MIDWEEK MINUTES May 30, 2015
Midweek
Minutes
May 30,
2015
Hello,
Winners!
I dated last week’s newsletter
May 22...did you notice? I didn’t have any comments on my error, so nobody won
the $$$million dollars$$$ !!! Just kidding about the $$$. Seriously, it’s been
a week like no other, and so I’m not surprised I made an
boo-boo...BUT...
It’s
finally summer break for me!
It’s almost June! It’s my
favorite month even though I don’t really like the number that I am going to be
on my birthday this month, but I like June for many reasons. I, personally, am
done with school!
I got the yearbook done on
Wednesday and my classroom cleaned out on Thursday and Friday. Although I do
have 3 days of workshops for school next week (sigh), other than that (and
Working for Weight Watchers), my time is my own...sort of. Yes, I have flowers
for planting; I WILL go to the pool; I will do all kinds of chores and
things...and then there’s my son’s wedding (meaning there won’t be a newsletter
on the weekend on June 27). That’s going to take a chunk of time.
I feel kind of out of shape,
so my June plans include tracking, exercising (in the pool, where else?), and
starting a new summer routine (even with what seems to be a month of special
occasions and as previously mentioned...NOT having much of a routine established
yet!) We’re talking about setting up new summer routines in the meeting room
this coming week. I just got a new thing to help motivate me to walk in the
mornings...I’ll show it to you.
So, I will do what I can,
plan, and make good choices, and NOT make excuses. How about you? Where do YOU
want to be by the 4th of July? Labor Day? My goal is to be at my “fighting
weight” and toned up. I know I NEED to be more active since I am NOT running
around school all day. Sitting at the computer almost all day working on the
yearbook was SO BAD for me. I tried to get up and move every so
often!
As you can probably tell, my opinion is summer is NOT the season
to say, "Well, I'll wait until September (when the kids are back in school, it's
cooler, I'm less busy<yeah, right>!) to come back to a meeting. This is
the season to finally take the plunge and commit to it! Don't take a break from
weight loss regardless of travel plans, birthdays, weddings, or whatever.
(Remember, you're not getting any younger either!) If not now...when?
PointsPlus works, and we're here to help you get to your weight management
goals! Stick with us all summer! There’s a SUMMER CHALLENGE coming starting
the week of June 7 that will carry us along the whole
season!!!
Can’t wait to see everyone in Superior on Monday. Two weeks is
too long without a meeting! Hastings folks DID AWESOME this week! I hope to
see you all in the meeting room this coming week! --Zig
Member Milestones from
Hastings
Total Loss: –19.6
lbs.
Return to
goal!!!
Angie U.
The pleasure principle
Pay more
attention to your food and it can pay off at the scale.
Does it sometimes feel like you have
three or four arms? One to hold a phone, one to answer email, one to grab dinner
out of the microwave, and one to throw a softball to your kid — or something
like that. Given the pace of life, it’s no wonder it seems like a luxury to
actually sit down to a properly set table, inhaling the aroma of delicious food
and then truly savoring each bite. We grab (and devour) breakfast while
commuting to the office; squeeze in a quick lunch while working at our desks;
and wolf down dinner while watching TV with the family. Speed eating often means
overeating. But when you focus on what's on your plate, you tend to slow down —
creating a simple, yet powerful way to help you stay on track.
Make food the star
Think about your last couple of meals. Was the TV on? Your cellphone at your elbow? These attention grabbers can affect how you eat. Hitting the brakes and focusing only on your food can help you enjoy your meals more and eat less as a result. There's even research to back it up: One study found that people ate 10 percent fewer calories when they dialed down their pace than when they scarfed down their food, and felt less hungry afterward.
In your meeting this week, your Leader and fellow members will share simple strategies you can use to slow down and eat more mindfully. And the Weekly gives you ways to tune in to the sensory delights of mealtime. Here are more ideas that can help you get more from meals (and less from the scale)! Consider sharing your results with the group next week.
To decelerate when dining
Make food the star
Think about your last couple of meals. Was the TV on? Your cellphone at your elbow? These attention grabbers can affect how you eat. Hitting the brakes and focusing only on your food can help you enjoy your meals more and eat less as a result. There's even research to back it up: One study found that people ate 10 percent fewer calories when they dialed down their pace than when they scarfed down their food, and felt less hungry afterward.
In your meeting this week, your Leader and fellow members will share simple strategies you can use to slow down and eat more mindfully. And the Weekly gives you ways to tune in to the sensory delights of mealtime. Here are more ideas that can help you get more from meals (and less from the scale)! Consider sharing your results with the group next week.
