MIDWEEK MINUTES October 7, 2017
Midweek Minutes
October 7, 2017
Hello, Winners!
So, it was tense. I bought a 2nd cat carrier so I could take both cats to the vet for their vaccinations...because I didn’t want to have to make two trips. We don’t have a vet in town anymore, so having to drive to Hastings twice just wasn’t an option. Getting them into the carriers was stressing me out. I realized as I pulled up to the office that I forgot to get Frontline for my girls. I simply wasn’t going to drive to Walmart to get it with two cats in the car. I knew that the vet would sell Frontline, but I also knew that it would cost a bit more than at Walmart. (Actually, the price was very reasonable.)
What’s the point of my story? Weight Watchers has LOTS of products for sale right in the meeting room. Not only are the products program-specific, but they are also convenient. Can you buy snacks and bars and smoothie mixes and kitchen tools, etc. at Walmart? Sure you can, but you can shop right there in the meeting with us. Are the products maybe a bit more price-wise? It’s possible. (We DO have GREAT SALES!) But we have everything right there in the meeting room for your convenience.
The other great thing about buying products from the vet’s office is that I could ask questions. At Walmart, there is nobody who knows which product is best for my cats.
At Weight Watchers, you can ask us about any product or any program information. If we don’t know the answer, we will find out for you. Our staff members are members FIRST and ALWAYS, and we have your backs. Take advantage of the LIFETIME members as well.
BTW, my girls behaved beautifully at the vet. I am very proud of them. --Zig
Member Milestones
With our new MEG computers, the information for
Individual awards might not jive...so if you earned an award this week, and we didn’t catch it… or it says you did, but not really, CONGRATS!
Total loss: -17.4 lbs.
Getting motivated to lose weight and live healthier is one thing; staying motivated—that's quite another. But a powerful, personal "why" can be the wind at your back, keeping you going even when things get tough. Your "why" isn't necessarily the same as your goal; you might have a specific "weight-I'd-like-to-be" (goal) but your reasons for wanting to be at a certain weight are your "why," the motor that gets you to your destination.
Your Weekly can get you started on framing your "why." It uses some of the elements of the SMART approach, originally devised as a way to set business goals.
While it's a great way to set your own personal goals for work and life, it's also a good template for pinpointing your most personal, effective motivation for losing weight:
Specific. Maybe you want to get back into a certain clothing size or able to participate in a certain activity that you're not quite able to tackle right now. Name it. And state it positively (“I want to be able to ride a rollercoaster,” rather than “I don’t want to have to sit out the rides at the amusement park”) to give your "why" more power.
Measurable. You want to be able to tell you're making progress: You can walk farther without stopping, or your blood pressure is down, or you can fit into a size-smaller jeans.
Achievable. Focus on what you can do—refusing seconds at dinner or cooking more often rather than going out—rather than what you want _other people_to do, like wishing your spouse would stop bringing home ice cream.
Realistic. Make your "why" a good fit with your lifestyle. Running a 10K next month when you've just started walking regularly? Hmm. Maybe not the right motivation at this point. But revving up your walking routine? Yeah, that might be more like it.
Time-bound. Keeping in mind that slow and steady wins the race, set a timeframe for when you hope to have dropped a size, or no longer need a seatbelt extender. Having a date in mind helps you get and stay fired up.
And remember, your "why" might change over time, as you reach goals and/or your priorities change. Want some inspiration? See what has motivated other members.
Be menu wise
Don’t put your social life on hold! Our tips will help you spot the smart choices on the menu.
- Peruse the menu beforehand. It’ll help you determine what you want (and how many SmartPoints you’re willing to spend) before you get there.
- Order kid's meals; not the meal deals. Avoid getting the larger portion just because it's cheaper. Ask yourself just how much those extra calories are going to cost you in terms of your health.
- Understand the lingo: smothered, rich, au gratin, glazed, and creamy usually indicate high SmartPoints values. Flame-grilled, poached, smoked, baked, and grilled tend to be lower.
- Divide your meal in half and ask your server to wrap up the other half to take home. It’ll help you avoid the temptation of eating too much just because it's there.
- Ask for what you want. Don't be shy. It's okay to ask for dressing on the side or baked chicken instead of fried. You're paying good money for that meal, so you're entitled to make special requests or slight modifications.
- Don't drink your SmartPoints. A drink with dinner is fine, but too many margaritas may wreak havoc on your resolve. (Not to mention your SmartPoints Budget.)
- Alternate alcoholic beverages with non-caloric sodas or sparkling water. And don’t drink alcoholic beverages on an empty stomach!
- Use your Weeklies. That’s what they’re there for!
- Resign from the clean plate club — there’s no prize for finishing your food. Some restaurant portions can be two, three, even four times the "normal" size. Keep your portions in check by:
- Ordering a salad as a starter and then splitting a main entrée with a friend.
