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2010
5
Mar
How does Wii Fit calculate calories?
Wii Fit uses a standard measure called metabolic equivalent of a task, or MET, to calculate the energy and effort required of each activity. Using METs and the time you are exercising, Wii Fit can get close to the number of calories burned while exercising. The higher the METs, the more calories burned in a given amount of time.
Now, the activities in Wii Fit don’t have the same METs as their real life counterparts, but it’s better than being a couch potato. It can also help you meet the American Heart Association’s recommendation of a half hour of moderate activity (three to six METs) five days per week.
Lose weight while you sleep
Can you really lose weight while you sleep? The answer is actually, yes. No I don’t have a magic pill or formula or anything else. The answer is exercise. When you exercise regularly, your body will continue to burn calories and fat even when you are at rest. So, if you are faithful in your exercise and diet, you will continue to lose weight even while you sleep.
For FREE information on The Diet Solution Plan along with FREE recipes and more, go to TheDietSolutionPlan.com.
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 2
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 8
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 6
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 5
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 3
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2010
26
Feb
Well, for the two of us that read these articles, I must confess, this has not been a good week as far as weight loss goes. It was such a hectic week that we didn’t get to exercise but once or twice and that coupled with some heavy meals didn’t help. But, that’s okay, it’s not the end of the world. Plus, with all I ate and how little I exercised, I consider an almost 2 pound gain negligible.
One thing I did notice is that even with the weight gain, I am still losing inches and fat. So, my body is still converting fat to muscle and the inches are coming off. So, I expected a bit of a gain, but was hoping for a loss anyway.
So, I stepped up the boxing to a full 10-minute workout and boy was it a workout. You may not think punching at nothing but air can work you out, but it does. Your arms and legs are constantly moving and you get the aerobic benefits, too.
I upped the free run on my regimen. With this, the sounds come through the controller so you can actually change the channel and watch a tv show while you are running. This makes the time go by faster and allows you to not focus on how tired you are becoming. The run is over before you know it and you’ve burned over 50 calories. The only problem I have is that it is difficult for me to run in place without drifting. My solution is to jog a short track around the living room.
Well, back on the wagon for me. I should have plenty of time to work out this week and I will even get back to cooking some of my own recipes. See you next week!
For FREE information on The Diet Solution Plan along with FREE recipes and more, go to TheDietSolutionPlan.com.
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 5
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 4
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 2
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, Week 1
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 3
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2010
19
Feb
Another week down, and more pounds down the drain. I lost 3.1 pounds over last Friday, so it appears I am past the first plateau. Now, if you remember I didn’t really lose any weight during week 4, but I noticed that I did lose inches. This is sort of a trap that quite a few weight-loss-seekers fall into. They see that they have stopped losing weight so quickly and level out for a bit, but they fail to notice the inches they are losing.
As one replaces the TV remote with exercise, not only is fat burned off, but muscle is built back up. Muscle is denser than fat, so the same amount of muscle weights more than fat. While you think that your body has just stopped responding to diet and exercise, it hasn’t. You will have replaced fat with some denser muscle tissue, which, pound for pound, doesn’t take up as much space, so you lose inches. I am now back down to a 32 waist.
One of the most fat-burning exercises on the Wii Fit Plus is the Rhythm Boxing. A trainer will give you a pattern to follow. You follow with footwork and punches. You start off at 3 minutes and as you get better, more time can be added. Some patterns now include dodging right and left, as well as stepping forward or back to take a punch. At the end of the time, you do feel like you’ve had a workout. The best thing is it burns quite a few calories while letting you have fun.
For FREE information on The Diet Solution Plan along with FREE recipes and more, go to TheDietSolutionPlan.com.
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 6
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 4
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 2
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 3
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, Week 1
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2010
12
Feb
It seems we’ve been doing this longer than four weeks, but time flies when you’re having fun. Wii Fit is fun, that’s for sure. I’ve been back on the balance board since slacking off last week due to illness. I’m not completely 100%, but I’m trying to get there.
Anyway, as I said before, the first ten or so pounds is the easiest. I seem to have hit my first plateau, which I entirely expected, so I’ve sort of bounced around the same weight I was at last week. But, I fully expect it to start dropping again.
This is where most people get discouraged and figure if they aren’t continuing to lose weight, why continue. But this is a critical place in any diet and exercise regimen. My wife hates this term, but take a moment to reflect on your recent habits. Are you keeping your calories down? Are you exercising enough? Talk with your doctor to find a healthy calorie intake for you to lose weight. Mine is 1500-1800 calories/day. Add to that exercise that helps you burn 150 – 200 calories and you will have a good, healthy rate of weight loss.
