Sweatin' to the Tube

Last night, while explaining Operation Consumption Liberation and October's challenge to a new friend, I had a momentary freak-out: "ACK!  I did an exercise DVD the other day.  Is that cheating?" Technically, in the sense that my eyes were somewhat trained on the boob tube for ~25 minutes, yes, I did break my rule.  But I didn't enjoy it.  I mean, I sweated and suffered! 

Sadly, I was not Sweatin' to the Oldies (2) the other day.

After a minute or two of consideration, I decided that exercise DVDs are a totally legitimate exemption to my month without DVDs, TV, Hulu, and Netflix. This is a distinction of healthiness. While there are some people for whom aerobic activity is not advisable without the supervision of a doctor, exercise is a crucial component for healthy living. Working out along with a small-screen Denise Austin or Richard Simmons or Jillian Michaels might not be as effective as running a 5k or working with a trainer at the gym, but it IS good for the ticker.  There are clear and undeniable benefits to one's overall quality of life.

It is much more difficult to identify such health benefits in the act of watching TV programs and DVDs for sheer entertainment.  Yes, television programs and movies can engage the brain and educate (see NOVA, Sesame Street, Charlie Rose, or Jeopardy), stimulate some of the senses (see the impressive visual effects on Game of Thrones, costumes on Mad Men, or consider Ken Burns' "Jazz"), and provoke cathartic releases. (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is good for hysterical laughter to the point of tears, for example.  Or watching any movie on an airplane will incite me to cry.)  And sometimes, after a super busy or emotionally taxing day, it feels good to many of us to sit down and simply tune out for a little while to whatever mindless drivel is on the tube.  

Mad (Wo)Men: Why don't people in the real world dress like this?

The problem is how often we sit down in front of the TV to tune out for a little while and then don't get up for two, three, or four hours because we've been sucked into an America's Next Top Model marathon on VH1.  Or we stay up way too late watching whichever Netflix-streaming show we're currently obsessed with because we HAVE TO KNOW what happens in the next episode, and the next, and the one after that.  

I justify such sprees by multitasking: I file paperwork, I knit, I fold laundry.  But am I efficient at those tasks?  Not usually.  In fact, the one thing I seem to do faster and more in front of the TV is eat.   So let's review: I'm spending hours sitting around lethargically, dragging out household tasks, eating empty calories, and I'm still going to bed much too late.  There is nothing healthy about this slate of co-morbid habits.  They are human, but they are not healthy.  This is exactly why I decided to do a month of no TV etc.

You dare to turn off the Elimination Panel?

There are many other ways we can choose to entertain, stimulate or refresh ourselves at the end of the day.  We can call up or go out with an old friend and catch up.  We can go to a concert or gallery,  take a bath, or take a walk.  Shoot, if I'd been smarter in designing my October, I would have vowed to replace TV viewing with making out--so much more entertaining and stimulating than TV! (Though not exactly relaxing...I hope!)  Any of these connect us more with the three-dimensional world and do more to promote good health.  That said, following along with an exercise DVD is as 3D of a TV-watching experience as one is ever going to find. 

I will say, nine days into October, that I'm not having a hard time not watching TV et al. at home ever night.   However, thus far, I'm not seeing a remarkable improvement in my productivity or healthy habits, probably because I'm filling the void left by TV and DVDs and streaming with surfing the web and checking Facebook repeatedly.  Oops.  Maybe I should have merged my Superfluous Web Browsing and No TV/Netflix/etc. months like I contemplated earlier this year.  What happened to more evening walks?  So that's my goal for the next week: less browse, more walk.  

What co-morbid bad habits plague you?  How does watching the small screen enrich your life and how does it deplete your life?  I'd love to hear about your experiences!

Until next time...