- Creating your own scaled-down meal from a couple of appetizers and/or side dishes.
Hitting your neighborhood walking path might be one of the last things you feel like doing, but it also might be one of the most important steps you can take to help stay cancer-free. Regular exercise is one of the American Cancer Society’s primary guidelines to help breast cancer survivors maintain long-term health (staying at a healthy weight and having a nutritious diet are the other two). Why is physical activity so important? “Exercise may be its own form of medicine,” says Colleen Doyle, MS, RD, managing director of nutrition and physical activity for the American Cancer Society.
Regular physical activity has been shown to have many potential benefits, including lower stress, improved mood, and less fatigue, plus it helps facilitate weight maintenance—all of which may help improve a breast cancer survivor’s quality of life.
A growing body of evidence shows that regular physical activity may help prevent the disease from coming back. A landmark Harvard study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association observed nearly 3,000 registered nurses and breast cancer survivors over 14 years and found that those who walked three to five hours a week reduced their risk of dying from breast cancer compared with those who walked less. The benefit was particularly apparent in women with hormone-responsive tumors.
The cause and effect isn’t clear, in part because the regular exercisers in the study also adopted other behaviors thought to possibly help prevent recurrence of many kinds of cancers, such as having a diet high in fruits and vegetables, keeping a healthy body-mass index (BMI), and staying on top of screenings. But Michelle Holmes, DrPH, associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public
Health and lead researcher on the study, makes the case why exercise may help breast cancer survivors specifically: “Women who exercise may have lower levels of estrogen in their bodies, and many kinds of breast cancer are fueled by estrogen,” she says. The best news from this study? “The benefit is achievable. You don’t have to run a marathon.”
How Much Activity Do You Need?
The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends you incorporate 150 minutes of moderate physical activity into your week. One example: walking at a pace of one mile every 15 to 20 minutes. “Walking is safe for most and something most of us can do year-round,” says Doyle (although you should always get the OK from your health-care provider before beginning or changing exercise plans). If you haven’t been active at all, it’s fine to start slowly and ramp up both your speed and distance. If you can get to 30 minutes five times a week, you’ll hit the guidelines. (And this October, Weight Watchers and the American Cancer Society make it easier than ever to help walk your way to better health, while honoring breast cancer survivors, by participating in one of the hundreds of local walks and runs as part of our “Making Strides” initiative. Click here for information.)
If you prefer to exercise at a high intensity, or if you’re more active in general, the ACS says that 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week works, too. That means activities that raise your heart rate and breathing, such as running, swimming, and cycling, or sports like tennis, basketball, or volleyball. Three 25-minute sessions per week will get the job done.
Why Resistance Training Is Irresistible
Breast cancer survivors in particular may benefit from adding in some resistance training (aka strength-training) to help restore the muscle mass that’s often lost during treatment, says Doyle. “Many women aren’t active during treatment, and during chemotherapy some might experience early menopause, which may result in the loss of some muscle mass,” adds Doyle. She explains that resistance-training—making your muscles work against force such as your own body or weights—helps build muscle, which, in turn, burns energy and may help boost your metabolism and make you feel stronger. A health professional can help tailor an exercise program specific to your needs as a cancer survivor. In the meantime, here are some ideas from Doyle:
Use your body weight. This is the easiest way to begin because you don’t need any equipment. Push-ups are a simple upper-body exercise and can be done on the floor in the usual way (from your toes) or modified, from your knees. If the floor doesn’t appeal, you can lean and brace your hands against a wall or the edge of a countertop and do them that way. For your lower body, squats and lunges are simple, work the larger muscles in your body like glutes and quads, and require little space. If you’re just starting out, feel free to use a table, chair, or wall for extra balance.
Doyle recommends a twice-weekly routine that involves eight to 12 repetitions for the upper-body exercises and 15 to 20 reps for the lower body. Increase your sets and reps gradually, week by week, as you get stronger.
Play with some toys. There are many equipment options for an effective resistance workout. Dumbbells are perhaps the most common, says Doyle, and come in a variety of weights (some starting as low as 2 pounds). Resistance bands are made of rubber and can be mounted to wall anchors, posts, and playground equipment. They’re available in a range of resistance levels and are a great way to start. Beyond these tools and toys, most gyms will have an array of weight machines, kettlebells, medicine balls, and free weights. And items like Swiss balls and BOSU® balls can be used to make strength-training more challenging. Doyle recommends consulting with a personal trainer or joining a gym with trainers on staff to help guide you while you’re starting out.
Time to Get Moving!
Of all the potential benefits of physical activity, the one that Doyle suggests you should never underestimate is how good regular movement with a purpose could make you feel. “When you were going through treatment, there were so many things in your life that you couldn’t control,” she says. “But having the opportunity to take back control of your life and positively affect your health may give you a huge mental boost. Deciding to live your life as a physically active person can help change the way you see yourself. You could get reacquainted with your body and start to feel like yourself again.”
