Midweek Minutes
February 11, 2017
 
Hello, Winners!
 
Not only is it Valentine's week, but it's Heart Month, and I hope you are all thinking about HEALTH as well as slimness.  In a book by former governor Mike Huckabee, he says
 
"On the book cover, the fit, popular and energetic governor of Arkansas is holding a picture of himself 110 pounds heavier.The book is an easy read, with lots of warm humor that will make you smile and laugh. After sharing his personal story and his doctor's verdict, "Governor, continue the way you are, and you have entered the last decade of your life --you have 10 years, max!" he bases his book around a very nifty adaptation of the Alcoholic's Anonymous 12-Step Recovery Program. Only he calls his, the 12 STOP Program.

Well, there's nothing new under the sun, but the 12 points are very worth listing here, and it's neat to see everything summed up so nicely. You may want to get a copy, or borrow it from the library, to read more about each step -- I mean, stop!

Governor Huckabee's 12-Stop Health & Fitness Plan
1. Stop procrastinating
2. Stop making excuses
3. Stop sitting on the couch
4. Stop ignoring signals from your body
5. Stop listening to destructive criticism
6. Stop expecting immediate success
7. Stop whining
8. Stop making exceptions
9. Stop storing provisions for failure
10. Stop fueling with contaminated food
11. Stop allowing food to be a reward
12. Stop neglecting your spiritual health.

Do any of the 12 ring a bell for you? STOP!

Read them through again and listen for that bell ... I promise it's there and will tell you something important!
 
Also, here are Governor Huckabee's 12-Stop FOODS.

1. STOP consuming trans fats*
2. STOP avoiding fruits and veggies
3. STOP eating refined sugar
4. STOP eating highly processed foods
5. STOP large portions
6. STOP skipping meals
7. STOP ignoring calories/grams/points
8. STOP eating only 3 meals a day**
9. STOP dehydration
10. STOP eating fried foods
11. STOP eating highglycemic-index foods***
12. STOP depriving yourself of whole grains

*If it reads "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil" on the nutrition facts, the packaging is more nutritious than the contents.
** Smaller portions 5-6 times a day fuels and satisfies better.
***high-glycemic-index foods - white potatoes, refined breads, etc.

There's a wealth of information to be gained on all these STOP points, but you know what? Start with what you already know and DO them with a smile.
Great information, huh?  Think about your health and your heart today!  See you at the meeting!  The weather is supposed to be great!—Zig
 
Member Milestones
Total Loss: -13.4
 

 Sure, eating every single meal at home is one way to ensure you’re the boss of your food choices. But who lives that way? Most of us have to grab food on the go at some point, or are obliged to eat out frequently with work colleagues, or want to enjoy a nice restaurant meal with friends or family. Your Weekly helps guide you to the right choices for every away-from-home eating occasion. Here are some more helpful dining-out ideas, including ways to use Weight Watchers tools.
Lining up your SmartPoints® Budget is the first step to enjoying an on-plan restaurant meal. Then, consider what you want to do before, during, and after the meal to help you stick to your goal.
Before you go out
  • Once you’ve decided on a cuisine (Italian, anyone?) and a restaurant, try to look at an online menu so you can narrow down your options. Heed our restaurant decoding tips. Bonus points if you pre-track your meal! You can even save your favorite restaurant meals to your Tracker.
  • Do the math: Will you use any of your Weekly SmartPoints values for the meal, perhaps for a special dessert?
  • Rehearse your “lines” ahead of time. If you’re not used to asking for “a side salad instead of fries, please,” practice before you go so you’re comfortable making the request.
  • Be portion savvy. Check out (and print out) our handy portion estimator!
At the restaurant
  • Ask questions! If you’re not sure how a dish is prepared based on the description, always ask your server for details. You don’t want to end up with a "pricey" surprise.
  • Get creative with the menu. No need to order a full-size entrée: Try an appetizer or small plate, or see if you can get away with ordering from the kids’ menu.
  • Want to satisfy your sweet tooth? Stick with something light like sorbet, or share a dessert with a friend (or just ask if you can steal one forkful before they dig in!).
After the meal
  • Track it. If you pre-tracked, check your numbers and adjust where necessary. Even if you went over your planned allotment of SmartPoints values, you're better off recording what you ate. It keeps you mindful and close to your plan.
  • Look back at how the meal went. Were there any unexpected hurdles—that basket of cheese rolls, say, or your boss urging you to try her fried calamari? How did you handle them? If you're not happy with any of your choices, what could you do differently? A post-prandial post-mortem can help set you up for success next time.
  • Make your very next meal an on-plan one. You've heard it before: When you slip, get right back on the path. In this case, if you've overdone it, a lower SmartPoints value meal that you measure and track carefully can help set you squarely back on solid ground. And if you haven't overdone it, you're reinforcing your good choices!
 
