MIDWEEK MINUTES November 28, 2015

 
Midweek Minutes
November 28, 2015
 
Hello, Winners!
 
So, how was Thanksgiving?  Did you wake up Friday morning feeling good and not guilty?  Did you go shopping on Friday and find all kinds of great holiday bargains and not overeat at the mall?  Do you have the rest of your weekend planned out so that you are staying on program?   I have some Christmas baking to do this weekend, but I have my food planned for each day.   How about you?  Do you have more than one Thanksgiving dinner to attend?  I hope you did not eat too much during the Nebraska game! It was stressful, for sure!
 
This morning was so icy, that I fell down in the parking lot.  We didn’t have too many attend today due to the weather and the holiday I am sure; however, I am so glad that so many members are attending meetings regularly during this holiday season.  We had fun with our basket giveaways, and we’re collecting BRAVOS for our “ME” charms.  I hope you will plan on making each meeting during December.  When I think of the food events upcoming, I sure am GLAD I have a place to do a reality check with my WW meetings!!!
 
Hey,  you know what?  Attend your meetings throughout the holidays and you will NOT be one of those UNHAPPY folks who gained those 7-10 HOLIDAY pounds and choose to join Weight Watchers in January!  You will already be having that SUCCESSFUL holiday this year!  You will be a walking SUCCESS story!  You will be awash with compliments.  Everyone will be asking you,  "What are you doing?  You look FABULOUS!  How much weight HAVE you lost?"   It gives me chills to think about it! 
 
I am happy to report that this begins my 18th year as a WW LEADER!  I need the meetings to keep ME on track, and I LOVE to see the progress you all are making each week!  I am proud of you all, and remember:  We CAN do it...one more WEEK!
 
Reminder to Superior Members:  This coming Monday is our potluck.  I hear the weather might be bad, so be sure to read the weather closing instructions in this newsletter.    –Zig
 
PS: December Calendar is attached.
 
 

 
The weight is melting away with these Member Milestones
Superior: –15.6 lbs.
Hastings: – 1.2 lbs.
 
65 lb. star
Linda K. ( S )
 
 

 
 
We’re going above and BEYOND!!!
We’re taking our proven program to the next level—so you can stop focusing on the scale
and start focusing on YOU.
 
COMING NEXT WEEK!!!
 

Mind over Matter

Make sure it's hunger, not habit, that drives you to dig in to those Thanksgiving leftovers. Eating mindfully pays off!
 
Most days we're multi-taskers, juggling personal, family and work responsibilities. Unfortunately, this means that we're often pulling a double shift at mealtimes, too. 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. When we open the fridge and are greeted by containers of leftovers, we might not think twice before hauling a couple of them out, popping open the lids, and going to town. Speed eating has an obvious downside: You're more likely to overeat. But eating on auto-pilot also deprives you of the simple pleasures of tasting your food and relaxing over a meal (which can help you slow down, too).

Bring back your attention
Think about your last couple of meals. Were you doing anything else while eating? Texting or checking in with social networks, for example, might have become so embedded into your daily routine that you don't notice how they're interrupting your eating experience. So put on the brakes. Turn off the TV and the smartphone, clear the table, and focus on your food. Mindful eating means you are fully present. Your heart rate naturally slows and your breathing deepens; you're physically calmer and better able to savor your meal. You tend to slow down your eating, creating a simple, yet powerful way to help you stay on track.

In your meeting this week, you focused on eating with your full attention—especially when it comes to the "Should I? Shouldn't I?" of Thanksgiving leftovers. But the same attention serves you well for any eating occasion. To help make your meals more mindful, consider these ideas.

Tips to help you decelerate when dining
  1. Choose your food thoughtfully. 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. Take those Thanksgiving leftovers. Transform them with some clever ideas and you won't be scarfing them out of a container. And anytime you need a little last-minute menu mojo, check out our Starter Meals. You'll find delicious options for vegetarian, lower-carb, and even nearly no-cook meals.
  2. Eat regularly. Don't let more than four hours go by between meals, so you aren't famished, and therefore prone to gobble your grub, when you sit down to eat.
  3. Pause for a quiet moment. Before you dig in, stop to reflect on your mood. A little mini-meditation before a meal can help keep emotional eating in check.
  4. Take it all in. Engage all your senses. How does the food look and smell? Anticipate that first taste and really savor each mouthful.
  5. Downsize your bites. The meal shouldn’t be a race to the finish line. 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.
  6. Avoid social sidetracks. Dining out with family and friends is one of life’s pleasures. Distracting conversations, however, can cause you to lose track of what and how much you’re eating, so keep checking in with your plate (and your appetite).
 

