MIDWEEK MINUTES August 22, 2015
Midweek
Minutes
August 22,
2015
Hello,
Winners!
Although some of
the parents might be glad for kids to be back in school, it's been a long week
and a half for me! It has been a good week, getting back into the school
routine takes a lot of energy! My feet hurt; my back hurts; and my voice is
gone. I am ready to chill out this weekend except for domestic duties. How
about you? It takes some energy to hit the ground running for a full week of
school.
Have you been
"missing in action" from your Weight Watchers’ meetings this summer? Has it
been a few weeks since you have been to a meeting? Have you "fallen off the
wagon"? Well, this is the time of year to make a FRESH
START!
Do you think you
will wait until after Labor Day? Then you still have a "diet mentality"!!! Why
not come back NOW!!! Weight Watchers is NOT a diet...it's a LIVE IT!
Maybe you have had
a super summer coming to meetings...we’re handing out the HAPPY CHARMS this
week
because you have
been coming to meetings regularly and just doing the program like gang busters!
Give yourself a BIG pat on the back!
Now the season is
changing...a new routine is beginning...and maybe you need some focus to handle
the changes that autumn will bring for you. That's where I am. It's time to
transition to making lunches ahead of time...having good, healthy snacks
available at work, and taking time for exercise that might will not include the
pool or walking as long as I want because summer vacation is
over.
If it
weren't for Weight Watchers, I couldn't do it on my own. I truly admit that.
It's too easy to say, "I'm too tired" and go for fast food or (gulp) school
lunch!!! So, won't you join me? There is one more week for the “BRING A FRIEND
promotion.” What a fabulous time for a friend to join with a reward for you as
well!
We help each other at meetings. I believe in you, and I believe in the
program.
I need it! I'll be there...and I hope you will be too. --Zig
Member
Milestones
Superior: –32.4
lbs.
Hastings – 15.2
lbs.
10 lb. star
Keith L. ( S )
35 lb. star
Linda K. ( S )
A Slip, Not a Slide
Don’t let a small gain or two become a
big one. Here’s how to get your groove back.
Late summer seems to be prime time for loose living, so to
speak. We might not track so carefully, or maybe we eat a little more ice cream
than we intend to — stuff like that. And it's showing up on the scale. But a
slip is no big deal, and that's essential to remember. If you think it is
a big deal, you may be more likely to throw in the towel, and then it becomes a
slide, because it seems too much to overcome. Turning things around is a matter
of small steps.
Go back to basics
The first step? Make like a newbie again. When you first made up your mind to join Weight Watchers, you probably loaded up on guides to read, organizational tools, and lots fruits and veggies — not to mention a gung-ho attitude. The excitement of starting something new gives you the drive and motivation to stick with your weight-loss plan. But if you've lost sight of that motivation, become disorganized, misplaced your reading guides, or let your cabinets slowly collect junk food, now is the time to get back on track.
Refresh your Plan
Don't underestimate the power of shiny new supplies; it's like back-to-school shopping for grownups! Maybe a magnetic notepad for your fridge door to keep a running grocery list of Plan-friendly foods. Or the Plan & Track book; nothing like opening a fresh book, ready to capture your daily food and drink, inspiring thoughts, and workouts. Or perhaps a new pair of running shoes are just what you need to inspire more daily activity.
Would a new lunch sack encourage you to bring more homemade lunches to work instead of hitting fast food restaurants? And to carry in it: brown-bag recipe ideas. Don't forget the tools you may have on hand already: Maybe you need to dig out your food scale and measuring cups to restore your portions to their rightful size. And renew your friendship with your portable Plan, right there in the mobile app on your smartphone. Finally, who better to bring you back to the fold than your fellow members? Check out the Message Boardsin the Weight Watchers Community.
