MIDWEEK MINUTES June 4, 2016
Midweek
Minutes
June 4,
2016
Hello, Winners!
It's June, and it's my birthday month. It's a
big milestone this year. I love June anyway. There's no school. I am free to
putter on most mornings (even though a workshop beckons next week), and it's
also going to be the month I maybe get to hang out at the pool!!! What could be
better than to haul out an old novel, slather on sunscreen, grab a bottle of
water with ice, and just RELAX! I’ll be exercising in the water which makes my
joints feel so GOOD!
I’ll be working at Weight Watchers over the
summer and working on myself too. When we think about support in our weight loss
efforts, the "it takes a village" approach works here as well. I sure like to
know that I am not alone in this weight loss journey. It's tough sometimes to
admit my challenges to myself, not to mention others, but it's great to be part
of a group. It also truly helps to have the support of family and friends, and
at meetings we learn to not only share with other members, but we also learn how
to approach those significant folks in our lives the other six days of the
week.
Weight management is not just about eating the
right foods and exercising. I have always believed that the largest part of
weight loss is attitude. "You can't change your weight until you change your
mind." Our thoughts and actions can hinder our progress. Are you thinking
negative thoughts? Are you limiting your beliefs? No, all your weight is not
going to be gone overnight, but it’s the consistency of practicing those good,
healthy habits each day and coming to meetings and connecting with others who
INSPIRE, INFORM, and INVOLVE us that gets us to our
goals.
Where do YOU want to be by the
4th of July? Labor Day? What are your summer goals? Would LOVE to hear about
everyone’s goals at our next meeting. My birthday is coming, and I’ve got work
to do on myself during the summer break.
As you can probably tell, my opinion is summer is NOT the season
to say, "Well, I'll wait until September (when the kids are back in school, it's
cooler, I'm less busy(yeah, right!) to come back to a meeting. This is the
season to finally take the plunge and commit to it! Don't take a break from
weight loss regardless of travel plans, birthdays, weddings, or whatever.
(Remember, you're not getting any younger either!) If not now...when? Smart
Points works, and we're here to help you get to your weight management goals!
See you in the meeting room! --Zig
Member
Milestones
Hastings: –3.2
lbs.
10 lb.
star
Janet
15 lb.
star
Tammy S.
What better time to supercharge your fridge
than on the brink of summer, when warm-weather fruits and vegetables abound at
your supermarket or farmers' market: asparagus, strawberries, peas, apricots….
These goodies are at the peak of flavor and nutrition. Once you've brought this
good stuff home, here's how to make the most of it:
- Put “green-light” snacks in plain sight. Fresh fruits and veggies should be the first thing you see when you open your fridge (along with other plan-friendly picks like fat-free yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, or whatever else you like to munch on). Your Weekly suggests some tasty, not-the-usual-apples-and-carrots picks to load up on. Ideally, everything that you can eat raw should also be pre-washed and trimmed if necessary and portioned into easy-to-grab single servings. (Apply the same strategy to your pantry with popcorn, nuts and other shelf-stable snacks.) Budget 15 minutes after your grocery-store run to getting everything squared away.
- Be productive with your produce! Who wants to fish out slimy cucumbers, shriveled peaches, or moldy berries from the depths of the vegetable and fruit bins? You should use them sooner rather than later, of course, but how you store them makes a difference, too. For instance, did you know that there’s a reason you have separate fruit and vegetable drawers? Turns out that some fruits give off a gas called ethylene that can speed up ripening (and therefore spoilage) in certain vegetables. And there are other smart ways to keep vegetables fresh longer So what to do with all that bounty at the peak of its freshness? Get cooking! Just enter your chosen item(s) into the search bar on your home page, and filter by meal occasion or type to get delicious options. Or whip up Cajun Shrimp Sauté, this week’s recipe from the Weekly.
- Keep treats out of sight or out of the house. This one seems like a no-brainer, but can be hard to heed! If a certain food, like cheese or ice cream, is a true trigger food—meaning you have trouble controlling portions and/or working it into your SmartPoints Budget—you’re better off not having it at home at all (even low-fat or fat-free varieties, if you might consume them in quantity). If you can work them into your plan now and again, stash them in the back of the fridge or freezer, so they’re not so in-your-face. Similarly, ditch 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 Chinese food or your daughter’s leftover pepperoni pizza is only a good idea if you know you’ll be able to resist them, or can work them into your daily budget. If not, toss them. 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!
