Improving Fitness with Wii Fit

I finally managed to find and bring home one of the few Wii games (pseudo-game would be more apt) since Endless Ocean that I have to own. That game is Wii Fit. I had a great desire for this Wii title because like many people, I am unfit. I didn't work out at all before Saturday, and if I did, it was because I was walking to school because I didn't want to take the bus. As i come closer and closer to the age of 30, something my Uncle Drew said to me keeps ringing in my ears. He said something like this, "Enjoy the unhealthy food now, cause after you turn 30, it will take its toll." That thought has stuck with me, but I've not taken it to heart until the last year. My dilemma is that I absolutely hate working out. I don't find it fun, I don't find it enjoyable and I don't find it refreshing. When I heard about Wii Fit, I thought my prayers had been answered. Could it be that I could have the opportunity to work out in the privacy of my own living room and be ordered about by a virtual trainer? YES!

And so my Wii Fit tale begins at around midnight last Friday night when I was at Wal-Mart with my Mom. I was perusing the electronics section (as I always do, dangerous habit) and was lamenting the shortages of certain Wii related things like the console itself, Mario Kart Wii (which I already own) and Wii Fit. Well lo and behold, there before my lusting eyes was Wii Fit, locked in a glass case. I stood rooted until Mom came back and showed her. I was so excited. She had wanted to get one as well since she has similar feelings about "working out" so she decided to get it for me as an early birthday present. I joked with Mom that my fiancee Heather would freak out when she saw it the next morning, so I decided not to open it until she was awake.

Heather reacted just as I had hoped and imagined. She was beside herself with glee/shock/awe/happiness etc. and that made me feel good. We both took turned last Saturday morning to see how this pseudo-game worked. Our first impressions were very good. To our unfit eyes, the Wii Fit offered many ways to get in shape with training in basic Yoga, Strength Training, Aerobics and lastly Balance Games. Oddly, to me, the Aerobics activities are the most fun since they really push my stamina. I love the jogging activities, even though they wear me out almost totally after I finish them. I like the Yoga activities to get warmed up and the Strength Training to get primed to do the Aerobics. I now save the balance games for last, after I'm done accumulating enough sweat to fill a normal glass (gross I know).

Today, my 5th day atop my newly overturned leaf with Wii Fit in my life saw me pushing myself hardest in the end with a 10 minute Island Lap jog that I am still aching from. I did new Yoga poses, like the Dancer, which at my current condition is almost impossible to do since I can't keep my balance very well in that pose. I also tried some new Strength Training exercises to mix things up a bit today. So far, I am making steady progress toward my goal of losing 2.5 pounds in 2 weeks. Who knows if I will make it, but I'm trying. I'm also trying to eat better, but when you're a bit on the poor side, healthy eating is a rare occurrence. I'm trying though, and that is what matters to me. The fact that this "game" has bought me out of my workout shell is a big improvement. I was thinking today while doing a jog exercise that I can see myself doing this everyday, for at least a half an hour, until the thing breaks. I am that committed to having fun with my workout that it makes me proud to be even working out at all.

Wii are Having Fun

As a graduation present, Heather got me Mario Kart Wii for our Wii. My favorite kind of games are racing games and since we have had Mario Kart 64 on the Virtual Console for awhile, I have had a natural fondness for this franchise. Both of us have had a blast playing it, with our cute pair of Wii Wheels, granted, Heather has surpassed me in rankings. Honestly, she seems to be better at the game than I am, however I know how to drift and she doesn't!! But that is little help when you're barreling over the edge of a funking rainbow track!! Mario Kart Wii is definitely one of the best games for the Wii either of us has seen yet; it is Heather's favorite game on the Wii.

One of the coolest things to happen on the Wii since the Virtual Console is the introduction of compact games called WiiWare. The service premiered with few games, but there were some gems in there, 3 of which I have downloaded. First, I downloaded Defend Your Castle, a simple game where you have to use your cursor (among other things) to fling/squash the enemy troops away from your castle. It's an awesome game and gets really crazy after you pass the 20th level. Next is a very simple game called POP that requires you to pop lots of bubbles and make combos and so on to increase the time you have available to play. Very simple, fun and quite relaxing and addictive. Finally is a real gem called Lost Winds, which is a 3D side-scrolling game centered a little kid teamed up with a wind spirit to explore the boy's world and find out a way to defeat an evil spirit. I am very pleased with this game because it is so simple, but very challenging at the same time. To get the little kid from place to place, you have to use wind blown with your cursor to help him jump/fly to where you want to go. Sounds easy, but sometimes it isn't. Overall, all 3 games have a lot to offer and I highly recommend them to anyone with a Wii that is connected to the internet.
Owning a Wii is probably the best all-round family gaming system I have ever experienced. It is easy to use, interactive (physically and mentally) and loads of fun. Heather and I couldn't imaging not having one anymore since it's so cool. It is the best of the current systems, and don't let anyone try and convince you otherwise. Why else do you think it can't stay on store shelves when the PS3 and XBox 360 just sit and perhaps gather some dust? Think about that...