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Midweek Minutes April 6, 2013



Midweek Minutes
April 6, 2013
Hello, Winners!
What GREAT meetings we had this week! Members had a lot to say about our March Routine: "Decide How Many Points Plus Values You'll Use At Your Next Meal." Discussions included Easter and how members handled their food, changes made last month to feel in control, and successes with choices in all their SPACES. 

Now, it's time for GETTING ACTIVE! I'm not as active as I would like with daily workouts this month, and I LOVE my Active Link even more because April is my busy month, and it makes me smile when I make time for movement whenever I can get it and get rewarded with a light show.

WOO-HOO! All the meetings had great attendance, and we're especially happy that Superior had 23 members this week! Let's do it again and keep it up!

Maybe you're busy working on your taxes. If you're under some stress to get those taxes done by the deadline, DON'T use that as an excuse to EAT! No snack A-TAX for us!

You want to know stress? I have a prom to put on in two weeks. Yes, folks, this will be #31 for me!!! We are pretty well set except for the 1001 details that can only be done at the last minute!!! Even so, EXERCISE is going to be one of my PRIORITIES!!! Actually, we're working on some dance routines for the prom servers
to do for entertainment, so I spent an hour dancing with them on Friday!

It's also time tonight for me to check my older VCR and my alarm clock which will probably automatically forward the time set to the OLDER date, which was the first Sunday in April for a few years, wasn't it? I know that the electronics I bought before the new change are still programmed to that date. SO, I have to pay attention on Sunday morning!

Is the new Weight Watchers 360 program kind of like that for you? Are you paying attention? Are you embracing it and working on your SPACES and ROUTINES? I would love to see everyone really hunker down this new month and give 360 a real try if you haven't done so yet.

It takes a conscious effort to change, I know. We HAVE to pay attention, but isn't that a GOOD THING? It makes us more aware and vigilant even though it takes practice. I am SO glad I am a Weight Watchers' member. I had a goal in mind for prom (which is two weeks away), and I have a goal to get more Activity PP Values each day. If I don't make it, will I quit? Was THAT ever a dumb statement, huh? NOPE...no quitting here!

So, are you with me? Stay in touch on our FACEBOOK PAGE, where I hope there will be a link to this newsletter. I can't do my weight loss journey alone! If I can make it through this month, so can you! --Zig
Member Milestones

TOTAL LOSSES
Superior: -20.2 lbs.
Edgar: -13 ;bs.
Hastings: -14 lbs.

5 lb. star
Mary L.

10 lb. star
Jolene D. (S)
Sharon S. (E)

15 lb. star
Rebecca B. (H)

16-week stay and suceed charm
Deb J. (E)


Welcome to LIFETIME!
Teresa S. (H)

BIGGEST LOSER
Pam Wmn. (S)
Sharon S. (E)
Lori V (E)
Angie S. (S)

Why Do We Do What We Do?

The Weight Watchers 360° program offers dozens of helpful tools designed to empower you to make smart choices anytime, anywhere. Have you been using them to your best advantage?
Article By: Amanda GengeCOMMENTS (0)

You wouldn’t have joined Weight Watchers meetings if you didn’t want to lose weight. But we know that simply wanting to lose weight is only half the battle — the world we live isn’t always designed to help us make the best choices. Everywhere we turn, there are food cues that can make us feel like eating ... even when we’ve just eaten a satisfying meal.
The Weight Watchers 360° program is designed to help you stay in control no matter what the surroundings or the situation, and set you on a path for long-term success. Which tools have been working for you so far? Are there ways you could change in some areas? These questions will help you get a sense of where you’ve been successful, and where you could still use a little help.
  1. Have you been using the Routines? Routines are an excellent way to keep you in control of your food and activity, and each month we’ve been focusing on a new Routine in your weekly Meeting. Was this month’s Routine — After each meal or snack, decide how many PointsPlus® values you’ll use for your next meal — a useful tool for you? Most days, did you know what you’d have for your next meal? If so, great job! By deciding in advance and sticking to your plan, you were able to avoid less-than-ideal choices. If you still need help with this Routine, or want to scope out some others to try, check out the Routines tool or ask your Leader at your next meeting.
  2. Do you follow the Good Health Guidelines? Think of the Good Health Guidelines as a basic roadmap to frame healthier eating habits. Checking off these boxes in your tracker each day will ensure that you’re filling up on nutritious, satisfying foods like fruits and veggies and low-fat dairy. If your boxes are often empty, start by checking out our guide to fruits and vegetables and trying to have some produce with every meal or snack.
  3. Are you active most days of the week? Planning your activity in advance means you’re more likely to follow through and stick with it. Props to those who are already in a good fitness groove! You can start small if you’re not already moving much; even a couple of short walks can help.
  4. Do you use the Spaces tool to set yourself up for success? Whether you’re at home, at work, at a restaurant, or somewhere in between points A and B, there are ways you can make your surroundings a more Plan-friendly place. Tip: One way to avoid temptation no matter where you go is to bring along a healthy portable snack that you can reach for in an emergency.
  5. How consistently are you tracking? Tracking keeps you accountable, helps you plan and gives you feedback about your food and activity choices. You’ll easily see at a glance how what you eat and how much you move can affect your PointsPlus budget. Tip: Don’t forget to eat some or all of your Weekly PointsPlus allowance. It’s there to help keep the Plan flexible so you don’t feel deprived, without negatively impacting your efforts.

