Quick To Fit

Microsoft Xbox 360 Kinect: Great For People Trying To Lose Weight And Fitness Buffs Alike

A while back I talked about how I had bought a Kinect Sensor for the Microsoft Xbox 360. I bought the sensor because I love checking out new technology, and because I just love playing video games in general. The Kinect seemed like a bit of a game changer for the video game world, allowing you to control the video games, and the console experience without the aid of a controller. As Microsoft likes to say, you “become the controller”.

While I was skeptical at first that the Kinect would be able to pull off the controller-less experience, now that I’ve had the sensor for several months I can truly say that I think they’ve done something special – and pretty darn cool – with the Kinect. It truly is an immersive experience, and it is so easy to use – even for people who aren’t video game enthusiasts. You know what I’m talking about – the folks that give you a funny look when you hand them a controller – and can’t remember which buttons to push. With Kinect, they just do what comes naturally, and it just works.

Fitness Aspects Of Xbox Kinect

Since this is a health and fitness site, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the fitness aspect of the Xbox Kinect – and to me, this is one of the coolest things about the Kinect. In the old paradigm being someone who played video games meant that you were a couch potato, and that you never left your seat. Many of you know what I’m talking about, in fact you may be sitting there eating your Doritos and drinking Mountain Dew as you read this!

Now, with Kinect, pretty much all of the games that you can play are more active than the games in the past because you have to get up out of your seat, and actually move.

Because you’re actually moving, and breaking a sweat, just from the start you’re going to be doing better than you probably were before. Add to this the fact that Kinect has a pretty good range of dedicated fitness games, and other dance games/etc that will get you even more active – and you’ve got the recipe for something that can help you get more active and actually lose some weight.

I’ve been using the Kinect now since November, and actively using it in an attempt to lose weight since January. While I’ve been doing it in concert with healthier eating and diet, I’ve now lost about 20 pounds in 8 weeks. That’s about 2-3 pounds a week! Not too shabby! I’m confident that others can do the same as it really does make fitness fun.

Details Of Xbox Kinect Package

If you’re thinking about buying a Kinect sensor and you already own an Xbox 360, here is what you will end up paying – and what you’ll get.

Kinect Sensor ($149.99)
Kinect Adventures Video Game

Of course this is only the sensor itself, and one game, Kinect Adventures. While Kinect Adventures is actually a very fun game that will really get you moving (I always break a sweat playing that game), most people find they’ll want to buy additional games. Below I’ll look at some of the games I’ve found that work best for fitness.

Fitness Games For Xbox Kinect

Here are some of my favorite games for fitness – for Kinect.

Your Shape Fitness Evolved

Read my full review here: Your Shape: Fitness Evolved Review
From Amazon.com: Your Shape Fitness Evolved is a fitness-simulation game for Xbox 360 that is designed to deliver a 3D, controller-free fitness simulation experience like no other. Built around the camera, depth sensors and multi-array microphone of the Microsoft Kinect sensor peripheral,* the game allows for real-time motion capture of the players movements, facial recognition and both voice and interactive menu commands. This combined with Ubisoft’s Player Projection Technology, which enables the Kinect sensor to track up to a million data points on the player’s body, results in low lag and total player immersion in what is destined to be the most challenging fitness-simulation game to date. Additional features include: in-game instructors, multiple exercise classes, workouts created by real experts, progress tracking and multiplayer support.

EA Sports Active 2

From Amazon.com: EA SPORTS Active 2 with Total Body Tracking will include the innovative EA SPORTS Active heart rate monitor that provides constant on-screen monitoring, allowing users to capture intensity and optimize performance over time. Additionally, it will utilize the full body motion tracking ability of the Kinect Motion Camera, providing users complete freedom of motion. Users will also be able to track and share their workout data online through automatic uploading from their online connected console to their personalized EA SPORTS Active profile. 70+ Exercises and Activities – Create unlimited customizable workouts with over 70 exercises and activities to choose from, including foundational exercises like squats, lunges, and bicep curls. Enroll in the 9-Week Program – Designed by certified personal trainers, the EA SPORTS Active 2 9-week program provides total body conditioning using progressive exercise.

The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout

From Amazon.com: The Biggest Loser: Ultimate Workout is an exercise simulation game for Xbox 360, based on the popular The Biggest Loser television series. Utilizing seamless physical player movements only possible with Kinect for Xbox 360, The Biggest Loser: Ultimate Workout is designed to evolve along with the player’s exercise routine. Featuring the cast and trainers from the TV show, the game’s 125+ exercises, 2-4 player support via Xbox LIVE, new challenges, customization and more the game provides a fun and healthy exercise outlet suitable for every member of the family, regardless of their weight, physical ability or age.

Dance Central

While this game isn’t specifically a fitness title, it does have a “workout mode” that will track how long you’ve been dancing. It’s a good cardio workout!

From Amazon.com: Dance Central is the first immersive dance video game that features and tracks full-body dance moves. Completely free from any controller, every routine has authentic choreography for beginners and experts alike to master, alongside a killer soundtrack that spans today’s current pop, hip-hop and R&B artists. Take it step-by-step with Break It Down or jump right in and start performing for your family and friends. Either way, you won’t just learn dance moves, you’ll own the dance floor!

Kinect Sports

Read my full review here: Kinect Sports Review
From Amazon.com: Turn your living room into a world-class stadium, bowling alley, soccer pitch or track-and-field arena. With “Kinect Sports” you’re not only the star player, you are the controller — through the magic of Kinect for Xbox 360. See a ball? Kick it. Spike it. Even give it a little topspin. “Kinect Sports” features soccer, beach volleyball, bowling, table tennis, track and field, and boxing.

