Sunday, November 18, 2012

Strategy, now that's a word to think about....


Don’t starve

Arriving at the party famished could lead to overdoing it, so eat a healthy meal or snack beforehand, leaving just enough room (and PP values) for a few small treats.

Drink!

But make it water or other low-calorie beverage – you’ll slow down your eating and help fill yourself up. And limit your alcohol intake – it’s not only a major source of calories and PP values, it can weaken your ability to stick to your eating plan.

Know what you eat

Just because it’s the holidays, don’t forget all the weight- management skills you’ve acquired.  Even if you choose to indulge, keep journaling.  By writing down what you’re eating you’re less apt to eat mindlessly.

Don’t deprive yourself

But do limit your portions. By eating small portions of only things you really want you’ll enjoy the specialties while staying on track.

Set priorities

Rate each dish on offer from 1 to10, with “10” being the best choices for you and “1” being foods you know you should limit or avoid.  Fill your plate with the high numbers and only try a minimal amount (or none!) of the others.

Move!

Reduce sedentary behavior like surfing the net and watching TV; work in some minutes several times in the day. It will help in your weight-loss efforts or allow you to eat a bit more without guilt.

Be realistic

Losing weight during the holiday season might not be the most practical objective for you right now.  Allow your goal during the holidays to be maintaining your weight, not weight loss. Then, once the holidays are over you can get right back to losing.

Healthy holiday cooking

With a few smart, common-sense changes in food preparation and eating habits, you will save calories and PP values without losing the flavor.  
Here are some suggestions:

INSTEAD OF 
Dark meat turkey
CHOOSE White meat turkey with skin removed

INSTEAD OF 
Making stuffing with turkey drippings
CHOOSE Stuffing made with a fat-free broth

INSTEAD OF 
Preparing mashed potatoes with butter and milk
CHOOSE  Mashed potatoes with broth and fat-free or 1% milk with some jarred horseradish or mustard for added flavor

INSTEAD OF 
Following a traditional green bean casserole recipe
CHOOSE Making it with low-fat soup and breadcrumbs, or better yet, mix your steamed beans with some homemade low fat tomato and onion relish

INSTEAD OF 
Candied sweet potatoes
CHOOSE Baked sweet potatoes with light butter

INSTEAD OF 
Regular dressing on your salad
CHOOSE Light or fat-free dressing

INSTEAD OF Bringing another pie
CHOOSE A beautiful floral display

INSTEAD OF 
Using pan drippings in your gravy
CHOOSE Fat-free broth or bouillon

INSTEAD OF 
Double-crusted fruit pie
CHOOSE One-crust pumpkin pie - or see the crust less pumpkin pie recipe at the bottom of the blog!

INSTEAD OF Mixed drinks or heavy ales
CHOOSE Wine or spritzers

INSTEAD OF
Butter or oil in baking
CHOOSE Sugar-free apple sauce


Black November

 A Turkey's Lament
 When I was a young turkey, new to the coop,
 My big brother Mike took me out on the stoop,
 Then he sat me down, and he spoke real slow,
 And he told me there was something that I had to know;
 

His look and his tone I will always remember,
 When he told me of the horrors of ..... Black November;
 "Come about August, now listen to me,
 Each day you'll be thick, where once you were thin,
 And you'll grow a big rubbery thing under your chin.
 "And then one morning, when you're warm in your bed,
 In'll burst the farmer's wife, and hack off your head;
 "Then she'll pluck out all your feathers so you're bald'n pink,
 And scoop out all your insides and leave ya lyin' in the sink,
 "And then comes the worst part" he said not bluffing,
 "She'll spread your cheeks and pack your rear with stuffing".


 Well, the rest of his words were too grim to repeat,
 I sat on the stoop like a winged piece of meat,
 And decided on the spot that to avoid being cooked,
 I'd have to lay low and remain overlooked;
 I began a new diet of nuts and granola,
 High-roughage salads, juice and diet cola,
 And as they ate pastries, chocolates and crepes,
 I stayed in my room doing Jane Fonda tapes,
 I maintained my weight of two pounds and a half,
 And tried not to notice when the bigger birds laughed;


 But 'twas I who was laughing, under my breath,
 As they chomped and they chewed, ever closer to death;
 And sure enough when Black November rolled around,
 I was the last turkey left in the entire compound;
 

So now I'm a pet in the farmer's wife's lap;
 I haven't a worry, so I eat and I nap,
 She held me today, while sewing and humming,
 And smiled at me and said "Christmas is coming........"