I finally completed the advanced level on the obstacle course. The obstacle course is a fun game that has you run through a gamut of swinging balls, moving platforms, conveyor belts and even ice. You have to run, stop, and jump at just the right moments, or you fall off the course. As you get better and complete courses, it opens up more advanced courses. The best part is you burn calories while having fun. Compete with a friend for even more fun.
For FREE information on The Diet Solution Plan along with FREE recipes and more, go to TheDietSolutionPlan.com.
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2010
7
Feb
One of the most important tools for anyone who wants to lose weight, reduce sodium and/or cholesterol, watch fat intake, etc. is the nutrition panel. Like most people, I scan the table to find out the calories, fat content, whether there is any saturated of trans fat, sodium and cholesterol.
One of the most neglected items is the serving size. This is the most important aspect of the information since all the other values are calculated from this serving size. This is where the manufacturer gets creative. I was looking at a packaged muffin once and thought it was a nutritional bargain at only x calories. After I ate the muffin, I took a closer look. The calorie count was x calories per serving, and the servings per container was 2. So 1 serving was half a muffin. Now, I actually took in 2x calories, 2x sodium, etc and that was too much.
We are in the age of caveat emptor (buyer beware) and to be fair, the information is there, but it needs to be more indicative of what makes sense. For example, who eats half a muffin in a package of 1? Or half an ounce of potato chips in a 1-ounce bag? Or half a 12-ounce can of cola? The answer is not many people. So, the serving size needs to reflect that the entire package is 1 serving and all the nutritional facts to go along with it.
This type of labeling is not only potentially disastrous to the dieter, but can also possibly be dangerous to those on a low-sodium or low-cholesterol diet. The important thing is to remember to read ALL of the label to determine if the product fits your nutritional requirements.
Related Articles: One Bowl = 2 Servings. F.D.A. may fix that – NYT
For FREE information on The Diet Solution Plan along with FREE recipes and more, go to TheDietSolutionPlan.com.
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2010
5
Feb
Last weekend, we had a winter storm which, of course, kept us inside. My mother and her friend came to stay with us in case there were power outages, so we had a house full. Needless to say, last weekend, we didn’t have much time to work out with Wii Fit as we had previously.
Then, we both came down with a massive cold which also affected our workout. However, we did continue with our diet with one exception. Wednesday night, my wife wanted Mexican, so Mexican it was. I estimated that we probably topped out about 2000 calories that day, where we’ve been trying to keep it around 1500-1800.
The good news is that if you work out diligently, you can miss a few workouts and your body will continue to burn calories at a higher rate. We still lost weight even though we were less than faithful. In the last article, I told you that I lost 10 pounds in two weeks. Now, to keep up that rate is not very healthy, but the first 10 pounds is the easiest and fastest to go. I mentioned that I would plateau and then lose at a much slower rate.
I lost 1.5 pounds from last Friday to today. That is a much healthier rate of loss than to continue 5 pounds per week.
I’m feeling better, so it is back to daily workouts for me. I can feel myself gaining energy, especially around 2-3 in the afternoon and my upper body strength increasing thanks to the push-ups and side planks I’m doing.
The exercises I tend to focus on are yoga, strength-training and aerobic exercises. Each morning before I go to work, I do yoga – Warrior and Downward Dog and the Bird’s-eye Bulls-eye in the Wii-Fit Plus category. This morning, I also through in the push-ups with side plank.
At lunch or after work, I finish up. I try to get at least 45 minutes in and 200 calories burned each day. For that, I use the Advanced Step, Rhythm Kung-Fu, Hula Hoops, and the Obstacle Course. For a super workout, I use the Island Biking as that will definitely work your legs and back.
If anyone else is using Wii Fit to workout and lose weight, I would love to hear about it. Just post a comment to this blog and let me know your experience with it.
For FREE information on The Diet Solution Plan along with FREE recipes and more, go to TheDietSolutionPlan.com.
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 2
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, Week 1
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 6
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 4
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 5
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2010
29
Jan
So, the most asked question I get when I tell someone that I am dieting and using Wii Fit to exercise is, “Does Wii Fit really help you lose weight?” Well, after losing another 6.9 pounds this week, my answer is an unequivocal and resounding ‘YES!’. Now, the key word in that question is ‘help’. You still must be careful in what you put in your mouth and how much.
Now, some of you may say that almost 7 pounds in a week is too quick to be healthy. You are right. A good suggested rate by the Mayo Clinic is 1-2 pounds per week. For me, the first 10 pounds always come off quickly, then I plateau and then back to a gradual loss rate. My doctor says this is because the first 10 pounds is mostly water and is most likely due to the decrease in sodium in my body. As you eat more healthier foods and fewer packaged and fast foods, you don’t eat as much sodium. So, I expect the rate to slow to a healthier rate.