Conclusion

I’ve now had the Xbox Kinect for a few months, and my initial thoughts have been that the Kinect is a great tool in the toolbox for people trying to lose weight, and for those who are trying to stay fit. It offers the opportunity to get up and get active, and offers a variety of ways for people to do that through the fitness games, along with other games that just get people active.

I’ve also got personal experience using the Kinect as a weight loss tool –having now lost 20 lbs using the Kinect and a healthier diet. If you’re considering getting a Kinect, and using it to work out, I’d highly recommend it.

Have you bought the Xbox Kinect, and have you used it for the fitness games or otherwise? Are you considering it? Tell us what you think in the comments!

Read my full review of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved and Kinect Sports.

Put You And Your Dog Through Fitness Boot Camp

By Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

I‘m always on the lookout for workout routines that are a bit unique, or that don’t quite fit the mold. There’s a new fitness program that was recently introduced in select locations called Dog Boot camp. It’s an exercise program for dogs and their owners. As a dog owner myself, I love the idea!

The program is designed to where both dog and dog owner become active participants, allowing people, along with their canine workout partner, to get into shape while having the added benefit of teaching dogs valuable obedience training that will be a huge help on the home front.

Jill Bowers, the brainchild of doggy boot camp, launched the program along with the help of her sister Jamie. This veteran dog trainer has now become an expert fitness trainer that is helping people all over get into shape. Fitness is the key but with her program and with her many years of experience with dogs, she has crafted this unique way of exercise through adding in invaluable lessons for dog obedience in conjunction with an effective workout.

How It Works

This program is based in Los Angeles and there, during consultations, the owner is taught a series of commands that are designed to maintain a strict power and command structure. In this program, it’s important for the owner to maintain power and control over their dog during the entire process. This is essential for the dog obedience training as well as making for a smooth workout. The last thing a person wants is to end up spending most of their workout time with a dog that won’t listen. It can be chaotic and messy and nobody wants that.

So far the program has been hugely successful and the people who have applied these methods, devised by Jill Bowers, have found an increase of energy, loss of weight, better fitness and health, and last but not least, a healthy and obedient dog. Jill writes:

Bootcamp was naturally the next step for us because of the growing number of obese dogs and humans in America. Because the owner and dog are dependent on each other, we know how important good health is for both. Just like basic obedience is necessary to ensure a peaceful home environment. A tired dog is a good dog and a trained dog is an even better dog, so get your shoes on, grab a leash, and come play with us!

Bowers explains that it doesn’t matter what breed or how high-strung the animal. This workout promises results to those who work the program right. Dog health is just as important as human health and everyone wants to get into shape. This may be just the time to do it. Summer’s right around the corner and there’s tons of information and other similar programs available in your area that will help you and your dog get fit.

The Basics Of Maintainable Weight Loss: Eat Less, Move More

By Peter 3 Comments

I‘ve been through the weight loss cycle a bunch of times. At times I’ve lost 20, 40 or even 50 pounds. I feel like I’ve always been on a search for the best way to lose weight, whether it’s through a program like Weight Watchers or workout regime like with P90X, or if it’s through some fad diet. The time that I lost the most weight was when 3-4 years ago when I lost about 50 pounds using a program found in a book called Body For Life. While there are a ton of programs out there to lose weight, the best ones always seem to focus on the basics – to eat less and move more.

Eat Less Move More

To say you need to eat less and move more may be a simplification of things, but essentially it’s the truth. If you want to lose weight, and maintain that loss you have to reduce your calorie intake, and be more active. The programs that I’ve had the most success with – Body for Life and Weight Watchers, both have taken aspects of that maxim to heart.

Weight Watchers does really well on the end of eating less, helping you to control your portions through their PointsPlus program. Basically they help you to control what you’re eating in a way that makes sure you don’t feel deprived. They also encourage you to exercise more – even if it’s just a little bit more.

Body For Life also encourages you to eat healthier, and lays out some suggested meal plans and eating schedules. What it does really well, however, is on the exercise end of the spectrum. It helps you to lay out a 6 day a week workout regimen that will help you to improve your cardiovascular fitness, in addition to increasing your strength.

Experts have long said that this is the secret to weight loss, but unfortunately it just isn’t sexy and it isn’t necessarily what people want to hear. It’s boring, and it takes time for it to work. People too often want a quick fix, something easy.

The basics of weight loss are simple: Eat less. Move more. But consumers still flock to the newest best-seller diets, hormone injections, alleged hunger-controlling cookies, enthralled by glowing testimonials about sumo-to-svelte slimdowns.“There’s nothing sexy about ‘eat your fruits and vegetables,’ ” said Keri Gans, a registered dietitian. “We want to hear something else.”

“Consumers need to understand that health and the ideal body weight are not found from a gimmick. It takes hard work. The end result is long-lasting success.”

One man profiled on CNN.com did just what we’re talking about. He didn’t go with any fancy fad diets or any new programs. He just set out to eat healthier and started working out regularly.

There were no diet pills, shakes or detoxes. And no, it wasn’t caveman food, grapefruit, Twinkies, Taco Bell or Subway sandwiches.

Tony Posnanski’s 200-pound weight loss was straightforward, almost dull.

“I changed the way I ate,” said Posnanski, 34, who went from consuming 10,000 calories a day to 2,400. “I got rid of processed foods. I ate fruits, vegetables, lean meats. It is pretty boring, but the results aren’t boring.”

There was no immediate difference, he said. “My pants were still large after that first day. But I felt like I could do this. It was different.

“Before, I would tell myself I’m going to do this for a little while. That day, I was like, ‘You know what — I’m done. This is the rest of my life.’ “

That’s the key to weight loss, experts say. It can’t be a temporary fix; the changes have to be lifelong.

