Tougher than Usual?

When tradition and religious rituals are factored into your eating routine, even just for a short time, it can profoundly affect your head.

With Passover and Easter just around the corner, it got me to thinking that the range of feelings about ritualistic eating can stretch from panic strikken, because you desperately want to stick with your efforts, but have no idea how you're going to do that, to quite the opposite; giving yourself permission to throw out your Weight Watchers (healthy eating) habits/learning and resolve because it just seems too hard to stick with it.

Have you noticed that the same thing happens when out at a restaurant or at a party or vacation or spending time with friends or family who seem not to have a food care in the world?  It may feel like quite the same thing, but I figure there are some advantages to it being a religious holiday.

For one, the holiday foods remain the same year after year so there are not likely to be too many surprises with regards to our expectations.  This fact gives you the ability to use a resource we know as "Mentally Rehearsing".  It works like this:  Visualize yourself picking your plate of food with care and thought.  See yourself in your minds eye; what are you wearing, feeling, or saying?  Who are you with?  Where are you sitting?  Literally watch yourself and practice, practice, practice.  Just like an actor on stage, the more realistic your rehearsal, the more likely you are to follow your prescribed plan.

Secondly - this is a time when we are spending quality time with those members of the family we only see on special occasions, make the people your focus - not the food and drink!

Thirdly, every chance you get, be your own cheerleader.  Rather than regretting your behavior after the event, give yourself kudos every day that you stick with it.   Keep a log of decisions you are proud of; a journal of the times you said "No" to yourself or anyone else.  Act as if you have to show your accomplishments to your best friend after the holiday so you're writing them down to remember them.  You'll be surprised how quickly the things your did "right" add up!

Finally, go back to basics:

1. Look up PPV before you eat them, and write them down.

2. Follow the good health guidelines (lean protein, whole grains, healthy oil, fruits and veggies, drink plenty of sugar free fluids and fat-free or low fat dairy), this is the mainstay of the program and even though you have the temptation of the ritual foods for the holiday, the GHG can act as your healthy eating standard.

3. Move a little; don't give up on your activity because you're out of your routine, in fact if the chance presents itself, do extra!

4.  Treat yourself to a little of your favorite traditional foods; saying NO to all the chocolate or desserts may backfire, don't forget your 49 Weekly PointsPlus Values.  Their purpose is to make the program more flexible for you.

To manage Passover and Easter, you're going to draw on your own inner resources, the same inner resources that you have trained and honed that you've used at other times,  Inner resources plus superior knowledge, both of which can be obtained by coming to a meeting to brainstorm strategies with your meeting buddies.  

Are you curious about Fiber?

Come to this week's meeting to satisfy your curiosity; we are going to break it down into palatable bites!

In a 1997 USDA study, women who doubled their fiber intake from 12 to 24 grams per day absorbed 90 fewer calories. —USDA.gov

And finally..

“Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” -Anonymous

Whether the Weather be Cold, or Whether the Weather be Hot...

Do you find that your eating is influenced by the amount of daylight, the amount of sunshine and the emergence of spring flowers?


The Vernal Equinox, Spring, emerges on March 20, 2012 at 1:14AM. (That's Tuesday)  Here's a bit more information:  The word "equinox" is taken from Latin meaning "equal night".  The spring and fall equinoxes are the only dates with equal daylight and dark as the Sun crosses the celestial equator.  This year, it's earlier than in has been for over 150 years, I'm told that's because of the way leap year affects it!

Ah, the spring brings increasing daylight, warming temps and the rebirth of the flora, fauna and lighter eating - can you say "Yeah"?

I tend towards the thought that this is the time for fresh fish, salads, light vegetables and grilling meats to replace the heavier stews and soups we've been relying on for warmth and calories through the winter months.  And even though we've had an extraordinarily mild winter this year, human nature being what it is, I am sure I'm not the only person who didn't alter my menu to fit the milder weather!

