MIDWEEK MINUTES February 22, 2014
Midweek
Minutes
February 22,
2014
Hello,
Winners!
Well, the Olympics is almost over,
but that’s alright. I have had enough of snow and cold, and I’m ready to think
about spring even though it means a time change. The weather is not
cooperating. I just heard it’s going to be another roller-coaster week as far
as temperatures are concerned, but I think I saw my first Sandhill Cranes flying over the other day.
That’s a promise of spring coming!
I put a lot of
stuff in this newsletter about Heart-Health because February is Heart Month.
What we are doing as Weight Watchers is SO important, not only for our
heart-health, but also for many other negative health conditions. Members are
exchanging bad health habits for good ones and doing it the SMART way. Just ask
us. I know that our members are serious about working the program to the best
of their abilities, but sometimes life throws challenges in our way (like a LONG
winter which makes us do some "looking for love in all the wrong places").
Bravo to these members who want the best possible weight loss journey...with
some fun thrown in along the way! Just wait for some fun as we launch LIVE
LIFE ACTIVE in March!
So, to HECK
with the weather! We're not going to let the winter get us down. Not only are
we going to take charge of ourselves, but we are going to have fun doing it too!
Speaking of fun...reminder to Monday’s Superior meeting members...it’s POTLUCK
MONDAY this coming Monday (on February 24). I KNOW, it was a fast month, and
the potluck snuck up on me, so I forgot to say something in the meeting. But,
if you want to bring a WW-friendly dish, please do.
Have an
On-Program rest of the weekend!
See you at the meetings! –Zig
Member
Milestones
TOTAL
LOSSES
Superior: –19
lbs.
Hastings Saturday Morning: –21
lbs.
5 lb.
star
Cindy M. ( S
)
20 lb.
star
Lori G. ( S
)
Brandy C. ( H )
16-week
Charm
Lori G. ( S
)
BIGGEST
LOSER
Jana C. ( S
)
Brandy C. ( H
)
Love Your Weekends
Enjoy yourself (and feel good on Monday)!
What are you doing this weekend? Perhaps you've
got a movie date night lined up. Or you plan to meet friends for brunch. Maybe
you're spending the day at the mall with the kids. Or you're just looking
forward to sleeping in. While weekends offer a welcome change of pace, you
probably already know that the Friday afternoon to Monday morning stretch can
also be rife with roadblocks to staying on Plan. And there's even research to
back it up: With less structured schedules, most people eat more on the
weekends.*
But even without mentally changing gears, sticking to even just one small healthy behavior — like the ones you'll find in your Routines tool — can make a huge difference. In your meeting this week, you'll discover and share simple ways to overcome weekend weight-loss challenges. In the meantime, here are a few tips to get youstarted .
Switch to the Simply Filling technique
We created the Simply Filling technique as a way tolose weight without having to track your food. And it's
so flexible that you can do it for a day, the weekend or however long works for
you. To make it super simple (we're talking about the carefree weekend, after
all) we suggest you eat Simple Start Meals
and snacks. If you
haven't tried them yet, you'll be eating mostly Weight Watchers Power Foods:
Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free dairy, and lean proteins which will
fill you up faster and keep you satisfied longer.
Plan your pleasure
If you know that you're dining out with people who are not the strongest supporters of mindful eating and drinking, then you'll need to put a few safeguards into place. Offer to make the reservations or pick the eatery. Choose a place that you know has a lot of healthy (and delicious!) options like fruit platters, luscious salads and grilled seafood and chicken. And try to order before your dining companions do, so you're not tempted by their choices. Hitting a happy hour or cocktail party this weekend? Decide on how many drinks you'll have before you get to the event. Use the Cocktail Cheat Sheet to find your best beverage bets. Then pre-track your PointsPlus® values. After you've reached your cocktail "max," stick to seltzer with lime.
Label the couch a "no-sit" zone
Give yourself an immediate health boost by being active on the weekend. Ride your bike or go for a run or walk and explore your town. Take a weekend class andlearn a new language , dance,
or instrument. Volunteer. Garden. Take your kids to the museum. Do something
that keeps your body (and your mind) active and prevents you from settling into
a sedentary weekend. And don't forget to wear your ActiveLink® activity monitor. It
syncs up with the online activity Tracker to quickly show you how many
Activity PointsPlus values you’re earning, even if you’re active
in short bursts throughout the day.