Go back to basics
The first step? Make like a newbie again. When you first made up your mind to join Weight Watchers, you probably loaded up on guides to read, organizational tools, and lots fruits and veggies — not to mention a gung-ho attitude. The excitement of starting something new gives you the drive and motivation to stick with your weight-loss plan. But if you've lost sight of that motivation, become disorganized, misplaced your reading guides, or let your cabinets slowly collect junk food, now is the time to get back on track.
Refresh your Plan
Don't underestimate the power of shiny new supplies; it's like back-to-school shopping for grownups! Maybe a magnetic notepad for your fridge door to keep a running grocery list of Plan-friendly foods. Or the Plan & Track book; nothing like opening a fresh book, ready to capture your daily food and drink, inspiring thoughts, and workouts. Or perhaps a new pair of running shoes are just what you need to inspire more daily activity.
Would a new lunch sack encourage you to bring more homemade lunches to work instead of hitting fast food restaurants? And to carry in it: brown-bag recipe ideas. Don't forget the tools you may have on hand already: Maybe you need to dig out your food scale and measuring cups to restore your portions to their rightful size. And renew your friendship with your portable Plan, right there in the mobile app on your smartphone. Finally, who better to bring you back to the fold than your fellow members? Check out the Message Boardsin the Weight Watchers Community.
Price reduction on electronics, until further notice:
Electronic Food
Scale (all SKUs) $29.95;
PointsPlus
Calculator (all SKUs) $4.95;
PointsPlus Pedometer (all SKUs) $14.95
Community Talks: How to Handle a Gain
When the scale registers a gain,
disappointment can hit hard. Our Community Users offer their best tips on how to
stay on track after a letdown.
Sometimes, the scale can surprise you. You stuck to your
weight-loss plan diligently this week and you're looking forward to weighing in
— but then bam! You step on the scale and it registers a gain. How could
this happen after a week of making healthy food choices, meeting your daily
water requirement and staying active, you wonder? And why bother doing
everything right if it doesn't pay off, you might ask? Don't get discouraged;
our Community Users have great advice for how to hang in there and move
on.
Reframe the setback immediately
After a gain, you may be frustrated with the scale, but that's no reason to lose your motivation. Congratulate yourself for your hard work and remain positive about the coming week. Stay on plan, eat healthy foods and keep your chin up.
"You'll likely have a gain here or there, but eventually the scale will nudge downward and your hard work will pay off." — FILLESUPERBE
"Remember to pat yourself on the back because you're doing what needs to be done to improve your health and live a longer life. Be proud of that." — TERESATVDIVA
"Try taking a walk right now. Exercise makes me feel empowered." — BROCKS86
"This weight-loss journey has taught me so much, including not to quit! There's power in perseverance. Your losses will catch up with you." — SUNSET3007
"I embrace every tiny loss and ignore tiny gains and setbacks. I refuse to quit and gain back all I've lost." — HARUKACHAN
Devise a strategy for next week
If you stuck closely to the plan last week and still gained, remember that any number of factors could be the cause: starting a new exercise regimen, not measuring your portions accurately, or consuming too much sodium (which can cause water retention).
"Be varied in what you eat: get plenty of protein and carbs. Learn to eat real food now so you'll be able to do it when you reach your goal weight." — IHARTBEARS
"What helped me was lowering my salt intake, eating lots of high-fiber foods and drinking plenty of water." — YDALEBACKUS
"I keep running calculations of my average weight loss per week. Even with the gains I've had from time to time, I am losing at a pace that I consider steady and healthy. That keeps me motivated." — AMOMENT
"Find a thread with folks who seem to fit your personality, share your goals and a topic that fits your needs. [Try Newbies Welcome! board or a fitness Message Board like Fitness: Getting Started.] Virtual Weight Watchers friends have helped me figure things out more times than I can count." — DLH1960
Remember other victories
Don't just measure your success by what the scale showed today. Evaluate your overall progress and move past this bump in the road.
