Compensation for Wii Fit owners

Gamercize Mail-in Refund for Wii Fit

We're giving money back on Gamercize products to Wii Fit owners. The reason is simple, we've seen lots of studies claiming exergaming isn't exercise, studies saying exergaming is no good for fitness. All of these stories have a common fault - Wii Fit. Thanks Nintendo, you're making us all look bad.

Here's how we can change that. Look at the world of exergaming. See there's a lot more to it that virtual gyms. One leading exergame expert, Dr Ernie Medina, said "I find running around a track boring, so how does running around a track on screen make it any more interesting?". He's right of course, the point of exergaming is fun.

Fun and game play is central to the core values of Gamercize, this makes the genuine level of exercise that is inbuilt with Gamercize sustainable. What you get from exergaming should be about the game, about having fun and getting fitter as a byproduct. This is why Wii Fit is letting the exergaming side down by allowing people to think its a fun fitness tool. This is why we're stepping up and putting up the cash to make things right for Wii Fit owners.

Take a look at http://www.gamercize.net where you'll find details of how to qualify for this offer, that includes 3 months GZ Personal Trainer membership.

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Exergaming Research in Shambles

Study Results from Professionals or Puppets?

Last week the American Council on Exercise released a study that showed Wii Fit didn't come up to it's standards of moderate to vigorous physical activity. This week Nintendo released a study showing that Wii Fit does meet the standards. Who is right?

The moderate to vigorous physical activity standard is very important. It's the basis behind every single country's government health advice. It's the sustained target at which fitness levels improve and overweight health risks can be reduced. Irrespective of METs and V02MAX measurements the basics are "activity that makes you sweat after 5 minutes duration".

Wii Fit is bringing researchers and active gaming (and governments) into disrepute with the constant commercial push and pull with science fact. Largely this is all irrelevant when you look at figures from the Nintendo channel that show a half hour use per month average. Is it MVPA or not, it doesn't matter if you don't use it.

Ask people what they consider good exercise and you'll probably come back with running, swimming, cycling, sport and the number one answer - the gym. Think about what you find in a gym that makes people give this answer - that's right, cardio fitness machines. Now take a look at the picture below and ask yourself - why isn't this exergame (and others like it) being studied?

The reason is awareness, or rather lack of it, in the wider community. There are so many active gaming options available to suit all abilities and interests. Just take a look at the Interactive Fitness and Exergaming wiki site. It's time for researchers to research a bit more before starting trails to make sure they have right equipment under test.

Looking deeper into the work that ACE has done reveals a good tempate for results with easy, medium and hard settings tested, and the full range of biometric data. In looking forwards perhaps the standard needs to be set (or maybe ACE has already set this?) and the different options need to be explored.

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Common Exergaming Myths

Back to basics = fitness and fun!

Exergaming, or active gaming, is still a very new concept to mainstream media and within the public knowledge.

When I have spoken to officials and policy makers at last they now have heard of some for of exergaming or another, but sadly, there's many misconceptions.

Misconceptions in exergaming have come from media reports and more worryingly, research. Here's the top misconceptions I hear time and time again.

1. Exergaming doesn't count as real exercise. The whole purpose of exergaming is to have an exercise component and there's very little value in exercise as a weight loss tool unless there's a lot of it. That's either high output for medium duration or low output over very long durations. This misconception has come from studies into Wii Sports - which isn't great exercise compared with exergames that utilise genuine fitness machines such as bikes and steppers, that are able to provide moderate to vigorous physical activity.
2. Exergaming doesn't look like fun. The reason exergaming works for fitness is that it is fun, the exercise is incidental to activity and the enjoyment and immersion of the games keeps the mind off the exercise. This misconception has come from a wave of fitness themed "exergames" that deliver "celebrity exercise programmes" via a games console with virtual workouts and trainers. The exergames that work with real video games (Gamercize as an obvious example) tap into the principles that has been growing video gaming for the last 20 years by keeping the fun in the activity.
3. Exergaming is not as good as real sports. The fundamental problem with this misconception is that exergaming and sports are different things and can't be compared. If everyone was playing sport then there wouldn't be a need for a physical activity that was engaging for all levels of condition, fitness and self-confidence. Yes, real sports are better in many ways to exergaming, but that's not what's required. What is required is something everyone can enjoy in a sustainable way to improve fitness and promote weight loss. The problem here is that researchers have been comparing exergame "sports" with real sports, asking something of exergaming that it's not trying to answer.
4. Exergaming is gets boring for the long term. There's no point having an activity to boost fitness and conditioning if the user doesn't stick with it. This is a serious issue with pretty much all exergames I know of, but the ones that can counter this problem are those that are flexible enough to work will all, or even just a selection, of games. Research has show that a "single game" exergame gets boring after a very short number of weeks and statistics from one exergame manufacturer show a total average use time of just 18 hours in one year.

