MIDWEEK MINUTES March 11, 2017
Midweek
Minutes
March 11,
2017
Hello,
Winners!
Top'o the
Morning to ya, Winners! (okay, it’s
afternoon)
Ah, the
Time Change, the Ides of March, and St. Paddy's Day in one week! It's quite the
week!
Isn't Daylight Savings tonight the real "March
Madness"? Oh, well, the evenings will stay lighter, and we will have time to do
more things outside in the evening such as take a walk (or SEE the road as I drive home from WW meetings, even if I now
have to stare into the setting sun). I'm NOT a big fan of getting up an
hour earlier,
though.
I'm
sure you don't celebrate the Ides of March, but it's the anniversary of the
death of Julius Caesar. You know old Julius Caesar wasn't Irish, and he wasn't
very lucky on March 15 either! But as "Big Julie" said, "Et tu, Brute?, meaning
'You, too, Brutus?'. In other words, why don't you call a friend and bring them
along to your WW meeting to lose along with you! Losing with a friend makes the
process more fun and helps keep you on program too!
On
Friday, 'tis the day for the Wearin' of the Green! I have included lightened up
versions of some Irish favorites because 'tis not the luck 'o the Irish that
will get us to goal, is it! That's a lot of Blarney! What it takes is a
little discipline and focus, working the program, and coming to the meetings!
(Remember to listen for the weather closings on the radio
or the TV in case of bad weather, which might happen this
week!)
Bottom
line: You joined Weight Watchers to help you change. THINK GREEN by
incorporating some healthy veggies into your foods! THINK GREEN by envisioning
yourself walking outside this spring! I had a great walk on Thursday. My first
thought was to take a nap when I got home from school, but I decided to take a
walk! Boy, did it energize me and make me feel great! THINK GREEN! Kermit
might say, "It's not easy being GREEN", but you know, I say, "It might not
always be the easiest thing to stay on program, but it sure is BETTER than the
misery I had being overweight and not liking myself much!"
So,
remember, WE CAN DO IT, even with the Potluck, Party, and Prom season
approaching soon! ALONE WE ARE SMART, BUT TOGETHER WE ARE BRILLIANT!
We ARE Weight Watchers!
Get
some sleep, but don’t miss the meeting on Monday!!!See you then! --Zig
It's
TIME to celebrate these Member Milestones!
Total Loss: –27.8
lbs.
15 lb.
star
Jana C.
The weather’s warming up (some days at least)!, the days are getting longer, and spring is around the corner. It’s the perfect time to step up, get out, and move your mind and body. So how do you convert ideas to action? If you plan your meals and snacks, you know that thinking ahead makes it easier to carry through on your intentions. The same goes for activity. Put it in your calendar: what, when, where, even with whom—and you’ll help make it happen.
If you're a fitness newbie or you haven't been active for a while, no worries. One small step at a time. For starters, we just encourage you to become more mindful about moving, so to make the shift a natural one. (If you're new to fitness, or have taken an extended break, be sure to speak with your doctor before you start or resume a fitness plan.)
Take control
Along with creating an activity plan (when, where, how long, and with whom you can work out), it can help to set an activity goal—no matter what your fitness level or how small the goal. It might be to walk 10 minutes three times a week. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s something you like. In your Weekly, you'll find some activity ideas that are really exercise in disguise. The not-so-secret idea here is, of course, that the more you like what you're doing, the more likely you are to keep it up!
To help you make activity a routine that feels anything but, these ideas can help:
- Find fitness that fits your life. If you have an irregular work schedule, trying to catch a class during the week can be frustrating. So, choose activities that can be easily slotted into your day, like walking your kids to school or running errands during lunch.
- Draw up a weekly timetable. To help you organize your time properly, create a weekly calendar of activities. If you can, schedule at least 10-minute increments for health benefits. Yard work, housecleaning, and snow shoveling count. And if you wear an activity monitor to track everything you do, it's even more rewarding.
- Attach exercise to a (non-food) treat. Don't wait until you reach your goal to celebrate. Mini-rewards—like flowers once a week for completing all of your scheduled activity—can help keep you motivated. You can also attach exercise to an enjoyable event, like playing with your kids in the park or catching up with a friend on a walk.
- Get your crew on board. Having a workout buddy can help you stay on track. But it can also help your fitness efforts to let your family and friends know about your goals—and about how much you love encouragement (or a kick in the pants, if needed!). And if you need someone to watch the kids while you exercise, arrange it well in advance; don't rely on last-minute favors.
