Weight Loss through Dance Dance Revolution? 186
An anonymous reader writes "Looking at the beer gut that's developed over the winter, and the excercise schedule that I haven't kept for more than two days at a time, I realize that I need a new plan. A gym isn't the answer; I can't keep a schedule for working out in my apartment, there's no way I could make it to the gym on any regular basis. I've had multiple people in the last few weeks tell me stories involving weight loss through Dance Dance Revolution, and it sounds like a great idea to me! working out is hard, playing video games is easy, and dancing is fun. But a Google search turned up way too much info, and way too little of it was useful unless I want to spend the next four weeks researching this. Does the Slashdot community have any ideas, suggestions, or personal experience that they cared to relate on any of these topics?"
"First, what's the best pad to get? What kind of differences are there between pads? Is it worth spending $100+, or will the cheaper pads do? Second, what software is best to use? Ideally I'd like to have something expandable, which means getting a PC rig rather than a PS2 one. Are there any open source DDR-type programs? How does one acquire songs?"
"just do it" (Score:5, Insightful)
And before you say, "I can't run three miles," neither could I before this most recent spring break. Since I wasn't leaving town or really doing anything, I decided to take the initiative to run, just to see what happened. It's been about a month, month and a half now and I've lost more than eight pounds. Running that far isn't an insurmountable task like it was before. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't particularly fun, and it certainly wasn't exciting, but it did work. Believe it or not, diet and exercise are the absolute best path towards your goal. And exercise is as simple as making yourself run. Times have never been better for the fast food junkie wanting to diet. You can still munch Jack in the Box, just get a pita or a salad instead of, well, anything else on the menu there.
One last recommendation: If you can afford it, invest in a treadmill. Running outside takes more commitment than running indoors. Once I didn't have to leave for a gym, or even go out in the cold, running quickly became a daily thing.
Re:"just do it" (Score:2)
Of course this will work and it will make anybody fit.
The problem is one of motivation, and this is why both running and DDR will fail. You don't need to play DDR to lose weight, you can run or do any kind of reasonable exercise.
The reason gyms work at all for weight loss is that once someone has paid for something, they feel compelled to use it, which forms a simple but effective motivation.
A treadmill is a good idea because it would take away th
Re:"just do it" (Score:4, Insightful)
True.
and this is why both running and DDR will fail.
Not necessarily true. If one enjoys DDR (or any other game or sport involving physical activity), exercise becomes recreation rather than work. The key is finding something that motivates you enough to exercise regularly, whether that is making the exercise more enjoyable or getting a kick in the ass from something (someone) else.
The reason gyms work at all for weight loss is that once someone has paid for something, they feel compelled to use it, which forms a simple but effective motivation.
Effective for some people. But many people have plenty of other sources of motivation, and work out in a gym for other reasons (more/better equipment, availability of trainers and/or spotters, etc....)
Re:"just do it" (Score:3, Funny)
The scenery.
The most fit I've been in my adult life (i.e. since I discovered alcohol) was when I was working at a college, where I had free access to the campus athletic facilities... complete with exercising college students. It's easier to keep your pace when trying to keep up with a nice-looking runner ahead of you on the track,
Run easy, run often (Score:2, Informative)
1. Run 100 feet, walk back home
2. skip a day
3. Run 110 feet, walk back home
4. skip a day
5. Run 120 feet, walk back home
6. Run 1 mile, walk back home
I did this over a 4 month period and went from being out of breath after 100 feet to being able to run 7 miles continuously.
The Key is to always run a little more than the last time. Sometimes, when you have the right weather, food intake, and your body cooperates, you can run more than 10 extra feet.
Re:"just do it" (Score:2)
The reason the Gym worked for me is because there are a ton of hot women there. What's even better... most of them are confident about their bodies so they don't care if you look at them.
As the original poster on this thread said, just do it. If you can't commit yourself to a regular schedule for working out now, how is DDR going to make
Re:"just do it" (Score:5, Funny)
As long as you are not the most creepy person in the gym, you're safe.
Not the most creepy person in the gym (Score:4, Insightful)
A lot of guys have a misguided idea of what "most creepy" means. Usually it means "most threatening". Most women have a creep-o-meter, and if you exceed the green zone they'll start to mind. Some women like to be looked at, but most of the pretty women shy away (and stop showing up) if they get stared at by anyone.