How do we solve these misconceptions and bust these myths? The answer is through diversity of research. There's too much media attention into the same old exergames that don't represent the best of exercise, fun or sustainability. It's up to the research community to research what exergames are out there and consider how they can be studied to provide policy makers with better information.

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Two New Gamercize Fitness Options

Modular Exergaming Reaches the Next Level!

This is the riders eye view from the seat of the new GZ Spin Trainer, the latest innovation from Gamercize. The official unveiling will be at the School and Sport's Partnership Conference next week.

The full sized spin bike will join the existing range of portable stepper and cycle exercise machines that have proved hugely popular. The GZ Spin Trainer represents the highest end of exergaming fitness training and will be available for PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii.

The undoubted success of the PlayStation 2 was in part due to compatibility of games and accessories with the original PlayStation. We agree with rewards to brand loyalty, so the new GZ Spin Trainer is fully compatibility with all existing Gamercize products, making Gamercize the only choice for modular exergaming.

The flexibility of the games and consoles supported by Gamercize is unparalleled in the industry, and now we can bring ultimate ultimate flexibility in fitness options too with our second announcement, the GZ Family Fit. Simply, this new machine represents the most innovative way to make exercise appealing to everyone, regardless of your age or ability and caters for all goals in weight loss, fitness improvement and strength training.

The GZ Family Fit will be available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii and will also be fully compatible with all existing Gamercize products. The GZ Family Fit also includes a proper medical fitness test, which I believe is unique over all home fitness equipment and definitely a unique function in exergaming.

The two new machines will be available to purchase from next year, initially only to existing Gamercize customers before general release. Prices are to be confirmed, but if you want to try these new machines come to the SSPC, next week, in Telford on October 15-16th.

I'll see you there!

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Wii Fit - What are People Doing Wrong?

Nintendo, We Have a Problem!

Today one of my colleagues was in conversation with a national newspaper journalist when the inevitable comparison between Gamercize and Wii Fit came up. This in itself is not surprising, because Gamercize is based on cardiovascular fitness machines, and Wii Fit has "Fit" in the name (and herein lies part of the problem).

Nintendo has been great news for Gamercize. We love you guys! You have raised awareness of the possibility of using video games to keep fit. Without the good intentions of the Wii, I doubt Gamercize would be in so many homes, schools, offices and gyms across the world.

I'm fully aware of the customer comments from Gamercize customers, and I feel pretty good about how we are changing peoples lives for the better. I thought it was worth looking out for Wii Fit success stories, just to boost the exergaming feel good factor!

I searched for blogs that had "Wii Fit" and "Day 1" or "Diary"; when the results came back, I am sorry to say, I was in for a shock and there is a sad story to tell; Wii Fit is not working. People are actually getting worse in fitness terms or gaining weight or seeing their BMI go up, not down. So much for feeling good about exergaming!

A lot of blogs have Day 1, up to Day 4 or so and then a week of no posts before changing the subject and having posts about other things. Only one blog I have read has a success story, but that was only due to the extra exercise being done outdoors and with swimming.

I was in a very good mood, but these stories are thoroughly depressing, so I gave up looking for any more. The ramifications for exergaming of such a high profile failure are very bad. But Wii Fit includes plenty of exercise ideas, so what is the problem or what are people doing wrong?

What my colleague had said in conversation earlier came back to me:

"With Gamercize your mind is 100% in the game, and the exercise is automatic - only becoming noticeable if you stop, which pauses the game. With Wii Fit the game is 100% exercise, it's just not sustainable and its just too easy to get bored or distracted."

