Wii Fit - Can it Replace the Gym?

If the invention of TV remote controls and video games ushered in the couch potato lifestyle, could a similar device rescue us?

Nintendo's Wii Fit, which debuted in late 2006, has grown in popularity, but is it a brilliant rescue device for the overfed, a novelty that will soon fade in popularity, or a clever motivator that appeals to the addictive and/or competitive personality?

Betting on the fact that Americans love their TVs (the average American spends 19-25 hours per week in front of the screen!), Nintendo fashioned Wii Fit with a little competitive edge to keep your interest with the addictive qualities of a video game.

Depending on the activity you choose (Wii has tennis, baseball, boxing, bowling & golf, and the upgrade Wii Fit features weight lifting, aerobics, yoga, jogging, hula hoop, ski jumping, rhythm boxing and step aerobics), you might be holding a wand-like device about the size of a remote control or wearing wrist bands while standing on a surfboard-like balance board in front of your TV. You simulate the movements and force of whatever activity you are playing and the game console translates it onto an animated picture on your TV screen.

So, does it work?

Research shows the majority of people report they get a great work out from the Wii, but measuring their output doesn't back up their perception.* While they may be working harder than if they were playing a regular video game, their calorie-burning numbers were nowhere near the range they'd achieve actually playing the real game.

For instance, Wii Boxing burns 216 calories in 30 minutes, about 51 calories more than walking. Real sparring would burn over 300 calories so the Wii numbers are about 2/3 of what you'd burn actually doing the sport.*

Yoga and strength training have a virtual 3D personal trainer so you can view what you're attempting from every angle in real time, but the aerobics and balance games are less structured. When you reach benchmarks, new difficulty levels become available.

Another game, Ubisoft's My Weight Loss Coach, is a computerized accounting of food intake and activity output.

Advantages:

1.Many people report the Wii encouraged them to try activities they ordinarily would not attempt.
2.The games are simple to use and done in the privacy of your living room.
3.It may be a stepping stone to more effective gym workouts.
4.Many users report using it more when it's prominently displayed in the living room and hard to ignore.

Disadvantages:

1.You might get stuck in a low-intensity rut and not even know it.
2.The games provide no "real life" monitoring or attention from trained personnel, so don't try it if you have health problems or tend to visit the chiropractor often.
3.Once the novelty wears off, it becomes just another expensive piece of equipment gathering dust, so make sure the gaming aspect appeals to you before you buy it.
4.It's easy to lie to a game or computer. Studies show approximately 95% of people lie when inputting information into an online calculator like eDiets or Weight Watchers!

Summary:

1.If you use a Wii Fit, know that, while it's better than doing nothing, you still need to control the intensity and constantly get better and stronger at it.
2.While the Wii Fit can supplement a more intensive workout routine, it does not burn nearly as many calories. However, some users reported using Wii Fit energized them and encouraged them to follow up with a visit to the gym.
3.It's easy to have fun when playing a game. If games suit your personality, go for it!
4.If you tend to start and stop exercise, the Wii probably won't be any different. A better approach may be to figure out the sabotaging behavior's root cause and develop a different attitude about yourself, exercise and eating healthfully.

* Study of the Nintendo Wii, sponsored by the American Council on Exercise and conducted by John Pecori at The University of Wisconsin, La Crosse.

Be Prepared When You Go to the Fair - Make Sure You Have Everything

If you plan on winning stuffed animals or getting other things like that then you should take a large garbage bag with you. Many times the carnies working the games and the novelty workers will not have extra bags available. The best place to find the large stuffed animal bags would be the long range basketball games. They generally give away many large animals and the bags do no get as damaged as fast as they get emptied of their stuffed animals in the waiting arms of all the games winners.

Many people want to save food items. The best way to do this is to carry a duffel bag or back pack. The stands are re-supplied using cardboard boxes. The carnival policies often call for all vendors to get their boxes out of plain view or disposed of. Basically it will not be easy to get a box on the spot. So carry something that will preserve your tasty take-home carnival and fair food.

It is good to bring your credit card. Most larger carnivals and committees will have an ATM on the fair and festival lot. Quite a few fair goers do not bring as much money as they wind up wanting to use once they get there and start spending. A credit card will allow patrons to get cash to spend while at the event. May times there will be multiple ATM;s, so if the first one is out of cash, find another one.

If it looks like rain, and you are going to go to the event anyway, you should have an umbrella. It is also good to have a rain coat or rain poncho with you also. You can do most anything at a festival weather it rains or shines. Things like these will keep you fairly dry and warm. The best easy rain gear to have would be the kind and size you can roll up and put in a area the size of a tall pocket. You may also want to wear the right footwear to keep warm if bad weather does happen.

If you and your party are planning on doing different things and will be separated it is good to have a cell phone or two. You should try to have a cell phone for every pod in your party that will separate from the main group. If you have three kids all going different ways then they should each have a mode of communication. You can meet back up with each other much easier this way. It is way easier and less complicated than those old rendezvous points.

Once you are at the celebration you should see if they have maps of the facility. The map of the grounds is often in the same pamphlet telling the schedule of events at the event. It will be much easier to find things you have planned to see as well as do some things you had not planned. Now that you have a map, you can create a rendezvous location. And also a time when you want to meet back up with your party or for the event you somehow get separated.

It is also a good idea to have seats for everyone with you. Even if you leave them in the trunk until you need them. Most events do not have enough places to sit for the patrons. Many fairgrounds are pretty large and your feet have a good chance of getting tired. The best seats are the small fold up chairs they sell at many major department stores. They are not heavy to carry and will be of great use at many events.

I know you will remember the camera and or video recorder right. That is on you if you take one. But please do not harrass the workers with these pesky tools. And do not attempt to use your camera for intimidation purposes. But do make sure you have enough film or memory space available for the amount of time you will spend having a good time. Have fun!