tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32709227288787632552024-03-04T20:48:57.357-08:00Melanie's WeeklyWillowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-74240053576352577112012-02-07T10:50:00.000-08:002012-02-07T11:26:16.406-08:00Track and loseFebruary is all about taking those good habits that we set in place in January, and locking them solidly in place so that we can keep the course all through the year and for the years to come.<br />
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I think that to do that, some of us have to take a different point of view on those new habits. Instead of of looking at them as limitations that we impose on ourselves to achieve our goals, why don't we look at them as enhancements we are bringing to our every day life?<br />
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<ul>
<li>I'm not limiting junk food, I'm enjoying more healthy foods.</li>
<li>I'm not forcing myself to work out, I'm doing something fun while making myself fitter, stronger, happier</li>
<li>I'm not forcing myself to not snack in the evening, I'm just finding healthier ways to wind down. </li>
</ul>
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It's a slight change that does take some practice, but in the long run it makes this new lifestyle more natural, more enjoyable and less like a series of punishment. Which brings me to this week's topic:<br />
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Recently Jennifer Hudson was asked "How do you stay motivated to track everyday?" She answered "Really?!? I get to look like this- and all I have to do is to track?"<br />
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I had never thought of it quite that way, had you? We keep talking about how important it is to track, how it keeps us on track, but still we act like it's a chore, something painful that we have to do if we want results.<br />
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What if we starting thinking about it differently? What if tracking was a gift we're giving ourselves? What if we could make it work, make it effortless, make it fun? Lets see if we can find ways to do that together!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Member Corner</span></b><br />
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Well, since I wasn't around last week, I have no idea what happened!<br />
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I just wanted to pipe in this section anyway and remind you that if you want me to post something on here, I will gladly do that. This is to be YOUR section of my blog. If you are looking for a walking partner, a recipe, an obscure cookbook or exercise tape, send me and email and I'll be happy to post it on here. :o)<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">It's a Lifestyle</span></b><br />
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As I have been down with the flu for over a week, not much as been going on other than a lot of online time, couch time, and whining. HA! <br />
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I did manage to win a giveaway online which brought me to a realization about what direction I want my lifestyle to take. You are never really done building up your life and deciding which direction it is to take at any given moment. Here's my thought process about this whole <a href="http://willowslifestyle.blogspot.com/2012/02/i-chose-my-path.html">Vegan/not vegan thing</a>.<br />
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I did try a new food! Mung beans!I made a soup and it was absolutely delicious! Look it up here : <a href="http://melaniesfoods.blogspot.com/2012/01/whole-mung-bean-soup.html">Whole Mung Beans Soup</a>.<br />
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After the Farmers Market Sunday before last, I swung by Jai Ho a little Indian grocery store (awesome by the way) for spices, and grabbed those little green beans/lentils thinking I should give them a try. I did and I LOVE THEM! Give them a try!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Setting down the foundations of success</span></b><br />
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The warm up is done, we have identified the steps we need to take, and learned how to take them. Now it's time to fine tune them and find our second wind. We're in this for the long haul, and we're in this together! We will not let the momentum slow down, we can make this work because we Believe!<br />
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I'll be back in the meeting room this week, I can't wait to see how you are all doing. In the meantime, never be afraid of emailing me. I'm there for you!<br />
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Your leader,<br />
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Melanie Bourgeois<br />
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<br />Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-62526375476851350142012-01-13T22:04:00.000-08:002012-01-13T22:22:18.749-08:00Change from the Outside inChange is a funny thing. You'd think that it's a very simple process, that you make the decision to change and that's all there is to it. If only... Changing one's life is a process, it is complex it happens in stages. To try and do everything at once is putting a lot of pressure on ourselves, often it's setting ourselves up for failure.<br />
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A few years ago, Weight Watchers had a poster that was called the Levels of Change and it looked pretty much like this:
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When it comes to changing our habits for successful long-lasting weight loss, it's easier to proceed by stage. We are changing from the Outside In. First we control what's around us. Distancing ourselves from temptation and surrounding ourselves with "safe foods". As we get better at this, little by little we move toward the center of the circle until our very identity has evolved into "I am a healthy, active, thin person."<br />
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It's only January though, a lot of us are just getting started, or restarted. Why don't we start by the beginning? Or is it begin by the start? This week lets deal with that outside circle, the environment. How can we manage our environment for a successful, enjoyable and durable weight management?<br />
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Come to your meeting and see... ;o)<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Member's Corner</span></b><br />
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It's been a crazy and awesome week out in the meeting rooms! When I say that you guys are a bunch of losers, I mean it in the proudest and most loving way!<br />
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San Bruno on Tuesday night had 50 people weighing in. 50! I am so happy that I had Adelina and Samina there to take care of everybody! It got a little crazy, but we are inviting an extra receptionist next week to make sure we don't get overwhelmed.<br />
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Those 50 people at Bayhill lost 54.8 lbs! 1.1 lb/member! You guys rock!!<br />
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Stonestown was also a little crazy with 54 members. We had already staffed up though, and this week the computers cooperated (thankfully!) so it went pretty smoothly I believe.<br />
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Now the weight loss at Stonestown is just crazy. The 54 members who weighed in lost 72 lbs. That's 1.3 lbs/member.<br />
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Stonestown wins this week! I am incredibly happy and proud to see everybody lose so much weight! I'm also happy that it seems like the winning meeting switches back and forth. The game is on my friend!!<br />
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I repeat myself I know, but again thank you for your patience. Bigger groups make for longer lines, but also for very animated meetings and the merging of more ideas tricks and suggestion than we see in the smaller group.<br />
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I have also seen many "already members" extend a helping hand, take the time to explain things and share their wisdom with the people who are walking in our doors for the first time. Thank you, you are reminding me of why I am truly doing this.I don't always have the time to thank you on the spot, but you are noticed and greatly appreciated!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>It's a lifestyle</b></span><br />
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I've been cooking up a storm lately. I made a delicious fish soup Friday night ( January 6th) that I had to share It was a <a href="http://melaniesfoods.blogspot.com/2012/01/tilapia-kale-soup.html">Tilapia-Kale Soup</a>.<br />
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I've also been bragging about my <a href="http://melaniesfoods.blogspot.com/2012/01/goulash-hongrois.html">Goulash Hongrois</a> all week! It was delicious, easy, and I got to freeze quite a bit of it for future use.<br />
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Finally, I made a <a href="http://melaniesfoods.blogspot.com/2012/01/butternut-squash-tomato-soup.html">Butternut Squash-tomato Soup</a> that was very much made up as I went but turned out to be absolutely delicious!<br />
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I cooked many other things, but those were too common place to bother blogging about it.<br />
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I haven't posted on my lifestyle blog this week. Just have been doing my thing, one day at a time. Not slowing my efforts, just feeling a little more quiet and introspective this week. Or many I'm just too busy cooking! ;o)<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Onward and Downward!</span></b><br />
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We are putting down the bases on which we will build success all through 2012 and for the years that follows. I'm impressed by the cheer energy and push forward I get every time I step in the meeting room. We are on baby, and we will achieve our goals!<br />
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Lets keep the momentum going. In the meeting room, talk to your neighbors, check in and make sure that that person who was sitting next to you last week is there, and reach out. Check in with your friends and make sure they keep coming with you, or that they start coming if they aren't already. What's better than a partner in success? (well I can't say a partner in crime here right?).<br />
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I am here if you need me, just drop me an email! Thank you for being there for each others and for me. It is a great feeling to be part of such a wonderful and powerful group of people.<br />
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Yay us! See you in the meeting room!<br />
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Melanie<br />
LeaderWillowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-82300003442810067682012-01-07T15:55:00.000-08:002012-01-07T16:28:01.425-08:00Making Powerful PlansYou've been running all day. It's 5:30pm (or later) and you're running in the house, drop your stuff and look wishfully at the couch when someone pops a head around the corner and ask: "What's for dinner?"<br />
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You run everything you know is in the fridge and the pantry in your mind and realize that anything you come up with will be at least an hour of preparation and cooking (not including thawing out the meat!). There is just no way, you're tired, hungry, it's just not happening. "How about we call in pizza?"<br />
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We all have that happen every once in a while right? How often does it happen though? Ever look back and realize "Woah! I've "called in" dinner 3 times this week!" That's a lot of extra calories, and dollars!<br />
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Putting dinner on the table doesn't have to take very long, or be very complicated. All it take is a little thinking ahead, a little organization and the right tools*! You can have a home made meal on the table everyday without having to spend hours in the kitchen.<br />
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*Tool like a simple meal plan template. I made this one in about 2 minutes:<br />
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This week we're talking about how powerful planning can make your meals easier and healthier!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Member's Corner</span></b><br />
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We could tell the January fever has hit the meeting rooms already! We are seeing more people, and happily a lot of people came back after a little holiday hiatus. Welcome back everybody!<br />
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I want to thank everybody for their patience. More people means longer lines, and we are doing everything we can to keep things moving. It's all so exciting though!<br />
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San Bruno had 30 people weighing in and we lost 16.2 lbs which is 0.54 lb/member<br />
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Stonestown had 48 people weighing in and lost 24.8 lbs which is 0.51 lb/member.<br />
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How close is THAT? Last week San Bruno was behind, but they more than made up for it this week. I must add that being the first weigh in of January, with a lot of people coming back after taking a little break, both weight loss are impressive! You rock!!<br />
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I lost my award sheet *blush* and do not want to go by memory for fear of forgetting someone. So all of those who passed milestones this week CONGRATULATIONS!<br />
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I will email myself the award list from now on so I can't lose it. Being more organized was my resolution for 2012... thankfully I'm doing better working toward my goals than I am with my "Resolution". ;op<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Recipe Club</b></span><br />
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There is a meeting of the Recipe Club this week at the Stonestown Center Wednesday at 7pm (after the 6pm meeting). It's a fun way to get together and talk about cooking, new recipes ideas and tips and tricks to make meal prep more fun and less of a chore!<br />
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Here's the Flyer:<br />
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All you need is 1 recipe relating to the theme. It doesn't have to be a complicated recipe! Actually, we've turned out to be a very practical-minded group. The simpler the better! We love to cook, but we don't want to live in our kitchen!<br />
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Bring your friends, all are welcome!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">My Lifestyle</span></b><br />
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Wednesday I wanted to cook some bulgur, but I had no broth whatsoever. I hate to cook grains in water, it doesn't taste like anything. I didn't have time to go to the store and all that, so I decided to improvise. I must say that it turned out quite well. See what I did here in my <a href="http://melaniesfoods.blogspot.com/2012/01/no-broth-no-problem.html">No Broth No Problem</a> post on my <a href="http://melaniesfoods.blogspot.com/">Recipe Blog</a>.<br />
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Thursday I was hungry and couldn't decide what to make for lunch so I decided to improvise! Look it up in my <a href="http://melaniesfoods.blogspot.com/2012/01/clean-fridge-lunch.html">Clean the Fridge</a> post. It's nothing complicated really, more of an example of how you can make things work if you keep it simple!<br />
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Friday I was greatly inspired after leaving my first meeting in a while. I stopped by Whole Food Market and got shrimps, Kale and decided to spoil myself a little: <a href="http://melaniesfoods.blogspot.com/2012/01/when-i-left-my-meeting-yesterday-i.html">Shrimps with Kale</a>.<br />
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This week has been on of many lessons for me. After realizing that I was putting much more in the process than in what I was trying to achieve, I started putting things in perspective. A little accidental miche of bread started the whole thing. If I ate the whole thing (minus a slice that I gave my husband), is it lame? Or can it become a victory? It's all in how you look at it, see my post: <a href="http://willowslifestyle.blogspot.com/2012/01/lame-or-victorious.html">Lame or victorious?</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqPjU-ODAhT96Rllrn_Wxv4GpXyZSThcMiQA9oBKyb7fYSa3hFKCxc8mltZWKovXX8epbGCpgiH9ss3EKBB1kkRqL96Ay-fNCVv59xxtUzhwSuQ1pngPVkqmtfd9F5HfDd2vmWRnTwwo/s1600/You+dont+get+app+for+beating+yourself+up.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqPjU-ODAhT96Rllrn_Wxv4GpXyZSThcMiQA9oBKyb7fYSa3hFKCxc8mltZWKovXX8epbGCpgiH9ss3EKBB1kkRqL96Ay-fNCVv59xxtUzhwSuQ1pngPVkqmtfd9F5HfDd2vmWRnTwwo/s320/You+dont+get+app+for+beating+yourself+up.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Finally, as I mentioned I went to a meeting as a member. It had been a long while, for many reasons I did not feel that I could go to a meeting and feel like a member. It's difficult to put the "Leader aside" and just focus on "me".<br />
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I found a leader whom I felt completely at ease with and a ground in which I had made many friends, so I finally showed up thinking "Just go in, if it doesn't turn out well, then... at least you tried." I received a warm welcome from everybody I knew in there. It was like walking home! I walked out of the meeting feeling inspired, motivated and full of ideas! It's like this thing works! See about it here: <a href="http://willowslifestyle.blogspot.com/2012/01/all-in-meeting.html">All in a meeting</a>.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">We are just getting started!</span></b><br />
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I have been a leader for over 8 years now. Lets just say it is not my first January at Weight Watchers. This one is starting with a special energy. We have a good thing going, everybody is ready, motivated and it's contagious! We are settings serious, realistic (if ambitious) goals, and we know deep in our heart that we can totally achieve them. Lets keep the current going!<br />
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I will see you in the meeting room this week! Until then email me if you need anything. Have a great week!<br />
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Melanie<br />
LeaderWillowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-84176743108706831132011-12-28T05:00:00.000-08:002011-12-30T19:47:54.174-08:00Believe!<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"My goal for 2012 is to get this weight loss thing back on track and finally make it to goal! No resolution, no promises to be perfect every day of the year, I have set a realistic goal, and I will make it happen!</i></blockquote>
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<i>Sounds good but I'm not sure I actually <b>can</b> make it happen. It's not like it's the first time I try, I'm not sure what I can do for it to work this time. What if I can't have my wine? My chocolate? I don't want to eat carrots and lettuce all year. I'm not sure I can give up all the foods I love, all my social engagements.</i> </blockquote>
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<i>I've done this weight loss thing before, maybe I've been at it already for a while and well... I'm not exactly melting if you get my drift. Why make all those effort to hardly lose anything?"</i></blockquote>
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Does this sound familiar? Do you find yourself sometimes setting a goal, determined to make it happen but not altogether confident about actually achieving it? You are not alone!</div>
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This week we will use the knowledge of the PointsPlus 2012 program, along with the lessons of our past weight loss experiences all wrapped up in good old common sense to dispel our fears and realize that YES each and every one of us can achieve our goals.</div>
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Hear me loud and clear: <b>You can achieve your goals!</b> The first and most important step is to <b>believe</b>...</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Member's Corner</b></span></div>
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This week was a tough week for weight loss. It was the week of Christmas, Yule (the solstice), and Hanukkah! Still we have lost! Those of us who have kept going through the holidays are now ahead of the game for January!<br />
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Tuesday at the San Bruno Bayhill center for the 6pm meeting, 17 members weighed in. We managed to lose 4.4 lbs! That's 0.26, or about 1/4 lb per person! Good job!</div>
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We had no award, but Nancy, who couldn't make it to the meeting, left me a note to say that she DID add a walk on the weekend like she had promised to do on the 20th! Go Nancy!</div>
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Wednesday at the Stonestown Center, also a 6pm meeting, 23 members weighed in and we lost 8.6 lbs! That's about 0.37lbs/member or a little over 1/3 of a lb!<br />
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Elissa and Jen both passed the 20 lbs milestone, and they both, along with Ruth, earned their Stay and Succeed award for being there for 16 weeks.<br />
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Look at your weight record, and plot your way to your next milestone. What will it be? Another 5 lbs? A percentage? When he made one of his milestone, 5% I think, Rich, a member at Stonestown explained that he felt he had to stick to this, and go the extra mile so that he wouldn't let the team down. That's what we are, a team, and everybody is an important player!</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">My Healthy Lifestyle</span></b></div>
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Most of my cooking during the holidays has been quick and uninspired. We spent our energy on relaxing, going outside and watching cartoons. Don't judge us, we are nerds and proud of it!</div>
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I did make an experiment in mid-December that turned out quite well! I had this recipe for banana bread that I spent some time fine tuning, and when my friend gave me a bag full of pineapple Guava, I decided to experiment! See the result of my experiment here: <a href="http://melaniesfoods.blogspot.com/2011/12/pineapple-guava-bread.html">Pineapple Guava Bread</a>.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNDfjwtR1bfHU_2w94Mouh5G7wL_yHTUwPOtu4IzZTj68Hk9JNdFPkZp6mPpFcFI3nE4fJJdg_CK69-akRxHMmzNUTgNGKIXiG-QfECC6uWxDJZlYr69gfzwwsC-5FqUZK3CwZJ6S0Q9I/s320/IMG_3525.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I baked this all by myself! Two of them actually, for real!</td></tr>
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This next breakfast recipe is an old one that I just trotted back out this week. In my family, we call it "Mushed-up egg half sandwiches" the name evolved from my bad English and our enjoyment of silly sounding names. It's a simple thing which, I'm sure, we aren't the only one cooking, but it's a favorite of mine, and makes me feel like I'm cheating. See what it's all about here: <a href="http://melaniesfoods.blogspot.com/2011/12/breakfast-oldie-but-goodie.html">Mushed-up egg half sandwich</a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mushed up egg half sandwiches!</td></tr>
