Wii Fit was designed to be an easy way to track your weight fluctuations and to bring families together. Shigeru Miyamoto, senior managing director at Nintendo and creator of Wii Fit, says he even incorporated exercises you could engage in while you watch your favorite television programs. Wii Fit might help you lose weight, although it is not as effective as many other exercise programs. Consult your physician before beginning a new weight loss plan.
Aspects
Wii Fit includes a combination of yoga, strength training, balance games and aerobics. The updated Wii Fit Plus adds additional exercises to those categories and a new section called "Training Plus" for more exercise options. The different exercises provide a mix between strength and aerobic activity, a combination recommended by health professionals. The yoga and balance games additionally provide body awareness and stress relief, both factors that contribute to weight loss.
Expert Opinion
The American Heart Association teamed up with Nintendo to encourage physical activity in the American population. Because many people view exercise as not enjoyable and too time consuming, Nintendo and the AHA are trying to show Americans that exercise can be quick, simple and fun. They call this type of exercise "physically active play." Nintendo and the American Heart Association plan to continue to work together to examine the health benefits of Wii Fit and other programs like it.
Considerations
The American Council on Exercise conducted a 2009 Wii Fit study with the University of Wisconsin La Crosse Exercise and Health Program. The study found that the most intense exercises on Wii Fit were not as effective as expected. The study recommends the Wii Sports game over Wii Fit to meet its fitness guidelines. ACE determined that the real-life version of the exercises on the video games are better. For instance, real step-ups are better for you than Wii Fit step-ups.
Benefits
Despite its critics, Wii Fit does provide benefits. In the ACE study, a Wii Fit session burned twice as many calories as a session with a regular non-interactive video game. The Free Run and Island Run activities on Wii Fit burned the highest amount of calories of any of the games, about 165 calories in 30 minutes. Miyamoto explains that the main goal of Wii Fit is not to achieve physical fitness but to bring consciousness to your body; Satoru Iwata, Nintendo president, believes playing Wii Fit could encourage you to make healthier choices within your life.
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