Thursday, May 17, 2012

Healthy video games

Last night we went for a bike ride.  We made it about 6-7 miles.  It kicked our butts.  Hopefully the muscle memory is quick!    We are going out again tonight.  I get off at 6.  (ok ok ok, I had to convince Todd to go with me by promising  him that I would take him out to eat...using my personal allowance/stipend money....not out of the general budget)  I'm really trying to change myself....to try to be more active.  It's difficult.  I typically wake up at 6 or 6:30 and for months I've laid in bed and read or played on my phone for hours.....dragging myself out of bed at the last minute.  The last few mornings I've woken up and laid for maybe 5-10 minutes and then jumped out of bed and started my day.  I've had time to cook, clean, do some laundry and other fun stuff.  This morning I even found time to play the Kinect for an hour.   The only problem...i'm so awake and alive and refreshed...and then I come to work and it's so slow in here that my energy level just falls away!

So I was playing the Kinect this morning and I got to thinking about the Kinect and it's counterpart the WiiFit.  I was playing....and I'll admit I was more active than I would have been had I been sitting on my butt with my laptop.  But would you really call that a workout?  Are these types of games doing the American public and injustice in making people think that they are 'working out' when they play these games???    Are we lulling our obesity driven culture into thinking that something is 'healthy for us'.   Oh heavens, that brings up the issue of 'health foods'  Our culture thinks that they are eating healthy ...when they eat some of these healthy foods....and while they ARE healthy...it still requires moderation.   (For example its  the mentality...ohhh I bought the low fat oreos, so that means I can eat them...or even eat more....that's erroneous, they still need to be eaten in moderation)

It's better than nothing....so I'm not gonna knock it.  BUT that said, I'm not going to count that as my sole form of exercise. :-)


4 comments:

Kady Osbourn said...

I think anything that gets your heart rate elevated and keeps it that way for at least 20 minutes can be considered exercise. It certainly gets you on your feet and moving! Great job on the 6 miles! You're awesome!

Tom Godwin said...

Getting your heart rate up is vital, any tool you can think of that odes this is always a good thing!

kewkew said...

Just visiting your blog, I have been getting my weight loss blog going again and have been checking out some blogs.
I just wanted to say that I can see what you are saying about the WiiFit. However, it was using the WiiFitPlus that helped me lose weight. Granted, if a person stands there doing just the balance games they are not going to lose any weight. But if you get on there and use the step and the boxing and the jogging or bicyling, you are going to get your heart rate going and burn some calories. It worked for me when I couldn't get out for walks.

Leigh Mechster said...

I think you still should add that as exercise. Being active daily involves such movements. I think games would also help you improve mentally and emotionally as well. It's fun and healthy at the same time. I think that's what the internists would also say. If you add that game to your daily routine, I think you can be successful in you goals. :) Good luck!