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Other than cooking, I've been walking quite a bit, and thinking. <span style="text-align: justify;">Now that all the partying and celebrating is done and that I had some time to myself, I finally had the time for some much needed sitting back and thinking things through. For over two years my energy has been all over the place, and I have been feeling for a while like I was hanging on my weight loss by a hair. It's time for a makeover!</span><br />
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My first step was to realize that somewhere over the years, my focus had shifted and not for the better. I decided to put the focus back on setting significant goals, and achieving them, rather than focusing on the process itself. It's not about how many times I go to the gym, but rather about why am I wanting to workout? Why do I want to eat right? What am I working for?</div>
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See how my whole reasoning went, and how refocusing can really help you prepare for success here: <a href="http://willowslifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/12/not-resolutions-goals.html">Not Resolutions, goals</a>.<br />
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You know what though? Goals aren't only helpful if they are worth the effort to you. It's also important to understand why you want to achieve them, and to know that you actually CAN achieve them. It's work, but it's worth it! I sort of worked it out for myself here: <a href="http://willowslifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/12/here-we-are-finally.html">Here we are!</a><br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">Lets get this year started!</b></div>
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It's 2012 my friends! Lets get this year started the right way with a goal, a plan, and a lot of want power!</div>
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Remember that there is a meeting of the Recipe Club on January 11th at 7pm at the Stonestown center. The theme for January is <b><i>Soups, Stews, and Chilis</i></b>. We are warming up for winter!</div>
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Never be afraid to email me, I'm there for you! Starting on January 2nd, I will be back to my usual available self (we're running out of cartoons to watch, HA!). I will see you in the meeting room. Lets get this weight loss thing going and going strong!</div>
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All the best,</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Melanie</span></div>
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Leader</div>
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<i style="font-size: x-large;">"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right."</i></div>
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~Henry Ford</div>Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-82491713548956139312011-12-26T14:09:00.000-08:002011-12-26T14:09:15.132-08:00Melanie Weekly 2012!<br />
Hi everybody!<br />
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I hope the Holidays are treating you well and that you are getting ready to enter 2012 with a spring in your step. I know I am! There has been a lot of changes to my schedule, and to my life. A lot of you now have a new leader, whom I KNOW is doing a great job because those who were chosen to replace me are just that great!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Melanie Weekly Blog is coming back!</span></b><br />
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This blog has been very quiet through the Holiday season, simply because I needed to focus my energy elsewhere and so did you I’m sure! It is not dead though, the Melanie Weekly 2012 will be a little different, but it will be there! Here’s how I want to make it work so that it’s easier for me to put together, and still give you what you really need to have:<br />
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The Weekly itself will be simplified. I’m keeping my little “Topic of the week” section, because it’s fun to know what we’ll be talking about before you get there, right? I want to put in a “Member section” where I can report on how my 2 groups are doing, and maybe brag about people’s milestones? Wouldn’t that be cool? I will also have a little “Lifestyle” section where I will link to anything I posted that week on my Lifestyle blog and the attached Recipe blog. Those blogs are more related to my own journey on this healthy lifestyle of ours, and on what I learn and try out for myself. Hopefully that way I can still share and encourage you to try and have fun with this without having to put in extra research to “have something new” for the Weekly. Finally, I plan on keeping you posted on what’s going on at WW in the Bay Area but in a less formal manner than having an “Events” blog, or an “On sale” sections.<br />
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Any comment, suggestions and/or ideas on how the Melanie Weekly blog could be better, more useful, or more insightful is greatly appreciated! I want to note that the “Body and mind” blog is going dormant for now. It never quite found its focus, and I am keeping it in reserve for a possible Personal trainer career (if I ever get to it!). I also want to note that all of my blogs, the Weekly included, are put together by me, not by Weight Watchers, and reflect my opinions and ideas and only mine. Furthermore, only the Melanie Weekly blog is written with my Weight Watchers members in mind. The other blogs are a reflection of my personal ideas, and my sometimes twisted opinions and sense of humor. Readers be warned! ;op<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2012 is knocking at the door</b></span><br />
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I want to take a minute to thank you my members and my friends for being there week after week through 2011. This year has been great, this year has been difficult. We have seen success together, set backs, joy, sadness, inspiration and frustrations, and yet here we are, good and ready to get started all over again. I intend on taking the good, the smiles, the lessons, and the victories of 2011 and use them as fuel for my efforts during 2012. The new year is full of promises, of possibilities and opportunities. Take them, step ahead and grab whatever it is that you want for 2012! We are not making resolutions, we are setting goals, and already we can plan ahead and prepare for the steps that will lead us to those goals. We’re in this together, and as long as we stick together, not much can stop us!<br />
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I wish you a wonderful year 2012, full of love, health, success, smiles, lessons and victories. I am proud and honored that you have chosen me as your leader and will be looking for you in the meeting room!<br />
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Thank you again and Happy New Year!!!<br />
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Melanie<br />
XXX<br />
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<br /></div>Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-25438302242508189182011-11-20T13:57:00.000-08:002011-11-20T14:21:15.215-08:00It's Thanksgiving already!<div><div>Hi everybody,<br /><br />It’s been a while since I last posted on here. To make a long story short, I have a lot going on and needed to back off a little bit. The blog will live on, but I’m in the process of reorganizing and refocusing the whole thing, so I needed some thinking time. I couldn’t pass up Thanksgiving though. So I’ve put together a few things that I’m hoping will be helpful for you this week!<br /><br />Thanksgiving is first and foremost about giving thanks and I want to thank you my members, and my readers, for your strength, your dedication for this journey we are all on together. I want you to know that over the last 8 years, I have learned and grown as a person, as a Weight Watchers members, and as a leader from your experiences, your insights and you strength of character. You inspire me, motivate me, and remind me on regular basis that you can do anything if you really want to. You have also shown me that there are people out there who are good, caring and strong. Thank you!<br /><br />Now, the Thanksgiving party! And please, party is the operative word here. Thanksgiving is one day in the year, and it’s all about enjoying yourself and your family. Yes there is a lot of food (my first American Thanksgiving gave me my first real culture shock after moving to the US!), but you don’t want to be so concerned about what you eat that you forget to enjoy yourself! A little thinking ahead can make you feel safe and secure, and take the stress out of the Thanksgiving dinner, well the food stress that is ;op<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>Thinking ahead</b></span><br /><br />Here’s a few things that came up during the meetings this week that you might want to do ahead of time to be prepared for the big T day:<br /><br /><b>Add a little bit to your activity routine every day :</b> It’s easier to earn an extra 2 AP+/day than try to earn 6 AP+ the morning of Thanksgiving. Remember you can swap your AP+ for Food P+ on the week that you earned it!<br /><br /><b>Look up recipes:</b> There are a lot of delicious healthy recipes floating around at this time of the year on the web. With a little research you can “healthy up” old favorites, or find new avenues to explore that can make the Thanksgiving dinner healthier and still memorable. Remember Etools and the message boards!<br /><br /><b>Shop ahead:</b> The 2-3 days before Thanksgiving, the grocery stores will be overloaded, and under stocked. It’s not too late to avoid most of the craziness. This close to T day, you might want to go shop early in the morning or a little later at night to avoid the crowds. You want to shop for cooking supplies, but also for safe snacks, to munch on while the appetizers are going around.<br /><br /><b>Make it easier on yourself:</b> A lot of the Thanksgiving fare can be cooked ahead of time, or at least prepped so that on the day of the dinner, you don’t get overwhelmed. It’s also a good idea to delegate and share the workload. After all Thanksgiving is a family affair, so it’s only natural that everybody pitches in. Sometimes all you have to do is ask…<br /><br /><b>Set your Winning Outcome and then strategize:</b> What is your personal Winning Outcome for the Thanksgiving dinner? You want to track everything and stick to your P+ budget? Is it going to be a Simply Filling day? Are you setting a strict goal? Or are you just trying not to pass out on the couch at the end of the night?<br /><br />Once you know what you are shooting for, you can put together a plan:<br /><ul><li>Find an ally in the crowd,</li><li>Decide ahead of time what you are going to eat and find the P+ values</li><li>Use a smaller plate</li><li>Use a PointsPlus Clicker to click away the P+ value as you eat</li><li>Drink a lot of water to keep you hydrated (and busy).</li><li>Practice saying NO to food pushers in a firm but polite manner</li><li>Hang out away from the table when you can</li><li>Offer to do non food-related duties to help out</li></ul><br />There are a lot of things you can do ahead of time to make sure that your Thanksgiving Day is stress free and fun.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>The Food</b></span><br /><br />No matter how prepared we are, there is no denying the fact that once faced with a table overloaded with goodies, some of us might struggle with keeping things under control. When it comes to loading the plate, there is 2 main questions you must ask yourself: What am I going to eat? And How much of it am I going to eat.<br /><br /><b>What to pick:</b> Some Thanksgiving goods are just too good to pass up. There will be things on that table that comes around once a year and that you don’t want to miss. Costco cookies are not one of them! Here’s the process of elimination that came up through this week’s meetings:<br /><br /><ul><li>Which foods can I do without? For example, I HATE cranberries, so not having that sauce, and mashed potatoes are just “ok” so that’s not worth the P+.</li><li>Which foods can I have any time? There are foods on there that are year round food really: Mashed potatoes, unless it’s Granny’s special recipe that comes once a year, isn’t worth splurging on to me.</li><li>Which foods are a must? Some of the Thanksgiving fare is just either too good to pass up, or so deeply tied to tradition that passing on them would just not go. Those are the foods you want to go for. Every year I have a slice of real, full fat/sugar/everything pumpkin pie. Not skipping that one because it’s worth every single P+.</li></ul><br /><b>How much:</b> Ok, so you’ve decided that the stuffing is totally worth it, the mashed potatoes not so much, Pumpkin pie totally, but Mac n Cheese, meeeh no way! All is good right? Well, only if you don’t overload your plate with your chosen goodies. Portion control can be a challenge when there’s a lot of food, a lot of distractions, and sometimes a lot of pressure from the family. If you can measure out your portions that would be ideal but it’s not always convenient or even possible. Being the extremely visual person that I am, I use visual cues:<br /><br /><b>Separate your plate and load it in order:</b><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHCRzt8Rtlop1E9l_iwWUI4SKUbw1kBkaTB3IJuWZC7By92PxTfLi2n-glDJ4lwxzQP6KeqDC89vX-hQ-DbddVPd5npyCnvWSleB_igJlON4X8zBgThtg_jWMQbGhtrXPArRsKypLYJY/s1600/Thanksgiving+divided+plate.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHCRzt8Rtlop1E9l_iwWUI4SKUbw1kBkaTB3IJuWZC7By92PxTfLi2n-glDJ4lwxzQP6KeqDC89vX-hQ-DbddVPd5npyCnvWSleB_igJlON4X8zBgThtg_jWMQbGhtrXPArRsKypLYJY/s320/Thanksgiving+divided+plate.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677201011970377858" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><br /><ol><li>Vegetable and fruits, ½ of the plate, comes first</li><li>Starch/Grains ¼ of the plate comes second</li><li>Proteins, 1/6 of the plate comes third</li><li>“Yummies” (sauces, dressings, etc) comes last taking whatever space is left.</li></ol><br /><br /><b>Practice Island eating:</b><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjDzOiiXhUg77tAku_z7zQNg7pCO_MeXg4UIietc0lmqxP5SWKPM1uHHEt2099tyx-jt77tzlp_m4csE5CFalKJLHK8iDGGTurxHD16P1skOOCDeqYKxBJPPaKFmjFIz3iEE8Hf8xwrc/s1600/Thanksgiving+Island+Eatin.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjDzOiiXhUg77tAku_z7zQNg7pCO_MeXg4UIietc0lmqxP5SWKPM1uHHEt2099tyx-jt77tzlp_m4csE5CFalKJLHK8iDGGTurxHD16P1skOOCDeqYKxBJPPaKFmjFIz3iEE8Hf8xwrc/s320/Thanksgiving+Island+Eatin.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677200826439977042" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><br />The food you put on your plate makes little islands, the food CAN”T TOUCH. This is automatic portion control, unless you’re an engineer, you can’t overload while doing this (and it’s fun!).<br /><br /><br /><b>Respect the plate:</b><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJV_m9Kic2htyiwbrtq2Ud-aBpbOzh3BP40yJSxHzrIZvBzV3deOOKFQwtNpSoCFpOKIKfZRDTLYSvgxFY9KjddKwfoC7MAqQcRpNuuWTZ0IJE9v8rl7fWEQlQe948J8HDZ0osPlf2wk/s1600/Thanksgiving+Plate+parts.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJV_m9Kic2htyiwbrtq2Ud-aBpbOzh3BP40yJSxHzrIZvBzV3deOOKFQwtNpSoCFpOKIKfZRDTLYSvgxFY9KjddKwfoC7MAqQcRpNuuWTZ0IJE9v8rl7fWEQlQe948J8HDZ0osPlf2wk/s320/Thanksgiving+Plate+parts.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677200724519496882" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><br /><div>There are two parts to a plate:<br /><br /><ol><li>The food part</li><li>The decoration part</li></ol><br />There should be no food on the decoration part of the plate. Somebody made the effort to make those plates pretty, enjoy their prettiness. :o)<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>Emotional eating:</b></span><br /><br />The holidays can be a stressful and sometimes sad time for some of us. Having lost loved ones, or living far away from family members can make us feel cut out from all the festivities. Add all that with the overabundance of temptation, this can spell trouble. Take time to acknowledge the feelings that rise up at the time of the year and remember that food is not the solution. Reach out, talk to loved ones, help somebody, treat yourself with non food goodies, find a way to honor your feelings rather than trying to squash them.<br /><br />If you think emotional eating might be a challenge for you in the coming weeks, look up the Reframing Tool for Living, either on Etools, or on the leaflets at your meeting. It certainly helps me a lot. :o)</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Thanksgiving Cheat Card:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>In case you missed the meeting, I decided to post my cheat card on here. I don't normally put handouts on the blog, cause that's what the meeting is for, but I didn't have the heart to stick to this rule on Thanksgiving week ;op</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIUT1EHXHX28QYEWh4DUtW3LUGNFP2bvF46VkevZwqvusOxJ_G-X0UFHN4INuAqN7VRzx2L1dDGK3ghDJ52QklSKKqnoNmR5nAIADzzWPdtcnt-JfnS4y3xE3h1rfaAhQ-q9RdMMsEmQ/s1600/Thanksgiving+cheat+sheet.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 310px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIUT1EHXHX28QYEWh4DUtW3LUGNFP2bvF46VkevZwqvusOxJ_G-X0UFHN4INuAqN7VRzx2L1dDGK3ghDJ52QklSKKqnoNmR5nAIADzzWPdtcnt-JfnS4y3xE3h1rfaAhQ-q9RdMMsEmQ/s320/Thanksgiving+cheat+sheet.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677205398109613170" /></a><br /><div>The format is a little off, but the information is there. Hope it helps!</div><div><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b> Happy Thanksgiving!</b></span><br /><br />Thanksgiving is a great time of the year in which we celebrate those we love, and give thanks for the little and big things in our lives. Since traditionally, Thanksgiving is a celebration of abundance, the focus often is on the foods as well as (sometimes more than) on the thanks.<br /><br />Let’s put the focus back where it belongs this year, and put the focus on the love, the family, and the gratefulness of the season. Don’t worry, I’m not saying we want to skip the food! Just that, it should be “part of” the celebration, not the sole focus of it. How’s that sound?<br /><br />Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being part of my meetings. You bring inspiration, motivation and light to my life, and I’m hopeful that in some small measure, I can do the same to you.<br /><br />My husband and I (as well as Grace the dog, Leo and Gaya the cats) want to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!<br /><br />See you in the meeting room,<br /><br />Melanie<br /><br /></div>Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-90427883790488282362011-10-25T06:34:00.000-07:002011-10-25T06:49:19.804-07:00Trick Not Treats!<div><div>Halloween is almost there! The kids are all excited, most have picked their costumes and are getting ready to go trick or treating. Fun, fun, fun all around! To most of us though, Halloween means 1 thing: Candies everywhere.<br /><br />Every business we go to have a candy bowl, the stores are filled to the rafters with the "seasonal treats" (as if candies didn't exist the rest of the year!), the kids come in from trick or treating with bags full of candies, we feel obliged to buy candies for the trick or treaters who will inevitably stop at our door. If you have the tiniest of a sweet tooth, it seems like you're suddenly dropped in the middle of a mine field! Now what?<br /><br />This week we will talk about ways to manage our sweet tooth during the Halloween celebration. You can enjoy Halloween without turning into a sugar monster!</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's something that is floating in the Leader's message board (click on it for a bigger version):</div></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORw8-eck92FUBHo8actZxYADPok5i4IHjxPY-fsbjJgVsRNquIYIK1JuGEgBwcUFM52GEGWCDRwnbhNwAcJ7YRvjL6CNip5Tlz7EipVqCK9AGaqtQB1uZ0oDz4UpAN0bzJM5DMHGFDtk/s1600/194705_277139992320075_159555634078512_903615_760055099_o.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORw8-eck92FUBHo8actZxYADPok5i4IHjxPY-fsbjJgVsRNquIYIK1JuGEgBwcUFM52GEGWCDRwnbhNwAcJ7YRvjL6CNip5Tlz7EipVqCK9AGaqtQB1uZ0oDz4UpAN0bzJM5DMHGFDtk/s320/194705_277139992320075_159555634078512_903615_760055099_o.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667424832593621042" /></a><br /><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Tool of the week</span></b></div><div><br />One thing that helps me when I know there will be temptation to avoid, is the Mini Bars! I always have at least one of those in my bag. They are delicious and only 2 PointsPlus. They can give me that sweet fix I need when temptation gets to be too strong.</div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkM0FnHISSOvqjHhtEbZlaUO8fdjDmaaqeU6rFNy8OBSCIcVh-WX7yBSnfp4JVyaLR7109YyPMuFzD1lq-kb0NnEEkPw_XfDl7x9dnDggE_fzoETG79gJ0-lDEYYaVtXTUSfHFHyYcgw/s1600/2011+Mini+Bars.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkM0FnHISSOvqjHhtEbZlaUO8fdjDmaaqeU6rFNy8OBSCIcVh-WX7yBSnfp4JVyaLR7109YyPMuFzD1lq-kb0NnEEkPw_XfDl7x9dnDggE_fzoETG79gJ0-lDEYYaVtXTUSfHFHyYcgw/s320/2011+Mini+Bars.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667424069929240306" /></a><br /><div>They are small, easy to carry, and a very PointsPlus-friendly way to fight off a sweet attack without feeling deprived. :o)</div><br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >In the Kitchen</span></b><br /><br />I posted these last year, and they were a hit, so I figured I would share them again this year! I did these for a party with adults only (I have no kids) and they were a hit! As George Bernard Shaw said: “We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” The Point value will vary depending on the brand/recipes you use and the serving size, but it’s a lot of fun to put together!<br /><br /><b>Wormy Mud</b><br /><br />You need:<br /><br />A package (or two) of brownie mix. I used the No Pudge to cut down on pts<br />A pack (or two) of gummy worms<br />A large shallow bowl<br /><br />Cook the brownie mix following the package directions, let cool enough to handle. Crumble the brownies in the large shallow bowl and mix in the worms.<br /><br />Add-on: You can use a handful of FiberOne cereal to throw in. They look like twigs making the “mud” look more realistic.<br /><br /><b>Funky Eggs</b><br /><br />You need;<br /><br />Hard boiled eggs (shells on)<br />A glass bowl with enough water to cover all the eggs<br />Green food coloring (other colors work too, mixes can make some really interesting eggs)<br /><br />Once the eggs are cooked, crack the shells by rolling the eggs between a hard surface and your hand being careful not to squish them. Do not remove the shells.<br /><br />Once the shells are good and cracked all over, put the eggs in a bowl of water to which you have added 20-25 drops of food coloring. Let soak 10-15 minutes.<br /><br />Remove the eggs and peel off the shells. The results should be eggs with a marble effect in green.<br /><br /><b>Creepy Punch</b><br /><br />You need:<br /><br />A bowl of fruit punch (I like to mix pineapple, pomegranate and tangerine juice).<br />A clean rubber glove.<br />2+ cup of orange juice.<br /><br />Fill the glove with orange juice, tie the wrist securely and put in the freezer.<br /><br />Just before serving take the glove out of the freezer and peel off the orange juice “hand”. Put the hand in the punch bowl.<br /><br />It looks creepier as it melts!<br /><br />There are tons of ideas like that floating around on the web.<br /><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Have a Great Week!</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Halloween is only one evening, do not let it be the beginning of "food season". There are candies around all year round, they are just decorated differently at this time of the year. Unfortunately, putting a witch or a ghost on a candy wrapper doesn't remove the carbs or the fat from the candy inside! Wouldn't that be neat? This time of the year is just like any time of the year, take the challenges one at a time, plan for them and then enjoy yourself.</div><div><br /></div><div>HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>Melanie</div><div><br /></div>Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-78965525339050040442011-10-18T10:53:00.000-07:002011-10-18T14:00:07.302-07:00We did it again!<div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; ">Once again the Lose For Good campaign is a great success: A million dollars donated, millions of pound lost, thousands of food drives. It’s a success, and that’s because of <b>YOU!</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />Each 0.1 of a pound, each can, each “on plan bite” has added up to a major success. Once again we helped others by helping ourselves one little bit at a time! In the process we have proved, to ourselves and to the world, that when we really want to we can totally make this work no matter what.<br /><br />This week we are getting together to celebrate our success and see what lessons we can take out of this wonderful Lose For Good campaign and how we can apply them on our weight loss adventure. Don’t miss it!</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>Announcements</b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><a href="http://melaniesrecipeclub.blogspot.com/2011/10/november-meeting.html">Recipe Club</a></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" >The next meeting of the Recipe Club is November 9th at 7pm at the Stonestown Center.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" >November Theme: What else? <a href="http://melaniesrecipeclub.blogspot.com/2011/10/november-meeting.html">PointsPlus-friendly Holiday Fare</a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Click <a href="http://melaniesrecipeclub.blogspot.com/2011/10/november-meeting.html">here</a> for details, don't miss it!!<br /></span><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Dr. Oz:</span></b><br /><br />It's not too late to enter the Dr. Oz <a href="http://doctoroz.sharecare.com/">Transformation Nation</a> contest! Make sure to ask for it when you weigh-in!<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Sale - Sale - Sale - Sale</b></span><br /><br />It’s the last week of the sale: From October 2nd to the 22nd, Baked snacks, Snack Bars and Popped Snacks are on sale at $<span class="Apple-style-span"><b>3.50</b></span>!<br /><br />That's a dollar off on every box you buy. Last week to stock up on the good stuff!<br /><br /><b>Tool of the Week</b><br /><br />It is often the small changes that make the biggest difference between weight loss success and a plateau. It’s in the little steps that you take every day that you build new successful habits. To count the most basic of those step, we have the Weight Watchers Pedometer!</span></div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rZi0Qmg7cOYM7KxLOGCFVgbf7rJ3sV3H1vhSPVLuVGtqmoZFR6mnO3c1Tdv9xhN2xb_-o0pnVDz-J4yIWLF9FqydhiDIsnL5qJo4hH3uUkNn5aMuW9WEruVfMNIC9W1e0eJBQz0LhK4/s1600/Pedometer.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rZi0Qmg7cOYM7KxLOGCFVgbf7rJ3sV3H1vhSPVLuVGtqmoZFR6mnO3c1Tdv9xhN2xb_-o0pnVDz-J4yIWLF9FqydhiDIsnL5qJo4hH3uUkNn5aMuW9WEruVfMNIC9W1e0eJBQz0LhK4/s320/Pedometer.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664893509554392178" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 222px; height: 145px; " /></span></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Not only it’s a good way to count the number of steps you take, but also the distance, and the Activity PointsPlus earned by walking. There’s even a stop watch! It’s a highly motivating monitoring tool.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>In the kitchen</b></span><br /><br />This is one of those recipes that has made the round on the Weight Watchers message boards since the dinosaurs. I have no idea who first posted it, or how many variations there are. I trot it out in one version or another every year.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://melaniesfoods.blogspot.com/2011/10/pumpkin-mousse-parfaits.html">Pumpkin Mousse Parfaits</a></b><br />Makes 4 parfaits, 5 P+ each (8 with the graham crumbs)<br /><br />15 oz can of pumpkin puree<br />3 cups cool whip free, divided<br />1 cup skim milk<br />2 small boxes of sf/ff vanilla pudding<br />1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (to taste)<br />1 cup Graham crumbles (divided in 4)</span></div></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP67ZDAbM_jYVl4hhD3VbvRrt0vmAIZcNNHICyEkqs2dXLNCoZOGyI9AmymOIvtYxwue9XCgxv3l3R7QOIhPmO_vXxw6dq5QUfeeBvxQTOI7F4n8sBSFAUxcDC9zopy2AhXO6tkhWOPwg/s1600/Pumpkin+Mousse+Parfait+sm.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 177px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP67ZDAbM_jYVl4hhD3VbvRrt0vmAIZcNNHICyEkqs2dXLNCoZOGyI9AmymOIvtYxwue9XCgxv3l3R7QOIhPmO_vXxw6dq5QUfeeBvxQTOI7F4n8sBSFAUxcDC9zopy2AhXO6tkhWOPwg/s320/Pumpkin+Mousse+Parfait+sm.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664897109801150354" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; ">Click<b> <a href="http://melaniesfoods.blogspot.com/2011/10/pumpkin-mousse-parfaits.html">here</a></b> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; ">for the complete recipe.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; "><b><a href="http://melaniebodyandmind.blogspot.com/">Body and Mind</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; "> This week the topic of the meeting has to do with the little things. How the little steps, the little victories can make a big difference.<br /><br />That inspires me to start a <b><a href="http://melaniebodyandmind.blogspot.com/2011/10/fall-challenge-week-1.html">Fall Challenge</a></b> that will take us from now to January! Now that Lose for Good is all done, we need something else to tweak our motivation a little bit right? Here's what I'm thinking:<br /><br />For this week: Find, each day, one way you can move a little more in your day to day activities and do it.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; ">See some examples of ways to burn more calories <b><a href="http://melaniebodyandmind.blogspot.com/2011/10/fall-challenge-week-1.html">Here</a>!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Have a good week</b></span><br /><br />We have such a good thing going, lets keep at it. Lose for Good gave us wings, now is time to fly!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">What do you want to see by January? Making it happen starts this very minute! Success doesn't lie in the big complicated plans, but in the tiny mini steps that you take every second of every day. Make every one of those second count!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />As always, let me know if you need anything, I am there to help you reach your goals, just email me if you need me. See you in the meeting room.<br /><br />Melanie</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><b>“It is better to take many small steps in the right direction than to make a great leap forward only to stumble backward.”</b></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">~ Old Chinese Proverb</span></div>Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-26757276050756250392011-10-09T14:36:00.000-07:002011-10-11T13:54:30.111-07:00A Space of your own<div>Oops, I got this all ready to go and never came back to post it! Here is this week's Weekly Note:</div><div><br /></div><div>It's Saturday, 12:30 pm, and you realize that you were so absorbed in household chores that you completely forgot about lunch. Now family and stomach are both calling for food now! "I'm STARVING!" So you open the fridge, the pantry, the freezer, and see.. what?<br /><br />What do you see when you look around your kitchen? How does that help you make the right choices? Are there things in there that makes it easier to follow the PointsPlus Program? Are there things that makes it more difficult?<br /><br />Managing your environment is a cornerstone of following a healthy lifestyle. It's great in theory, but what does that mean in our daily lives? What do I get? What do I avoid? How can I make my kitchen PointsPlus-friendly? This week we are sharing ideas, tricks and strategies to make our environment work for us on a daily basis. Be there!<br /><br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >What's going on at Weight Watchers?</span></b><br /><br />The Lose For Good Campaign is nearing its end! It's time to give a last push on the weight loss, and on the donations. Don't forget that you can help others by helping yourselves.<br /><br />The food drives are in the Centers. Bring your non-perishable foods and we will donate it to the San Francisco Food Bank.<br /><br />It's not too late to enter the Dr. Oz Transformation Nation contest! If you missed last week, make sure to ask for it when you weigh-in!<br /><br /><b>Here are the October events:</b><br /><br /><ul><li>October 12th Recipe Club, 7pm Stonestown Center. Theme for October: Fall vegetables and fruits</li><li>October 13th Recruitment meeting, 2pm Stonestown Center.</li><li>October 15th Etools training, 11:15 San Bruno Center.</li></ul><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Sale - Sale - Sale - Sale</span></b><br /><br />From October 2nd to the 22nd, Baked snacks, Snack Bars and Popped Snacks are on sale at $<span class="Apple-style-span" >3.50</span>!<br /><br />That's a dollar off on every box you buy. Time to stock up!!<br /><br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Tool of the Week</span></b><br /><br />Did you see our brand new Oil Sprayer? It's a most nifty way to cook using natural oils (without pesky chemicals) while completely controlling the amount used.</div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-y6kt8ShguM20s7pMLTSc9rf67brWx5iEbiwemJ9FTO3kmefYs8zW6axPsWoYw4oK7QB7Nr2-2q8iw3yEiPNzgz5ubyl1S8S5r29KB-WUkKBQetsYMUHZMvokD0rYWGG0OF5Hx4W6YRg/s1600/WW+Oil+Sprayer.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-y6kt8ShguM20s7pMLTSc9rf67brWx5iEbiwemJ9FTO3kmefYs8zW6axPsWoYw4oK7QB7Nr2-2q8iw3yEiPNzgz5ubyl1S8S5r29KB-WUkKBQetsYMUHZMvokD0rYWGG0OF5Hx4W6YRg/s320/WW+Oil+Sprayer.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661610989305387938" /></a><div>A little oil goes a very long way as 10 sprays (plenty to cover the bottom of your favorite pan!) has a PointsPlus value of 1 only! It's the ideal tool to use on vegetables or proteins before roasting or grilling as you can coat the whole surface with very little oil. Perfect tool for healthy cooking for only $11.95.</div><br />With its stainless steel look it's cute too right?<br /><br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" > In the kitchen</span></b><br /><br />This recipe is from an old-ish cookbook called "Slow Good". That cookbook came out in 2005 and has been a favorite of my family ever since! We make this recipe regularly. It's good as is, or with leftover chicken or pork thrown in. :o)<br /><br /><b> Sweet Potato Chili</b><br />4 servings, 7P+/serving<br /><br />2 leeks, trimmed to white and light green parts, chopped<br />1 large zucchini, diced<br />1(15 ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained<br />1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas rinsed and drained<br />1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes with jalapeno<br />1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce (no salt added)<br />2 1/2 TBSP chili powder<br />2 TBSP packed light brown sugar<br />1 1/2 tsp curry powder<br />1 tsp cumin seed crushed (ground can do, but put less!)<br />1/2 tsp pepper<br />1/4 tsp cinnamon<br />2 small sweet potato, peeled and diced<br />1/2 pound green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces<br />1 tsp red-wine vinegar<br /><br />Place the leeks, zucchini, kidney beans, chickpeas, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, brown sugar, curry powder, cumin seeds, pepper, and cinnamon in a 5 or 6 quart slow cooker; mix well. With the back of a spoon, gently press the vegetables so they form an even layer. Place the potatoes on top, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edge of the slow cooker. Place the green beans on top of the potatoes. Cover and cook until the vegetables are fork-tender, 4-5 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.* Stir in the vinegar.<br /><br />* Newer slow cooker seem to reach a higher temperature on the "low" setting, adjust time accordingly.<br /><br />Source: Slow good, Weight Watchers 2005, p. 126.<br /><br /><b>Other recipes this week:</b><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://melaniesfoods.blogspot.com/2011/10/butternut-squash-and-chickpea-curry.html">Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://melaniesfoods.blogspot.com/2011/10/lobster-desperation-soup.html">Lobster Desperation Soup</a></div><div><br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" > Have a good week</span></b><br /><br />Lets keep the momentum we built in September going! Come to your meeting, bring any friend who's interested in learning more about Weight Watchers. Ask questions, bring ideas, this is YOUR meeting!<br /><br />As always, I'm there for you, just let me know!<br /><br />Melanie</div>Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-16609764689392035942011-10-07T17:20:00.000-07:002011-10-07T17:26:17.987-07:00Remember<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. (...) </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span">Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span">And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span">They somehow already know what you truly want to become. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span">Everything else is secondary" </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span">~Steve Jobs</span></span></div>Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-80369365024021579302011-10-02T22:22:00.000-07:002011-10-05T21:28:56.325-07:00Etools for Success<div>When it comes to staying on plan, I tend to be a little old fashioned. I like to track on paper, I use my companions to look up PointsPlus values of the foods I eat, I love my "Little Blue Dude" (my calculator), I like to have things in my hands. Something tangible to work with.<br /><br />The challenge with that is that it's a lot of tools to carry: 2 Companions, 1 tracker, 1 calculator, my Getting Started Booklet, my Pocket Guide. Add all that to my usual: Cellphone, wallet, laptop, sunglasses, gym bag... Ever feel like you're moving every time you go somewhere?<br /><br />Enters Etools! In my little easy to carry Blackberry, I have all the tools I need to follow the PointsPlus program (It's even better if you have an Iphone!), and that's only 1 of the many advantages of using Etools. What if I said that you can just go online and calculate the PointsPlus value of Grandma's favorite and make it fit in your plan? What if I said you can find information, inspiration, motivation just by clicking in? How about this one: Members who use Etools lose 50% more weight than those who do not. Interested yet?<br /><br />This week we are discussing how to get the most out of your Etools subscription. If you have questions, bring them in! If you are an expert, bring yourself in! We'll get this all figured out!<br /><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>What's going on at Weight Watchers?</b></span><br /><br />The <b>Lose For Good</b> Campaign is still going strong!! Don't forget that you can help others by helping yourselves. There are also food drives in the Centers. Bring your non-perishable foods and we will donate it to the San Francisco Food Bank.<br /><br />It's not too late to enter the <b>Dr. Oz Transformation Nation</b> contest! If you missed last week, make sure to ask for it when you weigh-in!<br /><br />Here are the October events:<br /><br /><ul><li>October 9th Second Sunday Stairs with Michael</li><li>October 12th Recipe Club, 7pm Stonestown Center. Theme for October: Fall vegetables and fruits</li><li>October 13th Recruitment meeting, 2pm Stonestown Center.</li><li>October 15th Etools training, 11:15 San Bruno Center.</li></ul><br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Sale - Sale - Sale - Sale</b></span><br /><br />From October 2nd to the 22nd, Baked snacks, Snack Bars and Popped Snacks are on sale at $<span class="Apple-style-span"><b>3.50</b></span>!<br /><br />That's a dollar off on every box you buy. Time to stock up!!<br /><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Tool of the week</b></span><br /><br />The one thing that I do still carry around is my PointsPlus Calculator. It's just faster and easier to calculate P+ values with it. It's so small anyway, you hardly know it's there.</div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufolV1EEHj0SugvmEwEhCXaIHSJxiiWKLT392I6qGF6EtUHN2U6PluDGYJ8OXexKO87BsJlpQRtRwS9SkTUlMPKHkha8LFJ2YW7cbvqW8fJAsElqQYKs2xjAbAajSXnCbK9Jmfve66kI/s1600/PP+calculator.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 274px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufolV1EEHj0SugvmEwEhCXaIHSJxiiWKLT392I6qGF6EtUHN2U6PluDGYJ8OXexKO87BsJlpQRtRwS9SkTUlMPKHkha8LFJ2YW7cbvqW8fJAsElqQYKs2xjAbAajSXnCbK9Jmfve66kI/s320/PP+calculator.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659132253635630626" /></a><div><br /></div>The "Little Blue Dude" can do many things for you:<br /><br /><ul><li>Calculate the P+ value of any food using the nutritional values</li><li>Keep track of your P+ for the day</li><li>Calculate your Daily PointsPlus Target</li><li>Serve as a regular calculator</li></ul>Don't leave home without the "Little Blue Dude"!<br /><br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://melaniesfoods.blogspot.com/">In the Kitchen</a></span></b><br /><br />I had leftover Harissa that I didn't know what to do with, and I decided to get creative. This recipe is a mix of personal ideas, several recipes I've seen on the web. It's very simple, and gives you a lot of latitude. It's very spicy! So feel free to modify the Harissa recipe. Better yet, just buy pre-made Harissa and then it's a snap to prep!<br /><br />This is delicious!<br /><br /><b><a href="http://melaniesfoods.blogspot.com/2011/10/butternut-squash-roasted-with-harissa.html">Butternut Squash Roasted with Harissa</a></b><br />4 servings, 2P+/serving<br /><br /><b>Harissa </b>(store bought Harissa is perfectly fine, just forget this part):<br />10-12 dried red chili peppers<br />4 cloves garlic, minced<br />1/2 teaspoon salt<br />1 tablespoons olive oil (normally it's more than that, but I try to keep it to a minimum)<br />1 teaspoon ground coriander<br />1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds<br />1/2 teaspoon cumin<br /><br />Remove stems and seeds from chilies, soak in warm water about 20 minutes to plump up. Meanwhile, sauteed the spices in a dry cast iron pan until just browned (fragrant).<br /><br />Put everything in a mortar and grind everything together with a pestle until it makes a more or less even paste. If you want to it to be super smooth, you might want to grind the spices first in a grinder, but I like it more "natural looking".<br /><br /><b>Squash:</b><br />1 large butternut squash peeled and cubed<br />1 TBSP Harissa*<br />1TBSP olive oil<br />1 tsp lemon juice (optional)<br /><br />Preheat the oven to 400F.<br /><br />In a small bowl, mix Harissa, oil and lemon juice (if using). In a large bowl toss the squash cubes with the harissa mix well.<br /><br />Spread the squash cubes on a baking pan (big enough to make 1 layer) and let sit a few minutes. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes (a bit browned is good, but don't let the Harissa burn).<br /><br /><b>*Note:</b> Any leftover Harissa can be refrigerated, just put in a clean glass jar and cover with oil.<br /><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><a href="http://melaniebodyandmind.blogspot.com/">Body & Mind</a></b></span><div><br /></div><div>You may have noted that the "Move it" Blog has become the "Body and Mind" Blog. The reason for the change is simple, I felt like I had limited myself by making the sub-blog sorely about exercise. I feel like there is so much more to talk about than food and exercise when trying to improve on our health. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm hoping that the new focus will be helpful to everybody and of course encourage you to make comments, suggestions whenever you feel like it. This Blog (and all of its sub-blog) are for you! Here's this week's post:</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><a href="http://melaniebodyandmind.blogspot.com/2011/10/getting-good-night-sleep.html">Getting a good night sleep</a><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"> How much sleep do you get on average each night? Is it enough for you? I'm asking because it is different for all of us; some people need their 8 hours of shut eye, others can function with 4 hours (how I'll never know!). Having suffered from insomnia most of my life, I thought it would be an interesting subject to look into: What can we do to get a good night sleep?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">For the complete post click <a href="http://melaniebodyandmind.blogspot.com/2011/10/getting-good-night-sleep.html">here</a>.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; "><b>Have a great week</b></span></div><div><br />We are having rain this week. It's the perfect time to do a little planning, maybe a little cooking and getting ourselves ahead of the game for October!<br /><br />As always if you need anything, I'm here for you! Never be afraid to drop me an email :o)<br /><br />Melanie</div><div><br /></div><div>“Computers are magnificent tools for the realization of our dreams, but no machine can replace the human spark of spirit, compassion, love, and understanding.”<br />~ Louis Gerstner</div>Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-32808122764968568702011-09-25T15:35:00.000-07:002011-09-25T15:36:20.116-07:00Why am I doing this?<div>Since the beginning of September, we've been talking about what the PointsPlus program is about, about what we need to do to stay on plan the entire week. We've come up with ways to make time in our busy schedule to take all those steps that we need to take to plan ahead, eat right, move more and do all the things that lead to success. We know what needs to be done, and how to do it.<div><br /></div><div>Still, sometimes when the alarm clock rings at 5:30 in the morning, I want to roll around a sleep, lets just say that motivation isn't always at its peak that early in the morning. I know that I need to get up and go to the gym, otherwise I won't have time to go later, still I don't wanna. It's one thing to know what to do, it's another to actually do it. Sometimes what I want "now" comes ahead of what a "really" want.</div><div><br /></div><div>Motivation doesn't appear from the sky in a ray of light and with a little heavenly music. It's a fire that you need to build up, light up, and keep fueling if you want it to last for the long run.</div><div>Come to the meeting this week and we will gather fuel for a long lasting motivation!</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Recipe Club</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>We met last Wednesday for the first time and it was FUN! See what we came up with here:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://melaniesrecipeclub.blogspot.com/2011/09/september-meeting.html">September 2011 meeting</a></div><div><br /></div><div>The next meeting will be <b>October 12th, at 7pm at the Stonestown Center</b>. The plan is to meet the <b>second Wednesday of every month</b>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Theme will be determined shortly. Don't miss it!!</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Lose for Good</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>We are more than halfway thought the Lose for Good Campaign already! Can you believe it?</div><div><br /></div><div>It's time to look back, evaluate, and adjust if necessary. We still have time to make a huge difference in someone's life by helping ourselves. It's a winning situation all around!