Appearances matter, but not the way you think. Good looks doesn't count as much as good hygene. Women usually don't mind a clean-cut guy, unless he's good looking or leering, both of which will get you marked as predatory.
If you don't want to scare women away in the gym, follow a few simple rules:
1. Don't look directly at them the first day that you notice them. Yes, I said DAY. If they're there on your next visit, then they're safe to briefly check out.
2. Never stare. If you don't get enough information from a breif glance, you need to come up with an excuse to talk to them. If you don't think you'll get anywhere talking to them, then staring will only make things worse.
3. Exercise while you're there. Don't just wander around, look exhausted, sit on a machine, set the weights, look exhausted, change to another machine, sit on it, look exhausted, play with the weights some more, maybe do a few slow reps, then go get a drink of water and stand around the fountain looking exhausted, (etc., etc., etc.) Women notice that kind of thing and quickly tune in to the fact that you aren't there for the machines, you're there for the people using the machines.
Re:"just do it" (Score:1)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Re:"just do it" (Score:2, Informative)
Sure, running will give you great cardio fitness, but at the expense of arthritic ankles and knees.
If you REALLY want to get in shape, and be able to walk past your 50th birthday, take up swimming or cycling.
If you are going to spend the money to get a treadmill, get an elliptical machine i
Re:"just do it" (Score:2)
Everyone has a threshold above which they should not push themselves with impact exercises such as running, for the reasons you mentioned.
The important thing is to listen to your body. If you are in pain when you are running, it means take a break, not try harder.
If you follow this advice you'll do fine.
Re:"just do it" (Score:2)
Re:"just do it" (Score:2)
Just go outside, and run. Just go. Don't develop a schedule, don't come up with a "plan." Just get it done. Run as far as you can, then walk, then run some more!
Excellent advice - but for those wanting a slight bit more guidance, consider the rec.running beginners FAQ [faqs.org]. It can give you a better idea how much to do at first, how to ramp it up, and what to expect. Overdoing it too quickly will send most people back to the couch with soreness and ultimately discourage them.
But I definitely agree, just g
I used to work out (Score:3, Interesting)
Nintendo had this 20 years ago (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Nintendo had this 20 years ago (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Nintendo had this 20 years ago (Score:2)
Re:Nintendo had this 20 years ago (Score:2)
You know, kind of like DDR :P
DDR is not easy (Score:5, Informative)
DDR is not easy! It took me a lot of practicing to pass the first stage. By the way an hour of playing DDR is much more tiring than working out for an hour. However it is fun and even addictive so you'll keep on playing it.
Re:DDR is not easy (Score:2)
Re:DDR is not easy (Score:2)
Re:DDR is not easy (Score:2)
Not sure if this will help... (Score:2)
What sort of a surface will you be dancing on? Is it someone's celing? Is it carpeted with a nap that will move your pad across the room?
If you are looking for other alternatives, is there some activity you like to do that you can expand on? I dropped about 75 lb over 10 months walking at a shopping mall after work four days a week. If you are like most peopl
StepMania (Score:5, Informative)
It's a fantastic program, and there's even an Xbox port! Try it, I think you'll be surprised how polished it feels!
I don't have any experience of losing weight with it though - I kind of have the opposite problem.
Re:StepMania (Score:2, Interesting)
I use stepmania with a pc and a solid dance mat [lik-sang.com], mainly for exercise rather than enjoyment. I try to do 40-50 minutes of pretty fast dancing a day, which used to be enough to knacker me out, but these days I have to hold 5kg weights while dancing to get a decent workout.
I wasn't fat to start with, just unfit, but it is most definitely good exercise if you can get fast enough and do lots of songs one after another. Most of the stories on the internet about people losing weight with DDR seems to be from ob
Re:StepMania (Score:3, Informative)
Stepmania (Score:1)
As a DDR player... (Score:4, Informative)
If it is, get a good, durable pad. DDRFreak will have suggestions. You can get the pads for Playstation or PC.
There are also instructions on building your own, but if you have trouble with the motivation to exercise already, just buy a pad. Don't give yourself excuses.
I don't play DDR. (Score:5, Informative)
1. change your diet. veggies and veggies. Eat healthy, no more double bacon cheeseburger 3 times a day. No more soda. Instead, always have a liter of water on you. Sit down, have a meal, leave. Don't dibble dabble at the table with food infront of you. It will only make you eat more.