6/1–6/30: July/August Weight Watchers
Magazine will be on sale for $3.95.
6/5–6/11: All Tumblers will be on sale
for $9.95.
6/5–6/25: All Candies will be on sale
for $1.95.
Simple Changes That
Will Help You Lose Weight
|
Article By: Leslie
Fink, MS, RD
|
|
Try these tips for small changes that can lead to very big
weight-loss results.
Beginning a weight-loss plan doesn't have to
mean drastic changes. You don't need to live at the gym or subsist on crackers
alone to get your eating and exercising on track.
Instead, think of more realistic, sustainable changes you can make to your lifestyle. Sometimes small, simple adjustments can produce the biggest results. Consider these suggestions, and think about what other small changes might work for you. |
Trim back your eating a bit
here and there, not altogether. For example, sauté your broccoli with one
teaspoon of oil instead of two.
Make
some wise food substitutions, like opting for low-fat cream cheese instead of
regular.
Kick it
up a notch in the activity department by taking the stairs instead of the
escalator.
All
or Nothing
"People put too much pressure on themselves to change everything in their diets, which sets them up for failure," believes New York-based registered dietitian Shari Mermelstein. Her advice? Set your sights on making several small dietary and lifestyle changes, and you'll lose weight without really missing out.
"People put too much pressure on themselves to change everything in their diets, which sets them up for failure," believes New York-based registered dietitian Shari Mermelstein. Her advice? Set your sights on making several small dietary and lifestyle changes, and you'll lose weight without really missing out.
Need
some incentive? Try this on for size: Cut back 100 calories on a daily basis and
you could lose about 10 1/2 pounds in a year. One hundred calories
equals:
1 cup of
regular soda
1
tablespoon of butter
1 ounce
of cheese
Skimming
Off the Top
Here
are seven simple slim-down ideas:
-
A spoonful of sugar can add up over the course of a year. Add one less teaspoon of sugar (15 calories) to your cup of morning and afternoon coffee each day and you'll save about 10,000 calories—the equivalent of about 3 pounds per year.
-
Slim down that bowl of cereal: Switch from 1 cup regular whole milk to 1% milk (about 50 calories less per cup) every day. Once your taste buds adjust, you'll be thrilled! That's a tad more than 5 pounds lost by this time next year.
-
Take the scenic route. Park your car as far as possible from the entrance to your office, the shopping mall or a restaurant and get those legs pumping. Ten minutes of daily moderate paced walking (five minutes each way burns about 20 calories) can take off over 4 pounds a year.*
-
Get your vitamin C boost with a whole orange (60 calories) instead of a cup of juice (110 calories) each day. Your 12-month weight loss: 5 1/4 pounds.
-
Go calorie-free by switching from regular to diet soda (150 versus 0 calories per can). If you drink one can per day, that's nearly 16 pounds lost in a year.
-
Flavor your sandwiches with very low-cal condiments like mustard or vinegar instead of calorie-packed mayo. Leave off 1 tablespoon (100 calories) every day and you're looking at close to 10 1/2 pounds a year.
-
Downsize, don't super-size, fast food meals. Opt for a small McDonald's French fries (250 calories) instead of a large order (570 calories) at your weekly fast-food meal. You'll enjoy the same great taste all year long but with an added bonus: almost 5 pounds lost.
6/5–6/25: All Mini Bars will be on
sale for $5.95, and all Snack bars will be on sale for $3.95.
Here are a
couple of recipes to try with Peanut Butter Cookie Explosion bars and Mint
Cookie Crisp bars!
No-Bake Peanut Butter Truffles RecipeSmartPoints
Value: 4 SmartPoints per serving
Serves: 2 (5 cookies per serving)
Ingredients
1 Peanut Butter Cookie Explosion Mini Bar
3 TB instant oats
1 TB powdered peanut butter
2 tsp warm water
1 TB flour
1 tsp agave nectar
pinch of salt
DirectionsBreak up bar and place in a small food processor with oatmeal. Pulse until it's in fine crumbs.
