Midweek Minutes June 1, 2013
Midweek
Minutes
June 1,
2013
Happy June,
Winners!
It's kind of my favorite month
of the year, not only because I was born in June, but for other reasons too. I
love the fact that I am home from school with the yearbook offically done and my
classroom cleaned. I love June because I can watch my garden grow, go to the
pool, and catch up on all the chores I haven't done because of lack of time. I
also catch up on me.
I bet you have a favorite
month as well. Maybe the violent weather of May will be a thing of the past. I
hope everyone in Edgar is getting along alright out there. I've been thinking
about you guys all week. Since our Edgar meeting closed, I hope to see many of
you in Superior on Monday...or Leader Pat tells me that some of you are going to
Geneva. That's awesome! How are you folks in Fairbury doing? I saw lots of
storm action this last week down in your neck of the woods. Check in with us on
ZIG'S WINNERS (on Facebook), and let us know how you are doing. I hope that
many of the Superior members went to another meeting this week since we didn't
meet on the holiday, or if you didn't get to a meeting this week, there's always
next week! I'm hoping most of you can access this email, and that it is of help
and motivation for you. I attached the June calendar too, just in case I forget
to bring copies on Monday!
As much as I complain about
computers, I really DO love the electronics available to us today that we did
not have as kids. It's sure nice to have emails and Facebook to communicate
instantaneously. The last time I rejoined Weight Watchers to get to goal
(AGAIN), there was a Weight Watchers' website, crude as it might have been in
1998, with a message board that miraculously connected us to members all over
the country. Fifteen years later, I am still connected to some great ladies on
our own private message board. We started that one because, back then, the
internet message boards were in their infant stages, and we wanted to be able to
communicate with our new friends without getting lost in the large and sometimes
awkward boards.
What I am trying to say is, today, we are so fortunate to be
able to have Facebook, etools, mobile apps, barcode scanners, and whatever else
there is to help us develop new SPACES and ROUTINES which will make us
successful with our weight loss journeys.
Even so, the physical meetings
are the BEST, but if you have a ballgame, or if there is a holiday, you can
still keep connected and ON PLAN 24/7, if you choose to. IF YOU CHOOSE
TO...that's key. It's all about CHOICES, isn't it?
For the past several months,
one main thread has been running through our meetings, I feel. It's that we
want to be IN CONTROL. Those two words are HUGE! In order to feel in control,
we get together once a week at meetings to talk about, inspire, and motivate
each other to be in control for another week. During the rest of the week, we
can use those electronics as helpers to keep us in control and make good
choices.
June is the month I joined
Weight Watchers the first time and rejoined Weight Watchers the third time.
(The time in the middle when I rejoined was right before Easter). I find June
to be the month that I recommit. I feel I have time to work on myself and get
my routines established before I go back to school. This summer is no
exception. I recommit each June. (Kind of like a renewal of wedding vows or
something like that.) How about you? Would you recommit with me? Shall we
work on our goals together?
If I could do the program ONLY
with the internet and electronic tools, I would...but I
can't. Just because I have an
Active Link and etools doesn't mean that's all I need. I need the meetings,
and it motivates me more that you know to watch all of you guys succeed! Let's
do this together! Thanks for reading my ramblings! See you in the meeting
room! --Zig
Hurray! These Members
have Awesome Milestones!
50 lb.
star
Sarah W.
(H)
When Food Isn’t the Answer
Discover the
tricks that can help you head off unhealthy behaviors before they kick
in.
If you’ve ever consoled yourself with a candy
bar, celebrated with a high-calorie meal or devoured an entire bag of chips
while tackling a stressful work project, then you know that sometimes we eat to
satisfy our emotions instead of our hunger. Practicing this month’s Routine:
Eat all your meals free of distraction, will help
you learn the difference between your physical and emotional appetite. And in
your meeting this week, you'll discover how a trick called "reframing" can help
you break the cycle of emotional eating.
Reframing: Find a healthy substitute
Letting your emotions guide your food choices can be bad news for your waistline. Eating to relieve stress, soothe sadness or celebrate a success may make you feel better in the short-term. But it doesn't address the source of your emotion and it can result in unwanted weight gain — triggering negative feelings and more overeating that can make it even harder for you to get back on track.
