My husband Dave is a high-tech whore. He jumps on nearly every bandwagon that touts the latest and greatest computerized gadgets. So, it goes without saying that we’ve been waiting for the Wii Fit Balance Board, ever since it was announced. We were one of the first people to get the Wii and though we are currently more obsessed with Rock Band, our excitement for this new toy/fitness product was hard to contain. Until we started using it.
We aren’t exactly fitness freaks, but we’re not couch potatoes either. I’m trying to put on a happy face about turning 40 this year and I have to say this “game” is not making the transition any easier. We figured it couldn’t hurt to try and get into even better shape, since we’re fighting a losing battle with time. Little did we know this machine was not on our side. In fact, a British couple is already suing Nintendo for hurting their daughter’s feelings by telling her she’s overweight. Denying the truth doesn’t make it go away. You can’t hide your extra pounds on the Balance Board.
Not that the Wii Fit cares. How could it, it’s a machine. It tells the cold, hard facts and in my husband’s case, made his Mii quite a bit chunkier. I, on the other hand, had a BMI in the normal range (yeah!), but was still dealt a stiff blow. After two balance exercises the Wii calculated my age at 52, plus 13 years.
I’d have been more devastated if I had been completely sober. Apparently, alcohol affects your balance…and now I have unequivocal proof. Being tired also affects performance as shown the second time I played at 10pm, where I gained another 5 years. Needless to say, the “fun” was being slowly sapped out of the experience.
What keeps me going back for more? I can’t stand “losing” to a machine. I realize this is a competition only in my mind, but since it’s keeping track of my fitness “progress” I’m compelled to make it change its tune and am scared every time I step on the board. I guess anything that gets the heart rate up is a good thing, right?
Will we actually reach our goals? Is this system making us stronger and more balanced? It’s too soon to tell, but at least it’s more fun than going to the gym. All I know is, it’s clearly doing something because I’ve been reminded of muscles I forgot existed. In the end, it’s helping us get off our lazy butts and for that I’m thankful. Especially since it currently thinks I’m 35.
Lisa Dinsmore is a writer and web programmer. She has her own wine blog called Daily Wine Dispatch. She lives with her husband Dave in Los Angeles.