MIDWEEK MINUTES October 31, 2015
Midweek
Minutes
October 31,
2015
Hello,
Winners!
No way is October over, but it is. Don’t forget to set your clocks back tonight. It’s a busy time of year, and I’m happy to get an extra hour’s sleep tonight! Is there EVER a time of year that is NOT busy? I don't think so. Maybe some of you are still harvesting. Maybe you have football playoff games to attend (I do!). Maybe you have some special occasions coming up. And, of course there is Halloween! There are many members who have things going on in their families or have health concerns.
When you are addicted to FOOD, that seems to be the place to go for comfort. Is there just TOO MUCH junk food lying around this time of year? Or maybe you are running hither and yon and are just STRESSED and TIRED; so the first thing you think of is FAST FOOD!
As my former leader friend Carolyn writes:
FOOD
CANNOT PROTECT YOU BECAUSE:
1.
The pain will still be there after the food is gone.
2.
Eating only makes you feel full, not happy.
3.
After you've eaten, you have two problems: the one you ate to hide from and
your physical discomfort.
4. No matter how much you eat, even if you go on a month-long binge, the feelings will someday come back to haunt you.
4. No matter how much you eat, even if you go on a month-long binge, the feelings will someday come back to haunt you.
5.
Eating can't make illness, rejection, sadness, loneliness, or fears of any kind
go away.
THERE! While FOOD may not be the solution, EXERCISE and
ACTION are. QUICK! Do something! Go clean a drawer, go on a walk, call a
friend, work on a project, serve a neighbor, write a letter, head for the
library ... The list of things to DO rather than to EAT goes on and on.
Then repeat several times out loud to yourself "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels ..." and we're on our way again.
Then repeat several times out loud to yourself "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels ..." and we're on our way again.
Wise
words of advice, eh?
I'm
concerned because some folks have not come for several weeks, and not only do we
miss you, but you're in danger of being discontinued, which means paying that
registration fee again.
"Well, Zig," you say, "I'll just come back after the
holidays when there is free registration because there usually is." Well, what I
say is...if you don't come back NOW, you will have gained a WHOLE bunch during
the holidays...and made yourself miserable...and you could come back this very
next week...and BRING A FRIEND...because I want us to all be happy, healthy, and
'ho-ho-ho-ing' that we don't have to "diet" after the holidays!
Double double toil and trouble
I’m going to burst your weight loss bubble!
If you’re tempted by holiday candy
Be sure and keep those Power Foods handy!
If your motivation is fleeting
You need to be at your WW Meeting!
I’m going to burst your weight loss bubble!
If you’re tempted by holiday candy
Be sure and keep those Power Foods handy!
If your motivation is fleeting
You need to be at your WW Meeting!
Do it for yourself because you are worth it! I believe in
you, and I'll be at the meetings. I hope you will be too. See you there!
–Zig
Don’t forget to set back
your clocks tonight!
Member
Milestones
Superior: –10.6
lbs.
Hastings: –9.2
lbs.
55 lb.
star
Linda K. ( S
)
Make Your World Plan-Friendly
Who's the
boss? Get in control of your surroundings and you can get closer to your
weight-loss goals. Here's help.
Change your environment—and set yourself up for success.
With Halloween here and the holidays around the corner, it’s the perfect time to
take charge.
Safe house
You’ve probably ditched some trigger foods, maybe put your measuring tools in a prominent spot. Now take it farther: What about creating a “food-free zone” in a spot where you tend to snack mindlessly (like in front of the TV or computer)? Could you set up a mini home gym—with, say, a jump rope and some dumbbells to start—to make it easy to amp up activity during your day?
More ways to make your home plan-friendly:
Safe house
You’ve probably ditched some trigger foods, maybe put your measuring tools in a prominent spot. Now take it farther: What about creating a “food-free zone” in a spot where you tend to snack mindlessly (like in front of the TV or computer)? Could you set up a mini home gym—with, say, a jump rope and some dumbbells to start—to make it easy to amp up activity during your day?
More ways to make your home plan-friendly:
- Put “green-light” snacks in plain sight. Fresh fruits and veggies should be the first thing you see when you open your fridge. Add healthy snacks like low-fat cheese and yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, and hummus. Pre-wash and trim the produce, then portion everything into easy-to-grab single servings. Apply the same strategy to your pantry, with popcorn, rice cakes, and other shelf-stable snacks. Tip: Budget 15 minutes after your grocery-store run to get everything squared away.