</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's how you can get involved:</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Losing weight</b><br /><br />Weight Watchers will donate 1 dollar for each pound lost up to a million. We want to pass last year's total of 4 million pounds lost. We are doing good and we can so do it!!<br /><br /><b>Connect with the Lose for Good Community</b><br /><br />Look them up for support, inspiration and motivation: http://weightwatchers.com/loseforgood<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>There is still time to make a huge difference, set your goal, plan ahead and GO!</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Tools</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b></b></span></div><div>Have you ever tried the Weight Watchers Smoothies?</div><div><br /></div><div>They are high in proteins, count as a milk serving and of course they are delicious!</div></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbeFR8_auhk4-J9psBfULIFOIe3StHlkbLuUvZhLb3Ah7IQMr1Xzo1vK7f6qFxcp6JncF-0w4gjC1iXu6rV0yEujKVZldmykRX1c-cpJQYPAAvdu9McKIz32uhGpkFvEsAf7m4KjpBVI/s1600/Smoothie.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbeFR8_auhk4-J9psBfULIFOIe3StHlkbLuUvZhLb3Ah7IQMr1Xzo1vK7f6qFxcp6JncF-0w4gjC1iXu6rV0yEujKVZldmykRX1c-cpJQYPAAvdu9McKIz32uhGpkFvEsAf7m4KjpBVI/s320/Smoothie.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641329415652685586" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 105px; height: 140px; " /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div>You can have them cold with water, with milk, you can throw in frozen fruits, or fruit and ice! My favorite way to use them is to throw a package of the chocolate smoothie in 2 cups of coffee. Instant Mocha!</div><div><br /></div><div>Did I mention that they are also low PointsPlus? Only 2 P+ for the mix itself! Keep an eye out for the new Creme Brulee flavor!! How delicious does THAT sound?</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Etools first log in:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>People who use Etools regularly lose 50% more weight than people who don't. Knowing that, Weight Watchers encourages members to select the monthly pass; not only it's cheaper, but Etools is included in the price.</div><div><br /></div><div>You don't have to be a computer wiz to figure out how to use Etools, it is very user friendly, if you can log in that is! We've found that many members are finding it challenging to log in for the first time after purchasing their Monthly pass.</div><div><br /></div><div>Comes in Bg the wonderful, who came up with a simplified list of instructions to log on Etools with the Monthly pass and registration number. I thought I'd put it on here for you to refer to in case of troubles:</div><div><br /></div><div><p class="Body"><b><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; ">Setting up your eTools for the first time:<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="Body"><b><span lang="PL" style="font-size: 10pt; ">Go to </span></b><b><span lang="PL" style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(255, 9, 12); "><a href="http://www.weightwatchers.com/login">www.WeightWatchers.com/login</a></span></b><b><span lang="PL" style="font-size: 10pt; "><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="Body"><span lang="PL" style="font-size: 10pt; "><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; "><span>Q.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; ">Where do I find my </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(255, 15, 15); ">temporary eTools username</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; ">?</span></p><p class="Body"><span style="font-size: 10pt; ">It’s your <b>Monthly Pass number, located on the back of your temporary Monthly Pass card</b>. The Receptionist placed the computer-generated bar code sticker on the back of the card. On that sticker will be the member’s name, Monthly Pass number, & expiration date.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body"><span style="font-size: 10pt; ">This Monthly Pass number starts with either an “M” (if you bought it at the center) or a “W” (if you bought it online), followed by numbers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body"><span style="font-size: 10pt; "><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; ">Q. Where do I find my </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(255, 9, 6); ">temporary eTools password</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; ">?</span></p><p class="Body"><span style="font-size: 10pt; ">It’s your <b>registration number</b>—found either on the sticker <b>on the bottom of your</b> registration card (or printed on the barcode sticker) that is on your <b>Weight Record or Pocket Guide</b>. (It’s a series of numbers.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; ">You won’t need to memorize these numbers—these are temporary until you create your own username and password.</span></p><p class="Body"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; ">Thank you Bg!! You're da bestest!</span></p></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>In the Kitchen</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>This is a fall favorite for me. Once September comes to an end, and it starts smelling like fall, I bring up this soup and make it almost once a week until January. It's simple, it's easy, and it's DELICIOUS!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Spiced-up Pumpkin Soup</b><br />6 servings, 2 pts/serving<br /><br />Ingredients<br />2 limes<br />2 tsp olive oil<br />1 large Spanish onion, chopped<br />2 tsp ground cumin (roast and grind yourself, so much better!)<br />½ tsp cinnamon<br />1/8 tsp cayenne (I put more)<br />5 cup vegetable broth<br />2 cans (15 oz) solid-pack pumpkin puree (not pie filling!!)<br />½ cup unsweetened apple sauce<br />1 TBSP sugar<br />¾ tsp salt<br />3 TBSP fat free half & half*<br /><br />Zest one of the limes, then squeeze enough juice from the limes to equal 2 TBSP. Set zest and juice aside.<br /><br />Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden about 6 minutes. Add cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove the mixture from the heat and let cool about 5 minutes.<br /><br />Transfer the onion mixture to a food processor and add 1 cup of the broth; puree. Return to the Dutch oven; add the remaining 4 cups of broth, the pumpkin, the apple sauce, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, about 2 minutes. Stir in the reserved lime juice.<br /><br />Ladle the soup into 6 bowls. Drizzle each with ½ TBSP half & half (or yogurt) and swirl lightly with the tip of a knife. Sprinkle with the reserved lime zest.<br /><br />That soup is truly delicious and keeps well for a few days!<br /><br />*I use plain non-fat yogurt instead of half & half just because fat free half & half sounds spooky to me. If you like it use it!<br /><br /><b>Source:</b> <i>Simply Bueno</i>, Weight Watchers p.41</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Move It!</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Wednesday at the evening meeting we were joking about people getting all made up to go to the gym. I rarely do any people watching at the gym, I have too much to think about to bother, but I have to admit that when I see someone walk in with 2 inches of make up and a push up bra to work out, I fail to take them seriously. Really? Working out is the goal here? Really?<br /><br />This being said, I spend a fortune in workout apparel. I do. I shop bargains for my work clothes, for my every day clothes, but will not cut back on my workout clothes. I make sure that the WO pants and top I’m wearing flatter my behind and show off my shoulders and upper back while hiding my tummy. It’s my shameful little secret (well, not anymore) I’m vain and like to look good as I’m enjoying torturing myself.<br /><br />Apparently I’m not the only one! Read all about it on the <a href="http://melaniesmoveit.blogspot.com/2011/09/looking-good-to-get-fit.html">Move It! blog</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Have a great week</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>It's fall! Time to get outside! We're having our summer here in San Francisco, the fall vegetables are coming out, the apples and pears are wonderful, enjoy it!!</div><div><br /></div><div>As always I'm only an email away, I answer any question except "How many PointsPlus is this?" ;op</div><div><br /></div><div>See you in the meeting room!</div><div><br /></div><div>Melanie</div><div><br /></div><div>“<i>He who has a why can endure any how</i>”<br />Friedrich Nietzsche</div>Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-90226709425852284932011-09-18T09:56:00.000-07:002011-09-18T10:01:27.093-07:00Maximize the Minutes<div>
How did your Magical Week go? Were you 100% on plan? How did that work? What lessons are you taking out of it?<br />
<br />
I learned a lot and enjoyed myself, but I have to admit that my biggest challenge was time. There never seems to be enough hours in the day to do everything.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It takes time to plan ahead; it takes time to eat right, it takes time to work out. We can't just put everything aside: work, family, social life. So what to do?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This week we will discuss how we can make time so that we can do everything that we need to do to be successful without having to put everything else aside. It's tricky, but it IS feasible!<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Recipe Club</b></span><br />
<br />
I am so happy to have the first meeting of the Recipe Club this week! I've been wanting to do this for so long, and here it is!<br />
<br />
We are meeting this Wednesday (Sept. 21st) at the Stonestown Center at 7pm. Here's how it works:<br />
<br />
This month the theme is <b>Soups & Stews</b><br />
<br />
You need:<br />
<ul>
<li>A soup or stew recipe that you love.</li>
<li>The source (very important for legal reasons!)</li>
<li>The PointsPlus value (of course!) and serving size</li>
<li>Any additional information you think we need to know to make the recipe.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
We want everybody to have a chance to share their recipes, so we need to
keep it short. We will make sure to have time for mingling after
everybody presented their recipes, so you'll be able to ask any
questions you might have about a given recipe!<br />
<br />
It is the very first time we do this, so we will learn as we go. I'm hoping to have this become a monthly thing. Wouldn't that be fun?<br />
<br />
Don't be afraid to email me if you have questions. This will be so fun! I can't wait to hear what everybody brings in!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Lose for Good</b></span></div>
<div>
<br />
It's week 4 of the Lose for Good Campaign! Lets keep the momentum going! We have committed to 5 days of tracking, and 4 days of moving this week. How are you doing?<br />
<br />
Remember that when we say tracking, it means however you can make tracking work for you, from Etools to sticky notes, going around by the clicker. It's all good!<br />
<br />
We also said moving 4 times, again don't over think this. When we say moving, we agreed that it means get ready and do something active 4 times in the week. It can be 5 minutes, it can be 2 hours. It all counts!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Here's the different ways to get involved with the Lose for Good Campaign:</div>
<div>
<br />
<b>Losing weight</b><br />
<br />
We have done very well on the weight loss, but we can always do a little better! :o) Remember that for every lb we lose, Weight Watchers gives a dollar to the kids who need it. Help others by helping yourself. It cannot get cooler than this!<br />
<br />
<b>Plug in for Lose-A-Palooza</b><br />
<br />
It's tomorrow!!! Monday September 19th. Find information here: http://loseapalooza,com<br />
<br />
<b>Connect with the Lose for Good Community</b><br />
<br />
Look them up for support, inspiration and motivation: http://weightwatchers.com/loseforgood<br />
<br />
<b>Food Drives</b><br />
<br />
There are also be food drives at the centers! It's time to help others by helping ourselves! I know times are hard for a lot of us, and money isn't exactly raining. It's not about giving a lot, it's about giving whatever you can afford to give. Every little bit counts!<br />
<br />
Travelers, I will be taking donations this week and bringing them to the Center. If you can't make it to a center to give, bring it to the traveler meeting (JCCSF, Century Club) and I will put it in my super Matrix and bring to to Stonestown.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Tool of the Week</b></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When I don't have time to make it to the gym, that's when I make sure to wear my Pedometer so that I can keep track of how many steps I'm taking.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsrc5tzEaX5LxduWdeM4X3mNM27GL_Pe_onVs7JsVKdCQS-JiapReD4bWNT7Oe7XK5DgKzJvguuvItMcJ8Wr-5wLrC98rLQeLpUSBMntfYRAxnEutDFxdSpytLDKfg_fKOAHMyl7H51Ww/s1600/Pedometer.jpeg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641302329469933394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsrc5tzEaX5LxduWdeM4X3mNM27GL_Pe_onVs7JsVKdCQS-JiapReD4bWNT7Oe7XK5DgKzJvguuvItMcJ8Wr-5wLrC98rLQeLpUSBMntfYRAxnEutDFxdSpytLDKfg_fKOAHMyl7H51Ww/s320/Pedometer.jpeg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 145px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 222px;" /></a><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Not only it's a good way to monitor myself (number of steps, miles, Activity PointsPlus earned) but it's also a great motivator. If I know how many steps I've taken, I can set a goal for the day.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>In the Kitchen</b></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
One of the many things Weight Watchers has always been good at is coming up for ways of making cooking quick and easy. A few years ago, the cookbook "Shortcuts" came out, and my husband and I have used it extensively. Still do! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Those are not Foofy cuisine, but quick and easy satisfying meals for those days when you just don't have time for anything else.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Scallop and Vegetable Stir-Fry</b></div>
<div>
4 servings, 4 P+/serving</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Ingredients</div>
<div>
2 tsp canola oil</div>
<div>
1 1/2 pound sea scallops</div>
<div>
1 tsp dark asian (dark) sesame oil</div>
<div>
1 12 oz bag assorted fresh vegetable cut for stir-fry</div>
<div>
1 TBSP minced, peeled fresh ginger</div>
<div>
2 garlic cloves minced</div>
<div>
1 1/2 TBSP reduced-sodium soy sauce</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
1- Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles on it. Add the canola oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the scallops and stir-fry just until opaque in the center; about 3 minutes on each side (do not overcook!). Transfer to a plate.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
2 Heat the sesame oil in the skillet. Add the vegetables and stir-fry just until tender; about 1 minute. Add the ginger and garlic; stir-fry just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 1/4 cup water and cook, covered, until the vegetables are crisp-tender; about 1 minute. Stir in the scallops and the soy sauce; cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until heated through, about 30 seconds. Serve at once.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Note: It always cracks me up when a recipe says to serve "at once", I feel like I have to run to the dinning room as soon as I turn off the fire. "Quick, quick! It has to be served AT ONCE!" ;o)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Source: Shortcuts, Weight Watchers, p. 27<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Move it</span><br />
<br />
I live in the Richmond District, a few blocks from Golden Gate Park. I love walking/running in the park, having picnics, reading under the trees, but I had not realized how much stuff is going on in there! Isn't it funny that we sometimes fail to see what's right in front of us? This week is going to be beautiful, the sun is out FINALLY! Why don't we head to the Park and see what's out there?<br />
<br />
<b>Golf</b><br />
<br />
Ok, I played golf 1 time in my life, took 86 hits to do a 9 hole. Lets just say that it's not my thing. If it is your thing though, did you know there's a 9 hole golf course at the western end of the Park? You can rent equipment and everything! It works on a first come first serve basis, so no need to call ahead or anything!<br />
<br />
<b>Volley Ball</b><br />
<br />
There is the Monday Volley Ball at Kezar Pavilion on Mondays (7pm-9pm, $2) but have you thought about taking it outside? Sharon Field is a great place for it (and for many other things). Gather your buds and head for the South-west end of the park.<br />
<br />
Of course, with a net with good anchors (it's windy out there! Don't let your net fly away!), Ocean Beach is always neat for beach volleyball. With the wind, the sun and the waves, what can be better really?<br />
<br />
<b>Baseball</b><br />
<br />
There's always the choice of playing at Sharon Field, or other big open areas in the Park, but Big Rec Ball Field at 7th Avenue and Lincoln is THE place to play some ball. Bring your own equipment and to make sure you can have the spot, make reservations by calling 831-5510.<br />
<br />
Remember that you don't want to park near the field, but rather on the street, and be careful for kids while driving around there!<br />
<br />
<b>Basketball</b><br />
<br />
There's always indoor at the Kezar Pavilion but if you want to shoot some hoops in the sun, what about the playground at the Panhandle? The playground is between Stanyan and Masonic, and is fairly easy access with public transportation!<br />
<br />
<b>Dancing</b><br />
<br />
I've posted about this before. <a href="http://melaniesmoveit.blogspot.com/2011/06/lindy-in-park-and-its-free.html">Lindy in the Park</a> is there, free every week and fun!!<br />
<br />
<b>Walking, Running, Biking</b><br />
<br />
The Golden Gate Park counts a massive amount of trails, paths, paved and not paved. It's a beautiful setting, most of it is sheltered from the wind and mostly flat! It's the perfect place to get moving, without being overwhelmed with traffic, noise, fuel smells and whatever else that sometimes makes exploring the city a little less fun.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Be Safe</span></b><br />
<br />
Sadly things do happen in the Park. You want to be safe and aware of your surroundings. Things like reflecting clothing and staying in the paths can go a long way toward protecting you from the drivers who use the Park as a commute short cut.<br />
<br />
If walking/running at night, stay on the well traveled, well lighted paths. I like to wear only 1 of my headphones, that way I can still hear the music AND hear what's happening around me.<br />
<br />
Golden Gate Park (along with Ocean Beach) is my favorite part of San Francisco. There is always something to do, if only sitting down and listening to the wind in the trees, and things to see. The museums, the gardens, the pedal boats at Stow Lake (hilarious! They sink one every other week!), the Windmill (they repaired it!!).<br />
<br />
Just go in there and enjoy yourselves!<br />
<br />
For more information go to: <a href="http://www.golden-gate-park.com/">http://www.golden-gate-park.com/</a><br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Have a Great week!</span></b><br />
<br />
Remember that the Recipe Club meeting is this Wednesday!! Also, we are about midway into the Lose for Good Campaign, it is not over yet! We're in this together!!<br />
<br />
As always, email me if you need anything. I am here for you!!<br />
<br />
Your leader,<br />
<br />
Melanie<br />
<br />
“Don’t count every hour in the day, make every hour in the day count.”<br />
~Anonymous<br />
<br />
But then again:<br />
<br />
"How long a minute is, depends on which side of the bathroom door you're on." <br />
~Zall's Second Law</div>
Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-27704960677743671232011-09-11T01:21:00.000-07:002011-09-11T01:21:17.435-07:00One Magical Week<div>
How many days this week were you "on program" 100%? What does that even mean to be on program 100%?<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Everybody have their strength and their weakness when it comes to following the PointsPlus program. Be it food choices, portion control, activity or stick-to-it-iveness. Am I somebody who follows the plan a little all the time? Or someone who's perfect 3 days out of the week?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Do I work out 2 hours a week, all on Monday morning? Or do I have a routine that spreads through the week? Are my Friday evening portions twice as big as my Monday night portions?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What if I told you that you can do anything for a week. That you can, for an entire week, follow the PointsPlus program successfully?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Lets get together to figure out how to make that magical week happen. Here's a hint, magic has very little to do with it!</div>
<div>
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Recipe Club</span></b><br />
<br />
The Recipe Club is finally starting! Tired of cooking the same old, same old week after week? Out of inspiration? Come with us on Wednesday September 21st, 7 pm a the Stonestown Center to share your favorite soup/stew recipe and see what the others have to share.<br />
<br />
<b>Here's how it works:</b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>September Theme: </b>Soups & Stews<br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Where: </b>Weight Watchers Center Stonestown (577 Buckingham Way)<br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>When: </b>Wednesday September 21st at 7pm<br />
<br />
<b>You need:</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>A recipe relating to the theme (keep it simple, ideally a favorite that you know well)</li>
<li>The source (where you got it from)</li>
<li>The PointsPlus value and serving size</li>
<li>Any comments (difficulty level, tools needed, shortcut you've found, substitutions, etc)</li>
</ul>
<br />
We want everybody to have a chance to share their recipes, so we need to keep it short. We will make sure to have time for mingling after everybody presented their recipes, so you'll be able to ask any questions you might have about a given recipe!<br />
<br />
Don't be afraid to email me if you have questions. This will be so fun! I can't wait to hear what everybody brings in!<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Lose for Good</b></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It's week 3 of the Lose for Good Campaign! What are you doing to help other by helping yourself?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We are doing great, but we can always do better!! Keep it up!! Here's the many ways to get involved:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Losing weight</b><br />
<br />
How cool is that? Weight Watchers will donate 1 dollar for each pound lost up to a million. We want to pass last year's total of 4 million pounds lost. We can so do it!!<br />
<br />
<b> Plug in for Lose-A-Palooza</b><br />
It's happening September 19th. Find information here: http://loseapalooza,com<br />
<br />
<b> Connect with the Lose for Good Community</b><br />
<br />
Look them up for support, inspiration and motivation: http://weightwatchers.com/loseforgood<br />
<br />
<br />
There are also be food drives at the centers! It's time to help others by helping ourselves!<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Sale - Sale - Sale</b></span><br />
<br />
From September 4th through the 24th all Mini Bar, Oatmeal, and Smoothies will be on sale for only <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>$4.95</b></span>!<br />
<br />
