back when he was funny - "But that's just my opinion,,, I could be wrong".

You can actually get a single exercise to last a half hour + with both the free running, and the free step. I believe you may also be able with boxing and hoola hooping, but I'm not sure. Otherwise, most of the exercises don't last very long I agree.

Wolfena

I'm betting it's a "fitness fad" that will eventually fade - but I also think it works.

ANYTHING that gets you moving more than you used to will work

drewzaun

Im thinking it is a fad, but you can also play some cool games on the foot pad thingy so I don't think it is too much a waste, if you already have a WII. I do, but have not gotten the Fit yet, and may never.

However, if you have one and it is working for you, then I suggest using it. There is nothing wrong with workout fads, as long as they work. If you collect them, pretty soon you have a large library of different workouts to break monotony and keep motivated....

abillings9

I thought about buying it, but I've read that it really is more for fun than fitness. Now, My Fitness Coach on the other hand, makes me break a sweat! I burn over 200 cals in 30-45 mins sometimes depending on what to I choose to work on.
There is a new Wii Active coming out in May too, I believe. I'm debating whether or not to reserve one at my local Game Stop.

iTim__

A lot of good points and people with opinions. Who knew? :happy:

rlw911

I love my Wii! I am not a "go to the gym" type person. I've had memberships over the years, used them off and on for a few weeks and quit. I haven't exercised regularly in YEARS and had no plans to. The more I saw and read about the Fit, the more intrigued I became. So, my DH bought a Wii for our family Christmas present, and I got the Fit for my birthday in January. I've used it almost every day since I got it, and as you can see by my ticker, it's definitely helping (along with MFP, of course!).

I look at it the way one of the other posters said - if I didn't have it, I'd be sitting on my butt in front of the computer, thinking about exercising and not doing it. I approach it as exercise, not a game, but I admit it can be fun. I can see a big difference in my endurance since I started a little over a month ago. I challenge myself to do more every day. Heck, I'm even thinking about starting to run at the high school track when it warms up a little more! That's something I would've never even considered before. When I first started, I concentrated on the yoga. It's something I've done before and was comfortable with. Now, I use the yoga and basic strength exercises to warm up for about 25 minutes, then I spend about another 30-45 minutes on the step and running. Believe me, I work up a sweat!

Anyway, it works for me and I'm happy with it! :happy:

happyhubbard

My father in law bought one and did 30 minutes a day every day and lost 8 pounds in 2 weeks. This man runs and trains for the LA marathon every year (which is like a 24 mile run) and never loses weight even doing that! So I would say, if you stick to it every day for at least 30 minutes you might see the scale go down! He did

iTim__

Wow! Very interesting.

unique

I love my wii FIT! I have never had an exercise program where I stuck to it. I say this with the caveat that I've only done it for a week. But it seems to keep adding exercises for variety and you can definitely change the duration altho I haven't. What I do is keep moving in between exercises to keep the heart rate up on the ones where that's a goal.

Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Calorie Counter

iTim__

Those of you that are pro-Wii Fit, would you say it is worth the investment?

cloverluv

I would recommend it. Not just for a workout but it's great at bringing down stress levels.

iTim__

Good point on the stress levels. Cute baby picture too!

AngelinSinCity

Just started tonight. Liked that Strength Training - resent the Wii Age! Wii is fun and easy to get others involved in to build accountabilty with one another.

Sandydur

Yes, I definitely feel the Wii Fit is worth the investment. I try to do 30 minutes of the strength exercises and I am exhausted by the end of that time. I did lose 1/2 inch off of my waist and hips so I do feel it works. I do the elipitical for cardio but also feels that helps my legs. Most of you are younger and can work harder because I can't really balance on one leg for some of the exercises. Go to a friend that has one and test it out for yourself. I have had mine for almost a year and I am still using it. I just ordered another Wii game called "My Fitness Coach" and will let you know how that is after I use it for a while. Good luck everyone.

mjj79

I did it for the first time the other night and broke a sweat. (Granted, it's the first exercise I've done in months since I just gave birth to twins 6 1/2 weeks ago:) Anyway. I liked the yoga (harder than I thought), strength, aerobics and even some of the balance. (The hula hoop is HARD.) Anyway, we'll see, but to me it seems like it will be a nice and fun ADDITION to my workout program. I don't think it would be enough on it's own, but, like someone else said, it's a nice family activity. My 4 and 5 yr olds love it.

As for it being too short, I agree, especially the step aerobics. There is an option to "retry" I believe, at the end, rather than going back through the menu.

greysweatshirt

I really like mine! I've been using it every day for almost two months, and along with eating healthier, I've been able to drop 12lbs since January 1st! Like some of the others have said, anything that motivates you to get up and move, go for it!

renegar

i just joine this forum but i have been using wii fit for about 6 months and i LOVE it..



<a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"><img border="0" src="http://tickers.myfitnesspal.com/ticker/show/15/2509/152509.png&quot; /></a><p style="text-align:center;width:420px;"><small>Created by MyFitnessPal - <a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com">Online Calorie Counter</a></small></p>d

smendek910

Is anyone aware that when you are running, if you pass the little dog, he will take you down a different path - you can do it either with the long run or the island run. You have to run really fast to catch him, but you get to see more scenery.

TINATEEEEE

I love my Wii Fit. It has been a pleasure exercising since I got it a few weeks ago! I'd literally have to tear myself away from my family after a very long day's work to haul my butt to the gym. The Wii is just fun to do! My 7 year old joins me and we just have a blast snowboarding. My daughter (who's going through a bit of a chubby phase) is on it at least 20 minutes a day! I live in Canada and winter is long and hard and being able to remain active while being with my family is just worth it. The best money I ever spent.

pettmybunny

I received mine for Christmas. I like it, but it takes me almost 1 1/2 hours to 2 1/2 hours real time to burn about 600 calories. I can burn that much in 45 minutes to an hour at the gym. But then again, I'm having fun, so it's not as noticable. My DH is amazed, because I'll be downstairs doing it, and when I come up, I'm really sweaty. He just shakes his head when I say it's not as good of a workout at the gym. I guess it's not that it's not as good, but it just takes a heck of a long time!

I'm glad we have it, I have been in a very anti-gym (well anti-about everything) mood lately. If it wasn't for that game, I'd never be exercising at all.

Sandydur

I thought about buying it, but I've read that it really is more for fun than fitness. Now, My Fitness Coach on the other hand, makes me break a sweat! I burn over 200 cals in 30-45 mins sometimes depending on what to I choose to work on.
There is a new Wii Active coming out in May too, I believe. I'm debating whether or not to reserve one at my local Game Stop.

When I read your post on "My Fitness Coach" I immediately bought one. I just got done and what a workout that was. Thanks for the good advice, the younger you are I think the better the workout, but hey it works for me even though I am 66. :laugh: