Published in the Lynn Haven Ledger, January 2012
New Year’s Resolution...Play Video Games Article by: Clark Stream, PA-C
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his time last year I wrote in the Ledger about the millions of Americans who made resolutions to become fit and lose weight. I recommended a walking program to help keep fit, reduce risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and dementia. By midway into 2011 only a few patients could say they were continuing a walking program. Some had even lost weight. For most, the idea to make a change had faded as quickly as the warm to hot weather of the summer appeared. In the June to July issue I wrote about a stationary lifestyle and introduced the idea of using a pedal exerciser, indoors, in a controlled, cool environment. Many patients continue to pedal off the pounds with 30 minutes of daily exercise while watching television. For the majority of us, we need another jump start on exercise and weight loss for 2012. My idea for the New Year is…Play Video Games. That’s right, video games. The new systems, Xbox 360 with Kinect, PlayStation 3 with move and Wii all have games that help you log in a workout without leaving your living room. Everyone wants to work out, but nobody really wants to put the effort into it. So Exergaming is a great way to get the whole family involved in exercise. Just pop in an activity oriented game (anything from dancing to ski jumping) and have fun. The Bloorview Research Institute reviewed over 15 studies on children and video games between 1998 and 2010. They concluded that even though the amount of exercise varied from game to game, children got the same amount of exercise as they would from a brisk 10 minute walk. Consistency is the name of the game when it comes to fitness related health benefits. The American Heart Association has given its seal of approval to “Active-Play” video games that promote physical activity with a goal to help reduce rates of obesity and heart disease. Is this going to be the year you achieve your resolutions? It can definitely be the year you exercise more if you’ll join the thousands of others who are using video games to achieve their exercise goals. Give it a try. You’ll likely be surprised at how much you enjoy it. In December, 2012, I hope to write about how much exercise I get from using my Xbox 360 with Kinect. I plan on becoming an Exergaming specialist this New Year. Of course, my awesome wife and kids need to read this article first and buy me a gaming console. I wonder if you can burn calories while playing Madden Football or Call of Duty type games?