Best Buy: 2 for $40 on Wii Workout Games

For those of you that have been wanting My Fitness Coach and Gold Gym's Cardio Workout, Best Buy has a deal this week where you can get the 2 for $40. There are a few other games in the list to choose from here.

Is anyone else finding that the Wii system and Workout games are a great investment?! I am loving the variety and having the ability to sneak in some exercise while the kids are napping. It sure beats the price of the gym memberships here in Chicagoland! (That I'd probably never get out of the house to use!) :)

Also, here's one to keep your eye out for a sale on it: Active Life Outdoor Challenge. We picked it up dirt cheap around Christmas at some crazy one hour sale. It offers "river rafting, mine-cart adventure, log jumping, see-saw, jump rope, water trampoline, plus many more!" For those of you with older kids, it might be one you could do together.

I have the Cardio Workout but I didn't get to play it this weekend. Did anyone else, yet? I did hear it focused a lot on boxing. (Which I love!) It's funny...about the only thing I ever spend my "allowance" on is workout games and running equipment. But what better investment is there than your health?

Review: My Fitness Coach for Wii

On Sunday, I saw Best Buy had My Fitness Coach discounted to $20. Ironically, I had $20 left of my Christmas money from my Mom and I thought it would be the perfect way to spend it. (Thanks, Mom!) Let me tell you, it was a great investment!

I've been using the WiiFit but I also wanted to check this one out. It's for the Wii but not WiiFit compatible. So for those of you who just own the Wii, it's a way to get in your exercise!

First, it starts off by having you build your profile. Now, you need a resting heartrate so don't do any exercising before you start.

Next, they have you log your current measurements for your arms, chest, waist, hips and thighs. (Though, you can skip this step.) This is great because you can track your results long term. So you may not be shedding pounds, but you could be bulking up muscle or shrinking down your waistline!

Next, they test your current body strengths/weaknesses to see where you are at overall. They'll make you do 2 minutes of jumping jacks,(brutal!) some push-ups, some crunches, etc. Now this is important...do not ever lie to the system! It will only hurt your results. If you only did 2, fess up and say 2! :) At the end, they will give you your recommendations of what you should focus on (mine was upper-body strength) but you can choose your own path, if you'd like.

What I like about this "game", shall we call it, is that it allows you to choose your own music type and background for your workouts. The more you "play" the more choices unlock.

The trainer for this game is Maya. She's got a calming voice and I don't find her irritating one bit like some computer graphics. You set up your commitments for your week choosing from no workout, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, etc. You can change them as need be. I chose to start with 15 minutes a couple times a week.

They recommended a workout but also gave me the option of choosing my own. I figure, they knew best and so far, I've done the cardio and core workouts. While you are working out, the "moves" scroll across the bottom of the screen. This is great because you can see how long you are stuck doing that one and you know what to expect next. They also plan in actual rest periods. Throughout the workouts, they'll stop and ask you how you are doing. You have to choose from no sweat, working hard or can't keep up. Again...Don't Lie! They will alter your workouts, dialing them up or down, as needed. Don't be embarrassed to say it's too much!

You can also log any other activities you do so you can keep track of all your daily workout times.

Overall, I am loving this game. After I've completed each workout, I can actually FEEL the difference. I'd give it 5 stars so far. If you have the $20-$30, it's totally worth the money.

Let me know if you try it and your thoughts on it!