Are Wii Fit Yet?

Many weeks ago, I promised to post about our newest workout tool, the Wii Fit. We had been waiting for it to become available for months and then once it was released, Eric spent days checking various Best Buys and Targets and getting up early to call them to see if they had any Wii Fits in stock. His hard work paid off, and now we are the proud owners of our Fit. And it rocks. So, let me tell you a little bit about it.

Every day, you're supposed to do your daily "Body Test." You start by standing on the Wii Fit board, and it asks you how much your clothes weigh. You select a response, then it measures you for a few seconds. Once the measuring is complete, it graphs your center of balance and gives you your weight and BMI. It's really cool to see how balanced you really are! In all of our Wii Fit days, there is only one perfect balance on record - and it was mine! Apparently all that childhood ballet really paid off.

Me standing proudly by my perfect balance screen

"You're placing equal weight on your left and right legs when you stand!"

After you've been given your balance, BMI and weight results, the Wii suggests you do two randomly selected body control tests. These can be anything from trying to stand perfectly still, trying to walk with perfect balance, standing on one leg, shifting your weight on command, etc.

Eric doing the "stand on one leg" test

Once you've done all these various tests, the Wii uses the results to calculate your Wii Fit age. Sometimes, your Wii Fit age is the same as your actual age, or younger. In this case, your Mii is really happy. (What is a Mii, you ask? Why, it's the Wii version of yourself, of course!)

You can't even make out my Mii here, because she's jumping for joy at my young Wii Fit age!

But sometimes, your Wii Fit age is a little older than your actual age. In that case, your Mii hobbles around with a broken back. Not cool, Mii. Not cool at all.

30 isn't even that old, Mii!

One of the cool things is that the Wii Fit keeps track of all these results. You get a calendar on which you mark off each day when you do your Body Test, plus the Fit graphs your balance, weight, BMI and Fit Age progress.

My calendar

Main screen graph - the red line is Eric's, and the pink is mine. We follow the same general trend! 

And the Miis at the bottom are me, then Eric, then Jeff.

After you've done your test, it's on to training! The Wii Fit has four categories of activities: Yoga, Strength Training, Balance Games, and Aerobics.

Main Wii Fit Training Screen. The piggy bank on the left logs your daily and total logged workout time.

My favorite category is the Aerobics, which includes things like running, step aerobics, and hula hooping. I'm especially a fan of the Step games, which basically use the Wii Fit balance board for a sort of a combination between step aerobics and Dance Dance Revolution. You step on and off the board in different patterns to the rhythm of the game. I currently hold the high scores in both Basic and Advanced Step! Sometimes, I even use Achilles as "weights" during the Basic Step for a little something extra.

Doesn't he look so thrilled?

Eric is especially good at the Balance Games, which include things like skiing, ski jumping, soccer, tightrope walking, and a few others. 

Eric skiing

Lately, I've also been getting into the Yoga and Strength Training exercises. For these activities, you pick either a male or female trainer who shows you how to do each of the exercises and critiques your performance. Sometimes the critiques are good, and other times, not so good. But, if they're bad, your trainer always gives you advice for how to improve. And they speak in a very pleasant, soothing voice. How nice.

Oooh, not so good. On this strength exercise, I was labeled a "couch potato." I kind of resent that.

Much better! Now I'm a "bodybuilder!" And that's my trainer lady in the background.

So, that's a basic overview of the Wii Fit. But there's quite a few other fun things about it, too, that I'd like to share with you. First, the Wii is eager to tell you that you are not just limited to weighing yourself with the balance board. You can weigh other things, too. Like your dog.

Achilles apparently weighs 11.7 lbs.

Also, I mentioned that the Wii keeps track of how often you work out (or at least do your Body Test), and the results of your tests. It often commends you for frequent workouts, or wonders where you've been the past couple of days if you spend some time away. We've seen plenty of this in regards to our former roommate Jeff. Jeff was nice enough to come hang out with Achilles for a few hours during our NYC apartment search trip, and while he was here, he played with the Fit. Since he no longer lives with us, however, he isn't able to do his Body Test daily as the Wii expects him to. We know this, and don't judge him for it, of course. The Wii, however, judges him. It doesn't know he doesn't live here. It just thinks he's lazy.

Just what are you getting at, Wii?

And, if you've been away from the Fit for a few days, your Mii gets lazy. When the Wii Fit starts up, all the lazy little Miis will give a big yawn then doze off to sleep! Jeff's Mii is always sleeping around here, but even Eric's and my Miis took a little nap after a several-day hiatus a few weeks ago.

Big yawns!

A Mii Snoozefest!

And my MOST favorite part of the Wii Fit is the incorporation of all of our various Miis. At Christmas, Eric and I brought the Wii with us on our holiday travels, and anyone who played it had to create a Mii. As a result, we have a whole slew of family member and friend Miis. The cool thing about the Wii is that it will use those Miis in your games! So, when I'm skiing, I can see my mom cheering me on from the sidelines. My cousins are waiting to greet me at the end of the tightrope. Gramz is stepping it up with me. It's so fun to see our friends and family in the game with us! It really gives it a little something extra.

Our "Mii Plaza," which contains all of our Miis!

Top row: Susan

Second row: Eric, Me, Uncle Peter, Aunt Rachel, my cousin Sarah

Third row: Ron Jr., Kelley, our friend Leah, Uncle Mark, cousin Molly

Fourth row: Doc, Gary, Gramz, Heather, Jeff

Bottom row: My cousin Adam, my Mom, Buzz, our friend Chris, and Aunt Debbie

Here's my Mii stepping with a few family members: Gramz (doing the curtsy on the left), Sarah (in motion), and Adam

Eric's Mii finishing a tightrope walk with friends and family cheering him on: 

Buzz (cut off on the left), Uncle Peter, Jeff, Me, Molly, and Ronnie (cut off on the right)

So, that's the Wii Fit - our current favorite source of entertainment! I highly recommend it as a fun way to get Fit!