Midweek Minutes
July 20, 2013
Hello, Winners!
It's so true! There was this guy on The View who had a segment called "Lose 5 Pounds in Five Minutes in 5 Days. There were 5 exercises to do in 5 minutes, and then 5 suggestions for eating.

No alcohol
No processed carbs (bread)
No sugar or artificial sweeteners
Eat only proten that "flies or swims"
Eat Fiber-filled Fruits and Veggies

Great suggestions, right? I feel that losing 5 pounds is a good thing, but then what what happens? Do you quit and go back to old habits? What have you learned from that experience? That's not what we Weight Watchers do. We're long term, not instant fix. We're a marathon, not a sprint. What we do each day affects our tomorrows.

I prefer the following list from another Weight Watchers' Leader...it's only a partial list because I think members can add to this list. What can YOU add to the list?
I WILL . . .
· …weigh-in every week whether I want to or not. Being aware will help me achieve my goals.
· …recognize that even if I do not get on the scale – the weight is the same whether I know the number or not.
· …recognize that if I could have lost the weight on my own – I would’ve done it already.
· …recognize that the number on the scale is just information – it’s up to me to decide how it will influence and motivate me for the next week.
· …recognize that I am not perfect. I am not perfect. I am not perfect.
· …recognize that life and plans happen while losing weight.
· …not live in an ALL or NOTHING world – finding balance is the key to weight loss.
· …ask myself – What is harder – tracking my food or putting clothes on that don’t fit me?
· …recognize that if I decide to not track my food that it still counts.
· …recognize that my day can start out amazing and can change at any moment with the food choices I make throughout the rest of the day.
· …recognize that there are times that I may not have control over some of the food that is put in front of me but I always have a choice on my portion size.
· …understand that if I decide not to track for the day that it doesn’t mean the whole week is ruined. I can start over at any time – the next day, the next meal, the next bite.
· …understand that I will not lose weight every week. There are ups and downs to weight loss.
· …understand I will get to my goal one pound at a time.
· …recognize that I AM IN CONTROL all the time.

Yes, we ARE in in control (even when we are out of control) because it's all about thinking and choices and what we do, one day at a time! Let's get together this week at our meeting with some more "I WILL" statements. See you then! --Zig

I also post the newsletter on our private FB page "Zig's Winners" and the Google Blog Midweek Minutes.
Member Milestones
Superior: -27.4 lbs.
Hastings: -8 lbs.
15 lb. star
Judy H. (S)
25 lb. star
Paula R, (S)
5 lb. star
Julie H. (S)
Biggest Loser
Julie H (S) and Korin P (S)
Stephanie S. (H)

Your Local Dining Guide

Create a go-to list of the best eats in your town!
Article By: Amanda Genge
When you’re trying to lose weight, it may sometimes feel like it’s just easier to eat at home — where you're in control of the ingredients and preparation — rather than try to decode menu options or trust that your waiter is telling the truth about the “oil-free” grilled veggies. But what would life be like without enjoying a meal at a new restaurant with family and friends? Or going on a dinner date? Or just cruising through the drive-thru after a busy workday? Yeah, pretty bland. While all these scenarios have the potential to tempt you off Plan (hello, fried appetizers and oozy chocolate desserts), if you have a set strategy like this month's Routine: Ask yourself: Is this worth the PointsPlus® values? you'll have the power and flexibility to stay on track.

DIY dining destination guide
Deciding where to go is the first order of business, and you shouldn’t be shy about suggesting restaurants that you know will have healthier options. Gather take-out menus and and check restaurant websites for places you frequent (as well as ones you'd like to try out) to compile your own dining guide and keep it in a handy spot — say, clipped to the fridge, in a folder near the phone or stored in a memo on your smartphone. For each restaurant, jot down the best Plan-friendly starters and main dishes, as well as the ones that are most splurge-worthy to you, and include the PointsPlus value for each (yes, even the splurges).

You’re still the boss
OK, so you’re not the one cooking. On the one hand this is a good thing, because you can relax and focus on enjoying the company and the food! On the other hand, you will need to be more mindful about potential landmines like the bread basket, redonkulous portion sizes and (unfortunately) the sabotaging efforts of food-pushers. Before you go out, you might want to mentally rehearse the meal to practice how you’ll avoid these food traps if they come up. For example, you could wave away the bread when it’s offered to you. Or employ the time-honored move of asking for a takeout container to save half your meal before you even start eating. Or politely tell your friends to pay more attention to THEIR food than yours, please. It’s your meal. Enjoy it!
New Contest Beginning July 21st

Get more details at your meeting
The Fast Food Survival Guide
8 essential tips for healthier drive-thru dining.
Article By: Jeffery Lindenmuth
It's no wonder that too much fast food can contribute to obesity: A typical meal of a burger, fries and soft drink contains more than 1,000 calories and a PointsPlus™ value of 30!

