Get Fresh!

Have you been in the Farmer's market lately? Can it get better than this?

I get so excited when I walk amongst the stalls and find new fruits, new veggies to try. I cannot wait to go home and Google this weird looking plant hoping that I noted the name right and that I can figure out something edible to make with it. How exciting!

I have not always felt that way though. Honestly, when I first joined Weight Watchers, my vegetables were carrots, potatoes, corn, forcing it maybe green beans. I wouldn't even try broccoli! Then I learned that vegetables not only were very healthy, but they are also very low in fat, carbs and calories. Because of that, they are the perfect weapon against the munchies! That's when baby carrots and I became very intimate! My tan was fabulous that year, if a little orangy...

Very quickly I got sick and tired of eating baby carrots and I decided to explore the realm of vegetables and fruits. You know what I found? If you prepare them right, they are delicious! This week we will discuss how we can make fruits and vegetables a big and delicious part of our daily meals and snacks. Don't miss it!

Event

This Friday (the 15th), at the Century Club meeting we are having ourselves a little mini potluck.

Where:

Century Club of California
1355 Franklin Street, San Francisco, CA

When:

The meeting is at 9:15am, the door open at 8:45.

What:

We are bringing fruit and vegetable dishes which are healthy and low PointsPlus. Please make sure to have the P+ value and the recipe (if applicable!).

Lets take this topic to another level! How fun is that? I can't wait!

Tool of the week

Not only I didn't know much about vegetables when I started this, but I didn't even know how to cook eggs, much less a meal! I learned to cook with the Weight Watchers cookbooks. To this day they are a huge part of my collection of cookbooks.

The recipes you will find in there are easy enough so that anyone can make them successfully, and yet tasty enough that years later I never get tired of making them! This is not "diet food" but healthy delicious recipes that will satisfy everybody.


In the Kitchen

This is a simple little side dish that I used to make all the time. A few months ago, I dug out my Simply Bueno cookbook, and rediscovered this along with a few other favorites that I had forgotten about. It is delicious, and perfect for summer time because it's as good hot as it is cold.

It's one of those recipe that you can easily spice up, or spice down depending on taste! :o)

Sauteed Summer Squash with Tomatoes and Corn
4 servings, 3 P+/serving

1 TBSP canola oil
1 onion finely chopped
1 jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and minced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 lb zucchini, diced
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
3/4 cup fresh or thawed corn kernels
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.

Add the jalapeño and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, corn, salt and ground pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the cilantro and serve.

Source: Simply Bueno (Weight Watchers) p. 197

Activity

Last spring with the Walk It Challenge, we talked about walking a lot, and with good reasons. It's an easy activity that is not only very effective, but low cost.

Still many people confided in me that they thought walking was not enough of a challenge for them. They couldn't figure out how to add intensity to their daily walks. Really? In San Francisco?

Incline:

The first obvious suggestion is find a few good hills and go to town. Walking uphill will add intensity. We are lucky you can find all grades, all heights, we have it all in SF!

Surface:

There isn't much difference in intensity between walking on pavement or on gravel really, but soft sand? Try walking on the beach away from the water. After a while you really start feeling it!

Weight:

You can buy vest that are made to add weight. Those are a good way to add weight to your walk without compromising your posture and/or your joints. There are also ankle and wrist weights that you can get. Honestly, with a bad knee, I would not use those, but it's between you and your doctor to know if it's ok for you to use them. Remember that any weight you chose to carry on your walks, you have to walk back with. :o)

Speed:

Sounds obvious, but if you don't have any hill nearby (hum..) or beaches, and weights are not happening, go for speed! You usually do your loop in 45 minutes? Shoot for 40 next time. Or keep the same time, but add a few blocks to your walk.

Walking can be a challenging activity if you want it to be, you can take it outside the city too! Go hiking! Just remember that it's generally much hotter outside of San Francisco, so plan adequately for clothing, sunscreen and water!

