New Digs! New Start!

WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS!

This has been a very exciting week in Newton for the Weight Watchers community with the opening of out brand new digs.  If you haven't had a chance to come and take a look yet, I look forward to seeing you there soon.   The comments and feedback from members have been very complimentary; the brightness and welcoming feeling, the fresh colors, the high-tech environment, the clean carpet and the privacy of the weigh in have all received thumbs up!!

The address is 300 Needham Street, Newton - look for our signs and feather flags - you can't miss us!!

What does this mean for those Newton Members?  Several members have already commented about the fact that it feels like an opportunity to make a "new start" on their journey.  Welcome!

Not just for those in Newton - for all members:  I have come to realize in the past 7 years that this is not a "fix it and forget it" process, the human mind (our active and sometimes destructive brains) can so get in the way of our progress.  This seems so counter productive and yet it happens to almost everyone - and I haven't yet figured out why that is ... if you can enlighten me, please feel free to comment on this post ... There's no question that we can learn the theory and understand the benefits of making behavioral changes around our interactions with food and beverages, and indeed, we can follow through with our intentions sometimes and even oftentimes, but making permanent change seems to be out of our reach.  I've also come to the conclusion over the past 7 years that trying to understand our "ridiculousness" around this is futile, I've learned to observe it, accept it and treat it!!

The treatment - or at least some SMALL changes that are possible:

1. Perseverance (not perfection) is called for.
2. Begin with a "good" breakfast.
3. Include plenty of protein and fiber in your daily diet.
4. Be sure you have a treat every now and then - but understand that that's what it is and plan for it (and track it).
5. Try and move a little more every day (adding 10 minutes of moving makes a difference).
6. Drink an extra glass of water if you can - why not make that the first thing you do every day?
7. Read an article on the Weight Watchers website every few days for inspiration and motivation.
8. Use fruit instead of processed food for snacks.
9. Don't let a negative result derail you - take each meal, day, week and weigh-in as a one off.  
10. Finally and as you know - something I consider the most important commitment to we can make to our-self ... DON'T SKIP YOUR MEETING! 

Recipe for Salad Dressing:

I have been asked to post this recipe which originally came from a member (at Boston University), I can't remember the name of the member that gave it to me and what I did to adapt it, but it is yummy)!


Using a mustard jar that you have almost entirely emptied (you know what I mean, you've used your butter knife and have gotten almost all of the reachable spread, but the nooks and crannies make getting the last few smears impossible to reach).   By the way - I don't measure any ingredients in this so giving you the quantities below is my best guess...
- add 2 or 3 TBSP hot water (not boiling - the glass jar may crack) and about 3/4 to 1 tsp sugar (you can use Splenda if you wish) or honey.  Now put the lid on the jar and shake to release some of the mustard.

- now add about 1/3 of the jar with some acid ( any of these or a mixture of 2 of them... vinegar, lemon juice, balsamic, orange juice, rice wine vinegar, red wine vinegar)
- add about 2 TBSP of olive or canola oil, 1 good TBSP of fat-free plain or vanilla yogurt or fat-free sour cream, a little onion and/or garlic salt, fresh ground pepper and a good tablespoon of chopped capers,
- now put the lid on the jar (cover it with a cloth to catch any drips) and shake "like hell" to combine all the ingredients.

Sometimes I add fresh herbs such as oregano or even dried herbs such as "Herbs de Province".  I count the PPV as 1 for every 2 TBSP of dressing.

 

Leader Helen Mehok shares her thoughts about her ActiveLink!


As part of the ActiveLink™ pilot program last year, I took my 8-day assessment and was disappointed with my relatively low activity PointsPlus® value of 4 per day. Since losing 62 pounds in 2002, I had really wanted to maintain my weight and get fit. So I worked up to daily exercise—and worked out very hard sometimes, following Jillian Michaels, the Firm DVDs, and using kettle bells. I expected to be at the high end of things after initial assessment. Nope! 
The assessment results were an eye opener. But I accepted them as feedback—not failure, and thanks to ActiveLink, I discovered that I was not moving enough throughout the day even though I exercised regularly. ActiveLink helped me realize that centered exercise is a small component of being fit, healthy, and active. I still do exercise—I’ve been dancing the quickstep, the jive, and swing to name a few types—but I am much more aware of opportunities to be active outside my exercise routines. My dog is happy because he is getting more walks—and strolls and jogs. 

