Getting Fit With Wii Fit After Pregnancy
Increase Your Fitness, Improve Posture, Have Fun
Jun 13, 2009
It is estimated that a woman puts on roughly two stone during pregnancy - a weight that takes nine months to put on and for a lot of women, almost as much time, if not more to come off again.
Of course much of this is lost at the time of birth, with the baby itself being responsible for roughly 7lb . With the trauma that the body has gone through during pregnancy and birth, it is often difficult to get back into exercise. The Wii Fit concept is a great way to get back into shape.
Setting A Goal
The beauty of Wii Fit is that the player works at their own pace. At the beginning of the game the player is introduced to his or her 'personal trainer' of which a gender can be chosen. Each are fairly inoffensive and provide the visual aids to each exercise.
The game runs an assessment of each player based on age and by running them through a series of 'balance tests' which assess fitness and athletic ability. These are easy to manage and give the player a 'Wii Fit age".
The player is then weighed, and a BMI score is given which indicates either underweight, ideal, overweight or obese. Depending on the player's aspirations they can choose a goal of weightloss or just maintaining current standards within a time frame. The game will map on a graph the players weight gain or loss over this time period.
Setting a goal like this encourages the player. Wii Fit also gives fitness advice, which is helpful, and gives a realistic view to weight loss. Women who have recently given birth will find that the Wii Fit sets realistic targets and offers gentle, friendly encouragement.
Puts The Fun Into Fitness
Another helpful component of Wii Fit is the time bank. After each game or exercise is completed, the player banks it into a piggy bank, hence keeping track of the amount of time spent on exercise. It is another way in which to hit targets, with every 30 minutes completed being added up in order to unlock new games or exercises.
Each game or exercise can be upgraded, dependant on ability or time spent on the exercise. This gives a steady advancement to the exercises and allows the player to go at their own pace without being made to feel like they are doing things they are not ready for; perfect for post-pregnancy when the body is still recovering.
There are a variety of balance games and yoga which help to improve posture and pelvic alignment, and for more vigorous interaction there are aerobic and muscle workouts, each designed to work on specific areas of the body. Different workouts are suggested by the 'personal trainer' which will give the most impact on individual muscle groups.
Most importantly, the games, workouts and exercises are challenging, yet fun with lots of colourful encouragement given and a leadership board so players can compete with one another. The games are difficult yet addictive and encourage improved posture - something which can be forgotten in the foray of competition.
Friendly Fitness Without The Gym
Many new mothers are often too tired or unable to make it to the gym due to their new commitments. Wii Fit provides a platform for exercise in the living room away from the prospectively daunting atmosphere of the gym. The format means that it can be completed at any time of the day and at different intervals, say, around children's nap times.
Wii Fit is also user-sensitive, meaning that if desired, a password can be put on a player's profile in order to keep vital statistics private. This means that although the player's data is automatically saved, it is only visible to the password-holder.
Wii Fit is thus a friendly, fun way to get fit in the comfort of your own living room, and offers a genuine fitness experience which can be beneficial to women post-pregnancy. It is also family-friendly and, if nothing else, offers a brilliant interactive experience.
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