To decelerate when dining
- Think through food choices. When we’re in a hurry, we might just grab whatever's convenient. Planning what you'll eat eliminates some of this last-minute temptation, and adds to the pleasurable anticipation. That's why we created the Starter Meals.
- Eat frequently. Don't let more than four hours go by between meals — that way, you won't be famished when you sit down to eat, and you can pause to appreciate the different flavors crossing your palate.
- Pause for a quiet moment. Before digging in, stop to reflect on your mood. A little reflection before a meal can help keep emotional eating in check and enhance your enjoyment of the meal.
- Downsize your bites. The meal shouldn’t be a race to the finish line. Savor! Take smaller bites, put your fork down in between, chew each bite thoroughly (fiber-rich foods like apples and broccoli take longer to chew) and take a sip of water before raising your fork again.
- Avoid social sidetracks. Dining out with family and friends is one of life’s pleasures. On the down side, that absorbing conversation can mean you lose track of what and how much you’re eating, so keep checking in with your plate (and your appetite). Also try to limit time you spend around food pushers.
- Do a quick check-in. If you're tracking PointsPlus® values, then keep it up. Mobile, online or Plan & Track — use whichever tool works best for you. You might also try jotting down how you're feeling at the time (satisfied, hungry, anxious, preoccupied).
- Reflect on what you would do differently next time. How could you better prepare? Check out your Spaces tool for more quick and simple tips.
Everything you need to follow the Plan
Get back to basics with Master the Plan. Each short, funny
video features Weight Watchers Leaders and members who know their stuff. Get the
tools and insight you need to nail the Plan and find success! Go to eTools and
check them out!
Uncover The Art Of Food Presentation
Give your
home-cooked fare some professional pizazz with tips from food stylist and home
economist, Sue Ashworth.
When we see gorgeous photographs of
delicious food, we want to eat it! Yet just how do the experts make it look so
good, and what are the tricks and techniques? We give you the
lowdown.
It’s all in the planning
Any meal or recipe is a balance of four vital components: colour, aroma, taste and texture. These combine to please your eyes, your nose and your palate, so when you’re thinking about what to cook, include different foods to satisfy your senses. It’s even more important to make food look good when you’re trying to lose a few pounds, then you can take pride in its appearance and slowly savor every mouthful, rather than bolting down a plateful of unattractive slop.
Picture this!
Imagine steamed white fish with boiled potatoes and cabbage. Hmmm. Not appealing! Yet take the same three ingredients and mash the potatoes, top with lightly cooked shredded green cabbage and sit a seared fillet of fish on the top, sprinkled with lemon zest and juice with some chopped fresh parsley and you have a different picture. Look closely at those attractive food photographs and you’ll see that it’s all about contrasting colors, shapes and textures, as well as the flavors of the food.
Translate into great meals for Weight Watchers
So, when planning your meals, try to think about the balance of sensations that make food such a pleasure. Right on target for Weight Watchers is to enjoy the different colors, textures and flavors that fruits and vegetables can bring to your meals, brightening up your plate to make an appetizing meal. And they’re all Power Foods too! Chances are you’ll be eating far more of these foods than you used to, and we’re guessing that you’ll be relishing all those lovely colors and flavors.
Take care
Whatever recipe you’re making, whether it’s a simple sandwich or a meal for a special occasion, so much depends on the care you take. And that can mean technique, so try to polish your skills. Take time to read your recipe, then prepare all you can before you start to cook, and do your best to follow the instructions, without under- or over-cooking. Vegetables are best (and better for you) when they retain their crunch and color, so avoid boiling them to within an inch of their lives!
Get tooled up
It’s amazing how many kitchens lack basic tools of the trade, yet have fancy gizmos that hardly ever get used. A good chef’s knife, a knife sharpener, razor-sharp scissors, an efficient peeler and a couple of decent chopping boards will be used almost every single day. They’re the bedrock of good preparation and presentation. Neatly cut meat, poultry, fish, vegetables and fruit are the starting point for any recipe, and it matters to cut them nicely. Watch any good cook or TV chef – it shows!
Plate perfection
Serve hot food on heated plates, so you can take a little longer arranging it. First impressions are important if we want people to enjoy our efforts. Simple plates are often the best, as busy patterned plates can detract from the food. And choose plates that are big enough, so that you’re not cramming everything into a small space. You need room for all those gorgeous veggies! Keep food neat; try not to slop it onto the plates. Clean around the edges of the plate with paper twoel if you make a mess – it only takes seconds.
