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. Mashing the Sofa Spud Habit! It’s an addiction. You sit in front of your television, armed with a vari- ety of fattening snack feeds. You sit and munch, watching hour after hour of canned laughter, real-life crisis. tabloid talk and steamy soaps. You've got an ugly case of Couch Potato Syn» drome. But don‘t despair; you are not alone, North Americans watch the most television per capita. Television viewing is fine in moderation. but in excess it’s a tedious time-waster, making us inactive and less energetic And TV junk food snackers develop poor eating habits and unhealthy weight. Although the "zappet" has made TV a lot more fun to watch, it took away the little exercise we got changing channels! Couch potato parents not only set a bad example to the small fry, they‘re also leav» g impressionable young minds in the Wellman’s WI Celebrate the Year of the Family By Donna Russet! ){rWV programmers’ clutches. How do you com- bat Couch Potato Syndrome? Once you get past the denial stage and admit you're a sofa spud, the next step is to summon up all of your willpower and follow these steps: I: Limit your daily viewing time to a reasonable level. Aim for two hours or less, and involve everyone in the family. Discourage cheat: ing by establishing a penalty or fine for those who view beyond their limit. Money collected from fines can go toward it family outing or a charitable donation. Be selective in your viewing. Balance fun. mindless entertainment with more educational or thoughtâ€"pro- voking programs. It‘s time well-spent learning something new. Schedule things to do with your newly-freed time. Take a walk, play with your kids. start a new hobby, get outside and do some- thing! You can no longer use the excuse that you don't have the time! Avoid empty snacking in front of the TV. Eat nutritious snacks that won't spend time in your body as a new collection offat cells, Try raw veggies with low fat dip, plain popcorn, light yogurt. crackers or rice cakes with low fat spreads. Come on, take that first step in mashing the sofa spud habit! This article was rr'pri'mr-rlji’nm the Spring I 993 Com! Hcrlllli Diger/ news'le'ltr'r rant/711ml by the Big ‘11)fllg Xltu‘r'a' in Olildrfu, he International Year of the Family (IYF) was the theme of the Annual Pot Luck Supper and Community Fellowship Night hosted by the Wellman’s Women's Institute in February. Members of the community were invited to share in good food. fun and fellowship. The WI Hall was decorated with IYF balloons. posters and a flag. Michael Ballard, awell-known motivational speaker. shared his family’s involvement with bringing children from Belorus (fore merly Byelorussia) for a six-week vacation. These children are victims of the Chemobyl disaster and are hosted by families around the world. A variety of musical numbers by local talented'families added much to the enjoyment of the evening. “What is a Family,’ a dialogue expressing the views of a child. a teen, a parent and a member of the commu- nity, brought the informative and delightful evening to a close. Donna Russell is the President of it»: Federated Women‘s Institute;- 14‘ Ontario. and a member of the Wellmnri 'r Women '1 lItrlitit/e. group ofWomen's institute members met at Criefl' Hills Community and Conference Centre in mid-April for the Personal Growth and Renewal Course on Photography offered by the FWIO. Eve Martin was the capable instructor. As the course progressed, each participant became more ac~ quainted with their individual cameras and theirfunctions. Some ofthe discussion covered picture composition, silhouette photos, and how to catch the sparkle of a raindrop, Portrait photography was fun to practice. And an overview. ofvidco cameras was also presented. Rolling hills, shaded trails and stone dwellings provided lots of opportunities for shutter clicking on our extended walks around the Crieff property. Lots of time was left for fun and fellowship and the enjoyment of scmmptuous meals. Please provide your Provincial Office with ideas for future topics, and get your members out to the Personal Growth and Renewal Courses. William? Marlin ir a Int-mva ujllir- Allmi Wan 'r Inrli Ill/1', Alton is (halted sum/i ufOrmweville un Highway 136. Home 8. Country, Summer'94 11