The last piece of the puzzle is within you: How’s your weight-loss attitude? When you have a slipup, are you able to brush it off and get back on track? Or do your bad habits tend to snowball after a bad weigh-in or a mealtime free-for-all? Going back to basics — and reminding yourself about all the tools above, and how they can work for you — can help you get out of a rut and feel in control once again.

March Routine: Plan the PointsPlus® value of your next meal

How it helps:
Knowing how you're using your PointsPlus® budget from one meal to the next helps keep you aware of how you're doing on Plan, and gives you more control. You want to avoid surprises like realizing you only have 3 PointsPlus values left for dinner; that can lead to throwing in the towel. Knowing the numbers ahead of time can let you relax and enjoy your meal, knowing that it's all accounted for.

Make it a Routine:
  • If you're tracking after each meal (you are, right?), take the extra step of reviewing how many PointsPlus values you have for the rest of the day, and decide how many you're going to spend on the next meal.
  • Use the online and mobile tools to find the PointsPlus values of what you're planning to eat next, and even pre-track them for that extra shot of accountability.
  • Remember: It's OK to use your weekly PointsPlus Allowance and earned activity PointsPlus values if you wish.
Try our NEW Ranch Pretzel Thins at the SALE price!
and
and
ALL Fitness Products are $5.00 off from
April 7 - June 1, INCLUDING
ACTIVE LINK!!!

Distributing your daily PointsPlus® Target

Struggling to divvy up your day, PointsPlus values-wise? We've got some suggestions.
Article By: Elly Trickett McNerney
Eat when you’re hungry, and stop when you’re full, right? We know that’s the ideal way to manage your intake, but most of us need a little help. Taking a look at how we use our PointsPlus values throughout the day can give us a lot of clues as to where we might be skimping, leaving us hungry; and where we might be overindulging.
This might be especially helpful to you if your daily PointsPlus Target changed recently.
There’s a great flexibility built into the PointsPlus program, and your PointsPlus Target is calculated to account for everything you need in terms of satisfaction and nutrition. That said, there are plenty of people who stare at their Target and simply aren’t sure where to start. While we want you to use your daily PointsPlus Target — and your weekly PointsPlus Allowance — any way you like, we’ve suggested a rough framework that’ll help you figure out how to structure your meals. In the chart below, you’ll see a suggested breakdown of how many PointsPlus values to use in each of your three meals and two snacks, for a range of daily PointsPlus Targets.
As you start thinking about the breakdown, take a look at the Good Health Guidelines. When you work at getting those in for the majority of your meals, they'll provide a lot of the PointsPlus values that you need to spend. You'll still have room for extras, of course, but the GHGs are a great building block for meal planning. Don’t forget about dairy — and don’t always default to the fat-free stuff; low-fat often tastes a lot better and sometimes barely adds to the PointsPlus values. Also think about trying new ways to get the healthy oils in. One poster on the Message Boards raved about the extra creaminess in her morning oatmeal that adding 1 teaspoon of flaxseed oil provided.
And speaking of breakfast, that cliché about it being the most important meal of the day is worth repeating. Liz Josefsberg, Weight Watchers director of brand advocacy and our resident Leader, has seen too many people skimp on breakfast, lunch and snacks in order to hoard PointsPlus values for later in the day, and warns of the perils of this practice.
“What I see when someone hoards is that they overeat,” says Liz. “It’s always for nighttime eating — you never see someone hoarding for breakfast or lunch! The trouble is, when you do that you’re a little bit too hungry. Your body does better with a sustained amount of energy, instead of tiny bits. If you under-eat during the day, you’ll make up for it, plus more, later on — research has shown this again and again.”
It’s tempting in particular to skimp on breakfast and instead just have some 0 PointsPlus values fruit. But, cautions Liz, “Fruit alone is not enough to get your day started. You need a well-balanced meal that includes fiber, fat, protein and carbs.”
What to munch at lunch
Whether it’s at your desk, on the go or a leisurely affair, we really hope you’ll think about spending a good chunk of PointsPlus values at lunch — check out the chart for our suggestions.
So what’s a good, hearty lunch? Go first for the Good Health Guidelines. Liz’s favorite: “Bulgur, some lean protein, vegetables and goat cheese. I use a whole cup of bulgur, a teaspoon of olive oil. For the protein, it’s chicken or seasoned ground turkey. I love to add some squash, and then a tablespoon of goat cheese over the top. It’s a big ‘thing’ of lunch, and it normally comes to a good 8 PointsPlus values.” Liz also has at least one or two hearty snacks per day, pairing a piece of fruit or some veggies with a 2-3 PointsPlus value item, often protein.
Time for dinner
With a heartier breakfast and lunch — not to mention snacks — behind you, then the focus at dinnertime can perhaps move away from quantity and more toward quality, says Liz. “What the PointsPlus program really did for me was open the door to eating really delicious food in smaller portions. It gives you that opportunity to have something a bit more decadent.” For Liz, it’s cheese — feta, goat — “I’m putting it on everything,” she enthuses.
Take a look at some Weight Watchers recipes to get some ideas for higher PointsPlus values dinners, and think about using your evening PointsPlus values for a hearty portion, rather than hoarding them for nibbling while you're curled up on the sofa later on. Liz loves the various lasagna recipes; browse through this list of main meals between 8 and 11 PointsPlus values to see why it’s worth spending a few more PointsPlus values at dinner!
And lastly, don’t deny yourself treats and indulgences — whether you use your daily PointsPlus Target, or dip into your weekly PointsPlus Allowance. Maybe it’s a glass of wine every night, an extra pour of olive oil onto your nightly pre-dinner salad, or a blow-out treat now and then; these PointsPlus values are yours to use. Don’t skimp, don’t hoard, and above all, enjoy your food!