"I love looking at the steady decline on the Weight Tracker and Progress Charts — it's motivating to me." — SLW500
"Eating better and exercising are major steps in me becoming a healthier and happier person." — PERIDOT_84
"It's easy to give up, but think of how empowered you will feel in two weeks if you stick to the plan. Dig in your heels, drink your water and hold yourself high." — BUNNYDICKSON
"Are your clothes looser? Did you make it through an evening without mindless nighttime nibbling? Did you handle a stressful day by doing something other than pigging out afterward? Non-scale victories are the ways to measure your success and build up your confidence." — FEBRUARYGIRL
"Meetings and weigh-ins are for good days and bad. Stick with it. Slow and steady wins the race." — AUNTIEDEAREST
Reframe the setback immediately
After a gain, you may be frustrated with the scale, but that's no reason to lose your motivation. Congratulate yourself for your hard work and remain positive about the coming week. Stay on plan, eat healthy foods and keep your chin up.
"You'll likely have a gain here or there, but eventually the scale will nudge downward and your hard work will pay off." — FILLESUPERBE
"Remember to pat yourself on the back because you're doing what needs to be done to improve your health and live a longer life. Be proud of that." — TERESATVDIVA
"Try taking a walk right now. Exercise makes me feel empowered." — BROCKS86
"This weight-loss journey has taught me so much, including not to quit! There's power in perseverance. Your losses will catch up with you." — SUNSET3007
"I embrace every tiny loss and ignore tiny gains and setbacks. I refuse to quit and gain back all I've lost." — HARUKACHAN
Devise a strategy for next week
If you stuck closely to the plan last week and still gained, remember that any number of factors could be the cause: starting a new exercise regimen, not measuring your portions accurately, or consuming too much sodium (which can cause water retention).
"Be varied in what you eat: get plenty of protein and carbs. Learn to eat real food now so you'll be able to do it when you reach your goal weight." — IHARTBEARS
"What helped me was lowering my salt intake, eating lots of high-fiber foods and drinking plenty of water." — YDALEBACKUS
"I keep running calculations of my average weight loss per week. Even with the gains I've had from time to time, I am losing at a pace that I consider steady and healthy. That keeps me motivated." — AMOMENT
"Find a thread with folks who seem to fit your personality, share your goals and a topic that fits your needs. [Try Newbies Welcome! board or a fitness Message Board like Fitness: Getting Started.] Virtual Weight Watchers friends have helped me figure things out more times than I can count." — DLH1960
Remember other victories
Don't just measure your success by what the scale showed today. Evaluate your overall progress and move past this bump in the road.
"I love looking at the steady decline on the Weight Tracker and Progress Charts — it's motivating to me." — SLW500
"Eating better and exercising are major steps in me becoming a healthier and happier person." — PERIDOT_84
"It's easy to give up, but think of how empowered you will feel in two weeks if you stick to the plan. Dig in your heels, drink your water and hold yourself high." — BUNNYDICKSON
"Are your clothes looser? Did you make it through an evening without mindless nighttime nibbling? Did you handle a stressful day by doing something other than pigging out afterward? Non-scale victories are the ways to measure your success and build up your confidence." — FEBRUARYGIRL
"Meetings and weigh-ins are for good days and bad. Stick with it. Slow and steady wins the race." — AUNTIEDEAREST
Stay in touch and get
a message from me in case of
bad weather or a
special announcement.
Next Week: What’s Your Superpower?
We have seen that
just because ‘life happens’, we don’t have to let go of the goals we want to
achieve! This week we’ll look inside ourselves to recognize that we already
possess the character strength we need to accomplish our goals. A character
strength is the essence of how a person thinks, feels and behaves.
What character
strengths do you have that you can harness to help reach your goal? How can you
‘exercise’ (no activity points earned for this!) character strength to make it
more powerful? One thing is certain, this meeting is bound to be a game changer
for you!