2. start moving. If your thinking, pace. Sure you may seem like a nervous wreak to your boss, but atleast your going to look sexy doing it (some day that is).
3. Remember. Energy in > Energy out = weight gain
Energy out > energy in = weight loss.
Laslty. If you feel the urge to swallow something, swallow water.
-Grump
Re:I don't play DDR. (Score:3, Informative)
I would like to add:
1. Consume at least 2 litres of water per day. If you exercise during that day, drink an extra 1-2 litres. If it is a hot day - drink an extra 1-2 litres. Water helps keeps the brain 'on task', it flushes impurities from your body, it's energy content is negligible and it is cheap. Remember - if you are feeling thirsty - you are already starting to dehydrate.
2. Consume no more than 20 grams of fat (not FAT32) per day. Even if you rarely exercise (like me) - you will lo
Re:I don't play DDR. (Score:5, Informative)
Myth. There is no scientific evidence supporting
- that humans need to drink large amounts of water
- that the thirst response of your body has a fundamental misadjustment. (An exception may be extremely intensive sporting, but not normal day-to-day life)
- that impurities are flushed from the body more effectively if you drink more. That is not how the kidneys work.
Drink water or products with a large water content when you feel thirsty. Excessive water intake can lead to loss of minerals.Consume no more than 20 grams of fat (not FAT32) per day
This is a modern belief, especially prevalent in the USA, which is quite disputable. All experts agree in any case that saturated fats and trans-unsaturated fats are unhealthy. However, cis-unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (roughly the ones that are liquid at room temperature) are not unhealthy per se. Fats are digested much more slowly than carbohydrates, which makes you feel saturated for a longer time after a meal.
Limit alcohol consumption to one occasion per week.
Moderate intake of alcohol has been proven to have a positive effect on heart and blood vessels. The negative effects of alcohol on the liver start only at higher intakes. Moderate here means up to 2 standard glasses (e.g. 100 ml wine or 250 ml beer) per day for males and 1 for females. Essential here is that there is a small amount of alcohol in the body most of the time, so spread out the alcohol intake as much as possible over the days. If you drink red wine, you'll get the additional benefits of the flavonoid anti-oxidants as well.
Of course, it's true that alcohol carries a lot of calories.
Re:I don't play DDR. (Score:3, Informative)
The problem with making blanket statements is that they are nearly always false [atkins.com]. Whether or not it's true, whether or not you think Taubes has an agenda, not everyone believes that it particularly matters what kind of fat you take in.
From the article I linked:
Re:I don't play DDR. (Score:2)
Your statement is false. I currently have my liver monitored for abnormal behavior due to the drugs a doctor has me on which can possibly damage it. So far, the drug has not done anything noticeable to my liver in the past two years. However, drinking alcohol has directly caused my liver levels to spike. How do I
Re:I don't play DDR. (Score:2)
Al points out that he was a well maintained machine, so when he started taking in things such as this full on, when he never has, his body shocked. Same is most likely true for you.
Re:I don't play DDR. (Score:2)
One exception does not make his statement false. You didn't tell us how much you're drinking or what your medical condition is. If you are taking drugs that affect can affect the liver, chances are your illness may be liver related. Also, I think I'd rather trust the many scientific studies involving multiple people rather than your personal opinion involving
Re:I don't play DDR. (Score:2)
Moderate intake of alcohol has been proven to have a positive effect on heart and blood vessels. The negative effects of alcohol on the liver start only at higher intakes. Moderate here means up to 2 standard glasses (e.g. 100 ml wine or 250 ml beer) per day for males and 1 for females
So one exception does make the statement false. My consumption of alcohol is at greatest one glass twice a WEEK. My doctor has said that the liver test
Re:I don't play DDR. (Score:2)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?c m d= Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=1505547 5
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cm d= Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=1504212 8
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cm d= Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=1465264 0
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cm d= Retrieve&d
Re:I don't play DDR. (Score:2)
Re:I don't play DDR. (Score:2, Insightful)
You have been on a drug that may affect your
Re:I don't play DDR. (Score:2)
That said, it is a myth that calories you eat before bed get stored as fat. There are numerous studies which indicate that the time of day that you consume calories has little impact on fat loss or gain overall.