Serves: 2 (5 cookies per serving)
Ingredients
1 Peanut Butter Cookie Explosion Mini Bar
3 TB instant oats
1 TB powdered peanut butter
2 tsp warm water
1 TB flour
1 tsp agave nectar
pinch of salt
DirectionsBreak up bar and place in a small food processor with oatmeal. Pulse until it's in fine crumbs.
Stir together powdered peanut butter and water and add to food
processor with remaining ingredients.
Mix until dough holds together and roll into 10 small cookie
balls.
Optional: garnish with powdered peanut butter or confectioners
sugar when serving. (Garnish may affect SmartPoints
value.).
Mini Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Sammies
Recipe
SmartPoints Value: 3 SmartPoints per serving
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 0 mins
Serves: 3 (1 mini ice cream sandwich each)
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 Weight Watchers Mint Cookie Crisp Mini Bar
1/4 cup fat free vanilla ice cream
6 chocolate wafer cookies
DirectionsBreak up bar and chop to small pieces with a knife or in a mini-chop food processor.
SmartPoints Value: 3 SmartPoints per serving
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 0 mins
Serves: 3 (1 mini ice cream sandwich each)
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 Weight Watchers Mint Cookie Crisp Mini Bar
1/4 cup fat free vanilla ice cream
6 chocolate wafer cookies
DirectionsBreak up bar and chop to small pieces with a knife or in a mini-chop food processor.
Mash into ice
cream with a fork (or pulse to combine with ice cream in mini-chop).
Spread a heaping
TB on 3 cookies and sandwich with 2nd cookie. Freeze until
firm..
6/5–6/25: All Crunchy Snacks will be
on sale for $3.95
6 Dietitian Tips to Lower Your Grocery Bill
Friday, June 03,
2016
I recently moved in with my boyfriend — and
while we’re still unpacking our kitchen, it seems that living together will
ultimately save us money. Since we’re no longer traveling back and forth between
our apartments, much less food is going to waste. We also make a few grocery
runs a week (a big weekend run to the supermarket and a couple of smaller trips
to bodegas for produce during the week), also leading to less food
waste.
The average American family spends $151 per week on groceries, reports a Gallup poll. That number isn’t low — and like most of us, I’m always looking to save additional food dollars. So I asked some of my fellow dietitian colleagues for their top tips on saving grocery dollars.
1. Stock your fridge. “Having food at home can save so much money. When people are prepared to make their own meals, it eliminates last-minute grabbing of takeout on the way home from work, as well as lunches out and breakfasts on the way to the office.” –Abby Langer, RD, owner of AbbyLangerNutrition.com
2. Shop like a European. “Go shopping more than once a week. Living in Europe has made me realize how much money I lose by shopping just once a week — the size of the refrigerators in Europe are small, so people shop every day or every other day. You waste less food, and that saves you money.” –Betsy Ramirez, MEd, RD, owner of SupermarketNutrition.com
3. Make your own stock. “Use scraps like carrot and other peels, tops of celery, and more to make vegetable stock. Your stock will be loaded with potassium and comes without the high sodium and cost of storebought stock.” –Christy Brissette, MS, president of 80 Twenty Nutrition
4. Buy only the spices that you need. “Rather than buying an entire container of a spice, I get just the small amount I require for the recipe. It's much cheaper to buy just the amount you need, and I know I won't be letting any go to waste — unlike if I were to purchase a full container!” –Angie Asche MS, RD, owner of Eleat Sports Nutrition
5. Choose lean proteins. “The fat that you trim or drain off fattier cuts of meat are dollars that are going in the trash. By choosing leaner cuts of meat, you benefit from every ounce of meat that you purchase.” –Bethany Frazier MS, RD, blogger at KansasCityDietitian.Com
6. Try out Meatless Monday. “Many of my clients save money grocery shopping by incorporating Meatless Monday into their diet. Protein sources such as beans, eggs, or quinoa can be used in various dishes and are often ingredients already in the pantry or fridge. Try substituting the meat in a recipe with a meatless option such as lentils.” –Kristen Smith, MS, RDN, founder of 360 Family Nutrition
The average American family spends $151 per week on groceries, reports a Gallup poll. That number isn’t low — and like most of us, I’m always looking to save additional food dollars. So I asked some of my fellow dietitian colleagues for their top tips on saving grocery dollars.
