Wii Fit?

I met my fiance about 7 months ago, and we've been dating for 6 months. Before meeting him, I had lost about 55 pounds through counting calories and exercising. I simply adore him, and I wouldn't give him up for anything - but it was much easier to count my calories and get to the gym before we were together. I haven't gained any weight since we started dating, but I haven't lost any either.

With our wedding 178 days away (as TheKnot.com annoyingly reminds me) I want to lose another 20 pounds and tone up some. We've been coming to work early so that we can get home early and have the evening together. I'm not willing to give up that extra time with him to go to the gym in the morning or the evening. We're pretty active with our spare time - we work in the yard, go on walks, rock climb and hike on the weekends, so I'm not worried too much about cardio. I am worried about strength training.

I've been playing with my mom's Wii Fit, and I like it but I wonder how effective it really is at strength training over the long run. Anyone have an experience or advice?

I was never big on strength training so when I got my wii fit I noticed a big difference after a couple weeks. my thighs seem stronger and doing their workouts that they have on the program are the same as if you do them by yourself. Its just more fun seeing your stability and making sure you have proper form. The fit is deff a good investment. i like the boxing for cardio too. If you want more cardio play the wii sports, DDR, or Mario Tennis.

I second the op's question. How great are they for strength training? They finally have them in stock and I've wanted one for sooo long...I don't want to waste my money or time if its just good for cardio. 

I like it best for the strength training. I wanna say it has at least 10-15 different workouts and 2-3 challenges. The cardio isnt that great on it but not terrible. I like the balance games they have on there also. If you keep at it like anyother excercise routine then you will see improvements. I think some of the strength training work outs are better than what I do at the gym.

that's great to hear..I've read a lot of your post about the Wii fit and I know you're a fan. I've done my research and I think I'm finally going to get one!! 

Unless Wii Fit incorporates heavy (relative to you) use of weights, it's not good for strength training unless you're a beginner and at the body weight stage of squats and push ups. gem, what strength training does it use and what are you doing at the gym? That seems like a strange comment

I have not personally used it, but I have heard from many people that you outgrow it pretty quickly so take that for what it's worth

Its not really that strange since Im only comparing my wii workouts to my gym work outs. Ive had much more luck and results using the Wii fit. Before I went to the gym and did all kinds of lifting from doing squats with an excercise ball that a trainer showed me how to do, to using the machines. I notice more definition in my arms, shoulders and chest from doing the push up/side planks on wii fit and before that I always did bicep and tricep curls w. the free hand weights. Im not saying its for everyone but I was just giving my review and results.

gem, gotcha. I don't mean to sound argumentative, but your trainer had you doing a pretty crappy weight routine. Don't go back to him/her for any reason. I'm not surprised you're seeing better results with body weight exercises.

yea i didnt find it worth it going to a trainer. this site has been much more help than nething

Original Post by gem86:

...doing the push up/side planks on wii fit...

 Maybe it's just me, but doens't it seem like a waste to spend $90 (or whatever the wii fit costs) to do pushups and side-planks?  Can't you do them for free?

Flogging... the Wii fit just makes it fun.  Sometimes people just need a little more incentive to do those things that just seem "basic" or easy to do without a game.  The Wii fit grades you on your performance, balance, form (as much as it can tell) - I am a gym rat and heavy lifter, and still think it's a great diversion... the balance games are good fun and make you realize how unbalanced you are!

If you're really a novice exerciser, I'm sure it's possible to get a workout from it... but Spiro is right... if you use it consistently and do get more fit - you will outgrow it.

I bought the Jillian Michaels Wii fit game... haven't used it yet, but hoping there's a bit more Jillian-style butt kicking than the standard games.

I use my Wii Fit as a fun way to keep active on days I don't lift.  Some of the balance games are very challenging, and the hula-hoop and boxing and a fun cardio-ish workout.  Gets your heart rate up a little bit and makes you sweat. The "strength" exercises are somewhat lacking since basically all you can do is body-weight stuff.