Join For Free 3/31/13 – 5/18/13
The Good Health Guidelines
Important guidelines for healthy weight loss
Article By: WeightWatchers.com
The Good Health Guidelines guide you toward healthy choices as you lose weight. These guidelines ensure you are getting the nutrients, vitamins and minerals you need to boost your health while losing weight. Check off your “Healthy Checks” as you meet them each day in the PointsPlus® Tracker.

The Good Health Guidelines
1. Eat at least five servings of vegetables and fruits each day, (nine servings if you weigh over 350 pounds.)
2. Choose whole-grain foods, such as brown rice and oats, whenever possible.
3. Include two servings of milk products – low fat (1%) or fat-free – each day. If you’re a nursing mom, teenager, over 50 years old, or weigh more than 250 pounds, you should have three servings of milk products each day.
4. Have 2 teaspoons of healthy oils (olive oil, canola, sunflower, safflower or flaxseed) each day.
5. Ensure that you are getting enough protein by choosing at least a serving or two of lean meats, skinless poultry, fish, beans, soy products, and lentils.
6. Limit added sugar and alcohol.
7. Drink at least 6 8-ounce glasses of liquid a day. Water is the best choice.
8. Take a multiple vitamin-mineral supplement each day.
What's a serving size?

1. Fruits, vegetables and leafy greens
Serving sizes are 1 cup for leafy greens and 1/2 cup for all other vegetables and fruits. The lettuce alone in a large salad may well count for 2 or more vegetable servings. The default portion for most fruits and vegetables in the Plan Manager is one cup.

2. Packaged whole grains
Use the nutrition label to determine the serving size of packaged whole grain foods.

3. Milk and dairy
If you are more than 50 years old or are a teenager or a nursing mom, increase milk servings to three each day. Examples of one milk serving include 1 cup of milk or yogurt or 1 1/2 ounces of many cheeses.

4. Healthy oils
Having 2 teaspoons of healthy oil each day ensures that you get the vitamin E and essential fatty acids that your body needs. Use the oil on salads, in cooking or as an ingredient in a mixed dish. Two teaspoons of oil is not even 1 tablespoon, so be careful to measure, since each additional teaspoon counts as another PointsPlus value of 1.