1. Stock your fridge. “Having food at home can save so much money. When people are prepared to make their own meals, it eliminates last-minute grabbing of takeout on the way home from work, as well as lunches out and breakfasts on the way to the office.” –Abby Langer, RD, owner of AbbyLangerNutrition.com
2. Shop like a European. “Go shopping more than once a week. Living in Europe has made me realize how much money I lose by shopping just once a week — the size of the refrigerators in Europe are small, so people shop every day or every other day. You waste less food, and that saves you money.” –Betsy Ramirez, MEd, RD, owner of SupermarketNutrition.com
3. Make your own stock. “Use scraps like carrot and other peels, tops of celery, and more to make vegetable stock. Your stock will be loaded with potassium and comes without the high sodium and cost of storebought stock.” –Christy Brissette, MS, president of 80 Twenty Nutrition
4. Buy only the spices that you need. “Rather than buying an entire container of a spice, I get just the small amount I require for the recipe. It's much cheaper to buy just the amount you need, and I know I won't be letting any go to waste — unlike if I were to purchase a full container!” –Angie Asche MS, RD, owner of Eleat Sports Nutrition
5. Choose lean proteins. “The fat that you trim or drain off fattier cuts of meat are dollars that are going in the trash. By choosing leaner cuts of meat, you benefit from every ounce of meat that you purchase.” –Bethany Frazier MS, RD, blogger at KansasCityDietitian.Com
6. Try out Meatless Monday. “Many of my clients save money grocery shopping by incorporating Meatless Monday into their diet. Protein sources such as beans, eggs, or quinoa can be used in various dishes and are often ingredients already in the pantry or fridge. Try substituting the meat in a recipe with a meatless option such as lentils.” –Kristen Smith, MS, RDN, founder of 360 Family Nutrition
Amy Gorin is a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition. Frequently interviewed by the media, she privately counsels clients in Jersey City, NJ, New York City, and long distance — and works as a nutrition consultant and motivational speaker. Amy is the former Senior Editor of Weight Watchers Magazine and WeightWatchers.com and has written hundreds of articles on nutrition and health. Connect with Amy on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Another GREAT recipe using our
products!
Vanilla Blueberry Pancakes
Recipe
SmartPoints Value: 5 SmartPoints
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 8 mins
Serves: 2 (2 pancakes each)
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 Weight Watchers Vanilla Smoothie mix packet
1/3 cup flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking powder
1 large egg, beaten well
1/2 cup 1 % milk
1/2 cup blueberries, additional for garnish
DirectionsWhisk together smoothie mix, flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together egg, and milk. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir well to combine (batter will be a little lumpy). Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and preheat over medium-low heat. Pour batter into 4 even 1/4 cup sized pancakes. Sprinkle tops evenly with blueberries. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until set.
SmartPoints Value: 5 SmartPoints
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 8 mins
Serves: 2 (2 pancakes each)
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 Weight Watchers Vanilla Smoothie mix packet
1/3 cup flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking powder
1 large egg, beaten well
1/2 cup 1 % milk
1/2 cup blueberries, additional for garnish
DirectionsWhisk together smoothie mix, flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together egg, and milk. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir well to combine (batter will be a little lumpy). Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and preheat over medium-low heat. Pour batter into 4 even 1/4 cup sized pancakes. Sprinkle tops evenly with blueberries. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until set.
Member
Recipes
Root Beer
Float
Ingredients:
1⁄2 C. low-fat vanilla ice cream
1 (12 oz) can diet root beer, chilled
1⁄2 C. low-fat vanilla ice cream
1 (12 oz) can diet root beer, chilled
Directions:
1. Place half the ice cream in a chilled 16-ounce mug.
2. Pour root beer over ice cream.
3. Scoop remaining ice cream on top.
4. Serve immediately with a spoon and a straw!
1. Place half the ice cream in a chilled 16-ounce mug.
2. Pour root beer over ice cream.
3. Scoop remaining ice cream on top.
4. Serve immediately with a spoon and a straw!
6 SmartPoints
Spinach
Casserole
Yield: 8 Servings
Smartpoints : 6
Smartpoints : 6
Ingredients
10 oz boxes frozen spinach, chopped, defrosted
1 large egg
1 tsp. salt
1⁄4 tsp. black pepper
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 1⁄2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup crouton, (up to 2 cups)
10 oz boxes frozen spinach, chopped, defrosted
1 large egg
1 tsp. salt
1⁄4 tsp. black pepper
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 1⁄2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup crouton, (up to 2 cups)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place spinach in strainer and squeeze all extra liquid from it.
