Can a video game help you lose weight?

[[-VR-] Tool_Minion]

I plan on finding out.

 

For Christmas we bought my kids the Move set up for the PS3. We bought two motion controllers and two joystick controllers. Over the last weekend, we rented two games:

 

Start the Party (absolute riot...it looks retarded but is actually fun to do) and The Fight. It took me 2 minutes to figure out the Fight was unlike ANY title I had ever played.

 

First off...make no mistake you will get a workout. I'm so damned sore from playing this title...I can't seem to get in more than three fights coupled with the necessary training before I sit down too tired to lift my arms. Basically, you are a fighter who is making his way through the seedy backstreet fighting scene.

 

It takes both motion controls, and it doesn't care if your left or right handed. You HAVE to throw combo's, and not just wimpy jabs. It mimics your punch speed and angles to determine how hard the punch your throw is. You will notice in your first fight that you are stronger in the beginning than you are at the end of the fight. It also tracks your head movement, so dodging punches becomes a full time job. If you don't block, you won't make it past the first 10 fights.

 

When you initially put the game in, it asks you for your bio stats. It wants your correct weight, height, and age. With these stats it computes your fat mass....and mine wasn't pretty. During training and matches it counts how many calories you burn. Couple this with the fact that your standing, moving your head around, and constantly have your hands up....wow.

 

Now I weighed in at a whopping 270lbs the day we bought the game (Friday). Since then I have burned over 1000 calories playing it and lost 3lbs. I changed to a 1200-1500 calorie diet starting yesterday, and hope to actually incorporate a video game INTO my work out. I bought an elliptical and will switch off from day to day with that, the game, and my bowflex. My goal is to get down to 220lbs, and I will reach my goal. I don't expect all of you to cheer for me, or to go out and buy a title...I just wanted to give a review and document my progress.

 

I do think it's absolutely awesome that the industry is starting to make strives to get our collective fat asses off the couch. Albeit frustrating that I cannot sit down and play this game for hours on end, I think its awesome that it has my gamer attention as well as offer a legitimate alternative to working out in your home. If anyone else has tried this title, Im interested in your thoughts as well.

[BigMoneyNacku]

Good luck in your endeavor, bro. I know that it does what you claim it does. A friend got the dance game for his Kinect, and it's brutal trying to play that game. The sports game for the Kinect is the same way. I never would have believed it, had I not tried for myself.

 

 

Good luck with the weight loss, I dropped 35 pounds in the last 5 months and still got 20 to go.

[SgtJoeFriday]

When you get down to 250 let me know and I'll race you the last 30?

[[-VR-] Tool_Minion]

Right on Joe!

[lX-WOLF-D0G-Xl]

you should get kungfu live off of the psn store, youll get some killer cardio from playing that game

[IRISH BULL]

lX-WOLF-D0G-Xl;822432']you should get kungfu live off of the psn store' date=' youll get some killer cardio from playing that game[/quote']

 

I was gonna post that also. I DL'd the demo yesterday and couldn't believe the workout I got. It's a pain in the ass setting up the game, and you need a lot of room, but it's real fun.

 

BTW, 270lbs?! Were you that big when I met you in Chicago? You didn't look that big to me.

 

And Start the Party is a great family game on the PS Move.

[[-VR-] Tool_Minion]

No Irish, I was about 250 when you saw me last.

 

So I've also added an elliptical machine (thanks Nebraska Furniture Mart!) and so far I've lost 5lbs in about 3 days. The game is still hard as hell to play continuously, but I can feel the effects. IF I get tired of The Fight I will check out the other title, but right now Im really pushing it with this, the elliptical, and my bowflex. I take one day off a week...or at least I will. Not sure when, but thats my plan.

[[-VR-] Tool_Minion]

Im down to 261 in the first week.

[AC]

I will have to try Kung Fu download. I know that just the Gladiator duels on sports champions will wear you out. It doesn't look like it until you are in a heated duel with an 11 year old.

 

I have been pairing that with running on a treadmill.

[[-VR-] Tool_Minion]

I've lost another 2lbs, and the game isn't getting any easier...LOL. I too have played the gladiator game, but it's NOTHING compared to throwing hard punches over and over again with both fists. Rent it AC...you will see what I'm talking about!

[IRISH BULL]

Is it true that you have to keep your feet planted in one place while you play the game?

 

Also, there was a recent article written exactly on this subject.

 

http://www.psxextreme.com/feature/669.html

 

Excerpt:

 

Gaming and exercising can co-exist

 

It's actually a lot easier than you think. Say you game for an average of 3 hours a day. Take 1 of those hours away and spend that time bettering yourself...not difficult. Also, when Aristotle extolled the virtues of...well, virtue, he was talking about balance. The middle is where you want to be; i.e., if you spent a few days playing many hours of the latest big game, you can compensate by laying off for a few days and focusing on health. It's best to get into a give-and-take routine with your body, though. Lastly, diets are pointless. You need to change the way you live and it needs to be permanent, and the only way to do it properly is the natural way.

It can take time. You'll get sore. You'll sweat and be uncomfortable. But believe it or not, it won't take long before you'll want to do it, because your body craves it. I feel like crap if I miss a rowing session, and it annoys me when I miss a weightlifting session. You don't have to do what I do (5-6 days a week, about an hour a day). You really don't. Just about any effort, provided it's a continual effort, pays off.

Edited January 15, 2011 by IRISH BULL

[Pathogen-]

i think that anything that spurs you to get the blood flowing can't be bad, as far as boosting your metabolism, etc. Definitely don't think this alone could make a huge dent, gotta do portions and good cardio, etc

[[-VR-] Tool_Minion]

OK...so sorry I haven't updated in awhile (I know each of you are just checking every day...LOL) but I have had alot of success losing weight. I started my diet around 270-272lbs and weighed in this morning at 246. I got stuck at 251-249....but this week I added another 10 minutes to my elliptical and hitting the bowflex for 20 minutes right after.

 

I still play the game, but to be honest it isn't as regular as the other parts of my diet....so I guess I can't really say if it helps or not. I can tell you it helped motivate me on days that I didn't feel like working out.

[YourMomsNewBF23]

@ Tool, Hey man if you need help with losing weight man i can get with a couple of my sports nutrition buddies to get them to make a diet plan for ya.

[willywonka159]

OK...so sorry I haven't updated in awhile (I know each of you are just checking every day...LOL) but I have had alot of success losing weight. I started my diet around 270-272lbs and weighed in this morning at 246. I got stuck at 251-249....but this week I added another 10 minutes to my elliptical and hitting the bowflex for 20 minutes right after.

 

I still play the game, but to be honest it isn't as regular as the other parts of my diet....so I guess I can't really say if it helps or not. I can tell you it helped motivate me on days that I didn't feel like working out.

 

Congrats. But keep going, try to make it down under 200 (if that's your goal). Keep up the good work!

[[-VR-] Tool_Minion]

My goal is 220.

 

My dad put it in perspective for me...he had me go pick up a water bottle for the office water dispenser. He told me that was 30lbs, and that is how much I've almost removed off myself.

 

It was eye-opening and exciting honestly.