Wii Fit- Good exercise or just fun??

[DisneyBeagle]

I thought it was going to be a boring Monday here at work, but a few of my coworkers have started bickering about their Wii Fits. Coworker A is wanting to join a gym and has been getting input from others about which gyms are the best. Coworker B stated that there's no need for a gym membership because she has a Wii Fit and it's the best workout she has ever had. Coworker C said "You're up in the night, the Wii Fit is only for fun and you will get hardly any exercise benefit from it." I thought coworker B was going to blow up after she heard that.

What do you think-- does the Wii Fit provide a good workout or is it mainly for fun?

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

I think if you want a GREAT workout, you join a gym.

I love my wii fit. It gets me more active then I would be (as my gym membership is done) when it's freezing outside. I think it makes the exercise it DOES provide more entertaining, which could encourage you to be more active also.

But I don't think you're gonna lose and tighten as much as you would from a gym

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I've got a Wii fit. If you consider things like yoga excerise, I guess you could call it excerise. I doubt that many Wii Fit owners are using it for any serious aerobic work.

 

[luvmy3]

I really don't know as mine has been sitting in the box since July

I can tell you why I got it though. I never assumed that it would give me a workout equal to what I could get at a gym. I figured it was pretty much for entertainment with the added benefit of some exercise. I am not a gym person and besides bike riding, walking and the occasional pilates workout at home I don't exercise on a regular basis. I figured the WiiFit was just another way to get off the couch (or off the computer in my case).

 

[crashbb]

If you are pretty much a couch potato now, then the Wii fit is a good workout. If you are fairly active, then it is just for fun.

 

[sdarwkcabemanmy]

I think if you want a GREAT workout, you join a gym.

I love my wii fit. It gets me more active then I would be (as my gym membership is done) when it's freezing outside. I think it makes the exercise it DOES provide more entertaining, which could encourage you to be more active also.

But I don't think you're gonna lose and tighten as much as you would from a gym

What she said.
I can't afford (nor do I really want) a gym membership. I've had a Wii Fit since Sept and have been using it pretty much every day. I had lost close to 10 lbs, but then the holidays hit and it was harder to exercise every day so I gained almost all of it back. I do think that if I didn't have the Wii Fit I wouldn't be as active as I am now. I also just got an exercise bike (donated from a friend) which I'll be using also.

My weight is something I have struggled with most of my life. I see the Wii Fit as just another tool in my weight-loss aresenal.

 

[LeCras]

I used to use mine for 30 minutes every morning (pre puppy ) and it was definitely a good workout for me. I had a routine where I focused on different parts of my body each day, and I could feel and see the difference within a few weeks.

I'm not someone who gets into exercise easily - I need lots of encouragement. Having the cyber instructor there helped me get motivated and really push myself. And having the console right here in the house meant there was really no excuse for not doing the exercise!

Charlotte

 

[sdarwkcabemanmy]

I need lots of encouragement. Having the cyber instructor there helped me get motivated and really push myself. And having the console right here in the house meant there was really no excuse for not doing the exercise!

Exactly. I don't like to exercise and I"m not athletic at all, but this has actually made me get up and move. I fell over laughing the other day because my trainer (who is a guy) suddenly went from having short,spikey hair to having a male Farrah Fawcett hairdo.

 

[Minnie_me]

I tried it at a friend's house, and I really liked the step aerobics part - -but it was SO SLOW!

Does anyone know if you can increase the difficulty of some of the activities?

 

[sdarwkcabemanmy]

I don't think you can increase the difficulty past 'advanced' with the step aerobics, but you can get all the way up to 'expert' with some of them if you work long enough at it.

My fit credits bank just turned gold because I hit 40 hours.

 

[r3ngels]

I belong to a gym (Gold's) for years and have WiiFit... WiiFit IS a workout and fun at the same time. The more you unlock the better of a workout out it is. I think the yoga and strength are great because it will tell you if your balance if off... I have taken yoga/pilates for years and there are some moves that I could never feel where I was suppost to and with WiiFit I got it.

I have unlocked games that I can do 3-4 games in 30 minutes I think that makes the difference when it was only 1-3 minutes per game I never felt the workout. but I can now...

I was embarassed to say that I workout 3-5 hours a week and the Wii Fit can kick my butt... but now I say it proudly.

I think it is like any workout... you get out what you put into it. When I workout (any workout) I put all my body into it... I am not about to waste my time.

 

[phorsenuf]

I love my Wii fit! I do 45 minutes every morning before work. When I get home I do some more, sometimes. I'm doing almost an hour a week on average compared to 0 hours 2 weeks ago. It's fun, it keeps me motivated and I do feel it and now noticing a difference. Coupled with getting back on WW I'm down almost 5 pounds and one pant size in 2 weeks.
I'm not the type that would take myself to a gym every day. For me this is perfect.
I know that some people will incorporate weights into their exercises too. I'm not there yet.

 

[DisneyBeagle]

I know that some people will incorporate weights into their exercises too. I'm not there yet.

I've never thought about using weights along with the Wii Fit. That's a great idea.

The drama is continuing here....Coworker A feels bad that she started this whole thing by asking for opinions from others and Coworker B is refusing to talk to coworker C.

 

[slo]

If you are someone that works out regularly - the Wii Fit is good fun!

If you are someone that never works out, and is in poor physical shape - the Wii Fit will be good exercise if done regularly.

I exercise regularly, so I do not use the Wii Fit for intense workouts. When I use it I never sweat, and I never feel the need to take a shower afterwards. Heck, I play it in my normal everyday clothes. I do like the Yoga to help with balance, and I don't care for the strength training part because of the time inbetween each activity. I'm a real cardio person though, so I like to keep the action going - I don't like breaks. My heart rate also doesn't go up much, so that's why I feel it's not a good workout for me - but I love love love it - so much fun!!!!

 

[ashjohnson80]

I think the wii fit is good exersize. I can work up a sweat and get my heart rate up with the running or hula hooping or boxing. Is it the only tool I'm using to lose weight? No. I'm also counting calories, cutting back on refined sugars, hfcs, trying to eat my fruits and veggies, taking walks when it's warm enough, doing aerobic video workouts, using my stability ball and doing fitness videos and challenges on sparkpeople.com. But the wii fit is fun and gets me up and moving and anytime you're moving you're burning calories.