The best news! Over the past year, I was able to lose 14 pounds using the great Weight Watchers® program and ActiveLink. I can't even describe how fantastic it feels losing those stubborn 14 pounds. Before ActiveLink, when I would hear the mantra "eat less, move more", I would ask myself, “how much more can I move?" After ActiveLink, I know the answer. At the risk of sounding dramatic, ActiveLink is a life-changing experience! 

I was very motivated by the progress of the lights on the ActiveLink device—I wanted to get those 4 solid lights! So I’ve been known to take a 15-minute stroll around the block with my dog or take the garbage out to the alley—just to get that last solid light! Every time I see those four solid lights, I feel so empowered. My husband has just agreed to do an ActiveLink assessment and take a challenge! Even Mani the dog has lost 10 pounds. So my advice: Get active with ActiveLink and adopt an overweight dog from a rescue. You’ll both lose—and you’ll both win!    —Helen Mehok

See you at your meeting this week :)

Active Yet?

The Place:     Charles River Canoe and Kayak
The Day:     Sunday 7/22/12
The Activity:    Kayaking on the Charles 
The Motivation:   Activity Points!!!!  What Else???
Today's fun activity for me was 95 minutes of kayaking, we were motivated on the way home to row harder because we did not want to pay for a third hour (not that I'm cheap - just thrifty) anyway you can literally see the difference between the leisurely pace out and the hurried pace back in these 2 charts:  

1:07 PM to 1:59PM

2:00PM to 2:35PM

The first one depicts the time spent on the outward bound course - we travelled 3 miles from Auburndale to Waltham (the weir at Moody Street) and the second screen shot is the return trip.

I wore the monitor on my lanyard around my neck the whole time.  The wearing position makes no difference as to the recording of the body's movement, but when I got home and sync'd the monitor to e-tools, I named the activity (as rowing) which is why you see the shaded green area and the little person in a boat on the chart and it moved the needle from 1 PPV earned to 5!

Here is what today looks like so far:

If you have not yet checked out ActiveLink in the meeting room - this is a MUST HAVE tool.   Ask me at your meeting and I'll happily give you more information!

It is a state-of-the-art activity monitor combined with a personalized web experience designed and built by Phillips exclusively for Weight Watchers to assist us to analyze the activity we are doing (or not doing) and motivate us to do more --- and as you can see, it is doing just that for me!  If you look carefully at the chart - you'll see I am at 150% of my daily activity level challenge for today and it's only 4:30PM!

And Now for Some REALLY ....
.... Great news!   The Food Tracker was recently expanded to include new restaurants and foods, including those from Trader Joe’s. That’s right, Trader Joe’s! And more are on the way. We’ll be adding tons of new listings through July, to the tune of more than 100,000 new items.

Members requested Trader Joe’s foods, so WW says they're excited to finally be able to deliver.  There are now more than 1,000 distinct products from Trader Joe’s—including items from their bakery, frozen and refrigerated food sections, and their general grocery.  WW says  "We're committed to making tracking an easier, more convenient experience for all our members, including those who shop at Trader Joe’s."

As for restaurants, you'll now find these eateries, among others, in your Food Tracker: Cosi, Shake Shack, Panera Bread, IHOP, Chop’t, Krispy Kreme, Ranch 1, Five Guys, PF Changs, and Pinkberry.

There are also new entrée listings for existing restaurants, including Red Lobster, Chipotle, Domino’s, Burger King, and Subway … to name just a few!

Did you know that Weight Watchers has a blog called "What's New" - here they update members on what's happening online and other logistic changes to the materials and program to help you stick with it!

Weight Watchers on the move!

The Newton Center is soon to be in our "past history"!  We're moving to 300 Needham Street, next to Pearl Vision and EMS in the building on the "other side" of TJ Maxx.

As of Thursday this week we'll see you there.

The longer opening times will allow you to be able to come and "drop" in anytime through the week - on weekdays from 8:00AM to 8:00PM.  For the most part, the meeting times and personnel are going to be the same - so don't be shy.. come on in and say "Hi"!