Member Recipes
Garlic Seared Shrimp
2 SmartPoints® value
Serves: 4
Smoked paprika and fresh herbs take George Mendes' crustaceans from every day to ethereal.
Ingredients:
4 tsp olive oil, extra-virgin, divided
20 large uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 1⁄2 tsp paprika, pimentón variety (sweet smoked paprika)
1 T. fresh parsley, chopped
1 T. cilantro, fresh, chopped (plus more for garnish)
1⁄2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 pinch table salt
Directions:
Heat a large skillet over high heat until very hot. Lightly coat bottom of pan with 1 tsp oil; heat until lightly smoking. Add half of shrimp in a single layer. Cook just until golden and orange, 10 seconds; flip shrimp quickly. Cook 10 seconds more; immediately transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining shrimp and 1 tsp oil.
Reduce heat to medium-high; add remaining 2 tsp oil. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until light golden but not browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in pimentón; return shrimp to pan. (If pan is too small to hold shrimp, divide ingredients in half and cook in two batches.)
Reduce heat slightly and cook shrimp until done, about 1 minute; fold in parsley, cilantro, lemon juice and salt.
Serve shrimp with pan sauce spooned over top; garnish with cilantro.
Serving size: 5 shrimp
Notes: This recipe, originally by George Mendes, has been adapted from My Portugal for Weight Watchers Magazine.
Bacon cheeseburger pie
Author: Drizzle
Serves: 6
8sp per serving
Ingredients
- 1 package pillsbury reduced fat crescent rolls
- 1lb cooked extra lean ground beef
- 2 Tbsp ketchup
- 2 Tbsp mustard (I used honey Dijon)
- ¼ cup panko crumbs
- ⅔ cup light grated cheese (I use weight watchers Mexican blend)
- 4 slices low point bacon, cooked (I use Oscar Mayer center cut, 2 slices for 1pp)
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in a pan on stove top and drain. Cook bacon and drain.
- Preheat oven to 350F, spray a 8 inch pie dish.
- Open your crescent rolls and spread them out in your pie dish to form a pie shell, this will involve a little trimming, doesn't have to be perfect just as long as the whole dish is covered.
- Bake dough in oven for 5 minutes and remove, this will prevent middle not cooking all the way through.
- In a bowl mix your cooked ground beef, ketchup, mustard, panko crumbs, ⅓ cup cheese (leave other ⅓ aside) and 2 slices of crumbled cooked bacon (leave other 2 slices aside)
- Pour your beef mixture into your dough shell, it might of puffed up a bit while in oven and that's ok.
- Top with remaining cheese and crumbled up bacon, bake in oven another 8-10 minutes, checking often to be sure not to burn dough.
- Cut into 6 slices and serve.8sp per slice.
Creamy potato & cauliflower cheesy soup
Author: Drizzle me skinny
Serves: 8 4sp per serving
4 medium peeled white potatoes
½ head of chopped cauliflower
1 small chopped onion
4 cups of broth (your choice)
½ cup milk (I use almond)
⅔ cup light grated mozzarella
2 Tbsp aioli sauce (optional)
2 Tbsp light cream cheese
salt/pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the potatoes, cauliflower, onion and broth in crock pot on high for 4 hours or low 6 hours.
- Using a hand masher, mash up the potatoes and cauliflower while in the crock pot. Add the milk, cheeses and sauce and stir a few times.
- Leave on low and allow cheese to melt for 10-15 minutes. Garnish with grated cheese and bacon crumbs..(optional and not incl in point value) 4sp or 3pp per 1 cup serving.
Sloppy joe casserole
Author: Drizzle
Serves: 9
5pp or 7sp per serving
- 1lb cooked extra lean ground beef
- 1 cup diced onions
- 1 can of sloppy joe sauce (manwich) 398ml
- ⅔ cup light shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 7.5oz can of pillsbury biscuits (In the 4 value pack, you can use bigger biscuits and weigh out or increase points)
- 1.5 Tbsp melted reduced calorie margarine
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, diced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
Instructions
- Cook your ground beef and onions on the stove in a pan, drain.
- Preheat oven to 350F, spray a 9 inch square dish.
- Add your sauce to your meat and simmer on low for 5 minutes, stirring well.
- Pour meat mixture into your dish, top with cheese.
- Place 9 of your 10 biscuit dough pieces on top of mixture, you will have 1 extra biscuit.
- Bake in oven for 14 minutes. Just before the time is up, melt margarine and add diced garlic and oregano. Remove dish from oven and using a small spoon drizzle your garlic butter over top of all your biscuits.
- Return to oven for 6-8 minutes, until your biscuits are a golden brown.
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.Remove from list? If you no longer wish to receive weekly newsletters from me, please reply to this message indicating "Remove from list" in either the subject header or the body of the message.
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