GeekSugar

4 Gadgets To Help You Work Off That Turkey and Stuffing

GeekSugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:00:40 -0800

So you had a little too much turkey, gravy and stuffing on Thanksgiving (not to mention all the leftovers you indulged in), and you completely ignored Fit's assessments of how many calories your typical Thanksgiving Day meal contained, which means you've probably gained a few pounds. No biggie, just let your gadget obsession help whip you back into shape. Although it will take some determination, it won't be all that hard, I promise - you just gotta get moving, and cut back on the treats. Click through this slideshow as I show you four gadgets that help you work off that extra weight and get you back to your pre-Thanksgiving Day body. Hey, at least your index finger will get a nice workout. Source

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Get Your Own Weight Loss Coach for Your DS

GeekSugar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 09:00:26 -0700

Although Wii Fit has been the big hitter for exergaming this year, it may have a new companion to help you tackle those unwanted pounds. My Weight Loss Coach for your DS, is like a personal trainer and nutritionist, all packed into your tiny mobile gamer. With personal profiles that allow you to track your fitness goals, record your daily food intake and exercise, it's a sure fire way that you will stay involved in your fitness, since it's way more fun on the DS. Even Tony Key from Ubisoft thinks so:

“The game creates customized coaching sessions based on skill level, and, for the first time on DS, includes a pedometer. My Weight Loss Coach not only allows users to take control of their physical well-being, but it does so in a fun and engaging manner.”

I mean, how many times have you signed up for an online fitness tracker, only to give it up a few weeks in? At least on your DS, you can be anywhere, and at anytime record your data to keep yourself on track. Find out what else comes with My Weight Loss Coach when you read more

My Weight Loss Coach even comes with a pedometer for you to wear and track your daily steps (Fit says we're aiming for 12,000 here). Then at the end of the day or week, connect to your DS to record your stats. Plus with an included food journal, you can achieve the whole burn-more-cals-than-we-take-in thing. What's more, with the childhood obesity rate climbing, My Weight Loss Coach seems friendly enough for kids to use. Personally, I don't have any issue with games helping me stay fit, cause the day is long and hard enough as it is and every little bit helps! Wouldn't you agree?

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What's Healthier Nintendo Playhouse or Wii Sports?

GeekSugar — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 04:31:23 -0700

There's been a lot of talk about the Nintendo Wii's Sports game being the answer to overweight video gamers that have a reputation for working out their fingers, but not their bodies. Most notably following one man's Wii Sports Experiment where he spent six weeks playing Wii games for 30 minutes a day and lost weight.

Still, it seems clear that video games alone (no matter how interactive and fun they might be) are probably not the answer to solving the obesity problem in America. Students at
Carnegie Mellon created this Nintendo-Inspired playhouse for their Spring carnival and while the characters might be a little retro for today's young gamers, the playhouse does fuse beloved Nintendo images with the great outdoors and forced physical activity.

Geek Tip: Avoid Extra Holiday Pounds With Lose It

GeekSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:50:45 -0800

For me, part of gearing up for the holiday season is the realization that I'm going to overindulge in holiday goodies from time to time. While this time of year isn't the best for trying to shed extra pounds, there's still benefit in watching what I'm eating - even if I allow myself a few "cheat" days here and there. Lose It! is an iPhone app that tracks caloric and nutritional intake as well as calories burned by exercise, giving you a calorie budget for the day.

First, enter your starting weight, your goal weight (if you want to lose, that is), height, and birth date, and the app figures how many calories you need to lose a few pounds or maintain your current weight. Then, enter exactly what you've eaten that day (you can search by meal, favorite foods, previous meals, even brand name foods from supermarkets and restaurants) and any exercise you've done. The app tracks your daily, weekly, and monthly caloric intake, factoring any exercise into the equation.

I'm certainly not shooting for any serious weight loss before January (hello pumpkin pie!), but it will be nice to know how many calories I'm consuming during non"cheat" days.

Games Can Get You In Shape For the Big Day Too!

GeekSugar — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:00:36 -0700

I guess it's a rite of passage that you freak out before your wedding - whether it's over the flower arrangements, the cake, or your body. Although you should never stoop to crash dieting (I know Fit would tell you the same), it may actually help you to chill out by playing a video game. Bonus, if those games are interactive and get your blood pumping, you might just lose a few pounds while you're at it and tip the scales in your favor.

We all know what a workout you can get by playing Dance Dance Revolution, right? While having a blast matching your foot movements with the beat, in one hour you could be burning up to 900 calories! Not to mention, it might help you learn a few moves for the reception.