That’s really what it boils down to in my book. You have to change the way you view food, you have to practice moderation and portion control, and you have to do your best to be fit. It’s not rocket science, it just takes motivation and persistence.

You Have To Change Your Lifestyle, And Stick To It

Part of the problem with workout programs and other crash diets is that they aren’t realistic to continue on a long term basis. You can’t stick to it. Having that complete change in how you view food, exercise and so forth is what you need for the long term. If you can’t stick with it long term, you’ll gain the weight back.

For people who hope for shortcuts, Klein said: “There’s no magic bullet to lose weight and keep it off.” Smaller portion sizes (no fewer than 1,200 calories) and daily physical activity can lower cardiovascular disease risks, he said.

Posnanski, a former yo-yo dieter and restaurant manager, who gave up what he called “gimmicky” diets, shared how he has managed to sustain his weight loss:

Monitor portions and keep track of food intake

Stay away from processed foods, and eat mostly vegetables, fruits, lean meats and whole grains

Work out one to two hours a day

“I don’t believe in quick weight-loss diets,” Posnanski said. “I believe in the rest of my life.”

For me, that’s where I’ve failed in the past. I haven’t done a program that I knew I could stick with. Instead I stuck with the program as long as I needed to, and then stopped – and got into my old unhealthy behaviors.

This time around I feel like I’m on a program that I can stick with long term, and I know I’m on my way to living a healthier life.

How about you? Have you found a program that you can stick with? Have you changed your relationship with food and exercise? Tell us your thoughts.

Disclaimer: This site is an advertising partner with Weight Watchers. I will receive compensation if a new member signs up through one of the links above. Please know that this post does discuss my true feelings of the program.

Portion Control: It’s More Important Than You Might Think

By Peter 2 Comments

My wife and I have been part of a Weight Watchers group in our area for about a month now, and we’re both losing weight right at about the rate that they said we would (1-2 lbs/week). I’ve lost about 10 1/2 pounds since we started, and my wife has lost over 8.

We’ve been learning a lot by going to the meetings, things like the importance of eating healthier foods, exercising when you can and most importantly for me, the power and importance of practicing portion control.

Portion Control

At one of our first meetings the discussion topic for the night was about the new PointsPlus system that you use on the program. We talked about how when you’re on the program you don’t necessarily have to avoid all foods that you normally enjoy. You just have to stay within your allotted number of points for the day and week. You can eat some unhealthy foods, but they encourage healthy foods by making those foods less points – or no points at all. In other words, you have to enjoy certain foods – in moderation.

In my opinion their points system is a one sense is a sneaky way of having people practice something they probably should be anyway, portion control.

I think portion control is one thing that I’ve always struggled with, and something that Weight Watchers has made me a lot more conscious of. Before I wouldn’t think twice about opening a bag of chips and eating almost the whole bag, but now I’m much more aware of my portion sizes because I’m thinking more about how healthy the foods are for me. I’m thinking, those chips are going to be 10 points, or that brownie is 6 points.

The funny thing is, you would think that I’d be starving all the time now that my portion sizes have dropped so dramatically. But I’m not. I’ve adjusted to the smaller portions much easier than I thought, and I’m actually content at the end of meals, instead of unhappily over-stuffed. I’m allowing my body to feel full, but not going overboard and feeling stuffed.

Tips For Portion Control

Here are a few tips I’ve learned that can help in controlling your portions:

Don’t feel like you have to be a member of the “clean plate club”: You should be ok with wasting a little bit of food if it means you’re eating a healthier portion. That may mean leaving some of that tasty pasta dish on your plate when you eat out on the weekend. Instead share a meal with a loved one or bring some of your food home for another meal.
Use smaller plates and bowls: Trick yourself into smaller portions by using smaller bowls and plates. It may seem silly, but your plate will look more full, and you won’t eat as much.
Eat healthy foods that are more filling: Instead of eating chips or donuts, try eating healthier foods that are more filling and that have few calories – while still having good nutrients.
Plan ahead for our meals: Make your meals at home if possible, and plan out a healthy menu plan that includes correct portion sizes.
Read nutrition information: Reading the nutrition information will help you to know just what you’re eating, and how much of that food is intended to be in a serving. Try just eating 1 serving, isntead of the whole bag.
Never eat out of the bag or box: Instead of eating out of a bag or box, transfer 1 serving of the food to a plate or bowl, and eat one serving at a time. Eat slowly to give your brain time to catch up with your body.

Those are just a few tips that I’ve learned over the past couple of weeks, and that have helped me to lose over 10 pounds over those weeks.

Do you struggle with portion control? What tips can you give to help curb the humongous portions?

photo credit: mikefats

Disclaimer: This site is an advertising partner with Weight Watchers. I will receive compensation if a new member signs up through one of the links above. Please know that this review does discuss my true feelings of the program.

My Journey To Weight Loss.. Again

By Peter Leave a Comment

I‘ve been writing here at this site for almost 3 years now, and during that time I’ve had quite the roller coaster of fitness and weight. I’ve been as high as 270 lbs, and as low as 210 lbs. I figured today I would fess up to the struggles I’ve had over the past couple of years, and talk about what I’m doing to fix things now.

I Was In Good Shape… What Happened?

About a year before I started this site I was in my best shape since high school – having lost over 50 pounds, and dropped from about 260 down to about 210 or so. I was only about 10-15 pounds away from my goal weight. I had done it through a combination of healthier eating, and exercise – lifting weights 3 days a week, and running or doing other cardio 3 other days. It was working pretty well. And then disaster struck.

In April of 2008 my wife had a catastrophic blood clot in her leg. The clot could have killed her, and for many people something like that does – but thankfully by the grace of God she made it through. She was in the hospital for about a month, during which time I never left her side. It was touch and go for quite a while.

