Bowling until it hurts!

Girl: I'd like a triple vanilla ice cream sundae with chocolate syrup, nuts, whipped cream, topped off with a slice of cucumber. Waiter: Did I hear you right? Did you say top it off with a slice of cucumber? Girl: Good heavens, you're right! forget the cucumber – I'm on a diet.

This year we are taking some more steps towards being healthier. First, we are trying to lose some weight. To that end, I have started back up with Weight Watchers again. Paul isn't attending the meetings with me, but he is attempting to follow the program along with me so that we can both take some pounds off. Back when Ivy was a toddler, I managed to lose about 25 pounds and reach my goal weight and become a lifetime member of Weight Watchers. Over the years, that and more has crept back on. Recently, it seemed to do more than creep and a recent step onto the scale after a period of neglect shocked me completely. I vowed immediately that I needed to lose some weight and was back at Weight Watchers within a fortnight. It seems like paying somebody else money so that I can stay motivated is the only way for me to take the pounds off. But I reasoned that my health was worth the expenditure. I've been following the program for a little over two weeks and the scale is moving in the right direction, so I'm feeling happy. I can actually feel it in the most recent jeans that I bought. I was a bit depressed when I got them because they were the largest size I ever bought, but hopefully I won't be wearing them much longer!

One thing that Weight Watchers stresses besides healthier eating habits is activity. Apparently the word "exercise" has negative connotations to many (myself included.) So they have decided the word "activity" is more user friendly. A couple months back, I told Paul that I wanted to get a Wii with our tax return money--specifically a Wii Fit. At the first WW meeting that I attended, the Wii was actually mentioned as a way to get more active. Ours was on order at that point, but not actually in hand. All during the holidays, I kept looking to see if Wii's were available because I figured that would be a time for them not to be in the store. However, they always seemed to be there, so I figured I wouldn't have any problem when I had the money to get mine in January or February. Boy, was I wrong! Amazon got some in stock and I ordered quickly. Getting a Wii Fit Plus was another story. Couldn't find it anywhere locally and every place online seemed to be sold out. Finally at the end of last week, Walmart got it in stock and I ordered as soon as I saw it. Glad I moved quickly on it because it was out of stock again within a day or two. The Wii Fit Plus arrived today (ahead of schedule, no less) and we've been getting familiar with it this afternoon and evening. It's fun and certainly does promote activity. It keeps track of how many minutes you have put in and how many calories you have burned. It takes your little Mii character and calculates your BMI and then chunks you up accordingly. Paul and I both had quite pudgy Mii's.

Speaking of Paul, he wasn't really excited about getting another game system in the house. However, even he was impressed how it actually isn't another couch potato system, and he has become a rather large fan of the bowling game that came with the Wii. Which of course leads us to the title of my post. After an evening of intense bowling, I was in pain with every movement the next day. I was not to be outdone by the game, though, (and besides it's fun!) and kept at it the next night. The next day I hurt less, and now I can indulge in an evening of bowling with Paul and be good to go the next day!

There is a giveaway currently going on over at Jolly Mom for EA SPORTS Active Personal Trainer which is another Wii exercise program that features a 30 day challenge with 20 minute daily workouts. I was considering getting this if the Wii Fit Plus hadn't become available when it did. It still sounds like a great exercise program and I'd love to have it. Plus I've read some great reviews of the follow up to this one--EA SPORTS Active More Workouts. If your interested in finding out more, head over to Jolly Mom for the giveaway and check out EA Sports for more info specific to the program.