Trying to lose weight? Maya knows best

Credit Nintendo for helping gamers get in shape. But while media folks talk up the fitness benefits of Wii Sports and Wii Fit, hardly anyone noticed another fitness game that predated both of those games.

In 2004, Respondesign released Yourself Fitness on the original Xbox, then later on the PlayStation 2 and PC. In it, a virtual trainer named Maya guides you through various types of exercises, ranging from cardio to yoga.

Yourself Fitness is not a collection of fun games that will get your heart rate pumping. This is a straight-up, fitness simulator that can reduce your body to a giant ball of sweat if you stick with it.

I obtained a copy of YF about a year and ago with the goal of dropping a few pounds. (I ordered it online to save the embarrassment of buying it in person at a store. )

Maya helped me with my workout routine, focusing on my upper or lower body strength, weight loss or some good old-fashioned cardio. During the workouts, she’d ask me if I’m A) not even breaking a sweat B) gasping for breath or C) clinging to life. Then she’ll adjust the difficulty. She’d even create a meal plan for me, track my progress and wear different outfits. (No, you can’t watch her change.)

She gave me words of encouragement. She showed me what on Earth a plie squat is and how to do one.

But Maya can be cruel, too. One night, we did two sets of 12 push-ups, followed by 45 reps of upright rows using hand weights. On a different day, I probably would have thrown my controller at her by the sixth push-up. But I stuck to the routine, watched my diet and even incorporated time on the treadmill to add some variety.

After three months of daily 30-minute workouts, I went from a hefty 190 pounds to a svelte 160. And after visiting the YF forum, I learned that my results fell in line with many other users, who lost anywhere from 10 to 40 pounds; one user claimed losing 124 pounds. Your mileage may vary, of course.

So if you’re serious about losing weight, give Yourself Fitness a try. Being able to customize your workouts and track your progress elevates it above your average aerobics video. As long as you follow Maya’s lead, you’ll get a more complete workout, compared to flailing your arms playing Wii boxing.