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A Wii Workout! Nintendo’s new video game system forces players to move their bodies.

Posted on December 13, 2006
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Wii’s  motion-sensitive technology requires players to act out their character’s movements, a feature that sets Wii game console apart from its competitors Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Sony’s new PlayStation 3.

Some players noticing that hours waving the game’s controller around can add up to fairly intense workout resulting in aches and pains.

Nintendo itself warns players about this risk just before some of the games begin. A message flashes up on the screen saying: “Make sure there are no people or objects around you that you might bump into while playing.” Some Wii games also have pop-up reminders every 15 minutes advising gamers to take a break.

Perrin Kaplan, a spokeswoman from Nintendo, says the company hasn’t received complaints from any gamers about soreness. “It was not meant to be a Jenny Craig supplement,” she says. “If people are finding themselves sore, they may need to exercise more.” She says that while it might be more fun to play the games more aerobically, it’s possible to play without leaving the couch.

The Wii, which retails for $250, comes with a remote control-size device that communicates wirelessly with a sensor sitting on the TV. It also comes with a secondary device — which attaches via a cable to the first device — that can mimic a variety of objects, from fishing rods to samurai swords. With their purchase, gamers also get Wii Sports, a package of five games, including golf, bowling, tennis, boxing and baseball.
[ source: The Wall Street Journal]

Folding Presto Lite Bike

Posted on December 11, 2006
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This small-wheeled Dahon model is made to travel. The three-speed aluminum bike weighs just 19.8 pounds and is super-compact. It is small enough to fit anywhere: under a bus seat, in a storage locker, in the trunk of a car or under your desk.

The bike has a maintenance-free SRAM 3 speed gear hub, all-weather V brakes, mudguards for weather protection, and even a kickstand so you have both hands free when you stop for a coffee on the way to work. The bike is priced for $599.95. You can check Dahon.com for a retailer near you.

 

 

iPods and cellular phones lets runners track their progress

Posted on December 10, 2006
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Nike and Apple released Nike+iPod Sport Kit that lets runners record the distance, time, pace and calories burned during each workout and track performance on a Mac or PC. Bones in Motion Inc. and Sprint Nextel Corp. introduced a service that lets wireless users track their progress during runs, walks and cycling trips from their handsets.

BiM Active works with Sprint, Verizon and Nextel phones that have Global Positioning Satellite capabilities. BiM Active records a user’s pace, distance traveled and calories burned for various activities. A user can upload their performance data through Sprint’s network to Bones in Motion’s Web site, where they can keep detailed logs of their exercise regimens. You will need to subscribe to their service for $9.99 per month which will be added to your mobile phone bill.

The “Nike+iPod Sport Kit”  retail for about $29, and includes both the sensor and a wireless receiver that’s attached to the iPod nano. Using the combination, runners can either receive audible feedback about their workout through the nano’s headphones or check their progress on the screen of the music player. The system also allows runners to select a “PowerSong” that they can access quickly to “help kick a workout to the next level.”

 

 

 

 

Gift idea: Huffy Venice fun bicycle

Posted on December 9, 2006
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Comfort and fun bikes come in a variety of designs. A recumbent cruiser bike like the Huffy Venice has a relaxed seating position that feels and handles a lot differently than a standard upright bicycle. While some recumbent fun bikes feature upright lounge-style seats, the Huffy Venice offers a standard saddle coupled with an additional back pad for greater support. Like most fun bikes, the Venice is not designed for speed but is more suited to short, scenic rides where the riding position allows you to enjoy the view. Those who are overweight or suffer from back problems will appreciate the back support although with the pedals situated further in front of you than a standard bike, riding this fun bike will utilize the gluteal and hamstring muscles more. The well-padded seat on this model provides a comfortable ride and the brakes are sharp and responsive. Components such as the Falcon 6 speed derailleur are not of the highest quality but that is to be expected on a fun bike in this price range.

[source:  consumer guide]

New Coffee claims to help lose weight

Posted on December 9, 2006
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A new coffee drink that claims to help consumers lose weight by reducing the amount of sugar the body absorbs from food will be launched in the UK next year. 

The drink is “Coffee Slender” developed by a a Norwegian company that contains coffee and a unique extract from green coffee beans called Svetol. The coffee in the product is a blend of coffee Arabica and coffee Robusta.

CoffeeSlender, first launched in Norway last year, has become one of the fastest selling weight control products in Scandinavia, according to its UK-based manufacturer, Energix Ventures.

Multitasking can affect your health

Posted on December 7, 2006
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People’s responses to stress differ; some can multitask a lot without any adverse effects, while others become overwhelmed, says Diane Miller, head of the chronic stress and neurotoxicology laboratory at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Among those who respond strongly, two “emergency hormones,” adrenaline and cortisol, are secreted at elevated levels to prepare the body for defensive action. Adrenaline causes the heart and respiration rates to speed up and sharpens the senses, in a “fight or flight” response. Cortisol causes the liver to release extra glucose for energy, Dr. Miller says; it also can “damp down” your immune system, a response that can be helpful in marshalling needed energy short-term, but that can jeopardize your health if it continues too long.