MIDWEEK MINUTES January 2, 2016

 

Midweek Minutes
January 2, 2016
 
Hello, Winners!
 
Doesn't Santa looked relaxed?  He's done with the holidays, and I'm sure many of us would love to be relaxing right there with Santa!    So, for most of us, it's time to RELAX, RECUPERATE, and REFOCUS without escaping to an island! It's time to TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES and move forward.  It's time to STOP DIETING and START LIVING! It's time for a New Year and a new YOU!
 
Superior folks, are you getting anxious for a meeting?  We decided it best that nobody should be out on the icy, frigid roads after dark, so we had to cancel last week.  I'm hoping this January thaw (today’s temperature anyway) continues for awhile, and the roads are good on Monday because I am ready to come back!  Everyone is ready to make a fresh start.  I just know that over the holidays more good choices were made than bad ones! Bravo!!! 
 
I bet you ALL can tell me ONE GOOD choice you made this holiday season that you didn't make last year!  Just think about how much weight you have lost over the last year and let's look forward to a GREAT 2016!
 
IF I LOST 1 LB. EACH WEEK OF 2016
By Valentine's Day I'd be 7 lbs. lighter! I’m loving it!
By St. Patrick's Day I'd be 11 lbs. lighter!
With the luck o'the Irish I'll make my goal.
By Easter I'd be 13 lbs. lighter!
I'd be a cuter bunny.
By Memorial Day I'd be 23 lbs. lighter!
What a memory that would make!
By Flag Day I'd be 25 lbs. lighter!
I’d wave my flag proudly then.
By Independence Day I'd be 27 lbs. lighter!
That's quite a declaration of independence from overeating!
By Labor Day I'd be 36 lbs. lighter!
What a wonderful reward for all my hard work.
By Columbus Day I'd be 41 lbs. lighter!
What a joy to discover what I can do.
By Halloween I'd be 44 lbs. lighter!
I would know I had more than a ghost of a chance.
By Thanksgiving I'd be 47 lbs. lighter!
I'd have so much to be thankful for.
By Christmas Eve I'd be 51 lbs. lighter!
Talk about being merry.
By New Year's Eve I'd be 52 lbs. lighter!
It's not just a new year, It's a new ME!

Are we ready?  Yes, we are!  Let's do it together at Weight Watchers!  See you at the meeting! –Zig


 
 
Check out a few recipes by clicking on the links!
 
Time for Me
Start the new year with a focus on yourself!
By Rachelle Vander Schaaf
Raising kids, meeting work deadlines, doing chores around the house—the to-dos never seem to end, do they? With all those people and activities vying for your time and energy, your own needs can slide down the list of priorities, especially this time of year! You scrap your good intentions to exercise more, plan healthier meals, or attend your next meeting—never mind going to the movies, catching up with a friend, or getting a massage. But the truth is, the more attention you give yourself, the happier you are, and the happier you are, the more likely you are to behave in healthy ways (and that includes shedding pounds).
    
So go for it: Adopt a "me first" attitude. Selfish? Not at all, say experts: "You'll have a better outlook, more energy, and greater stamina when you invest in yourself," says Howard Eisenson, MD, former director of the Duke University Diet and Fitness Center. And those benefits will boomerang for the good of all those folks who rely on you. That's what we call a win-win!
In your meeting, you busted a few "me time" myths—such as "I'm too busy" or "Meditation's not my thing"—and discovered how even a few minutes doing something that taps into your passions can pay off big. It can be easier than you think to inject moments of fun, escape, lightheartedness and relaxation into your life. What you choose to do matters less than that it's something that you truly like to do. Here's a blueprint for making such timeouts a regular reality.
• Accept that spending time on you does not deprive others. "I had one client who actually felt anxious taking time to exercise because it wasn't work," says nutritionist Katherine Tallmadge, MA, RD. "But will taking half an hour or an hour for yourself really hurt someone or something else? No, it won't."
• Be true to yourself. "Take time to reconnect with who you are and what you value," says Eisenson. "Try yoga or meditation, take a walk or listen to music, pick up an old interest or hobby." Rediscover coin collecting, playing an instrument, scrapbooking, or any other enjoyable activity that helps you unwind—and keeps your hands out of a bag of chips.
• Build a break (or two) into each day. Try to make that "time for me" a priority, just as important as tracking your meals or getting in 10,000 steps. The more it becomes part of your routine, the more consistent the payoff in the long run. It doesn't have to be much — even a two-minute "brain break" as you close your eyes and breathe deeply can do the trick. The key is to be sure it's something you enjoy and that will leave you feeling better and happier.
Stay focused until the New Year with our November/December 2015 issue of Weight Watchers magazine! Find the SmartPoints values for the 33 delicious recipes at weightwatchers.com/magazine.
 
