MIDWEEK MINUTES April 9, 2016
Midweek
Minutes
April 9,
2016
Hello, Winners!
Yes, it's the weekend before the
IRS deadline. I hope you're NOT stress-eating because of it! Do you have your
taxes done? I'm sure you do, but you know I have to work that into a weight
management message, don't you? So, I decided to compare doing taxes to
following the Weight Watchers program. What else can you do when the wind
outside is blowing 40 miles an hour? First some IRS humor that won't be too
"taxing", I hope!
There will always be death and taxes.
However, death doesn't get worse every year.
Why does a slight tax increase cost
you two hundred dollars and a substantial tax cut save you thirty cents?
Fight back! Fill out your
tax forms with Roman numerals!
Did you ever notice? When
you put the two words "the" and "IRS" together it spells "theirs."
IRS: Be audit you can be.
IRS: We've got what it
takes to take what you have got.
Well, enough of that! At tax time
there are many people who are moaning and groaning about their situation. Some
folks are desperate and try ALL kinds of last minute solutions to avoid facing
the tax man. Many folks go to the professionals to help them do their taxes.
Some buy a popular tax program in a "box" to help them in the privacy of their
own homes. Some folks think they can do it on their own. Just as there are many
different ways to do one's taxes, there are many opinions about how to be
successful at weight loss. At Weight Watchers, we have the BEST program that
will always give us a BIG return if we follow it!
Making math blunders: Did you check the POINTS value of the foods you ate each day?
Entering wrong ID numbers: Are you looking up the POINTS on your foods? Have you weighed and measured your portions lately, or are you guessing?
Ignoring IRS material: Have you re-read your member materials lately? Ever? Also, logging on to www.weightwatchers.com gives you so much information.
Picking the wrong 1040 form: Having an attitude plateau? Have you thought of changing from POINTS to SIMPLY FILLING or visa versa?
Omitting some forms: Are you exercising consistently, or are you making excuses? Are you choosing healthy foods, or are you eating junk instead?
Overlooking unearned income: Did you remember to track EVERYTHING you ate?
Using the wrong tax table: Have you checked if you have lost 10 pounds and are in a new decade on the scale? This may change your daily SMART POINTS target.
Fumbling payment procedures: Are you paying too much per week? How about trying the Monthly Pass, the BEST value for your WW buck, plus you get FREE etools!
Forgetting to sign the return: Have you stayed for the meeting lately, or are you just weighing and leaving? You're NOT getting the full benefits.
Missing the deadline: Are you making realistic goals? Are you working toward them? Does it matter how long it takes?
If you are feeling the "pinch" (in your clothes), then perhaps you haven't been to a meeting in awhile. Come on back! It's not complicated, and you'll get a great return! --Zig
By the way, Weight
Watchers can be tax-deductible. Read the article later on in the
newsletter.
These
MEMBERS had GREAT deductions this week!
Superior: –33.8
lbs.
Hastings: –21.4
lbs.
10 lb.
star
Norma H. ( S
)
Janet L. ( H
)
15 lb.
star
Laura K. ( H
)
The exercise in your Weekly helps you come up with a “help wanted” list for challenges you face on your plan. But who gets the job(s)? Of course, your front line of support is your meeting. And you can probably name a good friend or two who encourages and cheers you on. But you can find simpatico voices and thoughtful advice in lots of places. Take Connect on the mobile app! Share a struggle, celebrate a victory (on scale and off), or ask for advice—you have thousands of members to lend a hand or an ear. (Download on iTunes or Google Play.)
Or check in with 24/7 Expert Chat (just click on the box at the bottom right of your My Day page. For more “folks like me” support, try our Message Boards: If you're a 30-something dad, or a Lifetime member seeking new food ideas, or a new mom trying to fit in exercise, there are boards with people just like you sharing their it-worked-for-me tips. Or, if you’re on Facebook, head on over to our page to add comments, post photos, and check out the daily tips and motivators.
Other sources of support? Family and friends looking to make healthy changes (just like you!) can be a natural fit, since you can help each other. Maybe there's a cousin who's trying to get his cholesterol down, or a neighbor who's looking for a walking buddy. But here’s the thing: Many of your nearest and dearest might not be up to speed about your weight loss or healthy living effort—and some might be not-so-immediately on board. You'll want to enlist their support and then steer their feedback in a positive direction. A few pointers for getting them on your side:
- Plan for the specific help you want or need. Do you blossom with compliments, or need trigger foods out of your sight, or crave an exercise buddy? It's easier to be clear if you have thought things out in advance.
- Then ask! It’s generally more effective to ask someone to start doing something (asking if you want to go for a walk after dinner instead) than to get them to stop doing something (asking you if you want dessert). Keep your tone warm but firm. If they've helped you in the past, thank them for that; the reminder can help them feel invested in your success this time, too. To make the asking easier, consider: Maybe your target wants to lose a little weight or become more active himself.