And Finally - it's been a while since I shared a recipe:

Alternate Bean Salad
Makes 4 servings
3 PPV per serving.
Very very simple bean salad with only a few ingredients.  You'll see that I only use 1/2 a can of each of the canned beans because I like to keep some back to use on tossed leafy salads, but this recipe is so easy you can use all the beans and double the number of servings.  BTW - sometimes I give it an extra kick with a dash or two of hot sauce...

3/4 C green or white wax beans (or mixed) cut into about 1 inch pieces and lightly cooked
1/2 can (7 oz) red kidney beans
1/2 can (7 oz) garbanzo beans
1/4 C small diced red pepper
1/4 C small diced green pepper
1/4 C small diced sweet white onion or scallions
1/4 C medium or hot tomato salsa

Mix everything together and place in the fridge for about an hour to allow the flavors to develop - this salad keeps well in the fridge for about 4 days.

In Perspective!

Expectations vs Reality; Weight Losers vs Weight Watchers; Dieting vs Living how do you see your next 6-12 months in relationship to everything else you have to do and focus on?

Expectations vs Reality:
When most people embark on a journey to reduce their weight, it's often because of some incident, comment, advice from a doctor or simply because they've achieved an awareness of their weight that feels like it's become "unlivable" on some level.  We call it a "last straw" event.  Mine was more like a series of events, but the 2 that stand out for me were both comments from doctors, one a "throw-away" comment and one a more pointed comment about my weight.

The last straw event is what makes us take the next, logical, decision; to lose some of the weight.  Good, right?

Yes, good!  But lets look at our expectations in that case, vs the reality of what is likely to happen.  There are many examples in our world of folks being successful and making it look simple, various TV shows are no small illustration of this, advertising of "miracle cures", "pills and potions" and "no-exercise, no pain" solutions are also demonstrated in magazines, on TV and all around us and set us up for unrealistic expectations.  How many weeks did you think it was going to take to shed the excess pounds you have been carrying around with you?

Weight Losers vs Weight Watchers:
It is true, that when you first embark on a weight management program, there is some aspect of "water loss" (it's not as simple as that, but it does neatly describe what happens in a succinct manner, sufficient for this blog).  That means that one can see a sizable drop in weight in week one & two (and sometimes, three), but thereafter weight loss slows to a much slower rate.  Some members can even see a small gain at this stage - that can be really hard to fathom and can be totally disheartening.

I've heard folks say that the honeymoon period is over too quickly and I've more than once heard someone sat that the program has stopped working.  It hasn't, it's the NORM!  I know - it's a total bummer!  The normal weight loss that occurs over time for the majority of people with a healthy attitude to their weight loss and who persevere through all the ups and downs is between a-half to one-and-a-half pounds per week.  That means that some folks could take a year to lose 25 pounds and some could lose 75 in that same period of time.  I hate to say it, but it can take even longer, dependent upon your circumstances, outside influences, time and other resources.

Dieting vs Living:
That is exactly why you hear me say things like "the scale doesn't define us, our behaviors do", "we're building a new relationship with food", "look at your shopping cart now vs before you began your weight loss journey" and other reminders of how to stay focused.  Fun must play a role in this, live a little don't deprive yourself and definitely don't miss out on special events and occasions because you're fearful of the food that'll be served.  It is possible to live in the world as a foodie and still be in control of what we put in our mouth.  I know, I am one of those and I do!  

Control is defined in this case as making more better food and activity decisions than more worse ones over the course of time.  In other words; simplistically, since weight loss occurs when we achieve a "calorie deficit" and also simplistically, a pound of weight is measures as approximately 3,500 calories, to lose a pound I have to either eat 3,500 calories less than I did last week, exercise 3,500 calories more than I did last week or a combination of both... 

SO then, how does the statement of making "more better" decisions than "more worse" ones work in reality:  if I drink a couple of glasses of wine, to make up for the extra points that I consumed, I will need to cut back somewhere else and then perhaps again later in the week to compound the "calorie deficit".  In addition if I can get out there, move a little and earn a few PPV, I am now ahead of the game!

Here it is in illustration - lets say I am out to dinner with friends, I decline the bread and butter, but accept a first and then a second glass of wine,  Score: 1 decision to add to calorie deficit, 2 against.  Later that evening everyone is eating dessert, I settle with a cup of chamomile tea, Score 2 towards the calorie deficit, 2 against.  Tomorrow morning I get up 30 minutes earlier and take a walk before work - now I am in the lead, Score 3 decisions towards the calorie deficit, 2 against. 
I know it seems very simplistic this way, but it sorta works and allows us to "LIVE" with this and not "DIET"!