Reframing, a tried-and-true technique, helps you to identify triggers and find healthy alternatives to emotional eating. Here are some questions to help you get started. Jot down your answers in a place that will be easy for you to refer back to later, like the Weight Watchers Weekly you'll receive during your meeting. Or enter them as a “reminder” in your Weight Watchers Mobile app.
This week, whenever you feel like you're in one of those trigger situations, take a deep breath and refer to your list of food alternatives. Choose one to do instead, and reflect on how you feel afterward. It’s empowering to realize you can respond to your emotions in a healthy and productive way.
Reframing: Find a healthy substitute
Letting your emotions guide your food choices can be bad news for your waistline. Eating to relieve stress, soothe sadness or celebrate a success may make you feel better in the short-term. But it doesn't address the source of your emotion and it can result in unwanted weight gain — triggering negative feelings and more overeating that can make it even harder for you to get back on track.
Reframing, a tried-and-true technique, helps you to identify triggers and find healthy alternatives to emotional eating. Here are some questions to help you get started. Jot down your answers in a place that will be easy for you to refer back to later, like the Weight Watchers Weekly you'll receive during your meeting. Or enter them as a “reminder” in your Weight Watchers Mobile app.
- What emotions or situations make you feel like reaching for food? Really think about this one. In addition to the usual suspects — stress, anger, sadness, and frustration — feelings like boredom, excitement, even happiness, might also be triggers.
- How does the food make you feel better? Be as detailed as you can here. Are you soothed or comforted? Do you feel more relaxed or happy? Does the food remind you of a special person, place or situation from the past? Or does it simply distract from something unpleasant?
- What non-food activities could provide a similar result? These don’t need to be anything super fancy or out-of-the ordinary. A hot shower can be both relaxing and refreshing. A brisk walk is a great way to clear your head (and earn activity PointsPlus® values). Reading a magazine could provide a few minutes of pleasant distraction. Keep your list realistic, with options that work when you're at home and on the go. And if you need more inspiration, ask your Leader or other members at your meeting for their ideas.
This week, whenever you feel like you're in one of those trigger situations, take a deep breath and refer to your list of food alternatives. Choose one to do instead, and reflect on how you feel afterward. It’s empowering to realize you can respond to your emotions in a healthy and productive way.
Regularly
$5.95
Fight the Boredom
Munchies
Prone to
eating when you've got nothing to do? Here are 15 ways to keep
busy.
What makes you blow your diet? A big presentation at work?
A fight with your hubby? Absolute boredom?
Whatever it is, you're not alone. According to Cynthia G. Last, PhD., author of The 5 Reasons We Overeat (Birch Lane Press), the trick to really understand your triggers.
Whatever it is, you're not alone. According to Cynthia G. Last, PhD., author of The 5 Reasons We Overeat (Birch Lane Press), the trick to really understand your triggers.
Ask yourself what's wrong, and why you're using food to
feel better. Talk to friends and family. And know that, as Last says, "Boredom
that never feels like it goes away might be part of a depression." If you think
that's the case for you, ask your doctor for help.
Another possibility, says Samantha Heller, RD, senior
clinical nutritionist at the New York University Medical Center in New York
City, is that overeating may be a sign of stress. You feel like you have so many
things to do that you're avoiding all of them.
Whatever's the culprit, first understand your motivation,
then come up with a plan. Try this:
First, analyze your pattern.
When does boredom eating become a problem for you? Mid-week? Evening? If you know when it's most likely to strike, you'll be better prepared for the battle.
Then come up with alternatives.
Plan what you'll do instead of eating the next time you're bored or stressed. "On an index card, make a list of alternate activities," says Last. "Have the list with you at all times so you can take it out when you need it."
Plan what you'll do instead of eating the next time you're bored or stressed. "On an index card, make a list of alternate activities," says Last. "Have the list with you at all times so you can take it out when you need it."
Make sure your list is full of fulfilling things you
like to do. Include a variety of things that will suit different moods
and times of day. Be sure to add a few items that will help you toward your
weight goal, too. Here are some ideas to get you started:
If you have 10 minutes…
Write down the foods you've eaten so
far today.
Make a grocery list of healthy
foods.
Schedule your next exercise
session.
Write an email to a friend you haven't
caught up with in awhile.
Shop online for a new fitness
gadget.
If you have 30 minutes…
Go for a walk.
Look through past weeks in your Weight
Tracker. Check out weeks that worked, and see if
there's anything you did then that you can do again this week.
Read a favorite book or relax with a
magazine.
