For one fat flamethrower, sheer disgust over his video-game likeness led to a life-altering weight loss.
Tipping the scales at a robust 270 pounds, San Diego Padres relief pitcher Heath Bell realized that he needed to make some changes after playing a round of Nintendo Wii Fit with his children.
According to an Associated Press article, Bell suffered a bit of embarrassment after the game informed him that was clinically obese - which resulted in his Mii avatar featuring the characteristics of a grossly overweight man.
Rather than sulk about his poor physical health, Bell used the revelation as a motivating factor to shed the excess blubber - a resounding 45 pounds in all.
The Editorial Board commends Bell for taking the Wii Fit's message to heart. Not only will the weight loss help him on the pitching mound, but more importantly it will add countless years to his life after he hangs up his spikes.
We can only imagine this giant of a man getting his exercise groove on doing the hula hoop simulator while trying not to break the device. Such is a far cry from the typical spring training war stories of players boasting about their new figure thanks to pumping iron and overloading on protein.
We're sure his kids are happy now that their dad's weight loss success story has hit newsstands everywhere.
With all the free publicity Nintendo Wii is receiving, the young gamers are bound to be swimming in free video games in no time.
Maybe next season he can credit playing Xbox 360 while on an elliptical.