Member's Favorite CRUST LESS PUMPKIN PIE!

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin (not pie filling)
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated skim milk
3/4 cup egg substitute
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-2 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice to your taste
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup splenda sugar substitute

Directions:
1    Combine all ingredients and beat until smooth.
2    Pour into 9-inch pie pan sprayed with cooking spray.
3    Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes; reduce temperature to
      325 degrees F and bake for 45 minutes more.

4    Pie is done when knife inserted into center comes out clean.
5    Sprinkle the top with a little cinnamon or cinnamon and
      confectioners sugar.

Serves 8          3 PPV per serving

All that remains is for me to wish you a very heartfelt 
Happy Thanksgiving.  
I want you to know that I am always thankful for you, my amazing and inspiring group of members. 
See you back in the meeting with all your confidence in tow!






Sunday, November 11, 2012

Gridiron Considerations

Confessions first:  I do not know much about Football, sorry, I've honestly tried to learn the rules and to my dismay, they are just beyond me.  I can, however, appreciate how hard the players work and how seriously the fans take their fandom!  (By the way, I do know that this is Tom Brady)!

We are right in the midst of it all and I know that "Game Day" is an eating fest, or can be, and it can mean the difference between a losing week and a horrible one!  So, I thought I could use this weeks blog as a reminder to those of you who are "caught up in it" to stick to it and to maybe offer some strategies for not totally wrecking your WW efforts because of the game!

It is important to realize that even if game day doesn't work out the way you would have liked, there are strategies you can do for the rest of the week of mitigate the situation - here are 10!
On other days you could:
  1. Walk, run or Wii for at least 20 minutes extra on 3 days.  Don't forget to wear your ActiveLink!
  2. Cut out alcohol for 5 days of the week.
  3. Think about sweet foods and cut them out for 3 days in a row or cut them out every other day for 6 days.
  4. Eat a piece of fruit as soon as you start to feel hungry during the day to cut back on more PPV heavy snacks.
  5. Eat more fish and chicken and less red meat and cheese (or none at all) for the rest of the week.
  6. Keep a list of things to do instead, when you’’d otherwise have the urge to eat, until the feeling wears off.
  7. Log onto e-tools and read the success stories online paying particular attention to the specific strategies offered by those successful members.
  8. Avoid that bag of chips at lunch, even the baked ones!
  9. Add a salad or broth soup at the start of every main meal; vegetables are free and so is broth!  This'll help you to stay full all week.
  10. Try to only spend the "extra" PPV you've earned through activity, i.e. write off all your 49 extra to make up for what you spent on game day and get out and earn some Activity Points Plus Values.

Here is a great suggestion from a member for game day eats:  Plan a TACO FIESTA!   Options, options, options... Make some of them traditional and some WW friendly.... Have, on offer, at least:
~ 3 options of proteins: Grilled chicken, lean hamburger, even vegetable crumbles as well as your other taco meats,
~ Black beans and vegetarian re fried beans,
~ Plenty of shredded lettuce and chopped Pico de Gallo,
~ Veggie fixin's as well as black olives, shredded red cabbage, sliced hot radishes, and chopped onion.
~ Shredded light cheese and shredded full-fat cheeses,
~ Fat-free sour cream and it's full fat counterpart,
~ 100 calorie Guac and the heavy duty stuff!
~ Regular and whole wheat TACO shells (available in most grocery stores)
~ Light whole wheat tortilla wraps as well as regular ones.

Hope that helps.  

