Help Mii!

Ah Mii.
Any of you who read this blog know I love my Wii Fit. It's perfect for we wobblies, as it helps balance us, and adjust its expectations day by day so we need not die from over exercise....

But I've got some issues.  First of all, I created my Mii, designing it short and round, only to get on the board and have it readjust me shorter and rounder.  It's harsh.

I got over that shock - after all, I'm still cute on the picture despite my poundage - but then came the weigh in....

The line flows upwards, the BMI is over in the red area, and my Mii shoves out its not insignificant tum and wiggles it while the program says "That's obese!"

Okay, okay, I get over that and even learn not to take the cracks about the balance test not being my strength to heart(it was a bad balance day) and not to cry at the days when my Wii fit age trots up near my real age...and sneer back at it when I haven't exercised for a day and it gives me grief...

Unfortunately, now I am trying to lose weight somewhat dramatically as have diagnosis of diabetes to add to the thrills of MS, and the scale part is important. But it varies extremely depending on where on my carpet I place it. One day it soared by 4.5 kilos!!!! I know water retention is one of those things we wimmen have to cope with, but migods - ten pounds of water?  Unlikely. I hoped.  I rearranged the board.

"Ooh" it cooed when I stepped on it. "Your weight has changed.  Continue?" I continued. I still ended up 3 lbs heavier than I'd been the previous day, but at least I didn't feel like I needed to lie down and die.

Now, though, I don't trust it. I test my weight at least three times during a session. I'm becoming obsessed. It tells me my weight will vary by kilos depending on time of day...it mocks me with its red line and tummy wriggling...it nags me to exercise exercise exercise to get that posture of mine better, alternately praising me for excellent posture and telling me I wobble (dang left ankle) and need to work on my core. It's like an inconsistent parent, giving conditional love.

Help!

In praise of Wii Fit Plus

There are some wonderful technologies available that help me cope with my everyday degradation with MS. I like Dragon Naturally Speaking if I can't type, for example.

But the Wii fit stuff - both this program and the other fitness videos - well, they are a good help for me generally.

I like to exercise within my capabilities, but it's so hard to estimate these with MS. I can set out on a walk, feeling fine, only to realize I have planned badly and ended up far from home, unable to walk without pain. I haul my sorry hide back, step by painful step, afraid of the time when that won't be possible.

My legs are completely numb. My feet feel nothing today, and I am numb all the way to my hips. Exercise can be dangerous in this state - it's easy to get myself into a position where I can do myself damage. I'm not sure where my legs are in space, or how I am balanced. But I need to move, or lose my senses completely, to say nothing of my muscle strength.

The Wii fit gives me feedback for every exercise. While I can't FEEL where I am in space, the little mark on the yellow circles tells me how to hold my body to get the best stretch, to balance effectively. The more I can focus on keeping myself in the yellow area, the better my core strength gets, the better I hold myself, the safer I am with regard to my life.

I am always amazed at how much better I feel even with a very little bit of exercise and stretching. The Wi Fit isn't a difficult workout, really, though after an hour of it, you'll feel it. I mix it up with the Fitness Coach one, and Just Dance. I still try walking although that is not working out very well of late. I SHOULD go biking or exercise biking - there's a gym across the street that remains untouched by me, lazy as I am.

But there's always that fear of doing myself an injury. It takes me such a long time to get back from injuries now....

The Wii Fit, though, fills me with confidence, allows me to focus my workout to match my energy, and tells me all the time how well I am doing. The feedback is invaluable, the coaching helpful. I highly recommend it.