GeekSugar

Wii Fit Fitness Journal: Week Three

GeekSugar — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:03:23 PDT

My 30 day Wi Fit Fitness Challenge is fast approaching the home stretch, and I couldn't be happier with the results! In just three weeks, I'm down four pounds, which may not seem like a lot, but it's pretty awesome considering I stopped my usual routine of going to the gym and didn't change my eating habits. Although I might miss my goal of losing eight pounds, I think losing any inches (and getting closer to a healthier BMI) is a pretty good testament that the Wii Fit really does work.

I spent a ton of time getting down with Rhythm Boxing, and increased my aerobic fitness (surely at the dismay of my downstairs neighbors) with the Free Run this week. I'm not so enthused about jogging in the real world, but when it comes to running with Wii Fit, I'm a calorie burner! Who knew!? To hear more about why I'm so into the Free Runs, and get a few more tips on how to fire up your Wii Fit workouts, just

The best part about the "Free Run" is that you can change the channel, watch a movie, or catch up on episodes of The Hills, while jogging along. Your trainer will update you through the Wiimote and tell you if you are keeping a good pace and how much longer you have to go until your goal time. My only complaint? I wish you could increase your free run time in smaller increments - jumping from a 10 minute run to a 20 minute run might be a bit much for a novice runner to handle!

But to get a really awesome, sweat-inducing workout while running, try lifting your knees up high or taking a wider stance to work all the muscles in your legs. And I can't stress enough about how holding small weights in your hands while you're running (and really swinging those arms) will get your blood pumping - and tone your shoulders to boot!

Oh, and that Jackknife Trainer Challenge? My abs are burning just thinking about it! Have you been loving your Wii Fit this week? Tell us about your favorite exercises, and share your progress in the comments below!

Wii Fit Fitness Journal: Week One

GeekSugar — Wed, 21 May 2008 10:00:27 PDT

So far, me and the Wii Fit are good pals. He knows how to make me laugh, how to sweat, and shows me what I'm made of - we're a good pair. This week, although a few days short of a full seven days of dissecting WF, it was a good one. I can tell from the soreness in my hips and abs that the time put into perfecting my Hula Hooping skills is paying off. Additionally, I've found that my endless tree and warrior poses are indeed helping my flexibility! Who knew that in the first week I could feel this many results off of a game.

At first, I thought that I may get bored with the same games every day, but thankfully, every ten minutes you put in on the Wii Fit, opens up a new activity. And every time you repeat an activity, a new difficulty level challenges you for a better, longer, or harder workout. Last night I ran the moderate trail on my run and actually broke a bit of a sweat! No kidding! Although there's been no change yet to my BMI, I did have some fun and made a few technical notes along the way that may help you in your Wii Fitness journey. To find out what they are,

Use your Wii Fit on a hard surface or low pile carpeting to get the most accurate weight results. If you don't have either, try placing the Wii Fit on a plastic chair runner or place mat for the body test portion. Just remember to remove it after being weighed, so you don't slip!
You can log extra activity into your profile to add to your daily totals. From your profile page, click the graph, and then "Activity Log" to record your time at the gym, hitting the pavement, or even doing dishes!
You can skip the demo portion of the exercise by hitting "Try It."
Make sure to download the Wii Fit Channel to get a condensed version of some of the exercises.

I'll be serving up more great Wii Fit findings and tips this week, so stay tuned!

Lil Links: 5 Tips For Staying Sane During Your Tot's Tantrum

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 10 May 2012 05:32:09 PDT

How to work your way through your toddler's tantrum - Circle of Moms
Anna Faris expecting first child! - Celebrity Baby Blog
Mom expecting second set of twins after a decade of infertility - The Stir
Get the details of Kourtney Kardashian's baby shower - Celebrity Baby Scoop
A proposed law will protect moms-to-be - FitPregnancy
The best Wii games for kids - Parenting
Tips for getting through the third trimester while working - The Bump
7 fantasy baby products - BabyCenter Blog
What do babies dream about? - Yahoo! Shine
Surprise! Working moms find balancing is overwhelming - LearnVest
12 great quotes about motherhood - HuffPost Parents

5 Fitness Games to Help You Burn Off Holiday Bulge

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 09:22:56 PST

The family binging events are over, so now it's time to talk resolutions and fighting off some of that bulge you may have picked up during the holiday season. Good news is there are plenty of ways to burn some calories without spending half an afternoon in the gym. Fire up your favorite gaming console and pop in one of these titles that will have you working up a sweat in no time.

Your Shape Fitness Evolved ($34) - Working with the Xbox 360 and Kinect sensor, this game provides a personalized fitness program based on your skill level, but the Kinect actually senses where your joints are to give you proper form tips while you're playing. Add in special martial arts and weight loss classes led by actual celebrity trainers, and you have yourself a pretty amazing fitness game that really isn't a game at all.
The Fight: Lights Out ($20) - I like The Fight (which works in conjunction with the PlayStation Move), and in comparison to other fitness specific video games it doesn't feel like a workout; it just feels like fun.
Get Fit With Mel B ($) - Another PlayStation Move title, Get Fit With Mel B seems like it would be a good alternative to the gym; mostly cause Mel B is ripped, and if this helps her stay fit, it's gotta work for me, right?
Just Dance 2 ($34) - Like DDR before it, the Wii-compatible Just Dance 2 lets you work up a sweat with some awesome moves, and sing along to popular music. It doesn't get any better than that!
EA Sports Active 2 ($45) - I'm already a big fan of the EA Sports Active titles, so pairing it with the Kinect system is sure to give me an even better, more engaging workout experience.

Budget Bride: 6 Exercise Tips to Keep You and Your Wallet in Shape

Emily Co — Wed, 04 May 2011 03:05:14 PDT

Wanting to look extra special on your big day is a no-brainer. Many brides start on their fitness routine right when they start planning for their wedding. Dana LaRue from The Broke-Ass Bride says it's important to exercise, eat healthy, and sleep well during wedding prep because it "will keep wedding stress at a minimum and help you manage what stress does worm its way in much more effectively." Here's some savvy advice from Dana on how to be a buff bride on the cheap:

Online Deals: "Group-buying sites like Groupon, SocialBuy, LivingSocial, PopSugar City, and more are popping up nearly daily - and most feature a large amount of fitness packages at steep discounts. It's a great way to affordably try new workouts and let variety keep your fitness spice alive!"
Great Outdoors: "Get outside! Taking long walks with your partner while discussing the more banal details of wedding planning is a great way to sneak in some fitness and reconnection with nature while checking a few items of your to-do list."
Lifelong Routine: "Don't just regard prewedding fitness as a way to look good one one day in one dress. Think of it as setting yourself up for the "in health" part of your vows. Committing your life to your mate can also mean committing to taking good care of yourself so you're a better partner, and so that you have many, many years ahead to enjoy life together. Viewing it as more of a lifestyle change than a prewedding diet will help you keep perspective and be more forgiving of small missteps along the way."
Healthy Wedding Gifts: "Registries are no longer just for kitchen gadgets and linens. Register for exercise equipment or a gaming platform like the Wii or Kinect that also have fitness applications, and reap the rewards in fun as well as fitness!"

Read on for the rest of the tips.