Have a good week!

This is my favorite part of the summer. The major parties are all done, all there is left to do is enjoy the season for a few weeks before it's time to start running again. Even if I now work through the summer, it still seems like the "relax season" for some reason.

While you are relaxing, don't forget to take time to stop by your meeting so that we can share our tips, ideas, and suggestions as well as encourage each others to stay on track through the summer fun.

Also if your schedule permits, stop by the Century Club Friday and join our little potluck/meeting! It'll be fun!

I'm always an email away!! See you in the meeting room!

Melanie


It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.

~Lewis Grizzard

If Only...

I could lose weight, really I could! If only I had...

* A personal trainer,
* A personal chef,
* A maid to do all the house chores for me,
* ?

We look at all those celebrities losing weight and what is our first thought? Oh sure, give me all she/he has and I'll lose weight in a heartbeat too! Really? How many celebrities have lost and gained the same weight over and over again? Why is that? They have everything right? How can they possibly struggle?

If you really think about it, what are the essentials that we need for successful weight loss and maintenance? If you cut out the super flu, you will realize that what is really important, you have already.

You have everything you need to be successful! All you need is a plan and the drive to follow the plan. This week, we'll see to it that we leave the meeting ready for action!


Tool of the week

Gym not your thing? You've been buried in summer activities and feel like your workout routine is suffering? Try our Fitness kits!

These are fun ways to get moving in the comfort of your own home. Whether you are using the exercise ball, or the weighed gloves (each kit have their own exercise DVD included) you can keep your routine on track without missing any of the summer fun!


In the Kitchen

We recently moved our dinning table closer to the window, and on beautiful mornings, the sun hits right on our table as we sit there having breakfast. It's sort of a magical thing when we have time to just sit and enjoy the morning together. On the weekend we like to indulge a little bit and sometimes we go hunting for different breakfast that does not include eggs or oatmeal. :o)

This recipe is one of those "special breakfast" recipe that we don't do too often, but that is so delicious, that we keep it in reserve "just in case". Thing is, it's easy and quick enough to be an every day recipe and it's not THAT high in P+ really, I did add some FF cool whip to it, because I was feeling fuffy!

Peach and Ginger Crepes
4 servings, 4P+/serving

Ingredients
4 ripe peaches, about 1 1/2 pound, halved, pitted, chopped
2 TBSP granulated sugar
2 TBSP chopped candied ginger
2 tsp lemon juice
4, 7inches, ready-to-use crepes
2 tsp confectioners' sugar

Combine the peaches, granulated sugar, ginger, and lemon juice in a medium bol; let stand 10 minutes.

Place 1/4 of the mixture in the center of each crepe; roll up to enclose the filling. Place each filled crepe, seam side down, in the middle of a breakfast plate. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Source: Mix it Match It cookbook, Weight Watchers 2007, Breakfast section.

Activity

Be your own personal trainer!

What does a personal trainer do? They assess your present abilities, figure out what your goals are, and then break them down so that they can put together a plan for you to achieve your goals.

Sound familiar?

What if you were to take notes on your work outs, how much you are doing, how you feel afterward, and then used that to assess your abilities?

Cardio is really good, but you could use some strengthening? You're fairly strong, but looking at a hill makes you winded?

Once you've done that, you can make a plan!

To boost my cardio abilities, I can...

To tone up my arms, I can...

To _____ I can ____

As with everything we do, it's only a matter of taking this one challenge at a time, setting realistic goals, and having a plan! You can do this!

Have a great week!

I know I know, it's summer time, we are busy, things are happening, people are visiting, the kids are off school... SO? Your meeting is 45 minutes/week. 45 minutes that you take for yourself, to take care of yourself. Only 45 minutes a week so that in September, you will feel all happy and successful for having kept an eye on your goals throughout the summer.

That is so worth 45 minutes/week, right? I will see you in the meeting room!

Melanie

You have what you need to be successful!