MIDWEEK MINUTES October 11, 2014

Midweek Minutes
October 11, 2014

Hello Winners!

Everyone knows that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and many events are scheduled to raise awareness for this important cause.  People wear pink and are reminded to get annual exams for prevention.   We need something like that for weight management and prevention of weight gain and health problems connected to obesity around this time of year as well, don’t you think? What kind of an icon or platform can we develop?

Well, it’s already here.  It’s called Weight Watchers.  The problem is that many people don’t take the program seriously.  Meeting numbers all over the United States are low.  Maybe folks will think Weight Watchers will always be there for them. Well, Weight Watchers might be there in the future online or in big cities.  We have been fortunate to have Weight Watchers available to us in south central Nebraska and across the border in Kansas for many years.  I have always found a meeting to which I can drive since I first joined back in college, and I sure would hate to see that change.

Our Hastings Saturday morning meeting is in danger of closing in November, so it’s up to us to keep the meeting attendance strong, or members will lose the Saturday morning option.  At the moment, the number of members attending our Monday night meeting in Superior is growing and at this time Superior faces no danger of closing, but if you remember there was a threat of closing at the beginning of last year.  Thank you to our members  who really stepped up and showed up to keep our meeting there open. (Let’s keep that up!)

If you haven’t attended a meeting for awhile, no matter where you live or what day works for you, ask yourself why not?

1. Do you think it costs too much to attend (meeting fee plus gas plus time spent).  My answer only comes from my own member experience.  I have used the same faulty reasoning about time and money, but then I looked to see what I spent on junk food, restaurants, travel to do errands, and I realized that I would be better served by attending my meeting each week because I need it to function for another week! Practically speaking, I gained when I wasn’t actively going to meetings.  I have heard this from others as well.

2. Do you think you don’t need to go to meeting and can lose weight and keep it off alone?  If you can, great!  If you can’t, why not take advantage of a local or area meeting with staff members who live the program, other members who need and want the support of others, and a time to take care of yourself.  Who is tired of going it alone anyway?  I was.
3. Don’t think you have what it takes to get it off and keep it off?  You REALLY need to come to meetings in October because we want to generate conversations about what’s holding us back?  This is the perfect month, before the holidays officially kick in, to learn what it takes to survive that Bermuda Triangle and navigate through the holidays successfully and throughout our lives.

When I went to Wal-Mart today, I have to confess that I was shocked at the number of people who were not just pleasingly-plump, but obese.  When I looked in their carts, I knew why.  I frequently have bloody lips from biting them because I want to invite them to Weight Watchers (okay, that was a bit of an exaggeration), but seriously. . .what needs to happen to get America healthier and fitter?  How many of those people at Wal-Mart or elsewhere don’t feel well and/or don’t have much self-esteem because of their weight?  (Maybe we could get rid of some of those annoying handicapped parking places too?)

One mom at my meeting this morning says that her 6-year old is perfectly content with fruits and veggies for snacks because that’s what she is teaching him, and that’s what she has available for him.  Kudos to Mom!  I know that with good information, many moms can pay it forward to their kids.

I’ve said before that I learn things the hard way, and I have learned that I can never NOT be a Weight Watchers’ member.  I have my cravings, my emotional eating, a week with a minor gain, and my “who give a darn about exercising today” moments.  I go to my own support meeting as a member, which I love.  What I want to know is, are YOU? 
If you are receiving this newsletter, you are either a current member, a lapsed member, or a staff member.  Will you stand behind me as we really want to keep our meetings going in all the locations?   I hope you shouted an unequivocal “YES”!

Let’s get together this week!!!  What color ribbons should we get?
See you in the meeting room! --Zig
Member Milestones
Total Loss

Superior: –22.8 lbs.
Hastings Saturday Morning: –12.6 lbs.

15 lb. star
Vicki S. ( H )
Jordan I. ( H )

20 lb. star
John A. ( S )

5%
Lisa M. ( S )

Be the Boss of Your World

Change isn't easy. Start with your surroundings, and take it from there.
Article By: Michelle Olson
When you signed up for Weight Watchers, you recognized that the same old, same old wasn't working for you. But sometimes making changes can be daunting — and there are a lot of them along the way to your weight goal. But think about it. You've already made a major adjustment! Before you committed to Weight Watchers, you probably went through something like this:
  1. Not ready. You're stuck at a weight that makes you unhappy.
  2. You want to lose weight, but aren't sure you're on board with making changes.
  3. Yes! You want to lose weight, and you're ready to do what it takes to reach your goal.

Refreshing your surroundings
So you've gone through a transition that's brought you to this point. Now what? The first level of change that will help you lose weight is all around you: Your environment. By promoting the good — healthy food choices front and center in your kitchen, exercise gear at hand — and getting rid of what doesn't help (like junk food), changing your surroundings helps you to change yourself. But being the boss of your world takes in more than just the physical spaces you're in. A shorthand way to think of it is as "everything that isn't you," which includes other people and different situations. So, for instance, you might need to reschedule that lunch date with your dessert-pushing friend if you're feeling a bit shaky about being on Plan. Or you'll want to load up on pre-cut carrot and bell-pepper sticks and hummus to see you through a work deadline instead of a vending-machine candy bar (or, let's be honest, a candy bar and bag of chips).

Moving from the outside in
As it becomes second nature to scan for danger in your world and make fixes accordingly, you can dig deeper and change:

Behaviors. You'll take small actions that will better accommodate your new weight-loss plan.

Capabilities. You'll understand the scope of what you can do, and have the motivation, perseverance and willpower to bolster your endeavors.

Beliefs. You'll have faith in yourself and know that you have the power to lose weight now and keep the pounds off well into the future.

Identity. You'll see yourself at your weight goal and beyond. Your self-image is the most important part of change, since it stems from your very core. You're a committed member who might also be a runner or a good cook, someone who takes care of herself or himself, who makes good choices. Who do you want that "you" to be?

Whew. That's a lot to take in. But tackling things step by step, starting with your surroundings, is the best way to make changes that stick around for the long term. And to help you back up your intentions, there are concrete steps you can take that will help you get there!
We’ve Got GREAT OCTOBER SPECIALS, Charlie Brown!
 
Snack Bars and Crunchy Snacks are on sale for $3.95 each through 10/25
ActiveLink—formerly $39.95, now $24.95 (save $15), our lowest price ever, from 9/7 through 11/1.
Your Success Kit—while supplies last, Your Success Kits are reduced to $24.95
Set Up Your Environment For Success
Article By: Melissa Sperl
All the best intentions will only get you so far if you're surrounded by temptation.

See if this story sounds familiar:

Betty has had a long day. At work she faced a deadline, so she skipped lunch. Now she's home, she's starving, and it's time to make dinner. So she decides to have a snack. She checks the fridge, but it's empty. The pantry is also bare. But in the cupboard she finds an unopened bag of potato chips. She rips it open and digs in.

There are many variations on this story told in Weight Watchers Meetings around the world, and all of them just go to show what a tremendous influence our environment can have over our behavior. Many types of change are necessary for lifelong weight loss, but environment and behavior are crucial changes to make before getting started on the less tangible, more thoughtful changes, such as changing your capabilities, beliefs and sense of identity.

If junk food is all that's available when you're starving, junk food is what you're going to eat. Betty's problem was not that she wasn't dedicated — she was. It was her surroundings that got in her way of handling her behaviors.

The environment effectOur environment can support our new eating and exercise habits, or impede them. Sure, it's possible to overcome a hostile environment, but it's an uphill battle. Betty could have said no to the potato chips and waited for dinner, but she was starving. And it can be nearly impossible to argue with hunger.

Your weight-loss efforts will go more smoothly in a nurturing environment. So create a nurturing environment.

Small changes in your environment, even seemingly insignificant ones, can produce big changes in your behavior. If you take the candy bowl off your desk at work, for example, you're less likely to eat candy. If you replace your whole milk with skim, you'll start drinking skim. If you stock your fridge with fresh veggies, you're less likely to reach for the potato chips after a hard day at work.

Sometimes when you're at your most enthusiastic, you may think you have willpower, commitment and dedication to spare. But it's the moments when you're not at your most enthusiastic that you have to worry about. By taking control of your environment, you can be the dedicated, committed person you want to be. Think about it: It's easier to be a thinner person when you're in an environment that isn't loaded with chips, cookies and other weight-loss roadblocks.


At Weight Watchers, we believe that losing weight and getting healthy is taking a step to do something great for yourself. It should be a time of enjoyment, not punishment. Because you shouldn’t have to stop loving food and taking part in life just because you want to lose weight. “Bite into Life” is about celebrating food and people coming together, because on  Weight Watchers, you have the skills and support to enjoy these moments and make the choices that lead to a healthier, happier, and more balanced life.