That's OK for Gamercize, we know that when the next big title is released, the hours of gameplay go up and the weight comes off. Not so good for Wii Fit though. 100% Exercise as an approach which falls into the same category as the unused exercise bike in the bedroom, the rower in the garage or the weights at the back of the wardrobe.

I think the 100% exercise approach explains the diaries that start off with good intentions, only to be replaced with Mario Kart Wii or any other great game titles. One blogger explained that because Mario Kart was in the Wii when it was turned on there wasn't much point in changing discs!

However, it does not explain the people trying for weeks and getting nowhere with Wii Fit. I think the problem is the hype before release making people believe they can eat what they like, never exercise again (apart from using Wii Fit) and magically they will loose weight and become overnight sports stars.

Don't forget that Nintendo officials and even the game designer say Wii Fit will not get you fit. Wii Fit adverts on TV warn that weight loss is only possible with a calorie controlled diet. Advice from designer Shigeru Miyamoto encourages people to track their health and fitness and use this knowledge for a more healthy and active lifestyle.

I would also add that weighing oneself every day is not a good idea. You should only do this once every two weeks or so as weight varies naturally over this time period. Wii Fit is not a single one step fix, give it time. If you are not motivated then try one of the other exergaming options that actually involves popular video game titles.

I hope that what has been achieved with exergaming so far is not damaged beyond repair with Wii Fit. I do hope Wii Fit is properly understood, used by the people it was intended for and generates the (health) success it deserves. A respected medical expert view echoes this post:

Dr. Goutham Rao, clinical director of the Weight Management and Wellness Center at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, says of Wii Fit
"One of my bigger concerns is that it teaches that physical activity is not a part of your everyday routine," he said. "I can't see children sustaining this for very long. At best it will be a novelty for a few hours or a few days, even."

I would love to hear your stories about your own personal health benefits of Wii Fit. If you have sustained use for four weeks or more and noticed the difference to your life, not just your BMI, then post a comment and help us out here!

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Grand Theft Auto IV - A Mindless Loss of Weight

Will GTA 4 be the best selling weight loss game of 2008?

Yes, the stories have already started to appear claiming Rockstars latest release should be banned and highlighting the effects of video games on children.

Given that the game is M or 18 rated, the effects need to be considered in context, which is exactly what the Globe and Mail points out here.

The $1.5m government funded research quoted points out "much of the information in the popular press about the effects of violent video games is wrong." So much of what you will read will be misleading with the most disturbing content being in the accompanying real life news stories, not in a game.

Instead of looking at these blockbuster games in a negative light, think about those players using Gamercize with them; putting the hours of gameplay to much better use, i.e. keeping fit.

If the average player (over 18 years old, of course) was to play GTA IV for 10 hours a week with Gamercize; they could burn up to 26,000 calories in a month which would equate to losing around 17 lbs in weight. I don't know of any better weight loss game!

What is brilliant about Gamercize is that playing the game takes your mind of the exercise effort; so GTA, and in fact any game, can be enjoyable enough to make this high level of effort sustainable.

I doubt any copies of GTA IV will be forgotten, unused and stored away after just a couple of weeks. In fact, Rockstar say the game will take about 100 hours to complete here, so that could equate to losing 43 lbs before you head off to the online arena!

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Your Health and Lifestyle Survey

It's all about you

Think exercise doesn't give results quickly enough?
Do you think video games cause obesity?

Tell us what you think here. No registration needed!

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Gamercize on the Dark Side

Forever burn your calories it will

Gamercize has been mentioned a little bit in on the web, in magazines and newspapers since the launch of the desk based GZ PC-Sport.

Reactions from customers are obviously the most important, after all it was listening to what our customers wanted that created the product.

It is nice to hear of the accolades given to the product. Making it into PC Magazine's "10 Great Gadgets to Stay Fit" made everyone here happy, as did getting into Bella magazine's Slim club with "What's Hot for 2008".

My personal favorite is the Most Evil Gadget award from the Globe and Mail, given out in their 2007 Office Awards. I hadn't been told about this until a couple of days ago here, so couldn't attend the award ceremony to pick up the silverware. I'm sure it's in the mail.