While I knew I had to be by my wife’s side, during that time I stopped working out completely. I was eating fast food 3 times a day at the hospital McDonald’s restaurant 0r cafeteria, and during that month alone I gained at least 15 pounds.

My Eating Habits Never Got Healthy Again

While my wife ended up getting better and going home, we were both extremely stressed out during that time, and the last thing we wanted to do was cook healthy or exercise. So we started eating out more often. We ate out a lot, as in a majority of our meals. Neither one of us exercised.

I knew it wasn’t healthy, and I knew I was slowly gaining weight, but I honestly just didn’t think about it too much. I was just so stressed out with all that was going on in our lives.

The Motivation We Needed

At the end of 2009, my wife got pregnant, and we had a little one on the way. We were both excited, but as the pregancy progressed, we both continued gaining weight. In June of last year little Carter John was born, and we became parents.

Having a little one in the house meant that we both realized that we needed to change. Neither one of us wanted to be this unhealthy anymore, and we wanted to be there for our little one, and be able to run and play with him, without being out of breath. That wasn’t going to happen with where we were.

At the end of last month, we joined Weight Watchers. I joined mainly as a support to Maria, but found that it was actually a good program for men as well. I think it gets a bad rap as a “women’s only program” when in fact if you join the meetings or online program, it works really well for men as well.

So far we’re both losing weight. Only 4 weeks in I’ve lost almost 10 pounds, which is a bit more than what Weight Watchers says is typical (1-2 lbs a week). I’m down to about 260, from a starting weight of 270.

Read my review of the Weight Watchers program

Stick With Us As We Get To The Dirty Business Of Weight Loss

So here we are. We’re back on track, working out regularly, eating healthier, and we’re starting to lose weight. Stay with us as we progress through the weeks, working towards our goal of losing a lot of weight. I’m looking to lose 70 lbs, down to a mean trim fighting weight of 200 lbs. Hopefully I’ll get there within 7-8 months. Wish us luck!

Have you had a weight roller coaster like we have? Are you losing weight again now, or have you already lost all the weight? Tell us about it in the comments.

Review Of Weight Watchers Weight Loss Program

By Peter

A few weeks back my wife and I started talking about how we both thought that it was time that we lose some weight. We’ve allowed things to go on for far too long, and we’re both pretty far from our ideal weight. Funny how life can just start flying by you, and before you know it you’ve gained 50 lbs!

We both also wanted to set a good example for our 7 month old son, and be able to run and play with him once he gets to that point in a few months. We’re both so out of shape now that there would be no way that would be possible without some changes.

When we were talking about methods of losing weight, Maria suggested that we both join Weight Watchers weight loss program, and that we attend meetings through a local Weight Watchers location. At first I was hesitant to do that. In fact, I was dead set against it. I think I’ve got an ingrained bias against Weight Watchers, that it’s a program only for women, and that more than anything it’s a group therapy session for folks who need some help in losing weight. I like to think of myself as a self-sufficient kind of guy, and even thinking of going to group meetings made me not want to join. I’ve lost significant weight in the past ( Over 50 lbs back in 2007), and I was sure I could do it again. But then again, I wanted something that could make the weight loss stick – a life change.

After some discussion lengthy discussion I decided to join Weight Watchers and attend meetings with my wife. I did it mainly because she didn’t want to join on her own, and I wanted to encourage her on her weight loss journey. I also realized that I just might learn some things for myself that would help me to lose weight and maintain the weight loss. So two weeks ago yesterday we got a babysitter and went to our first Weight Watchers meeting.

Joining The Weight Watchers Program

We walked into our first Weight Watchers meeting on a Thursday night, and signing up was pretty easy. One of the counselors just gave us the rundown of how the program worked, gave us some materials, and and signed us up. There were a couple of options for signing up. Normally there is a joining fee, but they’re currently running a promotion for the new year where you don’t have to pay that registration fee. To see current options and pricing for signing up, head on over to the Weight Watchers Site.

It should be noted that prices may vary depending upon the location you join.

Before the meeting each week everyone comes in to the front desk, signs in and does a weigh-in. Then the counselor who weighs you in will record your current weight -which they’ll do each successive week as well to mark your progress.

After everyone arrived the meeting starts. There is one group leader that heads the meeting, and there is a topic for discussion every week. For this past week for example they talked about getting active and exercising, and talked about ways that you could do that.

The meetings I’m discovering are a great motivational tool to help keep you focused. They keep you on task, they remind you of what’s important when you’re trying to lose weight, and they give you plenty of ideas when it comes to healthy eating, fitness and weight loss. They are also a good place to get some positive feedback. When you reach your smaller weight loss goals, the group will recognize you, and everyone gives words of encouragement. I can see why some people really enjoy these meetings.

Weight Watchers E-Tools

Part of Weight Watchers strong points that I’ve seen so far is how it changes your views of eating. Already in 2 weeks my eyes have been opened to just how bad my eating habits were, and just how huge my portion sizes were.

I used to think that people who were on the program must drive themselves crazy all the time trying to figure out their Weight Watchers points. They had to figure out how many points individual foods have, how much more they can eat in a day, how many fruits they’ve eaten, etc. I just sounded very frustrating.

What I’ve found so far is that the reality is much different. It really isn’t as hard or as frustrating as you might think to follow the healthy eating plan that they set out for you. When you weigh in at your first meeting they’ll give you a PointsPlus target for the number of PointsPlus values that you can eat every day. They’ll also give you some extra “splurge” PointsPlus values for the week. I’ve found that assigning PointsPlus values to the foods I eat is actually super simple using the eTools. After a while it becomes second nature, and actually doing it will open your eyes to just how much you need to change.

