MIDWEEK MINUTES December 20, 2014
Midweek
Minutes
December 20,
2014
Hello,
Winners!
If you’re like
me, you’re making your last minute shopping trips and writing your to-do lists
so that you will be ready for the holidays. Are you remembering to track your
food and make an appointment with yourself to monitor that activity as
well?
If you were at the last meeting, we sure had fun ringing a
bell every time there was a loss, or maintain, or LIFETIME member at goal at the
scale! Let's ring the bell for you this coming week!!!
So, Superior members...come for one more SHOT
in the arm! In
Hastings, we have a regular Saturday meeting, and if you are in town, keep that
on the front burner! We want you there!
Yesterday at the supermarket I watched people and snooped
in their carts. (What ELSE are ya gonna do while you wait in long lines?) Not
very many people bought "real food". There were lots of pizzas, crackers,
chips, and pop. How does your grocery cart look??? I got lots of veggies (among some family favorites, of course).
What's on your menu for the NON-holiday days?
I also bought some gum to chew while I
am making the party food, and I bought plenty of flavored water to sip too. I
plan to slosh around a lot!
Seriously, the next 10 days could be the most difficult of
the year. but, we are weight watchers, and we can do it, ONE MEAL AT A TIME!
I wish you peace, joy, and God's blessings! -Zig
Member
Milestones
Superior:
-6.4
lbs.
Hastings:
-6.2
lbs.
BIGGEST
LOSER
Jon A. ( S
)
Vicki S. ( H
)
Fend Off Food Pushers
When just saying "no"
just isn't going to cut it, here are some ways to graciously stand your
ground.
Connecting with family and friends over a delicious meal can
be one of the best — and sometimes worst — parts of the holiday season. First,
you're facing temptation around every corner. Then, just to make it more
challenging, there's the pressure to participate in the celebration (a.k.a.
eat). Inevitably, someone makes your plate their business. How best to
respond? Ideally, you want to be assertive without feeling like you're being
aggressive. Since the reasons and ways people push food on us are as varied as
the people themselves, it's a good idea to have a few different approaches at
the ready to help squelch confrontations and keep emotional eating triggers in
check.
We covered a few typical scenarios in the Weekly, but that’s the tip of the proverbial iceberg. The more comebacks you have on the tip of your tongue, the more adept you'll be at keeping not-so-helpful remarks from overshadowing an enjoyable get-together.
Food pusher: "I made my coconut custard pie just for you. I know how much you love it."
You: “Thank you, that was so sweet of you! I look forward to this all year so I know you won’t mind if I save it for later.”
If you're tempted to cave because you think your refusal may hurt someone's feelings, take a minute and ask yourself who will be more upset in the end: them or you? Plus, you'll have the option to, yes, savor it later and track the PointsPlus® values, or quietly dispose of it out of the baker’s sight so you won’t hurt their feelings.
Food pusher: "You have to make Grandma Linda’s butter cookie recipe for the cookie swap – it's tradition!"
You: “Let’s try a new tradition.”
Change isn't always easy. So, bailing out of a long-standing holiday ritual is bound to rub some people the wrong way. If having full-fat baked goods around the house is too tempting for you, suggest a new tradition that isn’t foodcentric, like going ice-skating or making homemade ornaments. Or if you really want to don the baker's hat, use Recipe Builder so you'll know the PointsPlus values, and can decide ahead of time how many you’re going to keep for yourself.
Food pusher: “It's the holidays! Why do you have to watch what you eat now?"
You: “Because I like taking care of myself. I'm committed to sticking with the healthy changes that have brought me this far."
Don’t let a Debbie Downer derail you. Cement your resolve by reminding naysayers (and yourself!) that losing weight makes you feel good, both physically and mentally. And fitting into your skinny jeans is the holiday gift that keeps on giving!
Food pusher: ”Aw, c’mon. One more drink can’t hurt.”
You: “I'm fine for now, thanks. I might have another later."
Most of us want to indulge a little during the holidays – especially at parties and other festive gatherings. And that's totally fine! But remember that alcohol can cloud your judgment to the point that two drinks becomes four. So do a little research before the celebration begins. Use the Cocktail Cheat Sheet to discover and compare the PointsPlus values for popular drinks. And pick up a few savvy sipping tips while you’re there.
