wii fit; ea active; etc opinions needed

pandas

Ladies I need some advice! I have a Nintendo wii, and I am thinking of getting wii fit for myself for christmas!!

Has anybody tried it and is it good for helping with weight loss??? or would they recommend some other game aimed at weight loss!!

and i know you are probably all thinking just go do some exercise but I like the idea of doing it in your own house without everyone lookin at ya or meeting people on the road etc.

Notorious

I haven't tried either of the games, but I've heard mixed reports about both of them. The general consensus seems to be that EA Active is the better program as regards keeping fit, but both are only a tool to help you along the way to getting fit.

A mother came in to work at the start of the school summer period to get one of the games for her son who wanted to lose weight over the holidays. They went for Active iirc. I made sure to tell her before she bought the game that he couldn't rely on the game alone in order to lose weight. She came back into the shop at the end of the summer saying that it didn't work very well when he started using it because he wasn't doing any other forms of exercise (he didn't want his friends to see him out running etc.), but after he realised there was very little results he started running and swimming along with using the game and was supposedly happy with his progress.

Sorry for the long-ish post, but there you go!

(also, I may not be a lady....)

Cupcake_Crisis

I use the wii fit almost every day!! I really like it, but i do use it more for fun than i do for actually keeping fit!! Theres a really good variety of excercises on and its good for keeping track of how much excercise you've actually done!

Creamy Goodness

i lost a stone and a half with the aid of wii fit last year.

i also cut out ****e like coke, white bread and replaced with water and wraps.

i stopped doing it mainly because of final year of college where i was in from 8-9:30 every night meaning i wasn't home until 11 most nights and didn't have 20 minutes to spare.

must start it back up now actually.

Nervous Wreck

I used Wii Fit for a while last year, until the novelty wore off. It's like taking supplements, really. It won't do the job itself but it can aid you in your progress for sure. It's a good motivator when you're starting off...

g'em

How 'active' can you actually get with the wii fit? I've never used one so I don't know anything about it tbh.

If you wanted an at-home exercise aid I'd be more inclined to recommend some of the better Fitness DVDs - Davina Macall's has had great recommendations on the Fitness forum.

Nevyn

Very active, I found the yoga intermediate stuff hard enough.
If your not really active it's a good fun way to get going or to add balance work or streches in way which helps you keep track and is not as boring.

Raze_them_all

g'em wrote: »

How 'active' can you actually get with the wii fit? I've never used one so I don't know anything about it tbh.

If you wanted an at-home exercise aid I'd be more inclined to recommend some of the better Fitness DVDs - Davina Macall's has had great recommendations on the Fitness forum.

Not very active tbh, Wii fit and that is just a remarkbly effective marketing ploy.

Op I know you said you don't want to do any exercise, everyone feels the same when they first start, and nothing will give you the benefits like it.

Wiifit tricks people into thinking they're getting fit, it reminds me of my friend who thinks she'll be able to start running no problem even though I've never known her to actually exercise just because (and I quote) " I've had sex" so I'll be fit enough to run

g'em

Thaedydal wrote: »

Very active, I found the yoga intermediate stuff hard enough.

Coolers, in that case it would probably work - although as an aid as has already been said.

Your diet will be the most important factor to losing weight and exercise will reinforce your efforts. Just make sure you use it regularly and consistently

g'em

Raze_them_all wrote: »

Wiifit tricks people into thinking they're getting fit, it reminds me of my friend who thinks she'll be able to start running no problem even though I've never known her to actually exercise just because (and I quote) " I've had sex" so I'll be fit enough to run

LOL!!!

hmmm... two very differing opinions of how active it is... I think I'd still be inclined to say that a Fitness DVD would be more effective, but if the Wii Fit is more "fun" and will be easier to use more consistently then it's the obvious choice.

In all honesty I'd hate to do any of that stuff - lifting things is waaaaaayyyy too much fun :pac:

jellie

wii fit is a good way to get yourself moving at home, i used it for awhile but the novelty wore off after a few weeks.

if youre busy or tired in the evenings i found it far too much effort, 5 mins to set up and get through all the steps to get started, then short enough pieces of exercise (i didnt find one got was longer than about 10mins though i might have just given up too soon, the more you do the longer times you unlock on some of them). and then stopping and going between programs or reselecting.

personally i found it far more worthwhile to just go outside for a walk where possible, but with the weather weve been having lately itd be handy to take it out.

maybe i should take mine out and do something

pandas

thanks really appreciate all the replies!! i think ill get it and start swimming thats a reasonably safe exercise not exercising everything jiggling in front of everyone ha!!

whats the deal with the wii fit board?? whats it for?

sorry i didnt see half the replies there!! i never thought of a fitness dvd!! that sounds interesting!! are they like music and she shows ya what to do and you copy her like a class!!??
or i could do an actual class i suppose!! hmm must look into that!