 
JOIN FOR FREE*
When you buy 3 Months of Meetings + OnlinePlus:
& Get $10 OFF** our new Starter Kit
& Get a FREE subscription to Weight Watchers magazine
 
 
 

 

Top facts (and some cool tips) about the new plan.  Did you know...

1)…that 300 calories can translate into lots of different SmartPoints values
All calories are not equal. Our new SmartPoints™ plan is based on the latest in nutritional science, nudging you toward a pattern of healthy eating with more fruits, vegetables and lean protein, and less sugar and saturated fat.
The goal: great weight loss plus healthier eating habits.
(That’s what’s known as a win-win.)
See how 300 calories can translate into a wide range of SmartPoints values (and nudge you toward the healthier choice).
2) …that sugar and saturated fat love to hide in some surprising foods
1 medium chai latte: 18g sugar
1 bowl of tomato soup: 10g sugar
1 oz of cheese: 6g of sat fat
1 croissant: 7g of sat fat
1 glass of orange juice: 7g of sugar
The SmartPoints plan clues you in to hidden sugar and saturated fats without having to look at a food label. You’ll be nudged toward healthier choices, which will soon become second nature. But if that latte is still what you want? Go for it. It’s all a matter of trade-offs — and using your Weekly SmartPoints!
3) …lean protein is found in chicken, but also in all kinds of foods
Lean protein is a great way to stretch your SmartPoints Budget. It’s also an important nutrient for your body (remember in school when you learned that protein was one of the body’s building blocks? Totally true!) so eat up.
- Beans and lentils: 9g of protein per half cup — SmartPoints value: 3
- Non-fat dairy, like unsweetened Greek yogurt: 23g per cup — SmartPoints value: 3
- Tofu: 8-10 g per half cup — SmartPoints value: 2
- Eggs: 6g for 1 egg — SmartPoints value: 2
- Canned tuna: 16 g in a 3 oz can — SmartPoints value: 1
- Lean pork loin: 23g for 3 oz — SmartPoints value: 3
- Flank steak: 106g in 1 steak — SmartPoints value: 3
4)…you don’t need to worry about sugar in fruit
While there IS naturally occurring sugar in fruits (and some veggies), whole fruit is full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. We want you to eat it, so it stays zero!
5)…that when we asked participants in a study on SmartPoints what had changed for them, after 3 months they reported a reduction in food cravings and experienced increases in stamina and flexibility.
 
 
 
 
Weight Watchers Magazine for Jan/Feb is out!
Findgreat articles about food, fitness, and fulfillment such as the snippet below.
(Get the magazine to read all the rest!)

 
 
 
 
 
Member Recipes
 
 
Sausage, Potato and Egg Breakfast Burrito
1/3 cup Ore Ida Frozen Potatoes O’Brien
Nonstick spray
1 egg
1 Tbsp. fat free milk
Paprika, sea salt & black pepper
1 Trader Joes Sweet Maple Chicken Apple Sausage, diced
2 Tbsp. Salsa
1 La Tortilla Lite Flour Tortilla
 
INSTRUCTIONS:
 
Spray a small nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and heat over medium heat.  Add frozen potatoes, sprinkle with salt, pepper and a little paprika if desired.  “Fry” the potatoes until golden using additional nonstick spray if needed. Potatoes will be slightly browned. Set aside.
While the potatoes cook, spray another small nonstick skillet with nonstick spray.  Heat over medium low heat.  Whisk egg with milk and season with salt and black pepper (a few dashes of each).  Stir in the sausage and pour into skillet.  Cook until eggs are scrambled, about 4-5 minutes.  Set aside.
Heat 1 tortilla until slightly warmed.  Add potato, egg, sausage and top with salsa if using.  Wrap it up and enjoy!
 
Makes 1 breakfast burrito, 9 smartpoints
 
 
 
Spinach & Artichoke Dip
yield: 16 (1/4 CUP) SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS:
16 oz (2 bricks) 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
½ cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
1 ½ cups shredded 2% Mozzarella cheese, separated
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, separated
3 garlic cloves, minced
10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted, squeezed and patted dry
14 oz can artichoke hearts (packed in water or brine, not oil), drained and chopped
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS:
Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and yogurt and stir until well combined. Stir in 1 cup of the Mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan, the minced garlic, spinach, artichokes, pepper and red pepper flakes and mix until well combined.
Transfer the mixture to an 8×8 (or 2 qt) casserole dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup Mozzarella and tablespoon of Parmesan over the top. Bake for about 30 minutes until th edges are golden and the dip is heated through and bubbly. Serve warm.
WEIGHT WATCHERS SMARTPOINTS:4 per serving (SP calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
www.emilybites.com