I also just want to remind you that NOVEMBER is SALE month:




  • Fruities—all duopacks of candies, $1.75

  • Cookbooks—50% off
  • Mini Bars, Oatmeal, and Smoothies—$4.95 each
  • Deluxe and Essential Member Kits—$24.45 and $12.45 each, respectively, that's 50% off
  • Yoga Mats—$14.95 each
  • AND THIS WEEK ONLY:



  • DINING OUT AND COMPLETE FOOD COMPANIONS ARE 25% OFF; $7.45.  Is it time to update yours to 2012? 


  • This weeks meeting is an important one:  Thanksgiving Strategies!
    See you there.

    Yes, we are open on Monday, Veteran's Day!


    Monday, November 5, 2012

    Gruel

    What a week!  

    To anyone who was negatively impacted by Sandy, I hope you are back to your normal.  My M-I-L in NY is still sans power and heat and it looks like it'll still be 5 or so more days before she is switched back on.  You are all and have been in my thoughts this week.  I hope the challenges are not / did not have too much of a negative impact on your weight management journey, and if it did (or is currently), run, don't walk to your meeting this week, lets get your head back in the game...  Throwing in the towel is not an option, right?

    Halloween was a beautiful evening, if you walked with the kids, I am sure you enjoyed that part.  What about all that chocolate and sugar this week?   Come and tell your meeting buddies how you did with the candy temptations, the good, the bad and the ugly :)

    This week I am posting a recipe that is a staple in my house in the winter months.  I mentioned it at my Sunday meeting,  and members asked me to post it; so here goes.

    We (in my house) affectionately call it "Gruel".  Essentially it's a veggie casserole, in fact it's potentially vegan; leave out the cheese and crackers at the end.  If you want to add meat, feel free to saute some ground lean beef or turkey meat to add instead of the tofu, you'll have to rework the PPV if you do.  It keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days so make lots and have as leftovers a day or two later.  (Like many casseroles it improves with keeping).  It seems like a lot of steps, but to be honest with you, cutting and prepping the veggies is the most time-consuming task, but it is so well worth it!

    INGREDIENTS:
    1 C dry lentils (any color), rinsed
    2 C cold water
    1 medium onion, roughly chopped
    Salt and Pepper and red pepper flakes to taste
    1 bunch cilantro (use chives, parsley, basil or tarragon as an alternative)
    1 can (10oz) Ro*tel Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, undrained
    1 1LB block firm tofu, drained and diced into 1/2 to 3/4 sized pieces
    ------
    Vegetables - mix and match any, approximately 8-10 different choices from the following list:  (You'll need about 1 cup of each vegetable, sliced or chopped into "bite sized" pieces)
    ~ Carrots *
    ~ Parsnips *
    ~ Rutabaga *
    ~ Turnip *
    ~ Broccoli *
    ~ Cauliflower *
    ~ New Potatoes *
    ~ Cabbage
    ~ Chard
    ~ Kale
    ~ Peapods
    ~ Leeks
    ~ Celery
    ~ Mushrooms
    ~ Red, Orange, Yellow and/or Green Peppers
    ~ Zucchini
    ~ Summer Squash
    ~ String Beans
    ~ Asparagus
    2 Bags of any WW Cracker Chips, such as Harvest Grains, Whole Grain Salsa Crisps, Black Pepper Pretzels or Cheddar Twists, crushed into crumbs and pieces.
    1/2 C Shredded 2% Milk-Fat Cheese (Mexican Blend, Italian Blend or Sharp Cheddar)

    INSTRUCTIONS
    Place the lentils in a heavy bottomed pot, add the water, onion, salt and pepper to taste plus the roughly chopped bunch of cilantro.  Bring to the boil, lower the temp to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes until the lentils are done.  Take off the heat and add the entire can of the Ro*tel tomatoes, add any flavorings such as red pepper flakes or dried herbs and set aside.

    In the meantime prepare a large casserole dish by spraying the base and sides with Olive or Canola Oil Cooking Spray.  My suggestion is to use the aluminum foil roasting pans - double up for strength.  Heat the oven to 350 deg.

    If you use any of the * asterisk'd vegetables, you'll find that if you steam them after you've cut them into bite sized pieces for about 6-7 minutes before you put the dish together with the "softer" veggies, that'll help to equalize the cooking time for all the veggies.

