Stolen Pixels #61: Unfit

Wii Fit will get you in just good enough shape to feel terrible about yourself.

Permalink

haha, never thought I'd see Wii Fit in your firing line. Good comic, I know how depressing Wii Sports can be, I dread to think how much more critical Wii Fit is.

I now have an even greater fear of buying a Wii. I sincerely thank you for that.

That's so freaking true! I burned red when it asked me if I tripped over my feet.

"get off your about the snap me in half fatty!"

I don't own a Wii and I'm definatly not overweight, but let me ask you one question:

Why do you let yourself be insulted by a game instead of going outside and run a couple of kilometres every day to loose some weight?

If you have a dog, it's even better to run, cause for them it's more fun (and more healthy) than just taking a walk as well and you might even meet some nice ladies on the way...

If I had aisles, I'd be rolling in them. God-[bleep], that's funny! Panel three is particularly fantastic, and I love the little changes of Mii-expression.

Specter_:

Why do you let yourself be insulted by a game instead of going outside and run a couple of kilometres every day to loose some weight?

Short answer: convenience.

Long answer:

* Some people do not live in areas fit for running. You're not going to jog if you think you might fall, get hit by a truck, or mugged.
* Running is VERY hard on the knees. It's fine when you're 23, but murder when you're 43.
* Weather is sometimes bad. Freezing rain, knee-deep snow, ice, fog.
* During the winter, it's often dark outside by the time you get home from work and feed the kids.
* It's easy to turn an ankle when running on gravel or uneven ground. Indoor equipment is generally safer.
* Exercise equipment can track your speed, distance, intensity. This lets you see yourself improving over time. Wii Fit actually tracks your weight and puts it on a nice graph for you.
* Once you've seen the area around your house, running can get boring. The Wii Fit has a variety of different games.
* Running works a very particular group of muscles. If you're trying to tone your belly or focus more on all-round fitness, you need a more comprehensive workout.
* If you're working out at home and you feel sick because you're overdoing it, you stop. If you're out, you might be a couple of miles from home.

Most importantly: The biggest problem with fitness isn't finding a place to do it, it's finding the motivation to do it. The Wii Fit is an interesting attempt at motivating people in a new way. I think it fails because the thing is a sadistic little jerk, but it's still way more engaging than my sneakers and the miles of ice-packed highway in front of my house.

Shamus Young:
Most importantly: The biggest problem with fitness isn't finding a place to do it, it's finding the motivation to do it. The Wii Fit is an interesting attempt at motivating people in a new way. I think it fails because the thing is a sadistic little jerk, but it's still way more engaging than my sneakers and the miles of ice-packed highway in front of my house.

I see the convenience-part having a major impact, but then I'm motivated by the rush of dopamine I get when I accomplished my goals, so the exercise itself is enough motivation to keep me going.

And I admit I didn't think of the surroundings-part since I live 50 metres from a huge park, so it's no big deal to get into my sneakers and go for a run.

But then again, maybe I'm the one whos behaving strange since I usually exercise as long as my body can stand upright and then some more ;)

I've posted this before, and I figure in any thread with Wii fit and people talking about exercise, it's worth at least a read: http://www.liamrosen.com/fitness.html

I will also say that I've had amazing, quick (within 2 weeks) results with this: http://newbie-fitness.blogspot.com/2007/01/stripped-5x5.html It's about three 45 minute sessions a week, and the hardest part is just getting comfortable using and racking the weights.

Wii fit is great to get people interested, but I know it's nice to have something relatively basic to move on to if you like the idea of getting into shape.

Edit: Also, I still love all of your comics Shamus, but I figured me posting a picture of a kitten with an Ode to Shamus attached would just be tacky.

I hope you go into how utterly creepy the fitness instructors can be. The female coming in complaining about being hung over from last night, the way the male is always saying "Hey, hope you don't mind if I watch you work out." I like doing the Yoga to stretch and wake-up in the mornings, but man does it get weird sometimes.

You know, I'm a bit disappointed in the internet. Googling "wii fit trainers slash fiction" *doesn't* lead to page after to page of erotic stories featuring the male and female trainers from this game . . . This is not what my previous experience with the network has led me to expect.

On second thought, possibly "disappointed" is not the right word, here.

I used my Wii Fit once and gave up. Sure I can't do 6 pushups without needing a breather but that doesn't mean I need to. I get more exercise working at Wal-Mart than I would playing on the *ahem* "little white thing you stand on" for a few hours. Plus, if you aren't used to doing strenuous exercise (11th grade gym class seems so far away) you're more likely to hurt yourself. And then the Wii Fit tells you to get off your ass as the men with stretchers arrive.

They saw Portal
they thought they could copy GLaDOS
they failed
horribly