But even without mentally changing gears, sticking to even just one small healthy behavior — like the ones you'll find in your Routines tool — can make a huge difference. In your meeting this week, you'll discover and share simple ways to overcome weekend weight-loss challenges. In the meantime, here are a few tips to get you
Switch to the Simply Filling technique
We created the Simply Filling technique as a way to
Plan your pleasure
If you know that you're dining out with people who are not the strongest supporters of mindful eating and drinking, then you'll need to put a few safeguards into place. Offer to make the reservations or pick the eatery. Choose a place that you know has a lot of healthy (and delicious!) options like fruit platters, luscious salads and grilled seafood and chicken. And try to order before your dining companions do, so you're not tempted by their choices. Hitting a happy hour or cocktail party this weekend? Decide on how many drinks you'll have before you get to the event. Use the Cocktail Cheat Sheet to find your best beverage bets. Then pre-track your PointsPlus® values. After you've reached your cocktail "max," stick to seltzer with lime.
Label the couch a "no-sit" zone
Give yourself an immediate health boost by being active on the weekend. Ride your bike or go for a run or walk and explore your town. Take a weekend class and
NEW PRODUCTS
FOR MARCH!
Peanut Butter Cookie
Explosion mini bar
There’s just something about peanut
butter that never disappoints.
Maybe it’s the combo of sweet and
salty. Or the creamy and crunchy
texture. Either way, our Peanut Butter
Cookie Explosion is only
2 PointsPlus® value per mini bar and
makes the perfect snack to keep in
your bag or stash at the office for
those 4 p.m. (or whenever) cravings.
Greek yogurt & honey
smoothie
Get your taste buds buzzing
with this rich and smooth blend of Greek
Yogurt & Honey flavors.
This Weight Watchers® Smoothie drink mix is
a refreshing – and smart – way
to help you meet the Good Health
Guideline for milk products
and enjoy 60% more calcium than 1 cup
milk.* And guess what? When
prepared, our Smoothies count as a
Weight Watchers Power Food! Go
ahead. For just 2 PointsPlus® values,
add a little sweetness to your
day.
Southern Peach
Oatmeal
With our Southern Peach
Oatmeal, you can add the warmth of
sunshine to your morning or
help to settle those afternoon stomach
grumbles. It’s hearty and
delicious – mixed with whole-grain rolled
oats and just the right amount
of peachy flavored goodness. Plus,
5 grams of protein and 8 grams
of fiber in every cup can help you
feel satisfied. Wowza. For
just 3 PointsPlus® value, it’s a sweet and
smart
choice!
Success
Handbook
a favorite from last year’s
360 Kit, written by a WW leader; now sold
separately.
BAD WEATHER: If there will be a meeting cancellation due
to SNOW, etc., please stay tuned to NTV or KHAS-TV. I will call them to
announce a meeting cancellation by 3 P.M.
for Superior...and as early as I can (or the night before) for Hastings Saturday
morning meetings. You can also log on to their websites where they have weather
closings.
You
can also call the Weight Watchers' 800 number to find out if we are having a
meeting.
1-800-651-6000.
Do You Know What Your Biggest Health
Threat Is?
Article By: Sandra Gordon
|
Every year, more women than men die of heart disease and
stroke, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). The overall lifetime
risk of dying from breast cancer is about 4 percent, but for cardiovascular
disease or stroke, it's nearly 50
percent.
|
But here's the good news: You can
dodge the cardiovascular-disease bullet, especially if you start making
lifestyle changes that can reduce your risk, says Rose Marie Robertson, Chief
Science Officer of the American Heart Association and Professor of Medicine at
Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Here are six ways to head off this
major killer:
Don't smoke. The
toxins inhaled from cigarette smoke can shrink coronary arteries. As a result,
blood has a tougher time circulating through the heart muscle (a precursor to
heart attack). Also in smokers, blood vessel linings become stickier and thus
more prone to clotting. This, says Robertson, can pave the way for stroke. The
bottom line: If you smoke, find a way to quit for
good.