If you have an hour or more…
Look through healthy recipe ideas.
Clean out your closets. Throw away clothes that are now
too big, or donate them to charity.
Go for a long bike ride.
Start a new project. Whether it's fixing something in your
house, building a bookshelf or starting a garden.
Take your kids to the park.
Spend the afternoon at your local museum. This will get
you out of the house and walking around, and what better way to get your mind
off food than to absorb a little culture?
June 2 thru June 22
FEATURED PRODUCTS
OF THE WEEK
All Weight Watchers cookbooks 50%
OFF
Reg. Now
All Cookbooks that are $9.95
$4.95
All Cookbooks that are $14.95
$7.45
ALSO, WEIGHT WATCHER MAGAZINE ON
SALE
Reg. Sale
$4.95
$3.95
Countdown to Summer
Challenge: Week 3
Ready... set... swimsuit! Take part in our four-week challenge
and face summer in confidence and style.
Maybe you’re doing great on Plan and
are looking forward to showing off a trimmed-down figure. Or maybe your
motivation has been waning lately, and the thought of baring it all on the beach
makes you want to take a 3-month vacation to Antarctica. Either way, the
Countdown to Summer Community
Challenge is for you.
Week 3: Tackle kitchen
clutter
Eating right starts at home, and a disorganized kitchen can make it harder to plan healthier meals and snacks. Set yourself up for success and adopt smarter eating habits by giving your cabinets, kitchen, and pantry a makeover. Try these ideas below, then check out more tips and tricks in the At Home section of the Spaces tool.
Eating right starts at home, and a disorganized kitchen can make it harder to plan healthier meals and snacks. Set yourself up for success and adopt smarter eating habits by giving your cabinets, kitchen, and pantry a makeover. Try these ideas below, then check out more tips and tricks in the At Home section of the Spaces tool.
A healthy shopping
list can be a wonderful tool, but buying the same old stuff week after week can
get boring. This week, revamp your list. Ask other members what they like to buy
or browse the Community for
inspiration.
Check out what’s
lurking in your cupboards and find creative ways to use ingredients, or give
donate-able items to a local food pantry.
Are
high-temptation foods kept out of sight or reach? Doing so can help you avoid
plowing through an entire box or bag at once. Move all treats to higher shelves
in the pantry, fridge and freezer. Or if you haven’t been good about keeping
“trigger” foods out of the house entirely, commit to avoiding them completely
this week.
Now is the best
time of year for fresh produce, so start to think seasonally when you do your
shopping. Go to a farmer’s market and pick out one or two things that look
absolutely irresistibly delicious (and we don’t mean the homemade pies or
cakes!).
Beating Late-Night Eating
Tips that helped
save late-night nibblers from the siren song of the fridge or snack
drawer.
For some, eating right goes well all day... until the after-dinner snacking
starts and a perfect healthy diet is ruined by a bowl of ice cream or too many
handfuls of chips.
"Individuals who are struggling with weight control often describe it as their biggest problem," says Regan Jones, a registered dietitian in Birmingham, AL.
Luckily, Jones has concerete advice on how to head off the munchies before they set in. "Realize your motivation and then determine the best strategy for either changing your motivation or dealing with it."
Reasons for evening eating
Jones says there are three common culprits of nighttime snack attacks:
Boredom
You may be bored or dealing with another emotion like stress, and use this time to preoccupy or anesthetize yourself with food.
Restriction
You have restricted your calories too much during the day and truly are hungry.
Off-limits thinking
The psychological nature of "dieting" prompts you to feel that late-night eating is taboo, which in turn creates "off limits" thinking. Sometimes when we tell ourselves we can't have something, we end up wanting it all the more.
Late-night survival strategies
To combat those cravings, here are some real-life survival tips for beating the refrigerator battle.
"Individuals who are struggling with weight control often describe it as their biggest problem," says Regan Jones, a registered dietitian in Birmingham, AL.
Luckily, Jones has concerete advice on how to head off the munchies before they set in. "Realize your motivation and then determine the best strategy for either changing your motivation or dealing with it."
Reasons for evening eating
Jones says there are three common culprits of nighttime snack attacks:
Boredom
You may be bored or dealing with another emotion like stress, and use this time to preoccupy or anesthetize yourself with food.
Restriction
You have restricted your calories too much during the day and truly are hungry.