- Play up the good in your lifestyle changes. If you're feeling positive about weight loss, and can share with family and friends how your improved mobility, happiness, and health will enhance all of your lives, they're more likely to cheer your efforts. Tell your kids that you're dialing down the family's nightly ice-cream fest—so you'll have more energy to play with them. See? You both win!
- Be ready to stand up for yourself. You may get some grousing at first, and some subtle (or not-so) pressure to make unhelpful choices, especially when, say, you're out with friends for happy hour. Nicely shake it off, and remind them you're counting on them to have your back.
4/3–5/30: Join for Free. Applies to
Pay As You Go (PAYG), 1- & 3-month Subscription Plans (MP)!
4/3–4/18:
Join for Free + Trad Free Spring Starter Kit promotion.
When you’re pressed for time, making a bagged lunch to bring to work or school is often the first thing that falls off the radar. Sure, you could send the kids off with a few dollars for the cafeteria, or pick up soup at the local deli during your lunch break. But a home-packed lunch is almost always more nutritious, tasty (it’s customized for you, by you), and cheaper than anything you’d purchase. Try one or more of these time-saving ideas and you’ll get the lunch prep done faster than you can say “I’ll take two slices and a cola.”Prep like a Pro
After a long day, the last thing you want to do is turn off The Voice so that you can get back in the kitchen and prepare tomorrow’s lunch. But the more you get ready for the day – or week – ahead, the less hectic your mornings will be. “Wash, cut, and create zipper baggies full of fruit, veggies, or other snacks,” says Missy Chase Lapine, author of The Sneaky Chef Cookbooks. “Just make sure not to mix pre-cut fruit together, or it won’t keep.”Maximize Mealtime
Try packing lunches while you’re making dinner – use the downtime while the water is boiling or the chicken is under the broiler. That way even though you’re making two meals, you only have one clean-up. Or take it further and make a little extra dinner, and then pack leftovers into lunch containers. Tonight’s enchilada casserole will taste even better tomorrow.Look for Shortcuts
“Lunch prep is a chore, no doubt about it,” says Kerry Colburn, author of Mama’s Big Book of Little Lifesavers. “The more shortcuts you can find, the quicker it’ll be done.” Her favorites: Line up everyone’s lunch boxes and pack them assembly-line style. Use cooking scissors to cut up fruits or vegetables instead of a knife and cutting board so there’s less to clean up. Fill a reusable water bottle mostly with ice – it’ll help keep lunch cold, and eliminates the need to add an ice pack.Put the Kids to Work
“I keep two Tupperware bins – one in my fridge and the other in my pantry – stocked with items for lunch,” says Chase Lapine. “That way, it’s easy for the kids to quickly assemble their own lunches – and less likely they’ll trade their food away.” Colburn gets her six-year-old to pack her next day’s lunch during dinner prep. “It can easily take her 20 minutes just to make a peanut butter sandwich,” says Colburn. “There’s no rush while I’m making dinner, plus I get the added benefit of her company while I cook.”Buy a Bento Box
It’s easy to see why these Japanese lunch boxes are the latest fad: Not only are they cute enough for both kids and grown-ups to love, but their individual compartments of varying size make packing lunch a cinch -- just dump it all in! No more wrapping food in zipper bags or aluminum foil – which makes these containers good for your wallet and the planet.Suggest a Lunch Swap
Stuck in a peanut-butter lunch rut? Ask a friend if she wants to trade off: she’ll make lunches for you (and your family) now, and in a week or two, you’ll return the favor. Sure, you have to make twice the food when it’s your turn, but only half as often. Plus, you and your family may be surprised to discover new lunch foods. “This can be hard if you’ve got a picky eater,” admits Chase Lapine. “But your kids may surprise you, especially if they love the fun of eating the same foods as their friends.”
Keep It Simple
Google lunch ideas and you’ll find enough cute ways to dress up your kids’ lunches – from making egg and veggie bunny rabbits to crafting cream cheese penguins – to send your child with a daily edible zoo. But it’s not necessary, says Colburn. “School lunchtimes are noisy, chaotic, and short,” she says. “Kids don’t have time to open a bunch of different containers much less appreciate the beautifully sculpted animal you made.” Go for what’s easy – a yogurt, some bread with a few slices of cheese – and save your culinary creations for the weekend.Outsource it, Occasionally
It’s okay to give yourself a day off – especially if you plan ahead. Thanks in part to shows like Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, many school districts are making an effort to offer more nutritious choices. “Letting your kids buy lunch once a week helps teach them how to make smart food decisions,” says Colburn. “Plus, they’re learning valuable skills like how to wait in line, ask for what they want, and pay for their lunch.” Review your school’s cafeteria menu on Sunday night and let your child decide which day to buy. As for yourself, decide which day to treat yourself to lunch at the new Thai takeout place by work.