- Keep treats out of sight or out of the house. Seems like a no-brainer, but this rule can be hard to follow, especially this week! If you absolutely can’t control yourself around certain foods, like cookies or ice cream, you’re better off banning them from the house—even low-fat or reduced-calorie versions, if you’ll overdo the amounts. Otherwise, stash them in out-of-the-way places, like that cabinet over the fridge or the very top shelf of the pantry, so they’re not an in-your-face temptation. Tip: If you hanker for chocolate or ice cream or chips, go for a “second-best” that will (for you) take the edge off without sending you into overdrive (like a chocolate lollipop instead of milk chocolate candies, or pretzels instead of potato chips).
- Toss restaurant leftovers if they’ll just taunt you. Bringing home half of a healthy but oversized meal is one thing. Hanging onto containers of your husband’s pork lo mein or your daughter’s leftover pepperoni pizza is only a good idea if you can resist them, or work them into your daily PointsPlus value budget. If not, they’re better off in the trash. Tip: If your leftovers can be frozen, that’s another option—it’s hard to impulse-eat a slice of pizza straight from the freezer!
- Chew gum while you’re prepping meals. All those little bites, licks, and tastes add up. Keep your mouth busy and minty-fresh (trust us, you won’t want to “taste-test” mashed potatoes if you’re chewing wintergreen gum) instead of nibbling. Tip: Not a fan of gum? Brush your teeth right before cooking—same idea.
- Let your kitchen cook you dinner. Well, let it do more of the work, at least. Slow cookers are indispensable for weeknight meals and they’re more versatile than you might think! And they keep you out of the kitchen while they cook. (You can even use them to make a hot breakfast that’s ready as soon as you are in the morning.)
ON SALE UNTIL FURTHER
NOTICE...
Starter Kits reduced to $24.95
***All
new/lapsed members, as well as members currently on PAYG, who purchase a 1- or
3-Month subscription plan between 10/27 and 11/2 will receive a free Starter
Kit.
Cookbooks 50% off ($7.45 for large, $4.95 for small)
Smoothies (ALL SKUs) & Oatmeal (ALL SKUs) discounted to
$4.95
Granola Bites (ALL SKUs) discounted to $3.95
Mini Bars (ALL SKUs) discounted to $4.95
Crunchy Snacks (ALL SKUs) discounted to $3.95
Snack Bars (ALL SKUs) discounted to $3.95
Cookies (ALL SKUs) discounted to $1.95
Oil Sprayer, Salad Dressing Cruet, Salad Solutions
To-Go and Fruit Solutions To-Go discounted to $9.95
What scares me most at Halloween
Are my trick-or-treat supplies
These sweet treats can play tricks
Changing truth to tempting lies……
CORN candy is a veggie
Nestles CRUNCH an exercise
Almond JOY a blissful blessing
Three MUSKETEERS my kind’a guys!
Eat a Tootsie ROLL for breakfast
Pick Jujy FRUITS right off the tree
Hershey KISSES give lots of lovin’
LIFE SAVERS will rescue me
The truth is treats are triggers
They fail to satisfy
Nutritious snacks don’t play tricks
A better choice, no lie!
Are my trick-or-treat supplies
These sweet treats can play tricks
Changing truth to tempting lies……
CORN candy is a veggie
Nestles CRUNCH an exercise
Almond JOY a blissful blessing
Three MUSKETEERS my kind’a guys!
Eat a Tootsie ROLL for breakfast
Pick Jujy FRUITS right off the tree
Hershey KISSES give lots of lovin’
LIFE SAVERS will rescue me
The truth is treats are triggers
They fail to satisfy
Nutritious snacks don’t play tricks
A better choice, no lie!
The Trick to Treats
Forget the
haunted house — the spookiest Halloween specter is the candy. Don't be scared;
be prepared!
Halloween is a hard time to stay on Plan. Store
aisles overflow with 5-pound bags of candy, your kids come home with bags of
loot from parties and trick-or-treating and at night's end you're inevitably
left with half a bowl of candy by the front door. How can you be expected to
resist your favorite candies when they are within arm's reach, no matter where
you turn?
