The Wii Fit vs. My Fitness Coach

I’m not saying I don’t still love my Wii Fit. I do. It’s just that I needed to step it up a notch. So I bought the $28 My Fitness Coach “game.” Now that’s a workout! First you do a physical test (how many squats, push-ups, sit-ups you can do, plus a pulse check at rest and after 2 grueling minutes of jumping jacks). Then you select your main focus for today’s workout. Upper body, lower body, cardio, flexibility, yoga, or core. As you work out, your trainer asks you whether it’s too easy, too hard, or just right. After saying “too easy” a bunch of times and adding 8 pound hand weights, now I feel like I really do have a personalized coach for super cheap!* You can also use a exercise ball or step. I highly recommend a glass of water at the ready.

I mean, let’s be serious. I’m not joining a gym any year soon. I can’t be bothered to drive there and then actually interact with humans. And touch sweaty equipment. Who needs that crap in their lives? I’d rather break up my day here at home, alone, being told what to do by a virtual female who wipes away her virtual sweat and adjusts her virtual shoelace. Occasionally she needs to “find the beat.”

So what’s the difference over using an exercise DVD? It’s got 450 different exercises and every time you work out you do different ones. It makes the sequences easier or harder, depending on how you answer the question on how you feel.

I’ve been doing 30 minutes a day for maybe 10 days or so. I definitely feel more toned. Naturally I haven’t lost any actual weight, but it’ll happen eventually. Especially as the weather gets warmer and I go jogging more often, and go back to walking the kids to school 3 times a week.

I still use the Fit for fun and for a change. I like the boxing and hula-hooping. The balance games are fun. The kids still virtual jog. Now they can do it together, since we got another wii-mote. Actually, that was a good purchase. One evening we set up my parents to box each other, and they managed to knock each other out at the same time. Opa won the match by a hair, but his Mii was barely standing. Ah, laughter, the best medicine.


*Cheap assuming you already own the Wii. Otherwise, factor in that $250.