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A Review From A Fat Guy: Get This Game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 16 / 17
Date: May 22, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I preordered this from Gamestop after Amazon sold out their preorders. I wasn't disappointed.

I'm fat, and ashamed of it; "clinically obese" would be the term I'd use. My doctor has begged me to get a trainer, but they're expensive; and I hate gyms since they're boring, and out of my way. But I'm a gamer -- I love to sit and play CoD. Exercise is almost non-existent in my life.

Setting up the Fit Board is easy. You slap a few batteries in and sync. The graphics are cute. The music is cute, too. (you can just mute the TV an put on some better music, if you want.)

You set it up by telling the game your height, weight, and let it weigh you. And then tell the game how much weight you want to lose (you can lose up to 22 pounds/cycle, and can edit this every 2 weeks). If you try to lose too much weight too fast, the game cautions you against it, but will allow you to do it. Additionally, the game will allow you to password protect your profile, if you're worried about others finding it.

So, how's the game itself? In a word: fun. Really fun.

The exercises are easy. Step aerobics. Hula hooping. Running. Basic toning exercises (except for the pushup/jackknife. That's killer, man. killer.) Some are annoying (the balance board ones are really fun, but are killer hard for me to get right.)

And you get good feedback from the game -- you earn points for each activity, and you can actually chart the weight loss through the Wii itself. It's really sweet.

The game is fun. In a good way. I've put in an hour already tonight, and I'll continue to use it tomorrow. This is, by far, the best chance I've had to lose weight in a long, long time.

Get this game if you're looking to exercise in your own home.

Wii Fit for the whole family (even the unfit!)

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 14 / 14
Date: June 04, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I was a little scared of this when we got it, thinking "I don't want to jog on television!" But after watching my kids and seeing what is all included with the game, I was very anxious to play. After a simple set up of the platform, you are ready to go. It came with 4 AA batteries and included 4 little risers for thicker carpets. I haven't tried these as mine is a berber carpet and works fine, I didn't need a pad or anything.

You have to personalize your Mii with your age, height, weight (yes, it is a scale, too.) From the data, your BMI is calculated and you are noted as underweight, ideal, overweight, or obese. You then take a little balance test (where you shift your weight to certain areas within a time limit.) Your Wii Fit Age is then displayed in large numbers on the screen. Well, of course this could be incorrect (especially if you are heavy due to muscles or something!) but it is an okay feature as long as you don't get bent out of shape about what it says. It isn't a doctor, it is only a game, afterall! As you get better, your Wii Fit age decreases. NOTE: You can even play as someone else's Mii if you don't have time to set one up for yourself (or don't want to.) You'll get a little voice when you step on saying something like "you weigh a little different than before, do you want to continue?" Just click "continue." I didn't want to set one up at first, so I just played as my husband's Mii. Then I just set one up...geez, it wasn't so bad!

Game play: If you have played Big Brain Academy, this game reminds you of that, but you use your body, not just your brain (but maybe this should be called Big Butt Academy for me!! ha ha) The exercises are divided into four different categories designed to help improve your health (and to have fun!) They are yoga, muscles, aerobic, and balance. The yoga and muscle categories feel the most like "real" exercises. You start with a few unlocked categories, and earn new ones. You dont' have to master everything to get the new stuff as things unlock as you bank "time spent" minutes. You can choose a woman or man virtual "trainer" to help guide you in your form (they will also give you feedback on how you are doing.)

My family's favorite parts are the aerobic and balance activities. The games include things like hula hoops (super funny to be a spectator!), jogging, boxing, or step dancing. The balance activities are the ones where everyone wants a turn (even grandma wanted to do these!) These include a marble game (where you balance and lean to get a marble through a hole), ski jump, slalom skiing, snowboarding (you get to turn the balance board sideways to simulate riding on a snowboard), riding in a river inside a bubble (you lean forward and sideways to get your bubble to move and avoid the walls), and even tightrope walking.

Many of the games show a little icon of the balance board and a dot. There is a red dot that shows you where your center of balance is. It is like a target where and you try to get the dots to overlap by shifting your weight. It is really an amazing little board! Even pushing down with only your toes effects the on-screen outcome. We play the balance games the most and all try to get the top score (it shows the top 10 leaders.)

Do we cheat? Well, no..but it is possible, especially with running. You don't use the board with this game, but your arm movement while holding the Wii remote register as running. You could certainly just wave it around, but that sort of defeats the fun!