That is why having a slice of pizza isn’t “cheating” on Weight Watchers. Neither is that cookie. Margarita night with the girls? Still ok! So is a trip to your mom’s house, birthday parties, Sunday football. You get the idea.

And as part of this Bite into Life celebration, we’re inviting artists, tastemakers, foodies, content curators, and more to help us! From pop-up parties to family dinner, to a late-night indulgence you can savor every bite of it without guilt. We’re aiming to get you excited that getting healthy can actually incorporate a whole lot of deliciousness in it.
Want to join in? Show us your own #BiteIntoLife moments as you’re enjoy getting healthy along the way.
Because it’s not cheating. It’s eating.

Want to join in on the fun? Visit our Tumblr at weightwatchers.tumblr.com or share your own moments using our #biteintolife hashtag.

  
November / December Issue of
Weight Watchers Magazine:
Happy Healthy Holidays!
Everything you need to stay on track during the holidays
– it’s in here: quick fitness moves for even the busiest
days; how to beat those winter blues; setting expectations
to make the season the best it can be. And, of course,
dozens of delicious recipes for any holiday party!
Also in this issue, how to:
Assess your risk for diabetes
Conquer that Chinese buffet with confidence
Dress up that Little Black Dress for maximum
glam
Shake off stress while you walk
Raspberry Champagne Cocktail
This killer cocktail will be the hit of your New Year’s
Eve party – or any occasion that calls for celebration.
Raspberry Champagne Cocktail
PREP 5 min
SERVES 8
½ cup seedless raspberry jam
½ cup lime juice
3 cups Champagne
8 lime wheels
1 Combine jam and lime juice in a small bowl or pitcher.
2 To serve, spoon or pour 2 Tbsp jam mixture into a
champagne flute.
3 Pour in 3 oz Champagne.
4 Garnish with a lime wheel.
PER SERVING (2 Tbsp jam mixture and 3 oz
Champagne): 109 cal, 0 g total fat, 0 g sat fat, 8 mg
sod, 14 g total carb, 11 g sugar, 0 g fib, 0 g prot.
PointsPlus value: 4
IT COULD HAPPEN!
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 Geneva,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.
Have y’all heard of 3-2-1 cakes aka Magic Cakes aka Microwave Mug Cakes? I am pretty sure I am really late to the game on this one but lately they have been filling my Instagram feed. So let’s start with what a 3-2-1 cake is. Essentially a 3-2-1 cake is an individual serving of microwave cake. It was originally made by combining one package of angel food cake mix with another packaged cake mix of your choice. Then you just add water and microwave. That’s it!
It get its name because you use 3 tablespoons of cake mix, 2 tablespoons of water, and then microwave it for 1 minute in a mug or bowl sprayed with cooking spray. Since the base recipe is so simple, the combinations for this microwave mug cake are endless. You can add or top it with so many different things – chocolate, peanut butter, nuts, whipped cream, fruit, pumpkin, pudding, cocoa powder, you get the gist. And perhaps best of all it comes in at just 80 calories and 2-3 PointsPlus® for the basic mix. Sounds pretty great and simple. Granted, it’s not the healthiest dessert option out there but great when you are really craving cake and want to save on calories or being tempted with leftovers for days.
So today I bring you the 3-2-1 cake and some of the delicious ways you can doctor it up! Are you a fan of this cake? How do you make it your own? Please share in the comments.
1. Basic 3-2-1 Cake: Combine 1 package of angel food cake mix with 1 package of regular cake mix (any flavor will do – chocolate, vanilla, spice, lemon, etc.). Store in an airtight container. When ready to serve add to a microwave safe dish sprayed with cooking spray. Stir in 2 tablespoons of water and microwave for 1 minute. Done.
2. Molton Chocolate/Candy 3-2-1 Cake: Follow the same instructions above but mix the cake mix in a separate container. Add half the batter to the mug and place a chocolate or candy in the center – a Hershey kiss, mini candy bar, or chocolate chips would work great. Pour remaining batter on top and microwave. For double chocolate, use a chocolate cake mix with the angel food cake mix for the batter.
3. Caramel Apple 3-2-1 Cake: Start by microwaving 1/2 chopped apple in a mug until soft. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Add half of the cake batter (vanilla works best) and then one caramel candy in the center. Add remaining batter and microwave. You could also drizzle caramel on top after instead.
4. Banana 3-2-1- Cake: Follow the regular directions and add 1/4 cup mashed banana to the batter. No one would blame you for adding 1 tsp. of melted peanut butter on top or mixing in some PB2 either.
5. Pumpkin Spice 3-2-1 Cake: Add 2 tbsp. canned pumpkin and 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice to your batter for a perfect fall treat.
I would love to know if there is a homemade recipe for creating your own cake mix for these creations. Please share if you have one!

