The reality of how TV affects your health

I can't count the number of times I've headed home from work with a healthy diet-conscious dinner planned, only to have my willpower botched at the last minute when I turn on the evening news and catch a well-timed Pizza Hut commercial. Suddenly my steamed veggies don't sound very good.

According to the media research company A.C. Nielsen, the average American will have spent the equivalent of 9 years in front of the tube by the time they're 65. Nine years! That's a ridiculous amount of time. And research supports the fact that TV makes you hungry and is linked to the rising incidence of obesity. So, while those 9 years are racking up and we're parked in front of the TV watching our favorite shows, we're not exercising but we are eating. Having dinner on the couch, snacking afterwards, and then popping a quick midnight snack before starting it all over again tomorrow.

TV has its place, but "everything in moderation" seems to be the key. Keep up on the news, watch your favorite shows, but try turning it off once you find yourself aimlessly flipping through channels. You might add years to your life!