MIDWEEK MINUTES June 25, 2016
Midweek
Minutes
June 25,
2016
Hello,
Winners!
And so it officially
begins...SUMMER! Folks are going camping and having vacations. Wheat is
being harvested. The sale of fireworks. America is getting ready for the
4th. Summer is busy!
It’s been an interesting week
for me. I decided to do all my wellness appointments and got poked and prodded
and bruised. Only the dentist and eye doctor are left. I was pleased to see
that my weight actually matches the number on my driver’s license! That was not
the case many times!
Do you
have your game plan ready this summer?
Summer
fun might mean abandoning one's weight loss efforts, but not us, right? I know
the weather will be sticky again next week, so let's have some strategies
ready. Set aside a time to plan meals. Make a shopping list. Journal so you
can remember your meals. Prepare summer fruits and veggies so they are handy.
I never
have a problem saying, "It's too hot to eat", but it is often TOO HOT to cook,
and therefore, it is even more imperative that we have a plan to get us in and
out of the kitchen fast.
"One day, one pound, one choice at a time within my
healthy plan is all I need to stay on track!" Isn't that a great saying? I
hope you will come to the meeting this week. See you then! --Zig
P.S. Remember in Superior,
it’s our Potluck Monday! Bring some WW--friendly food! (Come, though, even if
you don’t bring anything!)
Member
Milestones
Superior –10
lbs.
Hastings: –13.8
lbs.
5 lb. star
Teresa S. ( S
)
20 lb.
star
Tammy S. ( H
)
25
lbs.
Al G. ( H )
Look Who’s at
GOAL!!!
Rita R. (
S )
Living in a chaotic or messy house can leave you
feeling overwhelmed and stressed. No surprise: It’s hard to focus when so many things are
scrambling for attention. But what might
surprise you is that such surroundings can also affect your ability to manage
your weight. Consider: A crowded, disorganized kitchen makes it harder to cook
and easier to choose microwave meals,
snacks, and other grabbable eats. A bedroom
with a bursting closet and dresser means it’s hard to get your gym clothes ready
to go. There’s a physiological aspect, too: Increased stress can trigger a greater
amount of the hormone cortisol, which may be a factor in
obesity.
At this week’s meeting, you discussed how to start
clearing the clutter at home with the checklist in your Weekly. Once you’ve made headway, be sure that what you
do hang onto will help your healthy living efforts.
Bring in the good stuff
Luckily, small single-move changes can make a difference. If you don't bring potato chips into the house, you won't eat them. (And if there's someone who does want them in the house, like your kid or spouse, find a spot where you won't see them. Or repackage them in a plain opaque container you label with the SmartPoints® value per serving.) If you stock your fridge with cut-up fresh peppers and carrots, you’re less likely to reach for something you don't really want. If you replace your whole milk with fat-free, you'll start drinking fat-free. If you put fresh fruit in a bowl on your kitchen table, grabbing an apple for a snack is effortless.
Beyond the kitchen
But it's not just your cupboards and fridge that can help you stay on plan. Declutter the den/family room, too. Clear out the snack table and bring in some hand weights and maybe an exercise ball so you can move while you watch TV. Your bedroom is another place where calm can help: People who are consistently sleep-deprived are more likely to be overweight.
So create a sleep-inviting haven by putting away clothes, and banishing the TV and laptop. Room-darkening shades can help, too. And clear the decks (or desks!) at work. The vending machine. The working lunch. The Friday pizza run. When you’re surrounded by such not-so-plan-friendly options, turn here for help navigating these treacherous waters!
Offer
EXTENDED!!!!! Tuesday,
6/21 through Monday,
7/11
Summer Weight-Loss Danger
Zones
Article By:
Melissa Sperl
|
Summer is full of fun things to do. Fairs, amusement parks, ball games, family picnics. But when you're working toward a weight goal, summertime fun can suddenly seem scary. How are you going to resist all the "bad" food that goes along with it? |
After all, in many ways the
fun part of hot weather's weight-loss danger zones is the food: Fried dough,
pretzels and hot dogs, mayonnaise-y macaroni salad. But the fact that you're
staying on your weight-loss plan doesn't mean you have to stay home. With a
little planning ahead, you can enjoy summertime traditions without blowing your
budget.
One WeightWatchers.com Community user had a
great experience at her county fair earlier this spring, because she was able to
plan ahead and fit her POINTS® values into the day. "I saved my
POINTS values, ate light for breakfast and lunch, and then was very
choosy at the fair," she says. "I even had enough POINTS values left over
for one-quarter of a funnel cake. And with all the walking we did, I probably
earned activity POINTS values!"
Summertime, and the Planning Is Easy
When it comes to hot-weather hazard spots like fairs and family picnics, planning isn't just helpful, it's crucial.
