The Wii Fit came out about a decade ago, and was designed to gamify the idea of “health” and “losing weight”. But for most people, it was a way to use a fun personal gaming console to instill countless body insecurities that you can’t shake, even a decade later. Here’s how to overcome the insecurities caused by a video game that had zero problem calling you fat when you were 14:
Remember that “Wii Fit Age” is not real, and neither is BMI.
When you’re feeling bad about yourself because your Wii fit age has been stuck at a 49 no matter how much you plank for the body test, remember that metrics like BMI and the Wii fit age are based on flawed data that has no bearing on your actual health. If this happens to you, just remember that Wii Fit was just invented by like…some guy. He was literally just some guy.
Remind yourself that you look nothing like your Mii.
The Wii fit resized your little character for you based on your BMI that was traumatizing even when it was more or less accurate – remember that you are not a pixelated, two-dimensional character who looked kind of sad if you were deemed “underweight” – you are a fully formed human being with thoughts and feelings, and an ability to play actual tennis in the real world. And that alone makes you incredibly more fuckable than Wii ever gave you credit for.
Use your body to do cool things, like go outside.
You may have spent your tween years booting up your Wii to be reminded of your height, weight, and body type every time you would do a relentless number of V-sits and hula hooping mini games hoping you could get some abs before the next school dance. What’s great about not being 14 anymore is you can literally go outside, take a walk, eat a sandwich, and do other cool things that bodies do in the physical world – not just kind of shifting your weight back and forth wondering if you’re worthy of love. Try it!
Try a ritualistic burning of your Wii Balance Board.
This might not work, but it could be fun!
Ridding yourself of old insecurities won’t happen overnight, but acknowledging that Wii Fit was traumatizing to nearly every child who played it is the first step to healing. Now get outside and eat that sandwich!