Keep your weight in
check. As a Weight Watchers member, you could already be on your way to having a
healthier heart. "By bringing your weight to its optimal level," Robertson says,
"you'll help lower your cholesterol level and your blood pressure" - two major
risk factors for heart disease.
Exercise your
options. Thirty minutes of moderate physical activity daily can reduce your risk
of heart disease by raising blood levels of HDL, the 'good' cholesterol that
carries cholesterol away from blood vessels. The same intensity of exercise can
also reduce your LDLs, or "bad" artery-clogging cholesterol, says Robertson. For
more information on using exercise to reduce your risk of heart disease, see the
AHA's www.choosetomove.org.
Limit the fat in your
diet from saturated sources, such as butter and other animal fats, to mostly
heart-healthy cholesterol-busting fat, such as olive and canola oil, fish, seeds
and nuts. And avoid trans fats completely, if possible. But use all fats
sparingly - 20 to 30 percent of your total caloric intake per day. A little goes
a long way.
Fiber up. Whole
grains, such as oatmeal and whole-grain bread, are excellent sources of vitamins
and soluble fiber, which have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol. "There has
been abundant scientific evidence in recent years showing that people who
consume more whole grains have a lower risk for heart disease," says Joanne
Slavin, PhD, RD, professor of nutrition at the University of Minnesota in St.
Paul.
Eat plenty of produce, at least five
servings a day. Studies link diets high in fruits and vegetables with reduced
blood pressure, says Robertson, and "fruits and vegetables are also a great way
to fill up on fewer calories."
-
In case you missed it, Ryan Hutmacher was named the Weight Watchers Chef on ABC’s The Chew. You can check out several of his recipes on the WW Facebook page, The Chew’s website, or even Pinterest.
-
10 Habits of Highly Heart
Healthy People
Sometimes the difference between having a healthy heart, and one that's not is as simple as small lifestyle and diet habits. With the variety of foods we have at our fingertips, it's definitely possible to enjoy delicious, satisfying foods that also contribute to heart health. Adopt these 10 simple habits to help you make your diet both satisfying and healthy:
• Always read food labels and look for products that are lower in saturated fat and have no trans fat. Also, remember that if you eat double the amount of the specified serving size, you have to double the calories and nutrients.
• Eat a variety of fish at least twice a week — especially oily fish which are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish. They contain high levels of mercury.
• Increase consumption of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
• Include beans, peas, and lentils in soups, salads and main dishes.
• Choose vegetable oils and products made using vegetable oils like olive oil, soybean oil and canola oil.
• Instead of using butter, opt for soft margarine spreads with no trans fat, like Promise®.
• Choose low-fat dairy products and limit the use of butter.
• Reduce consumption of fatty meats and full-fat dairy products.
• Decrease intake of high-cholesterol foods, like liver, organ meats, and egg yolks.
• Consult a registered dietitian (R.D.) to help you develop a personalized meal plan.
Sometimes the difference between having a healthy heart, and one that's not is as simple as small lifestyle and diet habits. With the variety of foods we have at our fingertips, it's definitely possible to enjoy delicious, satisfying foods that also contribute to heart health. Adopt these 10 simple habits to help you make your diet both satisfying and healthy:
• Always read food labels and look for products that are lower in saturated fat and have no trans fat. Also, remember that if you eat double the amount of the specified serving size, you have to double the calories and nutrients.
• Eat a variety of fish at least twice a week — especially oily fish which are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish. They contain high levels of mercury.
• Increase consumption of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
• Include beans, peas, and lentils in soups, salads and main dishes.
• Choose vegetable oils and products made using vegetable oils like olive oil, soybean oil and canola oil.
• Instead of using butter, opt for soft margarine spreads with no trans fat, like Promise®.
• Choose low-fat dairy products and limit the use of butter.
• Reduce consumption of fatty meats and full-fat dairy products.
• Decrease intake of high-cholesterol foods, like liver, organ meats, and egg yolks.
• Consult a registered dietitian (R.D.) to help you develop a personalized meal plan.
Going to the MALL this
weekend?
Check out the FOOD COURT CHEAT
SHEET on www.weightwatchers.com
There are CHEAT SHEETS for every
type of EATING OUT situation you might face.
