Jul 19, 2008 9:27 am US/Eastern
Putting Wii Fit To The Test
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
The new virtual fitness craze called Wii Fit took Europe by storm, and now it's energizing America. It's been on the market for almost two months now, but it's next to impossible to buy one in stores.
Stephanie Abrams checks in with people who've had a chance to use the new exercise game, and let's us know if it delivers on its promise to help you lose weight and get fit!
Mickey DeLorenzo has been running, wiggling and sweating. A routine he created keeping him on his game … his Wii Fit game that is. The sensors in his Wii Board and Remote monitor his activity level, challenging him to get fit.
Weighing in on his Wii Board every day, Mickey tracks his progress.
He told CBS 3's Stephanie Abrams that he lost 15 pounds in just 41 days.
Mickey boasts, "Just by doing this and nothing else. I eat the same things, I started at 191 pounds and I came down to 176.4 pounds."
He posted the results on his Web site. Images of himself before he started the routine and after, and there's an obvious difference.
He says, "Actually seeing the before and after shot was like, wow."
People from all over the world have commented on the change in his physical appearance on his blog on nintendowii.net.
How did Mickey do it? It took commitment.
He even took his Wii Fit on the road so that he never skipped a 30 minute workout, and he admits he gave it his all.
The Wii Fit is proving beneficial for more than just losing weight.
At Excell Physical Therapy in Glen Mills, they're using it to help people recover from injuries.
Physical Therapist Cam McCormick is helping Tori McGrath recover from a soccer injury to her knee. He says the Wii's interactivity keeps her engaged.
"It's definitely the best part of my therapy," said Tori. "The feedback is the most important part of it because I do see how I'm improving."
Cam says it's more effective than the usual workout methods. Tori's balance improved in two weeks.
He explains, "When you have visual input for learning, basically the body recovers faster."
The only problem is it's a wee bit hard to get a Wii Fit. They're sold out the minute they arrive in stores, and you'll have a hard time finding one online.
Those ahead of the game, like Mickey, say they enjoy stepping up to the challenge.
"With the Wii balance board, it brings a whole new peripheral into gaming."
And we're learning it also brings a whole new peripheral to fitness.
If you'd like to see Mickey's Wii Fit Experiment results, you can go to his Web site at
wiinintendo.net.
For more information about excel physical therapy go to
www.excelphysicaltherapy.com.
Wii Fit is sold at any store where you can buy Nintendo Video Games.
To learn more about Wii Fit you can go to Nintendo's Web site
www.nintendo.com/wiifit/launch.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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