There are a few more great games to get you into shape. Find out what they are when you read more.

Wii Fit is the most anticipated excergaming device of the year! With the Wii being totally family friendly, Wii Fit is sure to make a dent in the child obesity rates, right? Although you probably aren't going to get a killer cardio workout like you would in step class at your gym, you'll learn relaxation with yoga, tone your muscles, and amp up your coordination so you can walk down the aisle calm, cool, and super toned.

My Weight Loss Coach is hitting the shelves in the fall and I can already tell it will be one of my fave weight loss devices yet. Not only is it super portable – made just for your Nintendo DS – it has the potential to help you make leaps and bounds with your eating habits. . . as well as keeping you honest about your activity.

Wii Sports has been an excergaming fave since it "bowled" its way into our hearts in 2006. Not only used for rehabilitation in hospitals, preventing sedentary lifestyles in seniors, and of course weight loss, but possibly improving your golf swing so you can be sure to impress your new hubby while on your honeymoon!

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Let Video Games Shape You Up in 2009!

GeekSugar — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 09:30:47 -0800

Since losing weight is number one on FitSugar's New Year's Resolution poll, I wanted to be here for you to tell you that it doesn't have to be all gyms and stinky lockers. Getting in shape can be fun - just turn on your video game console! Check out my guide to getting fit with gadgets in 2009. Source

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My Weight Loss Coach for DS

kristyrk — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:20:06 -0700

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EA Sports Active 30 Day Challenge: Week Four

GeekSugar — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:00:12 -0700

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.

Although this game provides you with two or three rest days during your weekly workouts (when I started, I seriously thought 30 days meant you work out for 30 days!), there have still been days I've had to miss. What I love is the fact that the game picks right up where you left off, shows you your progress, and doesn't get mad at you (like a personal trainer) when you skip a day. But what sucks about a video game is you can't say, "Hey, I actually went to the gym on the weekend, can you factor that into my progress?!"

I was chatting with my sister on the phone last night and because she just had a baby, she's trying to figure out ways to work out that don't consume a ton of her time . . . and ones that she can do at home to stay close to her little one. She was thinking about buying Wii Fit, but I think she'll really love this game with the cardio and variety of workouts. I'm going to take it with me during a visit next week, so we shall see!

Now let's see how the Green Pixels crew are doing during their fourth week of the challenge!

Win a Nintendo DS Lite and Workout Games on geeksugar!

GeekSugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 04:00:39 -0800

With the holidays fast approaching, I'm going to be giving away some great items leading up to the big festive day. First off - a metallic silver Nintendo DS Lite with two fitness-friendly DS games, Quick Yoga Training and My Weight Loss Coach. All three items would be the perfect gift for a mom, sister, friend, or anyone else who may want to get fit and have fun in the New Year! So listen up TeamSugar members, now's your chance to win this gaming giveaway bundle!

To enter, you must log in and take the quiz below. Your eligibility is not based on getting the answers correct, just by completing the quiz once you are logged in. You do, however, need to be a TeamSugar member and log in before you take the quiz. If you're not already a member, just register here for an account. One quiz entry per person; all repeat quizzes will be ignored.

The contest is open to US residents only and ends on Nov. 20, 2008, at 5 p.m. PST. For Official Rules, click here.

Take the quiz

Wii Fit Fitness Journal: Week Two

GeekSugar — Wed, 28 May 2008 09:00:13 -0700

I'm absolutely hooked on my Wii Fit, and I'm not ashamed to say it. Although I have yet to get a kick-butt aerobic workout like I do at my gym during cardio kickboxing, I'm finding myself to be more flexible than ever - plus, I think I even stand up straighter! My dominant workouts this week were yoga (I can't believe how much I'm loving it) and running. Taking on the Island Run for the first time was really fun, since I got to check out the lay of the virtual land (which is pretty sweet, by the way).

Plus, once you're finished with your jaunt that's worth 10 minutes in your Wii Fit Bank, you'll surely need that sweat towel (especially if you use my tip from last week to hold full water bottles or weights in your hands while you're running)!

And what was the nicest surprise I discovered? To find out just read more.

But the nicest surprise, besides finding that I have more energy, is that my BMI is slowly trickling down the stat chart! Although it's not a significant difference, it surely is putting to rest any doubts I had about the Wii Fit being a fun and interactive weight loss aid. I'm stoked to see what the end results will be in two more weeks. But checking in with you newly addicted Wii Fit-ters - how is it going on your first week? Are you digging the yoga and hula hooping as much as I did? Tell us about your experiences, and share your tips in the comments below!