The next time your child wants to turn on the game system you should join in the fun. Plug in a dance mat for Konami’s Dance Dance Revolution. It’s a music game that will give you an aerobic workout. The dance pad has four or six arrows: up, down, right, and left (sometimes adding left and right diagonals). Arrows on the screen prompt you to follow the rhythm of a song. There are various levels of intensity. You can calculate the amount of calories burned or calculate your total running distance when the game is in workout mode. In addition, it will allow you to graph your weight for creating a fitness routine.
Public schools in West Virginia are planning to add DDR clubs because of the health benefit. The results of the West Virginia Games for Health research project showed that some children who played the game lost weight. Those who didn’t benefited from the aerobic exercise by improving overall fitness, their attitude toward exercise, and their self-esteem.
My sixth grader pleaded to have DDR games after playing them in one of her classes. We purchased two mats so she could play with her siblings. I enjoy watching their dance competitions. It’s great to see them exercising and having fun together. They have had so much fun that my husband has joined them. It’s a great bonding experience. Fun, portable, stores easily, and good for your health, what more could you want from a game?
Adult studies of the health benefits of exergaming or fitness gaming does not exist at this time; however, there are many reports of weight loss. Some people have shared stories of losing ten to ninety pounds. Others claim to have lost much more. The problem with the claims is that most of these people did not detail their weight loss. Did they lose the weight from gaming or did they make a complete lifestyle overhaul once they began to lose weight?
Have you lost weight from gaming? Tanya Jessen, a serious gamer, did. She says that she lost 95 pounds. Please share your story with us.
Blogs of interest:
Momma’s on a Diet: Exercise Worries
Dad’s Losing It: Baby’s Got Back (Problems)
Getting My Mind Right: The Next Phase
Have you read these bloggers’ stories?:
Diary of an Overweight Mom: It’s a Bumpy Ride, But Somebody’s Got to Take It
Body-For-Life, Take the Challenge with Me!