Where I'm Coming From

Maybe you thought I'd expound on my hometown or where I went to college, but no. This post is to clarify my health status and background so it doesn't seem so zany that I can actually benefit from exercises done with the Wii. Who is really challenged by this stuff? Well, um, me. After easy day 1, I had that nice tight feeling in my legs that says "I did something good yesterday." And after a little stretching, walking and some more yoga/strenthening stuff, I felt even better. So:

10 months ago I got sick. I couldn't walk steadily, see straight, or feel my hands, feet or the tip of my tongue. They were numb and there was pain just shooting up and down my limbs. Luckily I could still breathe. I had Guillain-Barre Syndrome (likely Miller-Fisher variant) and was in the hospital for almost 3 weeks. (my GBS blog is here).

Recovery is slow (my doctors are saying 12-18 months) and some symptoms can remain for a very long time. My deep tendon reflexes are gone and my lower legs tire very quickly. This is why I love the stationary recumbent bike. My upper legs and hips can do most of the work, so I can exercise for longer.

Anyway, the Wii Fit exercises help with balance and strength that I lost and am trying to regain. It's easy stuff, but not so easy for me. I get zero points on things all the time as I figure it out or cannot balance enough. (This is humbling, being someone who ran a marathon just over a year ago and led a very active life). I still see myself as active, just in small spurts for now.

So that's me. That's where I'm at. And why I have strength and fitness to rebuild. Oh, did I mention my wonderful husband and kids who have been more encouraging, loving and patient than one could imagine? Another motivating factor-I want to be well and strong and do fun, active things with them.

How to add to Activity Log

Sunny winter day = walk outside with family.

I LOVE any break/vacation. Since we had planned to go out of town this week (but didn't), Wade has time off and it has been great.

So I wanted to log our walk and a trip to our neighborhood YMCA and a ride on the stationary recumbant bike on the Wii. After checking in to track my progress (weight and quick balance and coordination tests-resulting in my Wii Fit age for the day, more on that another post!), I looked and looked for where to add to my activity log.

It is in the graph section (left side of the screen) that shows your track progress calendar. Then on the top of the graph, click on activity (gray box) and it gives you the choice to log in an activity. Walking and biking (the way I do it) are both Normal level activities. If you are avid about details, you can even log Light level activities such as laundry and playing guitar (no way am I tracking that stuff). My boys and husband can log skiing from yesterday in the Active category.

Anyway, that's a fun little tracking part of Wii Fit. Checking in every day is kinda fun, too.

Research

One important part of any new endeavor is doing our research. This article briefly lists just what I want to do, and how to do it!

Now, just for clarification: I am aware that losing weight and becoming physically fit is a multi-faceted endeavor. Eating healthy and in moderation, and doing whatever other exercise I can, are my first goals. Using the Wii Fit to motivate, track my progress, and have some fun while doing it, is the supplemental goal in all this.

Lose-Weight-Using-Wii-Fit

Here we goooooo! (Didn't Peter Pan say that?!)

First Real Workout

• pretty low-key, didn't want to overdo it
  
• 33 minutes (logs only workout time, actual time on the Wii was more--learning curve!)
  
• logged in a walk on Fit Credits
  
• used Wii Fit Plus Routines - Form, Health, and cooled down with Lifestyle
• highlights: first Yoga ever, a bit of Kung Fu, and marching
• it was way fun
  

Mii and Wii Fit

Well, here it goes! After receiving a Wii for Christmas, our family is off and running with Wii Fit Plus! Our profiles are established and this mama found that a year of illness and slow recovery (ok, and a LOVE of food!) has resulted in me being overweight. (complete stats to follow in another post!)

Eating smaller portions, slowly starting to exercise (walking, swimming and stationary biking so far), and cutting down on sweets (not working at all) have been the things I'm trying to do. After setting up Mii on the Wii, it was apparent that I was a cute little ball of a motha. So I'm adding Wii Fit Plus to my regimen. Daily (minus the Sabbath) visits with the fitness tracker, a little strengthening, yoga and fitness games should make this a fun challenge.

Ready, set, go!