We covered a few typical scenarios in the Weekly, but that’s the tip of the proverbial iceberg. The more comebacks you have on the tip of your tongue, the more adept you'll be at keeping not-so-helpful remarks from overshadowing an enjoyable get-together.
Food pusher: "I made my coconut custard pie just for you. I know how much you love it."
You: “Thank you, that was so sweet of you! I look forward to this all year so I know you won’t mind if I save it for later.”
If you're tempted to cave because you think your refusal may hurt someone's feelings, take a minute and ask yourself who will be more upset in the end: them or you? Plus, you'll have the option to, yes, savor it later and track the PointsPlus® values, or quietly dispose of it out of the baker’s sight so you won’t hurt their feelings.
Food pusher: "You have to make Grandma Linda’s butter cookie recipe for the cookie swap – it's tradition!"
You: “Let’s try a new tradition.”
Change isn't always easy. So, bailing out of a long-standing holiday ritual is bound to rub some people the wrong way. If having full-fat baked goods around the house is too tempting for you, suggest a new tradition that isn’t foodcentric, like going ice-skating or making homemade ornaments. Or if you really want to don the baker's hat, use Recipe Builder so you'll know the PointsPlus values, and can decide ahead of time how many you’re going to keep for yourself.
Food pusher: “It's the holidays! Why do you have to watch what you eat now?"
You: “Because I like taking care of myself. I'm committed to sticking with the healthy changes that have brought me this far."
Don’t let a Debbie Downer derail you. Cement your resolve by reminding naysayers (and yourself!) that losing weight makes you feel good, both physically and mentally. And fitting into your skinny jeans is the holiday gift that keeps on giving!
Food pusher: ”Aw, c’mon. One more drink can’t hurt.”
You: “I'm fine for now, thanks. I might have another later."
Most of us want to indulge a little during the holidays – especially at parties and other festive gatherings. And that's totally fine! But remember that alcohol can cloud your judgment to the point that two drinks becomes four. So do a little research before the celebration begins. Use the Cocktail Cheat Sheet to discover and compare the PointsPlus values for popular drinks. And pick up a few savvy sipping tips while you’re there.
NEW 2015 Starter Kits are
COMING, but until then...
12/7-12/27--Members who purchase the
Love It, Cook It, Eat It cookbook can purchase any other cookbook (up
to
10) for 50% off ($7.45 for large
cookbooks, $4.95 for small cookbooks)
12/7-12/27--Select Fitness Products
will be on sale.
Exercise mat for $9.95;
PointsPlus Fitness Series,
Target &Tone Pilates Fitness Kit
Ultimate Dance Party for
$19.95
12/21-1/31/15 – PointsPlus Pedometer
on sale for $17.95 (originally $23.95)
Holiday Cocktails, Lightened Up!
Move beyond
mulled wine and hot toddies with our new low PointsPlus® value
festive cocktails.
Holiday parties call for festive cocktails. But who wants the same old
boring (and fattening) eggnog? Try out our favorite light cocktails made from
the newest spirits and cordials on the market. You can even learn how to make
your own with tips from expert New York City mixologist, Pamela
Wiznitzer.
PointsPlus value: 4
3/4 oz Pinnacle Whipped vodka
3/4 oz Pinnacle Pumpkin Pie vodka
3 oz unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp pumpkin spice
1 packet Nectresse sweetener
Combine all of the ingredients into a shaker. Shake and strain into a cocktail or martini glass straight up. Garnish with a light dusting of ground cloves.
PointsPlus value: 3
1 1/4 oz Southern Comfort Cherry
4 drops vanilla extract
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Diet Coke or Coke Zero
Build this drink in a lowball glass by combining the SoCo, vanilla, and bitters. quickly stir ingredients together, add ice to the glass, and fill with Diet Coke. Garnish with a cherry.
PointsPlus value: 5
1.5 oz Louis Royer "Force 53" VSOP Cognac
1/2 oz Atsby Armadillo Cake Vermouth
1 tbsp no sugar added apricot preserves/jam (10 calories)
1 1/2 oz chai tea
Prepare tea ahead of time. Allow the tea to steep and then chill it (don’t add sugar or milk). Combine all of the ingredients into a shaker and shake. Pour out into a cocktail or martini glass and garnish with a dried apricot on a cocktail pick.