NOTE: Weight Watchers recently changed to their new PointsPlus program from the Momentum program. If you were in the program in the past, the old points values have changed to the PointsPlus values. This is important, especially if you’ve bought Weight Watchers products with the old points values still on them. New PointsPlus values are different, and should be re-calculated using Nutrition information in the calculator.

They have a variety of tools that help you to track your food intake, your weight loss progress, your exercise and more. Here’s a short list of the helpful features within the eTools:

PointsPlus Tracker: Tracking is the heart of the Weight Watchers program. The tool allows you to track your daily food intake by assigning PointsPlus values to all the foods you eat. It has been extremely helpful to me in realizing how much my portion sizes were out of control.
PointsPlus Calculator: This tool will help you to calculate the points your foods have if you can’t find it in the system. Just enter fat, protein, carbs and fiber for your food, and it will give you a points plus value.
Weight Tracker: You’ll weigh in each week at your meeting. You can enter it online to track your progress on your weight loss goals. My first goal was 5% of my starting weight. I’m over half way there already!
Activity Tracker: This helps you to track the exercise you’re doing during the week. You’ll get extra PointsPlus values for working out, which will allow you to eat a little more -nice if you have a splurge day like Super Bowl Sunday.
Recipe Builder: If you’re trying to figure out the PointsPlus value of a particular recipe, this tool will help you break it down into it’s parts to figure out the total value.
Restaurant Finder: Tool to help you find the points value of certain foods at certain restaurants.
Food Cheat Sheets (beer cheat sheet): They have helpful cheat sheets that will help you to eat healthier and figure out PointsPlus values at popular destinations. They’ve got cheat sheets for beer, for eating at a Chinese buffet, salads, and more.

A good number of the eTools above will be found in your Weight Watchers Plan Manager, shown in the screenshot below. I keep my plan manager open in my browser at work all day to track everything I eat. Very helpful and easy to use!
[Read more…] about Review Of Weight Watchers Weight Loss Program

Kinect Sports For Xbox 360 Review: Another Kinect Title That Will Give You A Workout

By Peter 2 Comments

A couple of weeks ago I did a quick review of the game Your Shape: Fitness Evolved on this site. I talked about how I thought it was a leap forward for fitness video games, and how it was so much better than any other games in the genre that I had tried before. I’ve been enjoying the game, and I’m working my way through a series of Men’s Health weight training workouts, in addition to doing the cardio boxing and even a little yoga. It’s a great game, and it really draws you in every time you play.

Kinect Games Are Great For Fitness

One thing I’ve noticed since purchasing our Kinect is that not only are the dedicated fitness titles good for giving you a workout, a lot of the other games are as well! As such, I decided to take a look at several other Kinect games that we own, and look at some of the activities that will really get your heart pumping.

In this article today I want to do a brief review of the Kinect title, “Kinect Sports“.

Kinect Sports Review

One of the first games that we bought when we bought our Kinect sensor was the sports title called Kinect Sports. I don’t have a Wii, but some friends have mentioned that it compares favorably to the game Wii Sports, and in many respects surpasses it.

The basic premise of the game is that you can engage in a variety of sports, many of them olympic sports. The game makes it feel like you’re at the summer olympics or something along those lines, and that you’re participating in the competitive atmosphere there. From Amazon:

Turn your living room into a world-class stadium, bowling alley, soccer pitch or track-and-field arena. With “Kinect Sports” you’re not only the star player, you are the controller — through the magic of Kinect for Xbox 360. See a ball? Kick it. Spike it. Even give it a little topspin. “Kinect Sports” features soccer, beach volleyball, bowling, table tennis, track and field, and boxing.

Simple, intuitive and instantly fun, “Kinect Sports” delivers the ultimate party experience — whether you are trying to outmaneuver the goalie to win the soccer match or cheering on your friends at ringside. The first full-body, controller-free sports game, “Kinect Sports” is so real, you will almost feel the wind in your hair as you fly over hurdles and the sand in your toes as you set, bump and spike your way to volleyball victory.

While of course some of the text above is just marketing spin, I have to say I have been thoroughly impressed with the game. It really does feel very natural to walk into a ping pong arena, pick up your paddle and start swinging at the ball. Or if you go bowling to reach out and grab your ball, and throw it down the lane. Boxing? You just punch as hard and as fast as you can at your opponent! It’s extremely intuitive to play, even beginners can get into it no problem!

On New Years Eve we were at a friends house who had just purchased a Kinect for Christmas, and we brought all of our Kinect games with to the party. We played Dance Central (very fun), Kinect Adventures (another good game for getting active), and of course Kinect Sports. Of all the games we played, everyone enjoyed Kinect Sports the most just because of how easy it is to play, and the sheer variety of sports you can compete in.

Sports You’ll Find In Kinect Sports

There are a lot of fun activities to keep you moving in Kinect Sports – both the main sports themselves and mini-games.

Sports In Kinect Sports

There are a ton of sports you’ll find in the game. Among them:

Track & Field: This one is a lot of fun with running activities, hurdles, javelin, discus, long jump among the activities. When you compete you’ll basically compete in all of the track and field events, which will give you a combined score at the end. Some of these activities, especially the hurdles and other running rounds will get you sweating.
Bowling: This is a lot of fun, and while it isn’t particularly active it is a lot like going to a bowling alley and rolling a few rounds. More fun than the Wii Sports version I think.
Boxing: The boxing portion of the game will have your arms feeling like jelly by the time you’re done. When we played this game on new years against each other, we were both exhausted by the time you’re done – you can really feel your abs tightening and your arms getting a workout.
Beach Volleyball: You do have quite a few short burst of motion in this volleyball simulation. You’ll have to serve, set, bump and spike the ball as you try to win a game down at the beach.
Table Tennis: I used to play a lot of ping-pong growing up, and I have to say I was impressed with how accurate this portion of the game felt with the Kinect. When I would slice the ball, it would slice on screen. When I added top-spin, it would add it on screen. Amazing!
Soccer: Another part of the game that will get you moving as you dance around trying to block shots, or swing your leg kicking the ball.