Although quite amusing to be branded evil, no one should really fear exercise in any form. Sorry if we scared anyone! Now, if only we could get Lord Vader for a product endorsement then our journey to the dark side would be complete...

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Lose 10lbs in Weight per Video Game Played

10lbs Weight Loss with Gamercize per 1,000 Gamerscore

What is your goal when you play video games? I have been aiming for an average of 10lbs per 1,000 gamerscore for a while and this week I have reached that level. For my 4,165 gamerscore on Xbox Live has I have lost a total of 42lbs in weight. As 1,000 gamerscore is the maximum per Xbox 360 game, that's over a 10lb average per game!

With the public release of the next generation Gamercize in the next few weeks there will never be a better excuse to jump in! I'm sure I could have got there with Gamercize on either a PlayStation 3 or a Wii, but I have only been given the pre-release GZ Pro-Sport for the 360. Ah well, not a bad perk of the job in any ones books and I'll sure to raid the warehouse for the PS3 and Wii versions next month!

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Top 5 Gym Survival Tips

Avoid Problems with January Gym Membership


January and February are typically the times of year that commercial gyms pick up the most number of new members. The post-holiday gym rush also represents the highest drop out rate.


For people who regularly visit a gym the next two months is a struggle. The gym is crowded, the machines you want to work on are all being used, and you long for April - when you have the gym all to yourself again. Take these five tips with you to make sure you do not end up wasting money or become demotivated.


Tip 1: Never pay a full years membership in advance. Many special offers or attractive deals are tempting you to commit to a monthly fee for a whole year. Most new members do not last past 90 days, and you may be one of them. If you are going to quit the gym, make sure your pocket book can quit too.


Tip 2: Choose a gym that is located closest to your most regularly travelled location. A gym near home is appealing, but when your are so close to home it is all to easy to just "skip the gym tonight". A better option is a gym closer to your place of work, so you can pop out at lunchtime, maybe hit the weights before work if the traffic has been kind.


Tip 3: Do not be put off by the crowds of people and the apparent poor ratio of physical instructors to members. In April the gym will be much quieter, the staff will have more time for you, and fitness machines will be more available. Even after the first couple of weeks you should notice the gym is quieter, so hang on in there!


Tip 4: Make sure you enlist the services of a personal trainer. Good quality gyms will provide excellent fitness instructors to help with the use of the equipment, but if you are looking for better fitness or weight loss you will need a personal trainer to put together a program for you. They will help you sustaining motivation to keep going before you start to see the weight dropping off.


Tip 5: Check the equipment and facilities the gym has to offer, look for sauna, squash courts or maybe a swimming pool. These extras help motivation as fitness equipment can be very boring, and now highly anti-social, as everyone plugs into iPods. Ultimate gyms, such as two in my home town, will have Gamercize Pod fitness machines similar to the picture. A quick game of the latest Playstation or Xbox title never gets old, and is an excellent way to socialise and get fit.

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My Fitness using Gamercize

Getting Fit Again

Last week I was invited for a live interview on BBC Radio. Set for half past ten on a Monday morning there was little time to get stage fright, as the regular meeting on the weekends news, comments and orders lasted until well after 10am.

I was a little surprised with the lack of briefing by the producer, but as a live show the style should be less rigid and more spontaneous.

My personal experiences with Gamercize tended to dominate the questions rather than the products themselves. So rather than post a transcript of the radio show, I thought I would post my personal progress instead.

A year ago I was unfit and unhealthy. I no longer played soccer and only visited the gym for the three weeks after Christmas. Having the time and the motivation to keep fit was difficult, and the odd game of squash just proved how unfit I was. If I took my mountain bike out for a cross country ride, I was back indoors, out of breath 15mins later.

The picture above is of my current health indicators, taken from my GZ Personal Trainer account. Still work to do, but I'm pretty proud of what I have achieved and the outlook is so much better than this time last year. I have lost 38lbs (that is well over two and a half stone in old money) and lost 8" off my waist measurement. After spending a whole evening throwing out now over sized clothes I ended up with very little left to wear and lots of wardrobe space!