It seems that there will be many more games coming to work with the balance board. I hope so, because it is a fun gadget. Would I change anything? Maybe. You can't really compete with each other on too many games (you can jog two-player.) You are mostly playing one at a time then comparing scores. It would be fun (but more expensive) to have a split screen, two balance boards, and snowboard against each other! Also, I would like it if you could set up your own little workout routine (like link together 7 or 8 activities that you like the most to run consecutively) but you cannot do this. It isn't that hard to select each one with the remote, but it seems like it would have been a good addition. I actually thought this would be an option before I bought it.

Will the Wii Fit replace a "real" exercise program? Of course not. Will it get you off of the couch more often? Definately, and your muscles will feel that you are doing something! Plus you can see some progress with weight, Wii Fit age, and improved scores. Overall, we really like it and we have logged many hours on it in the first few weeks (which I can't say for all the Wii games we have!) For the price and amount of fun, it is definately worth it!

Not as good as a gym, but still a good substitute

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 15 / 16
Date: May 21, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I just recently received my Wii Fit and I have to say that I'm generally impressed. First of all, the exercises presented work well. If done properly without any cheating you will definitely raise your heart rate and will probably "feel the burn."

The Good:
==> It functions as a very accurate scale, although I noticed that if it is placed on a thick, spongy carpet it registers my weight about 10-20 lbs lighter than I actually am.
==> Exercises are well explained by the onscreen trainer.
==> Challenging exercises... some of these are really hard, especially at first. But they are hard in a good way.
==> Fun little balance based mini games. I especially enjoy the Ski Slalom and the Marble Tilt games.
==> Built in progress tracking system.
==> Menus are very easy to navigate.
==> Doesn't cost $50+ per month like my gym membership does.

The Not So Good:
==> It doesn't have a "Workout Program" that links your exercises together. You must interrupt your flow by selecting new exercises in between each set.
==> Weight limit of 330 lbs. If you are really heavy, regardless of your fitness level, this "game" is not for you.
==> Uses BMI (Body Mass Index) to evaluate your fitness. BMI is generally a great indicator of healthy weight except that people with large amounts of muscle mass can be mislabeled as obese, regardless of whether or not you can bench-press a truck and run a marathon before breakfast. BMI is also not very accurate for a lot of children.
==> Wii board width. I wish they would have made it a little wider. I'm a moderately built guy and I found the push-up positions to be awkward. The balance board doesn't really allow for much flexibility in how wide you can place your arms. I imagine that people with much broader shoulders will find this uncomfortable.
==> Minimalist graphics.
==> Bland music.

Overall, I highly recommend this product as a supplement to your regular exercise routine, especially for days when you can't make it into the gym. As a stand alone workout regimen it is fairly limited but effective.

The first time I've ever been eager to work out!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 16 / 18
Date: May 22, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I was at a local video game store yesterday morning when it opened, hoping to score a Wii Fit---I felt foolish, at 42, doing something like that, but I was very eager to get this devise! I did get one (the last one available, about 2 minutes after they opened) and it's seeming so far to be worth it!!

I was surprised how heavy the box was---this is a solid piece of equipment. It seems a lot like a big scale. It's fairly easy to set up, and once you start, it talks you through what to do---basically entering your height and age, and getting weighed. That part wasn't fun, but that's not the fault of the Wii! Then you can set a fitness goal, and get going with the many options for exercise.

I am mostly concentrating on the aerobic options so far. The first was a hula hoop game---stand on the Fit, rotate your hips, and watch your little Mii do the same. Then you get hoops thrown at you and try to catch them with your body. I ended up ignoring the thrown hoops as I just couldn't get them, but the rotating itself is a workout! Next I tried the stepping routine---it's sort of like Dance Dance Revolution, in that it tells you where to step and when. I had a little trouble keeping up, but I think that would be easy to learn. My favorite activity so far is the running in place. You don't actually run on the Fit, you hold your Wii controller and run on the floor, but the controller senses your running. Your Mii runs around an outdoor track as you do, and you see all kinds of your Mii friends waving to you or trying to beat you! I love that---it's fun to see a Mii you created running past!

I tried the yoga next, and just have done a few poses so far, but I really liked it. It was very calming and well taught. You are judged with that mostly on your balance, and it made me happy saying my balance was good! You are guided by either a man or woman, both of which are encouraging but sort of weird talking and looking!

My son tried the push-up activity, and was VERY challenged by it! He is 10, and I think he's a little young for the Fit---it really is aimed at adults.

The balance activities were fun! One was a soccer heading game, which was quite hard but cool, one was like Marble Madness but using your own balance and movements to put balls in holes...things like that.

