Nintendo Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board

This game is a must have for Wii owners! I wasn't sure what to expect when I purchased this game for my wife. It has received so many wonderful reviews. Very few people dislike this product. And sure enough, it has been a big hit ever since we booted it up!Wii Fit Plus primarily strengthens your balance. In doing so, it also strengthens several muscles in your body. I never thought balance was a big deal until I played this game. I don't think anyone will get "ripped" from playing this game, but that really isn't the point. It gets you off the couch, aligns your balance, tones muscles, and makes it fun to workout!This game is a great supplement to any workout program. I did resistance training, push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups almost daily before using this program. Now I get to do some yoga, aerobics, and more strength training with Wii Fit Plus. It just makes my workout program more complete. It has much to offer.I highly recommend this game to any Wii owner. This is not a substitute for hardcore training in the gym. Keep that in mind if you are looking to try to shed some serious pounds or get ripped. You will see modest results from using this game daily, especially in your center of balance. And of course, it is fun to play!The have plenty of mini-games to choose from. My favorite mini-game so far is the "Soccer Heading". It is so much fun! You lean slightly to one side to shift your balance and then move forward to head butt soccer balls as they are being kicked at the goal you are defending. My 3 year old son goes crazy in a fit of laughter when we play that game. It is so much fun!UPDATE (January 11th): With more use, I am finding that, in addition to centering your balance, this program also does wonders for toning your body. I'm already noticing a more toned look in a very short time. The weight loss isn't there, but the muscles are more firm and my balance is improving.UPDATE (February 4th): I've been playing Wii Fit Plus for almost 6 weeks now. I haven't missed a day in 4 weeks. At this point, the biggest thing I'm noticing is how much more tone I am. My abs look a bit better. My legs feel more firm. Overall, I feel lighter on my feet. It has really helped a lot with my overall balance, which is something I never really thought about training.In the strength training, you can open up 3 challenges - the Jackknife, the Plank, and the Push-ups challenge. I beat the Jackknife challenge, which is insane! You have to do 100 jackknives!! I made it to 136 seconds on the plank before I started to sag and the trainer pulled the plug on me. And I did 40 push-ups today, which I think is alot. But there is still two more levels to go before it is beaten. And the last level on the challenges seems to be ridiculously hard.If I could make a recommendation to Nintendo for Wii Fit 3, I would ask them to account for your performances in the exercises more when showing what your Wii character looks like. I'm pretty strong, and you can see my muscles. But my Wii character has no shoulders and is all spare tire! Your character swells at the mid-section when registering your BMI. What about muscles!?!? If a person beats the challenges, give them some muscles on their Wii character.I've gained 3 pounds since I started using Wii Fit Plus about 6 weeks ago. But I'm certain most of that is muscle. In the next Wii Fit, you could also have people put in measurements of their biceps, chest, and thighs. Just an idea.UPDATE (August 6th): I've lost 8 or 9 pounds this year so far. I've been using the Wii Fit since Christmas 2010. I still use it a few times each week. But I haven't had the time to use it every day as I was initially. I'm still seeing results. I work outdoors and get good exercise from that. The yoga really helps keep my limber. The ab exercises (plank, jackknife, twists, etc.) are great too. The key is to do this stuff at least a few times a week over a long period of time. I'm a fan of the Wii Fit software. I hope they expand it with the next Wii that is coming out next year. Expand the yoga exercises to double what you offer now. Expand the strength training as well. The more exercises offered the better.UPDATE (November 22nd): It's almost one full year now using Wii Fit. It just simply works. My core has a much better shape to it now. And I am much more flexible now as well. My weight is still about the same, but I've found that the Wii Fit helps me keep weight off rather than helping me lose weight.I get a great feeling after a 20 minute workout of yoga and strength exercises. I rarely go over 25 minutes a session. I've had routines where I went 6 weeks in a row without missing a day. And I went through months where I used the Wii Fit maybe only 2 or 3 times a week. But I've kept it ever present in my life this year. I never went more then 4 or 5 days without using it. I can't imagine owning a Wii and not using the Wii Fit. It is awesome and IT WORKS!

I really like my Balance Board. Simple, no-nonsense gadget. Great care and attention to detail - turn off the Wii and the Balance Board will turn off as well.As for Wii Fit Plus, I think it's a great piece of software. Personal training and fitness, it seems, has much to do with motivation. The animated version of the Balance Board is the main character in Wii Fit Plus, and boy is it a natural :) It will motivate you, remember special dates (Christmas, birthdays, etc.), give you fitness tips and even remind you about proper Balance Board care in a very funny and easy-going fashion.I think many people don't realize just how hard it is to lose weight. I mean, the math is simple, but sobering: burn 3,400 calories more than you usually do, and you'll drop one pound. That's it. The opposite is also true. If you burn 1,600 calories a day just by going about your routine, then eating 1,800 calories a day means you'll gain a pound every 17 days, give or take. In order to lose two pounds a month, you need to either eat about 300 calories less than you *burn* per day (which in this case would mean dropping from 1,800 to 1,300 - no mean feat!) or you need to burn an additional 300 calories per day. If you run in place using Wii Fit Plus (which is about the most intense calorie-burning exercise) you need to do so for no less than 30 minutes to get there.My point is that losing weight is hard, and Wii Fit Plus tries to keep a cheery attitude and may not be clear and forthcoming enough about the realities of it. But I think it does provide enough information and focuses on the positive side of things, so I still give it 5 stars. All is not sweat and tears though - through Super Hula Hoop, the Obstacle Race and many other pretty fun activities, Nintendo put out another great family-oriented title that also improves your health by addressing sedentarism and obesity, which seem to be two of the greatest concerns of our generation.I understand this board also works with the Wii U (not sure about the software though), so even in 2013 Nintendo loyalists should feel this is a good investment going forward.