I have a stalker . . .

A stalker that is short, white, a bit wide, with a flat face . . . 

I’m unsure of whether my stalker is female or male . . . all I know is that it traces my every move. Monitors my eating habits . . . corrects my posture . . . and *gasp* corrects me when I skip a day of BMI testing *sob*

For those of you who also have Wii Fit, you know what I’m talking about. 

Haha, so yeah I bought Wii Fit, and I have to admit the whole game gives you a nail biting experience. For instance, when Brad came in town to visit yesterday I inwardly groaned when we went out to get fast food. 

“I dread getting on that WiiFit balance board tomorrow” 

Yeah, that pretty much sums up how I was feeling about the whole situation. I then realized, for the first time, a routine WAS affecting my eating habits and my way of doing all things fitness. Oh good gosh, I was starting to act RESPONSIBLE about my eating habits *face palm*

Let me put it to you this way, I hate running . . . scratch that, I ABHOR running. I see running as just another tool to allow dirty old men to honk and whistle at me as I go down the street. One of the many reasons I cannot take my dog for a walk without my iPod and headphones, FORGET IT! *ahem*

So when I saw the running tool on Wii Fit, I naturally go curious. So I clicked on short distance run and stuck my Wiimote in my back pocket and proceeded to jog in place. I have to admit I was impressed at how accurately it was recording my rhythm while I was jogging. They also have this neat little system of dots that tells you how far you’ve gone and how far you have left to go, it gave me a bit more determination to finish it. Short distance . . . I think was three minutes of running? Then yay! Excellent runner, four stars! You’ve unlocked Long Distance, completed that one. Yay! Excellent runner, four stars! You’ve unlocked Island Lap! 

Wait . . . 

Island Lap? Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm . . . 

Well, I was a bit curious to see the entire island, clicked on it, ran it, yes 12 fitness points!

Wait . . . 

12 fitness points?

I RAN FOR 12 MINUTES?!?!?!?!

Yes people, while I can speed walk (which I prefer, easier on the knees) for a good hour, feel the burn and all that, it is practically impossible to get me to run for 12 minutes. yeah yeah, its only half a mile, and although I was impressed at how accurately it recorded my rhythm it didn’t record it UBER accurately, made me a bit slower. Didn’t really care, figure it gave me more of a workout anyway. 

Still though! This game got me, a runner unbeliever to BELIEVE! 

Maybe that’s a bit extreme, but I was bit shocked at how much this whole self-competition, being tracked thing works. 

I’m awesome at yoga, I kill on the running, aerobics (like the hula hoop) I reign supreme . . . and then there are the balance games . . . 

I’ve always been told I have good posture (however I know its pretty bad), according to Wii Fit my posture could use some work. I lean a bit to the right, and I slouch. When it showed me how to correct my posture, I could actually feel how much more balanced I was. 

btw, I stink at the balancing games

However!! After playing them and doing the strength training and aerobic exercises, I have to admit I can feel myself standing taller. Apparently the Wii Fit thinks so too. 

Oh and the strength training. So I have never been able to do rowing squats correctly, I’m always placing my weight wrong or my knees go to far, you see where I’m going with this. When I decided to do the strength training on Wii Fit, I was shocked that the fitness instructor actually corrected where my weight was, and then a little bar came up on the screen and I heard . . . 

“Try to stay in the blue area”

sure enough, about five seconds later, yeah I could feel my muscles actually working. They do the exercises equally so you know you are working out all parts equally. 

The body is always looking for the easy way out

I think what I really REALLY like about this game is it really does challenge you to beat yourself. Whether its beating your own time or getting more stars, or just dropping your BMI .05 pts. 

I also like that it does present a STARTING point for people. There are some people, my age, younger, some older. That don’t want to go to the gym because they know that people who are REALLY fit will be there, and they are afraid they will just look pathetic. This game helps you zoom in on what you are REALLY supposed to be paying attention to, your own performance. Not the performance of others. Also, the game can still be used even after you feel your fitness level has gotten to a point that you HAVE to go outside and run or HAVE to go to the gym and lift weights or HAVE to take take a real aerobics class. It shows you HOW to work out, with reps and equal exercising. It gives you GOOD fitness habits. It helps you with eating habits, when I gained 1.5 lbs overnight the little balance board guy asked me to choose which one of these applied to me, and gave me a list of reasons I might have gained weight, I clicked “late dinner”. He then told me to make sure to eat at least three hours before going to sleep. I was inwardly impressed to tell you the truth. The balance board wasn’t yelling at me, wasn’t accusing me, just merely suggesting that I make sure to not eat dinner too late. I loved it! In the end, it’s really up to you to do the work, no one is forcing you to do it. 

This actually feels like a VIDEO GAME, not a chore. I have to admit I was a bit shocked. I usually get annoyed with anything fitness within two days. The only reason I stayed on my walking routine for so long is because I love my dog and she loves her walks. 

Honestly, when have you ever stepped on a bathroom scale and growled at the scale like you would the boss that you feel is taking cheap shots or that annoying guy you play Super Smash Brothers with that mashes buttons and hordes his lives by staying in the corner and letting everyone else kill each other. 

I know I’ve certainly never growled at a bathroom scale, haha. 

This Wii Fit game really does provide people with a “Judgement Free” zone. I like that zone 😉

6 Comments

  1. AwesomenessFTW

    Oh thank God, I thought you REALLY had a stalker for a second there!

    LOL, I got Wii Fit too. I always feel bad when I skip a fitness tip, and the balance board gets all depressed… 🙁

    Anyway, I think it’s a great game too. It’s not “Ugh, I have to do Wii Fit today,” it’s more like “Okay, let’s go do Wii Fit!” It’s fun to exercise with it, which I like. A lot.

    -AFTW

  2. Nyubis

    I truly though tyou we’re stalked when I read the title… 😆

    At first I thought Wii Fit was just another non-working piece of merchandise for people who think they’re not perfect enough. Yet I’ve already quite some good comments about it, this included…

  3. WJUK

    Haha, I was worried that you had a stalker too. Then I read “short, white, a bit wide with a flat face…” Wait, what?

    Anyway, Wii Fit can be a tool to help people who wouldn’t normally exercise to do at least some. In theory, it’s a great concept. And Nintendo have executed it perfectly. The problem for most people, is being able to stick to it. Despite what you might think now, you probably will give up. It’s sorta like Animal Crossing, I played that for about 6 months then gave up. However, several years from now you’ll be digging round and find Wii Fit…

  4. Moony Suan

    When I first heard about the wii fit i thought it was just the silliest thing. I mean an exercise video game? They’re polar opposites.

    But from what you say I think I just might have change my opinion because it sounds like it really works.

  5. Matt

    I’ve never tried Wii Fit, but I played DDR like a maniac for years up until the point when my living arrangements prevented me from being able to perform the necessary stomping motions without seriously pissing off the neighbors. With DDR it is more about the actual game and a good source of exercise is kind of a byproduct of that, rather than Wii Fit where fitness is the entire point, but DDR is another example of a video game compelling someone to exercise more than they probably would have on their own. It definitely does help to have goals to aspire to that are quantifiable: “Oh, I want to get this many points and lower my BMI by this amount,” or “Oh, I want to be able to do this one really bangin’ song on the hardest difficulty.” In my quest to obtain technical perfection I would often work myself well past the point I would have given up had I just been running on the treadmill or whatever.

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