There are still many activities I can unlock by time of use. I can't say yet whether the Fit will help me lose weight, but it can't hurt, I am sure! So far I really couldn't be happier with this devise. I hope Nintendo keeps the supply coming so anyone who wants one can get one---I think a lot of people could benefit from this great idea for getting more fit.

Great for basic maintenance even if you're in good shape already

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 12 / 12
Date: May 22, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I've been doing this for 67 days now, and I have over 35 hours of credits. The difference in my body is quite obvious. I started off in pretty good shape, but all of my muscles are clearly more toned now. I've also really honed my balance well.

Yoga: Everything can be fairly distracting at first, and you really should focus on just learning the poses before you worry too much about your balance. The instructions and demonstration are far more helpful than any book could be, and unlike video, you can view any part of the pose from all around while they are paused or moving. Once you've learned a pose, the yellow circle and little red dot make a very useful tool. The guided breathing was a brilliant addition.

Strength: Many of these start off easy, but as you unlock more, it can get very intense. Obviously this isn't meant for body-builders, but you can do quite a bit with it. Between the push-up challenge, jack knife challenge, rowing squats, and lunges you can give your whole body a VERY effective work-out. Many of the other exercises are great too, especially the one-arm stand.

Aerobics: None of these will compare to swimming or riding a bike, especially at first, but they can be a lot more than a walk around the block. Once you unlock Free Step, put the board on something sturdy to raise it about a foot or more. If you do this on high speed, you'll get a very real work-out for your heart and lower body. The running works too to of course, but it's a bit clumsy and there's no stair-climbing effect.

Balance Games: My sister said they remind her of the exercises she does in physical therapy. They are all short, simple, and fun. The coolest part about getting better at them over time is the fact that you are literally improving your balance, something people tend to seriously neglect.

Overall, this game really is what it promises: a great, effective way to exercise at home and without equipment other than the board. You can definitely cheat at just about everything on it if you want to, and it's measurement of your performance isn't always perfect. But look at it for what it is: a tool for you to use to help yourself.

Great solution for those of us that aren't inclined to go to the gym

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 12 / 12
Date: May 24, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I am the exact target consumer for this product. Very sedentary, watch too much TV, don't go to the gym, am not able to handle a lot of very strenuous exercise, and of course, own a Wii! I work from home and often take breaks through the day but particularly with the cost of gas rising so much, it's hard to make that 20 minute trip to the gym just to work out for 20-30 minutes. I own a home gym but find it boring and not really useful for getting a good aerobic workout on. I've only been using the Wii Fit for a few days now, but wow, am I thrilled with it! I has 4 different types of exercises: Yoga, Strength Training, Aerobics and Balance. While it is mostly intended for improving fitness, it does definitely take a "game" approach to it in terms of scoring your performance, unlocking additional exercises, tracking progress, etc. It's got the usual Wii type graphics similar to the Wii Sports that comes with a Wii system...nothing to write home about but do the job. For me, I find the exercises definitely challenging enough to give me a good workout, and fun enough to play that I want to take it out each day and see if I can improve my score. This is what I find really great about it...usually I get bored with basic exercise and don't stick with it for long, and often find it hard to stay motivated enough to keep exercising enough to push myself to the point that I am truly tired, but the Wii Fit's approach of scoring my performance made me want to keep repeating games and exercises to see if I could do better, and before I know it, I've completed an hour-long workout! For those of you that like to exercise, that may not seem like a big deal, but for us unmotivated people, it's pretty awesome. ;-) I'm just hoping I don't plateau too soon and continue to find enough challenge in this to find it similarly motivating months down the road. Or that additional exercise programs will come out with higher levels of challenge.

Some exercises I have to avoid due to knee problems, but overall I didn't find too many that were problematic. The one thing I wish there was is an easy way to create a "playlist" of exercises that it would just go through one after the other without have to go back and forth to the menu (which slows you down...and your heartrate too!) It does have a "Favorites" list but you still have to choose each game individually which does slow you down considerably.

If you are someone that already works out and is fairly fit, you probably will be disappointed with the difficulty level of the exercises, as they are geared more to the average person that doesn't getting enough exercise. If you are the sedentary type though, this is a great way to save money on a gym membership (and gas!) get yourself up and moving every day, and have a lot of fun in the process. I'm looking forward to other games using the board as well (hopefully that make more use of it than the We Ski that has gotten mediocre reviews.)

Great idea for those who don't like the gym.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 13 / 14
Date: May 21, 2008
Author: Amazon User

First off, I don't like going to the gym. The sweaty used machines, the gym rats giving normal people their looks of pity, I can do without.