    Once you have all the veggies prepared mix them together in a large bowl and add in the diced tofu (or ground meat if you're subbing that), mix well and pour half of them into the casserole dish, top (evenly) with half the lentil mixture.  Pour the balance of the veggies into the casserole dish and spoon over the balance of the lentil mixture evenly across the top.  It's fine if it all piles high in the dish, it'll all shrink down as the veggies cook.

    Cover with alum foil (2 layers) and place in the oven for 2 hours.  Remove the foil and sprinkle the crushed crackers and cheese over the veggies,  Raise the oven temp to 400 deg and bake the casserole for the last 20 minutes at the higher temp.

    Voila!

    Yields at least 6 servings and 3 PPV per serving ... or more; depending upon the veggies chosen i.e. Potatoes, Peas, Corn and other starchy veggies add additional PPV.

    November is Sales Month:




  • Fruities—all duopacks of candies, $1.75
  • Cookbooks—50% off
  • Mini Bars, Oatmeal, and Smoothies—$4.95 each
  • Deluxe and Essential Member Kits—$24.45 and $12.45 each, respectively, that's 50% off
  • Yoga Mats—$14.95 each

  • See you at your meeting :)


    Sunday, October 28, 2012

    The Devil's in the Driveway!

    Yup; it's the car's fault!

    Recent statement's I've heard:-
    "When I used to get the bus to school, before I graduated and before I bought a car, I was walking to the bus stop, to the T, to my destination and I had NO problem keeping weight off"

    "As a kid, when I wanted an ice-cream I did not ask my parents for a ride, I asked them for a $1 and walked to the ice-cream stand on the corner.  Now I'm appalled at myself, when I want an ice-cream; I look for my car keys!"

    "45 years ago, I began walking to help lose the baby weight, just about 1/2 an hour a day to begin with.  I am now 72 years old and have been running 5 days a week for over 44 years, I wouldn't give it up now!"

    Think about the number of times you take the car out for a short trip.  I hear stories all the time in the meeting room of folks who are proud of themselves for walking to the pharmacy or post office instead of driving.  We always applaud, then as I look around the room I watch other member's faces light up as they realize that they've just heard a great idea.  And yet, the next time they need to run to the store for a pound of Brussels sprouts; they look for the car keys!!  I challenge you to leave the car in the driveway 2 times this week; just 2 times, you can do that, right?

    Here are some tips to maximize your 15-minute walk and get the most from it:
    1.  Spend at least the first minute warming up: Start at a slower pace and move up to a more intense walking speed.
    2.  Wear the correct footwear.  It only takes a minute to change your shoes, it's important to wear the right ones to give you the correct posture and gait.
    3.  Talking of posture; keep your head up looking forward and your tummy and butt tight.  Relax your shoulders while still standing up straight and roll, shrug and rotate your shoulders to loosen them.
    4.  Put the "screened technology" away - no cell phones or other techie gadgets that prevent you from looking straight ahead.
    5.  Add speed intervals after your warm up.  You can add a couple of minutes of a moderate intensity pace and then pull back to a slower speed several times during your short walk, that'll help you burn more calories and get your heart rate up.
    6.  Bring a properly fitting backpack for carrying the shopping home.  Don't carry the groceries in your hands and don't use hand or ankle weights when out on the streets, those should be saved for your gym workouts where balance is easier to manage.
    7.  Don't forget a little water, as always, stay hydrated.
    8.  Keep an open mind, a short walk has wonderful benefits, a longer walk has even more and a sustained, daily short or moderate walk CAN make a real difference to your weight management.

    Take 5 for YOU!

    Think about the last time you took "just 5" minutes to reflect on your weight journey and how it fits in to your life.  How much of a priority are you to yourself and your family?  

    This weeks meeting will allow you to do that - it's going to be calming and hopefully motivating.  Don't miss the meeting, don't come in and weigh & run, plan to stay for 30 minutes, you'll be thrilled you did!

    News you'll be excited about!

