Why do I want to lose weight?

I have been overweight since I was 10 years old. I was a skinny kid and then we moved, I didn't know anyone and dived head first into books and drawing. I spent most of my days on my bed reading, writing, and drawing; anything but get out and get physically active.

By my mid-teens I had found some friends and had become more active and I did a lot of walking and started to lose just a little bit of weight. Then, at the very young age of 16, I got pregnant, this did not help me lose any weight. I didn't put much on with my son, and lost most of it over the next few years.

At the age of 22 I had my second child, and put on 50 pounds. I only lost about 15 pounds in the year or so after the pregnancy. Then over the last few years I just let myself slip even more till I weighed 5 pounds more then I did at my heaviest pregnancy weight.

Then, a year ago, I was told that my cholesterol was borderline high and with the family history of heart attacks and my previous trips to the ER for chest pains, I had made up my mind. It was time to fix things.

After spending almost a year reading nutrition facts and labels and trying to eat healthier, I realized I still wasn't losing any weight. I felt better about what I was eating, but not any better about my figure.

So, for Christmas, I asked for the Wii Fit. I started working out 2-3 days a week doing a random combination of exercises available through the Wii Fit. After a month of not really seeing much in the way of results, I had decided to switch to strictly cardio. Now I workout 5 days a week for 30 minutes or more and I have lost 12 pounds and 16 inches in 2 months.

I feel much better then I ever did. I don't get winded doing simple things any more. My pants keep getting looser and I've had to give away a bunch of clothes that are too big for me now. Which feels great.

Now we know I have medical reasons for trying to lose the weight but that's not the only reason. Like most of you trying to lose weight, I just want to look better too. I want to buy those clothes that have never fit me, I want to be able to wear a bathing suit with out shorts and a t-shirt over them. I want people to look at me and see me, not the extra weight I am carrying.

Why do you want to lose the weight? What keeps you motivated to work out and eat better? I'd love to hear what helps you and what keeps you going!

Free and Cheap Gym Alternatives

As we all know gym memberships and personal trainers are expensive. Don't let the cost of a gym membership be your excuse. There are plenty of ways to get excersice for little or no cost.

1. Jogging or running is free. This is something you can do outside anywhere you like or even jog around in your house. If you feel like it you can purchase a new or used treadmill.

2. Step Aerobics doesn't have to be in a class, you can do it at home on your own steps, or purchase a step board, they are not very expensive.

3. Youtube has a plethra of workout videos, or you can purchase any number of workout videos online or in stores.

4. Consider joining a local sports team, or find a friend to work out with. Many people will advertise on Craig's List looking for someone to workout with. (PLEASE be careful when dealing with strangers on Craigslist or any other website, take a friend with you and meet in a public place.)

5. Dancing in your house to music can be great exercise. Try and find upbeat music and really move for at least 20 minutes. If you are not sweating and out of breath you're not getting all the benefit.

6. Spinning or bicycling is another great fairly inexpensive way to get a great workkout. Plus buying a bike or a stationary bike is a one time expense, as opposed to a monthly gym membership.

7. Consider signing up for classes at an annex or community college, these are usually failry inexpensive and you get the benefit of having an instructor to help you.

8. Yoga is considered to be an aerobic exercise as well, and if you don't want to join a yoga class you can watch some videos on youtube, or buy a video.

9. The Wii Fit for those of you who have a Wii or would like to get one this is a great program not only because of exercises but because there is an instructor programmed in to guide you along the way.

Now you can't let that "I can't afford a gym" mentailty get to you anymore. You can workout anywhere, you just have to want it bad enough. Stick with it and you'll be much happier with yourself.

Wii Fit Plus + Balance Board for the Nintendo Wii

So I mentioned that I got a Wii Fit Plus for Christmas this year and I'd like to talk a little bit more about that. I LOVE my Wii Fit Plus. I have never been very big on working out, and I'm a bit of a couch potato in the evening hours after the kids go to bed. I have found though, that the Wii Fit Plus is easy to use and fun. I have been using it 2-3 times a week for at least 20 minutes, sometimes as long as an hour, and boy do you work up a sweat!

There's 5 main segments to the game: training plus, yoga, strength training, aerobics and balance games. Each segment offers numerous activities, or you can enter the My Wii Fit Plus area where you can create and/or combine exercise to customize your workout.

The Wii Fit body test not only weighs you and tells you where your center of balance lies, but it will give you your Body Mass Index or BMI. The program lets you set a weight loss goal and the time you'd like to complete it in. You get a stamp everyday on your calendar that you perform a body test and a graph to show your progress. You'll earn coins for every minute of exercise you do in a day, this will unlock new exercises as you go along. It also has a calorie counter that lets you know how many calories you burned per exercise or for your whole workout.

Another really cool feature is the lock function you can add to your Mii character in the Wii Fit game, your 4 digit pin allows you to hide your weight and stats from prying eyes. For those of you unfamiliar with the Wii gaming system the Mii is the character you create to represent yourself as a player.

I highly recommend buying the Wii Fit Plus system for the Wii, it's just amazing. I'd like to get the "Step It Up Wii Fit Aerobics Step Platform" which sits under your Wii Fit Balance Board to bring it to the standard aerobics height of 4". This version includes a drawer for organizing your Wii accessories. Anything that can help me lose more weight and stay organized is a winner in my book! Maybe I can get the significant other to get it for me when my birthday rolls around here in 2 months :)