3. In a large bowl, combine spinach with the rest of ingredients, except croutons, and combine well.
4. Pour into a 2 quart casserole dish and top with croutons.
5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until bubbling around edges.
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place spinach in strainer and squeeze all extra liquid from it.
3. In a large bowl, combine spinach with the rest of ingredients, except croutons, and combine well.
4. Pour into a 2 quart casserole dish and top with croutons.
5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until bubbling around edges.
Seven Layer Taco
Dip
Yield: 56 Servings
Serving Size: 1/56th of the recipe
Smartpoints :3
Serving Size: 1/56th of the recipe
Smartpoints :3
Ingredients
1 package (1 ounce) taco seasoning mix
1 can (16 ounce) refried beans
1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
1 container (16 ounce) sour cream
1 jar (16 ounce) salsa
1 large tomato, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch scallion, chopped
1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 can (6 ounce) sliced black olives, drained
2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 package (1 ounce) taco seasoning mix
1 can (16 ounce) refried beans
1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
1 container (16 ounce) sour cream
1 jar (16 ounce) salsa
1 large tomato, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch scallion, chopped
1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 can (6 ounce) sliced black olives, drained
2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions
1. In a medium bowl, blend the taco seasoning mix and refried beans.
2. Spread the mixture onto a large serving platter.
3. Mix the sour cream and cream cheese in a medium bowl.
4. Spread over the refried beans.
5. Top the layers with salsa.
6. Place a layer of tomato, green bell pepper, green onions and lettuce over the salsa, and top with Cheddar cheese.
7. Garnish with black olives.
1. In a medium bowl, blend the taco seasoning mix and refried beans.
2. Spread the mixture onto a large serving platter.
3. Mix the sour cream and cream cheese in a medium bowl.
4. Spread over the refried beans.
5. Top the layers with salsa.
6. Place a layer of tomato, green bell pepper, green onions and lettuce over the salsa, and top with Cheddar cheese.
7. Garnish with black olives.
Crock Pot Whole
Chicken
Yield: 4 Servings
SmartPoints : 9
SmartPoints : 9
Ingredients:
4 tsps. salt (per recipe reviews, 2 tsp is better)
2 tsps. paprika
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. white pepper
1⁄2 tsp. garlic powder
1⁄2 tsp. black pepper
1 large roasting chicken (with pop-up timer if possible)
1 cup chopped onion (optional)
4 tsps. salt (per recipe reviews, 2 tsp is better)
2 tsps. paprika
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. white pepper
1⁄2 tsp. garlic powder
1⁄2 tsp. black pepper
1 large roasting chicken (with pop-up timer if possible)
1 cup chopped onion (optional)
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, combine the spices.
2. Remove any giblets from chicken and clean chicken.
3. Rub spice mixture onto the chicken.
4. Place in resealable plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.
5. (I usually skip this step because I’m always in a hurry).
6. When ready to cook, put chopped onion in bottom of crock pot.
7. Add chicken.
8. No liquid is needed, the chicken will make its own juices.
9. Cook on low 4-8 hours.
Additional Tip:
I highly recommend a pop-up timer in the chicken because some crock pots cook faster/slower than others (my crock pot cooks this recipe in 4-5 hours).
1. In a small bowl, combine the spices.
2. Remove any giblets from chicken and clean chicken.
3. Rub spice mixture onto the chicken.
4. Place in resealable plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.
5. (I usually skip this step because I’m always in a hurry).
6. When ready to cook, put chopped onion in bottom of crock pot.
7. Add chicken.
8. No liquid is needed, the chicken will make its own juices.
9. Cook on low 4-8 hours.
Additional Tip:
I highly recommend a pop-up timer in the chicken because some crock pots cook faster/slower than others (my crock pot cooks this recipe in 4-5 hours).
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