As mentioned, some of the sports get you moving more than others. Bowling, for example, won’t get you to break much of a sweat, but boxing and track and field will for sure get your heart racing. All in all my favorite parts of the game so far are the table tennis portion and the track and field part. Both tons of fun.

Mini Games In Kinect Sports

There are also a ton of mini games that you can play in the game – which are based off of the main sports that you play in-game. For example, there’s a boxing mini-game where you have to knock out as many opponents as you can in a short period of time. This basically means you’ll be wildly swinging your arms and huffing and puffing by the time you’re done. For table tennis there is a mini-game that has you hitting as fast as you can and trying to hit targets for points. Very fun.

So Can You Get A Workout In Kinect Sports?

So the question remains – is it possible to get a workout by using Kinect Sports? Maybe. If you’re looking for a weights routine, or a hard core cardio workout – you might want to look elsewhere like Your Shape: Fitness Evolved. But if you want to get a pretty good cardio workout that will get you sweating – and maybe even a little sore – Kinect Sports might be just the ticket.

While it isn’t an all around workout option, Kinect Sports is a good piece to add to the puzzle when trying to improve your health and fitness. Get up off the couch and get active!

Get more details and your copy of Kinect Sports at Amazon.com

There are affiliate links in this post. If you purchase something through my link, I will receive a small commission. Thanks in advance if you do!

Your Shape Fitness Evolved For Xbox 360 And Kinect: A Review

By Peter 17 Comments

I mentioned last week that I had purchased the new peripheral for the Xbox 360, the Kinect. The Kinect is basically a motion sensing and tracking device that allows you to control your video games without holding a controller in your hands. To me it’s one of the most exciting advancements in gaming technology in years, probably since the Wii came out with the motion tracking Wiimote.

While the Kinect is priced a bit on the high side ($150), after having a week or so with the device I have to say that I’ve been thoroughly impressed and I feel like it was worth it for me. In my few tests so far in using the device it has been extremely accurate in sensing my motion, and the only real glitches I’ve seen are due to the fact that my play area probably isn’t large enough. That is the biggest con I’ve found of the device so far – that the Kinect needs you to have a play area 8×8 feet or larger to really enjoy it to it’s full potential.

So far I’ve got two games that I’ve been able to test out, Kinect Adventures (which comes with the Kinect), and Your Shape: Fitness Evolved – a fitness title that aims to take full advantage of the Kinect’s motion sensing capabilities, and really take the fitness video game genre to a new level. Today I’m going to do an initial review of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved.

Your Shape Fitness Evolved

Before we get too far into the review, let’s start with a quick look at what Your Shape is supposed to be from the Amazon.com description:

Your Shape Fitness Evolved is a fitness-simulation game for Xbox 360 that is designed to deliver a 3D, controller-free fitness simulation experience like no other. Built around the camera, depth sensors and multi-array microphone of the Microsoft Kinect sensor peripheral,* the game allows for real-time motion capture of the players movements, facial recognition and both voice and interactive menu commands. This combined with Ubisoft’s Player Projection Technology, which enables the Kinect sensor to track up to a million data points on the player’s body, results in low lag and total player immersion in what is destined to be the most challenging fitness-simulation game to date. Additional features include: in-game instructors, multiple exercise classes, workouts created by real experts, progress tracking and multiplayer support.

So Your Shape aims to give the player a totally immersive experience where they’re able to actually be in the game, not be distracted by feeling like the game isn’t a real workout and be challenged by a variety of workouts, classes and mini-games.

For me the game so far has done that – when I’m playing it I feel like I’m really at the gym taking a class or getting a one-on-one personal training session. To me it’s probably the only fitness video game (or video) that I’ve done that makes me feel like I’m actually getting a tough workout, the right way. Because of the Kinect sensor, the game also is able to give you correction and make you feel almost like you’re actually working out with a real instructor!

So let’s jump in and talk about what you’ll find in this product.

Playing The Game

When you launch the game for the first time, the first thing it will do is do a quick scan of you to figure out how tall you are, your body proportions and then ask you some simple questions as far as your age, weight and a couple of other data points. Based off of what you answer – and the body scan, a somewhat personalized workout plan will be created for you.

They say the camera adds 10 pounds, and Kinect has two cameras. So when Ubisoft’s upcoming Kinect title Your Shape: Fitness Evolved put a somewhat stout-looking projection of me on the screen, I shouldn’t have been surprised—especially given that the game’s success depends on players wanting to melt away those love handles (source)

Depending on what your goals are as well you can choose a variety of programs tailored to your needs. Just had a baby? Choose a program tailored to new moms. Trying to drop some weight? Choose the weight loss regimen. Toning up? Choose the toning program.

Menu Systems Very Intuitive

While I was beginning this process the first thing that I noticed was that the menu system for the game is very intuitive. Basically, the Kinect sensor camera recognizes you, scans you as you stand there and inserts a full body image of you in the game. Then as you stand there in game if you reach your arms out you are able to choose different menu options with your hand outstretched, and once you’ve chosen something it always asks you to confirm.

I wasn’t sure how well this was going to work when reading about it online, and whether or not there was going to be a lot of lag from when you do something to when it happens on screen. I have to say I noticed very little if any lag in this game. I played a couple of other demos, and kinect adventures – and Your Shape was by far the most responsive of the games I’ve tried so far.