It's time to stock up on those goodies!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Tool of the Week</b></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This little tool is great for crazy times! Yeah ideally you want to write it all down in details, break it down, make an analysis... Sometimes you just don't have time for that, or you plain don't feel like it! Enters the Weight Watchers Clicker!</div>
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3qeZHSK1o8GEivFbNwDNhrijQ0tcf6zCd4EVlbTIk75_FgUAHvQovgDxrzOMdHVm7JCIsvtnxCY6_GJCHFKs8zsZVbOzZBhd6s78lPFQs5t_FswSbvMmSqpGtB14YeOdOk1rvP4fpaR0/s1600/clicker.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641279903891812402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3qeZHSK1o8GEivFbNwDNhrijQ0tcf6zCd4EVlbTIk75_FgUAHvQovgDxrzOMdHVm7JCIsvtnxCY6_GJCHFKs8zsZVbOzZBhd6s78lPFQs5t_FswSbvMmSqpGtB14YeOdOk1rvP4fpaR0/s320/clicker.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 152px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 176px;" /></a><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It's a tiny tool that fits anywhere.It's the simplest thing to use, you set it to your Daily PointsPlus Target and click down the PoinstPlus as you use them. That's it! How much simpler can anything get?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>In the Kitchen</b></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I have so many cookbooks that it takes me some time to work my way through new ones. Last spring we got the Fresh Fabulous, Fast cookbook here at Weight watchers, and I am now working my way through it. Here's my favorite so far:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Chicken and Broccoli with Black bean sauce</b></div>
<div>
4 servings, 6 P+/serving</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Ingredients</div>
<div>
3/4 pound chicken tenders, cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices</div>
<div>
4 cup small broccoli florets</div>
<div>
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced</div>
<div>
1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP water</div>
<div>
2 TBSP black bean sauce</div>
<div>
1 tsp sugar</div>
<div>
1 (8.8 ounce) package cooked brown rice (about 1 3/4 cups)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
1- Spray a large wok or skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add chicken and stir-fry until browned and just cooked through, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to plate.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
2- Add broccoli, bell pepper*, and 1/4 cup of the water to wok; stir-fry until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add chicken, black bean sauce, sugar, and remaining 2 TBSP water; stir-fry 1 minute.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
3- Heat rice according to package directions for microwave. Serve chicken and vegetables over rice.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
* You can add more vegetables to this and bump the volume and the taste!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<b>Source:</b> <i>Fast, Fresh, Fabulous</i> Weight Watchers p. 129.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Move it</b></span><br />
<br />
Since we are trying to lose weight, or maintain our weight after a weight loss, we often put a lot of focus on cardio when it comes to our choices of activity. It makes sense after all, cardio burns more calories, earns more Activity PointsPlus, so evidently we tend to deduce that it's a better choice to make it to our goal weight in a hurry and stay there. Cardio absolutely has its place in a healthy lifestyle, but so does resistance training!<br />
<br />
Resistance training by itself burns less calories since it is less taxing on the cardiovascular system, but it certainly has definite advantage when it comes to reaching our goals. Studies show that building more muscle mass speeds up your metabolism (at rest even, the more muscles you have, the faster your metabolism) so that your body will burn more calories while you are doing nothing! Resistance training also makes you look better, at any weight, by helping you maintain a better posture, and help us fight off the effects of time and gravity on the body.<br />
<br />
You can do all sort of resistance training: Yoga, pilates, core training, anything really that makes you work your muscles until they are too tired to go on. My first choice when it comes to resistance training is, by far, lifting weights. I've talked about it before, but I still see members, generally women, who are intimidated by the idea of pumping iron. There are so many myths and misinformation about weight training, here are the main ones debunked:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/womensfitnesstopics/a/womenmyths.htm">http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/womensfitnesstopics/a/womenmyths.htm</a><br />
<br />
The Weight Watchers website has some good articles about weight training:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=32301&sc=3046">http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=32301&sc=3046</a><br />
<br />
Free weights or machines?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=11501&sc=128">http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=11501&sc=128</a><br />
<br />
Here's a few article from my go to website about weight training (www.stumptuous.com) that might help you get started. Those are from Krista's website and her language/humor is particular, still the information she gives is very helpful and interesting! I have learned a lot from her, even if her site really is geared toward women, I think anybody can learn a lot from her.<br />
<br />
Still have weight to lose? Look up this article:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.stumptuous.com/no-fat-chicks">http://www.stumptuous.com/no-fat-chicks</a><br />
<br />
Think you're too old to lift weight? You are NOT!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.stumptuous.com/old-broads-the-golden-years-of-pumping-iron">http://www.stumptuous.com/old-broads-the-golden-years-of-pumping-iron</a><br />
<br />
Here you can find other articles she has written over the years for people who are just getting started:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.stumptuous.com/category/starting">http://www.stumptuous.com/category/starting</a><br />
<br />
Yes weight training burns less calories while you are doing it than a cardio work out would, but it increase the calories you burn at rest, it helps fight off bone mass loss over the year, and it makes life easier (I can open my own jars thank you!). This is all very good and pretty, but honestly to me the biggest advantage of resistance training is that it significally slows down the effect of gravity on the body.<br />
<br />
I do want to be healthy, of course, but here's what I'm really pumping iron for: To keep my weight down... and my behind up where it belongs!<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Have a great week!</span></b><br />
<br />
There is so much going on! Lose for good, Bike-o-rama, the Recipe Club starting, sales, Success Stories Live on the 18th, Wow! It IS a great time to be a member! Make sure to look up the Event Blog to keep up with everything that is going on.<br />
<br />
We are working our way back on the way to our goals, as always I'm only an email away!<br />
<br />
Have a skinny, healthy week everybody!<br />
<br />
Melanie<br />
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Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-44797446784115023682011-09-03T16:44:00.000-07:002011-09-03T16:54:34.870-07:00Getting Re-Started<div>
Summer has its own rhythm. Kids are off school, vacations interrupt our routine, and summer just has this feeling of "I want to take it easy a little bit". This doesn't mean that we are not trying anymore, but rather that our efforts are maybe a little less focused, and maybe not as constant as they should have been.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Now that the kids are back to school and that, hopefully, we have recovered from the scramble of getting them ready for it, it might be a good time to hit the reset button and refocus our efforts for greater success. </div>
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<br /></div>
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To do that the overall theme for the September meetings is "Refresh and Renew". What best way to refocus our efforts than starting right at the beginning with the basics of the PointsPlus program. </div>
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Together we will review and reaffirm our knowledge of the plan and see where we might need to focus our efforts.</div>
<div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Promotions</u></b></span><br />
<br />
There's a lot going on at Weight Watchers in the San Francisco/Upper Peninsula and in the rest of North America! Here's what's going on in September (check the <a href="http://melanieevents.blogspot.com/2011/08/september-events.html">Event Blog</a> for further events in our territory). Very exciting! It's a great time to be a Weight Watchers member!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Lose for Good</span></b><br />
<br />
Lose for Good has started and started in a good way! We have a ton of ways to get involved and help others by helping ourselves. How cool is that?<br />
<br />
<b> Losing weight</b><br />
<br />
How cool is that? Weight Watchers will donate 1 dollar for each pound lost up to a million. We want to pass last year's total of 4 million pounds lost. We can so do it!!<br />
<br />
<b> Plug in for Lose-A-Palooza</b><br />
<br />
It's happening September 19th. Find information here: <a href="http://loseapalooza%2Ccom/">http://loseapalooza,com</a><br />
<br />
<b> Connect with the Lose for Good Community</b><br />
<br />
Look them up for support, inspiration and motivation: <a href="http://weightwatchers.com/loseforgood">http://weightwatchers.com/loseforgood</a><br />
<br />
<br />
There will also be food drives at the centers! It's time to help others by helping ourselves!<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><u>Sale - Sale - Sale</u></span></b></span><br />
<br />
From September 4th through the 24th, all Mini Bars, Oatmeal, and Smoothies will be on sale for <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: large;">$4.95</span><br />
It's time to stock up!<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Bike-O-Rama</b></span><br />
<br />
You might have noticed the bikes in the centers lately. I see you downtown members laughing as saying "Of course we did, you tripped over it enough!" True!! Well, here's what it's all about:<br />
<br />
Follow YOUR Path Contest<br />
When: Sept 4th - Oct 30th<br />
<br />
What: 3 Ways” to be entered into the contest<br />
<ol>
<li>When you Bring a Friend who enrolls and they buy a Monthly Pass,you will get a ticket to enter.</li>
<li>Stay and Succeed - When you attend 6 out of the 8 meetings,you will get a ticket to enter (your location will bravo or punch your special card).</li>
<li>When you attend ALL 8 out of 8 meetings, you will get another ticket to enter (even when you travel, go to a meeting then let us know).</li>
</ol>
* drawing to be held on Oct. 30th - each winner will then be notifi ed One winner per center!<br />
<br />
Lots of exciting stuff going on and more coming but I can't tell yet (it's KILLING ME!!! I want to tell SO BAD!!). Keep coming, bring your friends and stay tuned!<br />
<br /></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Tool of the Week</span></b></div>
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If you want to refocus your efforts, and get your plan back on its tracks, it's important to have the right tools. The Member kit has everything you need to follow the plan successfully without breaking your head in the process. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeE5T6emJuEpmnsv0OnY9TgGatwKpJC2wdYCfeZ8v9_zynwNGStAA19_1HrSgkgZQfZrq8Q3w_7TdJuEg6UcGlc0OhA7eZvPEOJ3kM0LffLMiLptEE9ewRlM0m-fg8xNQxL-HUaA2noAo/s1600/Delux+kitsm.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641218020233587010" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeE5T6emJuEpmnsv0OnY9TgGatwKpJC2wdYCfeZ8v9_zynwNGStAA19_1HrSgkgZQfZrq8Q3w_7TdJuEg6UcGlc0OhA7eZvPEOJ3kM0LffLMiLptEE9ewRlM0m-fg8xNQxL-HUaA2noAo/s320/Delux+kitsm.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
<div>
It contains the Complete Food Companion, the Dinning Out Companion, the 3 Month Journal, a Fabulous cookbook, a coupon for a free calculator and a little booklet of coupons to save money on all sorts of Weight Watchers products (including a discount on a food scale!). </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
All of this is packaged in a convenient little binder that is perfect to keep all your Weight Watchers stuff together and out of the way. </div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In the Kitchen</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
If we think basic recipe when following the Weight Watchers program, what do we think of?<br />
<br />
Yup! The 0 PointsPlus soup! Here's a few variations found on the website. The possibilities are endless. Feel free to modify!<br />
<br /><b>
Fresh vegetable soup</b><br />
12 servings, 0P+/serving<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced (medium) <br />
1 medium onion, diced <br />
2 medium carrot, diced <br />
1 medium sweet red pepper, diced <br />
1 stalk celery, diced (medium) <br />
2 small zucchini, diced <br />
2 cups green cabbage, shredded <br />
2 cups Swiss chard, chopped <br />
2 cups cauliflower, small florets <br />
2 cups broccoli, small florets <br />
2 tsp thyme, fresh, fresh, chopped <br />
6 cups vegetable broth <br />
2 Tbsp parsley, or chives, fresh, chopped <br />
1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste <br />
1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste <br />
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, optional <br />
<br />
Instructions<br />
Put garlic, vegetables, thyme and broth into a large soup pot. Cover and
bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low and simmer, partly
covered, about 10 minutes.<br />
<br />
Stir in parsley or chives; season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Yields about 1 cup per serving.<br />
<br />
<br /><b>
Asian-Inspired Vegetable soup</b><br />
12 servings, 0 P+/serving<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
2 cups bok choy, chopped <br />
2 cups chinese cabbage, chopped <br />
3 cloves garlic, minced (medium) <br />
1/4 cup ginger root, thinly sliced and julienned <br />
4 small raw oyster mushrooms, chopped <br />
2 cups scallion, chopped <br />
1 cup canned water chestnuts, sliced <br />
1/2 cup sweet red pepper, thinly sliced <br />
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes <br />
6 cups vegetable broth <br />
2 cups snow peas, stringed <br />
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce <br />
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped <br />
<br />
Instructions<br />
Put bok choy, Chinese cabbage, garlic, ginger root, mushrooms,
scallions, water chestnuts, red pepper, red pepper flakes and broth into
a large soup pot; stir to combine. Cover and bring to a boil over high
heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partly covered, for about 10
minutes. Toss in snow peas during the last 3 to 4 minutes of simmering.<br />
<br />
Stir in soy sauce and cilantro. Yields about 1 cup per serving.<br />
<br /><b>
Mexican-Style Vegetable Soup</b><br />
12 servings, 0P+ serving<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
2 cups green snap beans, fresh, cut into bit-size pieces <br />
3 cloves garlic, minced (medium) <br />
2 small zucchini, cubed <br />
14 oz canned diced tomatoes, Mexican-style preferred <br />
1 medium spanish onion, chopped <br />
1 medium green pepper, chopped <br />
1 cup chopped tomatillos <br />
1 medium jalapeٌno pepper, finely chopped (don't touch seeds with bare hands)<br />
1/2 medium poblano chile, finely chopped <br />
1 tsp fresh oregano <br />
1/2 tsp ground cumin,<br />
6 cups vegetable broth <br />
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, water-packed (about 2 peppers) <br />
1 Tbsp canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce <br />
1/2 cup cilantro, fresh, chopped <br />
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice <br />
3/4 tsp table salt <br />
<br />
Instructions<br />
Place green beans, garlic, zucchini, tomatoes, onion, green pepper,
tomatillos, jalapeno, poblano, oregano, cumin and broth into a large
soup pot. Puree roasted peppers with chipotle in adobo sauce in a
blender or food processor; stir into soup. Cover and bring to a boil
over high heat; reduce heat to low, and simmer, partly covered, for
about 10 minutes.<br />
<br />
Stir in cilantro, lime juice and salt. Serve. Yields about 1 cup per serving.<br />
<br /><b>
Italian-Style Vegetable Soup</b><br />
12 servings, 0P+/serving<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
2 cups escarole, chopped <br />
2 cloves garlic, minced (medium) <br />
1 cup onion, chopped <br />
2 cups spinach, baby leaves <br />
2 small zucchini, cubed <br />
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped <br />
1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced <br />
6 cups vegetable broth <br />
28 oz canned diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted <br />
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes <br />
2 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped <br />
1 tsp fresh oregano, finely chopped <br />
3/4 tsp table salt <br />
1/4 tsp black pepper <br />
1/4 cup parsley, fresh, chopped <br />
1/4 cup basil, fresh, leaves <br />
<br />
Instructions<br />
Put escarole, garlic, onions, spinach, zucchini, red pepper, fennel,
vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, red pepper flakes, thyme and oregano
into a large soup pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce
heat to low, and simmer, partly covered, for about 10 minutes.<br />
<br />
Stir in salt, black pepper, parsley and basil. Serve. Yields about 1 cup per serving.<br />
<br />
<br />
See how easy that is? Fat free broth, 0 P+ vegetables, and fat free seasonings. One basic recipe, endless possibilities!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Activity</b></span><br />
<br />
Ah September in San Francisco! The worst of the tourists go home, the sun comes out (well, hopefully), the kids are back in school, and the vacations are done for the most part.<br />
<br />
With most of the distractions out of the way, it's the perfect time to set a new routine. The Good Health Guidelines tells us that we should move at moderate intensity most days of the week and that is for health, not necessarily to lose weight. It might be a good idea to aim toward a little more than that.<br />
<br />
In theory that sounds beautiful, but in practice sometimes it's not that easy to achieve. Playing taxi driver for the kids, work meetings, house work, emails, homework, everything seems to get in the way. That's where setting a routine becomes extremely helpful. If you do the same thing, at the same time everyday, it becomes almost automatic. We don't forget to brush our teeth before bed because we do it every night, so if we don't something is missing. Getting your work out in can become as natural to you as brushing your teeth before bed is, if you stick to your routine long enough.<br />
<br />
There's a few things to consider when setting up your routine:<br />
<br />
<b>What do I want to do? </b><br />
<br />
It's a good idea to have a basic work out (or a basic activity) that you will do regularly. You can add to it on the days that you have more time, or when you are feeling bored, but the basic routine makes it easier to build a work out in which you don't have to reinvent the wheel every time. It is also a time saver on those week when you don't have time to be overly creative. You just go and do it, without having to think about it too much.<br />
<br />
<b>When do I want to move?</b><br />
<br />
That's the big question! Are you a morning person? Can you work out after work? What about a Lunch time work out? There is no right or wrong answer to this question. The best answer is the answer that works the best for you. If the thought of getting up early in the morning gives you nightmares, then maybe you want to think about stopping by the gym on your way home after work. If you hit a wall every day at 4:30 and body and mind just stops functioning, an after work work out might not be ideal.<br />
<br />
<b>What can I realistically commit to do?</b><br />
<br />
You are far better to start small and build up your routine than to commit to a huge work out 7 days/week and feel like a failure 4 days into it because you couldn't keep up. Depending on the kind of activity you decide to practice, and the intensity of each work out, you might want to start with 2 or 3 work out per week, and then add to that when you are ready.<br />
<br />
<br />
The bottom line is that you want to be very honest with yourself and realistic about your expectations. Nobody goes from couch potato to athlete overnight. None of us, I think, is getting ready for the next Olympics, the old adage of "No pain, no gain" does not apply to us (or to anybody else anymore for that matter). So set up a challenging but realistic routine and see where you can go from there. Take your time, and of course enjoy yourself!<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Have a good week</b></span><br />
<br />
There is so much going on right now and all of it is good and exciting! As I said earlier it is a good time to be a Weight Watchers member! Make sure to come to your meeting so that you can be part of the Lose for Good campaign and take advantage of all the promotions we have going on.<br />
<br />
As always I'm just an email away if you need me. Not that I have added an "Email me" link just under my picture (top right of this page) to make it easier to contact me.<br />
<br />
It's September, time to take ourselves in hand. So let's hit the reset button and start this fall with great gusto!<br />
<br />
I will see you in the meeting room,<br />
<br />
Melanie<br />
Leader<br />
<br />
<i><b>Life is not about how fast you run or how high you climb but how well you bounce. </b></i> <br />
~Vivian Komori<br />
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Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-51995177109374817722011-08-15T13:49:00.000-07:002011-08-27T09:12:15.761-07:00Shop Smart<div>Ever went to the grocery store to get carrots and a pack of skinless/boneless chicken breast and came back with 5 bags full of baked chips, ice cream treats, crackers, 4 different kinds of bread... </div><div>
<br /></div><div>You know what I mean? Or at Trader Joes! Love that store, but I always go in for 1 thing, and come back with full hands. Last time one can of blackbeans turned into $120 of all sorts of stuff. The worst part is that the very next day, I realized I had 30 different kinds of snacks, but nothing to cook with! </div><div>
<br /></div><div>I really do love to shop for food, but it takes time, and there are some pitfalls to be aware of. So this week we will explore ways to save time at the grocery store, and strategies to avoid the challenges that we come across when we go food shopping.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Don't miss it!</div><div>
<br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>Lose for Good</b></span></div><div>
<br /></div><div>Lose for Good is finally here! Starting this week, we have a ton of ways to get involved and help others by helping ourselves. How cool is that?</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>Weekly challenge: </b>This last week we committed to <i><b>tracking at a minimum 4 days of the week</b></i> to help add up to our weight loss. How are you doing with that? Can you do 5 days? 6? What else can you do help others by helping yourself?</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>Losing weight</b>
<br />
<br />How cool is that? Weight Watchers will donate 1 dollar for each pound lost up to a million. We want to pass last year's total of 4 million pounds lost. We can so do it!!
