The Gamification of Fitness: Why you need to look at fitness like a game of life.
This is a writing sample from Scripted writer Laurie Mueller
You don't have to be a kid or teen to get addicted to gaming. Plenty of adults pass the time playing games like Candy Crush. There is something about the challenge that draws you back in – especially if you are just short of making the goal. It can be addicting and people will while away hours and sometimes their hard earned cash, just to get to the next level. Harnessing this addictive drive in the real world can be tough. Getting as excited about completing your one mile walk as you get when you clear a level on a game, isn't quite the same. The computer games are usually quick satisfaction whereas meeting a fitness goal is usually a long term situation. Being able to hang on to that drive to completion is the key. Gaming counts on easy rules, challenges that keep you interested but not too difficult and feedback and rewards. These are all must haves to make a game successful. This is very hard to do with long term goals but not impossible. Enter the land of gaming and gadgets for fitness. With cool new "toys" that monitor and keep track of your daily exercise, calories and even give beeps and lights to remind or encourage, the gaming feeling is beginning to catch on. These tech "toys" are really not toys but true health monitoring devices. Most of these have managed to make it challenging and fun. There are many different kinds out there that use different types of motivation. All of them use a lot of the same basic diagnostic information. Heart rate, distance, calories. Some monitor cadence, some have gps and a lot of them are Bluetooth and can link to an online site or app. Which type you choose, depends on what motivates you and what you may need or want on your device. Fit Bit, Atari Fit, Nike+Running, or even Koko system. These are all unique in their own way. You will have to decide which one works for you. The idea of making fitness like a game is brilliant. The technology and ideas are just beginning to scratch the surface. These have begun to turn heads and people are starting to respond. Everything in life does not have to be a game, but if it works to motivate those that respond, then great. It's the way of thinking that makes the game idea work. Exercise has always had a bit of a negative stigma to it – because it is difficult and difficult equals hard. When you play a game, difficult is twisted to the positive with challenges and levels. Most of the addictive games today, you never really "lose". You might run through all your chances, but wait a bit and your chances get renewed. Exercise is similar. If you don't meet your goal that day, you get another chance the next. Gamification is not the way to go for everyone but there are a lot of people who will respond to the challenge. Today's tech world supplies a much cooler and interesting way to make it like a game. As the tech advances, the chances are more people will join in the fun. If gamification makes people get up and go, then get gaming! http://try.kokofitclub.com/move-forward-9-blog?utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.kokofitclub.com%2Fthe-gamification-of-fitness%2F http://nuviun.com/content/7-best-gamification-fitness-apps-for-2015
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