A bit of garnish
You might think that garnishes a are pointless fuss. Fair enough, you’re not likely to want to embellish your food for a busy midweek supper. Yet when it’s for a special occasion, simple garnishes can add that all-important finishing touch, adding contrasting color and texture to make the meal look good. A swirl of natural yogurt and chopped fresh coriander on a spicy soup; lemon wedges and parsley sprigs with grilled fish; fragrant rosemary with grilled lean lamb steaks; sliced strawberries on top of a summer fruit mousse. These extras make such a difference.
Not a natural?
If you struggle to make food look good, keep it simple. Your friend might be the best cake decorator in the country, yet if you make a simple low-fat yellow cake flavoured with finely grated orange zest, and spread the top with a frosting of low fat cream cheese and natural yogurt with more orange zest, topped with lots of randomly arranged sliced fresh strawberries, it would look fabulous! Use the same principle for decorating cup cakes or sweet muffins too. And use edible fresh flowers in the summer for decorating puddings: rose petals, marigolds, nasturtiums and violets can make a pudding or other cold dessert look amazingly arty.
On course
If you love food (and we’re assuming you do) why not brush up your skills by taking a class? Local adult education centers often have a good range to choose from, and it’s so empowering to learn something new. Besides, it might divert your focus from eating food to preparing it even more beautifully!
Make a Shopping List to Help Your Weight
Friday, May 29,
2015 (the eat list)
I usually keep a running list of what I need at the grocery store. (On my list for this week: bananas, raspberries and pre-cut butternut squash.) But sometimes, I wander into a supermarket with no list—and at those times, I typically end up with a few too many extras in my shopping cart.
It makes sense that pre-planning your grocery-store trip can help deter you from stocking up on too many treats. A recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior put this theory to the test. The research looked at 1,372 low-income people in Pittsburgh; most were African-American, and 78 percent were overweight or obese.
The study authors found that people using a shopping list consistently had a lower BMI, on average, and ate more nutrient-rich foods—including fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
The researchers note that shopping with a list can not only help you remember what you need but also help limit impulse purchases and help filter out foods that undermine healthy-eating goals. Other research supports this, finding that as the number of options increases, self-control decreases.
Although this study was done on a specific demographic, it’s possible that the results would be similar among the general population.
Next time I go to the grocery store, I’m going to bring along a list in hopes that I bypass all the baked goods (my weakness!).
Throw a Low PointsPlus® Value Cookout
Close the
kitchen and fire up the grill! Here's how to make an outdoor feast that's big on
flavor and light on everything else.
Whether you’re burning aged hardwoods or
turning on the gas grill, you can’t beat the flavor — and the freedom — you get
when cooking over an open flame. As a cooking method, grilling is
waistline-friendly, provided you plan your menu carefully. Marinades add zing to
meats for very few additional calories, most spice rubs add no calories at all
and many vegetables need little more than a spritz of oil and a sprinkle of salt
before they hit the grill.
Revamp the
traditional
Everybody loves burgers and hot dogs with all the fixin's. And let’s not forget the classic American sides: coleslaw and those “salads” made mostly of macaroni, potatoes and mayo. You can enjoy these seasonal staples while staying on Plan; our revamped recipes keep the flavor but ditch the extra PointsPlus® values. Try these tips:
Everybody loves burgers and hot dogs with all the fixin's. And let’s not forget the classic American sides: coleslaw and those “salads” made mostly of macaroni, potatoes and mayo. You can enjoy these seasonal staples while staying on Plan; our revamped recipes keep the flavor but ditch the extra PointsPlus® values. Try these tips:
- Burgers
Instead of plain ground beef, which has 6 PointsPlus values for 3 ounces cooked, choose extra-lean beef, ground chicken or turkey breast, which comes in at half that amount. Top your patty with an ounce of lowfat cheddar for 1 PointsPlus value, one-third the value of full-fat.
- Hot dogs
A regular beef or pork frank has 5 PointsPlus values — but turkey, chicken or veggie dogs have just 3 PointsPlus values. And if you’re OK with a slight sacrifice in texture, the fat-free varieties of all have just 1 PointsPlus value.
- Buns
Go with whole-wheat, and in most cases, you’ll save 1 PointsPlus value on each.
- Toppings
In small amounts, ketchup, mustard and relish all have 0 PointsPlus values — but once you get past a tablespoon of any, you’ll have to start counting. Load up on crunchy sauerkraut and pickles instead!