its not that i dont like exercising i actually really love it i joined gym one summer two years ago, went 4 times a week and really loved it because you slept like a baby, felt great and lost weight but then like someone mentioned earlier started my final year of college and never saw it after that! ha!

i just dont like the thought of exercising in front of everyone. at the time i was working unusual hours so i could go in during the day and everyone would be working so there was very few people there but now i cant go until after 6 nowadays so it be packed!! plus i suppose its very expensive!!! cant really afford it!

excercise dvd that idea has really stuck in my head! are they expensive?

jellie

pandas wrote: »

thanks really appreciate all the replies!! i think ill get it and start swimming thats a reasonably safe exercise not exercising everything jiggling in front of everyone ha!!

whats the deal with the wii fit board?? whats it for?

most of the exercises use it for 1 thing or another, as far as i can tell it can analyze your position from the way your weight is distributed on it.

pandas

oh righty thanks!! part of me is thinking that i might be as well off to try it AS AN AID as ye say seen as i have the wii console anyway!! but then again it is 100 quid i dont know! any tips on any other forms i could try! i like swimming, i wouldnt mind walking either but the rain here at the mo is torrential!

jenny2hat

I have it and tbh you wouldn't exactly be out of breath using it. I do know someone who lost weight using it every day though and eating healthily. It wouldn't be for me. I'd buy an inflatable aerobics ball or a step machine for low budget home workouts instead

kingtut

OP I have wii fit and I have lost weight with it, it is great fun!

I must add however that the wii fit is not going to make you lose weight all by itself, it is merely a tool to show you what exercises you can do, and how many calories are contained in different types of foods etc (wii fit plus has this).

Regular use of the wii fit combined with a healthy diet will certainly help you lose weight. You should also try and get some non-wii fit exercise, like doing a 30 min walk every day etc. fresh air is good for you!

kingtut

The main point with wii fit and any other form of exercise in my opinion is that it is only half of what you need to lose weight and become fitter, the other half is your diet!

Raze_them_all wrote: »

Not very active tbh, Wii fit and that is just a remarkbly effective marketing ploy.

Op I know you said you don't want to do any exercise, everyone feels the same when they first start, and nothing will give you the benefits like it.

Wiifit tricks people into thinking they're getting fit, it reminds me of my friend who thinks she'll be able to start running no problem even though I've never known her to actually exercise just because (and I quote) " I've had sex" so I'll be fit enough to run

Have you used wii fit yourself? I'm just asking because your views on wii fit differ greatly to one of the other people who posted and has wii fit (myself included).

sar84 wrote: »

wii fit is a good way to get yourself moving at home, i used it for awhile but the novelty wore off after a few weeks.

if youre busy or tired in the evenings i found it far too much effort, 5 mins to set up and get through all the steps to get started, then short enough pieces of exercise (i didnt find one got was longer than about 10mins though i might have just given up too soon, the more you do the longer times you unlock on some of them). and then stopping and going between programs or reselecting.

personally i found it far more worthwhile to just go outside for a walk where possible, but with the weather weve been having lately itd be handy to take it out.

maybe i should take mine out and do something

regarding the novelty wearing off, the same applies to any form of exercise, i have had the wii fit for about a year now and use it about 5 times a week.

Oh and if you do not like the setup, you should try wii fit plus! it costs about €22 if you already have the wii balance board (which you obviously do), it has more games, longer exercises, the option to create a tailor made exercise programme (you could set up 1 hr of continuous exercise made up of the exercises that you pick) and also shows how many calories you are burning etc.

pandas

wow sounds good!! i think that was the package wii fit plus i had seen for 100euro! i dont have the board or anything related to wii fit yet!! but i think ill get it!! and i might try one them fitness dvds they cant be more than 20-30 euro!!

thanks for all the replies guys!!!

jellie

kingtut wrote: »

regarding the novelty wearing off, the same applies to any form of exercise, i have had the wii fit for about a year now and use it about 5 times a week.

Oh and if you do not like the setup, you should try wii fit plus! it costs about €22 if you already have the wii balance board (which you obviously do), it has more games, longer exercises, the option to create a tailor made exercise programme (you could set up 1 hr of continuous exercise made up of the exercises that you pick) and also shows how many calories you are burning etc.

cool sounds good, i might try it so

part of the novelty wearing off was due to losing a big tv from the house, its not the same doing it on a tiny tv :(

iguana

I use my wii fit fairly regularly and I quite like it. Imo it's a fun way for keeping yourself toned up but I'm not sure how it would work if you actually wanted to lose a lot of weight. The running, step plus and hula hoops exercises will give you a gentle cardio work out. And the yoga and some of the muscle workouts will keep you toned. The balance exercises are good for me as I never wear heels and they keep my calf muscles taut.

I have a pretty sedentary lifestyle atm, apart from walking my dogs or going to the shops I sit down all day. So using the wii fit keeps me toned and lets me push myself just a little each day. You can also get wii dance mats and extreme trainer mats which you can move faster and jump on.