"If you don't plan ahead, and you get hungry
when you're [at the event], it's very easy to end up eating high-fat food even
when you don't feel like it," says Dr. Rick Kausman, author of If Not
Dieting, Then What? (Allen & Unwin). "It is normal to eat some high-fat,
high-sugar foods sometimes, but you want to be able to have it when you
really feel like it, rather than just because it's
there."
Try these before-you-go steps and summertime events can be on your calendar again, guilt-free:
Pack snacks.
"If you bring healthy snacks with you, you'll have the types of food on hand that you would choose to have, so you aren't forced to leave it to chance." So put some portable treats in your purse before you go: chopped veggies, an energy bar, even a sandwich. Something you can reach in and grab when you feel a little hungry.
"If you bring healthy snacks with you, you'll have the types of food on hand that you would choose to have, so you aren't forced to leave it to chance." So put some portable treats in your purse before you go: chopped veggies, an energy bar, even a sandwich. Something you can reach in and grab when you feel a little hungry.
Use your POINTS Allowance.
Of course, who wants to eat nothing but carrots at the family picnic when everybody else is enjoying favorite foods? It's important that you allow yourself tastes of the foods you love—the trick is doing it in moderation so it fits into your plan. So, in addition to your back-up stash, make sure you have a portion of your weekly POINTS Allowance to spend when you get to the event. The POINTS Tracker makes it easy.
Prepare your mind.
After a lifetime of indulging in the types of foods you're now trying to limit, it can be hard to say no. Prepare mentally for the challenge with the help of Mental Rehearsing from Weight Watchers Tools for Living.
Pick Wisely.
Figure out the POINTS values of favorite foods ahead of time—that way, you can make wise choices when you're there. .
Figure out the POINTS values of favorite foods ahead of time—that way, you can make wise choices when you're there. .
ON SALE THIS
WEEK
AND
6/1 - 6/30:
July/August Weight Watchers Magazine will be on sale for
$3.95
In the July/August Issue of WWM:
Make it easy. 57 ways to live healthier, eat
better and feel amazing.
It's summer! Boost your mood. Bare your arms.
Up your downtime.
Mindfulness playbook. You're seconds away
from a calmer, more confident you.
Plus.....
From garden to grill. 34 new recipes for the
season.
Oprah's "Me Time" secret.
Success: They hit their goals you can,
too!
Great burgers are the foundation of a
classic backyard barbecue (along with the backyard, of course). But they can go
horribly wrong. The challenge is to make sure your burgers stay juicy and
flavorful, and don’t become dried-out pucks that taste like cardboard. Building
a better burger isn’t about what’s piled on the outside, but rather (like
people) it’s what’s on the inside that counts (we know — deep!), no matter if
you’re using ground beef, turkey, pork, or chicken. With our trade secrets in
mind, anyone can become a true Burger King (or Queen).
In a nutshell, burgers put you in a
bind because they must be cooked to fairly high internal temperatures (140°F to
165°F) to kill off any bugs. Those high temps, however, can cook the juices
right out of the meat. On the surface, that problem is solved by using high-fat
ground meats. The more fat in the mix, the juicier the burger over the heat.
However, all that fat adds SmartPoints® values, and you don’t want that. So to
keep your burgers juicy and low in SmartPoints values, use lean meats and the
following two secret ingredients:
Secret ingredient #1:
Mushrooms
’Shrooms are so full of natural
moisture that they’ll baste the patties from the inside out while they cook.
Grind 1/4 pound of mushrooms in a food processor fitted with the chopping blade
until the mushrooms are coarse like sand. Mix them into 2 pounds of lean ground
beef, white meat turkey, white meat chicken, lean pork, or veal.
Bonus trick: Mushrooms add lots of
moisture to ground meat, but they also add color. With beef, veal and pork, use
darker ’shrooms such as portobello, cremini, or shiitake mushrooms. With chicken
and turkey, use white button, oyster, or porcini mushrooms.
Secret ingredient #2:
Condiments
Instead of wasting the juice of your
favorite condiments on the outside of your burger, cook them right into it!
Along with the ground mushrooms, mix 3 tablespoons of any of these condiments
into your meat before grilling, broiling, or frying:
Mango chutney
Bottled barbecue sauce
Jarred salsa
Dijon or deli mustard
Honey mustard
Ketchup
Worcestershire sauce
Thai peanut sauce
Chinese hoisin sauce
Bottled sweet-and-sour sauce (sometimes
called “duck sauce”)
Fire 'em up!
Once your 2 pounds of ground meat is
mixed with the mushrooms and condiments, divide it into eight equal balls.