Here are some amazing spring veggies we should already see coming into the market;
Artichokes,
Asparagus,
Vidalia Onions and green onions,
Mustard Greens,
Celericac,
Fiddle Head Ferns (coming soon)
Radishes,
Fava Beans,
Snap Peas and Pea Greens,
Cilantro

On the recipe front - this is an all season recipe that with some adaption (see my notes at the bottom of the article) can be brought right into the spring season:

THE RECIPE FROM WEIGHT WATCHERS IS:
Parsley and Lemon Crumb-Coated Cod Fillet
(4 Servings, 5PPV each)

1 sandwich flat (any flavor)
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
1 tsp freshly zested lemon zest
1 1/4 pounds skinless cod fillet, cut into 4 pieces, each 5 oz
2 good sprays of olive oil spray (such as Pam)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice - divided
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 cups broccoli florets

Preheat the broiler and set up the steamer with water and set to boil on the stove.  (You're going to broil the fish and steam the broccoli at the same time).

Pulse the bread, parsley and lemon zest in a food processor until you have fine crumbs.  Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray and place the fish on the tray, not touching each other.  Drizzle half of the lemon juice over the fish, sprinkle with salt and pepper and pat on the crumb mixture.  Spray again with the olive oil spray to moisten the breadcrumbs.

Place the baking sheet under the broiler and cook until the fish is opaque.  Time will vary according to the thickness of the fish but somewhere between 5 and 8 minutes.

Place the broccoli in the steamer basket and steam for about 4 to 6 minutes till its crisp tender.  Sprinkle a little lemon juice and salt over the broccoli as it comes out of the steamer basket.

Yields about a cup of broccoli and 3 oz fish per serving.

Here is a way to refresh this recipe for spring:
Instead of the parsley; substitute cilantro
Instead of the lemon rind and juice; substitute lime (actually in the spring, I like to mix lime and orange together) and,
Instead of the broccoli, why not substitute pea pods or asparagus - or both?

While we are on the subject of change:
I have been told I HAVE to blog about the fact that I am now working towards changing my attitude about (my personal) exercise.

Yes, I am doing some and grinning like a child when I manage to do it; for instance 10 sets of 10 squats and "lady" push-ups last night.  I did say 10 sets of 10 --- that would be 100 of each!


My workout has included the squats, lunges, "supermans", "Lady" push-ups.  I think tonight's includes some crunches.  I haven't seen any weight differential yet, I'm not doing enough for that, but I certainly am beginning to notice that my slacks are feeling more roomy in the leg!  WoWzA!

I have been doing the routine on the I-Pod / I-Phone Ap called "Gorilla Workout", but there are a whole slew of them out there including a great deal of information on Weight Watchers website.  There are videos and workout challenges, articles and helpful information and, if you're a novice, like me, there is a wonderful article that explains all the vocabulary you hear the experts using, click here: Fitness Vocabulary.

Please don't start a workout routine without first making sure you are fit and well enough to start.  Ask a doctor if you have any concerns.

If you're serious about your fitness and want to follow a formal fitness routine, Weight Watchers offers an amazing DVD series (5 DVD's), that's very similar to P90X, in the meeting room, it's about 1/3 of the price of the P90X series at $39.95 and is being offered at $5 off that price for one more week, till 3/24.  Pick it up this week if you want it before the price reverts to the higher price.

Don't miss your meeting this week - TOPIC OF THE WEEK:
Do you sometimes feel like managing your weight is like managing a business?  

To be successful we have to think like a CEO or a CFO, we have to make decisions on how best to invest time and effort and then continue by constantly assessing and adjusting strategy, as needed, to get the payoff we're looking for.  ROI = return on investment!

I'm calling for a board meeting this week.  
AGENDA
1.  Analysis of current investment to assess value and make investment adjustments, as necessary to maximize ROI.
2.  Set the plan in motion to make the change.

Don't forget to send your weight result to mywwgoal@gmail.com if you are participating in the current weight loss challenge.  For more information take a look at the post on my blog from Feb 13 called "It's a Combination of a Million Decisions".


Final thought for the week:
"There are no secrets to success.  It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure"
                     ~ Colin Powell

National Pi Day

No beating around the bush this week, we have two celebrations that could throw us off:
National Pi Day  on 3.14 (pi = 3.14159265),  and
St Paddy's Day on 3.17 
and that doesn't include the birthdays, Bar Mitzvahs, wedding anniversaries, baby showers, cruises...

