MIDWEEK MINUTES March 1, 2014

Midweek Minutes   
March 1, 2014
Hello, Winners!
I’m starting to type this on Friday night, actually, and finishing it up on Saturday.
Tomorrow is March, coming in like a LION, I guess.    
Not looking forward to that!  It’s not the MGM-California-weather lion, after all.  It’s going to be bitter cold for a few days again.  Need more firewood...so that’s on the list of weekend TO-DO’s.
I had jury duty today (Friday).    
   I got chosen, and it was really kind of cool because all the other times I got the letter in the mail, the courthouse called to cancel the trials.  This was my first time ever to sit on a jury...PLUS, they had us order SUBWAY sandwiches for lunch!!! YAY!

Well, FAT TUESDAY is coming up...yes, it’s that time...that “BLOW OUT” before Lent?  NUH-uh!  Not us!  (See article below in the newsletter). We’re NO FOOLS, no-siree!  But it IS going to be the beginning of the “potluck, parties, proms, and promotions” season soon...busy, busy, busy.  We can practice our portion control AT HOME NOW before we have to eat out more often.


Busy weekdays and weekends, but no matter into what venues my life takes me, I look forward to my favorite thing this week -- a Weight Watchers’ message with Oscar-nominated movies.  I worked on this message while we had breaks.  Yes, they kick the jury out A LOT when they don’t want us to hear something.

This Weight Watchers’ tale begins in NEBRASKA, of course.  PHILOMENA, a Lifetime member, had gained some weight back and felt as though she had been 12 YEARS A SLAVE because she had not been to a Weight Watchers’ meeting in a long time.  HER attitude was that she didn’t want to return to her meeting until she had lost all the weight she had gained.  Time had taken it’s toll, and so had GRAVITY.  She tried THE DALLAS BUYER’S CLUB which had stupid weight loss pills.  It was the old AMERICAN HUSTLE of quick fixes that were not quick.  One day, her old friend CAPTAIN Mary PHILLIPS invited Philomena to come with her to a Weight Watchers’ meeting again, where she heard about Simple Start.  Fast forward a few months, and Philomena is feeling so great.  She’s lost some weight...gained some energy...AND, I heard there’s this WOLF ON WALL STREET who  has his eye on her!  Philomena will never leave Weight Watchers again!
Cool story, huh?

Whether or not you are a Lifetime member who has re-gained some weight...or if you are a current member who has not been to a meeting lately, I encourage you to come and join us.  March is going to be an exciting month regardless of the weather!

I’m taping the Oscars on Sunday night because I just have to watch The Walking Dead live.   
I hope you stay warm this weekend, and I hope to see you at the meeting! 

It’s now Saturday, and we had a nice gathering this morning talking about “portion creep” (you had to be there for the jokes), and I thank everyone for coming out on this cold, snowy day.  Walmart was a madhouse!  Now, my northside bathroom toilet and sink water are frozen...no matter what I do.  Thank goodness for a second bathroom on the other side of the house.  Stay warm... stay safe!  I’ll try and post the newsletter on the blog/FB later tonight.

--Zig
And the Oscar goes to these Members and their Milestones

Total Losses
Superior: – 23.4 lbs.
Hastings Saturday Morning: -11.8 lbs.

5 lb. star
Terri O. ( S )
Lynnette M. ( S )
Amy S. ( H )

30 lb. star
Connie S. ( S )

5% AWARD
Laurie M. ( H )

LOOK WHO’S AT GOAL!!!
LuAnn B. ( H )

BIGGEST LOSER
Lynnette M. ( S )
Kim S. ( H )