PointsPlus value: 3
1 oz Chocolat Royal Liquor
1/2 oz Anejo Tequila
1 packet Nestle fat free hot cocoa
4 oz hot water
1 spoonful Cool Whip
chili powder
Combine the hot water with the cocoa packet in a mug or snifter. Stir and fully dissolve. Add in Chocolat Royal and tequila and stir them into the warm drink. Top it off with a spoonful of Cool Whip and lightly sprinkle a bit of chili powder on top.
PointsPlus value: 4
1 oz Atsby Amberthorn Vermouth
1 oz light Pom juice
1 packet CKJ Ginsing tea packet
1 packet Nectresse
6 oz Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Cider
In a shaker combine Atsby, Pom, CKJ, and Nectresse. Shake and strain in a lowball glass over ice. Top it off with Angry Orchard and garnish with an apple slice on the side of the glass.
PointsPlus value: 6
1/2 oz G-Shot Herbal
3/4 oz Campari
1 1/2 oz light cranberry juice
1 muddled orange slice
Angry Orchard Hard Cider
Combine all the ingredients in a shaker with ice. Strain into a Champagne flute. Top with Angry Orchard Cider and garnish with 3-4 floating cranberries or an orange rind.
| Tips From Behind the Bar |
|---|
Pamela Wiznitzer, mixologist at The Dead
Rabbit in New York City, gives us some tips on crafting your own tasty (and
light) potent potables for your next fabulous fete.
|
LAST WEEK
FOR THE SHARE YOUR SUCCESS
CHALLENGE!
Reminder: any member who
has all 4 Bravos for the month of December is eligible for the December
product
discount
—$5 off any Weight Watchers product in the meeting room
except the new Starter
Kit.
Discount valid through
January 3. Minimum total purchase to receive discount: $7.50.
Need not be present to win.
Surviving Office Holiday Parties
Maintain your goal of a
svelte, elf-like physique, rather than channeling Santa and his bulging
belly.
The holiday season is a grueling stretch marked by party
after party and finger foods galore. You know the culprits, like avocado and
sour cream-based dips, world cheese platters of Brie, Camembert and Stilton,
deep-fried calamari — and that’s not even counting the beer, wine and booze. As
if that’s not enough, you’ve also got employee birthdays, retirements and
engagements as further reason for celebration at the office.
But being on Plan doesn’t mean you need to insult your boss by passing on her prizewinning strawberry cheesecake. With careful planning and a little bit of discipline, you can stay within your daily PointsPlus Target and continue to lose weight through the holidays.
Foods to be wary
of
According to WeightWatchers.com nutritionist and recipes editor Leslie Fink, MS, RD, “Anything that comes in a dip or chip basket is dangerous territory.”
It’s hard to keep track of how many times you reach for yet another guacamole covered tortilla chip or handful of nuts. Just 10 cashews have a PointsPlus value of 4. Instead, take single items on a plate and look for more friendlier alternatives like sushi, grilled chicken skewers or stuffed mushrooms.
Bellying up to the bar
Another red flag is the open bar, offering a bounty of sugary cocktails and creamy frozen drinks, not to mention hearty beers. But if you get looped into doing a few rounds with your work buddies, stick to bottled, light beer or a glass of red or white wine or sangria — each have a PointsPlus value of 4.
As Fink suggests, “Think of ways to add flavor but not PointsPlus values to your favorite drinks, like an extra splash of hot sauce in a bloody Mary, a twist of lemon or lime in your vodka or Diet Coke with your rum.”
Mind over consumption
Instead of having a handful of pigs in a blanket, get out on the dance floor and practice your best Dancing With the Stars moves for some added exercise. Or, how about just chatting with the guy in finance you never see. By keeping your mouth and hands occupied with things that don’t involve food or booze, you’ll end up consuming less of both.
Remember, 'tis the season to celebrate, not overindulge.