No ExcusesIt doesn't take a lot of effort to
increase daily activity. Even fitting in a 5-minute walk or doing a few moves
with a workout video can be helpful. "Exercise is cumulative, and any exercise
is better than none," says Alice Lichtenstein, D.Sc., chair of the American
Heart Association's Nutrition Committee and professor of nutrition science and
policy at Tufts University in Boston. "Don't feel discouraged if you can't
exercise for 30 minutes uninterrupted. Just try to increase the duration a
little bit each day."
Reap the BenefitsCardiovascular exercise improves
collateral circulation, which means that more blood and oxygen reach the heart
muscle to nourish it, explains Lichtenstein. And even if you suffer from health
problems like high blood pressure or cholesterol, research has shown that being
physically fit can still lower your heart disease risk.
"Plus, you just feel better when you exercise, and
once you feel better, that's positive reinforcement to maintain a weight-loss
regime," says Lichtenstein. Once you start to become more active, you'll
probably notice increased energy so everyday tasks like walking up stairs and
carrying heavy packages will become easier, too.
Member
Recipes
Heart
Healthy PBJ Oatmeal
6 Weight Watchers
POINTS PLUS
Makes 1
serving
1 cup water
½ cup old fashioned rolled
oats
½ tablespoon unsalted
crunchy peanut butter, see shopping tips
3 teaspoons reduced sugar
preserves
2 tablespoons fat-free
milk, light almond or light soy milk
1. In a small pot, bring
water to a boil. Stir in oats, lower to a simmer and cook for 5
minutes.
2. Stir in peanut butter, 2
teaspoons preserves and milk.
3. Pour into a bowl. Top
with 1 teaspoon preserves and swirl in.
4. Serve at
once.
Slow Cooker Roasted Corn Chowder
Servings: 6
Serving Size: 1.25 cups
Weight
Watchers ® PointsPlus®: 5 *
Servings: 6
Serving Size: 1.25 cups
- 6 ears corn (or 4 cups canned/defrosted corn)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 2 red peppers, chopped
- 2 green peppers or Poblanos (for spice), chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1.5 cups skim milk
- 1/2 cup half and half
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Add the corn, broth, onion, garlic, carrot, celery, red pepper, green pepper, and bay leaf to the slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper. If you started with whole cobs, add the cobs as well. They add lots of great flavor.
- Cook on low for 8 hours. During the last hour of cooking, take 1/2 of the soup and add it to a blender. Blend until smooth and add back to slow cooker. Remove cobs if using.
- Stir in the milk and let cook for last 60 minutes.
- Stir in the half and half. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
Jiffy Corn Dog Mini Muffins
www.mykitchenadventures1.blogspot.com
Servings - approx 20 mini muffins Servings size - 1 mini muffin Points plus per svg - 2
points+
1-8.5 oz.
box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1 egg,
slightly beaten
1/3 cup skim
milk
1 TBS
honey
4 Oscar
Meyer Turkey Hot dogs, each cut into 5 pieces
1. Spray the
wells of a mini muffin pan with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a med
bowl, combine the mix, egg, honey and skim milk. Allow to sit for 3 - 4 min.
Stir batter.
3. Fill
each mini muffin well with about 1/2 TBS batter. Place a piece of hot dog into
each well, pressing in.
4. Top each
hot dog with about a tsp. of batter, covering hot dog.
5. Bake in
oven for 10 - 15 min. or until golden brown. Allow to cool in pan for 5 min.
before removing to platter.
Pineapple- zucchini
bread
3 cups Gold Medal® All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
One 8.5-ounce can crushed, unsweetened pineapple in its own juice, drained
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
One 8.5-ounce can crushed, unsweetened pineapple in its own juice, drained
1. Place the oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 8x4-inch loaf pans with nonstick spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking
soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice and salt.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs,
applesauce, oil, sugars, and vanilla. Stir in the zucchini and pineapple. Then
stir in the dry ingredients, a little at a time, just until the batter is
moistened and incorporated. Don't over mix.
