Don’t be a Couch Potato Chip

How much TV do you watch? The average family watches about 55 hours of television a week; that is a lot of time in front of a television set, but is the main souse for family entertainment.

The problem with watching so much television is that you are snacking while your favorite shows are on and usually they aren’t healthy snacks. They taste great, but aren’t good for you. While people are watching TV and munching away, they are putting on extra, needless pounds.

Some of the favorite snacks people tend to munch on while engrossed in their favorite shows are chips, cookies, ice cream, and buttered popcorn. It’s like a tradition to watch TV and snack and it’s hard to break tradition.

Bad eating habits are developed over time and those habits are hard to break. We snack because we’ve always snack while watching TV. Advertisements are another reason we tend to run to the kitchen and grab a snack; they make it sound so good, but neglect to tell you how bad it is for you.

The term “couch potato” is what one becomes when they sit for hours at a time, watching TV, and snacking on unhealthy food. You can remedy this in some degree by choosing a healthier snack, but that still will put the weight on around your middle if you eat too much. Moderation is the key.

The biggest problem with snacking in front of the television is that you’re easily distracted from the bag of chips or tub of ice cream in front of you and before you know it, most of it’s in your belly. Try to keep your snack to a sensible portion, such as a small bowl.

Low-level exercise is a great alternative to useless snacking. Walk on that treadmill! Ride that exercise bike! Or get on that elliptical! It only takes about half hour to get the benefits from it. Not only are you distracted from exercising, but your attention is diverted from food.

You might also want to try reducing the time you spend watching TV and spend that time doing something more constructive with your family or friends. Take a walk, read a book, or play board games; the less time you spend in front of the TV, the less you are apt to snack.

Be aware and take control of the situation and as always, moderation is the key to maintaining your weight and health. You have to know that you are indulging in bad habits before you can break them, so once you understand this aspect, break the bad habits before it catches up with you around your belly