<br />
<br /><b> Plug in for Lose-A-Palooza
<br /></b>
<br />It's happening September 19th. Find information here: <a href="http://loseapalooza%2Ccom/">loseapalooza.com</a>
<br />
<br /><b> Connect with the Lose for Good Community</b>
<br />
<br />Look them up for support, inspiration and motivation: <a href="http://weightwatchers.com/loseforgood">weightwatchers.com/loseforgood</a></div><div>
<br /></div><div>
<br /></div><div>There will also be food drives at the centers! It's time to help others by helping ourselves! If you have ideas for weekly challenges please share!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>
<br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Tool of the week</span></b></div><div>
<br /></div><div>I like to call my calculator "The little blue dude". It follows me everywhere, and helps me in all sorts of ways, even more at the grocery store. </div><div>
<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFa-TRnH4L9zZnMwVVp0xGqLsk7TQjChuXSTMNjP9xeMHZ3SxxCQMyyKcMhImVDOlNho4JxeiEZvsJ1ECuNSHkVt-27h8hF4259fInFJQriZbcJAcXiEjZQMF-QJ8s2fac2xfgVkp0B2A/s1600/PP+calculator.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 274px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFa-TRnH4L9zZnMwVVp0xGqLsk7TQjChuXSTMNjP9xeMHZ3SxxCQMyyKcMhImVDOlNho4JxeiEZvsJ1ECuNSHkVt-27h8hF4259fInFJQriZbcJAcXiEjZQMF-QJ8s2fac2xfgVkp0B2A/s320/PP+calculator.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641188051564776082" /></a>The little dude calculates the PointsPlus value of any packaged food, tracks your day, give you your daily target, everything!! Over all that, it's a regular calculator too, so at the grocery store, you can calculate PointsPlus values and money.<div>
<br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>In the Kitchen</b></span></div><div>
<br /></div><div>This recipe is simple, quick and gives a lot of taste to simple pork chops. I have used the same recipe on chicken with great results.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>The recipe calls for oven baking, but I've done it on the grill too. It's just one of those easy, good for everything recipe!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Cotelettes de porc a la jamaicaine (Jamaican style pork chops)</div><div>4 servings, 5P+/serving</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Ingredients</div><div>4 boneless pork chops (about 1 lb total)</div><div>1 TBSP soy sauce</div><div>1 TBSP orange juice</div><div>1 TBSP olive oil</div><div>2 cloves garlic, minced</div><div>3 green onions, minced</div><div>1 tsp Jamaican pepper</div><div>1 tsp dried thyme</div><div>1/4 tsp salt, </div><div>1/4 tsp pepper</div><div>1/4 tsp ground ginger</div><div>1 pinch cayenne pepper</div><div>
<br /></div><div>
<br /></div><div>1- Make little cut on the side of each chop of about 1 inch. In a bowl mix all remaining ingredients. Rub the mixture on each pork chops and put in an oven safe dish in one layer. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>2- Cook pork chops for 18 minutes or so at 375 F, or until they are golden but still pink inside, turning once.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Source: Coup de Pouce, <i>Au menu ce soir</i>, p. 36</div><div>
<br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>September Events!</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >It might be the teacher (and daughter of two teachers) in me, but September is filled with positive happy energy! </span>
<br />
<br /><b> Recipe club meeting</b> TBD
<br />I'm in the process of putting together the bases to start a recipe club. Keep your eyes peeled for further information. I'm hoping to have it all figured out on time to start in September!
<br />
<br /><b> Lose for Good</b> August 28th-October 15th
<br />Help yourself by helping others. Make sure to come to your meeting, we can't let the team down!
<br />
<br /><b>Bike A RAMA</b> September 3rd-October 30th
<br />Did you see the bikes in the meeting room? Come to the meetings to learn what this great promotion is all about!
<br />
<br /><b>Lifetime member meeting</b> September 4 th - 11:00 Stonestown Center
<br />Lifetime members get together to discuss the challenges of long term motivation and maintenance. How do you keep this lifestyle interesting and fulfilling for a lifetime? We figure it out together :o)
<br />
<br /><b>Second Sunday Stair climb</b> September 11th
<br />Fun time with Michael and his fearless walkers! Once a month, a little bit of a challenging walk, but a wonderful discovery of beautiful San Francisco.
<br />
<br /><b>Success Stories Live</b> September 18th Stonestown Center
<br />The perfect event to recharge your motivation for the fall. Listen to local success stories and learn how people have overcome hurdles, pushed through plateaus and succeeded!</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Facebook</span></b>
<br />
<br />We now have our very own Facebook page for the Weight Watchers members of San Francisco and the Upper peninsula (San Bruno, Pacifica, and surroundings that's you!).
<br />
<br />Look it up! Little contests, idea exchanges, all yours! Also a good place to know what's going on in our local Weight Watchers community!
<br />
<br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Weight-Watchers-Peninsula/181660318539142?sk=wall">http://www.facebook.com/pages/Weight-Watchers-Peninsula/181660318539142?sk=wall</a></div><div>
<br /></div><div>
<br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Activity</span></b></div><div>
<br /></div><div>Some of us are just getting started with our activity routine, but some of us have been at it for a while, and are eager to renew, rev up, and re-energize our work out routine. We talked a little bit about that with the "Get Unstuck" meeting this last week, but maybe it's worth looking at a little more closely. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>How do you know if it's time to renew, rev up and re-energize your routine? Hopefully this might help you give it another look:</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>Renew: </b>Is your activity routine very, well, routine? Do you ever feel like you are in an endless cycle of "Get up, get dressed, hit the machine (pavement, bike, whatever) take a shower, get on with your day"? Has the fun leaked out of your routine?</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>Rev up:</b> Are your work outs easy? Have you stopped coming home, or going back to work, feeling like "Woah, I really worked it"? Did you have a fitness goal set and now see that you have stopped seeing significant results? When you first started, you improved almost with every workout, now months later you've been at the same distance/intensity/duration/weights for weeks.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Re-energize: Have you sort of forgotten why you are doing this? You are working out because you are working out, but the driving force behind somehow has lessened. You know what to do, how to do it, but you've sort of forgotten why?</div><div>
<br /></div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>OK, now what?</b> If any of these sounds about right to you, that's ok, we've all been there! The solutions really are simple: </div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>Diversify your routine: </b>You don't have to reinvent the wheel every week. Make a list of a few activities that you would like to try and see how you can incorporate them to your routine. If you are a member in a gym, add a class to your week. If your week is very booked up, add a weekend activity; a hike, a bike ride, go kayaking on the bay, go climb the stairs with Michael on the 11th! Bring some friends, you can have fun and burn calories at the same time!</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>Increase Duration/Intensity:</b> For your work out to be effective, it has to be challenging. That doesn't mean that you have to work until you fall apart, but that you have to come out of it feeling like your muscles are tired. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>There's only 2 ways to make your work out challenging: Add time, or boost up the intensity. If the time constrain is a big issue, you want to add weights, add inclination, increase the resistance on the machine so that your body has to work harder to do the same work. If you have a little more time, or if you can't add intensity because of physical issues, then you want to make your work out a little longer. Either ways will add the number of calories burned, and force your body to improve with each workout. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Be wary of over-training! You want to rev up your work outs progressively and listen to your body. If you added weights and your forms are suffering, back up and lower your weights a little, you're lifting too heavy. If you added 2 miles to your run, and your ankle (or knee, or back) are suddenly hurting, take a break and start with a smaller distance, you might have overdone it. </div><div>Here's information about over-training: <a href="http://www.brianmac.co.uk/overtrn.htm">http://www.brianmac.co.uk/overtrn.htm</a></div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>Find a motivator: </b>This might be the simplest and yet most difficult part of this, figuring out what it is that makes it worth the effort for you. You need to sit down and really think hard about why it is worth it to you to get up in the morning and work out. What are you working for? Are you training for a race? Running away from a medical condition? Looking forward to wearing a sexy pair of jeans or a swimsuit and feeling great in it? Or are you trying to build up the stamina to keep up with the kids?</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Whatever the motivator is for you (and it is as personal as it can get) it has to be powerful enough for you to be willing to work for it. Yes working out can be fun, but nobody I have ever met is enthusiastic about working out every time they hit the gym, or go out for a run. Your motivator is what is going to make you go ahead and do it on the mornings (or whenever in he day you work out) when you really don't wanna. </div><div>
<br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Have a great week</span></b></div><div>
<br /></div><div>September is a few days away, and we are going to have a great one! Lose for Good is there, we have all sorts of good events coming, and it's time to get on with losing! I don't know about you, but I'm just in a "I'm ready, bring it on!" kind of mood these days. What about you? </div><div>
<br /></div><div>If you need me don't be afraid of emailing me. I'm there for you and will do my best to answer any questions or concerns you might have.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>It's time to come back home, and to recommit to our goals and ourselves. I will be looking for you in the meeting room!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Melanie</div><div>
<br /></div><div><i>“You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I'm not hungry enough to eat six.”</i>
<br />~ Yogi Berra (sorry, I couldn't resist this one! hehehe)</div>Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-11974106016416600262011-08-15T12:59:00.000-07:002011-08-19T19:15:02.438-07:00Get Unstuck<div>Ever get stuck in traffic? You know that helpless feeling of "no matter what I do, I'll be sitting here not going anywhere for a while". I hate that feeling!
<br />
<br />You see, patience is not one of my strong point*s*, and that's an understatement. Whatever I am doing, I want to be done now. Wherever I'm going, I want to be there now. You can imagine how well (not!) I dealt with plateaus on my weight loss journey. Not pretty!
<br />
<br />Still, like a majority of people, I did have to deal with the scale ignoring my impatience, and refusing to budge even a smidgen for weeks. Plateaus are a normal part of the weight loss process, and as exasperating (and lets be honest, scary) as they are, you can work your way through them and even learn great lessons in the process.
<br />
<br />This week we will discuss how we can get past a weight loss plateau to get ourselves back to losing weight.</div><div>
<br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Tool of the week</b></span></div><div>
<br /></div><div>My first go to helper when I'm struggling is my food scale. I know I talk about it all the time, but really, I don't understand how one can do this program without this easy and useful tool.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4A2qbCqpKT1QZu-oEflEDlmfBulwI12u8qWBnjdLDZ4ybLbGvg7DkJyH2OnVV1wxpmgWAsPSo2XS6uYGQyBp6971IAqxcSS2jO0w45KRAoWzVzf5HoINk6ld_Aht5_N6ebPU4LwnKpW8/s1600/EFS_foodscale.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 173px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4A2qbCqpKT1QZu-oEflEDlmfBulwI12u8qWBnjdLDZ4ybLbGvg7DkJyH2OnVV1wxpmgWAsPSo2XS6uYGQyBp6971IAqxcSS2jO0w45KRAoWzVzf5HoINk6ld_Aht5_N6ebPU4LwnKpW8/s320/EFS_foodscale.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641175480173268530" /></a>The Weight Watchers Electronic food scale is not only easy and quick to measure foods, but it also has a lot of healpful features:<div>
<br /></div><div><ul><li><b>Food bank:</b> Give you the PointsPlus value of the food you have on there quickly and easily. </li><li><b>Integrated calculator:</b> Permits you to calculate the PointsPlus of any food that might not be in the original food bank by entering the nutritional info and serving size. </li><li><b>Add:</b> Permits you to calculate the PointsPlus value of additional foods in the same dish and keep a running count of the total PointsPlus Value of all ingredients added</li></ul></div><div>You can also add new foods to the original food bank, zero out the scale after you put your dish on it... It's just a great tool! What can I say?</div><div>
<br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>In the Kitchen</b></span></div><div>
<br /></div><div>This recipe is a creation of mine. I was looking for a good fennel salad, and was tired of my usuals, so I experimented. I'm not beyond bragging, this was really good! </div><div>
<br /></div><div>I've shared it on Facebook already, but thought I'd share it here for posterity (HA!)</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>Apple -Fennel slaw</b>
<br />6 servings, (recipe builder says 1p+/serving, but that counts the apple and fennel. I protest!)
<br />
<br />
<br />2 granny smith apple, thinly julienned
<br />1 fennel bulb, cored, thinly julienned
<br />2 TBSP lemon juice (or so)
<br />2 TBSP apple cider vinegar, divided
<br />1 (generous) TBSP dijon mustard (I use whole grain, it's prettier)
<br />1 tsp olive oil
<br />1/2 packet stevia (or 1 tsp sugar)
<br />1/2 TBSP (or more) poppy seeds
<br />Salt & pepper to taste
<br />
<br />Mix 1 TBSP of the vinegar with the lemon juice and pour over the apple juliennes as soon as they are cut (to keep from browning). Put in a big bowl
<br />
<br />Mix the mustard, the remaining vinegar, the oil and the stevia in a little bowl, pour over the slaw. Add poppy seeds, salt and pepper and toss well.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Source: My own brain, please credit said brain if you're going to reuse ;op</div><div>
<br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Loose for Good</b></span></div><div>
<br /></div><div>The Lose for Good campaign is starting next week. We have done wonderfully well the previous year, but we can do better! Get involved, get inspired, lose for the good cause! Get involved by:</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>Losing weight</b></div><div>
<br /></div><div>How cool is that? Weight Watchers will donate 1 dollar for each pound lost up to a million. We want to pass last year's total of 4 million pounds lost. We can so do it!!</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>Plug in for Lose-A-Palooza</b></div><div>
<br /></div><div>It's happening September 19th. Find information here: <a href="http://loseapalooza%2Ccom/">loseapalooza,com</a></div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>Connect with the Lose for Good Community</b></div><div>
<br /></div><div>Look them up for support, inspiration and motivation: <a href="http://weightwatchers.com/loseforgood">weightwatchers.com/loseforgood</a></div><div>
<br /></div><div>More to come as the campaign takes off. Keep your eyes peeled cause we're on starting August 28th!</div><div>
<br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Activity</b></span></div><div>
<br /></div><div>While I was on vacation, I found myself on the grounds surrounding the port at "L'Etang du Nord". I was waiting for my Mom to be done with a meeting, and had nothing with me but my camera, my MP3 player and my walking shoes.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Instead of just sitting around, I decided to go wander around to take pictures. I started the music, and just took off, stopping to take pictures when something caught my attention. </div><div>
<br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Now, I'm certainly no photograph, don't even know enough about it to be a wannabe, and my camera was an ok one... 8 years ago! I had the best time!</span></div><div>
<br /></div><div>"What on earth does that have to do with activity?" you ask... Well, I walked (with frequent stops that's true) for well over 2 1/2 hours. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Moving is moving right? Who knew that you could burn calories taking pictures? HA!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>See the <a href="http://melaniesmoveit.blogspot.com/2011/08/playing-photographer_19.html">Move it! blog</a> to see some example of my attempt at photography! He he he!</div><div>
<br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Have a good week</b></span></div><div>
<br /></div><div>Don't let slow downs and plateaus turn you away from your goals. Those are normal, and happen to everybody. The first step to getting ourselves back on the losing track again is to keep coming to the meetings so that we can find solution and remain connected to what we are trying to do.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>As always I'm there for you, never be afraid to ask! See you in the meeting room. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Be good n stuff!!!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Melanie</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" >“If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere.”</span></i></b>
<br /> ~Frank A. Clark</div><div>
<br /></div><div>
<br /></div><div>
<br /></div>Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-55244308368325128752011-08-14T19:21:00.000-07:002011-08-17T09:37:59.943-07:00Is a Meatless Day for Me?<div><div>As I unpack my luggage from my vacation, and realize upon stepping on the scale that I shouldn't wait before I step into my routine again, I realize that my routine needs a little kick.
