WoW Weight Loss Program

[Teslah]

Ok, weight loss and video games usually don't go together, but I found a way to make it happen!

I've gained about 20 pounds over the past few years. Just from getting older and probably a little from playing the game. It's not easy trying to workout while playing WoW, but I found a solution.

I have a home gym and decided to try and get on the treadmill while playing the game. I bought a projector, hooked up the computer and setup a keyboard, mouse and N52 controller. It just took a little time and adjustments to get it all working. A few months later and I am down 25 pounds and back to college weight.

I hate gathering ore and herbs or any tasks like that. It just feels like a waste of time. I also hate getting on the treadmill or riding a bike or whatever. I tend to like more competitive sports.

That said, I decided to try gathering while on the treadmill. It worked and made the time fly by. An hour goes by without even thinking about it, I get a ton of herbs or ore and a workout in the process. It's funny because together I feel like "What a waste gathering herbs, but at least I got a nice workout" or "Working out is so boring, but at least I got a ton of ore!". It's funny, but the negatives cancel each other out and it feels like a win win.

Just thought I'd share this with the group. No 5 man multiboxing yet on it, but I have done a duo in an instance lol.

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/1881/treadmillwow.jpg (http://img683.imageshack.us/i/treadmillwow.jpg/)

[BrothelMeister]

Now thats some effective multitasking.

[Fef]

Congratulations on the new shape !

Do you actually run or walk on the treadmill ? If you run, that must take a lot of coordination to work your mouse and N52. Treadmill makes me sick, literally, I have to sit several minutes after just a few km. Maybe playing a game would help with that. Running outside in winter can be quite a pain ...

[Teslah]

Congratulations on the new shape !

Do you actually run or walk on the treadmill ? If you run, that must take a lot of coordination to work your mouse and N52. Treadmill makes me sick, literally, I have to sit several minutes after just a few km. Maybe playing a game would help with that. Running outside in winter can be quite a pain ...

I can run now. About 6 to 7 speed. I start out at 3.0 speed for ten minutes with a 3 degree incline, then move up to about 4.0, which is as fast as I can possibly walk. As I am traveling around I'll pump it up to 7.0 and run for ten minutes, then slow it back down.

When gathering I can put it on auto run, then jog for a bit until I see something. The I swoop down and get it, then get back to jogging. It works really well. It took a few times to get used to it, but believe it or not I actually look forward to doing it now. I feel like I am getting several things at once done that I don't like to do, and for the most part it is a lot of fun. It gets rid of the little guilty feeling I have sitting at the computer for an hour gathering ore.

[Buetzel]

rather brilliant =)

i need something like this, too. i would be happy if i had only gained 20 pounds (quite a bit more over the last... 3-4 years).
well... i was thinking if i could "recycle" those dance mats from the playstation for some use with wow... perhaps doing a dps rotation, jumping on the mat while soloboxing in a raid... or using those things for movement. yeah... movement intense fights could get pretty exhausting ^^ i have to put more thought into this, i think.

[Teslah]

Forgot to add it is excellent for the dailies. I do all the JC and cooking daily quests on each character. That eats up about an hour alone and is really easy. No sudden movements, go at your own pace and the treadmill doesn't make it hard to do since I am just clicking plants or making some gems.

The other thing I do on it with WoW is make ore or cloth or whatever. If I have 300 bars to make I get it going and get a workout in the process.

[Bigfish]

Hmmm. I may have to try this.

[Crayonbox]

LMFAO I actually clicked this link, thinking it was some lame attempt at a keylogger or spam post...

This is rather ingenious. I must admit, I have tossed some ideas like this one, but it never really worked out.
Big thumbs up to you.

[Starbuck_Jones]

Very nice. I do this when I watch an episode of House, or Chuck on Hulu or some other show on Netflix. Its a very easy way to put in 45 min on the elliptical machine. I dont think I can use the elliptical and play wow though. You have to hold on lol.

I think a reclined bicycle would be excellent.

[Kicksome]

Man, what a great idea. That looks awesome.

[Boylston]

Recumbent exercise bike... Sit down and pedal, both hands free. :)

[Toned]

That's hillarious... if you could get a controller like Kinect for your PC you'd be "PLAYING WOW"... Running herbing etc.. If you could get running on the treadmill to be keypress forward that would be priceless.

[Buetzel]

i think i saw a video of something like that @toned

Edit: google for "treadmill wow" - i didn't find a working video but remains of reports about it. obviously the video was deleted from youtube. too bad...

[pinotnoir]

Oh how I wish I could do that on my treadmill. I usually alternate between running and walking so it would be pretty hard to play wow at a 6mph pace.

[Teslah]

Oh how I wish I could do that on my treadmill. I usually alternate between running and walking so it would be pretty hard to play wow at a 6mph pace.

That's how I do it. I'll fast walk for a long time (when I gather stuff or do dailies), then I'll let the character sit there for ten minutes or so while I get a good jog or run in. Then, when I am cooling down I'll start playing him again. Works pretty well. Can't hurt to try it.

