Tip of the Day- Take a Commercial Break

by Alison Palmer | More from this Blogger

10 Feb 2007 09:29 AM

If you sit down to watch a one hour TV show, you can expect that about 7-10 minutes of that time will be commercials. That's 10 minutes that you are sitting there that you don't need to be.

Take a commercial break. Every time the show goes to a commercial, shift yourself into high gear. Make a run to the kitchen for a healthy snack instead of an unhealthy one. Can you peel and slice an apple before the next commercial is over?

Instead of grumbling about the interruption, hop out of your chair and see if you can do sit-ups until the show comes back on. Turn the sound down and turn the radio on, then dance. Increase your brain power and play 20 questions with your family. See who can name the most things beginning with the letter "c" before the show comes back on.

When I looked it up, the studies say that the average American watches about 4 hours of TV each day. I personally wonder who this average American with 4 hours of free time is, but that's another issue. If you're watching 4 hours a day that's 40 minutes of healthy living time you can squeeze in without even trying. That is, of course, assuming that the commercials aren't part of the entertainment for you.

Stretch, deep breathe, turn the sound down and meditate. Give, and then receive, a foot massage. Watching a comedy? Act out your favorite part from the last stretch and let the laughs build again. Have toddlers? See if you can mimic what the people in the commercials are doing and let the fun begin.

Everyone needs a little down time in their day and it's difficult to imagine having that extra energy between episodes to think about your health. If it's difficult to think about, it's definitely time to get started.

It's like applying the 10% rule to your health. Can you turn just 10% of your time each day into a healthy activity? Sometimes that can feel overwhelming for our current lifestyles. The good news is that it doesn't have to happen all at once. Break it down even further. Take 10% of each hour. For just six minutes every hour actively do something healthy.

Take a commercial break for health.

Related Articles:

How Carefully Do You Watch TV?

Tip of the Day- Take the Stairs

Are Your Kids Active?

Learn more about Alison Palmer

Writing is Alison's favorite past time, but you can also frequently find her reading, playing piano, cooking, taking long walks, sewing, or playing with her family.

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