How Much Sodium is in Your Sandwich?

Thursday, October 09, 2014
 The best sandwich I've ever had was in 2009 in Salzburg, Austria. I was with my British friend Sam on a summer day, and the two of us stopped at a small deli that didn’t sell premade sandwiches—because everything was made to order. I requested a vegetarian sandwich and let the shopkeeper determine what that meant. What I ended up with made my tastebuds sing: a freshly baked baguette stuffed with homemade mozzarella and fresh sundried tomatoes.

Perhaps this meal stands out because I don’t eat sandwiches often. When I do,  I want them to be delicious, with unexpected flavors meshed together. On a hiking trip a couple of years ago, I packed a sandwich on multigrain bread, with Tofurkey deli slices, pine-nut hummus, arugula, tomatoes and onions. This sandwich was delicious, too (and is pictured to the right).

I’m talking about sandwiches because a new study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics shows that almost half of Americans eat sandwiches in an average day—and sandwich consumption makes up a huge chunk of our daily sodium allowance. This is no more than 2,300 mg daily for most Americans and less than 1,500 mg daily for people ages 51 and older or those who are African-American or have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease. Typical sandwich intake makes up 21 percent of the typical woman's daily sodium allowance and 39 percent of a man's, per the study.

Of course, you can absolutely create a lower-sodium sandwich. Just consider making swaps for lower-sodium ingredients. Try these, recommended in another recent study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture:
  • Have cooked, fresh meat, not deli meat: Save 463 mg per 2 oz
  • Have sardines, not anchovies: Save 953 mg per 1 oz
  • Have whole-wheat bread, not rye bread: Save 95 mg per 2 slices
  • Have low-sodium cheese, not natural cheese: Save 341 mg per 2 slices
  • Have cooked, fresh hot peppers, not canned hot peppers: Save 853 mg per pepper
  • What’s in your favorite sandwich? How could you tweak the ingredients so that it's lower in sodium?



Next week’s meeting topic:
On your best behavior (how your actions help you lose)
Member Recipes

2 large onions, chopped (about 3½ cups)
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons reduced-fat butter or Smart Balance Heart Right Light
4 egg whites
1 egg, we love Egg-Land’s Best eggs
2 tablespoons fat-free or reduced-fat milk
1 (1-LB) package Marie Callender’s Original Corn Bread Mix
2 (14.5 oz) cans cream-style corn
1 cup fat-free sour cream (½ pint)
½ cup reduced-fat cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat a 13”x9” baking dish with nonstick spray.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, add the onions and butter. Cook in the microwave on high for about 4 minutes until soft. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the egg whites, egg and milk. Stir in the cornbread mix and cream-style corn. Spread cornbread batter into the prepared dish.
4. Spoon the cooked onions and liquid left in the bowl evenly over the top.
5. Using a rubber spatula carefully spread the sour cream over the onions. It’s not necessary to completely cover the onions. The sour cream will create little pillows.
6. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top of the sour cream.
7. Bake for about 40-45 minutes until golden brown.
9. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting into squares. This casserole may be made ahead of time, refrigerated and reheated. It also freezes great.
Makes 16 servings @ 5 Points Plus


Butternut squash-tomato soup
4 servings, 0P+/serving

1 butternut squash, in chunks
Spice: 1 tsp curry powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1 pinch clove, 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper (divided)
1 tsp canola oil
1/2 onion (or 1 small), thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 TBSP ginger thinly sliced
1 can petite diced tomato, drained
salt to taste
  • Preheat oven to 375 F.
  • Lay the squash chunks in one layer on a cookie sheet. Spray with olive oil or cooking spray, sprinkle half the spices on the squash moving it around to coat. Roast until starting to turn brown (a little blackening is ok, but not too much). Set aside.
  • Spray a small Dutch oven, heat up to medium-high heat, swirl the oil and add onions. Cook for a few minutes until just starting to brown. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant. Add the rest of the spices and cook 30 seconds or so.
  • Add the tomatoes, and mix well. Add the squash and mix well to coat. Put in the broth salt a bit more pepper if needed and cook 10 minutes at a moderate simmer.
  • Turn off the heat and process with an immersion blender (or in a blender in batches, careful it's hot!).
The above recipe is from a site called Melanie’s Recipes, and it’s really weird to copy and paste, so that’s why the grey box.