    Weight Watchers Gives Thumbs Up to Sandwich Thins

    Weight Watchers is now endorsing the full line of Sandwich Thins for Arnold’s.  The Sandwich Thins are slated to hit national grocery store shelves in early-to mid-November.  They're are only 3 PointsPlus® value per Sandwich Thin in each of these varieties:
    • 100% Whole Wheat
    • Multigrain
    • Honey Wheat
    • Flax & Fiber
    • Whole Grain White
    • 100% Whole Grain White
    • 100% Whole Grain
    • Rye 8-Count
    Weight Watchers Bread is still available. Visit WWProductLocator.com to find out where it’s sold in your area.


                                       
    Thank you all for making Lose For Good a wonderful success not only for ourselves and our weight loss journeys but also for all the families we help in local communities, across the nation and around the world. Your efforts touch countless people!

    Check out these impressive results:

    • Our members lost 4 million pounds in just seven weeks!
      This incredible weight loss and you, our members’ overwhelming participation in Lose-A-Palooza helped Weight Watchers donate $1 million to Share Our Strength and Action Against Hunger, our two hunger fighting charitable partners.
    • We collected over 190,000 pounds of food in one day!
      Through our more than 860 Lose For Good Open Houses and food drives, we collected 190,000 pounds of food to aid local food banks. Over the past 5 years, our members have donated more than 5.79 million pounds of food to benefit families in their communities. That’s an astounding number of people helped.

    And finally:
    Please take good care of yourself in this approaching monster storm.  Be SAFE and be thoughtful about stocking your kitchen with healthier options when "storm shopping".  Remember the adage "You can't eat it if you don't have it"!

    See you at your meeting.

    Saturday, October 20, 2012

    In Season; Fruits and Veggies

    TOP 10 reasons to eat MORE fruits and Vegetables!

    10 - Color on your plate;  we eat with our eyes first, nature gives us a wonderful array of color.  Try this - walk into any grocery store and go into the center of the produce section.  Close your eyes and count to 10 then open your eyes and count how many colors you see in the first 5 seconds, it'll amaze you!

    9 - Convenience;  portable, tasty, nutritious, no cooking required for many of them!

    8 - Fiber;  fruits and veggies provide fiber and, if you've spent more than 5 minutes at any Weight Watchers meeting, you know that we "crave" fiber for fullness and to keep our digestive system in good order :)

    7 - Low in PPV; lets face it 98% of them provide you with food for FREE!  'Nuff said?

    6 - Vitality; eating your greens will lead directly to health, vitality and energy.  Did you know that changing up some of the carbs (particularly the processed ones) for fruit and veggies will help modulate your blood sugar and keep your energy levels consistant throughout the day.  This could lead to all kinds of great things; including more restive sleep.

    5 - May help reduce the risk of some significant diseases; we're talking some cancers, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes.  Excellent source of many vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients.

    4 - Variety is awesome;  Most of us have a small repertoire of produce we typically buy, prepare and eat.  Seasonal changes give us fabulous opportunities to try new things - below this I am highlighting 5 fantastic, oft ignored, seasonal veggies and fruit; challenge yourself to try one or two!

    3 - Looking for crunchy, sweet, soft, salty or a myriad of other textures for your snacks?  Look no further than your local produce isle, don't get stuck in a carrot and celery rut!  Have you tried raw asparagus, purple top turnip, mushrooms and jicama instead?  They can all be eaten raw and are all very delicious!

    2 - Available in many forms; fresh, frozen or canned, whole or juiced, cooked or raw.  Keep your mind open and your palate stimulated.

    1 - Fun to eat!  So many ways to prepare and eat veggies and fruit, so little time!


    PUMPKIN:
    The pumpkin is indigenous to North America.  Halloween pumpkins are edible and the source of canned pumpkin. 

    How to Select
    Select pumpkins that are firm and heavy for their size.
    How to Store
    Store pumpkins in a cool, dark place for up to two months.
    Nutrition Benefits
    Fat free, cholesterol free, sodium free, good source of vitamin C, excellent source of vitamin A.