After playing Wii Fit for just an hour, I am sweating as much as I would be at a gym. A gym is $80 a month. Wii Fit is $100 once. Hmm, what a hard decision!

The balance board is a great idea, but I'm not sure how accurate it is with the weight thing. Wii Fit doesn't know the difference between muscle and fat. So if you're 6'3 215 with decent muscle tone, it'll call you overweight, and tell you that you need to lose 30 pounds. Don't take this information to heart. Shoot for losing SOME weight, any number, and don't worry about what it says you should lose. Any off is good.

The presentation itself is cute. I like the little "whoa" the balance board gives when you get on. Nice little joke, there.

I don't like that you have to work to unlock features. Then again, if all features were available to me, I probably wouldn't use ones I didn't like more than once. So, I guess that's the reason.

I don't see a person getting "buff" with this system. It is not meant for weight training, or building muscle mass. However, it is excellent cardio, and the yoga/balance exercises are neat too. Considering how many of us really need to get up off the couch (like me) it is an amazing system to start some sort of fitness regimen with.

Wife, Hubby, Four Year Old: We Love Wii Fit!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 11 / 11
Date: May 24, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Nintendo has done it again. This is an amazing product and I am thrilled to have it. First of all, let me tell you a bit about myself and my family who also have been using the system. I am 27 years old, I have two children, and am currently very pregnant with my third. I've been wanting this game for ages because of how fun and interesting it looked. My husband got it for me as my Mother's Day present and when he brought it home, I sat by and watched him set it up and start to use it because I was unsure if I could do any of the games. Well I can, and I do!

Between my husband (28 years old), my four and a half year old son (shame on you saying this is not for children!), and me we have really explored the Wii Fit. I'll break it down categorically.

Body Test: As it's been mentioned already, this is fun but also needs to be looked at on an individual basis. It does not measure fat so even though it gives you a BMI reading, a very muscular person is going to be WAY off. So are pregnant ones! :) However, for your average Jane and Joe, I think it's a great idea and pretty fair.

Yoga: I haven't done any of the Yoga yet. HOWEVER, my husband and my son both have! And this is where the Wii Fit really is glorious. My husband would NEVER go to a Yoga class. I guarantee he would NEVER do a Yoga video. And yet, there he was trying the Tree and Warrior poses! And really, this all thanks to our four year old who wanted to try them when he saw them. I would never think of a small child doing Yoga but there he was and having fun with it.

Strength Training: My husband's favorite and the four year old's too. Last night, my husband strung together a bunch of strength training exercises and was DYING towards the end. He did push ups, lunges, squats, and jacknifes and they really pushed him. Some people say it's not fun to go from one activity to the other but you're supposed to take breaks between things anyways so I don't see what the big deal is. If you're so concerned about not moving, jog in place while you're navigating the menus. They are hardly overwhelming with choices and the Favorites menu is fantastic for this.

Aerobics: This is where I get into it as much as I can and this section has one of my son's favorite games. I adore the hula hoop. And even as much as I adore it, I can't play it too much because to really get your hoops moving, you're going to have to go FAST and I get pretty winded right now. The other one I really have fun with is the Basic Step. What a blast. I should mention here that my 52 year old mother came over last night. We set her up and she did some games too and LOVED the step aerobics. Again, another way the Wii Fit really shines. This is the only workout I have EVER done where you're laughing while doing it because how fun it is. My mom was cracking up doing the Basic Step. The other game on here that gets a lot of play is the Run. My son loves this one and I love watching him run in place and burning off energy without even knowing it. "Mommy is this supposed to be tiring?" "YES!" I can't wait to keep unlocking activities.

Balance Games: My other favorite section right now. This is where you find Soccer, Ski Slalom, Ski Jump, Table Games, and TightRope for instance. Personally, I love the Ski Jump, Table Games, and TightRope. My husband likes the Soccker and Slalom, and my son doesn't really care for many except maybe the TightRope and the Ski Games. But even then, he prefers watching us play these. These are a great time and don't think because they're balance games, you're not going to be moving much. The Ski Slalom and Soccer have you moving left and right pretty fast!

Conclusion: I really think this belongs in every household in this country. There really is something for everybody on here. And what's more, I think it can really open doors for you that you'd never even consider! I am telling you watching my husband do yoga was crazy. And watching my son doing push ups and side planks was out of this world. I personally despise gyms and the entire gym culture. And exercise DVDs are insanely limited in scope. This is the perfect solution for someone like me. For one, I can pop on whenever I want to, however I want to. My family and I can spend some time together doing something good for us and it definitely doesn't feel that way. There are no tricky machines to figure out, no waiting for equipment, and no monotony. I also love the way the sensors help you get the poses just right-- something you canNOT do with a fitness DVD or if you're at the gym by yourself. Way to go on this one Nintendo. I can't wait to see what other uses you come up with for the Balance Board.

