FitSugar

Just Released: Three Fitness Video Games For the Wii

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:00:47 -0700

Confession: I love playing video games - I especially love them on the Wii because I get to move, jump, and shake myself into a tizzy. Three fitness games were released for the Wii this last week and even though it's not like doing the real deal outside, the games are a fun way to burn calories and whip your bod into shape.

Nintendo Wii Fit Plus ($20) Wii Fit Plus is Nintendo's follow-up to the popular Wii Fit. There are new exercises, balance board games, and strength and yoga activities, as well as targeted exercise routines for things like reducing tummy fat and toning your figure. A great improvement is the addition of a calorie counter - after you complete each exercise the game tells you how many calories you've burned.

To hear about the other two games, continue reading.

Calories Burned Playing Wii Fit Games

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:00:00 -0700

I'm in full support of anything that gets you off the couch and moving, so I'm a fan of the Wii Fit. Although many say that exercising with the Balance Board may not compare to a real workout, anything is better than nothing, right?

To find out how many calories you'll burn working out with the Wii Fit, read more.

I used our Calorie Burner Counter Calculator to calculate the calories burned based on a 130-pound woman. I couldn't find calculations for specific Wii games, so I used calculations based on similar activities and intensity levels. Just like with any type of fitness, the more active and intense, the more calories you'll burn.

Activity:	Calories burned per 30 minutes:
Skate It	85
Gold's Gym Cardio Workout	100
All Star Cheer Squad	177
We Ski	118
Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum	100
EA Sports Active	89
Don King Boxing	180
Ski and Shoot	118
Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 2 (using the Dance Mat)	207
Yoga	118
Tennis	170
Bowling	39
Baseball	95
Golf	75

Do you play any of the Wii games regularly? Do you wear your heart rate monitor when doing so? If so, I am curious how many calories you burn - tell me in the comments section below.

Nintendo Wii Wiimotes Get Weighty

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:00:00 -0700

I'm a big fan of keeping hand weights by the TV for impromptu lifting sessions, and for all you Wii Fit devotees, the Riiflex Wiimote weights have a similar appeal. These snap-on weights affix to your Wii Remote and Nunchuck accessories to make workouts (or play) more challenging.

Available as a set of two 2-pound weights ($35) or two 4-pound weights ($40), the brightly colored dumbbells look comfy to hold and let you access the Wii's assorted buttons and triggers. Even if you don't have a Wii Fit, you can snap them on your Wiimote to make any Wii game work a little harder.

Interested? The Riiflex weights are available for pre-order, so grab yours now.

Jillian Michaels Gets Wii Fit

FitSugar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:00:00 -0800

Jillian Michaels is a tough cookie when it comes to training, and I love her hardcore attitude. The Biggest Loser trainer teamed up with Nintendo to create her workout for Wii Fit called Jillian Michaels' Fitness Ultimatum 2009 ($37), and the final product looks like a fun way to get fit.

She visited ABC News to discuss the game and explained that she "got fat" as a kid playing video games, and hopes the Fitness Ultimatum will be an effective solution for combating childhood obesity. She's targeting kids by making the game fun and interactive, complete with cool graphics, but it's something the whole family can use. Jillian says eventually you can burn 300 to 400 calories an hour doing things like kickboxing, running, and squats.

To see a video of Jillian demonstrating with the Wii Fit, read more.

Do You Own Wii Fit?

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:30:00 -0800

Santa visited recently, leaving fit gifts for good girls and boys. Was a Wii Fit on your list? It is the physical gaming system that combines fun games with fitness so you burn calories without realizing it. The wide variety of games, including yoga, strength training challenges, balance games, and running races, makes it easy for you to beat your most formidable fitness opponent - boredom. So tell me . . .

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Jillian Michaels Moves You With Wii Fit

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:00:00 -0700

I'm a huge fan of celebrity trainer, Jillian Michaels; she is so hardcore. Not only does she push her clients physically, she pushes them emotionally as well. And they're stronger because of it. To have one hour with her, I'd give my perfectly broken-in pair of sneaks and my favorite wicking sports bra. Since that's probably not going to happen, I guess I will settle for the next best thing – her videogame workout.

Jillian is teaming up with the Wii Fit to bring you Jillian Michaels' Fitness Ultimatum 2009. The workout utilizes the motion-based Wii system and the Balance Board to combine play with fitness. Chances are high that the game is probably more fitness than play. The game is expected to release just in time for the holidays next year. She's incredibly excited about it since she knows that gaming and technology are bigger than big now, and it's a great way to combat childhood obesity before it becomes adult obesity. I cannot wait to get my hands on this and get my booty kicked.

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Fit for May: FitSugar Must Haves

FitSugar — Thu, 01 May 2008 05:30:00 -0700

Happy May Day! May Day marks the end of the uncomfortable Winter half of the year, which means we're spending a lot more time outdoors. Not only that but many of us take vacations and have a grand ole time Cinco De Mayo as well as on Memorial Day, which falls on the 26th this year. This May use my must haves to enjoy the weather while continuing on your quest for happiness and health.

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Wii Fit: Has Anyone Tried It?

FitSugar — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:30:00 -0800

So I had high hopes for Wii Fit, but after much criticism and research about how the Wii doesn't really compare to a real workout, I am rather skeptical these days. This funny parody didn't help convince me either - though I did get a good laugh out of it, especially with the hula hoop mention since I am guessing Beyoncé did not get so bootylicious by standing on a Wii Fit.

(Here's the real promo.)

Has anyone tried the Wii Fit? If so, did you get a good workout? I'm dying to know and I am sure everyone else is, too.

Get Wii Fit with the Balance Board

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Nintendo is out to prove that video games and fitness are not mutually exclusive. They recently unveiled the Balance Board, a Wii video game accessory for their soon to be released Wii Fit games. I have to say geeksugar and I are super excited about this new development.

The Balance Board looks somewhat like a scale but it is really a gaming controller. When you stand on the board it senses your motions so you can interact with the video game playing on your TV. The range of games will satisfy fitness enthusiasts of all kinds with Wii Fit games like yoga and soccer, as well as hula hooping and something close to Dance Dance Revolution. It looks like many of the games will activate and work your core.

The balance board will also take measurements of your body and plot your fitness level over time. If you are feeling extra competitive you can compare your progress with other members of your household. Sometimes a little friendly competition is in order.

Interested in seeing the Balance Board in action? Then read more

There is more to see. You should also check out this cool video geeksugar found showing what Nintendo's Shigero Miyamoto had to say about the Balance Board.

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Game Review: Your Shape For Wii

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:50:08 -0800

There's a new fitness game in town and it's ready to work you out and make you sweat. Your Shape ($69), a new Wii game by Ubisoft, makes Jenny McCarthy your workout coach and training buddy so you don't have to sweat it out alone.

The game comes with a camera that you perch on your TV; it captures your image and plays it on your TV so you move with a reflection of yourself, like looking in a mirror. The camera also monitors your movements, and if you slack off, Jenny will let you know - she also gives you praise when you make a correction. Who couldn't use an ego boost mid-workout?

To learn more about the game, continue reading.