The desire to lose weight is on a lot of people’s minds, but it’s not easy. Motivating yourself to workout at home or trying to find a suitable gym close to your house often dissuades most. But, there is another way to work out — Virtual Reality, or VR. There are a ton of programs that provide the same movements a normal workout would, but in the format of a game that makes working out fun and easy. Check out our best VR games for losing weight, and see if VR is the answer to your own weight loss.
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Can VR Help You Lose Weight?
Surprisingly, VR can in fact help you lose weight. By activating your muscles and getting you moving, VR exercises will help you burn calories and in turn help you lose weight. It is a fun and alternative way to lose weight with all the equipment inside your house.
How Does VR Help with Weight Loss?
VR provides a fun way to burn calories and build muscle tone, through several different types of games and programs that you can buy for the VR. Of course, be mindful that a healthy diet and VR exercise is the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Exercising with VR will only go so far if you do not change your diet as well.
What VR Game Burns the Most Calories?
BoxVR burns the most calories as you jab, weave, and uppercut your way through the game. There is upbeat music in the background to make the experience fun and motivating. The exercises on BoxVR also regularly update, so you will never get bored of doing the same exercises over and over.
What Meta Quest Game Burns the Most Calories?
One of the best Meta Quest games to burn calories is Audio Trip, and is perfect for those who like to dance to music. While dancing, you will be dodging obstacles, riding ribbons, and catching gems to score the most points. You can either listen to tracks on the game, or upload your own favorite workout tracks and use those.
What Oculus Rift Game Burns the Most Calories?
On the Oculus Rift, Box to the Beat VR is the game that will burn the most calories during your workout. With rhythm-based boxing, you must compete in intense boxing matches and fight to win, all while music plays in the background. This is a great way to get your heart pumping in the morning.
What PSVR Game Burns the Most Calories?
If you haven’t already heard of Beat Saber, then check it out as it burns the most calories for a PSVR game. Using both hand controllers, swing to the beat of well-known songs in order to crush flying targets that are coming your way. There are multiple levels of difficulty, making it a versatile and fun workout for all.
Can You Lose Belly Fat Playing VR?
You can lose belly fat playing VR, as many of these games burn calories just as good as other workouts. But, in order to get the best results from doing VR workouts, you need to make sure you have a balanced diet as well. This will feed your body in the right way so you can get all the essential nutrients and nothing extra that could impede your weight loss.
Is It Healthy to Play VR Everyday?
There are no immediate physical concerns with playing VR everyday, but you should be staying under an hour on the device. You can lose spatial awareness of the room around you, and your eyes can get tired by having to strain to see the virtual reality optics. If you do decide to delve into the VR exercise world, make sure you have a clear time limit, and possibly mix in outdoor activities or rest days to rest both your body and mind from the VR headset.
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For Fitness and Esports Fans: Racket Club
All new and coming out soon, Racket Club can be preordered on Meta Quest or wish listed on Steam. Racket Club combines the best parts of pickleball and tennis into one cohesive game where you can play 1v1, 2v2, or career mode. This new design is reinventing racket sports in VR and is sure to be a great game to play when you want to get those muscles loosened up.
For Fitness and PvP Fans: Blaston
Available for download on Quest, Steam, and Pico, Blaston combines dueling and exercise into one competitively fun game. Their motto “Never. Stay. Still.” will be true as you duel players in real-time from around the world, ducking, dodging, and weaving attacks while preparing your own in order to get to the top. It is also free to play, which is a huge bonus.
For Fitness and Fun: Gorilla Tag
If you’ve ever wanted to become a gorilla climbing through the forest, then this is your game. Gorilla Tag uses the movement of your arms in order to climb in-game, just like a real gorilla. There are four different game modes to choose from — Tag, infection mode, The Hunt, and Paintbrawl — each with their own unique variations to the game.
The Best VR Games to Lose Weight and Burn Calories
Check out our list below for the best VR games to lose weight and have fun:
18. Beat saber
Probably the most well-known rhythmic game out right now, Beat Saber uses music to keep users motivated to destroy the flying blocks coming towards them, and dodging obstacles as well. You can listen to hits from Queen or Imagine Dragons, or take a stab at some of the original music created for the game. Beat Saber costs $29.99, and may include extra purchases for music packs or levels.
