While I’ve only tried it a few times so far (remember that knee injury I mentioned? The doc thinks it might be the beginning of a cartilage problem… which means I get to wear a brace for a few weeks, pop Tylenol Arthritis for pain and avoid stairs like the plague. In short? Bah.) it’s been a lot of fun! I started by creating my own avatar (complete with custom hairstyle and workout duds…Kinda like the one in the pic above) and completing my profile. Then it was onto the good stuff. You can either put together a custom workout or take the 30 Day Challenge. And since I’m a big fan of a good challenge, I chose the latter.

For the first session of the 30 Day Challenge, I worked out in the living room for 25 minutes and burned over 150 calories. Not too shabby, hmm? I got my sweat on, and I really had a great time doing it. In addition to boxing and inline skating, I got to jog, lunge, squat, row and do some bicep curls. Not bad for 25 minutes! It definitely doesn’t feel like work. And my favourite part? It lets you know if you’re not doing something quite right – a bonus for me, since I’m always pretty conscious about my form when it comes to squats and lunges. The instructional videos are a huge bonus, too (and feature an actual person, which helps). Another great feature is that the workout changes every day, so you’re not just doing the same exercises over and over (I’m looking forward to getting to the dancing part).

Last night, Brad and I decided to give the multi-player option a try. We had way too much fun hitting virtual tennis balls and baseballs, and competing to see who could sink the most shots in basketball. My only complaint about the sports activities is that there are no soccer-related options. Now, I know there is only so much that the EA team can squeeze into one game… But don’t you think that a little “keep up” could be good for the booty? Really now.

Bottom line? If you’re looking for an alternative to the Wii Fit, this is a fantastic option. It gives lots of positive feedback, comes with a handy resistance band, and gives really detailed instructions/demonstrations. Add to that a great website choc full of resources, and you’ve got a pretty good foundation for getting back in shape. For more on the EA Sports Active’s features, check this out.

Has anyone else tried the EA Sports Active yet? What do you think?

No idea what I’m talking about? You can check out the trailer here. (And while you’re at it, check out their website. This is marketing done right, friends. It goes beyond being another video game website and has an almost magazine-website-like feel with articles about nutrition, health and wellness. A “Motivation Center”? A “Community”? Brilliant, EA. Srsly.)

From what I’ve seen so far, it seems like this fitness “game” is going to be a lot less judgmental than my old friend, the Wii Fit. Which means that exchanges like the one I had this weekend are much less likely to occur.

Wii Fit Scale Dude: Well well, Alicia! I haven’t seen you in 216 days!

Me: Uh, yeah dude, I’ve been pretty busy.

Wii Fit Scale Dude: You’ve gained 10 pounds since your last session!

Me: Um… About that. As it turns out, playing RockBand drums hasn’t burned as many calories as I thought it would… so… yeah. My bad.

Wii Fit Scale Dude: You’ve failed to meet your weight loss goal. Next time, set smaller, realistic goals that you’re more likely to achieve.

Me: Okay, you know what, scale? You don’t know me. I don’t need this. So eff you, scale. Eff. You.

Wii Fit Scale Dude: Silence. (Likely caused by a lack of power to the Wii.)

Despite bickering with my TV like a crazy woman, I do love the Wii Fit. But honestly? I’m super psyched to give EA Sports Active a try. I’ll let you know how it goes!