Bacon Cheeseburger Wraps
yield: 4 WRAPS
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb 95% lean ground beef (raw weight)
1 tablespoon McCormick Hamburger Seasoning
4 Laughing Cow Light Queso Fresco & Chipotle Wedges, cut into pieces
2 tablespoon Ketchup
2 teaspoons Yellow Mustard
1/3 cup 2% shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoon Hormel Real Bacon Bits
4 light original Flatouts
½ a medium tomato, cut into pieces
1 – 1 ½ cups shredded lettuce

DIRECTIONS:
Bring a large skillet to medium heat. Add the ground beef and hamburger seasoning and cook until meat is browned. Drain meat. Clean skillet and set aside.
Place meat in a medium bowl and add the cheese wedges, ketchup, mustard, cheddar and bacon bits. Stir to combine. Microwave on high for one minute. Stir again until meat is evenly coated.
Spoon a quarter of the meat mixture (around a generous ½ cup) onto the center of each flatout and spread the mixture lengthwise, leaving about an inch at each end. Evenly distribute the shredded lettuce and tomato pieces across the top of the meat. Fold in the 1” ends of the flatout over the filling and then fold in the long ends to cover it.
Lightly mist the large skillet with cooking spray and bring over medium-low heat. Place the wraps fold-side down onto the skillet (I did them in batches of two) and let them cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden. Flip the wraps and continue to cook until golden on the bottom. Cut in half and serve.
WEIGHT WATCHERS SMARTPOINTS:8 per wrap (SP calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
www.emilybites.com



Broccoli Cheddar Soup
yield: 8 (1 CUP) SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) of light butter (I use Land O’Lakes)
1 medium onion, diced
½ cup white whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur Flour)
1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups of fat free half and half
4 cups of vegetable stock
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
12 oz (6 cups) small broccoli florets
1 cup shredded carrots
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (I used Cabot Seriously Sharp)
4 oz 50% reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (I used Cabot 50% Sharp)

DIRECTIONS:
In a soup pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the dice onion and stir to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes until onion is softened. In a small dish, stir together the flour, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper until mixed. Add and whisk the flour mixture into the butter and onions a little bit at a time, whisking continuously until well combined. Slowly add a bit of the half and half and whisk it into the flour mixture until combined. Continue to add and whisk in the half and half a little at a time until it is all combined.

Add some of the vegetable stock and continue to whisk the mixture until all the stock is added and all ingredients are well combined. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and the ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder. I also added a few twists of freshly cracked black pepper at this step. Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a simmer. Uncover and reduce the heat to medium-low (medium on my stovetop is a 5, so I had this at a 3) and allow the soup to cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the broccoli florets and shredded carrots and stir in to combine. Continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Optional: At this point I suck my immersion blender in the pot and blended maybe 1/3-1/2 of the soup. Alternately, you could just put some of the soup in a regular blender or skip this step entirely, depending on how you prefer the consistency of your soup. I do recommend not pureeing the entire pot, because it’s nice to have some full broccoli florets in there.
Increase the heat to medium and add the shredded cheeses (you may reserve a bit at this point for topping the soup if desired). Whisk the cheese into the soup until fully melted and combined.

WEIGHT WATCHERS SMARTPOINTS:8 per (1 cup) serving (SP calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
www.emilybites.com



Key Lime Cheesecake Cups
yield: 12 CHEESECAKE CUPS
INGREDIENTS:
12 Nilla Wafers
8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
5.3 oz container of fat free Key Lime Greek yogurt (I used Dannon Light & Fit)
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
12 tablespoons of light whipped cream

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375. Place cupcake liners into 12 cups of a standard sized muffin/cupcake tin and place a Nilla Wafer flat side down in each liner.
In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, yogurt, sugar, egg and lime juice and mix together using an electric mixer until smooth and well combined. Spoon the mixture evenly into the prepared liners.
Bake for 15-16 minutes and remove from oven to cool. Transfer the cheesecake cups to the refrigerator and chill for at least one hour. Before serving, remove the liners top each cup with a tablespoon of whipped cream. I also garnished each with a little slice of lime. Serve cold.
WEIGHT WATCHERS SMARTPOINTS:5 per cheesecake cup (SP calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
www.emilybites.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.
 
Remove from list? If you no longer wish to receive weekly newsletters from me, please reply to this message indicating "Remove from list" in either the subject header or the body of the message.
 
TEXT @wwzig to 81010 and get the REMIND APP for instant messages from me!
 
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/.
Find us on FB and ask to join our own private support group

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts