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As I officially started my 30-day challenge, as part of my compensated review from BlogHer and EA Sports Active for the Wii, I’m usually doing the workouts with an audience as the boys are now school-free. Besides, if there is a TV or a Wii game on in this house, all of the males in my house must be present. And you know what, I’m fine with that. I let them synchronize the Wii balance board, and pick out my hair color and body type. (Actually, I did that one, as the boy’s don’t understand the power of postive thinking… pick out the skinniest chick on the screen, as something to aspire to.)  My little Wii person looks pretty good – I’m wearing a blue t-shirt, hat and sunglasses of course, and a cute hat; outfit courtesy of the boys.

So, as I’m working my way through the in-line skating, which asks me to literally jump into the air, as if I’m jumping off the ramp, (actually, it’s kind of fun), my boys, experts as they are on these video games, start explaining to me that all I have to do is “lift the numchuck up in the air, and then you don’t have to jump!”

Let me explain: The numchuck is actually stuck in a little pocket in the leg band that is velcroed around my upper thigh. This allows The Wii to track how high, and even if, I’m jumping. If I pull out the numchuck from its little pocket, and lift my arm up in the air, Wii will think I am actually jumping, when I would in fact just be lifting my hand.

Of course, this wouldn’t be as much fun as actually jumping the ramps, and nor would it burn as many calories; so it’s counterproductive to the goal here. Although, definitely, the lazy way around things.

So, when I’m done, the boys take their turn and give the in-line skating a whirl, using only their hands. And Guess what? The Wii knows you’re cheating. The wrist has a way of naturally spinning that numchuck around in a way that it knows the thigh can’t do… and pretty soon, the coach starts admonishing you with messages like these: “You’re going to have to put a bit more effort in this if you want to start seeing results.”

What a slam. So, just keep the numchuck in your little pocket, and do the routines like you’re supposed to. Because, the Wii knows if you’re cheating. No getting around it.

Check out the progress of the rest of the BlogHer reviewers and enter to win one of 5 copies of EA Sports Active.

Please check out the official EA Sports official site for more information: EA Sports Active official site.

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