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Is Wii Fit Just a Fad In Your House?

Posted on Feb 4th 2009 6:00PM by Bev Sklar

Filed Under: Fitness

To many skeptical gamers, Wii Fit is just like that dusty treadmill sitting in the corner of American homes -- a quiet spot for the cat. It's simply not used enough for any substantial fitness benefits. If I had to put money on whether Wii Fit will become a fad or a longer-lasting trend, I'd put my cash on fad.

One Kotaku gaming blog editor claims he doesn't know one person who has used their Wii Fit routinely after a month. He points out Nintendo has successfully cashed in on people's desire to be healthier, but the game's fitness potential ends there if people aren't willing to Wii regularly. Too bad we don't Wii as often as we wee.

I agree with the Kotaku guy. I've witnessed my friends' excitement over their new Wii Fits, but none of them are looking any slimmer these days or self-reporting pounds lost. That's not to say you shouldn't purchase the system, but it's definitely no guarantee you've simultaneously invested in personal fitness either.

Is Wii Fit Just a Fad In Your House?
Yup, it's a dust collector.	30 (32.6%)
Not quite, we're Wiing at least once a week or so.	20 (21.7%)
Nope, we Wii regularly.	42 (45.7%)

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8 Comment

Tags: Bev-Sklar, fitness-fads, fitness-trends, Kotaku-gaming-blog, Wii-Fit, Wii-Fit-weight-loss

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

dirt 2-04-2009 @ 6:39PM

I've been using Wii Fit since just after Christmas. When I weighed in this morning, I was at 42 days, I think. Over 40, anyway. I think one big reason people will stop using Wii Fit is because they are hoping to lose weight *just* by using it, and they'll be disappointed after a while when they realize they still have to be active elsewhere in their daily routines, and of course there are the necessary diet changes that are not easy to make. Basically, people were hoping Wii Fit would make losing weight easier, so just like gym memberships, a lot of Wii Fit routines will fall by the wayside. I keep using it because I like the tracking features that chart my weight changes and the exercises are fun and easy to motivate myself to do. It's a great starting point, but not a complete health plan in itself.

u262f 2-04-2009 @ 7:15PM

It's day 170 for me, and I still use my Wii Fit once every one or two days to graph my weight and BMI. My first missed day was day 101, so I did it every day for about three months. My partner still hasn't missed a day yet! I averaged a very slow but steady half pound of weight loss per week so far, so there is only the tiniest and slightest gradual trend downwards on the long-term graph if I zoom out far enough, but I prefer to do physical activity with Dance Dance Revolution, so the weight loss is not due to Wii Fit.

mlp526 2-04-2009 @ 9:11PM

I'm not sure who these reviewers talk to, but it sure isn't us Wii-Fitters. I've used the Wii Fit 6 days a week for the past six months, 25-30 minutes each day, and have lost 30 pounds. I also do other workouts such as walking, pilates, and step aerobics, but the Wii Fit got me started. I was doing no activity at all before then, and gradually added the other activities. I love the immediate feedback as to how well I do each activity, and intend to keep my schedule. In this household, it is NOT a fad.

Stephanie 2-05-2009 @ 9:13AM

My only issue with the Wii is that it doesn't offer enough of a challenge sometimes. Would I rather spend 45 minutes on the Wii and burn 300 calories, or spend 30 minutes at the gym, and burn 500?

But it's great for weekends when I don't want to trek out, and I love the yoga poses. Plus, I use it to weigh in daily!

Gina 2-05-2009 @ 10:59AM

I got mine just after Thanksgiving and used it pretty regularly for a while (in addition to going to the gym.) I don't use it as much anymore because I've gotten bored. I unlocked all the exercises and now there's nothing new to do.
I'd probably go back to using the balance board more if I had a new game to use it with.

Cecily T 2-05-2009 @ 4:52PM

Hmm...we are somewhere in the middle, I'd say. Probably at least 2x a week, and more for the 'body test' (i.e., weigh-in + balance testing). But it's really only b/c I'm being very faithful to my more hardcore workouts in cardio and pilates; plus, it's hard to do WiiFit when your toddler wants to join you on the board!

Debra C. 2-26-2009 @ 2:53PM

I actually don't have the Wii Fit at MY house. My mom got a Wii and a Wii Fit for the entire family (inc. us kids who are out on our own). So I don't use it every day. But I do go over there 3 days a week to weigh in and work out. I'm only on my second month, but for the most part, I get there every time. I'm much more faithful with it than the gym, because at my mom's house, I don't need to fit within nursery hours (that suck). Though, it's definitely nice when my little brother or sister is around to entertain my daughter so she isn't trying to exercise with me.

I really need to find a mock balance board for her to play with.

amy mac 3-24-2009 @ 12:44PM

I wondered about the benefits of the Wii Fit myself. Many of my clients are on the bandwagon of wanting to Wii Fit instead of the gym -- so I bought one and tried it out so I could make my own assessment. I think any new toy, fitness or not, will be a fad but what if working out was fun for everyone? Check out my thoughts and initial review at www.WithAmyMac.com