Eeeeeeek - okay - no panicing yet!          Strategy, Strategy, Strategy

Pi Day - now, that's easy: 
Key Lime Pie or Lemon Mousse Pie from Weight Watchers:
1 reduced fat graham cracker crust
1 (1/16oz) package sugar-free lime gelatin (substitute lemon or some other flavor)
1/4 cup boiling water
8oz fat-free whipped topping
12 oz (2x6oz tubs) key lime flavor WW (fat-free, sugar-free) yogurt (substitute lemon or the flavor to match your gelatin)

Dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water in a large bowl, then stir in the yogurt and mix thoroughly with a wire whisk.  Fold in the whipped topping with a wooden spoon and spread all the mix into the crust.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, decorate and serve.

The JH in the star designates a Jennifer Hudson Favorite!

Lets look at St Paddy's Day:
hmmm, funnily enough, I believe we were just talking PORTION SAVVY last week.  

BEER:
The Good News:
Beer contains some B Vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. It also has:
* NO Cholesterol
* NO Fat
* Very little sugar

The Bad News:
Alcohol is a calorie-dense nectar, packing seven calories per gram.  That's almost as much as fat, which has nine calories per gram.  Don't blame the malt (carbs), the most significant source of calories in beer is the alcohol itself.

Most 12-ounce beer with 5 percent alcohol by volume contains a PPV of 5
The typical 16-ounce draft pint contains a PPV of 7  (Think Guinness)!
Most 12-ounce "light" beers have a PPV of 4
Most 16-ounce draft of light beer has a PPV 5
A 12-ounce non-alcoholic beer has a PPV 2

FOOD:

Irish soda bread 1x4-ounce piece has a PPV of 8
Irish stew 1-cup has a PPV of 8
Boiled beef (7 or 8 ounces) and cabbage; reckon on an average serving having a PPV of 12 - 14
Corned beef hash and poached egg about 12PPV per cup
Boiled potatoes with butter have a PPV of 4 for the potatoes and PPV of 3 for 1-Tbsp Butter
1 slice Chocolate Irish Creme Cheesecake approx. PPV 12 from a 9" Cake
Irish Coffee 8-ounce cup PPV of 7

It's all about the budget:
Decide ahead of time how many of your daily, weekly and activity PPV you want to spend on your celebration and then begin to fit the puzzle pieces together.

Perhaps 4 Guinness, 8-ounces of boiled beef and cabbage, 3 boiled potatoes and butter, soda bread and chocolate cheesecake at a grand total of 78 or 80 PPV are a tad over what you want to spend for the evening, perhaps not; you decide!

However, perhaps 2 Guinness, 3/4-cup of Irish Stew with 4 or 5-ounces of boiled potatoes (no butter), and a few bites of the cheesecake for 3 or 4 PPV would be easier to "stomach" at 27 or 28 PPV?

This can apply to every day - it doesn't just apply to those trophy meal occasions.

NO Deprivation allowed tho - you hear me?  Please please make sure you allow yourself some flexibility to have some fun.  Remember Weight Watchers teaches us how to live WITH food, not WITHOUT it!

And, as one anonymous Irishman says "as you slide down the bannister of life, may the splinters never point in the wrong direction!"

Mini Bars    

12 per box 2PPV each  

usually $7.50 per box

ON SALE for $4.95

 - Toasted Coconut Dream

 - Chocolate Caramel

 - Mint Cookie Crisp

 - Praline Nutty Bars

 - Chocolate Pretzel Blast

 - Lemon Mousse Pie

 - Dark Chocolate Pretzel

Smoothies    

7 per box 2PPV each  

usually $7.50 per box

ON SALE for $4.95

 - Creamy Chocolate

 - Creme Brulee (where available, retired flavor)

 - French Vanilla

 AND DEBUTING our Newest Flavor 

*** Creamy Coconut  *** - yumm!

Oatmeal  

4 per box 3PPV each  

usually $5.95 per box

ON SALE for $4.95

- Maple Brown Sugar

- Baked Apple Cinnamon (where available, retired flavor)

AND DEBUTING our Newest Flavor 

*** Berries and Cream  *** - delish!

AT WORK MEETING MEMBERS (WORKSITE MEETINGS)  -  if you have a favorite that you'd like me to bring to your meeting, send me a specific order, I'll pack it separately for you and bring it with me to your meeting.

Sale runs through 3/24 - sorry no rainchecks. 

This week's meeting is 
"Nix Negative Thoughts" - come for a "Nix Fix!"


See you in your meeting :)

What Drives YOU?

