Can Wii get Fit?

This weekend I finally tried the Wii Fit. I wanted to see why this game is so popular and could not be found for purchase during the holidays. A few of my clients have the game and asked if I had ever tried it, but since I stay fairly active between teaching 7 classes a week and exercising with my clients, I can sacrifice. It is a video experience that I found fun, increased my heart rate and I also noticed my competitive nature resurfaced.
I had a chance to play tennis in addition to bowling, hula hooping and basic stepping. I love to bowl as it is, so I loved to compete with my husband and friends without getting the shoes at the local bowling alley. I also found I was very competitive with the tennis game and really got into it, which increased my heart rate a little. My heart rate also increased while hula hooping, although I had to get my timing right while reaching to catch each hula-hoop. The basic step was a great introduction for someone that wants to take step class at their fitness club or community center. One could get a better workout by walking quickly up and down their steps 10 or times to burn a few more calories.
For someone that has not been exposed to ANY form of exercise, I think it is a great catalyst to get started. It tracks your weight and keeps a calendar of your visits for accountability. It may not be in your budget, however, if you know someone that has it, give it a try. Once someone is really comfortable with it, they should be ready to increase the intensity of their workout and incorporate strength training (with more than just body weight) into their regimen to gain more lean muscle to burn even more calories.