You know you’re overweight when your video game console tells you so
After several attempts to use technology to nab a high demand Wii Fit, I finally got one. Lucky for me, I just happened to be in front of my computer when I received a text message alert from Amazon.com telling me a select few will be in stock in the next couple of minutes. A few days later I had a Wii Fit sitting on my front porch.
If you are not familiar with the Wii Fit, it is basically a balance board and a disc that plays on the Nintendo Wii game console. I hesitate to call the Wii Fit a game because it's really not. Instead it's designed to help you stay healthy and in shape. It does this by tricking you into thinking you are playing fun little games when in fact you are actually exercising.
Prepare to be shocked
One of the biggest wake-up moments for everyone I've talked to that owns a Wii Fit is the moment when you have to step on the balance board and let it determine your weight and your body mass index (BMI). For most people, the wake-up call isn't in seeing their weight or BMI on the screen—most of us could probably guess where we are with both numbers. No, it's when the little guy that you choose to represent yourself, called a Mii, suddenly transforms himself into an image that more closely resembles what you look like based on your weight and BMI.
The pictures below are my actual results after weighing in:
As you can see, a wake-up call is not enough to describe how I felt after seeing my newly transformed Mii. Rather, I felt like crawling in a hole and hiding for a few weeks where no one could find me.
But since there were no available holes close by, I decided I better start taking care of myself a little better. So I did a series of exercises on the Wii Fit balance board including running in place (a lot funner than it sounds when you run with a pace guy on the screen), ski jumping and hula hooping. I also threw in a couple of strength training exercises and some balance activities.
The Wii Fit lets you set a fitness goal which is another nice little feature. I set mine to lose 6 pounds by the end of the month. That isn't even close to how much I need to lose but I'm taking baby steps here.
As much as I'd like to do a Wii Fit only experiment, times are more desperate for me. So instead I am going to combine the Wii Fit activities with my own non-Wii Fit activities like running and start paying much more attention to what I eat.
I need your support
I'm also committing to show another set of pictures of my Mii at the end of the month right here on my blog to hold myself accountable.
If you've never commented before, please leave a comment and give me some support. I'm going to need all I can get!
7 comments for this blog post so far...
September 17, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Michelle Hartz
I’ve been getting up early (before the sun comes up, which should be a sin) to do some sort of cardiovascular exercise, usually a stationary bike, at the YMCA for a half hour every day. I also take 2 different tai chi classes, one of which lasts 3 hours on a Saturday morning. So the only day I am not doing some sort of exercise is Sunday. Tomorrow marks my 5 week anniversary of sticking to this plan.
So, first of all, I’ve been doing it for a month, hopefully that’s encouraging that you can too. Secondly, I’ll hold you to it if you’ll hold me to it. Deal?
September 17, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Patric Welch
@Michelle You got yourself a deal!
September 23, 2008 at 6:30 am
Amy
I have a WiiFit in hiding waiting to give our family for Christmas. Now that I know that it’s gonna re-configure my Mii to look more like me, I’m more motivated than ever to lose some weight before I even open the box! Looking forward to seeing your slenderized Mii at the end of the month.
September 23, 2008 at 8:03 am
Stephanie
So, here’s the trick. Get a bunch of other people to create Miis on your Wii, but make sure they are more overweight than you are. Suddenly, you’ll see them all standing next to each other and you’ll look like the skinniest Mii in the room!
Since the Wii does not have accommodations for pregnancy weight gain, I’ve stayed away from the Wii Fit for now! It’s hard enough to look like a whale without someone else telling you about it! Good luck on your journey, and I’m glad you are adding in other lifestyle changes.
September 23, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Patric Welch
@Amy That makes two of us that are looking forward to a more slenderized Mii. I have a lot to lose. I hope I at least see *some* change in my Mii by month’s end.
September 23, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Patric Welch
@Stephanie At least you have the pregnancy! I don’t have any [good] excuse except that I love food and hate exercising.
January 02, 2009 at 8:32 am
Sam
I got my daughter a Wii for Christmas and the Fit for both of us. I’m a pudgy little mii. Last year I decided to eat well and work out...guess what? I got the tight abs and looked amazing. But, that involved going to the gym for 1 1/2 hours every day....not sustainable for a single mom with a full time job working on an MBA. So, as I said, I’m now a chubby mii. I’m hoping the wii and the gym on alternating days will prove easier to keep up. (and getting rid of the haagen daaz caramel cone)
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