@terra0514 -- If you bought the Jillian Michaels, I would suggest you take it back and get a refund if you haven't opened it yet.  I bought it and it was a total waste.  It's terrible, the controls don't work right with it, and almost everything is a type of squat. Complete rubbish if you ask me.

I also have DDR which as a blast, and lots of fun.  Playing it for 30-45 minutes makes me sweat and I'm usually out of breath, mostly from laughing at myself because I'm so un-coordinated. 

Karozel - thanks for the advice... after I posted this I looked the game up and read some of the reviews and heard the same thing.  I told my husband to find the receipt so we could return it... and he had apparently already opened it - so we'll see what we can do.  I am similarly uncoordinated, but definitely want to get the DDR game - seems like fun! 

I love DDR, if I mess up I just jump up and down until I get my groove back. Its deff more challenging with the hand moves.

Jillian Michaels game does suck monkey. You get a workout only from trying to get the controls to work. If you want to wait, EA Active will be out next month and its around $60. It comes with a resistance band and some leg pouch thing.

You know what wii should make. It would probably cost more but they should make a lifting set that you clip your wii remote into and you have a trainer on screen doing reps with you.

I suggest "my personal trainer" in conjuction with the wii board . It's better and more difficult than wii fit is .

Well we got our wii fit the other night, and I have to say that so far I love it. I really like to track things (calories, weight loss, etc), so I like it a lot for that. I was so exited when my little Mii ended up falling into the "normal" category for weight!

I'm not sure how far it'll take me as far as strength training goes, but I do really like the yoga. The balance tools help you figure out if you're doing the pose correctly or not. Made me want to get my yoga dvds back out. I'd almost be okay with my weight if I could just tone up some.

Anyway, if you're  a geek like me I recommend the Wii Fit. The Body Test program is pretty cool.

I got my wii fit for mother's day! woo hoo....look out, here i come. I only played with it for a little while yesterday...seems like it will be fine to start out with. It's pretty accurate though, It told me I must trip a lot!! ha which i do. Does it count cals???am I missing something. I thought I saw in a post that someone said it counted cals burned, if it does, I can't find it. I wish/hope it does...I know it tracks mins, I guess I can put that into cc under something and see how many cals burned. Not sure what I'd log it as though. 

Original Post by amy4302:

I got my wii fit for mother's day! woo hoo....look out, here i come. I only played with it for a little while yesterday...seems like it will be fine to start out with. It's pretty accurate though, It told me I must trip a lot!! ha which i do. Does it count cals???am I missing something. I thought I saw in a post that someone said it counted cals burned, if it does, I can't find it. I wish/hope it does...I know it tracks mins, I guess I can put that into cc under something and see how many cals burned. Not sure what I'd log it as though. 

 The Wii Fit doesnt count calories but if you go to your activity log on here just search wii and it will pull up the appropriate catagories to put your activities under. Try the balance games for a cool down they're pretty fun. I used to get so frustrated with the tight rope walking.

omg I suck so bad at that...I havent made it 18 meters yet. its bad..i'm so unbalanced. But its fun...I just need to up the strength training and do it 3 times...i always get "body builder"...yeah right! I can't wait to unlock more!

I love the Wii Fit.  I did see some results in my arms and thighs.  But i got bored with it.  If you like the boxing then you will like Gold's Gym Cardio.   I bought  Gold's gym cardio (Best buy $20.00) and after my first day using it i was so sore. I worked out muscles in the arms and side i forgot I had.The Gold' gym cardio does give you an estimate of calories burned for each work out and warm up.  Also to up my work out with the yoga and strength training I bought weighed gloves and weights for my ankles.  You do feel the burn.

Well, I bought the Wii "My Fitness Coach" last night and started that.  It was interesting.  I'm still weight lifting and doing some treadmill, but I think I'm going to use this on my "rest" days.