- Anticipate dips. Everyone struggles with motivation from time to time; preparing for these feelings can help you quickly bounce back from them. For example, if you sometimes struggle to get to your spinning class, ask a friend to call to make sure you're not still sitting on the sofa.
- Buy workout clothing you're excited to wear. Shop for well-designed, flattering, and supportive pieces; you'll be more motivated to exercise.
- Grab and go. Leave your gym bag by the door. That way you always know where it is, and it's a gentle reminder to get moving!
This week on “Connecting with
Oprah”
Meet Samantha on "Member
Spotlight" from last Thursday, March 9, and get inspired as she shares with
Oprah what helped her finally make the mental switch—and what she won't give up
(French fries, for one thing!).
Here’s how to watch:
- Text OPRAH to 855-299 for a direct link and reminders! It’s the easiest way to find it.
- Or… in the Weight Watchers Mobile app, go to Connect and search for the username connectingwithoprah.
- Or… if you want to watch it on the subscriber site, go to the Oprah tab on Living.
Tune
in every THURSDAY NIGHT at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT!
Hedonic Hunger – Liking and Wanting
Survival requires the
body to balance calorie intake and expenditure. . If hunger were controlled only
by this homeostatic mechanism, humans would eat just enough to satisfy the
calorie needs of their
body.1
Once those needs
were met, satiation and satiety would signal that eating should end. However,
hedonic hunger, that is, eating for pleasure rather than for energy
needs,1 drives humans to eat for pleasure rather than because of a
calorie deficit.
Because today’s
food environment is filled with highly palatable foods that trigger hedonic
hunger, humans tend to override the body’s homeostatic systems for controlling
food intake and to eat more calories than they require.
Eating for Pleasure
Hedonic hunger incorporates motivational (reward), cognitive, and emotional influences on eating.2,3 Palatable foods, particularly those high in fat and/or sugar, often are eating in response to hedonic hunger – they are desirable as much for pleasure and satisfaction as for calories. The feelings generated by such foods reinforce the desire to eat them frequently.
Hedonic hunger incorporates motivational (reward), cognitive, and emotional influences on eating.2,3 Palatable foods, particularly those high in fat and/or sugar, often are eating in response to hedonic hunger – they are desirable as much for pleasure and satisfaction as for calories. The feelings generated by such foods reinforce the desire to eat them frequently.
Hedonic hunger and
the resultant overeating have been compared to drug addiction. In response to
hedonic hunger, an individual may feel a loss of control over starting and
stopping eating, become overly focused on eating, and require increasing amounts
of food to satisfy the urge to eat. Hedonic hunger, as well as eating and
satiety, are thought to be influenced by dopamine, leptin, serotonin (5-HT),
noradrenaline, opioids, gamma aminobutyric acid, and others.
The Liking and Wanting of Hedonic
Hunger
Liking and wanting are both generated by the body’s hedonic neural systems and mediated by hunger that arises from the need for calories. Liking refers to the pleasantness of a food. Individuals tend to like foods more when they’re hungry – caused by activation of certain neurotransmitters and hotspots in the brain – and like them less when they’re satiated. For example, the sweet taste of a food may become less pleasant with eating, even though the sweetness of the food has not changed.4 The drop in liking has been shown to be accompanied by reduced activation in the mid-anterior orbitofrontal cortex of the brain.5
Liking and wanting are both generated by the body’s hedonic neural systems and mediated by hunger that arises from the need for calories. Liking refers to the pleasantness of a food. Individuals tend to like foods more when they’re hungry – caused by activation of certain neurotransmitters and hotspots in the brain – and like them less when they’re satiated. For example, the sweet taste of a food may become less pleasant with eating, even though the sweetness of the food has not changed.4 The drop in liking has been shown to be accompanied by reduced activation in the mid-anterior orbitofrontal cortex of the brain.5
Wanting is
generated by reward mechanisms. Activation of reward centers in the brain in
combination with the presence of food or food cues can increase “wanting” for a
particular food even though the degree of “liking” has not changed. Reward cues
stimulate dopamine response, as does food restriction, which influences degree
wanting.
Liking and wanting
rarely turn off. They readily respond to food cues and other environmental
factors that lead to eating in the absence of homeostatic hunger. This explains
in part why individuals desire and eat dessert even though they are full after a
meal. Questions remain whether increases in liking and wanting cause overeating
and obesity, whether obesity causes abnormally strong liking and wanting, or
whether liking and wanting do not influence body weight.
