Wii Fit burst onto the scene back in May 2008. In the time since then, it’s sold millions of copies, but… Does it actually work? I mean, is it really effective when it comes to improving fitness? Can it help you lose weight? Or is it just a fun gimmick?
According to a recent study from the American Council of Exercise, “The Wii Fit is a very, very mild workout.” Interestingly, this research was based on an analysis of the six most intense Wii Fit activities. Thus, the deck really was stacked in favor of the Wii Fit, but it still fell flat.
Which Wii Fit exercise is most effective?
Of the six Wii Fit activities tested, Island Run and Free Run were the most intense, though neither was sufficient to maintain or improve cardiorespiratory endurance. The remaining four exercises (Free Step, Advanced Step, Super Hula Hoop, and Rhythm Boxing) were roughly equivalent to each other, and considerably less effective than the two running-related activities.
What about weight loss?
Of course, the Wii Fit may have other benefits, such as making people more cognizant of their weight through regular weigh-ins. As such, Wii Fit might actually contribute to weight loss and/or an overall healthier lifestyle even if it falls short in terms of exercise intensity.
As an aside, we don’t actually have a Wii Fit, though I must admit that I’ve been tempted to buy it in the past. After all, we love the Wii Sports games, so there’s a good chance that we’d enjoy playing Wii Fit as well.
It’s also worth noting that Nintendo recently released Wii Fit Plus, which includes 15 new balance games, six new strength training and yoga activities, and a variety of other features.
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My mother has a Wii with Wii Sports and Wii Fit – and my wife and I have both had a lot of fun playing the games when we’ve gone up to visit the past few times.
It takes a good hour or so to get 20 minutes of exercise, but you know what? The games are fun and beat the hell out of sitting down for your video game entertainment.
Even if you don’t actually lose a ton of weight, it’s still a good way to stay mildly active. The balance games are a hoot, especially, and I’d rather build a better mind/body/balance connection than carpal tunnel while trying to get better at something.
If you aren’t going to go outside and run around, there are worse things you could do, in my opinion.