Worse yet, the chains are forever encouraging us to double our order size for a few pennies more, or to try the new signature sandwich that somehow squeezes in one more beef patty than the last one.

You can make better decisions at the counter or drive-through so that you can continue to enjoy the occasional fast-food stop. Here's what you need to know:

Go for the small burger
If you really want a burger, the small plain burger is your best bet, says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, LD, of Northwestern Memorial Hospital Wellness Institute in Chicago. The chart below shows how the small hamburgers stack up. The Wendy's burger has the fewest calories, but that's mainly because it's the smallest at 3.4 ounces.

Burger
Oz.
PointsPlus value
McDonald's Hamburger 3.5 7
Wendy's Jr. Hamburger 3.4 6
Burger King Hamburger 4.2 7
If a small burger just isn't enough to satisfy and you're willing to part with a few more PointsPlus values, here's how some popular 1/4-pound burgers weigh in.

Burger
PointsPlus value
McDonald's Quarter Pounder 11
Wendy's Classic Single Hamburger with everything 12
Burger King Whopper without mayo 14
Have it your way
Order your burger without cheese or mayonnaise-based dressings and save 1 to 5 PointsPlus values. "These are small sacrifices that add up to huge savings," says Blatner.

Understand trans fat
An order of small fries has about 5 grams of trans fat — the harmful, cholesterol-boosting fat that has made news in recent years. Consumed daily, those fries would increase your risk of heart disease by as much as 23 percent. New York and, to some extent, other cities have banned the use of all but a tiny amount of trans fats in large restaurants. A better solution: "Don't fall into an ordering rut and always choose fries," says Blatner. "You can find mandarin orange slices from Wendy's with 80 calories or Apple Dippers from McDonald's with just 35 calories."
Look beyond the beef patty. 

Here are some alternatives at...
Taco Bell
Chicken Burrito Supreme "Fresco Style"; i.e., without cheese or sauce
Cals
Fat
Carbs
Protein
PointsPlus value
330
8
49
18
8
Pintos and Cheese
Cals
Fat
Carbs
Protein
PointsPlus value
120 6 19 9 4
KFC
Tender Roast Chicken Sandwich, without sauce
Cals
Fat
Carbs
Protein
PointsPlus value
300 4 28 34 10
Side of Green Beans
Cals
Fat
Carbs
Protein
PointsPlus value
98 0 5 1 0
Corn on the Cob 3"
Cals
Fat
Carbs
Protein
PointsPlus value
71 0.5 16 2 2
Boston Market
1/4 White-Meat Rotisserie Chicken, No Skin
Cals
Fat
Carbs
Protein
PointsPlus value
240 4 1 50 6
Arby's
Regular Roast Beef
Cals
Fat
Carbs
Protein
PointsPlus value
320 13 34 20 9
Subway
6" Roast Beef Sub
Cals
Fat
Carbs
Protein
PointsPlus value
290 5 45 19 8
Wendy's
Ultimate Chicken Grill
Cals
Fat
Carbs
Protein
PointsPlus value
320 7 36 28 9
Drink smart
The calories and PointsPlus values from regular soda or juices like lemonade can increase the risk of weight gain of regular fast-food eaters. "Choose water, unsweetened iced tea or diet soda," advises Blatner.

Go green
Most large fast food chains have tasty salads, a meal-size version of which comes in at 100 calories or less, or about 2 PointsPlus values. But watch out for the add-ons such as meat, tuna, cheese and croutons. Additionally, some fast food low-fat dressings are not low calorie. One way to get around this is to use only half the dressing in the packet.

Crunch on this.
Here are some salad selections from some national fast-food chains.
McDonald's Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken
Cals
Fat
Carbs
Protein
PointsPlus value
220 6 12 30 5
Burger King's Tendergrill Chicken Garden Salad
Cals
Fat
Carbs
Protein
PointsPlus value
220 7 9 30 5
KFC's Roasted Chicken Caesar Salad, without dressing and croutons
Cals
Fat
Carbs
Protein
PointsPlus value
190 6 5 29 5
Wendy's Mandarin Chicken Salad (without noodles, nuts or dressing)
Cals
Fat
Carbs
Protein
PointsPlus value
180 2 16 24 4
Bar some items at the salad bar
Watch out for breaded and fried items that sneak their way into a salad, says Blatner. Some of the highest calorie dishes are salads with fried chicken on top or tortilla shell bowls; added cheese can also be sneaky. Burger King's TENDERCRISP® Chicken Garden Salad with cheese tops 400 calories and has a PointsPlus value of 11.