NEW PRODUCTS FOR MARCH!!!!!
YOU GOTTA SEE THE COOL, NEW STUFF!!!
Apple Chai Breakfast Squares
It’s
made with real apples, sunflower seeds, & rolled oats and best of all-- this
bar does not contain nuts!
My
Little Black Journal
Personalize
it!!!
Our very ownVegetable Spiralizer
It’s the perfect way to turn a 0-SmartPoints
value vegetable into a delicious pasta alternative.
0
SmartPoints
per
serving--a true game-changer to make a recipe like
this!
At only 2 Smart Points® value per bar
you can enjoy this delightful treat any time of day.
EVERYDAY DELICIOUS Cookbook!!!
(Look at that Mac and Cheese!!!
Practicing Portion Control
Easy ways to size up
healthy servings.
You go out for dinner
and order whole wheat spaghetti with marinara sauce and a side of grilled
veggies. The pasta is so plentiful that it's falling off the plate. Yes, your
meal is nutritious.
But can
too much of a good thing be not so good? Absolutely.
How super is supersize?
In the era of the supersized meal it's often hard to recognize normal portion sizes. Giant bottles of soda, extra-large bags of chips and king-size candy bars are part of our everyday eating landscape.
In the era of the supersized meal it's often hard to recognize normal portion sizes. Giant bottles of soda, extra-large bags of chips and king-size candy bars are part of our everyday eating landscape.
But unfortunately, as our portion
sizes get larger, so do our waistlines. And bigger packages can also sabotage
portion control.
Research from the University of
Illinois shows that people may tend to eat more food when it's served in larger
containers.
When movie-goers were given the
same amount of popcorn in containers of two different sizes, the people given
the larger tubs ate 44 percent more. The lesson here is to use a smaller plate
at dinner!
Sizing things up
To keep portions in perspective, you need tools to help you navigate through bulked-up servings.
To keep portions in perspective, you need tools to help you navigate through bulked-up servings.
It's wise to weigh things to get an
accurate idea of how big portions should be, but that's not feasible when you're
on the go.
Relating measurements to common
objects and teaching yourself to recognize appropriate serving sizes will be a
great step toward achieving your weight-loss goals.
For example, you can use your hand
to gauge healthy portions.
Your fist is
about the same size as one cup of fruit or pasta
Your thumb (tip
to base) is the size of one ounce of meat or cheese
Your palm (minus
fingers) equals three ounces of meat, fish, or poultry
Your cupped hand
equals one to two ounces of nuts or pretzels
Putting it into action
Once you have serving sizes committed to memory, you'll be ready to fit them into your eating plan.
Once you have serving sizes committed to memory, you'll be ready to fit them into your eating plan.
Limit servings of high-fat
foods such as fatty meats and fried foods
Buy single-servings of some
foods, such as 1-ounce bags of chips or 1/2-cup servings of ice
cream
Remember that servings of most
vegetables are extremely low in fat and calories.
Bell peppers and button
mushrooms just might become your new best buddies!
Member
Recipes
Shamrock Shake Light (like McD’s)Ingredients for Shake:¾ cup fat-free frozen vanilla yogurt, see shopping tip½ cup fat-free milk⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract or mint extract5 drops green food coloring2 packets Truvia, Stevia, Splenda or your favorite sugar substitute3-4 ice cubes
Ingredients for Topping:Fat-free or Light whipped cream, optional
Instructions1. Combine all shake ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Stop blender and stir with a spoon to help blend everything. Blend again for a few seconds.2. Pour into a glass. Top with light whipped cream, if desired and enjoy immediately. You really don’t need the whipped cream. It still tastes great without it!Makes 1 (1½ cups) serving
Food Facts
First introduced in 1970, the Shamrock Shake, McDonald’s minty, St. Patrick’s Day treat, is back and available all over the country. You’ll be able to sip the green dessert drink until the end of March and then it will be gone until next year.
Shopping Tip
Buy fat-free frozen vanilla yogurt found at your local yogurt shop or Edy’s (Dryers) fat-free frozen vanilla yogurt. This brand is available in most supermarkets or use your favorite fat-free frozen vanilla yogurt. Edy’s and Dreyer’s are the same company but are named differently in different areas. It’s called Edy’s in the East, Midwest and South and Dreyer’s in the Western US.
