Filed under: Food and Nutrition , Diet and Weight Loss Diet derailers are everywhere — in your house, in the grocery store, at work, at play, in your head even. Here, we’ll address the very things that throw us off course. Together, we’ll learn how to avoid our diet traps — and how to get back on track when we can’t. I went to the movies the other day and all around me, I heard the crunching of popcorn, the crinkling of candy wrappers and the slurping of jumbo sodas. The excessive calories, fat and sugar consumed are now latching onto the hips, thighs and bellies of the folks who gulped them down. Beware — the big screen might be wrecking your rear. Here, the dangers of dabbling in movie food and some ideas for producing your own healthy theater experience. TV Trouble TV Can Turn You Tubby People eat more when they watch TV, especially when watching shows they find really entertaining. It’s not the TV to blame. It’s the distraction. When you’re watching Leno or Letterman, you don’t realize you’re polishing off pounds of potato chips, says Dr. Alan Hirsch, the neurological director for the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. Called “mindless eating” by food psychologist Brian Wansink, eating without focus is a dangerous diet derailer. Add to your

bag of chips the fact that you’re totally inactive while you watch your favorite shows and that those commercials for Oreo Cakesters are so very tempting, and there’s no doubt you’ve got to refine your TV-watching habits. (A3R) angelrravelor (A3R) on flickr Ban the Binge TV is more popular than ever in America. The Nielsen Company says we watch about 151 hours a month. That translates into a whole lot of snacking, which isn’t all bad — if the snacks are wholesome and healthy and come in weight-friendly portions. Snuggle up with a bowl of fruit, and put TV snacks in small bowls, says AOL Health UK. And forget tempting commercials. Mute those things, and use the break to crank out some crunches. Position your treadmill in front of the TV, busy your hands with ironing or dusting while you watch. Or you could use the TV to help you lose a few. cyclone bill on flickr Watch Yourself Lose Yes, TV can make you fat. Use it for good, though, and it can fight the fat. Turn off Leno and Letterman and turn on the Skinny Bitches . Liz Neporent names 10 DVDs you should be buying. And if you’re bored by fitness DVDs, these are sure to inspire you. www.warnervideo.comHealth | Health | Health

More: 
Movie Food – Reel in Your Bad Habits