Toots

I really like the wii fit, and found it's a good way to get some exercise especially when it's cold or wet outside! There's some nice warm up exercises like the hula hoops or the step aerobics, and then there's the jogging one if you want to get up a bit of a sweat. I find that it does help me lose weight, in that if I didn't have it and it was cold or wet out, I'd just be sitting on the couch for the evening. I'd say though, watching what I've been eating has been a bigger factor in starting to lose weight than the wii fit.

rebel girl 15

one of the best games I got was the EA tennis - when you actually play it, and not just standing up. Found it really good fun, and usually end up breaking a sweat playing it! Playing doubles is great as well, we (I:D) get really competitive!! It has this inbuilt calorie thing where you can set a calorie goal to get in a set period of time (between a week and month), and you can see how many calories you have burned after a game. Probably not hugely accurate though, but can give you motivation!

Few bits of advice - is best with a big tv, and make sure you have that strap tightly on your hand, and there is no vases or anything around that you could hit:D

Its been mentioned before, that really the exercise is only one part, eating right is the other.

Swimming is an excellent exercise for fitness!! My €0.02 on it!¬

Muzzer

Is anything that gets you moving more so than you normally do not a good thing?

When I bought the wii my girlfriend insisted we buy the wii fit aswell and to be honest, its great fun.

Although I don't work in the industry, I am a qualified fitness instructor. The wii fit is a great way to build core strength. Let me assure you, you will be sore the next day!!!

Anything that builds muscle is a good way of losing fat - not weight. As muscle is heavier than fat, you may not notice the results on a scales. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat (a more efficient callorie burner) which helps tone and essentially 'lose weight...'

If anyone wants any more of my views feel free to mail me:)

Raze_them_all

Muzzer wrote: »

Is anything that gets you moving more so than you normally do not a good thing?

When I bought the wii my girlfriend insisted we buy the wii fit aswell and to be honest, its great fun.

Although I don't work in the industry, I am a qualified fitness instructor. The wii fit is a great way to build core strength. Let me assure you, you will be sore the next day!!!

Anything that builds muscle is a good way of losing fat - not weight. As muscle is heavier than fat, you may not notice the results on a scales. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat (a more efficient callorie burner) which helps tone and essentially 'lose weight...'

If anyone wants any more of my views feel free to mail me:)

It all depends on yer fitness level too. Anybody who does any kind of training will not notice any effects

ToniTuddle

Only ever tried the Wii Fit and really loved it.

Either by myself everyday, or with friends(the alcohol ruined the calorie killing exercise but was some serious fun):D

If you stuck at it, you would probably loose weight I'd say. Along with cutting down on things and drinking plenty water etc

Though it did make sly digs at me about not being active if I hadn't been near it in a few days/weeks. Ha!

Muzzer

Raze_them_all wrote: »

It all depends on yer fitness level too. Anybody who does any kind of training will not notice any effects

Thats not entirely true my friend, as their are such a variety of exercises you will be working muscle groups that can often be over looked.

At the beginning of my 'litte speach' I was trying to promote extra activeness if you are not the most active person!

Here's a tip people, even if your sitting down tense your stomach and hold it for about ten seconds and repeat a few times. If you do this every day or whenever you think of it, it will also help tone. Don't expect miracles but every bit helps;)

Das Kitty

I love the yoga and resistance exercises. I had been going to a weekly yoga class for my back after I injured it (headbanging at my wedding!) and got some osteopathy done on it. Needed to strengthen all my torso so I wouldn't be back on the table. Yoga was grand but by the next week I felt like I hadn't progressed.

My bro in law gave us wii fit for Christmas last year, didn't take to the aerobic section too much but did my yoga/resistance every day or two. In less than two weeks my back hardly hurt at all and my posture was starting to look much better.

Then I spoiled it all by getting knocked up even now though I'm definitely a lot straighter than I would have been and my lower back is in great shape which is good for the job it has to do soon.

Raze_them_all

Muzzer wrote: »

Thats not entirely true my friend, as their are such a variety of exercises you will be working muscle groups that can often be over looked.

At the beginning of my 'litte speach' I was trying to promote extra activeness if you are not the most active person!

Here's a tip people, even if your sitting down tense your stomach and hold it for about ten seconds and repeat a few times. If you do this every day or whenever you think of it, it will also help tone. Don't expect miracles but every bit helps;)

We'll have to agree to disagree then I'm afraid

ocizeus

I'm considering getting one with the weather we have. Its hard to get out and do anything so the wii is the only thing I can think of that I would use in the house. Any other ideas?

Raze_them_all

ocizeus wrote: »

I'm considering getting one with the weather we have. Its hard to get out and do anything so the wii is the only thing I can think of that I would use in the house. Any other ideas?

Lots of companies do cold gear to keep ya warm on days like this?

Muzzer

ocizeus wrote: »

I'm considering getting one with the weather we have. Its hard to get out and do anything so the wii is the only thing I can think of that I would use in the house. Any other ideas?

Get out there and brave the weather, lets not get lazy;)