4/3–4/23:
Cookbooks will be on sale: $14.95 for Year Round Fresh and $9.95 for Fruits
& Veggies.
4/10–4/16:
NEW Portion Control Wine Glass sets will be on sale for
$17.95.
Click below to see some great
Veggie side recipes
Did
you know that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) allows some taxpayers to
include weight-loss programs such as Weight Watchers as valid medical deductions
on their tax returns?
This could be great news for your pocketbook! Plus, says Linda Webb Carilli, spokeswoman for Weight Watchers International, "It opens the gate for everybody to be at a healthier weight."
This could be great news for your pocketbook! Plus, says Linda Webb Carilli, spokeswoman for Weight Watchers International, "It opens the gate for everybody to be at a healthier weight."
Talk to your tax specialist about how the tax law applies to your
particular situation (details are in IRS publication 502). But in general,
here's what you need to know:
There are three ways to make the new tax law work for you:
1. If you itemize your deductions, and if you're itemizing medical and dental expenses that exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income but are not reimbursed, you can add the cost of a doctor-recommended weight-loss program to these itemized costs.
2. If your employer offers a "medical savings account," the account can now be used to cover a doctor-recommended weight-loss program.
3. If your employer offers a "flexible savings account," a doctor-recommended weight-loss program may now be covered under that as well. This is especially great news for Weight Watchers At Work meetings members.
1. If you itemize your deductions, and if you're itemizing medical and dental expenses that exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income but are not reimbursed, you can add the cost of a doctor-recommended weight-loss program to these itemized costs.
2. If your employer offers a "medical savings account," the account can now be used to cover a doctor-recommended weight-loss program.
3. If your employer offers a "flexible savings account," a doctor-recommended weight-loss program may now be covered under that as well. This is especially great news for Weight Watchers At Work meetings members.
You can use the deduction only when the weight-loss program has been
recommended by a physician to treat a disease, including (but not limited to)
type-2 diabetes, heart disease, gall bladder disease and several types of
cancer.
The deduction can be applied to your return if your doctor
recommends that you pursue a weight-loss program for obesity, because of a
ruling by the IRS that allows obesity itself to be recognized as a disease.
Obesity is defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or
above.
You cannot use the deduction if your efforts to lose weight are
pursued for general good health — only if your doctor recommends that you
follow a weight-loss plan as the result of a disease. To prove that your doctor
did make such a recommendation (in case you get audited), always ask your doctor
for a copy of the recommendation, and include it in your tax files for that
year. You must be able to prove that your doctor recommended the program to
treat a disease.
The use of structured weight-loss programs like Weight Watchers —
including meetings and Weight Watchers Online — can be used as deductions
according to this tax law, but diet products and foods cannot. (Also, Weight
Watchers eTools subscription fees cannot be deducted on top of the meetings fee
because eTools would be viewed by the IRS as an additional diet
product.)
You
can use the deduction on the costs of maintaining a weight loss, too — as long
as you have proof that your doctor recommended it as a treatment for a
disease.
Treat yourself to
some fun for Mother’s Day!!!
Member Recipes
Weight Watchers Homemade Kale
Chips. - 0 PointPlus
Preheat oven at 360 degrees
1 bag of fresh Kale (Trader Joe's)
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
- Olive oil Spray
Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
Rinse kale and spread on baking sheet; spray with ICBINB spray; Sprinkle with salt and pepper; bake for 10-15 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool. And just try to stop yourself from indulging in these delicacies! Enjoy!
*Weight Watchers PointPlus 0
Preheat oven at 360 degrees
1 bag of fresh Kale (Trader Joe's)
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
- Olive oil Spray
Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
Rinse kale and spread on baking sheet; spray with ICBINB spray; Sprinkle with salt and pepper; bake for 10-15 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool. And just try to stop yourself from indulging in these delicacies! Enjoy!
*Weight Watchers PointPlus 0
PB&J crumble muffins
Serves: makes 12 4SP
each
Ingredients
1 egg
1 egg white (I use the
carton of liquid egg white, 1 is 2Tbsp)
2 Tbsp brown
sugar
3 Tbsp light peanut
butter
⅓ cup unsweetened apple
sauce
½ cup milk (I used
skim)
1 tsp vanilla
extract
5.5 Tbsp reduced sugar
strawberry jam
1 tsp baking
powder
1⅓ cup all purpose
flour
For the Crumb
topping
2 Tbsp brown
sugar
2.5 Tbsp flour
¾ Tbsp melted butter (or
calories reduced margarine)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F and
spray a regular sized 12 hole muffin tin with non stick spray.