[Nate101pvp]

That is awesome, man! Tempting idea...

[Tyval]

Going to try this but probably will probably just put my bike on a trainer. I'll have to ponder how to setup my keyboard etc.

Been meaning to do this for awhile but you gave me that last little push I needed.

[Hivetyrant]

Might I suggest you try and max Archaeology? you could easily lose double that weight!

[Toned]

Might I suggest you try and max Archaeology? you could easily lose double that weight!
This thread is full of the lols

[Sam DeathWalker]

I think the DeathWalker Weight Loss program is more effective:


Meet Female in Bar and pay her $100 for a drink at her house.

Have good sex and fall asleep.

Wake up to irate Husband/Boyfriend/Roomate/Brother/Father pounding on door.

Put on HeadSet with Pink Floyd song from The Wall: "Run like Hell".

Run like Hell.

[genghiskhan]

DDR fighting...i love the idea!

[fleaplus]

Hmmm. Wonder if I can do this while doing squats and cleans.

[Mercbeast]

Back in EQ where you had to sit around after each pull, I'd drop and do as many pushups as possible.

Let me just say, once you get to the point where you can bash out 10-15 sets of 100 pushups a day, you will never look a bench press the same. The functional strength gains are not comparable.

The idea of tread milling while playing WoW is brilliant tbh.

[Mooni]

Well done.
I've got a unique plan, too: Lost my license in 2005 and been biking 15 miles to work (each way) every day since then. I'd rather not say how much I've lost in the past 3 years, because it sounds like a lot but disgusts me that it's not enough (I still haven't learned to put the fork down)
But those of you who are interested, they sell little mini pedal things that you could keep under a standard computer desk. (like the Verseo Freedom or Instride Cycle XL)
I read an article a while back on someone who would just do his email etc. on a treadmill, using a laptop. He'd keep it at 1-2MPH and would end up burning a few hundred calories by lunchtime. He kept it so slow because he didn't want to disrupt his typing etc.
The funny thing was, he'd be LESS tired at lunchtime than he was when he'd just sit in a chair all morning. Better bloodflow or something.

[sp0000n]

Good stuff. What is the projector?

[Umbaalo]

This is pretty ingenious multitasking! I'd really like to do something like this too, but with
a reclined bicycle like Starbuck Jones suggested. I really hate running with a passion.

[genghiskhan]

I just saw an article on Wow Insider about these people that created a program called FAAST that allows you to use the xbox 360 Kinect to play WOW. Im really excited about it. Not only can you "be" your toon but you'll lose weight doing it! I just hope this program goes retail...

[Ishar]

Genius. I might have to dust off my exercise bike...or invest in a recumbent version; since i've got one of the traditional upright ones.

[ashlor]

wow that is awesome, GL with your dieting.
@genghikhan I saw that video as well it looks like it could be real fun, almost to the point of virtual reality. if any one remembers seeing those old tron type VR games in the local malls back in the 80's they were so cool back then.

[genghiskhan]

Im not old enough to remember that. Lol. But ya it does seem like virtual reality. And it can actually address the very real problem that us WOW players have, epsecially those that play as much as i do, of not getting enough exercise cuz we just sit on the computer all day.

[Bloodcloud]

superb idea. maybe combine with this : "
"World of Warcraft with Microsoft Kinect"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62wj8eJ0FHw

[Bloodcloud]

hi is this your setup ? :)http://pics.kuvaton.com/kuvei/wow_training.jpg

[dancook]

anyone tried something like this?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ultrafit-SUAL01-Mini-Bike/dp/B002U0KB7U/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1294668389&sr=8-3

[Bloodcloud]

http://www.cute-one.com/misc/homemade_fittness.jpg

the more I am looking at it .....

[Lyonheart]

Great stuff! I do push ups when on flight paths and stuff, but this would own! I too hate gathering, but i spend hours doing it anyway!

[Jeremiah]

I've used my projector to throw WoW on a wall but I'd never thought of playing WoW whilst doing it. I think it's cus I don't have any gathering profs :P

Nice work though. I'm always happy to see anyone shed some kilos and reach their goal, whilst enjoying themselves. If they play alliance, it's even better :)

[d0z3rr]

Did you guys post these ideas on the WoW forums? I sure all of these are against the ToS and considered cheating or unfair. I'm guessing you constantly get tells like:

"imma report u for 3rd party exercise dats not blizz,lolz"
"reported for excercise automation"

Might want to get an official Blue response before doing any of these.

[Negativ1337]

Bicycle with seat -> Desk that is high enough to not hit it with knees -> keyboard/pc/mouse

I would easely play 3 hours straight on a saturday i think will riding my bicycle normal speed.

(gained like 10 kilo's from playing WoW and never doing excersize/going to the gym. Though i get fat quite fast, thats how my body is).