Nintendo Wii and vegetable diet

Paulgar

Here is an article about a novel way to lose weight.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1952984/wii_and_vegetables_how_i_lost_over.html?cat=5

What do you guys think?

Zamboni

Paulgar wrote: »

Here is an article about a novel way to lose weight.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1952984/wii_and_vegetables_how_i_lost_over.html?cat=5

What do you guys think?

I think some chick from Nintendo wrote it.

Paulgar

So cynical? The chick's name is Paul.

Zamboni

Fair enough. You wrote it. My mistake.
It was more than likely your change in diet that led to the weight loss.
Not the Wii.

Paulgar

Zamboni wrote: »

Fair enough. You wrote it. My mistake.
It was more than likely your change in diet that led to the weight loss.
Not the Wii.

I feel sure that it was a mixture of the two because, I managed to stabilise my weight by playing around with the two factors. If I ate too much I used the Wii more.

I am not trying to promote the Wii and this method won't work for everyone, but it did work for me. The Wii also helped me get back into more traditional exercise. I don't use it as much as in the beginning but still exercise the same amount.

I think that there is a bit of snobbery directed at any new means of achieving fitness. Not that I'm implying that this is the case with your good self.

Transform

well maybe the sonbbery is needed as just maybe you need to raise your standards a little more.

Fair play if it helped you get back into regular exercise and i hope it helps you to hit the weights and maybe challenge yourself to do a 5-10km run if thats your bag.

Paulgar

Well maybe I'm quite happy with the goals I'm reaching. I have gone from doing very little to regular hour long runs. I exercise for at least 30 minutes every day, but hey this is not about impressing other people. I am satisfied with my progress and that is the main thing for me, but thanks for your comments.

Penn

Congratulations on your weight loss. Good on you for picking a method that you could adhere to and that suited you best.

However, I'm currently trying to lose a lot of weight and would never try your method. Not just the fact that its pretty much a vegetarian diet, but I really doubt anything the Wii can do can compare to actual machines in an actual gym. I mean, you say you lost about 33 pounds in seven months. I've lost 5 pounds in less than two weeks by just eating a bit healthier and going to the gym 4 times a week. Obviously, I don't expect that rate of weight loss to continue, but improving your exercise and diet is always going to yield results, no matter how you do it

Transform

Paulgar wrote: »

Well maybe I'm quite happy with the goals I'm reaching. I have gone from doing very little to regular hour long runs. I exercise for at least 30 minutes every day, but hey this is not about impressing other people. I am satisfied with my progress and that is the main thing for me, but thanks for your comments.

look its great your workout out and its farrr more than the vast majority are doing so fair play.

You did post it up asking what people thought and thats my thought - raise the bar.

rubadub

Transform wrote: »

raise the barBELL.

tlev

I see what you did there. BarBELL very clever !!

I've got a wii as well but I have never actually considered it a serious tool for fitness. I've sweated more from furious bouts of Fight Night Round 4 on my PS3 and I'm just sitting there :D

Paulgar

Thanks for the replies. I agree that there are more effective methods out there, but this was one they worked for me. I live in a tropical climate in a town with limited facilities so in the past have had a lot of excuses not to exercise. I would have also have felt very self-conscious going to the gym in the beginning because I have a small frame and all that extra weight was on my belly. The Wii allowed me to tone up before having the face the world.


I have started doing a bit of training using a some light weights. I do steps on the stairs swinging them for up to forty minutes. I suppose that I could use them more. I also do a lot of push-ups and sit-ups. I listen to this pod-cast called forever fitness and they set challenges; so for instance this month I'm aiming to do 2,000 sit ups and press ups.

tlev

You are in Thailand?? Are there any Muay Thai gyms around? That will get you in shape and get you mega tough as well!!

Paulgar

Hi Tlev, yes there is Muay Thai and that is something that I'm itching to get involved in. The only thing holding me back is my age. I am just about to turn forty. I live in a rural part of Thailand and there is nobody my age training in the art; there are few clubs that deal with foreigners.

It is something that I plan to do though, but I want to reach a good level of fitness first. Muay training here can be very intense. Kids start when they are about six and train for hours every day. I think it would be a great fitness goal for someone my age to reach a fitness level where I could enter a Muay Thai fight; hopefully not against a six year old.

