Not a replacement Personal Trainer im afraid. (My Health Coach: Manage Your Weight (DS))

Member Name: foodooguru

Product:	My Health Coach: Manage Your Weight (DS)
Date:	25/06/09 (55 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Can highlight lack of activity and excess calorie consumption

Disadvantages: Overly simplistic, not a lot of interaction other than entering in figures.

I have background in fitness and this game was purchased to help me gain some extra motivation. Having a gym membership already, I was looking for something fun I could take away on trips abroad with my husband! I had bright and brilliant plans, and with baited breath opened the case and started off on my journey with my new health coach. I found initial set up easy, and the simplified format works in well with the touch screen checking off achieved goals. The little personal trainer is a little simplistic, and inbuilt sequences of simulated road journeys tended to grate on me after a little while.

There are so many things that could be great with this program, but for me personally, it was let down greatly by the pedometer. The plastic insert which protected the DS connector kept falling out. I was having to watch vigilantly for it - even when just walking at work! Eventually, sticky-taping it on I set off! Walking and running around outside was interrupted at least 4 times a session by the pedometer falling off! Tiring of the pedometer, I chose to use an alternate pedometer and enter the amount in manually.

The exercise entry is easy to do, and the little challenges for extra points could be fun, but I soon found it tiresome. If you wanted to cheat (why would you, I know) but it was fairly inert when compared to something like the Wii fit.

The food entry to balance out your exercise was very simplistic which led me to doubt its actual help unless you were of a very large size simply because you were completely unaware of your complete overeating! It is also a big problem that people often don't recall all that they eat and drink - thus rendering the exercise next to useless.

Overall, it did not really give me any of the features I had hoped for, but if it gets you aware of potential unbalances in your energy in (food) and energy out (exercise) and of course, gets you moving - it cannot be a bad thing. If you are looking to get a decent personal trainer though, you may be better served to look elsewhere

Summary: Overly simple, it may soon become tiresome before your goals are met.