Be a Portion Pro
Explore easy ways to serve yourself just the right amount.
Article By: Amanda Genge
Getting serving sizes right is often more than meets the eye — yet it's key to helping you lose weight and keep it off. Using easy tricks and tools like measuring cups, spoons and a food scale makes it easy to dole out perfect portions of just about any food, drink or ingredient when you’re at home. But toting those tools around when you’re out and about isn't practical.
During your meeting this week, you'll get to play with your food and practice eyeballing and measuring portion sizes (and in some cases you'll see what a difference it can make if you fudge them a bit). It’s this kind of exercise that will help you become a portion pro who can easily (and often stealthily) use visual match-ups anywhere, anytime. When you're home this week, weigh and measure your food and beverages. (The more you measure, the more natural it will feel.) Use some of the tips and tricks that you'll learn in the meeting. And share a few of your own below in the comments section at the end of this article!
Train your brain to recognize the right size
You'll find that the more you measure at home, the easier it’ll be to gauge accurate portions when you’re eating out. So whenever you measure and serve yourself, take a mental snapshot: "Here's what one cup of couscous looks like. This is a teaspoon of butter." Then no matter where you're dining — the office cafeteria, a food court at the mall, or your favorite Chinese buffet — you'll feel more confident in your ability to eye the right size. And if you need a few ideas, the list below is a good place to start. Remember though, one of the keys to making healthy habits like this one stick, is to find out what works best for you.
On the go
Lip balm/lipstick 1-ounce serving of cheese
Folding wallet 1-ounce slice of French bread
Sunglasses 6-ounce fish fillet
At a sporting event
Hockey puck ½ cup serving of mashed potatoes, beans, or ice cream
Golf ball ¼ cup of nuts
Baseball 1 medium piece of fruit
Tennis ball 1 cup serving of rice
In the office
Roll of transparent tape 1 small piece of fruit
Standard pink eraser 1-ounce serving of cheese
2" x 2" self-stick note 1 brownie
At a restaurant or hotel
Tea cup 1 cup of cooked pasta or rice
Half an orange ½ cup of coleslaw
Mini bar of soap 1-ounce serving of cheese
On a business trip or vacation
CD/DVD Large bagel or 1 pancake
USB thumb drive 1-ounce serving of cheese
Pocket digital camera 3-ounce serving of meat

MARCH MADNESS SALE!!! 
TRY OUR NEW PRODUCTS AT SALE PRICES!

STAY FAT TUESDAY: Be Vague. Create Wiggle Room. Be Wishy-Washy

by Janice Taylor

We have demonstrated that we can - individually and collectively - get fat and stay fat. We are very good at it. One of best our stay fat strategies is to be "vague." We take a wishy-washy, white bread approach to weight loss. We pretend. We toss in an "I'll try" and a "maybe" or two. "I'm going to try and lose weight." "Maybe I'll exercise." "Really, maybe!"

We create enough wiggle room to wiggle our way straight into a plate of fries or a hot fudge chocolate sundae.
We love vague, because there's no commitment in it. We love vague because we are good at it! The less structure, the less planning, the better. The more unaware, the better.

Vague is easy. 

We are comfortable with our fuzzy, formless, unspecific way of being. The only glitch in vague is that it keeps you exactly where you are. There's no movement in vague. True enough, you are stuck in vague.

In order to move, to make progress, to manifest your hopes and dreams, action needs to be taken and there's no place for vague in action. In fact, when taking action, you really need to be 'specific.' Yes, specific!
Each and every time you decide that you are going to do something, get specific. 

What's your plan, specifically?
How are you going to accomplish what you want, specifically?

It's your choice. Stay stuck in vague. It's easy. And you do it so well. Or get specific and move on!



OKAY, IT’S STILL POSSIBLE TO HAVE BAD WEATHER!

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.

From food scales to serving spoons to salad containers — you don't have to go far to find kitchen tools designed to help you stay on track with your goals. Here are just a few.
Electronic Food Scale
Weighing your favorite foods and getting their
PointsPlus® values couldn’t be easier!
product highlights
• Subtracts the weight of the plate or bowl used
• Calculates PointsPlus values of foods where total
fat, total carbohydrates, dietary fiber and protein
grams are known
• Stores PointsPlus values for up to 10 of your
favorite foods
• Quickly searches through 500+ foods in
database for accurate portioning

Measuring Cups
Who knew measuring cups could be this much fun? These
silicone measuring cups collapse, stack, store and are easy
to clean! And they’re so compact you can take them wherever
you go so you are never caught guessing your portions! !
product highlights
• The set of 4 cups includes: ¼ cup, 1/3 cup, ½ cup, and 1 cup
• indispensable soft & sturdy tools
• microwave & dishwasher safe

Measuring Bowls
Prepare, portion, and then take to-go! These bowls take
portioning to a new level with discreet portion markings
reflected inside the bowl! Each bowl can be used to
measure, to eat out of, and even to pack and carry! The
larger bowl features measurements from 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups
and is great for portioning cereals, fruits, soups, pastas, rice
and much more! The smaller bowl measures up to 1 cup and
is perfect for the foods you may want smaller portions of,
such as ice cream, granola and nuts, just to name a few.
product highlights
Set includes:
• 1 Small Bowl with measurements of
1/3, 1/2, 2/3, and 1 cup
• 1 Large Bowl with measurements of
1/2, 1, 1 1/2, 2 and 2 1/2 cups
• 2 Lids (for each bowl)
Dishwasher safe – top rack only
Do not microwave
Keep out of the reach of children

NEW MARCH/APRIL Issue...A GREAT READ!
NEW ROUTINE FOR MARCH...AND LIVE LIFE ACTIVE COMING UP!




