Why the Wii Fit Plus is Worth Buying for This Mom

The Wii Fit Plus is a great way to have fun playing video games AND working out. When my two boys got the Wii console for Christmas I thought , "Oh no, another video game system," but the Wii is different than all of the other consoles out there. It allows you to move in order to interact with the games.

When I first heard about the Wii Fit Plus, I thought it was worth a shot. For under $100 it's cheaper than a gym membership and I could work out from home - which means not having to deal with a babysitter for my four year old or having to pay for day care at the gym.

Within the first few minutes of creating my Mii character and inputing my weight, height, etc., it automatically calculates BMI (Body Mass Index) and Wii Fit Age. What's so great about the Wii Fit Plus is the variety in activities. On some of the activites, the better you do you can unlock the advanced level, which is a little more challenging and a longer period of the exercise. Some of my favorites are the yoga exercises, strength training exercises, rhythm boxing, obstacle courses, snowball throwing, hula-hoop, and kung fu. With the board that comes with the Wii Fit Plus, it can tell you where your center of balance is and how to work on correcting bad posture. My favorite bonus is that it keeps track of how many calories are burned per exercise. You can set goals of how much weight you want to lose in a time frame. There is a calendar that keeps track of the days you've worked out, along with the amount of time you've worked out in total.

Does it really help you lose weight? For me, it did. Playing games to help me lose weight motivated me to eat healthier and try and work out on my Wii at least half an hour everyday. I've already lost one pound within the first week.

Do I think it's worth the money spent? You bet!

Bottom line: Although it's not the same as hitting the gym and hopping on the elliptical, the Wii Fit Plus is a fun way to get you moving. I'm in the comfort of my own home and I can work out whenever I want to. It's a great way for kids and parents alike to stay in shape and have fun together.