Pork Chop Suey  www.laloosh.com

1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into bite sized pieces

  • 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 1/2 cups bean sprouts
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3/4 cup fat free chicken broth
  • 1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp molasses
  • 1 inch piece of ginger, minced
  • 4 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  1. In a bowl, combine broth, molasses, soy sauce. Mix well. In a small, separate bow, combine cornstarch and 2 tsp of both mixture. Mix well and set aside.
  2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in pork, and cook until no longer pink, about 3-4 minutes, then transfer to a separate dish.
  3. Add in onion, bell pepper, bean sprouts, pepper, garlic and ginger, and sauté until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. *You may want to spray the pan with some nonfat cooking spray first.
  4. Pour in broth mixture, and bring to a boil. Cook while stirring regularly for another 4-5 minutes. Now stir in reserved cornstarch mixture and pork, and continue to cook while stirring regularly, until sauce begins to thicken, about 1-3 minutes. Serve immediately.
Entire recipe makes 4 servings
Serving size is about 1 cup
Each serving = 7 Points +




Cheesy Chicken and Cauliflower Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Servings: 4
Serving Size: 1 pepper
www.slenderkitchen.comWeight Watchers® PointsPlus®: 6 *
  • 4 large poblano peppers
  • 3/4 lb. 95% lean ground chicken (beef or turkey would also work)
  • 1 cup onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 2 cups cauliflower, finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. oregano
  • 2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
  • 3/4 cup part skim shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat your broiler to medium high heat. Place the poblano peppers on a foiled lined baking sheet and broil for 5-8 minutes, turning often, until soft and beginning to blister.
  2. Remove and let cool. Peel off the skin (you can skip this but most prefer skin off) and slit open. Remove the seeds.
  3. Meanwhile add the chicken to a medium hot skillet. Cook for 5 minutes and add the onion and garlic. Cook for 5 more minutes until no longer pink.
  4. Add the tomatoes, cauliflower, cumin, and oregano. Cook for 6-8 minutes until cauliflower is tender. Stir in the cilantro and season well with salt and pepper.
  5. Stuff the peppers with the chicken, tomato, and cauliflower mixture. Top with cheese. Return to the broiler for 5 minutes until cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

Pumpkin Spice Krispie Treats

yield: 20 TREATS

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 tablespoons light butter, cut into pieces
  • 10 oz package marshmallows
  • 2 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
  • 7 thin fat free pretzel sticks, broken into thirds

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Combine the butter and marshmallows in a large bowl and microwave for 2-3 minutes until contents are soft and melty.
  2. Spray a spoon with cooking spray and stir until thoroughly mixed.
  3. Add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice and stir together until thoroughly mixed.
  4. Add the rice krispies and stir until the cereal is completely coated. Let the mixture stand to cool for about 10 minutes. This cooling step is necessary for the mixture to be formed into balls.
  5. Separate the mixture into 20 even piles on a sheet of parchment paper.
  6. Mist the palms of your hands and your fingers with cooking spray (to prevent sticking) and press and roll each pile into a round ball about 2” in diameter.
  7. Press a pretzel third into the top of each ball and eat the little leftover pretzel third.
WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS PLUS:
2 per treat (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com) www.emilybites.com



Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars
Servings: 12
Serving Size: 1 barWeight Watchers® PointsPlus®: 5 *
1 store bought, reduced fat, refrigerated pie crust
  • 1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 12 oz. can skim evaporated milk
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1.5 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 oz. light cream cheese
  • 1 tbsp. powder sugar
Instructions
  1. Spread the pie crust out in a 9 X 13 glass dish coated with cooking spray. Par-bake according to package directions. Set aside.
  2. Change the oven temperature to 425 degrees.
  3. Combine the pumpkin, eggs, evaporated milk, brown sugar, white sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Pour over the crust.
  4. Melt the cream cheese until soft in the microwave. Stir in the powder sugar.
  5. Using a knife, swirl the cream cheese mixture into the pumpkin.
  6. Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees. Turn down to 350 and bake for 25 more minutes.
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.

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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/.
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