Wii Fit: Wii are amused... and obese

I came into work late today, because I wandered into the Wii Fit line-up at the downtown Best Buy today. In about 2 minutes, there were 50 people assembled behind me. I was #40 in line. A lady behind me was on the cell phone telling her friend that the scene was total chaos, but this only meant that her definition of total chaos was 100 people standing quietly in a single-file line-up. (Clearly this woman doesn't get out much.)

During lunch, I checked out what the going re-sell rates for the Wii Fit were on Craigslist. I could sell it for $150, making about $50 profit... but sadly, I realized that I needed a Wii Fit more than I needed an extra $50. I had my doubts about this plastic board being the silver bullet to obesity. There are no easy ways to fitness (except liposuction and horse steroids...) so I really wondered if the Wii Fit is anything more than a gimmick.

I got home, and let my wife watch the season finale to American Idol before I set up the plastic board. I took the fitness test, and it confirmed the obvious: Obese. (I didn't need to pay $89.99 to be called obese, when Celestialspeedster provides this service to me for free.) I clocked in 15 minutes of game play before I called it a day. All and all, I would say that the Wii Fit is a good idea to engage people who are not active at all, and a good accessory for people who are already active. The current marketing implies that the Wii Fit could potentially replace a gym membership... and from what I've seen, that statement is NOT true.

I'll let you know how my fitness is doing, keeping in mind that any changes include actual exercise and trips to the gym in addition to Wii Fit. My current state of fitness (if I were a Super Smash Brothers Brawl character) is King Dedede.