 
STOCKING STUFFERS WHILE THEY LAST!
50% off Cookbook Sale until further notice: Small cookbooks $4.95, large cookbooks $7.45 
9/6 until further notice: Starter Kits will be discounted to $24.95 
9/27 until further notice: Smoothies and Oatmeal discounted to $4.95 
9/27 until further notice: Granola Bites discounted to $3.95 
10/4 until further notice: Crunchy Snacks & Snack Bars discounted to $3.95 
10/4 until further notice: Oil Sprayer, Salad Dressing Cruet, Salad Solutions To-Go and Fruit Solutions To-Go discounted to $9.95 
11/1 until further notice: All Fitness items discounted to $9.95 
11/8–11/28 BOGO: Buy 2 Mini Bars for $5 
11/15–11/21 BOGO: Buy 2 Cookies for $2
 

 

Transforming Thanksgiving Leftovers

Check out these creative ways to use up your Thanksgiving Day leftovers.
 
Don't limit yourself to an endless parade of turkey sandwiches when Thanksgiving is over! Try these expert tips from Robin Vitetta-Miller, MS, nutritionist and food writer, on how to make all your T-Day leftovers taste just as good as—or even better than—your Thanksgiving meal.
Attention Hosts: Plan in Advance
"You already know what you're going to make," says Vitetta-Miller, adding that most people serve the same menu year after year.

Plan for leftovers ahead of time by thinking about how you want to "recycle" your meal (see Vitetta-Miller's ideas below), then make sure you've got the necessary ingredients for those dishes on hand. Keep in mind that any leftovers you plan to reuse should not be left sitting out for more than two hours.


What to Do With:
Sweet Potatoes (Mashed or Whole)
  • Sweet Potato Ravioli: Place a spoonful of mashed sweet potatoes on a wonton wrapper, fold and simmer in chicken broth until cooked through.
  • Curried Sweet Potato Soup: Puree sweet potatoes with chicken broth, onions, leeks and curry powder; season to taste.
  • Asian Potato Salad: Combine cubed sweet potatoes with shredded red cabbage, sesame oil and a touch of cilantro; top with chopped peanuts.
Stuffing (Homemade or Boxed)
  • Dumplings: Make golf-ball size rounds of stuffing with a small ice cream or melon ball scooper. Simmer, covered, in turkey or chicken soup for 10 minutes.
  • Croutons: Cut stuffing into squares and bake for 8 minutes at 400ºF. Toss into a salad or use as a garnish for stews.
Cranberry Sauce (Canned or Fresh)
  • Cranberry-Citrus Sauce: Combine diced cranberry sauce (if using canned) with frozen and thawed or canned corn, diced red onion, and mandarin oranges or seedless clementine segments.
  • Cranberry Salsa: Mix together cranberry sauce, freshly minced cilantro, salt and pepper.
  • Chutney: Simmer cranberry sauce, diced onion, a pinch of ground ginger and about 1 tablespoon each of vinegar and brown sugar, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until thick. Consider adding a jalapeno for a kick!
Pumpkin Pie (Store-Bought or Homemade)
  • Pumpkin Smoothie: Scrape the filling out of one piece of pie and blend it with low-fat vanilla yogurt. Put in a parfait glass and top with a small amount of crumbled piecrust and a dash of cinnamon.
  • Crisp Crusted Pie: If your crust gets soggy, place the pie in a 350ºF oven for 10 minutes to crisp it up.
Advice from Our Users
"One year I made a 'pot pie' with my leftovers. I layered all the leftovers, putting the juiciest on top (I think I actually put gravy in it as well, but I'm sure you could substitute something for that). Top with a low-fat pie crust and bake."

"Turkey Taco Salad. I cook the leftover shredded turkey (instead of ground beef) in taco seasoning. Then I serve it over mixed greens with some fat-free sour cream, low-fat shredded cheddar and salsa. I put the salad in a taco salad shell."
"Sweet potato dip. Puree potatoes with low-fat sour cream, bell pepper, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice and salt."
"I always thought it would be nice to make a Thanksgiving Pizza, but I never actually tried it."
"Wraps of all kind — with fat-free tortillas. I like the turkey wrap with roasted red peppers and mozzarella cheese, the Mexican wrap with turkey, Mexican chili seasoning, low-fat cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and salsa (I heat this one). There are so many options with this, and it breaks the grind up a bit!"
 