17. Creed: Rise to Glory
Become Adonis Creed in this boxing game and come face-to-face with the world’s top opponents to establish you are the best in the business. You will definitely work up a sweat in this game as you punch, duck, and uppercut your way to victory. Creed: Rise to Glory costs $29.99.
16. Bitslap
Dive deep into the Andromeda galaxy to play Bitslap. You are a lone warrior who must stand against an army of cubes and punch them away in the order in which they appear. You can go as fast or as slow as you want, but the faster you go the more points you earn in the end. Bitslap costs $6.99 to download.
15. BOX VR
BoxVR burns calories as you jab, weave, and uppercut your way through the game. This award-winning boxing game has upbeat music in the background to make the experience fun and motivating. BoxVR costs $29.99 to download and play.
14. Holopoint
Try out your skills at archery in Holopoint. You must fight your way through waves of targets, samurai, and dangerous ninjas by drawing and shooting your arrows as quickly as possible. Hunting enthusiasts may really enjoy this game. Holopoint costs $14.99 to download.
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13. Sprint Vector
Combine an athletic competition with a crazy game show and you will get the VR game Sprint Vector. Using Survios’ Fluid Locomotion System, players can run, jump, climb, and fly with ease. You must compete in a multiplayer parkour racing game in order to win the trophy at the end. Spring Vector costs $29.99 to download.
12. Hot Squat
This game is exactly what you think when you read the words “Hot Squat.” You will try to get as many squats as possible, trying to beat your friends, yourself, and the world to get the highest squat count. This game focuses more on your legs, and can be combined with another game to get your arms moving too. Hot Squat is free to play.
11. Synth Riders
If you like to dance, then Synth Riders is the game for you, as it combines working out with dancing and music to create an unforgettable experience. You can choose from dozens of songs on the game, or use your own custom songs to go along to the beat. Synth Riders costs $24.99 to download.
10. Soundboxing
Soundboxing combines kickboxing and sounds so that you can make the beat with every punch. You can try to get the best score by punching to the music, or create your own challenge for other to beat, with all the events occurring in an “outdoor” environment. Soundboxing costs $15.99 to download.
9. Knockout League
You only need one player for Knockout League, an arcade-style boxing game built just for virtual reality. With crazy characters, you will need to dodge flaming uppercuts, block sweeping tentacles, and pummel your opponents in order to get to the top. Knockout League costs $19.99 to download.
8. Pistol Whip
Film-inspired gunplay and killer music collides in Pistol Whip. Shoot your opponents while ducking and dodging against their own bullets to get glory on the leaderboards. If you enjoy wild west movies and gunslinging, try out Pistol Whip, which costs $29.99 to download.
7. Supernatural
Supernatural is a fitness app designed to get you off the couch and into scenes from all over the world through VR technology. With various different workouts including punching, dodging, dancing, and swiping, your whole body will be sore at the end of this workout. You can subscribe to Supernatural for just $9 a month.
6. The Thrill of the Fight
While other boxing games might have crazy add-ons, The Thrill of the Fight focuses on boxing authenticity in their game with a series of unique challengers with their own styles and techniques. For this game, you want to make sure you have adequate room space (6.5ft by 6.5ft) in order to have the minimum play area size. The Thrill of the Fight costs $9.99 to download.
5. Les Mills Bodycombat
Starting as an online workout platform and now moving to VR, Bodycombat provides and extensive workout portfolio, quality coaching from Dan and Rachael, and different intensities for all levels of participants. Bodycombat costs $29.99.
4. Dance Central
Built for VR, Dance Central will keep you dancing through the day with no one stepping on your toes. There are two difficultly levels and routines for each song, along with online multiplayer abilities so you can dance with your friends and family. Dance Central costs around $25.
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3. Superhot VR
Several YouTubers have dived into Superhot VR and had a great experience dodging bullets and killing red opponents. With minimalistic designs on each level, there is a stark contrast between white walls, black guns, and red attackers. Superhot VR costs $24.99 to download.
2. Audio Trip
Audio Trip, is perfect for those who like to dance to music. While dancing, you will be dodging obstacles, riding ribbons, and catching gems to score the most points in this interactive game. Audio Trip costs $19.99 to download.
1. Space Pirate Trainer DX
Get transported into a classic 80s arcade cabinet with Space Pirate Trainer, where you have to fight off waves of droids with any and all gadgets a Space Pirate would have. So grab your gear and get to blasting those droids! Space Pirate Trainer DX costs $19.99 to download.