The menus were very easy to use, and after doing it a few times I found I was controlling the game and menus with little or no thought to it. It just works very well in my opinion.

Workout Options

After being scanned the first time, every time after that you’ll be logged into the game automatically, and the in game hostess will welcome you back with a “good evening” or “good morning”. Once you’re in the main menu you can do a variety of different things. First, you’ll see a customized home screen for you, showing how many calories you’ve burned so far and any challenges you’ve got pending with other users. You can also change your in game appearance or view any news or updates by simply stepping on one of two small circles in your play area on screen. If you don’t want to do any of those things, you can simply begin your workout by choosing either “personal training”, “gym games” or

Personal Training

One of the first options you have in-game is to do the personal training – customized training sessions that are tailored to your fitness level and fitness goals that you chose when you first signed on. To me this is the heart of the game. For me I chose a weight loss goal and started right in with the cardio workouts.

You can either let the game guide you through workouts, or choose a specific one that you want to do. When choosing workouts it will tell you what it is, how long it takes, and how advanced the workout is.

The first one I chose was a cardio workout. The clock starts and the game begins by showing you how to do a couple of the moves that will be included in the workout. The Kinect sensor tracks you and shows you on-screen – and will tell you when you’re not doing the exercise right. Think you’re going to dog it when working out? Think again! The game will recognize when you’re not lifting your legs high enough, or your arms aren’t going up all the way, and will tell you to pick it up and improve. For example, I was doing lunges at one point, and getting tired. I started not dipping close enough to the ground. The game recongized that and told me to dip lower. I did, and felt the burn!

The first couple of cardio workouts that I did were up to an intensity level for me right now (where I’m out of shape) where I felt challenged, but not like I was going to fall over and die. While you’re working out the game tracks the number of calories you should be burning – and will keep track of that for you every time you workout. While I can’t vouch for how accurate that part of it is (there is some debate about that), I can tell you it’s a useful yardstick for yourself when working out.

The day after doing the cardio workouts I did a brief Men’s Health upper body weights workout (there are several Men’s Health and Women’s Health sponsored workouts in the game). The weights workout was effective as well, and I found myself getting a great workout, while getting useful feedback from the game when my form wasn’t up to par. To me, the feedback you get from the game is extremely helpful because it helps you to get a better workout, all while having better form than you might otherwise have had.

I’ve only been doing the personal training workouts for about 3 days now, but so far I’ve been pretty impressed with how much of a workout I feel like I’m getting, and how effectively the game uses the Kinect sensor to improve your workouts.

Gym Games

Another part of the game that can be fun, although I haven’t found it to be overly exerting, is the gym games. You may have seen some of the gym games on the commercial, especially the virtual smash game (show below)

The games found in the title include:

Virtual smash: In this game you are trying to punch and kick as many blocks with your hands, knees and feet as you can before the time runs out. In more advanced levels you’ll also need to avoid swinging pendulums.
Light race: You stand in a circle and have to have fancy footwork in order to copy the pattern of lights appearing on the circle around you. Reminds me of that old handheld game where you hit the buttons in the same pattern the game does, or you’re out.
Loop-a-hoop: You do the hula hoop for a set period of time and try to get the balls lifted and out the hole in the ceiling based on the intensity of your hula-hooping.
Stack em up: You hold your arms in the air and catch blocks and balls on a platform as fast as you can, and dump them into holes in the floor when they open up to get points.

The games can all be played with anywhere from 1 to 4 players, one player at a time. They’re fun, but I can’t see myself playing these games over and over unless we had others over at the house and needed some laughs.

Fitness Classes

There are also currently two fitness classes that you can take in-game. Yoga training and cardio boxing.

So far I’ve taken one of each class, and they do what they’re supposed to. The yoga class takes you through a progression of yoga moves over the time period, scoring you on how well you do. I’m not a big yoga guy so I can’t see myself doing this too often. I had heard it suggested that you do a yoga routine after working out as a cool-down, and i can see how that might work well, that’s how I did it this time.

The cardio boxing is more enjoyable for me. I did this routine the other day and it does give you a good workout. My only thing is that I have a hard time following along sometimes – although part of the great thing about this game is that it helps you to fix what you’re doing wrong. You can see yourself on-screen and compare to the instructor – and the game tells you what you’re doing wrong. I love that.

Conclusion

After playing Your Shape: Fitness Evolved for the past few days, I’ve been very impressed with the game, and would highly recommend it to anyone. Among the high points.

Great utilization of Kinect: The game’s use of the Kinect sensor in the game’s menus, workouts and games is done really well. The menus are responsive, there is hardly any lag, and it really does give you an immersive experience. I especially love how the game gives you feedback and helps correct you when you’re not doing the exercises correctly.
You will break a sweat: While the novelty of Kinect will certainly sell the game, the fact that the workouts actually make you sweat will keep you coming back.
Good variety of workouts: There are a good variety of workouts that will keep you entertained for weeks to come.
It’s fun!: The game is just plain fun – never mind the fact that you’re getting a good workout!

The game isn’t without it’s faults. Some cons:

You need a large play area: One of the downsides for the game is that you need a pretty big area to play the game in, in order for it to track you correctly.
Environment is kinda plain sometimes: The white backgrounds on the game can be kind of plain and vanilla at times. more colorful backgrounds might have been nice.
Number of workouts isn’t exhaustive: Although the game does come with quite a few workouts, the game isn’t exhaustive. They do plan on releasing more as downloadable content, however.

I’m loving Your Shape: Fitness Evolved so far, and look forward to dropping some pounds using it over the next few months!