 




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.  Those of you who have signed up for the REMIND notices on your phone, I will send you a remind message.  I will also try to post on FB.

App Changes Associated with Version 4.0 Release
App: Removed permanently: 
Cheat Sheets 
Shopping List 
Visitor section favorites 
Healthy checks 
HealthKit food sync 
Quick-add activity 
Activity Calculator 
 
Within Settings: 
Show Power Foods only 
Ability to update Weekly allowance 
Ability to update Daily target
 
App: Removed temporarily (to be added back in releases 4.1 and beyond): 
Multi-add 
Watch app 
HealthKit activity sync (iOS only) 
Today extension in iOS 
Featured Recipes 
Help (iOS only) 
Meal Builder aka Snap & Track 
Recipe Builder 
Recipe ratings and reviews 
 
Within Settings 
Ability to change starting weight 
Ability to change goal weight
 

Get Ready for the Holidays

The holidays won't sabotage your weight loss, as long as you're prepared.
 
Last year, Terri took a new approach to celebrating the holidays. She knew she wanted to stick to her weight-loss plan, so she "rethought" her approach to big celebration days.
"Who says we have to celebrate by overeating?" she says. "Have Thanksgiving dinner at your home, where you can control the food. Skip the big meal and go to the movies. Go outside and walk briskly while you're waiting for the turkey to cook. These are all things I did last year."
Terri had the right approach. Decide in advance how you'll make your weight loss plan part of the celebration this year, and you'll be able to ring in the new year on a winning note.

'Tis the season
Of course, it's not necessary (or practical, or effective) to completely change the way you celebrate the season. Holidays are about tradition, and if you don't feel like you can take part in the things you love most about them, you won't enjoy them. And there's no way to keep that up for a lifetime.

Instead, gear up by thinking about the non-food things you love about the holidays. How can you enjoy the season without losing sight of your goals?
The key, says Rachna D. Jain, PhD, a lifestyle coach and licensed psychologist, is keeping your approach simple and focused. "First of all, you might want to give yourself a bit of room in terms of whether you'll maintain or lose during the holidays," she suggests. If you've been working hard on weight loss for months and you know the holidays will be tough, maybe the trick is to lower your expectations. Then start picking up steam again in January.
Above all, don't give up. This is the time of year when it's easiest to throw in the towel. Think about what a difference to your determination it will make when January comes and you don't have to start all over again at square one!

Making a list, checking it twice
Check the
Community for more tips on making it through the holidays. We asked users there what they'll do to keep their plan going through the upcoming holiday season. Here's their advice, along with some more tips from Jain:
  • Increase exercise wherever possible: walking through the mall to find gifts, parking farther away from the store, taking a walk in the evening to de-stress.
  • Remember the HALT strategy: Before you eat, ask yourself whether you are eating because you are Hungry, Angry/anxious, Lonely or Tired — and adjust your behavior accordingly.
  • Make sure that what you're eating tastes really good and is worth it to you. Don't eat dessert or extra servings just because they're there, and don't eat things you can eat anytime.
  • In buffet situations, scan over all the food options before filling your plate. Be very clear and deliberate about what you're eating, and why.
  • Do it one meal at a time, one day at a time … even one hour at a time. And celebrate every minute you stay on track.
 

 
This Week: Anywhere Activity
After looking at nutrition a little closer, finding smart shopping strategies, talking techniques to stay mindful during and after Thanksgiving meals,
we are going to find ways to add some activity into our busy schedules. We’ll explore ways to stay active anywhere, anytime.
With only 35 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, there’s no time like the present to jump (walk, dance) in the holiday spirit!


Member Recipes
 
 
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Serves 12 ( 6 points +)
 
2 T. light stick butter ( Land O' Lakes)
1 medium onion, chopped
½ c. flour
6 c. fat-free chicken broth
8 oz. bow-tie pasta
pepper to taste
16 oz. frozen chopped broccoli
6 c. skim milk
1 lb. reduced fat Velveeta
2 T. cornstarch
3-4 T. water

Melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add onion and cook until tender.
Stir in flour. Gradually add chicken broth, whisking until smooth. Bring to a boil.
Add pasta and cook 4-5 minutes or until pasta begins to soften. Add pepper to taste. Add broccoli and cook 4-5 minutes.
Add milk and cheese. Cook until cheese melts, stirring often. Heat until thickened. Mix cornstarch with water.
Stir into soup to thicken a bit more. Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving.
 