    How to Prepare
    This is an easy way to prepare pumpkin: for ease of handling  choose smaller ones (about half the size of a basketball), wash the pumpkin and then use a heavy sharp knife to cut it along the equator.  Don't bother to remove the seeds, they'll come right out after its cooked.  Spray the face of both halves with non-stick spray or olive oil and place on a heavy cookie sheet and bake in the oven, face side down, at 375 deg for about 45-60 minutes.  Once it's cooked and you've allowed it to cool sufficiently so you can handle it; spoon out the seeds and discard.  Then spoon all the flesh out of the shell in to a bowl, you have some beautiful pumpkin puree to add to soups and other recipes or make into a side.


    SWEET DUMPLING SQUASH:
    Every part of the Sweet Dumpling squash plant can be eaten, including the leaves and tender shoots, which are great additions to soups and stews. 
    How to Select Sweet Dumpling Squash
    Choose squash with a smooth, dry, dull rind that’s free of cracks or soft spots. The squash should have a deep color and be heavy for its size.
    How to Store Sweet Dumpling Squash
    Store squash in a cool, dry area away from extreme temperatures and sunlight. Sweet Dumpling squash can stay fresh for up to 3 months.
    Nutrition Benefits of Sweet Dumpling Squash
    Excellent source of vitamin A and a good source of vitamin C.

    How to Prepare
    They're really easy to bake in the oven, follow the instructions for the pumpkin  if you wish, except you don't have to discard the seeds and skin - eat them!  Lessen the time for cooking - you'll know they're done when a small knife gives no resistance when inserted through the skin.  Since this squash is entirely edible they are wonderful for stuffing with a savory filling, such as a hamburger and rice stuffing and baking whole in the oven.

    PEARS:
    Pears have been cultivated for nearly four thousand years. 

    How to Select
    Chose firm pears, then check them daily by applying gentle pressure to the stem end of the pear with your thumb.  When it yields to the pressure, it’s ready to eat.
    How to Store
    Store unripened pears in paper bag at room temperature.  Refrigerate ripe pears.
    Nutrition Benefits
    Fat free; saturated fat free; sodium free; cholesterol free; excellent source of dietary fiber; good source of vitamin C.

    How to Use
    Replace apples with pears in almost all types of recipes or enjoy them as a delicious juicy snack.  There are tons of varieties, try lots of them and see which ones appeal to you.  I like Comice although I can't help myself when I see the pretty miniature Sekel pears on the shelf!

    CAULIFLOWER
    Not all cauliflower is white!  Try purple, green and orange cauliflower too, they're not dyed, that's natural color due to natural pigments.

    How to Select
    Choose cauliflower with compact, creamy white curds and bright green, firmly attached leaves.  Avoid brown spots or loose sections that are spread out.
    How to Store
    Refrigerate cauliflower in plastic bag up to 5 days.
    Nutrition Benefits
    Fat free; saturated fat free; very low sodium; cholesterol free; low calorie; high in vitamin C; good source of folate.

    How to Use:
    Steam it, roast it, eat it raw!  Please please don't drown it in butter or cheese sause.  I remember as a small child looking forward to the cauliflower season because it was a veggies my mom cooked from fresh, it was my break from frozen green peas and canned corn!

    Cauliflower Poppers:
    1 spray cooking spray
    1 head of cauliflower
    1/2 tsp ground cumin
    1/2 tsp chili powder
    1/2 tsp table salt
    1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

    • Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
    • Cut cauliflower florets into bite-sized pieces (there should be about 4 cups). Place cauliflower in a medium bowl and add cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper; toss well to coat.
    • Spread cauliflower on prepared baking sheet and bake until cauliflower is tender, but not mushy, stirring halfway through, about 10 minutes. Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.
    0 PPV per serving!

    CRANBERRIES:
    Cranberries are native to North America and are so called because the flowers resemble cranes. 

    How to Select
    Choose cranberries that are firm and not shriveled or decayed.
    How to Store
    Refrigerate cranberries for up to 2 months or freeze for future use.
    Nutrition Benefits
    Fat free, cholesterol free, sodium free and a good source of vitamin C and fiber.

    How to Use:
    They make a wonderful relish, Weight Watchers' recipe is below.
    Forget the canned stuff. This fresh cranberry sauce is spiked with orange and requires no cooking whatsoever.

