I admit it. I love the couch. Like there’s Velcro on it and I can’t get up. I’ve never met a TV show I didn’t like - reality shows, drama, documentary…. This is embarrassing, but sometimes I even watch reruns of infomercials. I know I have an unhealthy lifestyle. More often than not, I fall asleep on the couch. I love junk food – big burgers and milkshakes are my favorite. Sometimes I drive to the corner store because I hate walking. I guess the extra pounds on my body make it harder to move. But I’m pretty comfortable with who I am and my choices.
My individual action plan choice
I don’t like to think about my health. It sounds smug when people tell me about changes to their diet and how they walk now at lunchtime. I need something easy and straightforward that doesn’t make me feel bad, so I chose the stress management and walking planners through the WebMD online program. I can use either one whenever I want – I just need to track 3 activities in one of the planners each week for 10 weeks. Mostly I use the stress management planner because I like trying the different techniques – with mental imagery, sometimes I imagine myself going for a walk instead of plunking in front of the TV.
Why this works for me
It doesn’t feel overwhelming or judgmental. I’m starting to realize that my TV habit is probably related to a lot of other things in my life, but no one is telling me what to do so I don’t have to defend myself. I even bought a pedometer at the drug store (with a bag of chips and some cookies) and wore it a few days last week. It turns out that when I take the bus to work, I walk 1000 steps just to get to the bus stop. I’m not taking the stairs at work or anything like that, but it’s good to know that there are ways for me to get credit for the activity I do, when I feel like doing it.
Other people this might work for
People who want a simple and straightforward program
People who would prefer not to engage in anything too structured.
Tips for success
Make sure you start your program before April 23rd if you need to skip any week for vacation, etc. If you start April 23rd, you’ll need to complete 10 consecutive weeks of the program.
You can mix and match your planner entries – for instance, enter activity in the walking planner one day and stress management techniques the next. Just complete 3 activities a week for 10 weeks.