 
 

Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in this country, causing more than 927,000 deaths each year. Last year, the American Heart Association released new lifestyle guidelines designed to improve heart health. "Eat right and exercise" is a familiar refrain to us all. But take heart! By making small changes to your diet and fitness habits to help you lose weight, you could be receiving some big health benefits.
"Losing even a small amount of weight can help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease," says Alice Lichtenstein, D.Sc., chair of the American Heart Association's Nutrition Committee and professor of nutrition science and policy at Tufts University in Boston. "It also sets you up for a positive experience, which can motivate you to continue that downward trend. The closer you get to a healthy body weight, the better off you'll be, but you have to start somewhere – and every little bit helps."

 On the Heart-Healthy PathIf you're following the Weight Watchers plan, you're already giving your heart a healthy boost. Ridding yourself of excess body weight can go a long way to lowering blood pressure and improving insulin resistance, which is a precursor to diabetes. A diet rich in healthy fats can help your circulatory system, and many fruits and vegetables are packed with natural heart-healthy compounds. Cardiovascular exercise, a key component of the Weight Watchers Plan, also helps nourish your heart by improving the flow of oxygen-rich blood to this vital muscle, says Lichtenstein.

 
 
Do You Know What Your Biggest Health Threat Is?
 
Article By: Sandra Gordon
Every year, more women than men die of heart disease and stroke, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). The overall lifetime risk of dying from breast cancer is about 4 percent, but for cardiovascular disease or stroke, it's nearly 50 percent.
But here's the good news: You can dodge the cardiovascular-disease bullet, especially if you start making lifestyle changes that can reduce your risk, says Rose Marie Robertson, former president of the American Heart Association and director for the Women's Heart Health Institute at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Here are five ways to head off this major killer:
  • Don't Smoke. The toxins inhaled from cigarette smoke can shrink coronary arteries. As a result, blood has a tougher time circulating through the heart muscle (a precursor to heart attack). Also in smokers, blood vessel linings become stickier and thus more prone to clotting. This, says Robertson, can pave the way for stroke. The bottom line: If you smoke, find a way to quit for good.

    Keep Your Weight in Check. As a Weight Watchers member, you could already be on your way to having a healthier heart. "By bringing your weight to its optimal level," Robertson says, "you'll help lower your cholesterol level and your blood pressure" - two major risk factors for heart disease.

    Exercise Your Options. Thirty minutes of moderate physical activity daily can reduce your risk of heart disease by raising blood levels of HDL, the 'good' cholesterol that carries cholesterol away from blood vessels. The same intensity of exercise can also reduce your LDLs, or "bad" artery-clogging cholesterol, says Robertson. For more information on using exercise to reduce your risk of heart disease, see the AHA's www.choosetomove.org.
  • Limit the Fat in your diet from saturated sources, such as butter and other animal fats, to mostly heart-healthy cholesterol-busting fat, such as olive and canola oil, fish, seeds and nuts. And avoid trans fats completely, if possible. But use all fats sparingly - 20 to 30 percent of your total caloric intake per day. A little goes a long way.
  • Fiber Up. Whole grains, such as oatmeal and whole-grain bread, are excellent sources of vitamins and soluble fiber, which have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol. "There has been abundant scientific evidence in recent years showing that people who consume more whole grains have a lower risk for heart disease," says Joanne Slavin, PhD, RD, professor of nutrition at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul.

    Eat plenty of produce at least five servings a day. Studies link diets high in fruits and vegetables with reduced blood pressure, says Robertson, and "fruits and vegetables are also a great way to fill up on fewer calories."
 
 
 
ON SALE!!!!
 








 

Many of us make New Year's resolutions that we hope will impact our health. Maybe you started by improving your diet. Now that we're a month into the new year, and celebrating American Heart Month, why not commit to making another healthy change: becoming more fit.