    12 oz fresh cranberries
    1 medium navel orange, washed, unpeeled and cut into chunks*
    1 cup sugar
    1 piece of ginger root, about 1 1/2 inches, peeled and chopped
    1/4 tsp cinnamon

    Put cranberries, orange, sugar, ginger and cinnamon in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Scrape into a serving bowl (or a plastic container if making ahead). Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Yields about 2 2/3 tablespoons per serving.

    *If the flavor from using the entire orange peel is too strong for you, add some fresh orange zest instead. Then remove the peel and white pith before cutting the orange into chunks.

    If you want to give the relish a different spin, add chopped cilantro or mint and minced jalapeno pepper.

    You can make this relish up to 5 days ahead.

    Serves 16
    2PPV per serving
    -------------------------
    LAST WEEK OF


    SNACK BARS
    *NEW* Raisin and Honey 3PPV
    Aloha Almond 3 PPV
    Berrylicious Cashew Chew 3 PPV
    Oh! So Nuts 3 PPV

    BAKED SNACKS AND POPPED CHIPS

    HEAT AND EAT CUPS

    ALL ITEMS ARE $3.95 - GET THEM WHEN YOU COME TO YOUR MEETING THS WEEK.

    ALSO ON SALE THIS WEEK
    ALL THE FITNESS EQUIPMENT IS 25% OFF

    PointsPlus Fitness Series - Fitness DVD  down from $39.95 to $29.95

    PUNCH! Fitness Kit  down from $24.95 to $18.70

    10-Minute Time Crunch Training Fitness Kit   down from $24.95 to $18.70

    -------------------------
    NEWS FROM WEIGHT WATCHERS:

    New Candy: Chocolate! Caramel!

    Bite into a new variety of Weight Watchers Chocolate Candies by Whitman's. The new pouches, sold in supermarkets, make a perfect-sized treat, with 4 to 5 bite-sized goodies per pouch, 6 pouches to a box. Check out these delicious flavors:

    Solid Dark Chocolate Bites
    (3 PointsPlus® values per pouch)
    Deep, dark solid chocolate satisfies your inner chocolate lover.

    Milk Chocolate Caramel Bites (3 PointsPlus® values per pouch)
    A rich, creamy milk chocolate covers buttery caramel for an indulgence that only tastes decadent.

    Talking About Candy... if you missed it last week, it's worth reposting the list of candy's PPV in time for Halloween

    "Trick or Treat"
    Forget the haunted house; the spookiest part of Halloween is the candy fest. Stores push high-calorie, high-sugar candy, some of which appears exclusively at this time of year (candy corn, anyone?).  Many members, especially the sweets lovers among us, find it nearly impossible to stay on plan with mounds of candy in every corner.  What’s more, for some, eating candy may trigger hankerings for sugar that linger long after the ghosts and goblins are stowed away till next year.

    Also - you can take the pledge:

    “I ______________________  (name) pledge NOT to purchase my Halloween Candy until 30th October!  I pledge to ONLY buy the amount of candy that, to the best of my ability, I estimate to need on Halloween and more-over I pledge to ONLY buy candy that I dislike, therefore minimizing my risk of being triggered by it!  In the name that is totally Weight Watchers – I pledge NOT to give Nina any more grey hair this year”!



