wii fit and similar products

Do any of you find these games helpful?  If so, which ones and why?  I am having surgery in January and would like to start a fitness program now, but hate exercise.  There is no convenient fitness center for me to go to and walking causes me back and leg pain.  I'm looking for something that would be fun, motivational and that I could work up to a more aggressive program as I lose weight. 

If I purchased such a program, it would be exclusively for the fitness aspect as my husband and I aren't video game players.  Any thoughts and recommendations would be appreciated.

i enjoy Wii fit, and the winter olymic games. you can use the remote or the Wii board to move thru the games. also the Wii sports game is fun.
they really don't feel like exercising-its a game. but when  y ou finish you reailize how much you were moving.
for relaxing try Rabbids go home game.
very much worth the investment in the Wii, the board and the games.

I have Wii Fit -- to me it's pretty much just a video game. It might be a good way to move your body when the alternative is to be sedentary. You probably don't enjoy exercise now, because it's really difficult and unpleasant. As you lose weight, it will get easier. In my opinion, Wii Fit and other games are fun, but not a good choice for someone wanting to burn calories or to get into shape. A good brisk walk will probably burn more calories and be more beneficial.

Good luck on your surgery and good for you for thinking ahead!

It may be a good starting point, but I got mine when I was already pretty fit, so it is just a game for me.  It may be better to invest in some good workout DVD's like the Biggest Loser ones, or a favorite of mine (and I used it to begin) was Power90 from Beachbody.com.  It is basic, no frills, easy to follow and there are modifications shown for every fitness level.  It comes with level 1 and 2, so you can use it for a while.

Try yoga, pilates, and good old fashioned dancing.

You have the right attitude!  Exercise is critical to long term success--START NOW!  Find what you like to do, and it will become part of your life. 

 I don't know how I'll feel later, but I'm 1-week pre-op and VERY excited that my daughter got Wii Fit for Christmas (from her uncle, not from me).  She already had the Wii, so this just adds that extra option to it.  She's out of town for the week, but I tried it out a couple of times.  I think to use it as a real workout you'd have to repeat the activities... I did a total of 18 minutes on 3 different activities, which isn't great (but if I do it again and know what I want to do, it'll be better because I'll be stopping less in-between).  It's not the same as going to a gym, but it's at home which makes it WAY more likely that I'll do it.  It's the first time I've ever been excited about exercise, because this is fun!  I can't see why the running option, or step, would be any worse a choice than any other cardio.  I did the Advanced Step and was out of breath... in a couple of months I hope it'll be easier, but then I'll just do it 3-4 times in a row.

I'm also not buying a scale, because the Wii Fit board does that too.  It calculates BMI, lets you set goals, and has some fun fitness-related games in addition to the regular activities.