Please welcome the fabulous Laëtitia Wajnapel, who you probably already know of as the fabulous Mademoiselle Robot, as our newest member of the BitchBuzz Team! Laëtitia is well known for her incredible style and amazing blog - but she's also a long-time gamer. *swoon* A seasoned video games journalist by trade, Laëtitia will be giving us the lowdown on new games and gaming consoles right here on BitchBuzz Tech!
A couple of weeks ago, Cate Sevilla and I were invited to the EA Sports lounge in Covent Garden to have a look at their new product, EA Sports Active Personal Trainer . We were told to wear practical clothing and were greeted by a sweat pants clad crowd, doing what appeared to be ritualistic dancing.
Being a contrary person who doesn’t actually own practical clothing, I went there wearing a 1950’s dress. I know this detail doesn’t seem relevant right now, but stick with me!
A little bit of background information about me: I am 30, used to take dance classes and go horse riding when I was a teenager, but haven’t really done any form of regular exercise since then. I did try to go to the gym a few times, but it made me so insanely bored that I promptly gave up.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not a couch potato either. I walk a lot, go out dancing, and am not opposed to a bit of dancing in my underwear to Sister Sledge when nobody is around. Basically, I am not “unfit”, but I am not exactly the sporty type. I also love food, so I don’t do dieting. Ever.
So! Now for a little bit about the game, or should I say “product” as it is not actually a game, but more of a lifestyle gadget. EA describes it as a “customizable fitness programme” and is a collection of over 25 sport inspired exercises (tennis, baseball, volley ball, dance) as well as more traditional workouts (lunges etc).
You can use the Virtual Trainer who encourages you and sets goals for your exercise routine. During all the workout sessions, you can keep an eye on your calorie counter on the screen, and you can even play with a friend, which is what sets EA Sports Active apart from Wii Fit.
I gave it a whirl, on Medium difficulty, and I am disappointed to say that I didn’t break a sweat. Nothing. I did boxing, dancing, baseball, basketball and tennis, not a single droplet of sweat in sight, no burning sensation in my muscles, nada. So I got bored - mostly because I don’t like sports - and once I was over the novelty of the concept, I sat down and ate a halloumi wrap. (It was delicious, by the way.)
This experiment and a quick chat with the nutritionist (who was there for the event) reinforced my idea that there is no quick or fun way of staying fit and/or losing weight. It has to be a long, life altering process that starts with what you eat and drink. You have to exercise regularly for a substantial amount of time, with professional advice if possible.
Eating and exercising habits take a long time to get into. Using your Wii for 10 minutes a day isn’t going to make you thinner, fitter or healthier if that’s all you do. On its own, this product is just a gimmick, fun for 10 minutes and quickly forgotten.
However, once coupled with a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise, I am sure it is a brilliant way of keeping in shape on those rainy days, when you can’t be bothered to go out to the gym.
It can also help you keep to your exercise routine if you enter the “30 Day Challenge, as it will set new tasks for you everyday for a month. If you plan on getting back into the gym soon, you could use EA Sports Active Personal Trainer “30 Day Challenge” as a stepping stone.
If you already go to the gym or exercise regularly, you can use it to inject a bit of fun in your fitness regime. If you don’t go to the gym and don’t think about joining in the near future but still moan about being unfit, don’t get this game and think it will be the magic solution.
Get your butt to the gym and then get the game!