- Sides
Store-bought coleslaw has 4 PointsPlus values per serving. But you can halve that with our recipe for Creamy Coleslaw and slash it all the way down to 1 PointsPlus value with our vinegar-based Summer Slaw. Same deal with macaroni and potato salads: Our Classic Midwestern Macaroni Salad and American Potato Salad have less than half the PointsPlus values per serving of their store-bought counterparts.
Got a family of carnivores? You can serve a grilled steak low in PointsPlus values that’ll make them happy, if you opt for the right cut. Stay away from porterhouses and T-bones — 3 ounces cooked will cost you 7 PointsPlus values, and trimming only takes it down a point or two. Instead, go with a lean loin cut, or a bison sirloin (which is beefy-tasting, but naturally leaner), both of which have just 3 PointsPlus values for a 3-ounce serving. A nice middle ground: 3 ounces of filet mignon or trimmed New York or beef sirloin have 4 PointsPlus values.
If you’re looking for other options, try a lean pork chop, skinless, boneless chicken breast or tuna steak: For each, 3 ounces cooked have just 3 PointsPlus values. Turn to the sea for even leaner options — 3 ounces of grilled calamari or most whitefish fillets will claim just 2 PointsPlus values!
Serve summery sweets
Grills transform more than just savory foods. A few minutes on the grate intensify the sweetness in most fruits — all you need to do is cut (keep the pieces large, or skewer them), toss with a little bit of neutral oil, and fire 'em up. Firm, ripe fruits work best — softer fruits may turn to mush in the heat. Be sure to clean the grate well beforehand, since nobody wants to end a meal with grilled mango that tastes like steak.
Don’t feel like cleaning the grill midmeal? Grab a wedge of juicy, sweet watermelon for the ultimate summertime dessert.
Did you know there
are “HOW TO” Cooking videos on eTools? Here’s what they look like...this one
has is related to our meeting topic this last week. Go to eTools to view them
all.
JUNE
MEETINGS
You gotta come to our
meetings this month! Even if you aren’t born in June...let’s all use this month
to feel special about ourselves and our journey and get HAPPY!
Member
Recipes
Copy Cat Arby's Chicken Salad
- 4 Chicken Boneless/Skinless
Chicken Breasts
1 Cup Halved Red Seedless Grapes
3/4 Cup thinly sliced/chopped Celery
1 Cup (half inch size) Apple Chunks
1/2 Cup Light Mayo (or Fat Free)
1/2 Cup Fat Free Plain Yogurt
Salt to taste
Celery Seeds/Salt to taste
Boil Chicken Breasts in water
until cooked throughly, remove from water, let cool then dice and cube into
small half inch pieces.
Add Prepared/Chopped Grapes, apples, celery, and seasonings (if desired). Add 1/2 Cup Light or Fat Free Mayo, and 1/2 Cup Fat Free Plain Yogurt. Store in refridgerator over night. Enjoy!
Number of Servings: 10
Add Prepared/Chopped Grapes, apples, celery, and seasonings (if desired). Add 1/2 Cup Light or Fat Free Mayo, and 1/2 Cup Fat Free Plain Yogurt. Store in refridgerator over night. Enjoy!
Number of Servings: 10
PointsPlus® Value:
4
Waldorf Salad
2 large apples, cored and diced
1 cup celery, diced
⅓ cup raisins
¼ cup walnuts, chopped
2 tbsp low fat mayonnaise
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 cup celery, diced
⅓ cup raisins
¼ cup walnuts, chopped
2 tbsp low fat mayonnaise
1 tbsp cider vinegar
Foodtype
Fruit
Salads
Dietary Restrictions
: Kosher, Low Sodium, Vegetarian,
Gluten Free
Directions
Combine all ingredients and serve.
1/2 Cup for 2 PP
Key Lime Pie
serves 8
PointsPlus® Value:
7
1 ready made graham cracker
pie crust ( 6 oz)
1 can fat-free sweetened
condensed milk
3 egg
yolks
¼ c. key lime juice or
regular lime juice ( fresh squeezed)
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Whisk together lime juice,
sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks. Pour into crust and bake for 15 minutes.
Cool for 15 minutes. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve topped with light
whipped cream if desired.