Mad that Wii fit called you obese? Really mad that it called your kid obese?

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 11 / 11
Date: May 25, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I'm 30. I've been overweight since I was a teenager. I walk and wear a pedometer, but I'm out of shape. For me, playing Wii Fit can be a workout. I definitely increase my heart rate and get sweaty playing some of the aerobic games. The step aerobics game is too easy, and I wish that I had at least another set of foot extensions to make it more of a challenge. I also want some of the games to last longer -- at least an option for a continuous 30 minute aerobics workout.

I laughed at Wii Fit for saying, "You're obese," and fattening my Mii when I registered. In a juvenile kind of way, it really has made me want to play it more this week.

The majority of adults know if they're obese or not, but as a pediatrician, I'm saddened that Nintendo didn't re-program its language for children and adolescents. I registered another Mii as a 14 year old girl, the same height and weight as I am now (and was at 14), and the Wii called her obese, too. Inaccurate as a 14 year old would be more correctly labeled by CDC/AAP standards to be "overweight" at the same body mass index (BMI).

My recommendation: Wii Fit is a fun way to encourage your children (and you) to exercise -- especially if they play this game instead of lounging around playing non-active video games. However, definitely talk to your kids before playing Wii fit. Do remind them that it really is just a game. Encourage them. Work on improving fitness and nutrition together as a family. Some books that I've recommended to my patients and their parents include: Raising Fit Kids in a Fat World and The Family Guide to Fighting Fat: A Parent's Guide to Handling Obesity and Eating Issues. Visit the CDC website for childhood obesity and overweight. Don't let Wii Fit discourage them (or you). If you have concerns about your child's weight, talk to your child's doctor.

It should be called the Wii Accountable

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: August 05, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I'm 38 and my back had been bothering me. I remembered hearing that core strengthening exercises are supposed to be helpful in countering back pain. Since the wii fit advertised its focus on core development, I asked for one for father's day, and my family came through for me. :)

The pleasantly surprising news is that the wii fit has come through for me as well--after an initially unpleasant wake-up call. My first body test made my "mii" (a cartoon version of me) fat. Then, it told me that my wii fit age was 51, based on my balance test performance. Yikes!

I didn't really expect to hear either piece of the above news.

I weathered the appraisal, and started doing the wii fit exercises for 30 minutes a day. True to my hopes, after about two weeks, my stomach got firmer, and my back pain decreased. The surprising part was that I felt myself getting stronger, and I started losing weight. In the 2.5 months since my family bought the wii fit, I have dropped 15 lbs!

The secret is not merely the exercises, which are generally taxing, but not usually rigorous. Instead, I think the real strength of the wii fit is that it holds you very accountable.

The wii keeps perfect track of you. It measures your weight, it knows how long and frequently you work out. If you have a weight gain, it asks you to tell it what happened to cause it (multiple choice).

If you haven't worked out for a couple of days, the next time you start the program, it mentions that you've been away.

The truth is that when I eat now, I know that an extra helping means that the wii be disappointed in me.

Aside from the accountability, the beauty of all of this tracking is that I have a much better gauge of how much I can eat without gaining weight, and I know how much exercise I need to augment my more disciplined diet.

I feel like I'm learning more about my body while my body gets fitter.

In the end, you won't become a body builder doing wii fit--there are no weights involved. And, you won't develop killer cardio--it generally makes you take breaks after 15 minutes of work. But, you will get stronger, fitter, and firmer, and you'll do in an entertaining way.

Only downside: The cartoon wii fit board on the TV does a lot of chatting, and the wii trainers want to demonstrated new exercises when you first try them. Also, you have to sort through which exercises you want to do next--it is not an automatic process. All of this activity means that 30 minutes of actual exercise takes close to an hour of clock time at first. But, as you get more experienced, you can skip the demos, and you learn to speed through the board's messages. Now it takes me about 45 minutes to get 30 minutes of work-out time.

If I could recommend one item to Nintendo, it would be to add a circuit training component to the wii fit program, where the trainer would choose a 30 minute work-out without pauses.

Still, overall, it is a "game" that has changed my physical health for the better. I get up at 4:00 AM every morning to work-out before going to work, and I feel good about it. By the way, I dropped my wii fit age from 51 to 23...Pretty cool huh?

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