I recently read something that contradicts the above. IIRC, it was a clinical study in which identical diets were fed to the subjects in a single meal per day either in the morning, at midday or in the evening. The morning group lost weight, the evening
Re:I don't play DDR. (Score:2)
Re:I don't play DDR. (Score:2)
Unburned carbohydrates are stored (in part - some goes to waste) as fat. So if you eat a bunch of carbs and hit the hay, you're going to plump up.
Unless you are in ketosis, fat you have consumed and not burned will (again, in part) be stored as fat.
It's best
EVERYONE'S HOMEWORK (Score:2)
Re:I don't play DDR. (Score:4, Funny)
Energy out > energy in = weight loss.
Yup, remember that E=mc^2, so if you want to drop a kilogram, you only have to have a net energy expenditure of about 9E16 joules... no problem!
Re:I don't play DDR. (Score:2)
What do you know about the OP's diet? The only thing I saw mentioned was beer. Hmmm. I'll look again... nope, nothing about "double bacon cheeseburgers 3 times a day" nor anything about soda.
Your advice isn't bad. But it is unfortunate that you couldn't offer it without the "I'm so much smarter than you, fatass" attitude.
Re:I don't play DDR. (Score:2)
Re:I don't play DDR. (Score:2)
Before you get the opinion I am some sort of fat monkey, rest assured, I am in fantastic shape.
With that, there are LOADS of people
Mostly related, the water all of the time approach is actually a caus
The Hacker's Diet free, online book & spreadsh (Score:5, Informative)
It's been around for a while, but may be worth
a fresh mention:
www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/www/hackdiet.html
Exercise AND Diet (Score:3, Informative)
BTW, when I say diet I mean eating PROPERLY, not necessarily eating less. Just eating less doesn't help that much if it's still all junk.
The best way to go is to get up an hour earlier than you do now and exercise first thing in the morning, rather than trying to squeeze it in at night when you are tired and really don't feel like it. You might find you are a little tired (especially mid-afternoon) for the first few days, but once you are used to it it's a great way to get the blood pumping and get you started for the day.
After a while your body will become accustomed to your exercise pattern, and your weight loss might plateau. If this happens you should look at occasionally doing something different, such as swimming, cycling, running, or a sport like ultimate [ultylife.com].
Worked for me. (Score:3, Interesting)
Arcade play beats home play, for the most part. Home pads that are actually good quality run several hundred dollars. And if you find an arcade community you like, the social aspects are a lot of fun too.
The key is to have fun. As long as you manage that, everything else will be easy.
First, you need a rig... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:First, you need a rig... (Score:4, Insightful)
The OS X version on my friend's powerbook runs about as well as the windows version does on my computer. The linux one seems to stutter a bit more, I don't know why, but I'm working on it.
I play on ignition pads when I'm at my friend's house, but prefer the arcade pad feel. When I can't do either, I just practice rhythm using the keyboard. Even that's fun, I don't know why.
I don't need to lose weight though, I just play it because it's fun. And because the girls seem to like it.
Re:First, you need a rig... (Score:2)
Re:First, you need a rig... (Score:2, Interesting)
worked great for me (Score:2)
Idea (Score:2)
Learn how to use Google's "-" operator?
Dance Dance (revolution?) (Score:5, Interesting)
Having said that, I don't exercise if it's boring. I cannot stand walking for long periods of time unless I have music or company with me. Obviously, exercise is hard work, and because exercise is fundamentally the most effective way of losing weight combined with sensible eating, trimming down to that size 8 or whatever is hard work too.
I don't do DDR becuase yes, it is harder than it looks and I feel stupid everytime I try. My friend has a DDR mat which she connects to her PC and she has a go at that but it's painstaking work to set it up, put the disc in and wait for it to load. Going out to the city to Intensity or Playtime is just too embarrassing because I'm terrible at it.
I dance, choreograph dance, do competition aerobics and play all sorts of team sports because it is just that much more fun and it's never monotonous and repetitive (no I'm not gay, I'm a girl - sorry but that stereotype exists, sadly). Unlike DDR, which I get bored of after about ten minutes, sport and dancing to music without jumping around on a crazy mat is a lot more appealing. Sure, DDR can improve your co-ordination skills and make you sweat a bit but that's about it in my opinion. You can achieve better co-ordination skills in playing sport as well as dancing and aerobics not to mention the benefits of flexibility, improved cardio-vascular system, creativity and social skills.
