tv-related stories
Britons Are Too Lazy For Sex, Americans Not Far Off
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| Photo: willposh, Flickr |
But don't be too quick to point the finger -- I suspect Americans aren't doing much better. Obesity rates are similar between the two countries, and considering the majority of us don't engage in any exercise whatsoever, I'm guessing a U.S. based study would show similar results.
OK, so maybe stairs aren't your thing, and the couch is just too darn comfy to justify getting up, but that doesn't mean you have to be a total blob -- there are plenty of fun and fabulous ways to get fit.
Have you tried bocce ball and beach paddleball this summer? Sorry to burst your bubble but you really have no excuse to be quite so lazy!
Master Your Cravings
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Pavel Somov, author of "Eating the Moment"
That's Fit: In your book, you point out that even problem solving can lead us to eat when we may not be hungry. Can you explain why?
Somov: Work-related thinking and problem solving are potentially stressful activities; stress can trigger emotional eating; in other words, when we have to solve a problem or figure something out we might comfort ourselves with food. For example, on the way to work you might think: "I have a difficult meeting this morning. Why don't I pick up some Starbucks and grab some donuts?"
Work-related thinking and problem solving can be also a conditioned trigger for eating when you are not hungry even if a given work or problem-solving project is not stressful in and of itself. When we regularly comfort ourselves with food whenever we have something difficult to do or something challenging to think through, we develop a habit of coping with work-related stress by eating. Over time, work-related cues (e.g. brain-storming sessions) become cues for eating when you are not hungry.
Somov: Work-related thinking and problem solving are potentially stressful activities; stress can trigger emotional eating; in other words, when we have to solve a problem or figure something out we might comfort ourselves with food. For example, on the way to work you might think: "I have a difficult meeting this morning. Why don't I pick up some Starbucks and grab some donuts?"
Work-related thinking and problem solving can be also a conditioned trigger for eating when you are not hungry even if a given work or problem-solving project is not stressful in and of itself. When we regularly comfort ourselves with food whenever we have something difficult to do or something challenging to think through, we develop a habit of coping with work-related stress by eating. Over time, work-related cues (e.g. brain-storming sessions) become cues for eating when you are not hungry.
TV More Popular Than Ever in America
What did you do last night? According to the Nielsen Company, there's a pretty good chance your answer is "watched TV." Nielsen reports that TV watching is more popular than ever among Americans -- up to an average of 151 hours a month. And we're not just watching television programming on TV, we're also tuning in on our computers and cell phones too.Let's do the math: 151 hours a month, divided by 30 equals ... five hours a day. Ouch.
Here's the thing about TV: Unless you've got Jillian Michael's 30-Day Shred in the DVD player, chances are you're watching that boob tube in the couch potato position. And if you're like me, there just might be a bowl of chips in your lap too. Five hours of that? A person just might start to grow roots.
Food Network - Is It Making Us Fat?
I'll admit it. I'm addicted to the Food Network. I work from home, but I miss the noise of the bustling busy office environment I used to work in. To compensate for the silence, the Food Network is on quietly in the background almost all day. Though I love to watch the shows, I rarely make the foods I see. But over at Vitamin G, they're wondering if the Food Network is making it harder for us to eat healthfully. A lot of the commenters agree with the theory. Says one person: "Those shows instantly make me hungry, even if I just ate a meal and normally wouldn't be! I can't watch them or I would get as big as a house."
TV - It Won't Flatter Your Figure
This might sound like the most blatantly obvious news out there, but your weight has a very close connection with how much TV you watch -- as in, the more TV you watch, the more you are likely to weigh. Whether it has to do with the fact that people tend to snack a lot in front of the tube, or the fact that when you're watching TV, you're probably not doing anything active, the moral of the story is clear: TV is no good for your figure. Keeping this in mind, maybe now's a good time to forgo some of your must-see shows for an evening walk? But if missing Lost is absolutely not an option, perhaps you can catch the lasest episode while on the treadmill at the gym? Or, at the very least, try to do some sit-ups and push-ups on the commercial break.
(via Calorie Lab)
Skip the Snacks After 6 PM
Walk the Walk, Diet & Weight Loss, Best Life with Bob Greene
When it comes to late night snacking, the jury is still out on whether or not it helps with weight loss. As Maggie recently pointed out, many experts believe a calorie is just a calorie, no matter what time of day that you eat it.