5. Lean meat and fish
A serving of lean meat or fish is generally 3 to 4 ounces, about the size of a deck of cards.

6. Water Six 8-ounce glasses of water is just 3 standard 16-ounce bottles.

Community Talks: Our Leaders’ Best Tips

Who better to offer stay-on-track advice than Leaders who've seen and done it all?
Article By: Mary Elizabeth Hurn
If you’ve ever been to a Weight Watchers meeting you probably know that every Leader is also a member. Not only have they gotten to goal, but they’ve maintained their success over time. No one knows the Weight Watchers Plan quite as well as they do, which is what makes them such fantastic resources when it comes to staying satisfied and successful on plan. We gathered the best advice on cooking, fitness and motivation for some of our leaders across the country.
Insider Tips and Tricks
“I’ve been known to leave notes for myself in the pantry or write with a dry-erase marker on my bathroom mirror. A positive thought when things go awry really helps me stay with it!” –Kim Towlun, New Hampshire, Territory 1182
“We use ‘The Traveling Tracker,’ a three-month journal that goes home with a different member each week. The member tracking in the journal is faithful to track the week she or he has the journal and, generally, has a wonderful weigh-in at the scale the week after. Other members love to get great ideas from the folks who had the tracker before them. A win-win!” –Cathy Manning, Georgia, Territory 7114
“When I’m cooking, I often chew a stick of gum. It helps with mindless eating and tasting.” –Lisa Levy Shaub, New York, Territory 1134
“Sometimes I don’t feel like working out and I say it out loud, ‘I don’t want to work out today but I’m going to do it anyway.’ Just whining out loud seems to get me moving. There are a lot of things we do that we don’t want to, why should working out be any different?” –Colleen Spindler, Wisconsin
“Forgive yourself and move on when you have an off meal, and off day or an off week. If you’re walking down a set of stairs and you slip on a stair, you get up and continue your walk down. You would never get up and then throw yourself down the rest of the stairs.” –Erika Brazell, New Jersey, Territory 1116
“1 whole reduced-fat graham cracker, 2 tsp. reduced-fat maragarine, ½ banana (sliced), 2 tbsp. Cool Whip Lite = 4 PointsPlus values ‘fake’ banana cream pie!” –Cami Bunting, New York, Territory 1134
“Use a salad plate for the dinner plate and the dinner plate for the salad plate. Portions will look more impressive.” –Debbie Hugo, Washington, Territory 5175
“I carry a small cooler (six-pack size) whenever I’m in my car to take care of the munchies. It contains water, Weight Watchers Mini Bars and Snack Bars, fruit, carrot sticks and gum.” –Ann Best, New York, Territory 1153
“My husband and I really enjoy eating out, so we compromise and share! We share an appetizer and an entrĂ©e that we both really enjoy and it’s always enough food. We feel satisfied when we leave, not stuffed like we used to.” –Becky McConnell, Florida, Territory 7141
“It’s not just what you eat, it’s what you think. I remind myself I must think about the food before I eat it and remember those French fries didn’t just get into my mouth on their own. I must choose to eat them.” –Charlene McEldridge, North Carolina, Territory 7119
Monday, April 01, 2013
We have some exciting news to share about our mobile website – it’s now more accessible! Users with visual impairments can now use our mobile website with JAWS and Voiceover screen readers. Got questions about accessibility? Visit our accessibility page for more info. Oh, and by the way, if you’re still accessing our old mobile site, we’re phasing it out soon, so say goodbye and come on over to our brand-spanking new site!

While we’re sharing the good news, we’ve got some for Windows Mobile phone users: We’re working on making the site more Windows-friendly! While we still don’t officially support Windows phones, we’re heading in that direction. The first breakthrough? Windows users can actually use the site at all now! (Sorry it took us a while…) Meanwhile, we’re working through some additional fixes with the platform so it may not be perfect. If you find any pesky bugs, please help us squish them by emailing mobile@weightwatchers.com. Your feedback is so important to us, and more helpful than we can say!

Yours,
The Weight Watchers Product Team
NEW APRIL ROUTINE

Wear an activity monitor all day, every day

How it helps:
Wearing an activity monitor gives you a more reliable record of how much you're actually moving. (People often overestimate their activity level.) Better yet, it can create a sense of competing with yourself, encouraging you to move more to meet or beat your own goal.

Make it a Routine:
  • Pick an activity monitor that you'll feel comfortable wearing all day, such as a pedometer or the Weight Watchers ActiveLink™ monitor*.
  • Leave your monitor in the same place each night so it's easy to find and put on every morning ( Try putting it next to your toothbrush, on your nightstand or next to your car keys.)