<br />
<br />The last few months my meals have been "on program" but nothing to write home about. So, cookbooks in hand, I'm planning my week. The funny thing is that 3 of my 5 weeknight dinners are vegan. What a shift!
<br />
<br />When I started Weight Watchers, the idea of a meal without meat was ridiculous to me. Of course then I thought vegan meant some nasty looking fake meat, with some half cooked unknown grain and 3 over steamed broccoli floret. Boy was I wrong!
<br />
<br />Vegetarian/vegan cooking can very easily be weigh-loss friendly and healthy, but also cost effective! Add to that that it can be absolutely delicious and filling, what's not to love? The possibilities are endless. This week we will talk about how to incorporate vegetarian/ vegan cooking to our routine, for our health and our wallet's!</div><div>
<br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Tool of the Week</b></span>
<br />
<br />Did you know that the PointPlus Cookbook not only has a great side dish chapter (page 204 to 233) which has a lot of vegetarian and/or vegan sides, but also a vegetarian main meal section?</div></div><div>
<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHrGJ7iDMyHinkvm_y7O-YQ2dPtGbEaNCf5sp0puagQpVEk2vWH9vgEpT6KJxZYD4oUAf-fITuxLF5kq6MIkkxiBJifRytRoT8kklIqslC_ZdX0lKErp6qGEJwE2cYkWXKaBEgGfvK3yo/s1600/PointsPlusCookbook_11183_md.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHrGJ7iDMyHinkvm_y7O-YQ2dPtGbEaNCf5sp0puagQpVEk2vWH9vgEpT6KJxZYD4oUAf-fITuxLF5kq6MIkkxiBJifRytRoT8kklIqslC_ZdX0lKErp6qGEJwE2cYkWXKaBEgGfvK3yo/s320/PointsPlusCookbook_11183_md.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640924355350845170" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">Look in the "The main lean event" chapter, page 190 to 203! 11 main meals, some of them vegan, some of them vegetarian, but all of them delicious! The perfect tool to dip your toes in the art of vegetarian cooking.</div>
<br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><b> In the Kitchen</b></span>
<br />
<br />I have entirely too many cookbooks, and I am purging them every once in a while. I do however have a very extensive and, if I say so myself, well researched vegan cookbooks collection.
<br />
<br />This recipe is from a favorite of mine: Appetite for reduction from <a href="http://www.theppk.com/">Isa Chandra Moskiwitz</a>. Isa's recipes are sometimes a little complicated and out there, but her cooking is very creative, and inspiring. <div>
<br /></div><div>This recipe is one of the simplest most satisfying "whole meal" that I've gotten out of that book.
<br />Don't let the cooking time and long instruction get to you, it is very easy to make and a good way to deal with eggplant when one feels a little intimidated. :o)
<br />
<br /><b> Eggplant-Chickpea Curry</b>
<br />6 serving, 4 P+/serving
<br />
<br />Ingredients
<br />1 tsp oil
<br />1 small white onion, chopped finely
<br />3 clove garlic, minced
<br />1 TBSP fresh ginger, minced
<br />1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, spicy!)
<br />1 pound tomatoes, chopped roughly (about 2 cups)
<br />2 pound eggplant, cubed (3/4 inch)
<br />1 tsp salt
<br />2 tsp mild curry powder
<br />2 tsp garam masala
<br />1 tsp ground cumin
<br />1 cup vegetable broth
<br />1 (15 ounces) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1 1/2 cup)
<br />Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)
<br />
<br />
<br />Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Saute the onion in the oil for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Use a little nonstick cooking spray if needed. Add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes (if using), and saute for another minute. Mix in the tomato, eggplant, and salt, and cook, stirring constantly, for about a minute. The tomato should deglaze the pan (if not I cheat and throw in a TBSP or a little more vegetable broth).
<br />
<br />Mix in the curry powder, garam masala, and ground cumin. Add the vegetable broth, stir and cover the pot. Bring the mixture to a slow boil and cook with the pot covered for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. The eggplant should be mostly broken down by this point. Add the chickpeas and cook uncovered for another 10 minutes,stirring for about a m inute at first (to further break down the eggplant) and then occasionally.
<br />
<br />Taste for salt and serve garnished with cilantro.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Source: <a href="http://www.theppk.com/books/appetite-for-reduction/">Appetite for Reduction</a>, Isa Chandra Moskowitz p. 230.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>
<br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Activity</b></span><div>
<br /></div><div>Today (Sunday) we went for a stair walk with my fellow leader Michael Hamlin. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Michael gets together with his members (and anyone who wants to join) and pick a walk in the book <i>Stairway Walks in San Francisco, </i>by<i> </i>Adah Bakalinsky off he goes!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>We started at the Stairs that can be found at the corner of Moraga and 16th Avenue, and then walked around the neighborhood climbing several stairs and hill until we made our way to Golden Gate height park and then came down. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>It was such a fun and beautiful walk, and challenging too! </div><div>
<br /></div><div>There are tons of such books about walks in San Francisco, some more challenging than others. What a fun way to move, discover new places and just enjoy this beautiful city!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Thanks to Michael for clue me in on that one, I'm getting the kindle edition of the book tonight! ;o)
<br />
<br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><b> Have a great week!!</b></span>
<br />
<br />It's the last few instants of smmer, soon school will start again, and we will step back into our routine. It's also a great time of the year to roam the Famer's Market! Get out there and enjoy yourselves!!
<br />
<br />As always, I'm only and email away, never be afraid to contact me. I haven't seen most of you in over 3 weeks, I can't wait to see you in the meeting room and hear all about how those weeks went! Be there!!
<br />
<br />Melanie</div><div>
<br /></div><div><a href="http://seamountains.net/mtg.html">My meetings</a></div><div>
<br /><div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>“<i>There is no such thing as a failed experiment, only experiments with unexpected outcomes</i></b><b>”</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>
<br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span"> ~Richard Buckminster</span></div></div></div></div></div>Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-65374743642664581792011-07-17T20:40:00.000-07:002011-07-17T22:29:11.313-07:00BBQs, Picnic, Cocktails, Oh my!<div>It's BBQ season!! Every year I'm overwhelmed by the smelly deliciousness of the BBQ smoke overtaking the fog. It's summer in San Francisco and you can smell it!<div><br /></div><div>Now that all the big celebrations are done, all we have to do is to kick back, relax and enjoy the easy going gatherings with friends around the BBQ, the bonfire, the cocktails or, dare I say, the potluck table. Those days are fun to be sure, but they can also bring along their share of challenges.</div><div><br /></div><div>I don't want to miss anything, but how do I count this delicious Mojito that my friend graciously brought me from the bar? If I skip the ice cream, can I indulge in a Pina Colada or two? What about them ribs?</div><div><br /></div><div>This is the first summer with the PointsPlus program, and it might not be a bad idea to put our heads together and see if we can figure out how to navigate those enjoyable (if not sunny, it's San Francisco after all) days of summer.</div><div><br /></div><div>What do you think? Good idea right?</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Note</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Melanie Weekly now has a Twitter account! Not the most active in the world, but I'm learning. </div><div><br /></div><div>Look me up "MelanieWeekly" on Twitter and see if I can learn to keep myself to 144 characters HA!</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Tool of the week</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Do you have the easy measure spoon set yet? You got to!</div></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_5_roHSghevxPoKtL0aiapTdqrmUYuKsp8gQV4WEo2KMv2IfcF1Cf4UcND8NcAalxPSfgpmzeRf846uPEJJ8Xg4TEwPAkwcAtLioZpNiLveK5mTQy7G05-a8LfHP4Fp0cPok22EHIQE/s1600/easy+measure.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 185px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_5_roHSghevxPoKtL0aiapTdqrmUYuKsp8gQV4WEo2KMv2IfcF1Cf4UcND8NcAalxPSfgpmzeRf846uPEJJ8Xg4TEwPAkwcAtLioZpNiLveK5mTQy7G05-a8LfHP4Fp0cPok22EHIQE/s320/easy+measure.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630535377740091602" /></a><div><br /></div><div>These spoons are the perfect sneaky portion control tools. </div><div><br /></div><div>The set has 3 serving spoons: </div><div><ul><li>1 big spoon (1 cup), </li><li>1 medium sized spoon (1/2 cup) </li><li>1 small ladle (1/4 cup). </li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div>They are stainless steel, so they look nice, are easy to wash (dishwasher safe even!) and light enough to carry anywhere. I love them!</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span">In the Kitchen</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>This recipe is for pork chops, but I have used this marinade for chicken (for kebabs) with great results. It's simple and easy, and quick!</div><div><br /></div><div>I find that it taste better if marinated overnight. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Indian-Spiced Pork Chops</b></div><div>4 servings, 5 P+/serving</div><div><br /></div><div>Ingredients</div><div>2 TBSP plain Yogurt fat free</div><div>2 tsp honey</div><div>2 garlic cloves, minced</div><div>1 tsp white wine vinegar</div><div>1/2 tsp ground cumin</div><div>1/2 tsp ground ginger</div><div>1/4 tsp ground turmeric</div><div>1/4 tsp salt</div><div>1/8 tsp ground cloves</div><div>1/8 tsp ground cinnamon</div><div>1/8 tsp cayenne</div><div>4 (5oz) lean pork loin chops</div><div><br /></div><div>In a zip-close bag, combine the yogurt, the honey, the garlic, the vinegar and the spices; add the chops and seal. Turn around to coat the chops completely. Marinate in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight. </div><div><br /></div><div>Prep the grill for a medium fire and spray the grill rack with cooking spray. </div><div><br /></div><div>Remove the chops from the marinade and discard the marinade. Grill the chops, turning once, until the temp of each is 164 F (about 4 minutes on each side).</div><div><br /></div><div>From: Grill it! Weight Watchers 2005, p. 52</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Events</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>We are already looking ahead, there will be more to come for sure, but here's what's already on the calendar for August and September:</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><b> Aug 6th </b>Lifetime Members Mtg – Stonestown Center –New time!!! 11:00 am<br /><br /><b> Aug 11th </b>Recruitment Mtg-Stonestown-2pm<br /><br /><b> Aug 14th </b>Stair Climb with Michael-Russian Hill (more info to come)<br /><br /><b> September 18th </b>Success Stories Live-Stonestown</div><div><br /></div><div>As the calendar fills up, I will do my best to keep you informed. </div><div><br /></div><div>These events are put together by the staff for you the members and for any of your friends who would like to learn more about us. </div><div><br /></div><div>Come and enjoy them! </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Activity</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>What's one activity that you have never tried, but always wanted to?</div><div><br /></div><div>Have you ever kayaked out on the bay? Tried surfing? Kayak surfing? Even played a game of golf? Attended a Zumba class? How long has it been since you went bowling? Played a volleyball game? Played tag????</div><div><br /></div><div>It doesn't matter what you do. What matters is to do something!</div><div><br /></div><div>When asked "What is the best activity to practice for weight loss?" 12 trainers out of 12 answered the same thing "Whatever activity you enjoy enough to practice regularly."</div><div><br /></div><div>This week find an activity that you have never tried or that you used to enjoy, but have stopped practicing. See if you can give it a try. Who knows, you might just find your activity Mojo all over again!</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Have a good week!</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Don't let the summer get together derail you from following your plan, and don't let the summer schedule take you away from your meeting! </div><div><br /></div><div>We need to stick together to feel motivated by our success at the end of August. No need to struggle to get back on track in September if we never lost it during the summer. What a concept!</div><br />I'm an email away if you need me, see you in the meeting room!<div><br /></div><div>Melanie</div><div>Leader</div><div><br /></div><div>Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.<br />-- John Lubbock</div>Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-26806991097566070752011-06-18T16:42:00.000-07:002011-07-08T22:42:12.753-07:00Get Fresh!<div>Have you been in the Farmer's market lately? Can it get better than this? </div><div><br /></div><div>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!<br /><br />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...<br /><br />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!<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>Event</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>This Friday (the 15th), at the Century Club meeting we are having ourselves a little mini potluck. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Where:</b></div><div>Century Club of California<br />1355 Franklin Street, San Francisco, CA</div><div><br /></div><div><b>When:</b></div><div>The meeting is at 9:15am, the door open at 8:45. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>What:</b></div><div>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!).</div><div><br /></div><div>Lets take this topic to another level! How fun is that? I can't wait!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" > Tool of the week</span></b><br /><br />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.<br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIkXK0LR14wInZgU0sF9z05o-8-0G5D5fOBPPqJRJIl4oGifgIxaO781QBCQgjaPsWgrBxX9i38fz-Y9uveqjBgGsGKKLndjqqbBl8755eVVdSxcS5EAU9y6vWlLMjhExPcWi1kTTtwuU/s1600/Cookbooks+Pplus.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIkXK0LR14wInZgU0sF9z05o-8-0G5D5fOBPPqJRJIl4oGifgIxaO781QBCQgjaPsWgrBxX9i38fz-Y9uveqjBgGsGKKLndjqqbBl8755eVVdSxcS5EAU9y6vWlLMjhExPcWi1kTTtwuU/s320/Cookbooks+Pplus.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619743350253940210" /></a>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.<br /><br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" > In the Kitchen</span></b><br /><br />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.<br /><br />It's one of those recipe that you can easily spice up, or spice down depending on taste! :o)<br /><br /><b> Sauteed Summer Squash with Tomatoes and Corn</b><br />4 servings, 3 P+/serving<br /><br />1 TBSP canola oil<br />1 onion finely chopped<br />1 jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and minced<br />2 garlic cloves, finely chopped<br />1 lb zucchini, diced<br />2 tomatoes, seeded and diced<br />3/4 cup fresh or thawed corn kernels<br />1/2 tsp salt<br />1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper<br />2 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro<br /><br />Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.<br /><br />Add the jalapeño and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.<br /><br />Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.<br /><br />Add the tomatoes, corn, salt and ground pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.<br /><br />Stir in the cilantro and serve.<br /><br />Source: Simply Bueno (Weight Watchers) p. 197<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Activity</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>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. </div><div><br /></div><div>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? </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Incline:</b></div><div>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!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Surface:</b></div><div>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! </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Weight:</b></div><div>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)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Speed:</b></div><div>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.</div><div><br /></div><div>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!</div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" > Have a good week!</span></b><br /><br />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. </div><div><br /></div><div>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. </div><div><br /></div><div>Also if your schedule permits, stop by the Century Club Friday and join our little potluck/meeting! It'll be fun!</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm always an email away!! See you in the meeting room!</div><div><br /></div><div>Melanie<br /><i><br /><br />It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato. </i></div><div></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>~Lewis Grizzard</div></div>Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-57076409777447470512011-06-18T14:39:00.000-07:002011-07-02T20:23:59.292-07:00If Only...<div>I could lose weight, really I could! If only I had...<br /><br /> * A personal trainer,<br /> * A personal chef,<br /> * A maid to do all the house chores for me,<br /> * ?<br /><br />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?<br /><br /> 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.<br /><br />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!<br /><br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Tool of the week</span></b><br /><br />Gym not your thing? You've been buried in summer activities and feel like your workout routine is suffering? Try our Fitness kits!<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUvuv-HkxkaKwHVdLJeRhHyNSTp03xmTG2nC1ShBPF_e9g2SVqc0T4dPeM4pK3bsAZu0kPjgvRDrkZtZZ-3x_Slc8yLqjd-ZZDK-7lRGyTFf__wUQZdFYgwHEg8rYsNS7QYX5cyP5q30/s1600/Punch+Kit+cropped.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 245px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUvuv-HkxkaKwHVdLJeRhHyNSTp03xmTG2nC1ShBPF_e9g2SVqc0T4dPeM4pK3bsAZu0kPjgvRDrkZtZZ-3x_Slc8yLqjd-ZZDK-7lRGyTFf__wUQZdFYgwHEg8rYsNS7QYX5cyP5q30/s320/Punch+Kit+cropped.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619695516634240834" /></a>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!<br /><br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >In the Kitchen</span></b><br /><br />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)<br /><br />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!<br /><br /><b>Peach and Ginger Crepes</b><br />4 servings, 4P+/serving<br /><br />Ingredients<br />4 ripe peaches, about 1 1/2 pound, halved, pitted, chopped<br />2 TBSP granulated sugar<br />2 TBSP chopped candied ginger<br />2 tsp lemon juice<br />4, 7inches, ready-to-use crepes<br />2 tsp confectioners' sugar<br /><br />Combine the peaches, granulated sugar, ginger, and lemon juice in a medium bol; let stand 10 minutes.<br /><br />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.<br /><br /> Source: Mix it Match It cookbook, Weight Watchers 2007, Breakfast section.<br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" > Activity</span></b><br /><br /><div>Be your own personal trainer!</div><div><br /></div><div>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. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sound familiar? </div><div><br /></div><div>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? </div><div><br /></div><div>Cardio is really good, but you could use some strengthening? You're fairly strong, but looking at a hill makes you winded?</div><div><br /></div><div>Once you've done that, you can make a plan!</div><div><br /></div><div>To boost my cardio abilities, I can... </div><div><br /></div><div>To tone up my arms, I can...</div><div><br /></div><div>To _____ I can ____</div><div><br /></div><div>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!</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Have a great week!</span></b></div><div><br />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. </div><div><br /></div><div>That is so worth 45 minutes/week, right? I will see you in the meeting room! </div><div><br /></div><div>Melanie<br /><br /></div><div><i>You have what you need to be successful!</i></div>Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-26016984642741699652011-05-28T23:37:00.000-07:002011-06-27T21:00:05.230-07:00Pack your plan!The overall theme for the June meetings is “Increase your awareness”. This week, we are looking into managing disruptions in our routine.<br /><br />Everything is going well, you have your routine, favorite foods, regular work outs, indulgences here and there, every thing fits like the pieces of a puzzle. Then a visitor moves in the house for a week and the routine goes out the window while you are going around the city enjoying the good life of touristy San Francisco. That’s ok, it’s only a week right?<br /><br />Two weeks after the visitor has left, you still can’t find your footing though. The routine that worked so well before is nowhere to be found.