Of course, it's ultimately up to the individual. I understand that what is fun to me, isn't necessarily fun to everybody else, as there are other factors to account for such as fitness level, personal interests and expenses etc. There are so many ways to exercise it's not funny, so experimenting with different methods will surely find the right one for you.
By the way, try Capoeira - Brazilian martial arts which combines self-defence and dance!
Re:Dance Dance (revolution?) (Score:2)
You know, there's a Capoeira school near me, and each time I see them practice, it just looks like they're pointing their butts at each other. They come out into the ring, turn around, and look between their legs at the other person, then dance around a bit. It really looks like a hugely exaggerated version of "da butt."
I'm sure there's got to be more to it than that, but I've seen 3 or 4 of their demos, and they
Re:Dance Dance (revolution?) (Score:2)
I guess it's a matter of priorities in allocating time to exercise. Without health you don't have work, without work you don't have health.
Try something fun and sociable (Score:3, Informative)
Try and find a form of exercise that you enjoy and which also has a sociable element.
I do Taekwondo twice a week. It's easy to keep going regularly because:
I'm not saying TKD if the way for you, but the above qualities make it a good way to get and stay fit, without dropping out.
Re:Try something fun and sociable (Score:2)
One thing though. Check the teacher to make sure he/she is ok in the head. There are quite a lot of "McDojos" out there which are more interested in getti
workout tips (Score:1)
Always walk when the distance is less than 500 meters (or 1000 or so)
Use the stairs if you only need to go up or down 2 or three floors.
Do all your shopping yourself, and carry it home.
Sell the electric lawnmower and get the old-fashioned model.
My point: try to make everyday events and chores into exercises.
pydance (Score:4, Informative)
They also have a good faq [icculus.org] with information on what mats to buy, and how to convert a soft mat into a proper hard mat.
Stop procrasti-planning and Start Sweating. (Score:5, Interesting)
In true Slashdot style, I'm going to presumptively answer a request you didn't ask: "Help me lose weight."
Also, you're doing what I used to do, so I'm going to be harsh. Very.
YOU'RE PROCRASTIPLANNING!
Close your browser.
Now.
Do ANYTHING that works up a steady sweat for 30 minutes.
Then do it again tomorrow.
Unless you've exercised in the last 72 hours, researching "the best pad to get" (oh my god) is bullshit, and I think you know it. STFU and sweat. Now. Go on, scram. Posting questions to slashdot about exercise is like the salesman who optimizes his contact management software instead of picking up the damn phone.
Trust me. I know how good it feels to plan out the good things you're going to do. That way, you're not really procrastinating. No, no. You're preparing. The project is underway.
No, it's not. "Research" isn't "doing".
If your question to Ask Slashdot is anything other than delusion and procrastination, you will be sweating each of the next five days, whether or not you've (again, oh my god) found an "open source DDR-type program".
About what to eat...
There's a lot of confusion about how to eat to lose weight. Here's the nutshell.
Remember the 3 Cs...
Not easy, not simple, but straightfoward and effective.
Result: Your body has a steady supply of just-in-time fuel. This discourages fat storage, big time. It also prevents energy spikes and crashes, big time. The 5% deficit is pulled from the fat stored while you were procrastiplanning.
Am I a bodybuilder? No. Am I shredded? No. Am I a trainer? No. Was I a contract programmer for someone who was? Yeah.
(Attention detail-mongers and nitpickers: Shhh! Go do something useful! These are generalities!)
Godspeed, anonymous sweating guy. Stop planning and start sweating.
P.S. Feel free to curse that asshole Grabble all the while. Just as long as you're sweating.
Re:Stop procrasti-planning and Start Sweating. (Score:2)
Re:Stop procrasti-planning and Start Sweating. (Score:4, Informative)
Grabble is correct in all respoects, including his attitude. Particularly: it doesn't matter, at all, WHAT you do, as long as you're sweating. In one sense, you're on track: you've possibly identified something fun (DDR) that should get you moving, so on that note, follow through and get a pad and start.
But on the other side, you ARE looking for a "quick way out". Going to the gym only sucks because what you've been doing there is not fun. My gym has racquetball courts, which I randomly tried one day and BY GOD, how much fun was THAT?? I'm in there 1-2 times a week now, and sweatin' all over the place.
