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Is Your TV Making You Fat?
By Janice Elizabeth Small
How much time do you spend watching TV? Do you watch for at least two hours a
day?
A recent study of more than 68,000 American women over a 6 year period showed
that regularly watching just two hours of TV a day increased the risk of
developing obesity by 23 per cent and type 2 diabetes by 14 per cent.
Now, it has to be said that merely watching TV cannot make you fat. It's what
else you are doing or not doing because you're watching TV that makes the
difference.
When you're watching TV you're not pottering around the house tidying up. When
you're slumped on your sofa in front of "Desperate Housewives", you're not
weeding your garden or going for a walk or a bike ride. When you watch TV
you're using up only about 70 calories an hour, while playing with your kids or
cooking a meal from scratch uses about four times as much. Just half an hour
watching TV instead of being active and you're talking the equivalent of over
38,000 calories or more than 10lbs of fat a year unless you eat less to make up
for it.
What's more, TV steals time right from under your nose.
Do you watch TV for two hours a night but say you don't have time to exercise?
Do you watch TV and eat ready meals because you think you don't have time to
make a healthy dinner? If you are not finding the time to care properly for
yourself, yet finding an hour or more for the latest episode of those shows you
"just can't miss", then TV is stealing time from you!
And TV encourages poor eating habits. When you view you are fair game for the
junk food ads that come on constantly and persuade you that you need something
to eat. And lets face it a stick of celery just doesn't fit the bill. So you
get out the tortilla chips, popcorn or nuts and mindlessly eat through the
whole bag - a recipe for piling on the pounds.
Now, you may see the sense in all this, but still not want to give up your
beloved TV. Do you really need to do that to lose weight?
No, not at all!
But you do need to think about what TV is costing you and treat it with caution.
If you limit your viewing to only those shows you really like, (and a maximum of
1 or 2 a day) you'll still have plenty of time for taking care of yourself.
Plan your viewing and switch off when your show is over. Deliberately get up
and do something else.
To avoid snacking all evening, don't eat in front of the TV at all. But if you
really must have a snack, put a small portion in a bowl or on a plate rather
than eating from the bag. You're less likely to eat the whole packet empty
then!
And if you're really keen to combat TV weight gain, you could try being active
while you view. Do your ironing or a few exercises in front of the TV. It will
stop you nibbling snacks and use some calories. Maybe it's even time to dust
off that exercise bike and retrieve it from the basement or attic. Just think,
you could cycle half way round the world while your TV provides all the
entertainment you need!
Copyright 2005, Janice Elizabeth Small
Janice Elizabeth is a weight loss coach, slimming club owner and author of "The
Diet Exit Plan", an 8 week coaching program for natural permanent weight loss.
Request her FREE 15 page report "How to lose weight without dieting - 7 secrets
the diet industry doesn't want you to know" at
http://www.SimplySlimming.com TODAY!
Link to this page
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| Mayo Clinic Fitness for Everybody |
| Diane, M.D. Dahm |
| From the most recognized name in health, this is a detailed, step-by-step guide to getting and staying fit, regardless of your age or physical condition. Developing an exercise plan, selecting the equipment that's right for you, staying motivated, and preparing for your favorite physical activity are just some of the topics covered in this practical, essential fitness guide. |
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| Simplebean Top 10 |
| 1. | Eating for Life: Your Guide to Great Health, Fat Loss and Increased Energy!, Bill Phillips |
| 2. | Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating, Dr. Walter C. Willett |
| 3. | The G.I. Diet : The Easy, Healthy Way to Permanent Weight Loss, Rick Gallop |
| 4. | Body for Life: 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength, Bill Phillips |
| 5. | The Omega Diet: The Lifesaving Nutritional Program Based on the Diet of the Island of Crete, Artemis P. Simopoulos |
| 6. | Food and Mood: Second Edition : The Complete Guide To Eating Well and Feeling Your Best, Elizabeth Somer |
| 7. | Your Miracle Brain: Maximize Your Brainpower, Boost Your Memory, Lift Your Mood, Improve Your IQ and Creativity, Prevent and Reverse Mental Aging, Jean Carper |
| 8. | The Ultimate Fit or Fat, Covert Bailey |
| 9. | Dare to Lose: Four Simple Steps to Achieve a Better Body, Shari Lieberman, Ph.D. |
| 10. | The Get with the Program! Guide to Good Eating: Great Food for Good Health, Bob Greene |
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