    Candy
    3 Musketeers, Fun Size                      Each                                  2
    3 Musketeers, 60g Bar                        Each                                  7
    Almond Joy, Snack Size                     Each                                  2
    Almond Joy, 45g Bar                           Each                                  6
    Baby Ruth, Snack Size                       Each                                  2
    Baby Ruth, Regular Size                     Each Bar                          8
    Blow Pops                                            Junior                               2
    Bubble Gum - assorted gumballs        8g piece                            1
    Butterfinger, Fun Size                          Each                                  3
    Butterfinger, Regular                            1 Bar                                 8
    Butternut Mini Bar                                 Each                                  2
    Candy Corn                                          22 pieces                           3
    Carmello                                               Each snack size bars         2
    Crispy Caramel Fudge Bar                   Snack Size                         2
    Caramel & Peanut Butter Crispy Bars     Snack Size                      2
    Chocolate Toffee Crisp Bars                Snack Size                          2
    Crunchy Peanut Butter Bar                   Snack Size                        2
    Double Bubble Gum                              2 Pieces                            1
    Heath Bar                                              2 Snack Size Bars             3
    Hershey's Bar (Plain)                            2 Snack Size Bars            5
    Hershey's Bar (Almond)                        2 Snack Size Bars            5
    Hershey's Kisses                                  8 Pieces                          5
    Hershey's Kisses or Hugs                    3 Pieces                          2
    Hershey's Minatures                             1 Piece                            1
    Hershey's Tastations                             3 Pieces                          1
    Hershey's Sweet Escapes                    1 Piece                            2
    Hi C Juice Fillers (bag)                          5 Candies                         2
    Hot Tamales, Snack Box                       Each                               1
    Jolly Rancher                                         3 Pieces                         1
    Jolly Rancher Mini Stix                           Each                              1
    Kit Kat 2 pc Snack Bars                         Each                               2
    Kit Kat 4-Piece Bar                                 Each                               6
    Lemonheads                                           Each Box                         2
    Life Saver Hard Candies (Most Flavors)      2 Piece                    1
    Life Savers Gummies (Most Flavors)           5 Pieces                   2
    Life Saver Pops                                      1 Pop                               1
    M & M (plain), Fun Size                          Each                                2
    M & M (peanut) Fun Size                       Each                                2
    M & M Crispy                                          Each Pkg                         5
    Mars                                                        Fun Size                           2
    Mary Jane Peanut Butter Kisses           3 Pieces                          2
    Maynard's Wine Gums                           1 Roll                              3
    Mike & Ikes Snack Pkg                           Each Box                        1
    Milk Duds, Fun Size                                 Each                              1
    Milky Way, Fun Size                                Each                                2
    Milky Way Lite, Minis                               5 Pieces                          3
    Milky Way Lite, Regular Bar                    Each                                4
    Mounds, Snack Size                                Each                               2
    Necco Wafers                                          1 Roll                              1
    Nerds                                                       Each Box                         1
    Nestle Crunch Fun Size                           2 Pieces                          3
    Now & Later, Mini Bar                              Each                                1
    O'Henry, Fun Size                                    2 Pieces                          5
    Pumpkin Pop                                            Each                                1
    Milk or Dark Chocolate Raisinetes, Snack Size    1 Box                2
    Red Hots                                                  Each Box                         2
    Reese's Crunchy Cookie Cups               2 Pieces                          4
    Reese's Miniature Peanut Butter Cups   Each                                1
    Reeses Peanut Butter Bites                    Each Pkg                         2
    Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, Snack Size          Each                      2
    Skittles Fun Size                                      Each                                2
    Skittles Regular Size                                Each                               5
    Smarties Mixed Flavor Mini Roll              Each                               1
    Snickers, Fun Size                                   Each                               2
    Starburst, Fun Size                                  Each                                1
    Starburst Fruit Chews                              2 Pieces                          1
    Sweethearts (Necco), Motto Candy       1 Box                                3
    Three Musketeers, Fun Size                  Each                                  2
    Tootsie Roll, Snack Bars                        Each                                  1
    Tootsie Roll Midgees                              6 Pieces                            4
    Tootsie Roll Pop                                      Each                                  1
    Twix Mini Size                                         Each                                  1
    Twix, Snack Size                                    Each                                  2
    Twix, Regular Size (2 Pack)                   Each                                  7
    Twizzlers Pull-n-Peel Cherry Candy      3 Pieces                            3
    Twizzlers Strawberry Twists                  Each                                  1
    Werther's Original                                   3 Pieces                             1
    Whoppers Malted Milk Balls, Snack Size      Each Pkg                    3
    Wonka Nerds Gumballs                          Each                                  1
    Wonka Shock Tarts Gumballs                Each                                  1
    Wrigleys Chewing Gum                           5 Pieces                           1
    York Peppermint Patties                          1 Piece                             4



    And to finish..

    “Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option”  Anonymous