But being on Plan doesn’t mean you need to insult your boss by passing on her prizewinning strawberry cheesecake. With careful planning and a little bit of discipline, you can stay within your daily PointsPlus Target and continue to lose weight through the holidays.
| Portion control One of the simplest ways to monitor how much you’re eating is to consolidate your food for the evening onto one small side plate. “Fill half your plate with vegetables, one-quarter with a lean protein such as chicken or fish — not fried, breaded or soaked in oil or a marinade — and one-quarter with ‘your choice’ as long as it stays within your PointsPlus budget for the day. If you go back for seconds, choose mostly vegetables and a serving of protein,” says Jaimie Sherry, MS, RD, CDE, CDN a nutritionist at New York Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medical College. |
|
According to WeightWatchers.com nutritionist and recipes editor Leslie Fink, MS, RD, “Anything that comes in a dip or chip basket is dangerous territory.”
It’s hard to keep track of how many times you reach for yet another guacamole covered tortilla chip or handful of nuts. Just 10 cashews have a PointsPlus value of 4. Instead, take single items on a plate and look for more friendlier alternatives like sushi, grilled chicken skewers or stuffed mushrooms.
Bellying up to the bar
Another red flag is the open bar, offering a bounty of sugary cocktails and creamy frozen drinks, not to mention hearty beers. But if you get looped into doing a few rounds with your work buddies, stick to bottled, light beer or a glass of red or white wine or sangria — each have a PointsPlus value of 4.
As Fink suggests, “Think of ways to add flavor but not PointsPlus values to your favorite drinks, like an extra splash of hot sauce in a bloody Mary, a twist of lemon or lime in your vodka or Diet Coke with your rum.”
Mind over consumption
Instead of having a handful of pigs in a blanket, get out on the dance floor and practice your best Dancing With the Stars moves for some added exercise. Or, how about just chatting with the guy in finance you never see. By keeping your mouth and hands occupied with things that don’t involve food or booze, you’ll end up consuming less of both.
Remember, 'tis the season to celebrate, not overindulge.
What did you find in your
NEW
book that helped you this
week?
What did you find as you browsed through
it?
Come and share at your meeting this
week.
Have you seen the personalized, new
options and tools on your eTools home page?
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.
Member
Recipes
White Chocolate Popcorn Recipe
Makes 4 cups
4 cups popcorn (popped), about ¼ cup
unpopped
½ cup white chocolate chips
holiday sprinkles (optional)
½ cup white chocolate chips
holiday sprinkles (optional)
Place popcorn in a bowl. Heat white
chocolate chips in a small bowl in the microwave for 20 second intervals – mix
after each 20 seconds – until melted.
This will take about 1
minute.
Spoon chocolate over popcorn and mix
with your hands. Toss in holiday sprinkles and mix again. Store in an airtight
container.
One cup = 3 Points+ www.snackgirl.com
Holiday Stuffed
Portabellas
1/6th of recipe (1 stuffed mushroom): PointsPlus® value 5*
6 large portabella mushrooms, stems chopped and
reserved
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like
Brummel & Brown)
One 6-oz. box Stove Top Cornbread Stuffing
Mix
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with
nonstick spray.
Place mushroom caps on the baking sheet, rounded sides
down. Bake until slightly tender, about 8 minutes.
Remove sheet, but leave oven on. Blot away excess moisture
from mushroom caps.
Bring a medium pot sprayed with nonstick spray to
medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, and mushroom stems.
Cook and stir until slightly softened and lightly browned,
6 - 8 minutes.
Transfer cooked veggies to a bowl.
Add butter and 1 1/2 cups water to the (empty) pot, and
bring to a boil. Once water boils, remove from heat. Add
stuffing mix, cooked veggies, and dried cranberries. Mix
until water has absorbed.
Distribute stuffing mixture among the mushroom caps. Bake
until slightly crisp on top, about 12 minutes. Serve 'em
up!
MAKES 6 SERVINGS www.hungrygirl.com
Super Easy, Low Calorie Breakfast
Quiche
Start the day off completely satisfied with this
wonderful, low calorie breakfast casserole. Perfect for this
weekend!
It’s really simple to make and freezes great too. Each
serving has just 147 calories, 4 grams of fat and 3 Weight
Watchers POINTS PLUS. I think you’re going to LOVE
it!