<br /><br />Can you identify to this? You are not alone. Disruptions in our routine can throw us on a loop for weeks sometimes months! There are ways to get right back on track and find our footing again.<br /><br />This week we will explore those strategies for stepping right back in our routine after a vacation, a visit, or any other disruption.<br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" > Tool of the week</span></b><br /><br />You want to take a good look at the tools we have in the meeting room, and think which one would be the most helpful for you on your vacation, or while you have visitors around.<br /><br />Would a 3 Month tracker help you stay on track? Do you think a clicker might be easier and faster since you might not have time to jot everything down?<br /><br />Maybe it's time to load up Etools on your smart phone so you can stay on track on the go? Or all you need might be safe snacks for the road trip.<br /><br />We have all sorts of tools for all sorts of situations, it's only a matter of finding the right tool, for the right situation.<br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" > In the Kitchen</span></b><br /><br />This is another recipe that is delicious on the spot, but also makes great picnic/lunch fare.<br /><br />You can get fuffy cutting the beans, or you can put them through a chopper, it won’t be nearly as pretty, but it will be a lot faster.<br /><br /><b> Shredded Green Beans, with lemon-lime zest and snipped chives</b><br />4 servings, 2 P+/serving<br /><br />Ingredients<br />3/4 pound green and/or yellow beans, tops and tails trimmed<br />2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil<br />2 TBSP water<br />Grated zest of 1 lg lemon<br />Grated zest of 1 lime<br />1/4 cup chopped fresh chives<br />Fine salt and pepper to taste<br /><br />Directions<br />Slice beans on a diagonal into roughly 1/8 inch pieces. The result should be tiny, angular zeros.<br /><br />Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beans and stir until coated with oil, then add the water. Cover and cook 2-3 minutes, until the beans are brightly colored and tender; give the pan a good shake midway through to ensure even cooking.<br /><br />Remove from the heat and stir in the zests and half of the chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve garnished with the remaining chives.<br /><br />Source: Super Natural Cooking, Heidi Swanson, P. 91<br /><br /><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Activity</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Want to find a way to add intensity to your walk? There are so many ways!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Find a hill</b>: In San Francisco it shouldn't be too hard right? Find a hill to climb, two if you want even more challenge. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Find stairs to climb: </b>There are plenty of those in town. There's even a book about them! </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Walk on the beach: </b>Not by the water where the sand is good and hard, but away from it where the sand is dry and soft. You can burn a lot more calories walking or running in soft sand. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Add weight: </b>There are weighed vest that you can get, also weights for the wrists and ankle. Be careful though, too much weight can be hard on the joints!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Walk faster:</b> Ok, sound simple, but it's true! Try to add distance to your route without adding time. </div><div><br /></div><div>These simple thing can rev up your walk! Make them more effective and challenging without making huge changes to what you do. </div><div><br /></div><div>So what will you do differently this week?<br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" > Have a good week!</span></b><br /><br />I am wishing you the most enjoyable, relaxing, and warm (we can hope!) summer ever! Don't forget that you need your meeting and your meeting needs you! Stay connected!<br /><br />I’m only an email away. See you in the meeting room!<br /><div><br /></div><div>Melanie</div><div><br /></div><div><i>“The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine.”</i><br />Mike Murdock</div></div>Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-31239253239080067992011-05-28T22:24:00.000-07:002011-06-18T14:26:24.613-07:00Honor your Hunger<div>The overall theme for the June meetings is “Increase your awareness”. This week, we are learning to recognize and listen to the hunger cues our body gives us.<br /><br />If we ate only when hungry, and stopped the moment we are satisfied, very few of us would have problem managing our weight. The problem is that we eat for all sorts of other reasons and lose the ability to recognize the legitimate hunger signals that our body gives us throughout the day.<br /><br />It’s more than not eating when not hungry, it’s eating enough to avoid getting overly hungry later, it’s being able to stop eating when we’ve had enough.<br /><br />It’s finding that balance of being satisfied all through the day, so that we don’t go the extremes of being overly full, or overly hungry, both of which generally leads us astray.<br /><br />Together we will figure this out!<br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Tool of the Week</span></b><br /><br />Smoothies! These little proteins marvels are great for a quick snack. Have them in milk with ice cubes, add a few fruits and it’s even better!</div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMDWYShZ-Qtn2G6YgMgDz3N5PK8EvqS358qzhcZl6y-MvDwriNykwnf4epTge-k3tMa3UqGuAO2cbVMbENZePMlxNGvkwC2Ow9csjvZO3RkNPak9zQuvne-Cg1oruyWKej0i1QqKbybA/s1600/Smoothie.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 105px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMDWYShZ-Qtn2G6YgMgDz3N5PK8EvqS358qzhcZl6y-MvDwriNykwnf4epTge-k3tMa3UqGuAO2cbVMbENZePMlxNGvkwC2Ow9csjvZO3RkNPak9zQuvne-Cg1oruyWKej0i1QqKbybA/s320/Smoothie.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612004971687113794" /></a>I have the chocolate one in 1 ½ cup of hot coffee for a rich Mocha! The possibilities are endless.<br /><br />Check the message boards for recipes done with the Weight Watchers smoothies!<div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Events!</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>We have events coming! Check out the details on the <a href="http://melanieevents.blogspot.com/2011/06/upcoming-events-in-our-territory.html">Event Blog</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some of you have been asking about Etools, how to use it, how to get more information about it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Saturday June 25th at 11:15 at the Bayhill Center in San Bruno, there's a whole training about it. The essentials, the fun and the useful stuff you can do with Etools! Don't miss it!</div><div><br /></div><div>Go climb the stairs on Russion Hill with Michael on July 10th at 1pm!</div><div><br /></div><div>Those events are for you our members because we appreciate you so much. Enjoy them!</div><div><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" > In the Kitchen<br /></span></b><br />The funny story about this recipe is that it was in a Weight Watchers magazine years ago (2006) and since, every summer, my friend and I have the same email conversation: “Do you still have that watermelon salad? You know the one with the cucumber?” and it goes on, one of us find it and we happily make it all over again.<br /><br />You can’t get simpler than this, it’s delicious too!<br /><br /><b>Watermelon and Cucumber Salad</b><br />4 servings, 0 pts/serving<br /><br />Ingredients<br />2 pounds seedless watermelon, rind removed, cut into ¾ inch chunks (about 3 cups)<br />2 Kirby cucumber, thinly sliced<br />1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced<br />2 TBSP Red-wine vinegar<br />¼ tsp salt<br /><br />Directions<br />Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Let stand until the flavors are blended about 15 minutes.<br /><br />Source: Weight Watchers Magazine July/August 2006 p. 131<br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" > Activity</span></b><br /><br />Laura, a member at the Jewish Community Center on Tuesday night has been talking about this for quite a while now. I haven’t done it yet, but keep meaning to.<br /><br />If you want to give Lindy dancing a try, there are free lessons every Sunday (unless it’s raining) in Golden Gate park at 12:00!<br /><br />Golden Gate Park, San Francisco<br />(South sidewalk of John F. Kennedy Drive, between the de Young Museum and the north entrance to the Music Concourse)<br /><br />You can find more information and contact info at this website:<br /><a href="http://www.lindyinthepark.com/about/free-lesson/">http://www.lindyinthepark.com/about/free-lesson/</a><br /><br />Doesn’t that sound like fun? I have to give it a try!<br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" > Have a good week!</span></b><br /><br />Get out there and have fun! Summer is almost there, so let’s get out and enjoy the outside before we freeze solid in July! HA! Sorry, I couldn’t resist!!<br /><br />Email me if you need anything! See you in the meeting room!<br /><br />Melanie<br /><div><br /></div><div><i>“He who goes to bed hungry dreams of pancakes.”</i></div></div>Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-13625241407020433282011-05-28T21:02:00.000-07:002011-06-11T10:31:37.623-07:00What's on your plate? Estimate!<div>The overall theme for the June meetings is “Increase your awareness”. This week, we are exploring the art of estimating.<br /><br />As much as I love my food scale, and I do, I am not willing to bring along with me everywhere I go. I do not bring my scale to restaurants, friend’s houses, picnics (ok, I do when it’s me and my husband only, but shhhhhh). There are situations where even the Easy Measure spoons aren’t quite appropriate. In those occasions, I have to fall back on my skills as an estimator.<br /><br />Sometimes there is just no choice, and at those times we need strategies, tricks and idea to giving the PointsPlus value of the food in front of us a good guess.<br /><br />This week we will discuss how we can do that and stay on plan even when we have to make do with our portions.<br /><br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" > Tool of the Week</span></b><br /><br />The number one way to be able to guess accurately (well, you know what I mean) is to know what a precise portion looks like. To learn this, the Weight Watchers food scale is an invaluable tool.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAOpAnyKh3yDk9R3Pf6sFnfpM_6Ki7R0zYgUazOluLn8UFe_Moge4wUKCqmld5epJ2_-EFyZvsBLA8R9yqSXZ_Mc20G2Q-KnWoatw4JKZO3ftsjhLjQc7KnIh0GDWiY3ULTUBtpVwJLA/s1600/EFS_foodscale.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 173px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAOpAnyKh3yDk9R3Pf6sFnfpM_6Ki7R0zYgUazOluLn8UFe_Moge4wUKCqmld5epJ2_-EFyZvsBLA8R9yqSXZ_Mc20G2Q-KnWoatw4JKZO3ftsjhLjQc7KnIh0GDWiY3ULTUBtpVwJLA/s320/EFS_foodscale.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611983650568061650" /></a>The scale is easy and quick to use, as well as easy to clean. It will not only give you the weight, but also the PointsPlus value of the food you put on it, either by typing in the name of the food (if it’s in the food bank of the scale) or by giving the nutritional information and the serving size in grams.<br /><br />An all around great program tool as well as a learning tool!<br /><br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" > In the Kitchen</span></b><br /><br />Ok, honestly I haven’t done this in a while. Every summer I bring it back out though, and carry it around from potlucks to BBQs, make a batch on Sunday and happily eat it for the next 2 days.<br /><br />It’s one of those easy, recipes that are good right away, or a day and a half later. I got so many good comments about it that I’m never afraid to bring it along.<br /><br /><b> Jamaican-Style Potato Salad</b><br />6 servings, 3 P+/serving<br /><br />Ingredients<br />1 ½ pound new potatoes, halved if large (I like to mix red and yellow for looks)<br />1 TBSP canola oil<br />2 Celery stalks, finely chopped<br />1 small onion, thinly sliced<br />½ green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped<br />½ red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped<br />½ cup reduced sodium chicken broth<br />¼ cup apple-cider vinegar<br />2 tsp Dijon mustard (I like to use whole grain, prettier)<br />½ tsp sugar free jerk seasoning<br />½ tsp salt<br /><br />Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add potatoes, return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain in a colander; set aside.<br /><br />Meanwhile, to make the dressing, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the celery, onion, and bell peppers; cook, stirring, until softened, 6-8 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.<br /><br />When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut into ¾ inch chunks; transfer to a serving bowl. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and toss gently to coat. Serve within 4 hours or refrigerate, covered up to 2 days. For the best flavor serve at room temperature.<br /><br />Source: Weight Watchers, Savoring Summer 2007, p. 70.<br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" > Activity</span></b><br /><br />Sometimes it’s in the little things…<br /><br />We have talked a lot about “challenges” lately, and “beating excuses”, and “Goals” when it comes to activity. Those are good, and important, but lets not forget that sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest difference.<br /><br />What are the little things that you can do to add to the total number of calories you burn in a day?<br /><br />Are there instance where you could take the stairs instead of the elevator?<br /><br />Could you park further away and walk to where you are going? Could you avoid having to park altogether and just walk from home/work?<br /><br />Could you turn off the TV and go for a walk instead of watching a rerun?<br /><br />In your day to day life, find those little opportunities for success, they might not seem like much, but in the long run they make all the difference!<br /><br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" > Have a good week!</span></b><br /><br />As we are putting the focus on being a little more aware of what we do, what we eat, how we feel and how we move, it’s a good time to prepare for the coming challenges. Be it vacations, celebrations, or anything in between, we need to see how we can navigate these without losing our way.<br /><br />You meeting is a great place to share ideas, learn new strategies and just reconnect to what we are doing every week. It’s the reset button that gets us good and started for another week.<br /><br />Never be afraid to contact me if needed. I’m there for you!!<br /><br />See you in the meeting room!<br /><br />Melanie<br /><div><br /></div><div><i>“The best we can do is size up the chances, calculate the risks involved, estimate our ability to deal with them, and then make our plans with confidence.” </i> <span class="Apple-style-span" > ~ Henry Ford</span></div>Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270922728878763255.post-83125432155915970092011-05-28T19:38:00.001-07:002011-06-05T22:11:57.076-07:00Getting to Know Me<div>The overall theme for the June meetings is “Increase your awareness”. In other words, we want to explore our strengths as well as seek and exploit any opportunity for improvement to enhance our weight loss and weight maintenance success.</div><div><br />As my father used to say: “Why don’t we start at the beginning and begin at the starting point?” That would be: <b>Getting to know ourselves. </b><br /><br />Sounds simple doesn’t it? What have you learned about yourself so far on this weight loss journey? How does it help you now? How did you learn it?<br /><br />Self monitoring is the best way to get to know yourself and how you relate with food and with exercise. We are talking about tracking of course, but there is more to monitoring yourself than just tracking your foods.<br /><br />What else can you monitor to find greater success? We will pool our ideas and strategies for successful self monitoring.</div><div><br /></div><div>ATTENTION: <b>There is no meeting this week at the Jewish Community Center Tuesday evening.</b> The center closes at 6pm for a holiday, so the 7pm meeting is cancelled for this week. You can look up my meeting schedule at: <a href="http://seamountains.net/mtg.html">seamountains.net/mtg.html</a><br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span"> Tool of the Week</span></b><br /><br />Tracking the food that you eat, your activity, the Powerfoods and the Good Health Guidelines is the key to weight loss success. You can do all that in our Ultimate 3 months Tracker.</div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeSma63hORLzD-gXWmZZeq8rpBguX29xpSw5zT9nfzpeU0ebwpBZh3OM3rjn1pwaxyAvem7CyA0QosOioANK7018oG6SKzIq4lZPlrAfhba3RJWYfdHmbiXcOdJrCUYj0IZP5NRZoKkcM/s1600/2011Ultimate3MonthTracker_111955_md.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeSma63hORLzD-gXWmZZeq8rpBguX29xpSw5zT9nfzpeU0ebwpBZh3OM3rjn1pwaxyAvem7CyA0QosOioANK7018oG6SKzIq4lZPlrAfhba3RJWYfdHmbiXcOdJrCUYj0IZP5NRZoKkcM/s320/2011Ultimate3MonthTracker_111955_md.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611962070904027250" /></a>There is more to it than that though, you can also add little notes, put down an action plan for a coming challenge, and keep track of your weight and measurement.<br /><br />It really is a good mirror in which you can look at your plan and see what needs to be done to achieve your Winning Outcome.<br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span"> In the Kitchen</span></b><br /><br />Packet side dish #2!<br /><br />Again, I think these are the perfect side dishes for the grill. Easy to put together, no mess, no dishes (YAY!), you can throw it together in minutes and let it do its thing while you are grilling away.<br /><br />I put in the very explicit explanations for those who have never done packets, but bottom line is: prep the food, make packets big enough for the steam to have space (so the packet doesn’t blow open during cooking), and make sure to seal well so that the steam doesn’t escape.<br /><br />This has been a favorite of ours for a long time now!<br /><br /><b> Tuscan Potato and Pepper Packets</b><br />4 servings, 4 P+/serving<br /><br />Ingredients<br />1 TBSP olive oil<br />2 garlic cloves, minced<br />1 TBSP chopped, fresh rosemary<br />½ tspsalt<br />½ tsp black pepper (I put coarsely ground)<br />1 pound red potatoes, thinly sliced<br />1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced<br />1 medium red onion, thinly sliced.<br /><br /><b> Prep the grill:</b> Medium fire (or put the packet on the side away from the hot flame).<br /><br /><b> Prep the food:</b> Combine the oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the potatoes, bell pepper, and onion and toss to coat evenly.<br /><br /><b> Make the packets:</b> Tear off 4 (15x18 inch) sheets of heavy-duty foil and spray with nonstick spray. Place one-fourth of the potato mixture in the middle of each foil sheet. To close the packets, bring the two opposite long sides of the foil up to meet in the center; fold the edges over twice to make a tight seal. Double fold the open sides to seal the packets.<br /><br /><b> Cook:</b> Place the packets on the grill rack and grill, covered, until the potatoes are tender, 20-25 minutes (it’s ok if it over cooks a little, it’s even better!). With one or two wide spatulas, transfer the packet to a cutting board; carefully open, standing back to avoid the steam. Transfer the mixture from each packet to a plate.<br /><br /><b> Source:</b> Weight Watchers, Best Eats 2008, p. 159<br /><br /><b> Note:</b> It’s a good recipe to prep ahead and bring to a BBQ somewhere. If you make the packets ahead of time, the potatoes and peppers have time to marinate, and you can just throw them on the grill. I’m not fuffy about opening the packets, I just eat it straight out of the packet. That’s how we roll ;o)<div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Activity</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>How do you monitor your activity? To earn Activity PointsPlus we look at Duration, intensity, personal weight. What else could we track?</div><div><br /></div><div>What about these?</div><div><br /></div><div><ul><li>Distance</li><li>Weights</li><li>Repetitions</li><li>Post Work Out overall feeling</li></ul></div><div>How far did you go when you first started walking/running/biking/swimming? How far are you going now? Did you add distance for the same time and intensity? Should you?</div><div><br /></div><div>How heavy are the weights you work with? Could you swap the 7 lbs for 10 lbs? the 10 lbs for 12? </div><div><br /></div><div>How many repetitions of each exercise are you doing? How about adding 2 to each set?</div><div><br /></div><div>How do you feel after a work out? Ready for another work out? Maybe you need to bump up your routine. Worn off and sore to the point of not being able to go on to your daily activity? Maybe you are overdoing it! Sick of it? You need to try something else!</div><div><br /></div><div>Self assessment is an important part of your activity routine. It keeps you on track, and let you know if your routine is effective, and realistic. It also is a great way to measure your improvements which are great motivators!</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Have a good week!</span></b></div><div><br />Spring is at it’s tail end already, can you believe that? Don’t let the coming summer slow down your weight management efforts. Remember that being connected to your group is the best way to make sure you are connected to your weight loss.<br /><br />Let me know if I can help you in any way, I'm here for you!<br /><br />Melanie<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i>To the question of your life you are the answer, and to the problems of your life you are the solution. </i></div><div>~Joe Cordare</div>Willowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00353655970569479673noreply@blogger.com0