Saturday 9 June 2012
Games
Play Video Games - The Never Considered New Years Resolution For Exercising
So, it's a new year... another new beginning. Did you make a "New Year's Resolution"? If you're like most, you probably did. The real question is, are you going to keep it? Only time will tell.
The top three resolutions usually are:
And let's not forget everyone's favorite... "EXERCISE MORE"
Everyone knows how important it is to take care of our bodies and our health in general. The truth is, we all know what we should be doing, but, for some reason can't seem to make it a part of our lifestyles without great effort.
Here's my resolution and suggestion:
"PLAY MORE VIDEO GAMES"
You did not misread that... Play More Video Games.
Surprised? Let's look at today's video game systems versus those from just a decade ago before you pass judgment. Video games have gone from using only thumbs and fingers to control the game to actually using our whole body to control the movement of objects. Certain systems have made it possible to get rid of the controller altogether. These new gaming systems have gone beyond offering only children's fantasy games or the more mature war games to creating actual workout programs.
A personal favorite, the Nintendo Wii, started off as a birthday present for my son and has managed to become the major source of my exercise regimen (it's a lifestyle change in progress after all). Using the Wii Fit balance board allows the performance of cardio exercises, strength building exercises and even the ability to perform brain building exercises. I have created my own personal workout routines and can track stats such as weight change, burned calories, miles walked/ran and the length of workout sessions to name a few.
Now these things, of course, will take extra effort which is usually the downfall of our resolutions. What can you do to stay motivated? If your children are anything like mine they are playing games quite often. Why not ask them to step aside for a few moments to get a quick workout in. After all, the system is already on and that's half the battle.
Is this year going to be the year you achieve your resolutions? It can definitely be the year you exercise more if you'll join and the thousands of others who are using video games to achieve their exercise goals. Give it a try. You'll likely be surprised at how much you enjoy it.
The top three resolutions usually are:
- Lose Weight
- Get out of Debt
- Stop Smoking
And let's not forget everyone's favorite... "EXERCISE MORE"
Everyone knows how important it is to take care of our bodies and our health in general. The truth is, we all know what we should be doing, but, for some reason can't seem to make it a part of our lifestyles without great effort.
Here's my resolution and suggestion:
"PLAY MORE VIDEO GAMES"
You did not misread that... Play More Video Games.
Surprised? Let's look at today's video game systems versus those from just a decade ago before you pass judgment. Video games have gone from using only thumbs and fingers to control the game to actually using our whole body to control the movement of objects. Certain systems have made it possible to get rid of the controller altogether. These new gaming systems have gone beyond offering only children's fantasy games or the more mature war games to creating actual workout programs.
A personal favorite, the Nintendo Wii, started off as a birthday present for my son and has managed to become the major source of my exercise regimen (it's a lifestyle change in progress after all). Using the Wii Fit balance board allows the performance of cardio exercises, strength building exercises and even the ability to perform brain building exercises. I have created my own personal workout routines and can track stats such as weight change, burned calories, miles walked/ran and the length of workout sessions to name a few.
Now these things, of course, will take extra effort which is usually the downfall of our resolutions. What can you do to stay motivated? If your children are anything like mine they are playing games quite often. Why not ask them to step aside for a few moments to get a quick workout in. After all, the system is already on and that's half the battle.
Is this year going to be the year you achieve your resolutions? It can definitely be the year you exercise more if you'll join and the thousands of others who are using video games to achieve their exercise goals. Give it a try. You'll likely be surprised at how much you enjoy it.
Shannon Peron, RVT, RDCS is a practicing technologist with 20 years experience in the healthcare field. She currently supervises a Non-Invasive Cardiology Department in the Metropolitan Los Angeles area and is the creator and moderator of "Vascular Ultrasound", a blog developed to provide current vascular ultrasound procedure information, vascular ultrasound educational resources, full time job and part time job search, and vascular technology news.
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