Semantics Part 2: Is "Binge Viewing" another way of saying Couch Potato?

By Definition, Binge-watching, also called binge-viewing or marathon-viewing, is the

practice of watching television for longer time spans than usual, usually of a single television show. In a survey conducted by Netflix in February 2014, 73% of people define binge-watching as "watching between 2-6 episodes of the same TV show in one sitting.

History:

The idea of assembling several consecutive episodes of a television series in order and watching them in rapid succession originated with the marathon. Remember the Twilight Zone series marathons? Shark Week is similar type of programming. In contrast, Shark Week is more of a documentary type series related to shark attacks, education of sharks and why they are so important to the ecosystem. I digress.

I do not think anything good can come out of sitting for hours on end watching television. I am quite certain, those of you who "binge watch" have plenty of food on hand. Another excuse to sit around and eat crappy food. Just what this country needs.

My suggestion: Do Not Fall For It! You deserve better and so does your body. We sit enough as it is. Get up, put on your head phones and go for a walk. I love walking at Colt State Park in Bristol Rhode Island. ( More so, on the week days then the weekends.) In my last blog, Semantics Part 1: ( Thank you for all the feedback!) I discussed challenging yourself. Stop making the easy choice vs. the healthy choice. (Scroll down if you missed it.)

I get it! I can be shy myself sometimes. However, when it started to effect my bottom line, I knew I needed to make a change. Forcing myself to do a radio and cable show was not easy. Neither is going out and trying to make new friends or date. (Been there, too).

I met my husband in Newport on a night I almost did not go out.

I am living proof that it is worth it!

What I promise to you is:

If you make the harder choice (go out or to a party) over the easier choice ( sitting home with the remote on a Saturday night) you will not regret it!

Planning and preparing healthy foods on the weekend for the hectic work week. You will not regret it!!

Going for a walk or to the gym instead of sitting on the couch. I have never gone to the gym or walked my dog Maura and said "Boy I wish I did not do that." Quite the opposite. I have more energy than I did before the walk/gym.

No Change= No Change.

The decision is yours. Whatever, you decide. I am here for you.

I want to be your reliable resource for nutrition information.

XO

Meg

Semantic Part 1. Are You A Homebody? Then read on....

I have not seen any official or clinical studies on this matter. However, this got me thinking. Is being a homebody,” or someone who prefers to stay in, a nice way of disguising some form of social anxiety? Is staying in a sign of a bigger problem? Don’t get me wrong, I love nothing more than spending time at home with my husband, Jeremy, and (my dog) Maura. However, we also enjoy walking our dog, going to the gym or yoga, socializing with others at parties, sitting on a restaurant deck having drinks and or dinner, etc. But I wonder, how much time at home is too much?

Do you or someone you know stay home most nights after work and all weekend? If the answer is yes, are you or someone you know overweight or obese? I am embarrassed to say that after many years of working as a nutritionist this just occurred to me. I am a little slow sometimes :) I wonder if the term “homebody” is just a nice way of saying that a person has some form of social anxiety. I am not a licensed social worker or therapist. I am sure social anxiety (a disorder where individuals have an excessive or irrational fear of social situations) ranges greatly...from feeling a little uncomfortable at a party to irrational fears at social situations.

In the past few years, social anxiety has been inked to binge eating, the consumption of large amounts of food in a short period of time. Ask yourself this question: Is it easier to sit home alone with the channel changer and some comfort food than it is to go out? Many women have told me about the nervousness that comes over them when they are invited by friends out to eat and/or drink. Thoughts such as: “I have been doing so well, I do not want to ruin it.” “ I am afraid if I have a drink, I will not care about what I consume.” Fears of being judged by strangers, etc.

Some women actually starve themselves all day, especially if they know they are going out to dinner. This is the worst thing you can do, as your body will want to store the food you consume. Trust me, the worse thing you can do is to walk into a restaurant ravenous. (Remember my trademarked secret: Keep it a 5™). If you’re consistently sitting at home and continuously over eating, you may want to think about this.

So here’s what I suggest: Change it up. Go out for a coffee or tea. Go shopping at the mall. Have a social hour at your home and ask everyone to bring a healthy dish. Still single? Put yourself out there. I get it. Sitting home alone may be the easier thing to do. However, more than likely it is not the healthier thing to do. Believe it or not, you actually consume less food eating out than you do staying in.

Practice makes perfect. Change is not easy, and neither is putting yourself out there, but you can’t let yourself be discouraged. Don’t give up. Try again. You’ll have to push yourself, but I promise it will be worth it. Remember, I’m here for you, and I wouldn’t recommend doing anything that I felt was detrimental to your health. Before you know it, I guarantee you’ll be having a good time being out and about, and you’ll be able to strike “homebody” from your vocabulary.

Last but not least. Seek professional counseling. I have been seeing a wonderful counselor for over 10 years now. Speaking with family and friends is great; however, seeking professional help is an entirely different ball of wax. How you decide to seek help is your decision. What I know for certain: You deserve to live a happy, healthy life.

XO, Meg

Sofa photo courtesy of phaendin / freedigitalphotos.net. Photo of me taken at the ribbon cutting ceremony for Hope & Main, Rhode Island's first kitchen incubator, of which I'm a BIG supporter. Learn more at makefoodyourbusiness.org.