4. Divide the batter between the two prepared loaf
pans. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until the edges pull away slightly from the
sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the
bread cool in the pans for at least 20 minutes before removing them to a wire
rack to cool completely. This bread will keep well at room temperature for up to
three days.
Source:
RecipeGirl.com (Adapted from Bread for
Breakfast)
8 servings = 6 PP
12 serving = 4 PP
Skinny Pizza
Meatloaf
Ingredients for
Meatloaf:
1 slice multigrain bread or whole wheat
bread, toasted
1 pound (96%) extra lean ground beef, see
shopping tip
1 (14oz) jar Ragu Pizza Sauce, Prego’s,
Classico’s or your favorite (divided)
1 cup onions, diced
1 cup zucchini,
shredded
⅔ cup fat-free ricotta cheese, I used
Trader Joe’s brand or your favorite
2 egg whites
½ teaspoon Italian seasonings
½ teaspoon garlic
powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Fresh ground pepper, to
taste
Ingredients for
Topping:
⅓ cup pizza sauce
(from the jar above)
½ cup light mozzarella cheese,
shredded
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a
baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and set aside.
2. To make bread crumbs: Toast bread.
Break up bread and add to a blender or food processor. Process until the bread
turns into crumbs. Measure ½ cup crumbs.
3. In a large bowl, add ground beef,
bread crumbs, ⅔ cup pizza sauce, onions, zucchini, ricotta cheese, egg whites,
Italian seasonings, garlic powder, salt and pepper, to taste. Using your hands,
mix together all the ingredients. Blend well.
5. Spread ½ cup pizza sauce all over the
top of the meatloaf and down the sides.
6. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven
and spread with remaining ⅓ cup pizza sauce on the top of the meatloaf.
Sprinkle the top with shredded cheese. Place back in oven for 10
minutes.
Makes 10 slices (each serving, 2
slices)
Weight Watchers POINTS PLUS 6
Butterfinger Dessert
http://mykitchenadventures1.blogspot.com/2012/02/butterfinger-dessert.html
Servings - 16 Serving size - 1/16th of recipe Points Plus per serving - 5
Points+
*Please note that if you follow the link to
the original recipe, it says 4 points per serving. This may be the old
points.
I put all the nutrition info into the site I
use, using exact size of cake ( which is not listed in the original recipe) and
I came up with 5 points+ per serving.
1 (10") prepared angel food cake, cut into 1'
cubes
1 ( 1 oz.) package of sugar free, fat free
butterscotch pudding mix
1 1/2 cups skim milk
2 ( 8 oz. ) containers of cool whip FREE,
thawed
10 fun-sized butterfingers candy bars, crushed
( I used mini food processor)
1. Spray 9 x 13" pan with cooking spray.
Arrange half the angel food cake cubes in bottom of pan.
2. In large bowl, combine the pudding mix with
skim milk. Whisk until starting to thicken. Fold in both containers of cool
whip FREE.
3. Pour half the "fluff" mixture over the
cubed angel food cake in pan. Top with half the crushed butterfinger candies.
Repeat with rest of cake, fluff and candy.
Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving, or overnight.
Enjoy!
|
Dreamy Magical
Bars
¼ cup reduced-fat
butter
1¼ cup graham cracker
crumbs
½ cup flaked coconut
(sweetened)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate
chips
1 (14oz) can fat-free sweetened condensed
milk
½ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350
degrees.
2. In a 13×9 baking pan, generously coat
all sides with cooking spray with flour, add the
butter and place in the oven to melt. This will take no more than a
minute.
3. Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs
evenly over the top of the butter and pat down a little. Do not
mix.
4. Sprinkle the coconut evenly over the
crumbs.
5. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly
over the coconut.
6. Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk
evenly over the chips. To make the milk easier to drizzle, place the can in a
bowl of hot water for a few minutes.
7. Top with the nuts.
8. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until
golden brown.
9. Cut into 24 squares while still somewhat hot. If you let
them cool they become very difficult to cut!
Makes 24 bars
Weight Watchers POINTS PLUS 4
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
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I also try to post the newsletter on our private FB page "Zig's
Winners" and the Google Blog called Midweek Minutes http://midweekminutes.blogspot.com/.
Find us on FB and ask to joinour own private support
group!
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