In the MEETING ROOM THIS WEEK: If exercise keeps falling off your to-do list we'll give you some super-simple ideas to help you excuse-proof your workout!

Member Recipes
Shrimp Creole
Adapted from Deep South Dish
Gina's Skinny RecipesServings: 4 • Serving Size: 1/4th • Points+: 5 pts
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
14-ounce can of diced tomatoes
8 oz tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp Cajun Seasoning such as Slap Your Mama (more or less to taste)
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp of all purpose flour (1 tsp corn starch for gluten-free)
2 tbsp water
1 lb of large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp hot sauce, to taste
1 medium scallion, sliced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
salt to taste

Directions:
In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, green bell pepper, garlic and celery and saute until tender. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce, cayenne pepper, cajun spice, bay leaf and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer 20-30 minutes.
Make a slurry of the flour and water and stir into the tomato mixture. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Lightly season the shrimp with the Cajun seasoning and add immediately to the tomato mixture. Add Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce; stir together. Cook for another 5 to 6 minutes, or until shrimp is opaque and cooked through, adjust salt if needed. 
Add chopped green onion and parsley and serve.



Buckwheat and cinnamon pancakes
Makes 6 (4-inch) pancakes      PPV 2 (Pancakes)
1 cup “maple grove farms of Vermont” buckwheat pancake mix (Whole Food stores)
½ cup water
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp. low-fat plain yogurt
3 tsp. powder sugar, for dusting
Mix all ingredients except sugar, in a small bowl. Heat a large non-stick pan, pan spray it and using a small ladle, divide batter into 6 small pancakes.
(If your pan is not wide enough you might need to make pancakes in two batches).
Cook on one side for 2 minutes, then flip over and cook pancakes another 2 to 3 minutes on low. Keep warm in the oven until ready to eat.
Sprinkle with powder sugar and serve. Feel free to drizzle with some light maple syrup or use the topping below:

Apple-raisin topping (for pancakes)
Serves: 6     PPV 1 (topping)
1 medium apple of your choice, cored and diced small
2 Tbsp. raisins
3 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
1 Tbsp. orange zest
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
In a small pot combine all ingredients and cook until apple starts to get soft. Serve on top of pancakes.







Scrambled egg whites with smoked sausage and vegetables
Serves: 2    PPV 3
8 fresh egg whites, lightly beaten
2 oz. Jennie-O lean, smoked turkey sausage, diced small
½ cup sweet onion, minced
½ cup broccoli florets, diced small
½ cup bell pepper, diced small
1 Tbsp. flat parsley, minced
1 Tbsp. reduced-fat grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Using a non-stick pan and some pan spray, cook onion, broccoli and bell pepper for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Wipe off the pan, reheat it and pan spray it. Pour in the egg whites. Using a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, stir the eggs and let slightly set. Add sausage and vegetables and keep stirring until eggs are almost completely set. At this point, add parsley and cheese. Taste for more seasoning and cook just a bit more.







Pumpkin and cranberries bread pudding
Serves: 18  PPV 4
3 cups fat-free half-and-half
1 cup fat-free egg substitute
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp.ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. salt
1/8  tsp. ground cloves
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 lb. day-old challah or other egg bread, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup fresh cranberries (or frozen)
½ cup walnuts, chopped
Bring half-and-half to a boil in a medium sauce pan then set aside. Whisk together egg substitute, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in ½ cup of hot half-and-half into brown sugar mixture. Whisk half-and-half mixture back into the saucepan and set over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until custard thickens and coats back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Strain egg mixture into a bowl; add pumpkin and vanilla. Add bread and gently stir until moistened. Let stand about 20 minutes. Stir in cranberries and walnuts. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray. Pour mixture into prepared  baking dish. Cover it with foil and place it in a roasting pan. Add enough boiling water to roasting pan to come up halfway. Bake for 60 minutes. Uncover casserole and bake at least 15 more minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature. Sprinkle lightly with powder sugar.





All Time Best Broccoli Salad
Chop up the broccoli, use up those stems too! Toss with seeds and raisins.
Mix up the mayo with the sugar and apple cidar vinegar.
Feel free to vary thise amounts to taste as the sugar really packs on the points.
Add the dressing to the broccoli and let sit overnight.
Makes great 3/4 cup side dishes!
Serves 8
PointsPlus = 3


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.

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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