Wii Fit Helps MLB Pitcher Lose Weight

Heath Bell, the new closer for the San Diego Padres, showed up to training camp this weekend 25 pounds lighter than he was a year ago. Who does he thank? Wii Fit.

Baseball players have never been known as the most svelte of professional athletes. They just sort of sit around waiting to bat, or stand around waiting to make a catch, or, if you're a relief pitcher, just sit around the bullpen waiting to get called in or just waiting around period. So it's no surprise to learn that a baseball player of all pro sportsmen would report having some pretty spectacular results with Nintendo's Wii Fit.

San Diego Padres pitcher Heath Bell, who, being a closer, never plays more than a couple of innings per game if at any, decided to spend his offseason playing the videogames with his kids. Apparently he completely embraced the cliche gamer lifestyle of sedentary gaming and Cheeto munching, because he suddenly found he'd ballooned to 270 pounds. His wake up call, however, didn't come until he stepped on the Balance Board, took a good hard look at his Mii, and received a good-natured scolding from Wii Fit.

"It said I was obese," Bell told The Philadelphia Inquirer. "If you're obese, it makes [your Mii] obese. I was disappointed that I was that big. I literally took the game to heart. I did the work but I kind of credit the Wii Fit."

Bell trimmed off 25 pounds and showed up for training camp a lean mean pitching machine. As a testimonial for Wii Fit, though, we should take this with a grain of salt. Maybe Bell "did the work" the old-fashioned way by going to the gym and working out. For all we know all "the Wii Fit" (as Bell calls it) did was tell him he's fat and make him realize he needed to do something about himself. Wii Fit? More like Wii Guilt Trip.

[Via GameCulture]