*Available for purchase in the Online Store. Additional monthly subscription required.
NEXT WEEK'S MEETING TOPIC
"Wear a Workout Buddy"
Ready for action? Join us next week as we kick off our annual spring activity promotion.
Member Recipes
Spring Pasta Salad with Arugula and Shaved Parmesan
3 cups baby arugula
6 oz whole wheat penne pasta
2 tbsp Smart Balance® Cooking Oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
freshly ground pepper
1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 tbsp freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and run under cold water.

Toss the pasta with baby arugula, chickpeas, Smart Balance® Cooking Oil, vinegar, half of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, top with remaining cheese.
Makes 4 servings
PPV: 7


Weight Watchers Bacon ad Asparagus
Points: 2 weight watchers pointsplus
Servings: 4
Serving Size: 1/4 of asparagus and 1/2 piece of bacon
1 pound fresh asparagus
2 strips bacon
salt and pepper to taste
Heat oven to 400 F. Snap the ends of the the asparagus at the stem end.
Wrap 1/2 pound of asparagus spears into one strip of bacon, repeat.
Carefully place wrapped bundles onto baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide into four portions (serve each pile of asparagus with 1/2 slice bacon). Eat with a knife and fork spearing a bit of bacon with each bite of asparagus. Enjoy!


Skinny Lasagna Alfredo
9 dried whole wheat or whole grain lasagna noodles, see shopping tip
2 (10 ounce) containers Buitoni Light Alfredo Sauce, see shopping tip
3 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
3 cups chopped, cooked chicken breast, see prep tip
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 cup bottled roasted red sweet peppers, drained and chopped, see shopping tip
½ cup Sargento reduced-fat 4 cheese Italian blend or reduced-fat mozzarella, shredded
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cold water; drain again.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine both packages of Alfredo sauce, lemon juice and black pepper. Stir in chicken, spinach and red peppers.
2. Lightly coat a 12 or 13x9x2-inch baking dish or 3-quart rectangular casserole with nonstick cooking spray.
Arrange 3 cooked noodles in bottom of dish. Top with one-third chicken mixture. Repeat layers twice. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
3. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered for 10 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
4. Cut into 9 slices. This casserole freezes great.
Makes 9 servings (each serving, 1 slice at 7 PP)


KFC Coleslaw Clone
8 Cups Cabbage, grated
1/4 Cup Carrot, grated
2 Tablespoons Onion, minced
1/3 Cup Splenda Granular
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon Pepper
1/4 Cup Skim Milk
1/2 Cup Fat Free Mayo
1/4 Cup Buttermilk
1 1/2 Tablespoons White Vinegar
2 1/2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

Be sure cabbage and carrots are chopped up into very fine pieces (about the size of rice). This is easier if you use a food processor.
Combine the Splenda, salt, pepper, milk, mayo, buttermilk, vinegar, and lemon juice in a large bowl and beat until smooth.
Add the cabbage, carrots and onion. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Serves: 6 (1 Cup Each)
Per Serving: P+ =1.
Quick Skillet Pasta
4 ounces uncooked whole-grain penne or rotini pasta
2 tablespoons Smart Balance® Omega™ Oil, divided
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh or 1 tablespoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1 (15.5-ounce) can navy beans
2 cups bottled light pasta sauce
2 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
While pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper, and cook 5 minutes or until edges begin to brown; add zucchini and garlic,
and cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in basil, crushed red pepper (if desired) and remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Cover to keep warm.
Place beans in a colander. Drain pasta over the beans, rinsing them with the hot cooking liquid; shake off excess liquid. Add beans and pasta to the vegetable mixture in skillet and toss gently.
Gently stir in pasta sauce. Cover and cook on medium-low 10 minutes to absorb flavors and heat thoroughly, stirring occasionally. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan, cover and cook 2 more minutes or until cheese is melted.
Makes 4 servings. (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)
PP: 9
Oven Roasted Herb Chicken
6 bone in chicken breasts, skin removed after cooking
2 tbsp Smart Balance Omega Oil
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp oregano
½ tsp dill
½ tsp sage
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 cup dry white wine
½ cup lemon juice
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
Cover the chicken evenly with 1 tbsp of oil, parsley, oregano, dill, sage, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Heat the remaining tbsp of oil over medium high heat in a large pan. Brown the chicken, skin side down first, about 3 minutes per side.
Transfer the chicken to a baking dish.
Once you remove the chicken, add the wine, lemon juice and Dijon mustard to the pan.
Stir for a minute to get all of the bits off the bottom of the pan. Pour evenly over the chicken.
Bake the chicken, covered, for 45 minutes.
Makes 12 servings.
PPV: 3
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