We all know the stereotype of a typical video game geek: pasty-skinned and overweight, never seeing the light of day, except for a brief glimpse when opening the door for the pizza delivery guy.

But according to recent research, the average 'gamer' isn't unhealthy -- in fact, gamers have lower BMIs than the average adult in the U.S.. The average BMI among gamers was 25 -- just on the border of normal and overweight. What's more, the average gamer engaged in physical activity once or twice a week. Gamers did, however, show larger instances mental health issues, including depression and substance abuse.

Are you more or less physically healthy than a gamer?

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At That's Fit, we've written about Wii Fit several times. But there's another alternative to video gaming exercise that will work with almost any console system. Gamercize is plug and play equipment that will get you fit while you enjoy your favorite video games.

Your Gamercize equipment includes a small device that plugs in to your existing gaming console. You'll be able to set the intensity of your workout here. Then, you can choose from either a power stepper or an endurance cycle. Then plug in your favorite game and start exercising. With the Gamercize modification, your video game controller will stop working when you're not exercising. So in order to play, you've got to work.

I haven't tried the system and, frankly, I question whether I'm coordinated enough to do it. Besides, I'm just not much of a video game fan. But it does seem like playing a fitness game over and over could get a bit boring. With Gamercize, your video game choices are limitless.

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I don' t know much about Nintendo Wii, but I hear it's quite fun -- and pretty addicting too, which might not be a bad thing for kids and adults who need a little physical activity in their lives.

Wii, Nintendo's fifth home video game consule made popular by its wireless controller is all about gaming -- Super Mario Galaxy, Jenga, and The Golden Compass are three available games. It's also all about exercising, so much so that some health clubs are offering a new form of workout for those tired of traditional fitness activities. Wii workout stations allow clients to circuit train by punching, running, and jumping, thanks to the ease of the system's movement-sensitive controller.

Watching kids sweat in their living rooms while working the Wii is what prompted one health club owner to bring video games into the fitness environment.

"We're always trying to break down paradigms and keep things fresh," says Nathan Mellalieu, owner of Canada's Studeo 55. "It's used here to break up the monotony of traditional workouts."

Mellalieu estimates one session of Wii boxing, tennis, or bowling equals a brisk walk and can burn between 75 and 125 calories.

Wii professionals may not have been planning for an appearance on the fitness scene but now that they've arrived, they plan to stick around. They are currently developing Wii Fit, a 2008 video game with an array of activities, from yoga to aerobics.

Stay tuned for more Wii wonders.

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It's been in the works forever, but finally the Glucoboy for Gameboy is in production! Developed in coordination with Nintendo it's a way to make blood sugar testing, which can be a miserable chore for children, into a game. Kids get rewarded for testing on time and having blood sugar levels within the target range with points that unlock two full-length games and 3 short arcade-style games. They can also go online and "compete" with other kids, as well as ask questions and get other kinds of support.

Unfortunately right now Glucoboy is only available in Australia, but they're hoping to be marketing it in the States soon.

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More and more I continue to hear about how good the Nintendo Wii is for everyone, from the elderly to youngsters used to sedentary games with other gaming systems.

But when a gaming system can help those disabled by a stroke, that's where curiosity ends and fascination starts. Stroke victims are reportedly using those motion-sensing controllers supplied with the Wii to mimic real-world actions in order to get that sense of balance back (among other things).

Who would have ever thought that playing virtual tennis would help stroke victims to help them physically rehabilitate themselves? And the uses for the Wii continue to impress.

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The roads have been frozen over where I live, so the last couple days, I've been holed up in my house, playing my old Nintendo 64. I thought I was just killing time, but apparently I was satisfying a deep psychological need. Who knew?

Researchers at a Florida-based virtual environment think tank recently discovered that the more a game fulfills a player's sense of independence, achievement and connectedness to others, the better it makes them feel.

"Video games we think have tremendous potential to impact people, particularly today's video games which are incredibly rich and complex," said researcher Dr. Scott Rigby. "This creates very fertile ground psychologically."

Now, before you buy a Nintendo Wii and fire your psychiatrist, this study isn't saying "video games are good for you." It does, however, give us an idea of why people play them, and helps understand how they effect us emotionally.

Mario Kart, anyone?

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That's exactly how one innovative new fitness center is trying to shape up the youth in California: through gaming! Overtime Fitness is a teen-only hybrid hangout for anyone ages 13 to 18. It's got your fitness games, typical workout gym, wireless internet and even a cafe.

The real catch is its exercise-centered video games. Instead of grabbing a seat on the couch and working out those opposable thumbs, Overtime Fitness incorporates several non-traditional gaming mechanisms to tweak the experience. Specifically, they make you sweat.

Sure, to the untrained eye these apparatuses may seem kind of gimmicky. But coming from someone who has broken a sweat more than once to such demanding games as Dance Dance Revolution, I can attest to their effectiveness. So can others... Just check out the girl who lost 95 pounds doing it!

This provides some strong evidence of teens getting fit through a trendy medium. It's no secret that kids in America could use the exercise, after all. Could it be that gyms have found an excellent way to cater to a specific new crowd?

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