The great thing about using a Wii gaming system compared to other gaming systems is that it causes you to move. The Wii games are a lot of fun and challenging so you often lose track of time and you don't realize that you are exercising.

The different types of workouts that come with the Wii include strengthening exercises like yoga, cardio, and strength building. A recent study done by Nintendo found that most of the exercises on the Wii caused people to burn just as many calories as they can when they head out for a brisk walk. While not all of the exercises push your muscles to the extreme, you will definitely become sore as you push through the workouts and enjoy playing the game.

While the yoga and balancing games will strengthen the core of your body, the cardio will force your heart rate to increase along with your breathing which helps you burn more calories. In order to participate in some of the higher levels that cause you to sweat more, you need to use the Wii Fit often so you can unlock these levels. Having a challenge to unlock each of the different levels is a great way to continue pushing yourself to the next level.

In order to lose weight and to burn calories with the Wii Fit, you need to keep your heart rate elevated for at least 20 minutes. This is why the Hula Hoop exercise is a great one to try out as it causes you to move your entire body. It's an exhausting workout and you will be sore the next day without even realizing how much time you spent exercising on the Wii.

Using some of the exercises like snowboarding and baseball, you can slowly transition your body into using the Wii on a regular basis. Starting with the lower impact exercises will make it much easier on your body when you start using the higher impact exercises like the Hula Hoop. When you start to get bored with exercising, change the game you are playing. The balancing games are a great way to work on strengthening the overall condition of your muscles versus making them pop out like you will get with the strength training exercises. As you are nearing the completion of your exercise routine, finish up with yoga or other cooling exercises.

According to the American Heart Association, you should get at least 30 minutes of daily exercise in order to prevent heart disease and stroke. With the Wii Fit, it's easy to get in the 30 minutes of exercise you need. Plus, it's a lot of fun to do it 5 days a week. The great thing about the Wii is that it allows you to set up an exercise program and you have your own avatar that gets smaller or bigger as you gain or lose weight. This is a great motivator since the last thing you want to see is your avatar getting bigger and the gaming system telling you that you have put on some weight since your last gaming session.