Off-limits thinking
The psychological nature of "dieting" prompts you to feel that late-night eating is taboo, which in turn creates "off limits" thinking. Sometimes when we tell ourselves we can't have something, we end up wanting it all the more.
Late-night survival strategies
To combat those cravings, here are some real-life survival tips for beating the refrigerator battle.
- When you feel the tug to comfort yourself with late-night snacks, investigate other things you consider comforting, like reading a good book or even going to bed early.
- One Community user admits that late-night nibbling became a problem when she
got older, needed to be up later, and used snacks as a reward. After losing the
weight, she keeps herself busy at night (usually writing on
WeightWatchers.com's message boards, she says, which keeps her hands moving and
inspires her, too). She also prepares herself one snack that's low in
PointsPlus® values to eat during the evening.
- "I just look at my PointsPlus Tracker and review the day to
see if I have any PointsPlus values left," says another Community
user. "In those few minutes, the feeling passes and I go back to bed." When it
doesn't pass, hot chocolate fills her up. "But I always write down the
PointsPlus values."
- Picking low-fat snacks is a good idea: graham crackers, yogurt,
fat-free pretzels. But many note that it's important to take out the portion and
close the container before eating. Other ways to monitor behavior include
"closing" the kitchen and not walking back in or brushing your teeth.
- Jones also offers this tip to make sure you're eating enough throughout the day: "Evaluate your level of hunger when you wake up. After an eight-hour stretch, you should be moderately hungry within 30 minutes of waking up. If you're not, you probably ate too much the night before." Of course, if you're starving, then maybe a well-planned, healthy snack soon after dinner is just what the refrigerator ordered.
JUNE
ROUTINE: EAT BREAKFAST EVERY DAY
deals with MORE than just
breakfast...so
join us as we explore being
IN CONTROL at all those summer
time eating
events...focusing this week with
"STARTING THE DAY
RIGHT"
Member
Recipes
Simple Garlic Butter
Shellfish
Points: 4 weight watchers points plus
Servings: 4 servings
Serving Size: 1/4 recipe (1/2 lb. shellfish)
Points: 4 weight watchers points plus
Servings: 4 servings
Serving Size: 1/4 recipe (1/2 lb. shellfish)
1 cup white
wine
1.5 tbsp.
butter
1 onion,
minced
3 garlic cloves,
minced
3 garlic cloves,
whole
1 tsp. dried thyme
(1 tbsp. fresh)
2 lbs. shellfish
(I used 1 lb. mussels and 1 lb. shrimp)
Salt and pepper to
taste
In a Dutch
oven (or pan with a cover large enough to fit the shellfish), add the butter,
onion, garlic, and thyme over medium heat.
Cook for
about 5 minutes or until fragrant.
Add the
white wine, shellfish, salt, and pepper.
Stir and
cover the pot. Let cook for 6-8 minutes until the shellfish have opened up
and/or are cooked through.
Most
shellfish take about the same time to cook.
If cooking
in the shells, discard any unopened shellfish.
PointsPlus® Value:
4
Copy Cat
Arby's Chicken Salad
- 4 Chicken Boneless/Skinless Chicken
Breasts
1 Cup Halved Red Seedless Grapes
3/4 Cup thinly sliced/chopped Celery
1 Cup (half inch size) Apple Chunks
1/2 Cup Light Mayo (or Fat Free)
1/2 Cup Fat Free Plain Yogurt
Salt to taste
Celery Seeds/Salt to taste
Boil
Chicken Breasts in water until cooked throughly, remove from water, let cool
then dice and cube into small half inch pieces.
Add Prepared/Chopped Grapes, apples, celery, and seasonings (if desired). Add 1/2 Cup Light or Fat Free Mayo, and 1/2 Cup Fat Free Plain Yogurt.
Add Prepared/Chopped Grapes, apples, celery, and seasonings (if desired). Add 1/2 Cup Light or Fat Free Mayo, and 1/2 Cup Fat Free Plain Yogurt.
Store
in refridgerator over night. Enjoy!
