Starling Fitness: Daily writings on Fitness, Diet, and Health

When I played Wii Sports, it was a fun diversion, but my heart rate rarely got higher than when I was sitting on the couch. I thought it would be fun to play, a good way to be a little more active, but not really an option for losing weight. It looks like I’ve been proven wrong. Read about the Wii Sports Experiment here:

• Wii Sports Experiment, Results!

His plan was simple:

Six weeks ago, I began what has become a huge obsession of mine. It is called the “Wii Sports Experiment” (Read my original announcement of this from Early December ‘06). I outlined a 6 week game plan for myself, the idea being that I would continue ALL normal activity and eating habits, and simply add 30 minutes of Wii Sports to my day. For the past month and a half, I’ve stuck to these guidelines very strictly.

What were the results? Shocking! In six weeks, he has lost nine pounds, his BMI went from 25.2 to 24.0, and he is noticeably thinner. He tested his calorie expenditure while playing and here is a list of the sports in order of expenditure:

• Boxing: Highest calorie burner
• Tennis
• Bowling: Lowest calorie burner

He didn’t test baseball and didn’t even mention golf. It’s quite obvious when you’re playing that Boxing is the highest calorie burner. It was the only activity that got my heart rate up into the cardio zone.

So, I’m wrong. If you play Wii Sport religiously for 30 minutes every day, you could lose weight. Now, you just need to get your hands on a Nintendo Wii.

Via: Lose weight by playing Wii Sports (kottke.org)

Qmotions has been on my radar for a couple of years now, but I’ve never written anything about them. When I looked at their website, the products just looked like easily breakable gadgets that wouldn’t really work. Especially the Xboard. I think the problem is the picture that they used for it on their website.

This photo, in particular, made me think that it wasn’t worth 90 bucks. There was no way that I was going to spend ninety dollars on a piece of snowboard shaped plastic connected to a controller.

Of course, that was before I tried it at their booth.

I am avid fan of SSX3. It’s a snowboarding game that I play on my Xbox. I did ONE run with the Xboard and suddenly a game that I was so good at that I was pretty much sick of it became brand new to me. I finished the run in twice the time it would have taken me with the hand controller, which should have been discouraging. Instead, it was invigorating. Suddenly, I felt like I was really snowboarding down that hill!

Add to it that you can now find the Xboard on Amazon.com for about 60 bucks, suddenly, I was SOLD!

• Qmotions Xboard for PlayStation 2

I got my Xboard in the mail two days ago. I had to buy SSX3 for the Playstation 2 because they didn’t have a controller that worked with Xbox. I was able to find the game used for about $7, so I didn’t feel too bad about buying it again. Additionally, it was kind of nice starting my character from scratch instead of trying to beat my old hand controller scores.

The verdict: Playing SSX3 with the Xboard is HELLA fun, but it isn’t aerobic exercise. It’s more of a core workout, because you balance on the board and try to move by moving the board. The highest my heart rate has ever gotten on the board is 114 bpm, which is in the medium intensity range, but not high intensity.

The muscles that will kill you the next day (in order of pain intensity): calf muscles, shin muscles, the arch of your foot and your abs. Mostly just your calves, though.

Qmotions makes golf simulators, baseball simulators and something called Fun Fitness, which connects to your exercise bike and works with racing games. They are also coming out with a new product that straps to your ankle. You can play while riding your bike, walking on the treadmill or even just running in place. They were demonstrating it at CES, but it’s not available yet. For now, I’m happy with my Xboard!

I have decided to host runs at Levels 1-4. If you would like to join up, here are the guidelines:

• Level 1: 1-10 miles a week
• Level 2: 10-20 miles a week
• Level 3: 20-30 miles a week
• Level 4: 30-40 miles a week

I only have a few rules, one is if you join a level that is below your weekly mileage, I will move you up to the appropriate level when I invite you to the next challenge. It’s not really fair to join a Level 1 challenge if you KNOW you’re running 20 miles a week. You might win one trophy that way, but I’ll immediately move you to a higher level.

The second rule is no trash talk. I know that Nike+ has a “trash talk” button on their challenge page, but only positive talk is allowed there. I will warn you once if you are disrespectful to the other runners, but if you continue to trash talk, you will not be invited to the next challenge.

If you have a Nike+iPod, you can sign up for the weekly challenges here:

• Support Forums : Starling Fitness Weekly Challenge …

Telll me what level you would like to start at when you sign up and come run with us!

There are so many things at CES that you just can’t get yet. These Bluetake Walkman Beanies are a good example. Aside from the unfashionable name, these hats would be great for exercising this winter, but they aren’t available this winter. At least not on their website:

• Bluetake USA

The idea of having my headphones and my hat all in one package is appealing to me because when I try to wear my headphones with my winter hat, things get all wonky. The hat moves the headphone away from my ear. The hat isn’t quite big enough to cover my head with headphones. This sounds like a good product.