Get more details and your copy of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved at Amazon.com

Have you tried out Your Shape: Fitness Evolved? What was your experience? Considering getting the game? What’s holding you back? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

There are affiliate links in this post. If you purchase something through my link, I will receive a small commission. Thanks in advance if you do!

Fitness Games For The Xbox 360 Kinect: A Review

By Peter 13 Comments

I haven’t mentioned it much here, but I enjoy video gaming. Maybe a bit too much, it may be part of what has gotten me into such bad shape – sitting on the couch vegging out all the time. Well now, you can enjoy still enjoy playing video games, but get a workout while you’re at it!

If you’re into video games at all you know that next week the Xbox team will be launching a new peripheral for the Xbox 360 that will allow controller free gaming, motion capture, video chat, voice commands and a host of other functionality. It’s going to be called the Kinect ($149.99). Part of what makes the Kinect so great is the motion capture and controller free gaming that allows a whole host of new options to be opened up – one of them being a great opportunity for new fitness games. While fitness video games aren’t anything new, what is new is the fact that you won’t have to be holding a controller while you workout – like you do with a Wii or Playstation. Instead, you ARE the controller. You can workout along with virtual trainers on the screen, get instant feedback as to how you’re doing and in general feel like you’re getting a true workout experience.

The Kinect hasn’t launched as of this writing, so the jury is still out as to just how well Kinect will work. Will it really be as immersive as they claim? Will there be lag time from when the camera picks you up to when it responds? Will it have a hard time picking you up in different environments?

Initial reports are that the Kinect performs rather well, and I for one am excited at the prospect of controller free gaming, and am interested to see how well these fitness games work. Will they really be an intense enough workout to lose weight? We shall see!

Fitness Games For Xbox Kinect

So what fitness games will be available for Kinect at launch? There are 4 Kinect fitness titles that I see on the launch list. Here’s a quick rundown of them here.

Your Shape Fitness Evolved

Read a full review of the game that I’ve now done. Your Shape: Fitness Evolved Review

From Amazon.com: Your Shape Fitness Evolved is a fitness-simulation game for Xbox 360 that is designed to deliver a 3D, controller-free fitness simulation experience like no other. Built around the camera, depth sensors and multi-array microphone of the Microsoft Kinect sensor peripheral,* the game allows for real-time motion capture of the players movements, facial recognition and both voice and interactive menu commands. This combined with Ubisoft’s Player Projection Technology, which enables the Kinect sensor to track up to a million data points on the player’s body, results in low lag and total player immersion in what is destined to be the most challenging fitness-simulation game to date. Additional features include: in-game instructors, multiple exercise classes, workouts created by real experts, progress tracking and multiplayer support.

EA Sports Active 2

The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout

Zumba Fitness

From Xbox.com: Join the party with Zumba Fitness®, a one-of-a-kind, dance fitness workout set to sexy, high-energy Latin and international music! Find your rhythm and let go as Zumba instructor fan favorites Gina Grant, Tanya Beardsley and Zumba’s creator Beto guide you through 30 routines that will work you into a sweat and make you forget you’re even exercising. Featuring exclusive music and choreography, Zumba Fitness® for Kinect lets you see yourself on screen and naturally dance controller-free in an ultra fun interactive fitness party that’s focused on the joy of movement!

Conclusion

I have already pre-ordered my copy of the Kinect sensor, and since I’ve decided to get back on the weight loss train – i’ve decided to buy one of these fitness games. After looking over the detailed descriptions of each of these games, I ended up ordering a copy of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved because according to the few pre-launch reviews I’ve read it seems to be the one that takes advantage of the Kinect sensor the best. It has a ton of workout routines, availability of future downloadable content and workouts, and in general just seemed to be the most polished product.

I’m sure the other games will be pretty cool as well. I was tempted to get The Biggest Loser game because I’ve done their workouts in the past, and was humbled by how tough they were, but I wasn’t convinced they were using the sensor to the best of it’s ability. Zumba Fitness doesn’t appeal to me, although my wife may like it as she’s taking a Zumba class at the gym. Even though it included a heart rate monitor, EA Sports Active 2 was just too expensive for me to even consider it ($99.99).

I’ll be getting my Kinect Sensor and Your Shape: Fitness Evolved next week, so stay tuned for a full review at that time!

Have you considered buying the Kinect sensor, and would you consider using it for the fitness games that are available at launch?

Read my full review of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved

3 Steps To Stop Running With Knee Pain Forever (Part 1)

By Kevin 2 Comments

Running with knee pain is a common frustration for most runners especially when it’s unexplained and you can’t pin-point anything that might be causing it.

It’s no fun when you’re laid out on the couch with ice packs on your knees popping ibuprofen like it’s candy.

Unfortunately, most runners go through one failed attempt after another to eliminate the pain such as visits to the doctor, rest, ice, pain relievers or (in some cases) surgery.

So, why do these methods fail miserably to eliminate knee pain when running?

Because they’re focused on treating symptoms without addressing the actual cause of the problem.

Confused?

The video below will explain it so you can get back to pain free running:

Squat Test: Hold the position in the photo below (WITHOUT THE BALL IN YOUR HANDS–just hold your arms in front of you) for 30 seconds and notice where you feel it the most (hint: it’s somewhere in your legs..:). Go as close to parallel as you can but don’t allow your hips to drop below your knees.

Single Leg Test: Begin on one leg and try to touch an object about 6″ tall (like the cone shown in the photo) with control. Touch with your right hand and come back back up. Then on the same leg try it with your left hand and come back up. Repeat the test with both hands on the other leg as well.

Notice if you can do this without wobbling, if you can do it with some difficulty or if your other foot touches the floor at any time on the way down or up.
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