It doesn't have to mean sweating for hours at the gym; every extra minute of activity you do can be good for your heart.
No Excuses
It doesn't take a lot of effort to increase daily activity. Even fitting in a 5-minute walk or doing a few moves with a workout video can be helpful. "Exercise is cumulative, and any exercise is better than none," says Alice Lichtenstein, D.Sc., chair of the American Heart Association's Nutrition Committee and professor of nutrition science and policy at Tufts University in Boston. "Don't feel discouraged if you can't exercise for 30 minutes uninterrupted. Just try to increase the duration a little bit each day."
Reap the Benefits
Cardiovascular exercise improves collateral circulation, which means that more blood and oxygen reach the heart muscle to nourish it, explains Lichtenstein. And even if you suffer from health problems like high blood pressure or cholesterol, research has shown that being physically fit can still lower your heart disease risk.
"Plus, you just feel better when you exercise, and once you feel better, that's positive reinforcement to maintain a weight-loss regime," says Lichtenstein. Once you start to become more active, you'll probably notice increased energy so everyday tasks like walking up stairs and carrying heavy packages will become easier, too.
 
 
 
 
 
Member Recipes
 
 
Did you know you can find some great recipes on YouTube...  click on the link...3-2-1 Cake for Valentine's Day
 
 
 
 
Chocolate caramel cheesecake muffins
Author: Drizzle
Serves: 10 @5sp

Ingredients
1- 7.5oz package Pillsbury biscuits (in the 4 value pack, or buy a bigger pack and weigh out)
2 graham cracker squares (13g) crushed, you can also use some pre-made graham crumbs
6 oz softened light cream cheese
2 Tbsp sugar
½ Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp egg whites (I buy the cartoon of "just egg whites")
1 Tbsp milk
½ tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp sugar free caramel syrup, I use smuckers
1.5 squares of Lindt 70% dark chocolate, melted

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F, line a regular sized 12 hole muffin pan with 10 cupcake liners, lightly spray liners.
Cut your 10 biscuits into 8 pieces each.
Crush up your graham crackers into a fine crumb and place into a small zip lock type bag, place 8 pieces of biscuits at a time in the crumbs and coat, place coated pieces into cupcake liner. Repeat with all 10 biscuits.
In a bowl beat together your cream cheese, sugar, flour, egg whites, milk and vanilla until nice and creamy.
Scoop cream cheese mixture on top of biscuit pieces, about 1 heaping tablespoon on each, shake your pan out a bit to even out the cream cheese mixture and let it settle.
Bake in oven for 18 minutes, remove and let cool for 5 minutes. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Melt your chocolate in the microwave for 35 second intervals, turning each time until melted. Place your caramel sauce in a small zip lock and cut a tiny hole in corner of the bag, I find this helps drizzle better than coming out of the container. Drizzle caramel over the muffins, then using a small spoon drizzle your chocolate. Store in fridge, each muffin is 5sp.




Healthy Chicken Salad with Apples & Cranberries
Leftover rotisserie chicken, apples, celery, and dried cranberries in a light and creamy dressing,
this easy healthy chicken salad with apples and cranberries is a lunchtime favorite.
Author: Martha Serves:
 
2½ cups chopped cooked chicken
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup chopped apple (about 1 large; I used a Pink Lady and kept the peel because it was organic)
¼ cup dried cranberries
½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons Hellman's light mayonnaise
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
 
Instructions 1. Place the chicken, celery, apple and cranberries in a bowl and stir to combine.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, mayonnaise and lemon juice.
3. Add to the chicken mixture and stir to mix well.
4. Stir in the parsley if desired.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cook's Notes Nutritional Estimates Per Serving (about 1 cup): 4 SmartPoints
This would be delicious served on whole grain crackers or in a pita or wrap too.
 


BBQ Meatloaf

1 lb 93% lean ground beef
1⁄2 cup barbecue sauce, divided
1⁄4 cup frozen chopped onion, pressed dry
1⁄4 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
2 large egg white
Directions

Prep 5 min
Cook 40 min
Ready 45 min
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Combine meat, 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, onion, breadcrumbs, egg whites, and seasons of your choice in a large bowl; stir well.

Shape mixture into a loaf pan. Spread remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce over loaf.
Bake at 375°F for 40 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.
Per serving: 7 SmartPoints; Makes 4 servings.


 
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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