Salad Solutions To Go and Salad Dressing Cruet—on sale individually
for $10.00
or buy BOTH for a deeper discount!
During this week only, Buy them as a bundle pay only $18.00—over $5 of savings!

We talked about this in the meeting room...A GREAT FEATURE ON ETOOLS called
I had to check out the German one, you know! But there's everything from
Mexican to Vegetarian!
Let’s Go Out For…German
Think beyond Oktoberfest, beer and pretzels. Follow these menu tips to enjoy a delicious, hearty German meal without going off Plan.
Article By: Jeffery Lindenmuth
Sausage. Sauerkraut. Strudel. Beer. That's about the extent of many people's familiarity with German cuisine. While the country's traditional menu is far more varied, these heavy, stereotypical foods do reveal something about the country's culinary history. The cold, continental climate of Germany led to a short growing season, which meant that easily preserved foods (like tangy pickled sauerkraut, salty pork and root vegetables) became staples.
“The result is a cuisine that is low in green vegetables and heavy in both carbohydrates and total fat,” says Sarah Krieger, MPH, RD, a former resident of Germany and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
The beige color palette of the traditional German table leaves no doubt that this cuisine is a carb-lover's dream — or nightmare. With foods that focus heavily on carbohydrates flavored with fat, German dining comes down mostly to portion control. However, you can make some smart decisions that will help trim PointsPlus® values while boosting nutrition.
Plan your carbs carefully
“Before you take your first bite, pick your poison,” says Sarah Krieger, MPH, RD, a former resident of Germany and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “There are pretzels, bread, dumplings and dough coming at you. If you’d rather have the dessert, you need to focus on the prize and pass on the earlier temptations,” she says.

Menu Decoder
Flammkuchen: A German pizza.
Kartoffelpuffer: Potato pancakes.
Laugenbrezel: A large Bavarian pretzel.
Rösti: Large grated-potato pancake (originated in Switzerland).
Rouladen: A dish of thin-sliced beef rolled with bacon, onion and dill pickle.
Sauerbraten: Beef roast braised with vinegar.
Schinken: Specialty ham.
Speck: Bacon or bacon fat.
Wurst: Cured meats, usually a sausage. There are many varieties.
  • Bratwurst is a pale sausage of pork and beef blended with mild spices, often including garlic, marjoram or nutmeg, and grilled or pan-fried. Figure on at least 8 PointsPlus values each.
  • Weisswurst has a smooth consistency from finely ground veal and pork, milk and eggs, and is boiled in water.
  • Knackwurst (knockwurst) is a slightly smoked all-beef or beef-pork combo. A typical knackwurst has 7 PointsPlus values.
  • Wienerwurst (saitenwurst) looks like a smallish, long skinny hot dog and is only 4 PointsPlus values.
  • Chicken bratwurst is a far better choice than traditional pork: this brat typically has a PointsPlus value of 2.
  • Krainerwurst is a smoked bratwurst that’s slightly smaller than the basic brat, has good snap and a PointsPlus value of 3.
Go for whole-grain rye
While all varieties of bread have about 2 PointsPlus values per slice, they’re not nutritional equals. “Germans know how to make bread the right way,” says Krieger. Opt for the whole-grain rye breads, including dark, dense pumpernickel. Unlike nutritionally void white bread, these breads offer about 2 grams of fiber per slice, helping you feel full. And, recent studies suggest that grain fiber significantly reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Choose cold over hot
Many German sides, including potato salad, sauerkraut and red cabbage, are served in both hot and cold versions. Always opt for the cold, advises Krieger. “Anything hot will have oil, bacon grease or other fat,” she says. This is harder to pull off with cold sides because cold grease and oil are much more apparent and much less appetizing. By going cold, you’re more likely to get a lower-calorie, “relish-type” preparation, she says.
Spread some love
When it comes to toppings for your bread, potato pancakes, or sandwich, choose mustard. “Whether it’s spicy, smooth, or grainy, take advantage of mustard,” says Krieger. With 0 PointsPlus values, and almost 0 calories, mustard blows away butter (3 PointsPlus values per tablespoon) and sour cream (1 PointsPlus value per tablespoon).
Banish the salt shaker
“With cured vegetables and meats, you can pretty much bank on a high-sodium meal,” says Krieger. That can make you drink more (adding calories to your meal), and it’s a particular concern if you have high blood pressure, of course. You can’t eliminate the high sodium of sauerkraut or sausages, but you certainly should not be adding any yourself. It can be frightfully easy to hit your recommended daily max of sodium (2,300 milligram) halfway through your meal, without any help the salt shaker.
The best of the wursts
In casual German restaurants, including the beer halls that are seeing a resurgence in cities across the country, German wursts are among the most popular choice. Check out the Menu Decoder at right for a quick guide to choosing the sausage that suits your taste and your Plan.

