Meeting Topic - Taming TV Time

Did you know that the average Canadian spends 28.5 hours per week watching TV?  Often we're not only watching TV but we're shovelling the food back while we're sitting on our behinds watching TV!  Why do we watch TV, really there's two basic reasons, for entertainment and/or down time.  For me, TV is definitely downtime.

This is actually not a topic I'm super excited about this week or rah-rah cheerleaderish about.  Essentially Weight Watchers is trying to encourage us to use that time to be active.  I use this time to relax and to stitch!

For many of us pre-weight loss journey we'd come home from work, put on our PJs and plonk ourselves down infront of the TV with a big-ole snack!  I was guilty of this myself once upon a time.

Pre Weight Watchers many of us would snack on :

• chips
• cookies
• candy/chocolate
• ice cream
• cheese & crackers
• nuts

These are all high fat, high carb food!  Definitely once past the lips ... straight to the hips!

Now that we're on our weight loss journey we tend to snack on :

• Frozen yogurt
• limited nuts
• popcorn (microwave/air popped)
• vegetables
• fruit
• salsa
• melba toast
• Weight Watchers products
• veggie chips/ baked chips
• turkey pepperets

So Weight Watchers is encouraging you to use your TV time and make it your active time.  To either exercise in front of the TV or use the commercials to be active.  Some suggestions are :

• Put a piece of stationary equipment in front of the TV and walk/cycle while you watch your favourite show
• During the commercials up your resistance/speed/or incline use this time to do intervals and increase your heart rate
• Do crunches/plank/push ups and more during the commercials
• Sit on a exercise ball instead of on the couch to work your abdominal muscles
• So much more!

Why am I not so crazy about this week's topic?  Because I like to get the day's work done before I settle in front of the TV.  The TV is my reward for a job well done!  There's nothing I look forward to more than at the end of a work day, after my workout, dinner and whatever else needs to be done putting my feet up later in the evening putting on the TV and picking up my stitching!