2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes (not thawed) diced not
shredded, see shopping tips
1 cup (4 ounces) lean ham, chopped, see shopping
tips
½ cup red sweet pepper, chopped
½ cup onion, chopped
2 eggs, see shopping tips
4 egg whites
⅔ cup from a (10 ¾ oz) can Campbell’s Healthy Request
cream of mushroom soup (condensed)
¼ cup fat-free milk
Black pepper, to taste
Ingredients for Topping:
½ cup reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9 x 9 inch baking
pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the frozen hash browns,
ham, red bell peppers and onions. In a medium bowl, whisk
together eggs, egg whites, condensed soup, milk and black
pepper. Pour over potato mixture and toss to mix. Add
mixture to baking pan. Cover with foil and bake for 30
minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with cheese and bake an
additional 20 minutes until golden brown and cheese is
melted.
3. Cut into 6 slices. Using a spatula, carefully remove
each slice.
4. This casserole freezes great once baked. I like to wrap
into individual servings and store in the freezer. Great for a
quick breakfast any day of the week!
Makes 6 servings (each serving, 1 slice)
Simple Glazed Ham
with Pineapple
8 lbs Spiral Pre-Cooked Lean Ham, 1/2
a ham & prefer bone in
15 oz can sliced pineapples in
pineapple juice
1 cup unpacked brown
sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
toothpicks
1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
Spray a 9x 13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Place ham in dish.
2. Drain pineapple slices, reserving
juice. Place pineapple slices on ham using toothpicks to secure in
place.
3. Place ham in oven and bake
according to packaged instructions. Typically you will cook your ham for about
10 minutes per pound. NOTE ~ you will be glazing the ham the last 15
minutes of cooking time.
4. While the ham cooks, prepare the
glaze. Combine brown sugar with reserved pineapple juice in a small sauce pan
over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Continue stirring until the
sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in spices. Set aside.
5. During the last 15 minutes of
cooking time., pour the glaze over the ham. Then, baste/brush ham for 5 minutes
with the sauce until the ham is cooked.
Serve with pineapple slices and
reserved juice on the side. Enjoy!
Make 32 servings, 4 ounces
each, 4 points+ per serving
Bloomin’ Apple Recipe
Makes 2 servings
1 apple
2 caramels
2 caramels
Remove stem
from apple. Slice apple in half across the center (not lengthwise) so you have
the top and the bottom divided.
Core out the
seeds (which look like a lovely flower) with a spoon. Slice the apple without
slicing all the way through in wedges about 8-10 times so you can pull off a
slice fairly easily.
Add caramel
to center and heat in microwave for 20 second intervals until caramel is melted.
Do not eat immediately! Wait about five minutes until the caramel has cooled and
hardened.
Can be
stored, after spritzing with some lemon juice, in the refrigerator.
For ½ apple and one caramel =
86 calories, 0.8 g fat, 0.0 g saturated fat, 20.3 g carbohydrates, 16.0 g sugar,
0.5 g protein, 2.2 g fiber, 25 mg sodium, 1 Points+ www.snackgirl.com
Light
Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
number of
servings: 48
Traditional Kiss Cookies are over 100
calories each (50 of them from fat!). These are a delicious swap that erveryone
will love and only 76 calories per cookie. A FRACTION of the
fat!
¼ cup PB2 Peanut Butter
½ cup peanut butter
1⅔ cups Kim's Light Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 cups Kim's Light Biscuit Mix
1 tsp vanilla extract
⅓ cup Whey Low Granular Sugar
65 Hershey's Kisses Milk Chocolate pieces
½ cup peanut butter
1⅔ cups Kim's Light Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 cups Kim's Light Biscuit Mix
1 tsp vanilla extract
⅓ cup Whey Low Granular Sugar
65 Hershey's Kisses Milk Chocolate pieces
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°.
Beat Kim's Sweetened Condensed
Milk,PB2, peanut butter, and
vanilla in large bowl until smooth. Add Kim's Light Biscuit Mix*; mix
well.
Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in Whey Low Granular Sugar. Place
2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 6 to
8 minutes or until lightly browned around edges (do not overbake). Immediately
press a chocolate candy piece in center of each cookie before the
cookie cools.
Move to a cookie
rack and let set until ccoled and chocolate has re-firmed. Refrigerate or freeze
until serving. www.kimbenson.com
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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