Thanks for that.

tlev

I understand where you are coming from and I admire that you are willing to change and do things! I think the only thing holding you back isn't your age but merely your own perception! If you believe that you can achieve something and not limit yourself, then you will be able to do it. I don't mean this in a snobbish or cocky way but you aren't the first person who felt they may not be able to get in shape because of their age but there are people out there who have done it, and if others have done it, then you can too! I mean that in a good way!

And if you cant find a gym lift a rock or some logs! :D

Paulgar

You people on this thread must be demons for exercise. I actually thought that I was doing reasonably well at the moment. Maybe I should get out more.

tlev

Look any movement is better than no movement. Dont put yourself down!

Paulgar

I do believe that any movement is better than no movement. I spent twenty years as a drunk, ended up on the streets of London and almost died, so believe me when I say that I've come a long way.

I do keep on making new goals, and working towards them. My weight is no longer a problem for me; at least at the moment. I would like to see how far I can take my fitness level though.

Thanks for all the replies

legend365

+1 for the Muay Thai training!

Get into that and you'll forget about the Wii altogether.

It'd be an excuse to pick up some of the language too...

Paulgar

Thank you legend. I do want to get into Muay Thai soon. I have lived and worked in Thailand for eight years so my Thai is fairly fluent. Thanks

Khannie

Paulgar wrote: »

in Thailand my students would make the occasional 'pom puey' or 'fatty' remark.

Haha. That wouldn't take much to be fair. The average Thai person is very slim, especially in rural Thailand.

Paulgar wrote: »

Hi Tlev, yes there is Muay Thai and that is something that I'm itching to get involved in. The only thing holding me back is my age. I am just about to turn forty. I live in a rural part of Thailand and there is nobody my age training in the art; there are few clubs that deal with foreigners.

Honestly, I think that unless you're paying for private tuition (which would be reasonable enough compared to western prices) you're not gonna get decent Muay Thai tuition at 40. They consider you past your prime as a fighter at 27 and are really only interested in people who will get in the ring. As I'm sure you're aware, almost nobody in Thailand does Muay Thai for fitness. It's all about the fighting.

I think a vegetarian diet is probably more accessible in Thailand than in the west too, but fair play to you. 15KG is quite an achievement.

Roper

I like Wiis but I couldn't eat a whole one...

I'm not totally down on things like WiiFit. It's obviously not optimum but it does provide feedback on your weight loss etc. The good thing about them is that people who ordinarily wouldn't leave the living room get to do some movement and maybe burn a few calories, might get a taste for it and then leave the living room. The negative side is that they may never go beyond that and think they're doing just fine.

I would love to be in Thailand right now, it's lashing outside!

Astrogeek

I've played the wii fit and thought it was hilarious. I never imagined actually using it to get fit. Nice to hear it worked for you.

Frankiestylee

I quite like some aspects of the wii fit ... it's quite handy for keeping a record of your weight. What I dislike is the BMI lark it goes on about, I'm pretty sure it's amazed I'm not dead.

I could actually see it as a means to keep fit... there's a jogging on the spot game that ticks a few cardio boxes, and the urge to beat other people's records gets the aul competitive spirit going and it's a bit of fun.

Paulgar

Khannie wrote: »

Haha. That wouldn't take much to be fair. The average Thai person is very slim, especially in rural Thailand.



Honestly, I think that unless you're paying for private tuition (which would be reasonable enough compared to western prices) you're not gonna get decent Muay Thai tuition at 40. They consider you past your prime as a fighter at 27 and are really only interested in people who will get in the ring. As I'm sure you're aware, almost nobody in Thailand does Muay Thai for fitness. It's all about the fighting.

I think a vegetarian diet is probably more accessible in Thailand than in the west too, but fair play to you. 15KG is quite an achievement.

You are right about Muay Thai in Thailand. It really is a young person's game. Almost all the boxers are trying to fight themselves out of poverty and don't understand the idea of doing it as a hobby. My wife thinks the idea is completely crazy. I would still like to give it a whack though; as you say, private tuition would be best. There is actually meant to be a 'fight club' type outfit in Bangkok for the other middle-aged people going through mid-life crisis.