 
 
French Onion Soup Casserole
5 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp light butter
1 cup fat free beef broth
1/2 cup red wine
3 garlic cloves
1/3 loaf French baguette
4 slices light Swiss cheese (I used Jarlsberg)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
 
Set a large pot or Dutch oven medium high heat, melt butter and add in onions, garlic and salt.
Cook, stirring frequently until onions become caramelized, about 30-40 minutes.
If onions start to stick to pan, just stir a tbsp or two of the broth as needed.
Once onions are caramelized, add in the broth, wine, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, pepper and thyme.
Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Turn heat to low and add in vinegar and season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Cover and keep over low heat to stay hot while you prepare the bread.
Preheat oven broiler. Slice 1/3 of a loaf of French baguette into about 12 slices.
Spray a baking sheet with nonfat cooking spray, and arrange baguette slices evenly on sheet.
Lightly mist again with an olive oil mister or the nonfat cooking spray and then place in oven for 3 minutes on each side, or until bread is well toasted on both sides.
Remove bread from oven and set it to bake on 375 degrees.
Pour onion mixture into an 8X8 casserole dish. Top evenly with bread slices and then cover evenly with Swiss cheese slices.
Place casserole dish into oven and let bake until cheese is melted and bubbly and beginning to brown, about 10-15 minutes. Serve immediately.
 
Entire recipe makes 4 servings
Serving size is about 1 ½ cups
Each serving = 5 Points +
 
 
 
 
Skinny Peppermint Mocha Recipe
1/4 cup lowfat milk
1/4 cup coffee
1 tablespoon dark chocolate syrup
1 drop peppermint extract
Brew some coffee and heat milk in microwave until hot. Mix chocolate syrup and peppermint extract into coffee. Foam milk with milk frother or just pour hot milk into cup. Sit down and enjoy!
2 PointsPlus
 
 
 
 
Cookie Dough Dip Recipe
(makes 2 cups)
1 - 15 ounce can chickpeas
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup almond or soy milk
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Drain and rinse chickpeas. Put all ingredients in food processor and blend until very smooth. Serve! Store in refrigerator for one week.
one tablespoon = 2 PointsPlus
 
 
 
 
Healthy Candy Recipe
(makes 5 servings)
5 dried figs
1/2 ounce dark chocolate
coarse salt, for ex: kosher salt
Lay a piece of wax paper or parchment paper on a plate. Heat dark chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave at 20 second intervals. Stir often and heat until JUST melted (chocolate burns easily in the microwave). Dip 1/2 fig in chocolate, put on plate, and dust with salt. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour and serve.
These will keep in your fridge for a long time! But, you will probably eat them before you find out how long :)
For one fig =  2 PointsPlus
 
 
 
 
Black Bean Brownies
Servings: 24 = 3-4 PointsPlus  depending on mix used                                              
1 low-fat or fat-free box brownie mix such as Krusteaz
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

Pour brownie mix into large mixing bowl.
Drain black beans, rinse and return to can.  Add enough water to fill can. 
Puree black beans in blender then add to brownie mix and stir to blend.
Spread mixture into 13x9x2 pan and bake as directed on brownie mix package.
 
 
 
 
Chocolate-Hazelnut Thumbprints
4 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
1 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon instant espresso (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted
1/3 cup hazelnut-chocolate spread (such as Nutella)
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt; stir with a whisk. Place butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Stir egg yolks with a whisk, adding espresso, if desired. Add the yolk mixture and vanilla to butter; beat well. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined.
3. Turn dough out onto a sheet of wax paper; knead 6 times or until smooth and shiny. Shape dough into 28 (1-inch) balls. Roll sides of balls in nuts, pressing gently. Arrange balls 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press thumb into center of each cookie, leaving an indentation. Bake, 1 batch at a time, at 350° for 10 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks. Spoon a scant 1/2 teaspoon hazelnut-chocolate spread into center of each cookie.
Makes 28 cookies
Serving Size: 1 cookie
PointsPlus = 3
 
 
 
Hello Dolly Bars
YIELD: 24 servings (serving size: 1 bar)
PointsPlus = 3
 
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 9 cookie sheets)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon water
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup butterscotch morsels
2/3 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 (15-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
 
Preheat oven to 350°.
Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper; cut off excess parchment paper around top edge of pan.
Place crumbs in a medium bowl. Drizzle with butter and 1 tablespoon water; toss with a fork until moist. Gently pat mixture into an even layer in pan (do not press firmly). Sprinkle chips and morsels over crumb mixture. Top evenly with coconut and pecans. Drizzle milk evenly over top. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly around edges. Cool completely on wire rack.
 


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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