Number of Servings: 10
Number of Servings: 10
PointsPlus® Value:
4
Sha-Sha's Pasta
Salad
1 box of Whole
Wheat Pasta
2 Tomatoes Chopped
2 cucumbers peeled and chopped
1 1/2 Peppers (may use green, red, yellow or orange)
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 3.8 oz of sliced Black Olives
1 cup of Italian Light Salad Dressing
2 Tomatoes Chopped
2 cucumbers peeled and chopped
1 1/2 Peppers (may use green, red, yellow or orange)
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 3.8 oz of sliced Black Olives
1 cup of Italian Light Salad Dressing
Cook pasta as
directed on box
Add all chopped vegetables and Black Olives and combine
Add Salad Dressing and toss
Sprinkle Cheese over the top
Makes at least 10 servings
PointsPlus® Value: 5
Add all chopped vegetables and Black Olives and combine
Add Salad Dressing and toss
Sprinkle Cheese over the top
Makes at least 10 servings
PointsPlus® Value: 5
Hawaiian Huli Huli
Chicken
12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1-inch
cubes (24 cubes) (about 2 large breasts)
1 C fresh pineapple, diced (24 pieces) (or canned
pineapple chunks in juice)
8 6-inch wooden skewers
For sauce:
2 Tbsp ketchup
2 Tbsp lite soy sauce
2 Tbsp honey
2 tsp orange juice
1 tsp garlic, minced (about 1 clove)
1 tsp ginger, minced
Preheat a broiler or grill on
medium-high heat.
Thread three chicken cubes and three
pineapple chunks alternately on each skewer.
Combine ingredients for sauce and mix well; separate into two bowls and set
one aside for later.
Grill skewers for 3–5 minutes on each side. Brush or spoon sauce (from the
bowl that wasn’t set aside) onto chicken and pineapple about every other minute.
Discard the sauce when done with this step.
To prevent chicken from drying out, finish cooking skewers in a 350 °F oven
immediately after grilling (to a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F).
Using a clean brush or spoon, coat with sauce from the set-aside bowl
before serving.
Makes 4 servings
PointsPlus® Value:
3
Chopped Taco Salad
Servings: 1 salad
Approximate nutritional
information:
* WW Points +: 11 *
**15 grams of fat comes from the olives, sour cream,
and cheese. If you want a lower fat salad then reduce or eliminate those items.
By eliminating just the sour cream and black olives
this recipe would have 361 calories 15 grams of fat and 8 WW Points (plus and
old).
2 cups chopped romaine hearts
½ cup prepared taco meat (this recipe can use ground beef or
turkey, I used beef)
1 plum tomato, chopped
¼ cup avocado, chopped
¼ cup sliced black olives
¼ cup prepared taco sauce
1 tablespoon sour cream
2 tablespoons taco cheese
Step 1. On a medium to large plate add the chopped
romaine hearts. Then add the rest of the ingredients on top. Serve.
Cranberry Lemon Oat Bars
Servings: 20
Serving size: 1 bar
Calories: 154 * Carbs: 19 * Fat: 6 * Protein: 2 *
Fiber: 2
Crust:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup dark brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons butter, melted
juice of one lemon
Filling:
1 ⅓ cup dried cranberries
¾ cup sour cream
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons white flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Step 1. For the crust combine flour, oats, brown sugar,
salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Stir this mixture well using a
whisk.
Step 2. Drizzle the butter over the dry mixture. Next
add in the juice. Using a spoon (or have fun and use your hands), stir until the
mixture becomes moist.
Please note that it will be a bit crumbly.
Step 3. Reserve ½ cup of the crumb mixture. Press the
rest of the crumb mixture into a 11 x 7 inch baking pan coated with cooking
spray.
**At first it will look like there is not enough
mixture but once you start pressing it in you will see that it all fits
perfectly. Let the crust sit for about 10 minutes.
This will give the rolled oats a little time to soften
up.
Step 4. For the filling, combine cranberries, sour
cream, sugar, flour, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and egg white.
Step 5. Spread the filling over the crust then sprinkle
the rest of the crumb mixture evenly on top.
Step 6. Cook for about 40 – 50 minutes or until edges
are brown. Mine cooked for about 45 minutes. Cool the bars completely, in pan,
before cutting.
Freezer Cooking
Instructions
These bars freeze perfectly. Once completely cooled,
wrap bars individually in plastic wrap then place all together in freezer bag.
Put in freezer.
To thaw, take out of the freezer and let it thaw in
refrigerator or on counter.
This newsletter is in no way affiliated with Weight
Watchers, Inc. It is simply a motivational tool that I offer to members who
attend my Weight Watchers meetings and wish to receive it.
Remove from list?
If you no longer wish to receive weekly newsletters from me, please reply to
this message indicating "Remove from list" in either the subject header or the
body of the message.
Comments
Post a Comment