VR Weight Loss Tips and VR Exercise Tips
Always make sure that you are getting the most out of your VR workouts with these tips:
1. Get The Biggest Play Space Possible
Whenever you want to work out with your VR, make sure you have enough play space. When you get in the game you can draw boundaries, but you cannot see where you are in real life when in the game. Push any toys, chairs, or obstacles away from you when working out, and if using equipment, just make sure you know where it is before putting on the headset.
2. Keep Sweat Out of Your Eyes and VR Headset
Since the VR headset is an electronic, you don’t want any extra sweat getting into the wires and short-circuiting the device. If you’re a big sweater, try wearing a headband or keeping a towel close by to keep the sweat out of your eyes and the headset. You can also point a fan at yourself to keep a constant stream of air on your body and drying up any potential sweat.
3. Add Weights for Even Harder Exercise
Add more resistance to your arms and legs as they move by adding weights strapped to your ankles and wrists. These can give just enough resistance that you are working harder, and building more muscle. You can start off with one pound weights and work yourself up to four or five pounds. It all depends on how strong you are, and what feels comfortable to you.
A VR and Fitness Institute
VR is a big community on its own, but when you add fitness into the mix the urge to get a VR headset grows even more. Here are four games that have used that fitness aspect of VR to create worlds where you can punch, dodge, and move your way to a fit body.
Viro Move
Become a boxer, a Ninja master, or a sharpshooter to the rhythm of several different soundtracks on Viro Move. This workout routine combines a real life workout with the excitement of a VR experience to create an addictive gameplay that’ll get you fit in no time. You can buy this game on Steam for $24.99.
Holofit by Holodia
If the problem with you getting fit is being bored while working out, then Holofit may be perfect for you. Holofit combines its brilliant scenery with your already existing rowing machine, bicycle, or elliptical to make a fun workout experience that’ll keep you on the machine for hours. Since this program is a subscription, you can either have a monthly payment of $11.99 or a yearly payment of $83.99.
FitXR (BoxVR)
FitXR is available on Meta Quest and Pico, and is a platform for VR fitness. There are live classes, experienced trainers, seven new classes each week, hundreds of on-demand classes, and tons of music to keep you going throughout the entire workout. You can get billed $12.99 a month for the program, or annually for $107.99
OhShape (Best VR Games for Losing Weight)
There are four difficulty levels on OhShape, you’re newest friend to VR workouts. OhShape is a rhythm game where your whole body is used to dodge obstacles, punch walls, and make fun poses to get through each level. Custom songs are supported on this game, and you can play with your friends through the Party Mode. You can buy this workout game for $19.99 on the Meta website.
Is VR Fitness a Good Workout?
There are physical and physiological benefits to VR fitness, making it a good workout for both your brain and your body. One study found that VR workout participants experienced improvements in their cardiovascular fitness, body composition, balance, and muscle strength, and that’s just the physical advantages.
Looking at the physiological benefits, the British Journal of Health Psychology conducted a study and found that VR makes exercise more enjoyable, less mentally challenging, and easier to be consistent with your exercises than traditional workout routines. People often push themselves harder too because they underestimate how much energy they are exerting.
What Do I Need for VR Fitness?
You will definitely need a VR headset in order to do VR fitness. There are several different brands including Meta Quest, Oculus Quest, Playstation VR (PSVR), and HTC Vive. You will also need to buy fitness games or subscriptions through your VR, which can range from $10-$20 for one game or per month, depending on what type of program it is. Some VR programs even want you to have other exercise equipment like a bike or treadmill to integrate the two workouts together.
Is VR Fitness Expensive?
VR fitness can become expensive, depending on what gear you are buying and what programs or subscriptions you are adding onto the VR. You need to buy a VR headset, which usually costs between $300-$500, not including any subscriptions you might add, which can be around $20 a month. But, factoring in how much a gym membership costs, you might be saving money. This is all to say that research is the best way to figure out if working out through a VR headset is better for you, or just grabbing the closest gym membership.
What Is the Best Cardio for Abs?
If you are leery of getting a gym membership or do not feel comfortable working out in front of strangers, maybe trying out VR workouts is the best option for you. With a ton of different high-intensity games and programs to try, there is no end to the fun of working out with VR and you can start with our list of the best VR games for losing weight.