So, diet and exercise is the key. Now, is Wii Fit better than going to a gym? Yes and no.
If you are as religious about going to the gym as you are on Wii Fit, no. A gym with a proper trainer can tailor exercises to you that will help you obtain the desired results. You will have a much more diverse workout.
On the other hand, if you are like me and the thought of going to a crowded gym after work usually steered you in the opposite direction, then yes, it is better if you use it. Better because some exercise is better than no exercise. We were spending $40 a month on a membership we weren’t using. So, we would go home, usually by way of a restaurant, and sit in our recliners and watch TV. The only exercise being playing with our dogs. Now, playing with two Great Danes does give you a workout, it was neither consistent or long lasting.
Now, we use the Wii Fit every day to some degree. We try to do at least 30 – 45 minutes per day, for now, and we usually accomplish that goal. We also are watching the calories we consume, which is also key. It is much more convenient for us than going to a gym and the motivation is my wife and I trying to one-up each other in the various exercises and games.
So, for me and she, the Wii Fit has been an excellent investment.
For FREE information on The Diet Solution Plan along with FREE recipes and more, go to TheDietSolutionPlan.com.
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 3
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, Week 1
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 6
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 5
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 4
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2010
28
Jan
One of the hardest things about dieting for me is trying to find good tasting foods that are also low-calorie. Sometimes, the two seem to be mutually exclusive. But, I’ve found a few recipes that are also low-calorie. When I find recipes I like, I will post them here. We do have a free day, Friday, where we don’t worry about calories, but sometimes you want or need to eat out other days and you want to stick to your diet.
Eating out does present a massive challenge, however, if you do a little homework, you can find some tasty things that are low-calorie.
For lunch today, we had a Sonic Grilled Chicken Wrap weighs in at only 380 calories. If you’re watching fat or carbs, you may want to take a closer look, but I’m only watching calories at this point and it seems to be working for me. Of course, you need to order water or diet pop or something low- cal or no-cal to drink. Of course, no fries or tots were allowed, but the wrap is pretty filling, so really no need.
Tonight for dinner, we went to Applebee’s. They have new menu items that are 550 calories or less that are very delicious. I had the Asiago Steak for dinner and it was delicious. It is probably an 8-ounce steak with peppercorn and asiago cheese, new potatoes and broccoli. I had a diet Pepsi to drink so I didn’t add any calories.
Do some research and you may find that some of the restaurants you like may have some diet-friendly food for you. One great resource is The Calorie King website. Do some homework and you can make your diet work for you.
Another great resource is The Diet Solution Plan. For FREE information on The Diet Solution Plan along with FREE recipes and more, go to TheDietSolutionPlan.com.
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 3
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, Week 1
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 6
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 5
- Me, she and Wii – A weight loss odyssey, week 4
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2010
22
Jan
Two weeks ago, I came to the conclusion that the $40/month I was spending for a gym membership was only lightening my bank account and not doing a darn thing to help my wife and I lose weight. Of course, the biggest reason it was not helping is that you actually must go TO the gym and exercise in order to get anything out of it.
But, there were always excuses. By the time work was over with, we just wanted to go home, usually by way of a restaurant. On the nights we did actually make the trek to the gym, it was crowded with other procrastinators, so there was a good excuse to cut the workout short and feel justified in going home – by way of a restaurant.
So, as we were walking through the mall one evening – after dinner – we passed the video game store advertising Wii for $199. A quick calculation later, I determined that we could pay for a Wii and Wii Fit Plus along with the second controllers in about 10 months time if we discontinued our gym membership. My wife concurred.
Into the store we went and purchased the last Wii they had, along with the second controllers. They were out of Wii Fits and a check around town revealed that other stores were lacking the same. Walmart.com and a week later, we were delivered a Wii Fit Plus. I was a bit dubious since the box contained just a game disc and a balance board. How is this going to help me lose weight?
Well, as we explored the possibilities, we chose a trainer to guide us through the yoga and strength training exercises and it became apparent that if we use this every day, we would get a good workout. And we have. There are yoga, strength training, aerobic and balance exercises as well as quite a few other fun games that incorporate balance and aerobics.
Of course, exercise is only a part of it. We have been dieting as well. Nothing major and no named diets, just simply not stuffing ourselves. We try to limit our calories to about 1500 – 1800 a day and have been doing a wonderful job of it.
After a week of diet and exercise, I can report that I’ve lost 3.6 pounds and am on track for next week.
For FREE information on The Diet Solution Plan along with FREE recipes and more, go to TheDietSolutionPlan.com.
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