Week #5.

Get off the couch and get moving!

Being active is the best way to get those calories "OUT" and burn fat.  So get off of the couch and get some more physical activity.  Here are a few tips that may help:

1. Move the TV out of the bedrooms.
2. Balance TV time and activity time. Make a rule that minutes of TV watching equal minutes of physical activity.
3. Set Limits. TV can be habit-forming. To keep from overdoing it, make a few rules. Like; no watching TV on weekdays, no more then an hour every night, not until after homework is done. Etc. Whatever is going to help make the difference.
4. Use a timer. Set the timer for 30-60 min.  When the timer goes off so does the TV or computer.
5. Don't eat in front of the TV. Take the TV out of the kitchen. Don't allow eating in the TV room.
6. Don't surf.  Schedule TV instead.  Deciding in advance what programs you want to watch during the week, makes a bigger difference then sitting and surfing throughout the channels waiting for something to pop up that interests you.
7. Be conscious.  Do you automatically turn on the TV when you come home? Is it on all the time even when no one is watching it?  Try to break these BAD habits.
8. Make the most of TV time.  Move the treadmill or stationary bike in the TV room.  Do calisthenics during commercial breaks.  Watch TV standing up-while you do arm circles, knee bends and leg lifts.

Here are 2 amazing statistics:
*According to the A.C. Nielson organization, which tracks TV use in the U.S.; the average person spends a whopping 4 hours a day watching TV.
*Another survey (the American Time Use Survey) found that watching TV accounts for about half the leisure time for the average person.

How does your family compare to the national average? Track your families TV time for a week and compare.  Then set some rules and boundaries to help.

Ideas of making it happen:

1. Go for 60 every day. You need at least 60 min. of activity every day.  This includes playtime. exercise, and just moving.
2. Transport yourself.  Bike or walk to various places around your neighborhood.  Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Choose parking spots that are the furthest from the doors.
3. Play, play, play. Allow for lots of instructed time for active play.  Break out the balls, jump rope, hula hoops etc. Walk the dog, head for the park, take the little one on a walk in the stroller etc.
4. Make it a family affair.  Adopt active habits that everyone can do.  Walk each night after dinner, play tag or ping pong. Do needed chores together around the house or outside. Getting a family swim pass and go together regularly.
5. Rev it up aerobic.  For 20-30 min. every day, do something- anything!  As long as it gets your heart pumping.  Biking, running, hiking, basketball, skating etc. Just get outside and do it.
6. Stretch your body.  Stretch a little every day, and set aside time for a stretching activity 2 or 3 times a week.  Yoga, Pilate's, martial arts, dance, and gymnastics ass help with flexibility.
7. Build strength. Do strength exercises 2 times a week.  Calisthenics like push ups, pull-ups, sit ups, and knee bends are best and easiest for most people.  If you want to lift weights, keep them light. 

Hopefully following a few of the tips will and can make a difference in your life.

Here is some more helpful information for you to view:

http://selecthealth.org/Forms%20and%20Documents/SelectHealth%20Wellness/getfit.pdf