Here's how. These tactics will help you stay in control in the face of nightmarish temptation.
Resist sales and bargains. Don't fall for coupons or BOGO deals. A 5-pound bag of candy on sale is still a 5-pound bag of candy. Buy what you think you'll hand out to trick-or-treaters, and not a mini-bar more.
Buy late. The closer to Halloween you buy the candy, the better. And once you bring it home, don't even rip open the bag until the first trick-or-treater comes. That way, you'll have less total temptation time to cope with.
Choose candy you don't like. Hate coconut? Load up on Mounds and Almond Joy. You get the idea.
Devise a game plan. Start giving out more candy to each costumed kid as the night wears on, so there's less left over. If there are still remainders, get them out of the house. Give the candy away to a food charity, collect it all and offer it to the neighbors or bring it to work (and drop it off in a different department!).
Go out on a full stomach. If you plan to escort your kids house-to-house, make lunch your big meal of the day, so you're not walking around hungry with bags full of candy at your disposal. Carry a mug of something hot to sip on, or chew minty gum. It’ll help kill your urge to put candy in your mouth.
Manage the kids' haul. Once the candy's home, work with your kids to decide what to do with it. Have them pick their 10 favorite pieces and save the rest for lunches and parties.
Ditch the sense of occasion. Remind yourself that you can buy candy any time of the year. There's no need to load up on fun-size bars on October 31 when you can enjoy them whenever your heart desires.
Keep things in perspective. Eating a little bit of candy on Halloween doesn't make a person overweight — it's constant overeating that can pile on the pounds. So don't assume you can't enjoy even a single treat, especially since deprivation is a tactic that often backfires.
No Tricks with These Treats!
We searched the shelves for lower PointsPlus value candy that still satisfies a sweet tooth. Miniatures are a great deal in terms of portion control, while chewy candies turn out to be a big mouthful bargain, and hard candies and lollipops score high for long-lasting satisfaction. Here’s a sampling:
Here's how. These tactics will help you stay in control in the face of nightmarish temptation.
Resist sales and bargains. Don't fall for coupons or BOGO deals. A 5-pound bag of candy on sale is still a 5-pound bag of candy. Buy what you think you'll hand out to trick-or-treaters, and not a mini-bar more.
Buy late. The closer to Halloween you buy the candy, the better. And once you bring it home, don't even rip open the bag until the first trick-or-treater comes. That way, you'll have less total temptation time to cope with.
Choose candy you don't like. Hate coconut? Load up on Mounds and Almond Joy. You get the idea.
Devise a game plan. Start giving out more candy to each costumed kid as the night wears on, so there's less left over. If there are still remainders, get them out of the house. Give the candy away to a food charity, collect it all and offer it to the neighbors or bring it to work (and drop it off in a different department!).
Go out on a full stomach. If you plan to escort your kids house-to-house, make lunch your big meal of the day, so you're not walking around hungry with bags full of candy at your disposal. Carry a mug of something hot to sip on, or chew minty gum. It’ll help kill your urge to put candy in your mouth.
Manage the kids' haul. Once the candy's home, work with your kids to decide what to do with it. Have them pick their 10 favorite pieces and save the rest for lunches and parties.
Ditch the sense of occasion. Remind yourself that you can buy candy any time of the year. There's no need to load up on fun-size bars on October 31 when you can enjoy them whenever your heart desires.
Keep things in perspective. Eating a little bit of candy on Halloween doesn't make a person overweight — it's constant overeating that can pile on the pounds. So don't assume you can't enjoy even a single treat, especially since deprivation is a tactic that often backfires.
No Tricks with These Treats!