In a large bowl beat
together your egg, egg white and brown sugar, add in 2 Tbsp of peanut butter
(leaving 1Tbsp aside) and continue beating.
Stir in your apple sauce,
milk and vanilla extract.
Mix in flour and baking
powder.
Use ⅓ of your batter and
evenly divide over your 12 muffin cups. Place 4 Tbsp (1/4 cup) of your jam in a
little zip lock bag (you will be saving the other 1.5Tbsp for your topping) cut
off tip of bag and pipe over 12 muffins in the center.
Melt your remaining 1Tbsp of
peanut butter in a small bowl for 45 seconds in microwave, using a small spoon
drizzle over your muffins.
Top muffins with remaining
batter.
In a small bowl mix your 2
Tbsp brown sugar and 2.5Tbsp of flour together, stir in your melted butter until
a crumb texture forms, sprinkle over your 12 muffins.
Take your remaining 1.5Tbsp
of jam and melt in microwave for 25 seconds, use a spoon and drizzle over your
12 muffins.
Bake in oven for 25 minutes,
let cool for 5 minutes.
Makes 12 muffins at 4 smart
points
Crock pot rotisserie
chicken
Serves: 6
3oz rotisserie chicken is 1
SP
Ingredients
1 whole chicken, about 5lbs
(I bought the one with the neck and giblets removed)
½ Tbsp
cajun
½ tsp onion
powder
½ tsp garlic
powder
½ tsp
paprika
1 tsp dried
rosemary
1 tsp dried
parsley
1 tsp dried
sage
Pinch of cayenne
pepper
Dash of salt &
pepper
Instructions
Plug in your crock pot, I
found cooking on high worked well but you can cook on low too.
Place 4 foil balls on the
bottom of your crock pot, this will prevent the chicken from cooking in its own
juices.
Mix all your seasonings in a
bowl.
Rinse your thawed chicken
under cold water.
Sprinkle your seasonings all
over the chicken, getting everywhere you can cover. You can change up your
seasonings to please, there really is no right from wrong when it comes to
seasoning it. Also you can make it more of a rub style by adding a bit of water
to your mix.
Place chicken in crock pot
so it is resting on the foil balls, cook on high for 4-4.5 hours or low 7-8
hours. Chicken should reach a minimum temperature of 175F (you can check with a
meat thermometer) Remove chicken, slice and serve.
Smart points- 1sp for
3oz
Loaded mashed potato bake
Serves: 8 5sp per serving
Ingredients
7 medium russet potatoes,
peeled and cut (about 5-6oz potatoes)
2T light
margarine
⅓ cup 1%
milk
¼ cup light cream
cheese
2T light ranch
dressing
1 cup shredded light
cheese
4 slices of bacon, cooked
and crumbled (I used Oscar Mayer center cut to keep points
low)
Green
onion
Instructions
Boil your potatoes till soft
and ready to be mashed. Preheat your oven to 350F.
Mash your potatoes using a
hand masher, add you margarine and milk. Then add your cream cheese, dressing
and ½ cup of your grated cheese. Set aside the other ½ cup of
cheese.
Mash everything well till
nice and creamy.
Spoon your potato into a
sprayed 9x13 casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese, bacon crumble and diced
green onion.
Cover with foil and bake in
the oven for 15 minutes, remove foil and continue baking while the cheese melts,
about another 5-10 minutes. Cut into 8 equal servings.
Pull apart pizza bread
Serves: 6
4sp per
serving
Ingredients
1-7.5 oz package Pillsbury
biscuits (in the 4 value pack, if you can't find then weight out from the bigger
pack or adjust points)
32 slices of pepperoni, I
use regular pepperoni (the one I buy is 3pp/4sp per 20 slices) feel free to use
turkey
2 cheese strings, cut into
10 small pieces each (I buy the weight watcher ones, 1pp each)
⅓ cup light shredded cheese,
I use weight watchers Mexican blend
Pinch of Italian
seasoning
Optional marinara sauce for
dipping
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F, spray
a round 8 inch dish, I used a pie dish, cast iron dish works well
too.
Cut your 10 dough biscuits
in half, flatten each out and place one piece of pepperoni in each. Cut each
cheese string into 10 small pieces and place one piece on top of
pepperoni.
Shape dough into a ball and place in dish,
repeat with all 20 dough pieces.
Cut your remaining 12 slices of pepperoni
in half and position around the dough balls.
Sprinkle cheese on top and a pinch of
Italian seasoning, or dried basil and oregano..
Bake in oven for 18-20
minutes, checking it does not burn.
Serve immediately while hot,
serve with marinara sauce for dipping (optional) Makes 6 servings at 4pp
each.
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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