Or get a sub-$100 hybrid bike from Target and start riding around. It's insanely easy to spend 2-3 hours on a bike, especially once you find the "good trails" which, I assure you, are VERY close to your house. That's hundreds of calories burned and hours of healthy elevated heartrate with no perceived effort, because it's just fun to ride around.
Personally, I do the above, and I also took up swimming about six months ago. Talk about low-impact but all-body workout! I've had pulled muscles from other activities, but didn't feel any pain at all while swimming; but for such a low-impact activity, it sure does work EVERYTHING. Strong legs, strong arms and back, abs... and once you get into a rhythm, your mind can wander and you think about what you like, and suddenly you're finishing up a mile. An hour of swimming is great all-around exercise.
In addition, Grabble's comments on food intake are spot-on. Stop eating "meals", and start eating smaller, balanced "mini-meals" throughout the day, snacks, almost. Almost immediately, you'll start being less hungry, and you'll be amazed at how LITTLE food you need to remain not hungry. In fact, once you do that, you'll have to be careful not to eat too LITTLE, because that can slow the metabolism. If you're very overweight, I'd cut the intake by more that 5% off of weight*15 calories, at least at the beginning.
My personal success story? On Thanksgiving of last year, 2003, I was 250lbs and just decided, forget it, I'm going to change this. I picked swimming, and jumped in a pool and taught myself to swim laps. I did that every day for four months, while also adjusting my eating, as per the above. In the last two months, I've eased off the swimming a little and added the cycling, and recently the racquetball, and some weight lifting for tone.
The result? I'm just about to break the 200lb barrier, and if I do say do myself, I'm looking great. Strong shoulders and back from swimming, and legs from that and cycling; chest and even abs are firm and VISIBLE, which is a new thing. It's absolutely amazing, and I wasn't out there killing myself every day, we're talking 30-45min in a pool, just getting the heartrate up. That's all it takes.
Losing weight and toning up doesn't have to be a painful chore; just pick something remotely fun and start doing it every day, ever for a tiny amount of time. DDR, just buy a pad and start up. Get a bike and ride around. Jump in a pool and "swim laps", even if you suck at it. Tennis and racquetball are great fun, even alone against a wall. Get the heartrate up doing something fun, ANYTHING fun, and keep at it; since it's FUN, it won't be a chore, right? :)
Best of luck to you. Feel free to contact me, anybody, if you like, to talk about this topic. I'm pretty passionate about it, since I've lost 20% of my body weight in six months and just feel great! :)
Doug
Re:Stop procrasti-planning and Start Sweating. (Score:2)
Nicely put. Physically getting started is the hardest part of exercis. Well, no, continuing your chosen form of exercise for a second day when your flabby body is sore after the first day is *really* the hardest part. Nike's tag line is annoying but correct... just do it. Stop planning out how you're *going* to do it, and just do
Re:Stop procrasti-planning and Start Sweating. (Score:2)
Do you really think you (and all the rest here) berating this guy is going to motivate him? He will find his own motivation, or he won't. I've
Three words.... (Score:1)
Best way to lose weight: (Score:2, Funny)
You'll be spraying the weight out of you from both ends.
Do that once a month and you'll easily lose a few stone.
Hacker's diet (Score:2)
The book and the tools are all downloadable for free. It aims for gradual and consistent weight change through slight adjustments to your diet (just "smaller portions" rather than "thou shalt not eat X"), with light excercise thrown, in mainly to make you feel better. Because its not prescribing a massive life change, its fairly easy to get starte
Priorities and how to make it easier (Score:4, Informative)
Making it a priority inevitably means giving up other things... giving up time for exercise and/or giving up food to diet. I chose to go the time route because I love food too much. I give up about 10 hours a week to run now, which means I sometimes miss going out with friends, TV shows, reading time, etc.
However, it's not all bad news. When I finally decided to get off my ass, I joined a running club [serpentine.org.uk]. Believe it or not, this group is almost more social than exercise ("a drinking club with a running problem") and there are runners of all abilities. Having a group of people sharing the pain really helps and we all encourage each other. These days, I actually look forward to the group runs and I'm constantly challenging myself to go faster.
Good luck... but the first step is really deciding to make health/weight loss a priority.
Translation: (Score:2)
My DDR exercise experience (Score:2)
I lost 15 pounds over about two months through a combination of DDR and reduced calorie intake. Here's my experience and tips.
* DDR is fun enough to play every day, but I don't think it's a good idea to do so. After playing every day for a month I started to get some kind of RDI (repetitive dance injury, I just made that up). Anyway, playing 3-4 times a work should be fine. On the other days - do some other kind of exercise! I also recently injured my toe playing DDR and I haven't been able to play for a m
Pads (Score:2, Informative)
Red Octane pads work great!! (Score:2)
simple way to lose weight (Score:2)
Walk for 30 minutes each day. If that means that you play less Quake / video games, so what?
Eat less refined carbs (Score:2)
DDR caution (Score:2)
Great article at Kuro5hin (Score:2)
Elliptical machines are the best (Score:5, Informative)
You have to make exercising a priority or else you will get nowhere. I used to be about 10 lbs over my ideal weight, and now I'm 10 under and am in the maintenance mode (I don't want to lose anymore!). I have increased energy and feel great. I don't feel like such a sack of shit when I haul up loads of stairs.
Here are some things that helped me that might help you.
1) Drink only 0 calorie things. No pop, No juices. Just water or diet pops (I've actually developed a taste for Diet Pepsi after having hated the stuff all my life).
2) My workout routine is simply 25 minutes at max, 5 minutes cooldown. The machine tells me I'm doing about 200-240 watts. Equals about 400 calories burned when I'm done (though I think the calculation is a little off because other machines rate it higher, like 500). I work out every other day, usually at night when I get back from work. DO NOT SKIP A DAY. If you do, make it up by doing two in a row. I tend to eat at 6 o'clock or so, then I let my system digest and then I workout in the 8-9 hour. Throw in a DVD or charge up the iPod, and I'm kept busy.
3) Avoid high-calorie foods. Basically, eat whatever you want. No restrictions on fat or anything. But avoid super high-calorie foods. For example, don't buy an apple pie from McDonalds (they are like 500 calories!!).
Re:Elliptical machines are the best (Score:2)
Easy to lose weight w/ DDR (Score:5, Informative)
Second, if you want to lose weight, you need to eat properly. A good gague is your body weight x 10 in calories per day. 40% of which must come from protein and carbs while 20% come from fats (you can change up numbers to suit your own body). Eat good fats found in Salmon/Flaxseed Oil and eat carbs low on the Glycemic Index (brown rice, natural oatmeal, vegetables, etc..)
Third, you need to workout. DDR is considered HIIT (high intensitiy interval training) which means you go through small bursts of aerobic activity. For example, you do a song on standard mode, your heart rate could get up to 90% of its max. When you're done, rest for a minute or two till your heart rate goes back down to 60-65% then start again. This cycle will cause your body to burn more fat than a steady cardio session.
I've actually compared 30 minutes of DDR vs. 45 minutes of aerobic exercise and DDR is by far the best. For me, I burned around 600 calories in 30 minutes as opposed to burning 600 over 45-60 minutes with regular cardio. On top of that, it's fun. Running on a treadmill is boring as hell and the time goes by so slow, but when you play the game and workout, time flies and before you know it, it's done.
As long as you eat properly and workout so that you have a 1000 calorie deficit a day, you should be able to lose 2 lbs of fat per week.
Advice from a DDR-aholic. (Score:3, Interesting)
Okay, now that that's out of the way... don't listen to these people that say "forget DDR, just go outside and run!" If you think the game is fun, that motivating factor will be much more important than how "efficient" your workout is. Even if running is 10 times as effective as DDR (and I doubt it's more than even one and a half), if you don't actually DO IT it doesn't matter.
As for the game itself, if you've got a PS2 or XboX, pick up any of the mixes available for that system (MAX or MAX2 for PS2 or Ultramix for XboX) in the pack that comes with a pad; that pad will work fine for a beginner. After you wear it out playing on it, then worry about getting a $100 pad or two. If you're going w/ PC, get StepMania or PyDance (as other have already suggested) and hit DDRUK [ddruk.com] to get the songs. Pick up a cheap ($30) pad and a good PS2->USB adapter (again, other folks posted good advice about that earlier).
As you play, constantly stretch your limits, and take advantage of playing at home instead of the arcade. Turn on the "event mode" option so you can play continuously w/o returning to the main menu. Turn failure off, (it's unmotivating). Try at least one song that you KNOW you can't pass each time you play.