Over at AOL Health, Bob Greene shares his seven habits of successful weight loss. One of Bob's best known tips, possibly because he shared it with Oprah, is to choose a closing time for your kitchen. In other words, put a stop to late-night snacking. His theory is that if you overdo at breakfast or lunch, you've got time to burn a few of those extra calories off. But if you overdo near bedtime ... well, you can't sleep it off, now can you?
I agree with the idea that a calorie is just a calorie. But as Bob suggests, and as Maggie also points out in this post, late-night snacks tend to be more of the chips and dip variety, eaten mindlessly in front of the TV, rather than a carrot or an apple. That's emotional eating, and getting a handle on emotional eating is one of Bob's seven tips for success.
Bob suggests setting your kitchen closing time for sometime after dinner, usually 7 PM. Since we eat an early dinner, I'll be closing my kitchen at 6 PM this week to cut back on late night snacks and see if this is a tip that really can affect weight loss. Fingers crossed.
Lo Bosworth - Which "Hills" Costar Would She Switch Bodies With?
Celebrity Fitzness Report, Celebs & Entertainment, Reviews & Products
Curious to know how celebrities squeeze fitness into their daily lives? Want to know the secrets of the stars? Bi-weekly our That's Fit fitness expert Fitz sits down with the celebs we want to know more about, and digs out their great and not-so-great methods to staying healthy.
The Hills season finale on December 22 is quickly approaching on MTV, and I was able to catch up with reality star Lo Bosworth for a quick interview. To find out how she stays in shape and what her "realities" are while starring on this hit show, read on.
Fitz: How'd you end up on The Hills? What goes in to that?
Lo: Well, I started out on Laguna Beach back in high school. Then I went away to college. I was at UCSB and I transferred to UCLA my junior year. That was when Lauren and I were able to spend more time together. So I started going out a little bit and sometimes they would be filming. And then at some point, the producers just asked me to re-join the show.
Fitz: You're on a reality show but not necessarily a "performer" in Hollywood. You're supposed to be "real," but do you feel tons of pressure to be thin, beautiful and well dressed all the time?
_thumbnail.jpg "Will Lo launch her own fashion line?")
_thumbnail.jpg "Dog walking is great exercise for Lo.")
Will Lo launch her own fashion line? Read on!
A Ban on Fast Food Ads? That's Fit Readers Think It's a Good Idea
A recent study theorized that banning fast food commercials would have a positive impact on childhood obesity. After all, most kids watch an awful lot of television -- being tempted by burgers and fries (not to mention the toys they're packaged with) can be a big draw. Pair that with the potential sleep problems and loss of physical activity due to TV watching and you've got a recipe for childhood obesity. Or do you? I asked That's Fit readers what they thought about banning fast food commercials. Here are the results:
- 56.6 percent think banning fast food commercials is a good idea. Remove the temptation and maybe kids would beg and plead for fast food less often.
- 34.5 percent of you think kids will still want fast food, whether they see it on commercials or not.
- 8.7 percent of you voted for other. Many comments focused on the fact that it shouldn't matter whether kids see commercials or not -- parents should determine the types of food that their family is eating. Kids shouldn't be the ones who dictate what they eat.
Do you think you're up on knowledge about childhood obesity? Take this AOL Health childhood obesity quiz and find out.
Cardio TV - what do you watch at the gym?
I recently came across this post at Lemondrop, and it made me laugh out loud -- I'm totally one of those people who watches Food Network while I knock out a cardio session. Then again, sometimes I watch HGTV or E!, but if there's a game on, I might follow that, while other times I catch up on Days of Our Lives -- somebody has to keep an eye on the evil Stefano DiMera, after all.
I can't say that I pay much attention to what other people watch, unless it's something super trashy on MTV or something. But it does amaze me to see people who seem to be able to follow a complicated plot. I can hardly follow along with my favorite song once I get a couple of miles under my belt.
And now, I'm curious -- what do you tune into when you hit treadmill or StairMaster? Let me know in the comments!
I can't say that I pay much attention to what other people watch, unless it's something super trashy on MTV or something. But it does amaze me to see people who seem to be able to follow a complicated plot. I can hardly follow along with my favorite song once I get a couple of miles under my belt.
And now, I'm curious -- what do you tune into when you hit treadmill or StairMaster? Let me know in the comments!
Daily Fit Tip: Keep a fitness bin by your TV
You might have a newspaper bin by your TV. Or a toy bin for your kids. But do you have a fitness bin? You should.
