Peace of Mind Organizing

Getting fit the Wii way

6 April 2009

I just purchased a Wii video-game console so that I could use the Wii Fit program and balance board. This is huge for me, for a couple of reasons. First, I’m pretty sure I haven’t played a video game since Pong. (I’m not kidding.) Second, I don’t work out. I’m lucky enough to have a great metabolism, so I don’t need to work out to stay slender. I’m not a total couch potato: I walk my dogs daily and I’ve walked three half-marathons. For the last seven years, I’ve done about three minutes’ worth of exercises every morning with seven-pound dumbbells, followed by 100 crunches most days. Not bad, but not much of a workout.

But I’m in the latter half of my 40s and it seemed it was time to change up the fitness routine. I’d heard a lot about the Wii Fit, so I decided to try it. I think I’m hooked.

The Wii Fit combines what you see on the TV with a “balance board”, a plastic board a little larger than a bathroom scale that you stand on when you work out. It gives feedback to the game console, so it knows if you’re doing the exercises properly.

I worked out for about 35 minutes both Saturday and Sunday. I’m here to tell you, I’m sore today. I don’t think I’ve been sore since the last time I walked a half-marathon. My abs, in particular, are sore. And I don’t remember doing any abdominal exercises.

So far, the Wii Fit workouts are kinda fun. I start with the yoga exercises. I’ve dabbled in yoga before and it’s not my favorite thing to do. But with the Wii Fit, I get instant feedback on how well I’m maintaining my center of balance, which gives me something to work toward. I love the feedback.

After yoga, I did some strength exercises, which killed me. I found push-ups really hard. But I’m going to keep at it until they’re less hard. After strength training, things started getting fun. First, the aerobic exercises. We’re not talking jumping jacks here, or Jane Fonda-style aerobics (which I did back in the day). We’re talking invisible hula hoops. The screen mirrors how you’re doing keeping the hula hoop up on your hips (based on the info you’re giving it through the balance board). There are other aerobic exercises, but I don’t remember them off hand.

Then, my favorite part: the balance exercises. The people who invented this program are geniuses. I can practice balance exercises by pretending I’m hitting soccer balls with my head, skiing a slalom course, using my body to manipulate a board and roll balls into a hole, do a ski jump, etc. etc. The more I do, the more games open up to me.

I realize I’ve only done this two days. But I’m anxious for day three. That says something good, doesn’t it? My 25th college reunion is coming up at the end of May. I’d like to look my best for it. Something tells me that the reunion will provide just the motivation I need for regular workouts.

The Wii Fit comes with a Don’t-Break-the-Chain-style calendar that you stamp each time you do a workout. Brilliant. It also monitors your weight and BMI, as well as how well you do on each exercise. I’m only competing with myself (my husband’s not on board…yet) but I find myself wanting to best my prior score.

There’s no way I’d go to a gym to work out. Not going to happen. With the Wii Fit, I don’t have to.

Tagged with: exercise

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