Whether it's pride when the task is completed; a sense of accomplishment, training for a specific exercise event, health benefits; core, balance, cardiac health or strength training, fun, social, feeling the rush of endorphins or buns of steel - well at least not buns of jello!!  What drives you to move more?  Maybe just enhanced weight loss - nothing wrong with that - right?

5 Ways to GET GOING - and - STAY GOING!

I truly cannot tell you how often I hear something like... "I started to exercise 15 years ago because I had to overcome an injury and I just never gave up - and - now I couldn't imaging not doing it" or "I used to hate to walk, and definitely never thought I would run, but I'm running my first 10K in 3 weeks time" or "I'm entering an Iron Man".  What's the common thread?   When I ask, the member will tell me that they started by just doing 10 or 15 minutes a day.  I know I can find 10 minutes a day... can you?

Lets not make it too complicated; just do something.

The beginning of starting a new behavior is often not the problem, it's normally about the time that we've been doing it for a while and are not yet feeling the benefits and the "old" behavior is tugging us backwards that we run into "stick-with-it-ness" fatigue!  SO, how to overcome that condition?

1.  Develop Accountability:
For some people keeping a journal does it, others need an accountability partner, and for others a more formal accountability person; such as a coach.  Set a goal for yourself and tell someone.  Success (stick-with-it-ness) comes from holding ourselves to account.
2.  Pleasure - Not (Only) Pain:
Have you felt the burn?  Now, embrace the pain and acknowledge it as your measure of commitment.  (I heard that groan)!  Give yourself some options; do fun things too - exercise doesn't require the taking pain killers every time you do it!
3.  Variety is the Paprika (my favorite spice) of Life:
Ask yourself what you might enjoy doing?  Do you like being in a group setting, or solitary, do you want to do something strenuous or sedate.  Do you love to play with a ball or other sports equipment?  Are you a natural mover inside or outside - what did you love as a child ?  Look at your answers and pick several options and give them a try until you find a mix that turns you into a movement seeker.
4.  Have a Buddy - four pawed or two:
Or, indeed, buddies.  Having a few you can turn to, guarantees that if one or more have other commitments or maybe an injury, there are still others that have expectations of you - loneliness, boredom or (dare I utter the word) laziness doesn't have to be the problem!
5.  Keep your EYE on the PRIZE:
When stick-to-it-ness fatigue begins to show it's head, be ready to assess your progress and give yourself that pat on the back for being so diligent up till now. Take a critical look how much closer you are to your goal because of your hard work, acknowledge that and keep going!

We’re all excited about the PointsPlus^® Fitness Series with Jennifer Cohen.


The Workout that Gets Results - Made JUST for Weight Watchers!
From March 4 through March 24 take $5 off the regular price of $39.95, paying only $34.95 for the five-DVD set. That’s $7 per DVD! 

• It's flexible: adaptable to your skill level, whether you're a beginner, a moderate exerciser, or advanced. The level increases in stages so that you'll stay challenged.

• Jennifer Cohen designed it! This program was designed by a health and fitness expert who’s appeared on The Today Show, Good Morning America, and Extra. She was also a trainer on Shedding for the Wedding. This instructor’s a pro—and she designed this fitness series just for us! 

(It’s also a great value. Compare it to the trendy P90X video series, which costs $120, or a gym membership, which can cost thousands a year.)

While I am on the subject of Tools from Weight Watchers...

the Weight Watchers "One Pot Cookbook" which, by the way is a NY Times bestseller for 4 weeks and still going strong, is now available for e-readers and digital tablets.

Here's the blurb from Weight Watchers:
One Pot features more than 300 single-dish recipes that help you maximize your kitchen tools and minimize cleanup while cooking easy, delicious meals for the whole family. Organized by cooking vessel such as skillet, slow cooker, or saucepan, One Pot recipes include Roasted Eggplant and Mushroom Lasagna, Yankee Pot Roast, Risotto with Shrimp, Peas and Parmesan, all with PointsPlus^® values and the nutrition information you need to choose wisely and track accurately.

this week's topic:

We are going to have some fun with this - including the M&M's I am bringing to the meeting - don't miss it!


Final thought for the week:

“Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't know how great you can be!  How much you can love!  What you can accomplish!  And what your potential is!”

Anne Frank

SEE YOU IN YOUR MEETING THIS WEEK - COME AND DISCOVER YOUR POTENTIAL!