Flatten each to about a 1/2-inch patty. Use your thumb to make an indentation on
one side of the center of each patty. This little well will keep the patties
from balling up over the heat.
Heat your grill to high, or preheat
your broiler to high, and set the rack 4 to 6 inches from the heat source. Set
the patties directly over the heat on the grill or on a large, lipped baking
sheet to go under the broiler.
Important note: There’s no point in
pushing down on burgers as they cook unless you’re a pyromaniac who likes to see
flames shoot up. You’ve worked to keep the juice and flavors in your burgers, so
leave them be until you’re ready to turn them, unpressed.
For beef and veal, cook the burgers
until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of one patty
registers 145°F, about 8 minutes, turning once.
Cook chicken, turkey and pork burgers
until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of one patty
registers 160°F, about 12 minutes, turning once.
It’s burger time! Make sure you’ve got
lots of chopped lettuce, sliced tomatoes, shredded carrots and sprouts to go on
whole-wheat buns with the patties, and an ice-cold beer at the ready.
Member
Recipes
Anytime Tomato
Salad
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients
¼
cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon canola oil
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup red onion, thinly sliced
3 medium tomatoes (about 1 pound)
1 small cucumber
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon canola oil
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup red onion, thinly sliced
3 medium tomatoes (about 1 pound)
1 small cucumber
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
1.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, oil and salt. Add the
onions and let stand for 10 minutes.
2.
Cut the tomatoes into wedges, and the cucumber into thin slices (I leave on the
peel), and add them to the onion mixture. Gently stir to combine. Serve with
fresh ground pepper to taste.
Smart Points: 1
Marvelous Strawberry
Mousse
Makes 8 Servings
Ingredients
1 package unflavored gelatin
2 cups fresh sliced strawberries
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
½ cup low-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons granulated no-calorie sweetener (or 3 tablespoons Truvia Baking Blend)*
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup light whipped topping
2 cups fresh sliced strawberries
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
½ cup low-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons granulated no-calorie sweetener (or 3 tablespoons Truvia Baking Blend)*
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup light whipped topping
Instructions
1. In a small microwave-safe bowl
sprinkle the gelatin over ¼ cup of water. Let set for 3 minutes. Microwave for
30 seconds on high to dissolve gelatin and set aside.
2. Place the strawberries in a blender
and blend until pureed. Add the cottage cheese and blend until completely
smooth.
3. Add the sour cream, sugar, sweetener,
almond extract, and gelatin mixture, and pulse to blend. Pour into a medium
bowl, and gently fold in whipped topping. Pour into individual cups or stemmed
glasses, if desired. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before
serving.
*Sweetener
Options: Use 9 packets of any no-calorie sweetener, 3
tablespoons of a low-calorie sugar-blend like all natural Truvia for Baking or 6
tablespoons of regular sugar.
Smart Points 3
Apple yogurt
salad
Serves: 2
4 sp per serving
Ingredients
2 apples of choice, peeled and
diced
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp chia seeds
1 Tbsp raisins
1 Tbsp craisins or dried
cranberries
1 Tbsp chopped nuts (I used
walnuts)
½ Tbsp raw pumpkin
seeds
¼ cup 0% greek yogurt (I used vanilla,
plain or flavored is fine)
Instructions
Peel and dice your apples into small
pieces.
Mix apples with cinnamon and nutmeg, add
in seeds, nuts and dried fruit then stir in yogurt.
Makes 2 servings at 4 smart points or 3
points plus each, store in fridge.
Bacon Ranch Turkey Wrap
Yield: 4 Servings
Serving size :1 wrap
Smartpoints: 7
Serving size :1 wrap
Smartpoints: 7
Ingredients
4 Flatout Light Original flatbreads
8 slices bacon
8 oz roasted turkey deli meat
4 slices fat free American cheese (I used Kraft brand)
1 tomato, thinly sliced
Red onion slices
1/4 cup light ranch dip or dressing (I used Kraft Reduced Fat Ranch Dressing)
Iceberg or Romaine lettuce
4 Flatout Light Original flatbreads
8 slices bacon
8 oz roasted turkey deli meat
4 slices fat free American cheese (I used Kraft brand)
1 tomato, thinly sliced
Red onion slices
1/4 cup light ranch dip or dressing (I used Kraft Reduced Fat Ranch Dressing)
Iceberg or Romaine lettuce
Directions:
1. Spread ranch dressing all over the center of the flatbread.
2. Top with turkey, bacon, lettuce, cheese, onion, and tomatoes.
3. Fold the sides in, and then roll up.
1. Spread ranch dressing all over the center of the flatbread.
2. Top with turkey, bacon, lettuce, cheese, onion, and tomatoes.
3. Fold the sides in, and then roll up.
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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Minutes http://midweekminutes.blogspot.com/.
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