We searched the shelves for lower PointsPlus value candy that still satisfies a sweet tooth. Miniatures are a great deal in terms of portion control, while chewy candies turn out to be a big mouthful bargain, and hard candies and lollipops score high for long-lasting satisfaction. Here’s a sampling:
Item
|
Serving size
|
PointsPlus
value
|
|---|---|---|
| Jolly Rancher Hard Candy Twists | 3 pieces | 2 |
| Charm’s Blow Pop | 1 junior or regular pop | 2 |
| Weight Watchers by Whitman’s Mint Patties | 1 piece | 2 |
| Tootsie Roll Tootsie Pops | 1 regular | 1 |
| Weight Watchers by Whitman’s Peanut butter crunch | 1 piece | 1 |
| Skittles Original Bite Size Candies (fun size) | 1 bag | 2 |
| Candy corn | 1 oz | 3 |
| Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats | 1 bar | 2 |
| Jolly Rancher Gummis | 9 pieces | 3 |
| Jelly Belly Jelly Beans | 1 oz package | 3 |
| Twizzler’s Cherry Bites | 17 pieces | 4 |
| Junior Mints | 16 | 5 |
| Tootsie Roll Tootsie Rolls | 13 small | 4 |
| Weight Watchers by Whitman’s Caramel drops | 7 pieces | 4 |
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 of FB.
Member
Recipes
Mummy Hot Dogs (1
Mummy = 3 PP)
1 can Pillsbury® Reduced Fat Crescents
8 turkey hot dogs
½ teaspoon yellow mustard
1.
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Unroll the crescent rolls on a cutting board and pinch the seams
together, then cut the crescent into quarter-inch
strips.
3.
Wrap 2 strips around the turkey dog, leaving an opening near the top
for the mummy's face.
4. Transfer the mummies to an ungreased baking sheet, and bake for
10-12 minutes, or until golden.
5. Using a toothpick, paint two mustard eyes on the face, and serve with
preferred dipping sauce.
Start by carefully breaking the
pretzel rods in half, using 4 for each web.On a silicone baking mat, or a piece of parchment paper, lay out
the webs by placing the pretzel rods
in a snowflake shape with the broken ends meeting in the middle.
Pipe the chocolate in the center of the pretzel web to connect
the pieces, then drizzle in a circular motion to make the web. Each web will use
about 1½ teaspoons of melted chocolate.
Allow to harden, then gently pop them off of the surface with a
flat metal spatula.
Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash
3 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1.5 tsp. olive oil
3/4 cup red onion, diced
1.5 cups zucchini, diced
1.5 cups red pepper, diced
6 cups spinach
3/4 lb. lean turkey sausage (or vegetarian sausage)
Instructions
1. Toss the sweet potato with salt, and
pepper. Place in a microwave safe container and microwave for 5-6 minutes until
tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a
skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, zucchini, and bell pepper. Cook for 4-5
minutes. Add the sausage and cook until no longer pink, about 5
minutes.
3. Stir in the spinach and potatoes. Cook
until spinach wilts. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
6
servings @ 5 PP www.slenderkitchen.com
Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup (5 PP for 2
Cups)
3 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1.5 tsp. olive oil
3/4 cup red onion, diced
1.5 cups zucchini, diced
1.5 cups red pepper, diced
6 cups spinach
3/4 lb. lean turkey sausage (or
vegetarian sausage)
Instructions
1. Toss the sweet potato with salt, and
pepper. Place in a microwave safe container and microwave for 5-6 minutes until
tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a
skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, zucchini, and bell pepper. Cook for 4-5
minutes.
Add the sausage and cook until no
longer pink, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the spinach and potatoes. Cook until spinach wilts. Season
with salt and pepper if needed.
Pumpkin
Heath Caramel Cake
serves 24 ( 5
points +)
1 box spice cake
mix
1 can ( 14 oz)
pumpkin ( not pie filling)
1/2 c. egg
beaters
14 oz. can fat-free
sweetened condensed milk
8 oz. Cool Whip
Free
1/2 c. Heath
Bits
4 T. caramel
sauce
Preheat oven to 350.
Beat cake mix with pumpkin and egg beaters ( nothing else). Spread in a 13 x 9 pan coated with nonstick spray.
Preheat oven to 350.
Beat cake mix with pumpkin and egg beaters ( nothing else). Spread in a 13 x 9 pan coated with nonstick spray.
Bake 20-25 minutes
or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean ( do not over
bake)
Let cool. Poke holes in cake with a fork or wooden spoon handle.
Let cool. Poke holes in cake with a fork or wooden spoon handle.
Pour sweetened
condensed milk over the cake and spread evenly.
Refrigerate until
serving or at least 1 hour or until milk has soaked into cake.
Spread Cool Whip over cake. Sprinkle with Heath bits and drizzle with caramel.
Spread Cool Whip over cake. Sprinkle with Heath bits and drizzle with caramel.
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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