And remember, it's always a good idea to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise regime; they can tell you a lot better about water and nutrient intakes than anyone on slashdot; they're better educated on it plus they know your medical history and condition better than we do.
Oh, and have fun :) I've played this game about 5-15 hours a week for almost two years, and it never gets old.
Re:Advice from a DDR-aholic. (Score:2, Informative)
You can get a 'Logic Pro dance mat' which is ignition style from Logics own website. The previous logic pad I had (black backed) has only ever had a split in it and still works pretty much perfectly.
Try to avoid 'plasticy' style mats, like the plague. These don't last long at all, and tend to break after 2 weeks use.
If you are going to go for a metal pad, try red-octanes or the ones off play-asia.com, these seem to be the popular picks. AVOID the pads on ebay as these are all cheaper metal p
My 0.02GBP (Score:2, Insightful)
Firstly, before you shell out $300 for a cobalt flux, grab $10 or so and pop down to your local arcade (I'm assuming you live in the US or Canada). With luck you should see a DDR Extreme machine (or maybe some flavour
Re:My 0.02GBP (Score:2)
General advice (mats, program, song choices) (Score:2, Informative)
I think you should ignore those people who are saying you "need to get out and sweat". I played DDR before I pretty much mastered it (B on most 10-footers on normal settings, for DDR freaks). I could happily play for hours because it genuinly is fun.
OK: for mats, I have here two Ignition mats in a wooden frame, with rubber mats from our car nailed on the bottom to reduce friction on our wooden floor. That's my recommendation. If you want a hard mat, get the best - especially if you're overweight. Don't ge
Why not real dancing? (Score:2)
Most cities have dance studios - I would say sign up for some lessons. Usually the studio also has a "practice night" - an hour or two of dance music and willing partners. I know from my youth that I would shudder when I heard the words "dance lessons" bu they're not nearly as dweebish as they sound.
For me, the advantages are:
1) They're fun - mu
MMORPG, or other games, with DDR input? (Score:3, Interesting)
Currently, in Everquest, we smack the auto-attack button and maybe one or another button every few seconds. Yet with the DDR pad, perhaps you could have certain rythmic steps to *keep* autoattack up and have other steps to move your character around (reposition them) and to keep other things going, too. Obviously, you'd need difficulty settings.
Actuallly, maybe the DDR pad would work better as input for a fighting game, or a sports game (how ironic). Trouble would be, in one player versus another human player mode, the more physically fit one would have an edge - the degree of which could be tweaked by game mechanics.
Nevertheless, somebody (not me) should take advantage of the new DDR as an input device for new, other, games.
If no one is doing this already (which I doubt) it would be a great opportunity for an open source game.
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Try this (Score:3, Interesting)
DDR and weightloss (Score:2, Interesting)
Recommendations (Score:2)
First, try playing at an arcade first. A few games will be relatively cheap. If it turns out you don't like it, you'll have saved much more money. Investing in a game you end up not liking is ever bit as bad as investing in exercise equipment you don't use. DDR Freak offers a directory of machine locations [ddrfreak.com].
If you do like it (and don't have downstairs neighbors... *sigh*) playing at home is the cheapest option. Again, I'd go cheap at first; you can scale up as you need to. If you don't have a console
Diet first, exercise is painful when obese (Score:2)
Three months ago I came up with a different plan, and that would be to diet to lose enough weight to get down to a weight where exercise would be easy. The fact is, if you'r
Find what works before you spend money on it! (Score:2)
First of all, find what works. That means don't spend a penny more than you have to at first. Try DDR at an arcade, if you walk away thinking you can master it, then get a cheap pad. If 1 month latter the cheap pad has worn out, you know it is worth spending money on a good one. If the cheap pad never wears out, you aren't using DDR enough to justify the good pad. (though a good pad would improve your game)
Find what works. Maybe you need a dog to walk every day. (Don't do this unless you are up
Neighbors (Score:2)
br.Unless you live on the ground floor, of course.
Doing it right now! (Score:2, Funny)
Re:bash.org (Score:2)
Re:Lose weight without DDR (Score:2)
However, the base story comes from the fact that people in non-famined Africa will naturally gravitate towards a diet rich in fibers and grains, and Eskimos can easily eat semi-raw meat, yet both aren't known (