Prep Tip
If you buy frozen yogurt from your local yogurt shop, place in freezer until very firm, before using. This should take about an hour.
Weight Watchers SmartPoints 8Reuben Wonton Cupcakesyield: 12 WONTON CUPS; WEIGHT WATCHERS SMARTPOINTS:3 per “cupcake”INGREDIENTS:12 oz deli sliced corned beef, diced (I used Wegmans 97% fat free)4 wedges of The Laughing Cow Light Swiss Cheese Wedges, chopped1/3 cup light Thousand Island dressing (I used Kraft)24 wonton wrappers¼ cup sauerkraut6 slices 2% Swiss Cheese, each cut into 4 equal piecesDIRECTIONS:Pre-heat the oven to 375. Lightly mist 12 cups in a standard muffin/cupcake tin with cooking spray and set aside.In a microwave-safe mixing bowl, combine the corned beef and chopped cheese wedges and stir together. Place the bowl in the microwave and heat on high for 1 ½ minutes until contents are warm. Use a spoon to mix contents and smush the cheese wedges until they’ve coated the meat. Mix in the Thousand Island dressing.Push a wonton wrapper into the bottom of each of the sprayed cups in the muffin tin. Using about half of the corned beef mixture, spoon evenly into the wonton wrappers. Spread a teaspoon of sauerkraut over the meat and place one of the 2% Swiss pieces on top of each cup. Press another wonton wrapper on top and repeat the layering steps with the remaining corned beef mixture and 2% Swiss cheese (if you like a lot of sauerkraut, feel free to add a second layer of that as well).Bake for 18-20 minutes until the wontons are golden brown and the contents are heated through.www.emilybites comIrish StewI provide instructions for cooking this Irish stew in the slow cooker. But you could always put it in a covered ovenproof pot and let it simmer away in a low oven instead. (325 degrees for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until tender)Servings: 8Author: Martha | Simple Nourished LivingIngredients1 cup beef broth1 cup Irish stout (such as Guinness)2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes8 small red potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half14 ounces canned diced tomatoes1 cup chopped onion3 carrots, peelt and cut into chunks2 parsnips, peeled and quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch slices1 small turnip, peeled, halved and each half cut into 8 chunks1 bay leaf1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)3 tablespoons all-purpose flour2 cups frozen peas1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley (optional)InstructionsIdeal Slow Cooker Size: 5-QuartCombine the broth, stout, lamb, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, parsnips, carrots, turnips, bay leaf, salt and pepper in the crock pot.Cover and cook on LOW until the lamb is fork-tender and vegetables soft, 6 to 8 hours.To thicken the stew, stir together the flour and 1/2 cup water (or shake it together in a covered jar) until smooth. Stir into the stew.Cover and cook on HIGH until thickened, about 20 minutes.Remove the bay leaf and stir in the peas and parsley before serving.Recipe Notes*10 Weight Watchers SmartPointsRoasted Cabbage WedgesServes: 61 medium head green cabbage1 tablespoon olive oilSalt and fresh ground black pepperPreheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat with nonstick cooking spray.Cut the cabbage into 1-1/2-inch thick wedges, removing the core. Brush the wedges with olive oil and place on prepared baking sheet. Try to keep the pieces from falling apart, but if they do start to separate a bit it's fine). Sprinkle the cabbage with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Roast, turning once, until crispy and browned, 30 to 40 minutes.Nutritional Estimates Per Serving (1/6th): 50 calories, 2.5 g fat, 3 g fiber, 1.5 g protein and 1 Weight Watchers 1 SmartPointCrockpot Corned Beef and Cabbage2 lbs lean corned beef brisket, all fat trimmed off1 cup frozen pearl onions2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks1 small head cabbage, cut into 6 wedges1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley2 bay leaves1/8 tsp whole peppercornsDIRECTIONS:In a 5-6 qt crock pot, place brisket, carrots, parsnips, pearl onions, parsley, bay leaves, peppercorns and 3 cups of water.Cover and cook on high 4 hours.Add cabbage, cook on high 1 hour 20 minutes more.NUTRITION INFORMATIONYield: 6 servings, Serving Size: 3 oz brisket & veggiesAmount Per Serving:Smart Points: 8
Read more at http://www.skinnytaste.com/crock-pot-corned-beef-and-cabbage/#zoArhBG09EU1HzKz.99
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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