Terriyaki Grilled
Chicken
6 boneless, skinless
chicken breasts ( 4 oz. each)
3/4 c. pineapple juice ( I used the
juice from a 20 oz. can of pineapples)
3/4 c. fat-free chicken
broth
1/2 c. low sodium soy
sauce
Place all ingredients in a large
ziplock bag. Seal and turn to coat. Refrigerate several hours or
overnight.
Spray a grill or grill pan with
cooking spray. Cook until chicken is no longer pink.
6 sevings
PointsPlus® Value:
4
Sha-Sha's Pasta
Salad
1 box of Whole Wheat
Pasta
2 Tomatoes Chopped
2 cucumbers peeled and chopped
1 1/2 Peppers (may use green, red, yellow or orange)
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 3.8 oz of sliced Black Olives
1 cup of Italian Light Salad Dressing
2 Tomatoes Chopped
2 cucumbers peeled and chopped
1 1/2 Peppers (may use green, red, yellow or orange)
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 3.8 oz of sliced Black Olives
1 cup of Italian Light Salad Dressing
Cook pasta as directed on box
Add all chopped vegetables and Black Olives and combine
Add Salad Dressing and toss
Sprinkle Cheese over the top
Makes at least 10 servings
PointsPlus® Value: 5
Add all chopped vegetables and Black Olives and combine
Add Salad Dressing and toss
Sprinkle Cheese over the top
Makes at least 10 servings
PointsPlus® Value: 5
Canadian Bacon and Egg
Muffins
12 slices lean Canadian bacon
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
• 6 eggs • 6 egg whites
• 1/4 cup nonfat milk
• Salt and pepper Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 400
degrees.
2. Heat a non-stick skillet over
medium heat with olive oil. Add the peppers and green onions and cook until soft
and beginning to brown, about 5-7 minutes. You can skip this step if you don’t
mind the veggies on the raw side.
3. Whisk together the eggs, egg
whites, milk, salt, and pepper. Add the vegetables.
4. Spray a 12-hole muffin tin with
cooking spray. Press one piece of Canadian bacon into each hole. Pour in the
eggs. It’s fine if they spill out of the Canadian bacon cups a bit.
5.
Bake for 18-22 minutes or until cooked through. Make-ahead:.
Serving is 2 muffins for 4 PP
Crockpot Chicken
Bake
1 cup salsa verde or 1
(7 ounce) jar of tomatillo sauce
1 cup fat free sour
cream or plain Greek Yogurt
1 garlic clove,
minced
1/3 cup chopped fresh
cilantro
8 Mission Extra Thin
Corn Tortillas
2 cups cooked, shredded
chicken
1 cup reduced fat grated
cheddar cheese
1. Mix cilantro,
salsa, Greek Yogurt and garlic in a bowl.
2. Spray crockpot with
non-stick cooking spray. Place 2 or 3 tortillas in the bottom of the crock
pot.
(overlapping as much as
possible, you can cut them to fit if necessary)
3. Spoon 1/4 of the
salsa mixture over the tortillas. Spread 1/2 chicken over the mixture and cover
evenly
with 1/4 cup of
cheese.
4. Top with 2 or 3 more
tortillas and spoon 1/4 of salsa mixture, remainder of chicken and 1/4 cup
of
cheese.
5. Place last 2 or 3
tortillas over the second layer and top with the rest of the salsa mixture and
the
remainder of the
cheese.
6. Cover and cook
on low for 4 hours.---just add your favorite toppings (salsa, sour cream,
guacamole) and dig in!
Serving is 1/4 of the
casserole
PointsPlus® Value:
8
Snickers
Pie
12 oz. Fat free frozen vanilla
yogurt
1 small sugar free fat free instant chocolate pudding
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup fat free Cool Whip
1 small sugar free fat free instant chocolate pudding
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup fat free Cool Whip
3 oz. Grape nuts
cereal
Mix all the ingredients together and put into a pie pan and freeze.
Number of Servings: 8
PointsPlus® Value:
3
Black Forest
Brownies
1 box Betty Crocker low-fat fudge
brownie mix ( for a 13 x 9 pan size)
1 egg
1 T. canola oil
1/2 c. water
1 c. no sugar added cherry pie
filling
Frosting:
3 T. light stick
butter
1-1/2 c. powdered
sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 T. baking cocoa
pinch of salt
1/4 c. cold coffee
Whisk together brownie mix, egg,
oil and water until well mixed. Stir in cherry pie filling. Transfer to a 13 x 9
pan coated with cooking spray and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Cool
completely.
For frosting, beat ingredients
until well blended. Spread over cooled
brownies.
Serves
18
PointsPlus® Value:
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.
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