Turn Up Your Activity By Turning Off The TV

By , SparkPeople Blogger
The topic of TV is a constant battle in my house. I would be happy if we got rid of the TV completely (okay, except when it's the middle of a season of Top Chef.) My husband, on the other hand, was a little too excited when we got our new flat-screen, big-screen, too much-screen TV. There are lots of good reasons to watch less TV, especially since the average American spends 5 hours a DAY in front of the TV. It's easy to assume that less TV might lead to healthier habits, since you'd have more time to exercise or cook a healthy meal. A new study shows that less TV might not change your diet or increase your exercise, but it could lead to an increase in overall activity levels.

The study, published in The Archives of Internal Medicine, tracked 36 obese and overweight individuals for 6 weeks. Part of the group had their TV viewing cut in half, while the others continued to watch the same amount as before. The researchers were surprised to learn that reducing the amount of TV didn't change calorie consumption or sleep patterns. But the group who watched less TV did get more activity throughout their day (outside of exercise), burning an average of 120 calories per day more than the control group. That might not sound like a lot, but over the course of a week that's like taking an 8-mile walk. In fact, the control group became even more sedentary, burning an average of 100 calories less per day during the study. Pretty significant, right?

This study is one example of how small changes can lead to big results. You don't have to exercise for hours on end or follow the "nothing-but-carrots-for-a-week" diet in order to see changes to your health and your waistline. Set small goals and take small steps each day toward a healthier lifestyle. Reduce the amount of TV you watch, replace one of those sodas with a glass of water, or take the stairs instead of the elevator at work. You'd be surprised at what can happen.

What kind of small changes have you made that have added up to big results? Has the amount of TV you watch changed since you committed to a healthier lifestyle?