NEXT WEEK:
"Build a Smarter Salad"
See how to put together satisfying
combos which are packed with flavor, but
not PointsPlus values.

Member Recipes
Cheesy Potluck Potatoes
Source: Adapted from Food.com

Ingredients:
2 lb (32 oz) bag of frozen hash brown potatoes (I used the cubed kind), defrosted (or just use refrigerated)
¼ cup chopped onion
1 cup fat free sour cream
10.75 oz can of 98% fat free cream of chicken OR cream of mushroom soup for a vegetarian option
1 cup 2% reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
¾ cup of corn flakes, crushed

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly mist a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the corn flakes and stir until thoroughly combined.
3. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
Sprinkle the corn flakes over the top and bake for one hour until potatoes are cooked through. Slice into eight pieces and serve.

Yields 8 servings. WW P+: 5 per serving*




Grilled Zucchini and Tomato Parmesan Pasta Recipe
Makes 4 servings @ 7 Points +
8 ounces whole wheat pasta (I used Ronzoni Smart Taste)
4 small zucchini, cut into thin strips (about 2-3” long and 1“ wide)
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 Roma tomatoes, sliced
1/2 a small red onion, chopped
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Juice from one lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Preheat grill to high heat.
Lightly mist tomato and zucchini slices with an olive oil mister, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and brush with the minced garlic.
Place veggies on grill, and cook until grill lines form (about 2 minutes per side), and then set aside.
Prepare pasta according to package directions, and reserve some of the cooking water.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the yogurt, Parmesan, onions, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.
Transfer the pasta mixture to the yogurt mixture, and toss to combine.
Add the reserved pasta cooking water a tablespoon at a time, if necessary, to thin it. Gently toss in the grilled zucchini and tomatoes, and combine.
Divide evenly among four bowls and serve.





Simple Feta Dip Recipe
(makes 2 cups or 8 - ¼ cup servings)
1 small bulb garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
1- 8 ounce block feta cheese
½ cup plain yogurt (whatever you have on hand)
juice of ½ lemon
Preheat oven to 400 F. Slice the top off the garlic bulb and pour in olive oil. Close up bulb in aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes or until soft.
When garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze each clove out of its peel into a medium bowl.
Mash garlic with a fork into a paste. Crumble in feta, add yogurt and lemon juice and stir.
Mix until desired creamy consistency (not unlike cottage cheese) and serve!
For one serving (1/4 cup) = 2 PointsPlus




Red Potato Salad Recipe
Makes 8 servings, ½ cup per serving
2 pounds red potatoes, skin on, ¾ inch dice
¾ cup plain yogurt (Greek, if you have it)
¼ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
Add potatoes and enough cold water to cover to a stockpot. Cover and simmer on medium until tender (about 20 minutes).
While the potatoes are cooking, mix together the yogurt, mayo, Dijon, and dill in a large bowl.
Add the potatoes to the bowl and mix.
Chill salad until ready to serve.
3 PointsPlus




Low or No Added Sugar Strawberry Jam Recipe
(makes 5 half-pints)
2 pounds strawberries
2 tablespoons Ball Low or No-Sugar Needed Pectin
½ cup water
2 tablespoons sugar (if needed)
Wash, stem, and crush strawberries. Taste the strawberries for sweetness and add sugar if needed.
Combine strawberries, water, and pectin in a large saucepan, stirring to dissolve pectin. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
If gel starts to from before 1 minute boil is complete, remove from heat.
Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch space below lid. Remove air bubbles by stirring with a metal spatula. Put on lids and process 10 minutes in boiling water.
For one jar with sugar added = 78 calories, 0.5 g fat, 19.0 g carbohydrates, 13.9 g sugar, 1.2 g protein, 3.6 g fiber, 0 mg sodium, 2 PointsPlus




Do-It-Yourself Doritos Recipe
Makes 6 servings of 6 chips each (or one tortilla)
6 6-inch corn tortillas
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay tortillas on rimmed baking sheet and brush with oil on both sides. Stack them up and cut 3 ways making 6 pieces.
In a medium sized bowl, mix together parmesan, chili powder, smoked paprika, and salt.
Toss the sliced tortillas in the spice mix and lay them in a single layer on the baking sheet.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp. Serve when cooled and enjoy immediately.
For one serving = 2 PointsPlus
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

Popular Posts