My fitness has improved remarkably too. I can now carry my golf bag over 18 holes on a hilly course rather than hire an electric buggy, and when I go out for a ride on my mountain bike, I will return 3 hours later having explored the countryside without getting tiered and having to stop every couple of miles. A lot of people would not class this as extra ordinary and they would be right, but a year ago I would not have thought these things possible for me.

I use a GZ Sport for playing games on PS2 with my kids, I use the GZ Pro-Sport for Xbox 360 and playing online and I use the GZ PC-Sport while writing this blog and browsing the Internet. All of this extra exercise, from previously lazy activities, has helped my burn extra calories each day and maintain motivation by the subtle art of distraction. I have not had to change diet or lifestyle, in fact my lifestyle has become more healthy naturally as my abilities have improved.

I know from the comments sent in to the Gamercize website that I am not alone in reaching a level of fitness and health previously undreamed of. So if we can do it, then so can you!

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Getting the Perfect Beach Body

Losing Weight with Gamercize

A lot of customers write in telling us how pleased they are with Gamercize, you can read some of these comments on the official website, but only a fraction of the notes we receive are published. I look forward to my morning email with the previous day’s comments, and I make time to read each and every one. The general theme is weight loss and improved motivation, but it is the personal stories that are most enlightening and encouraging.

One lady wrote in this week, with a story which I think is quite special, and I have been allowed to share it here.

“Dear Gamercize
I am a proud mother of three leading a very hectic life with little time to myself. Running a busy household I hardly ever get time to go to the local gym feeling too tiered to go when I did get the time. Over the years my weight has slowly crept up with the washer getting blamed for shrinking my clothes that didn’t fit as well as they did last year!

My weight was not helped by my children always asking me to play the playstation when I could have been using my aerobics DVD instead. I did find a few of their games enjoyable and was surprised to hear of the idea of gamercize while looking on the internet for a new playstation game. It sounded too good to be true but I had to give it a try. I have had my gamercize stepper for two months now and am very pleased it does work!

At the doctors in October I was weighed coming out at 11st. That was horrifying for me but today I have come back having been weighed at 9st 9lbs! The very best part is that I am going to Mauritius in two weeks time for my first relaxing break in eight years. I would have been self conscious and not fully enjoyed myself without losing all the weight I lost using gamercize. I have told all my friends and family about it and want to thank you very very much for helping me lose the weight to make my holiday more enjoyable”

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Reach the Next Level

Fitness Motivation by Stealth

Everyone knows exercising leads to increased fitness and fitness leads to enjoying a more active life. That is why there are gyms, fitness centers and home gym equipment. The biggest problem in reaching that elusive next level in life is maintaining motivation. How many people have bought home gym equipment, only to leave it unused after a few weeks? How many people have bought gym membership at the start of the year and give up going by April?

Too many. Time and money wasted, not because these approaches are no good, but because the improvement is so gradual it is easy to think you are getting nowhere and just give up. It's no fun, it's tough, you don't have the time and you can't see it making any difference. Very easy to understand, most of us have been there and done it.

Just think about PlayStation and Xbox now. How many people buy these things, and make excuses not to use them? How many Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo games consoles sit unused in the garage? Here is a proven formula for motivation and fun! What a shame playing video games is no good for you compared with playing on the sports field.

Attempting to put fitness into video games is not a new idea, it's been tried as long ago as 1982 by Atari. The problem is putting fitness into games has always focused on the exercise, taking away from the game in terms of quality or control. Remember the gym vs the console? - Motivation comes from enjoyment. Putting fitness into a racing game is a fair example of what I mean. The more effort you expend the faster the car goes. Great concept, but in practice it becomes tedious compared with the temptation to change the game for the shiny new disc which arrived in the post this morning and has the internet raving about gameplay and graphics.

So can you see why Gamercize is so popular and successful for people striving to reach the next level? Reduce the interaction, so exercise can be automatic. Like walking and talking on a phone, or running while listening to an iPod, like playing football on the beach or playing in the park with the dog - it is fitness by stealth with the focus on the fun.

Now change the game with that shiny new disc that arrived in the post this morning and the motivation is boosted even further.

Exercising with this much motivation, and without a conscious effort, will take you to the next level.

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