Biggest Loser lessons: Things to remember
I love The Biggest Loser -- I've been following Bev's updates as religiously as I have the show. And I think it's great for the viewers -- all that encouragement to slim down, shape up and take back control of their health. So I was interested when I saw this article titled Biggest Loser lessons to forget. Huh?Using the show as motivation to get healthy is a fantastic idea but before you get discouraged that you can't keep up with the show, there are a few issues you should keep in mind, according to the folks over at Divine Caroline:
- Results are not typical. Normal people don't lose more than two pounds a week.
- They put their lives on hold. Contestants spend weeks focused solely on losing weight. The rest of us can't afford that luxury.
- They're probably over-training. Think about it -- they go from no exercise to working out for hours each day. This isn't healthy -- or realistic.
- They have trainers. Celebrity trainers are there with them for every workout. Can you afford that? Didn't think so.
Hmm. I never thought of it that way. But I still think the show does more good then harm. Your thoughts?
Eat more while you watch TV
Get this: You can eat six cups of low-fat microwave popcorn for about the same number of calories you'd get from just seven or eight chips, says the RealAge team. Even better: Popcorn counts as a whole grain. So while munching, you're logging a few whole-grain servings too. Good news for your rainy days.
One caution: To benefit from this low-calorie, high fiber, whole-grain treat, you simply must avoid all buttery and salty options. Your best bet is to grab Orville Redenbacher, Pop Secret, and Jolly Time brands -- all offer 100-calorie microwave packs with five to six cups of popcorn in one bag.
Ruby Gettinger's inspirational weight-loss journey
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Popular Savannah resident Ruby Gettinger is fun, fabulous, and beautiful. She also weighs 500 pounds, but that hasn't stopped her from living life to the fullest. Now she's the star of her own TV show. Ruby, premiering on the Style Network, chronicles Ruby's weight-loss journey after being told to slim down for health reasons. According to the show's press release: "Even at her highest weight of 700 pounds, Ruby has never been afraid to go out - hanging out with friends, dancing or going to the movies - despite frequent disapproving stares and harsh comments by passersby. By sharing her positive and negative personal experiences and allowing viewers to come along on her weight-loss journey, Ruby hopes to help others realize that they are not alone and if she can do it, anyone can."
Tune in on November 9th at 8pm (7pm central) to the Style Network for Ruby's story. In the meantime, visit the official website for more info.
10 tips for getting your kid off the couch
Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements
- Turn off the TV. Ax the video games and the Internet too. Instead, tune into the outdoors. Once there, move your bodies. Kids spend nearly six hours each day glued to some sort of screen. Time to break this habit.
- Walk. Find opportunities to walk. Walk the mall, walk your neighborhood, take the stairs. Just log 10,000 steps per day and you'll cover about five miles.
- Be flexible. Set modest goals and your kids will be more likely to comply with physical fun.
- Make it fun. Exercise is so much easier when it's fun. Forget traditional sports and try dancing, balloon volleyball in the living room, a sack race in the back yard.
- Make it a contest. Find who in your family can do the most push-ups, who can dribble a basketball the fastest, who can run the farthest.
- Run. Find local fun runs that are open to all ages, and get your whole crew to sign up and race for the finish line.
- Get some wheels. Ride bikes and get some scooters, roller blades, and skateboards.
- Dance. Crank up the music and dance. No inhibitions, no rules, no weight gain -- dancing for 15 minutes per day can trim 10 pounds per year.
- Take a hike. Find some trails, and walk. Pack a picnic lunch, play Frisbee, and toss a football too while you're at it.
- Stay young. Play kid games with your kids, like tag and hide-and-seek. Ask your little ones to lead the family in a game of their choice.
Reno 911! star finds fitness in a hula-hoop
Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment
Reno 911 star Niecy Nash knows how important exercise is. The 38-year-old's favorite forms of fitness? Swimming and pilates.
Ah, if only it were that easy to jump in the pool or power over to a pilates class. But that darn swimming messes with Nash's hair, she tells Essence magazine. And she has kids that keep her busy and away from pilates. The TV host and actress has a foolproof solution, though: She opts for physical activity that includes her kiddos. One of her prized picks: Hula-hoop in front of the TV. Not a bad idea.
The hula-hoop is not only ideal for family TV time. It's also making its way into fitness centers across the country. Check out this post for more.
Ah, if only it were that easy to jump in the pool or power over to a pilates class. But that darn swimming messes with Nash's hair, she tells Essence magazine. And she has kids that keep her busy and away from pilates. The TV host and actress has a foolproof solution, though: She opts for physical activity that includes her kiddos. One of her prized picks: Hula-hoop in front of the TV. Not a bad idea.
The hula-hoop is not only ideal for family TV time. It's also making its way into fitness centers across the country. Check out this post for more.
