exergaming

Still riding the exergaming high from my EA Sports Active challenge, I was pumped to hear that Daisy Fuentes Pilates for the Wii ($28) will be released on August 4.

The program is said to offer varying degrees of difficulty and you can select from five pre-set routines that will target different areas of your body. . . you can also customize your own routine to mix things up a bit. As excited as I am to check it out, I'm a bit worried about how the wiimote will be incorporated into the game (the wii balance board is optional) since I had some issues with wiimote/wii communication during Sports Active. The game is supposed to provide instant feedback on your movements, so I'm assuming it is constantly monitoring your actions via the wiimote — something a regular workout DVD doesn't provide. The star of the game, Daisy Fuentes, also provides exercise and healthy eating suggestions for an overall holistic approach to health.

I can hardly believe that it has already been an entire month since I started the 30 Day EA Sports Active Challenge. I'm sure for those of you who participated in the challenge, you can also vouch that the 30 days goes by fairly quickly. And because the game gives you two to three rest days a week, it's easy to add the workouts into your daily routine.

In terms of my overall results, I only lost about four pounds, but where I do see the results is in my muscles, which are a bit more toned and can actually handle some weight! Although Sports Active offers a nice cross-training program, if you're really trying to shed the pounds, I suggest pairing this game with another exercise program (say regular exercise classes, or cardio at the gym).

To find out what my pros and cons are about the game, just read more

As I near the homestretch of my EA Sports Active 30 Day Challenge, I am thoroughly impressed with how much muscle strength I've gained and how I feel generally healthier. After my issues with the Wii sensor and resistance bands last week, I decided to skip the bicep curls and upright rows since I couldn't seem to get my new resistance band to work with them (yes — even when I was going reallly slow and following the instructor!). Thankfully the game still gives me lots of upper-body workouts so I don't really notice that the other workouts are gone. I think I've lost around four pounds so far, but I'm not so concerned about the weight loss as I am about turning fat into muscle.

To find out what else happened during the challenge this week, just read more

It's hard to believe I'm already in the throws of week three of the EA Sports Active challenge. I learned a lot after last week's trials and tribulations, so I decided to step it up a bit this week.

I took to Target and purchased a fancy resistance band that included handles and all, and as backup, I also got a box of three bands offering different resistances. I got all excited to take my upper body exercises to the next level, but as soon as it got to bicep curls with upright rows, there was zero communication between the Wii and my movements. What had I done? I was still holding the Wiimote and nunchuck in the same position.

After many attempts and putting new batteries in the Wiimote (by this time I was halfway through my workout and was getting really frustrated), I decided to take the basic band I purchased and put it on the black handles which were included in the workout — so it looked exactly like the red one except with a stronger resistance band. Bingo, that seemed to work just fine. But now that I'm catching on to the exercises fairly quickly, I am easily irritated when the game tells me I'm moving too fast and it won't pick up a signal with my Wiimote. Has anyone else had this happen? The Wii sensor was on the top of my TV, so I even tried moving it down to see if that would help.

To keep reading about my experience with the Challenge this past week, just read more

My 30 Day EA Sports Active challenge continues, and for those of you who left comments and feedback about your own experience with the challenge, I must say, I am already feeling many of the same things!

In the beginning, I was really skeptical that this game could actually get me sweating and burn calories, but as each workout ups the calorie-burning level, you are guaranteed to be sweating within the first 10 minutes. And although this game isn't full of a ton of cardio (there are some running exercises which incorporate knee-ups and kick-ups), you'd be surprised how many calories you burn while working your muscle groups (those jumps in the inline skating exercise kill!). EA Sports Active really increases your strength and helps you build muscle — something I failed to include in my previous trips to the gym.

To keep reading about my experience this past week, just read more

Get ready, get set, because I've teamed up with the ladies over at Green Pixels for our 30 Day EA Sports Active challenge! I'm all warmed up after a some fun cardio and strength training exercises, and am excited to see what week two will bring.

Included in the EA Sports Active kit (which costs $57) is the Sports Active Wii disc, a leg strap which will hold the nunchuck in place while you hold the Wiimote, and a resistance band to increase the intensity of certain exercises like bicep curls and shoulder presses. To get started, I was able to create my very own personalized character, customize circuits based on my interest and fitness level and I even got some words of advice from my personal EA Sports Active trainer — Bob Green (as in Oprah's fitness guru Bob Green). This game not only provides you with various workout routines, but that it combines nutrition and lifestyle factors into your challenge as well! And if you have a Wii balance board, Sports Active is balance board compatible — which means you can decide whether you want to include it in your workouts (some days I use it, some days I don't).

Unlike Wii Fit (remember geeksugar's challenge last year?), this game is intended to get you moving and sweating with exercises like cardio boxing, volleyball, squat exercises, cardio dancing and more (tennis is one of my faves!). Let me tell you, the exercises got me sweating so the short cool downs after each workout were very much needed! The intensity you select will determine how long your workouts are (medium intensity routines can range from 25 — 40 minutes).

If you have EA Sports Active it'd be great if you could join our challenge as well! No matter where you are at — starting or finishing your challenge — it'd be great if you could participate. All I ask is that you leave your feedback about the game and some progress notes in the comments below. Keep checking back every Wednesday to read my updates and progress!

Check out how the ladies (and man) over at Green Pixels are feeling after their first few days!

To see more photos of my experience getting started with EA Sports Active just read more