Wii Fit

A while back, Heather's super awesome parents got all their kids Nintendo Wii systems.  One of the reasons for it was the new item Nintendo had introduced - the Wii Fit.  For the three of you who have never used or seen a Wii, the Wii Fit is a balance board that interacts with the fitness program on the Wii.  This enables you to work out using the Nintendo Wii game.  Pretty cool stuff.  It was wildly popular when it was introduced (still is, actually).  So we were thrilled to get the system - and Heather got the Fit for her birthday later that year.

Well, we all went to set up our profiles.  Heather did hers.  Nintendo is pretty blunt about its assessment of your weight, BMI, and general health.  It even assigns you a Wii Fit Age - combining your BMI, your balance, strength.  The kids did theirs.  It all looked pretty cool.  I even decided to give it a shot.  Yes, me the anti-exercise person willingly climbed onto the balance board.  I guess I thought this might actually work.

Well, when I stepped on the board, it gasped audibly.  Then it asked how many people were on it.  Then it told me that I was too fat to work out.  I needed to get the prescription version.  Seriously, it told me, "Please get off.  You exceed the weight limit."  I had literally become too fat to get in shape.  It was kind of disheartening.  Even though I laughed it off, it really hurt.  (See my earlier post on humor to compensate for insecurity.)  I wanted to use the system, but that wasn't possible.  And, knowing me, I probably buried my sadness in a big bowl of ice cream.

Fast forward about fifteen months later.  Now, I have just finished my twelfth week of my new way of life.  I have lost 55 pounds.  My weight is exactly 300.  I have dropped 10 inches off of my waist.  My shirt size has dropped two sizes.  My neck has gone down three inches.  It is a whole new world.  And so, today, I made myself vulnerable again to a piece of circuitry and plastic.  After Gabe was in bed and Josiah had finished battled the evil hordes in Mario Galaxy, I got out the Wii Fit and climbed on board.

Being perfectly honest, I had no idea what the maximum weight was on the Fit.  I figured it couldn't be lower that 300 - that is a pretty common top point for a scale.  But I was very nervix.  (That's a word I made up a few years ago - trying to get it some traction.)  With much relief, the Wii allowed me to play this time.  It did some basic tests that proved some things about me.  One, I am still obese (good deduction).  Two, I have horrible balance.  It asked me if I find myself tripping often.  Heck and yes.  I am so stinking clumsy.  So the balance didn't surprise me.  Three, I am weak and in poor shape.  It took a machine to come up with this?  My BMI was registered at 37.  That is pretty bad, but it is a lot better than it was.  When I started this, my BMI was 45.  My Wii Fit age was 54.  That is NOT good.

I actually had fun.  It was hard.  I only did about 20 minutes tonight.  But I tried several balance and aerobic exercises.  I could feel it even in that short time.  Tonight was just a trial.  But I really do plan on trying to do this frequently.  I figure that I will have a great chance of being successful with the Wii, since I have time at night to use it.  I also am looking into getting the EA Fitness series - which expands the workout options.  It's hard to believe that you can lose weight by playing video games.  I look forward to trying.