Member
Recipes
Chicken, Mushroom and Brown Rice
Slow Cooker Casserole
Servings: 8
Points Plus Values: 7
2 spray(s) cooking spray
20 oz uncooked boneless skinless chicken thigh(s), use
eight 2 1/2 oz thighs
2 cup(s) canned chicken broth,
reduced-sodium
1/2 pound(s) cremini mushroom(s), sliced
1 cup(s) uncooked leek(s), white and pale green parts
only, thinly sliced, washed carefully for grit
1 cup(s) uncooked carrot(s), thinly sliced
1 cup(s) uncooked celery, thinly sliced
3/4 cup(s) uncooked long grain brown rice, medium-grain
(such as brown Arborio)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; warm
over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs and brown, turning once, about 6
minutes; set aside.
Combine the remaining ingredients in a 5- to 6-quart
slow cooker; nestle the chicken thighs in the mixture. Cover and cook on low for
7 hours. Yields 1 chicken thigh and about 2/3 cup rice-vegetable mixture per
serving.
Notes
Although a slow cooker takes most of the work out of
cooking, there’s still no getting around the fact that browned meat adds more
flavor to a stew, braise or casserole. Although this recipe calls for the meat
to be browned in a separate skillet, there are slow cookers on the market that
have inserts that can go right from the stovetop to the cooker — and that means
there’s one less pan to clean up.
- Skinny Lasagna Rolls
- 10 whole wheat lasagna noodles, cooked to al dente (about 8 minutes), well drained
- 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce (no sugar added, I like Ragu Lite or Amy's Pasta Sauce)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups baby spinach, loosely packed and chopped well
- 1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
- 1 1/2 cups part-skim, shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese (small curd if possible)
- 1 egg white
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Kosher or sea salt to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 425
degrees. Add 1 1/4 cups marinara to a 13" x 9" x 2" casserole dish.
In a large skillet, add
oil and heat to medium-low heat. Saute garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add chopped spinach and saute until wilted, about 3 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl,
combine garlic, spinach, ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, cottage cheese, egg white,
oregano, salt and pepper.
On a work surface, lined
with parchment paper, arrange lasagna noodles flat, add 1/4 cup cheese and
spinach mixture to each noodle, spread evenly to cover noodles. Start rolling
the noodle at the end closest to you. Place lasagna rolls seam side down, not
quite touching, in the prepared casserole dish. Evenly spread 1 cup marinara
over rolls, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
Cover with aluminum foil
and bake 20 minutes, or until cheese is hot and bubbly. If desired, serve rolls
with additional heated marinara.
Makes 10 servings @ 6 PP
Santa Fe Salad (from Member
Gloria)
makes 8
servings@PointsPlus® Value:
3 PP per serving
8 cups chopped
lettuce
1 medium thin sliced
sweet red pepper
1 chopped
tomato
1 1/2 cups cooked corn
kernels
15 oz. canned black
beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium scallion,
minced
Toss together in a
bowl -- add the following dressing:
6 Tbsp.
reduced-calorie mayo
3 Tbsp. finely
chopped cilantro
1 1/2 tsp lime
juice
2 tsp
sugar
1/'2 tsp chili
powder
Whisk dressing
ingedients together. Put dressing in air tight container until the salad is
ready to serve and refrigerate.
When served, add
dressing and toss well. Yields about 2 Cups of salad per serving.
Sloppy Joes
1 pound extra-lean ground
beef
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic,
minced
1 red pepper, diced (I use Trader
Joe’s frozen pepper blend- ½ bag)
15 oz kidney beans or pinto beans,
preferably low sodium drained and rinsed
2 cups no-salt-added tomato
sauce
8 oz tomato paste
1 Tbsp molasses
1 Tbsp Worcestershire
sauce
3/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to
taste
1. Brown the meat and the onion in
a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, breaking up the
meat into crumbles as it cooks.
2. Pour the drippings out of the
pan and discard. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook 5 minutes more, stirring
occasionally.
3. Stir in the rest of the
ingredients, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes more.
4. Place a half-cup scoop of the
mixture onto each bun and serve.