The advertising for it is a little interesting, though:

• Bluetake Walkman Beanie Advertisement

Quoting from them makes the words feel like gravel in my mouth:

“Feel like a Rock & Roll Hip Hop professional as soon as you wear this newly designed beanie.”

“Even on campus, the ordinary color design keeps a low profile but still fashionable.”

“With a simple shape, double-ring totem and invisible earphone, this simple style beanie makes you graceful.”

How does it make me graceful? I’m pretty damn clumsy. If anything can make me graceful, I’m all for it.

You might not be able to purchase Walkman Beanies right now, but the idea is something that might help you. No matter how cold it is outside, there is a way to work around it and still be comfortable. Humans have lived in the elements for centuries. Don’t hide away from your exercise routine just because it’s cold outside. Make yourself a Walkman Beanie and get out there!

We are going to be in Austin, Texas from March 8-13th this year and we want to meet up with the readers of Starling Fitness. We want to hear your ideas about the site, what you like, what you hate and how we can be better.

Here’s the problem: We don’t really know the town. We’re hoping that you folks can tell us the best place and day to meet.

Please email us if you would like to come to the meetup here:

• Starling Fitness Meetup: Contact Laura Moncur

We are excited to meet our readers face to face and hear just what you want from us!

In honor of CES, this week’s question of the week is about gadgets:

What weight loss or fitness gadgets have you purchased in the past?

Did they work the way they advertised?

Did they help you lose weight or get stronger?

Which gadgets made you feel ripped off?

Which gadgets were totally worth the money?

It’s impossible to “buy” fitness. If it were, I would have by now. I talked about this in the past:

• Starling Fitness » Can’t Buy Me Fitness (Part 1)

• Starling Fitness » Can’t Buy Me Fitness (Part 2)

Remember? Remember what it felt like to run? Run when you were a kid and running was how you got from here to there? Remember when they said they knew a great place and let’s go there? How did we go there? You can only run to a great place! There’s no walking if we’re going to some place great!

We’re not talking about washing the e.coli off your spinach. We’re talking about the packaging that has cropped up in every food aisle in the grocery store. First it starts with some colors that aren’t quite as bright and jarring, maybe a softer hue of orange. Then they add a word that doesn’t mean anything anymore like natural or wholesome. Then draw a couple of barns or maybe a shaft of wheat and they suddenly have a more palatable package for their food.

They didn’t make the food any more healthy, they just changed the packaging.

• Be It Ever So Homespun, There’s Nothing Like Spin – New York Times

The FDA has been able to regulate words like organic, low-fat and whole grain, but there are lots of words out there that marketing can use to fool you into thinking that what you’re buying is healthy. No matter what color the Cheetos bag is, it’s still junk food. Now, eating junk food when you KNOW you’re eating junk food is far different than eating something that you think is a healthy alternative, but is really junk food in a blandly colored bag. Make sure you check the food labels to verify the caloric, fat and nutrient contents any food you might think is “healthy.” Your best bets are fresh fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. Not food made with whole grains, but the grains themselves.

Now, if you’re going to eat something knowing that it’s not healthy and you want a “treat” that’s fine. You don’t need to stop eating processed foods entirely, but don’t fool yourself thinking that what you’re eating is healthy because they packaged it up to look healthy.

Via: Food manufacturers are greenwashing their packaging, using homey organic colors and themes to sell food that isn’t even necessarily organic or healthy (kottke.org)

If you have a Nike+iPod setup, you can join my weekly challenge. The challenge starts every Friday. This running/walking challenge is for people who regularly log 12-35 miles a week. It is considered Level 3. If you would like to join this challenge, go to this thread on the Nike+ forum and ask to be added.

• Support Forums : Starling Fitness Weekly Challenge …

There are also lots of other challenges available. You can see them all here:

• Support Forums : Challenges

Check out Nike’s forums and find a challenge that is right for you or join the Level 3 challenge even if you’re Level 1 or 2. You can eventually work your way up to where the rest of us are!

They look worst when they hurt the least. Now that the pain is just a dim memory, they are ugly and black, reminding me every day that I need to take EVERYTHING in moderation. Running, walking, eating, exercising, desserting, EVERYTHING. Okay, I really shouldn’t take poison in moderation. I think I’ll just avoid that altogether.

For the whole story on black toenails, read these:

• Starling Fitness » Subungual Hematoma – Black Toenail

• Starling Fitness » Black Toenail

• Starling Fitness » How I Treated My Black Toenail

• Starling Fitness » Black Toenail: Biggest Fear

• Starling Fitness » Black Toenail: Finally Healed