Does your family watch too much television? According to experts,
we are watching more TV than ever. This increase in television watching
is a major factor in the growing numbers of overweight people in the United
States. We all tend to snack more when we are in front of the television,
and unless a treadmill powers your TV, your family isn't moving much as
you watch television programs or play video games. Also, as we watch our
programs, we are bombarded with food advertising, especially during children's
programs where about 80 percent of the commercials are for food, and they're
not promoting carrots and broccoli!
When our free time is spent in front of the TV, we are
not only missing out on needed exercise, but opportunities for meaningful
family time, too. February is American Heart Month, and the Onondaga County
Partnership for Healthy Hearts would like to help you find ways to help
you and your family watch less television and create a healthy lifestyle
for the whole family. The following are some ideas from "TV-Free America's
100 Substitute Activities" list to help families spend time on more active
and creative pursuits:
Organize a community clean-up or volunteer for a charity.
Go ice skating or roller skating.
Paint a picture, a mural or a room.
Walk the dog. Wash the dog.
Take a nature hike.
Walk to work or school.
Go bowling.
Teach a child some of your favorite childhood games.
Play frisbee.
Take an early morning walk.
Play charades.
Make a wooden flower box.
Go dancing. Take a dance class.
Find out about your area's community center and/or park activities.
Visit the zoo.
Play an outdoor game such as hide and seek
Organize a neighborhood scavenger hunt.
Clean up or re-decorate your room.
Go sledding and make a snowman
For more ideas on how to "Break Free of TV" and be more active, ask
for our free Winter Activities Guide by contacting the Onondaga County
Partnership for Healthy Hearts at 435-3280 or by e-mail, hlmdrot@health.co.onondaga.ny.us.
Partnership for
