Commit to be Fit: Turn TV into a treat for yourself

It's that time of year again. I'm not talking about football season, sweater-weather, or pumpkin flavored everything. This is the time of year when new seasons of your favorite prime-time dramas begin.

You may be thinking of your favorite TV show right now - 'Scandal,” 'Grey's Anatomy,” 'The Voice,” 'Dancing with the Stars.” My friends know that I'm unavailable for an hour on Wednesday nights because I'll be cozied up on the sofa with a glass of red wine watching my favorite show, 'Nashville.” (Busted.)

So how guilty is my guilty pleasure of camping out on the sofa on Wednesday nights? It all depends.

A couple weeks ago, 'Commit to be Fit” highlighted the negative effects of sitting and physical health. Researchers have found that sitting for the majority of the day increases the risk of diabetes, obesity, even premature death. Studies have confirmed that even when adults meet physical activity guidelines, sitting for prolonged periods can compromise metabolic health.

We know that sitting for long periods of time can be detrimental to physical health, but what about mental health? Psychologists have shown that 'binge-watching” television can resemble other addictive behaviors as an escape or coping mechanism.

Which brings me back to my first question, how guilty is my guilty pleasure of watching my show?

The answer varies. Robert Potter, director of the Institute for Communication Research at Indiana University makes a good point, 'Your emotional state at the end of a show is affected by how you felt when you began the show.” Meaning if you are using television to help you block out problems, you will almost always feel worse later - just like you would using drugs or alcohol. So if I am watching too much TV because I want to escape from my problems, then I will most likely be in a sour mood and disappointed in myself after my show is over. 'The trick is to use TV as a reward for confronting and dealing with an issue,” Potter says.

Less TV has the power to change you.

' Get after it. The average American spends more than five hours a day watching TV. Commit to cutting that number down to one to two hours. What could you get done with an extra three to four hours?

' Use TV as a motivator. Get things done before you sit down. You will be able to enjoy your show more and you will feel a sense of accomplishment before and after your show.

' Map out your week. What shows do you love to watch? Looking forward to an hour of relaxation can break up the workweek and add some excitement to a night in.

' Make TV as healthy as you can. Portion-control your snacks or beverages and stand up during commercial breaks.

' Focus on the most important connections. Since I roped my husband into watching 'Nashville,” 'my show” has become 'our show,” and we look forward to it. It's also a special connection I have with my mom and my mother-in-law. I get to call my mom to dish about the latest drama, then we predict what's going to happen next and I get to say good night. I vow to keep these personal connections stronger than my Internet or cable signal.

' Kylie Alger is a certified wellness coach and co-owner of The Well-Woman: Body, Mind & Spirit. Comments: kylie@thewellwoman.org