Sticking with a training plan isn’t easy. I play all kinds of games with myself to get moving: “If I run two miles, I can enjoy this Pepsi.” “If I run two miles, my ‘thin pants’ will fit.” A couple weeks ago, I found new motivation while editing newsletters for iVillage: the Switch2Health Replay watch. It records when I’m active, kind of like a pedometer. After 60 minutes of vigorous activity, the watch gives me a code that I enter into my profile at the S2H website. An hour of activity equals 60 points, which can be redeemed for stuff like DVDs, gift cards, even a Wii or a Playstation 3. Note: The downside for long-run days is that you can enter only one code per day.

Honestly, at first I thought this watch was kind of funny, but the siren song of a Wii called out to me, so I bought one (and a low-key gray replacement band). So far I’ve logged five hours of activity, and I actually run an extra block or two when I’m close to earning my code—motivating! My goal is to keep moving until I earn a Wii (125 activity hours), at which point I might never leave the house again.