Makes eight 1/2 cup servings, PointsPlus® Value per serving:
3 (count points+
if using hamburger buns)
Portabella bacon
stuffed Pizzas
2 portabella mushrooms tops, stems
removed
1 tsp Olive Oil
2 cups spinach
2 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, roughly
chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
Pinch crushed red pepper
flakes.
2 slices Oscar Meyer Center Cut
bacon, cooked
1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 oz shredded part-skim mozzarella
cheese
1. Preheat oven to 400
Degrees.
2. Prepare portabellas by removing
and chopping the stems.
3. Heat olive oil a nonstick
skillet over medium heat. Add chopped mushroom stems and garlic. Saute for 1
minute, then, add spinach in a sauté pan for 2 minutes or until wilted. Stir in
basil and crushed red pepper flakes.
4. Place spinach mixture on
mushroom top with 1 slice cooked bacon per top. Drizzle each top with ½ tsp
balsamic vinegar.
5. Add ½ ounce cheese to each top
and cook for 10-12 minutes.
6. ENJOY!
Makes 1 serving, PointsPlus® Value per serving: 4
for all of
it!
Peanut Butter Banana Bread
PointsPlus® Value: 4
PointsPlus® Value: 4
Servings: 10
Serving Size: 1 slice
Serving Size: 1 slice
1 and 1/4 cup
whole wheat flour
1 whole eggs
1 egg whites
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup brown sugar Splenda Blend
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tbsp pumpkin pie spices (or a combination or cinnamon and nutmeg)
1/2 tsp salt
2 ripe bananas (the riper the better)
1/3 cup lite vanilla yogurt
1/3 cup reduced fat crunchy peanut butter
1 whole eggs
1 egg whites
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup brown sugar Splenda Blend
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tbsp pumpkin pie spices (or a combination or cinnamon and nutmeg)
1/2 tsp salt
2 ripe bananas (the riper the better)
1/3 cup lite vanilla yogurt
1/3 cup reduced fat crunchy peanut butter
1. Preheat your oven to 350
degrees.
2. Place
the bananas, with the peels on, in the oven for about 10 minutes until the skins
become completely black.
This will caramelize the banana
and add more intense flavor to the bread, and also is a great trick if your
bananas aren’t completely ripe. Let them cool.
3. Combine all of the dry
ingredients – flour, splenda sugar blend, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a large
mixing bowl.
4. Mash the bananas using a fork
and then whisk together with the egg, egg whites, yogurt, and peanut
butter.
5. Pour the banana and egg
mixture into the dry ingredients and fold together.
6. Pour everything into a bread
pan, sprayed with non fat cooking spray, and cook for around 35 minutes or until
bread has risen and a toothpick comes out clean.
Peanut Butter Banana
Cups
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (can also be dark chocolate cut into small pieces from a bar)
- 1 medium banana, peeled and sliced into 16 rounds
- 1/4 cup all-natural peanut butter, store bought or homemade
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil, (unrefined extra-virgin preferred)
- 16 (1.25-inch) baking cups
Directions
Place a sheet of wax or parchment
paper on the counter top for preparation. Set the baking cups on top.
Melt chocolate in a double-boiler
or in a small sauce pan over low heat. Allow to cool slightly. In the meantime,
combine the melted coconut oil and peanut butter.
Add approximately 1 teaspoon
melted chocolate to the bottom of each baking cup, followed by one banana slice,
1 teaspoon peanut butter mixture, and lastly drop about 1/2 teaspoon melted
chocolate in the center of each cup. Carefully place cups on a freezer safe dish
or casserole pan. Cover and place in the freezer until set, approximately 1
hour.
NOTE: Our perfectly portioned
Peanut Butter Banana Cups thaw quickly. For best results, enjoy one at a time
after allowing to set at room temperature about 2-3 minutes. To prevent the
peanut butter mixture from softening too quickly, add 1 tablespoon powdered
sugar to peanut butter and coconut oil mixture before adding to cups.
Each cup is 2
PP
Read more at http://skinnyms.com/
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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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