The point is - don't over complicate this, try to keep your expectations in perspective and more importantly, please realize that this is a work in progress for all of us - we don't lose the weight and then we are somehow "fixed"!  The most successful lifetime members will tell you that it takes care and thought to maintain just as it does to lose.  There is NO MAGIC PILL, I'm sorry, however there is your meeting, your community and a wonderfully supportive environment to help you to stick with it and make "more better" decisions than "more worse" ones!  See you at your meeting this week :)

Drum Roll Please:

I shared with a LOT of meetings this week and I am very happy to share here now that we have an amazing new tool to help to encourage all of us to begin a new activity regimen or or ramp up what we already do... it's called ActiveLink.

I began using mine approximately 3 weeks ago and I have had a constant smile on my face regarding my activity level ever since - it takes the guesswork out of tracking activity and gives you honest feedback regarding your efforts!  It's worth every penny and it costs less than $40!

Developed for Weight Watchers by Phillips; ActiveLink combines a state-of-the-art Activity Monitor with a personal Web experience to seamlessly help you set personalized goals, track your activity, and motivate you to reach your goals. 

I took this from the WW Website for you:

What is ActiveLink

ActiveLink is an integrated activity experience consisting of a monitor, a personalized website, and tips and motivation brought to you by the experts at Weight Watchers and Philips. You wear the small ActiveLink monitor in your pocket or clipped to your clothes, and it tracks all of your activity throughout the day., Whether you’re walking the the dog or working out at the gym, ActiveLink will let you know how many activity PointsPlus values you’re earning. The personalized site creates an activity goal for you, and provides information and motivation to help you achieve your goal over a 12-week period. And when you reach one goal, it will help you set, and reach, another.

ActiveLink challenges you to move more in all aspects of your life, not just through sports or set workouts

There are items on Sale this Week:

Drop me an email to wwnina@gmail.com if you would like me to bring some products to your office for you (if you are in a work-place meeting with me).  Let me know the meeting name you attend and also the day and time plus your product order...  If you do order items, please make sure you come and collect them, payment by check, cash or credit or debit card is accepted.

All Smoothies (usually $7.50),
All Mini Bars (usually $7.50), &
All Oatmeal (usually $5.95),
                are on sale for $4.95
All Candies - Fruities (including the *NEW* Citrus flavored Jelly Candies) and Cappuccino Creme Melts (usually $2.50) are on sale for $1.75 per duo-pack or $3.50 for 2 duo-packs.


And, finally:
July 15, 2012
Today is Iris Murdoch's birthday, British Novelist and Philosopher 1919-1999.


From Ms. Murdoch:  "We live in a fantasy world, a world of illusion.  The great task in life is to find the reality".

Happy Birthday Ma'am!

Click "Here" for the Theory of Relativity!

Do you feel bored with your weight management efforts? Do you want to eat what everyone else is eating, drink like you were not a Weight Watcher, exercise less and kick your heels back more?
Well, what if I tell you; you can, and still be on plan?

I hear the "okay, what's the catch?" question out there.

There's no catch?  It's a question of "The Theory of Relativity"!  This has nothing to do with Albert Einstein's theory about time and space in that context, although time and space play into this in a very major way.  This theory is about your effort in relation to others behavior.  The time and space you spend with non-weight conscious "civillians" and how you respond the the stimulus of being in their company.

Think about this: When we compare ourselves to what others in our own sphere of influence are doing, we invariably want to be "part of the group" and don't want to look like the "outsider", besides it may look like they're able to have fun and I am not!  Then when we come to a meeting (or consider our efforts within the Weight Watchers community) we want to feel like "part of that group" too.  

Can you see how we can so easily feel torn between wanting to be the "Picture of Perfection" Weight Watcher and the guilt of not meeting that standard we have set ourself?  The chances are the swing of the pendulum will go towards being part of the "friends" group rather than the Weight Watchers one.  Why?  Because we take the path of least resistance and simply not going to Weight Watchers alleviates the pain of the disappointment we feel in ourselves.

So - how do we somehow manage the 2 together?  

I come back to the "Theory of Relativity"!  

It's all a question of degrees:  When your compare your behavior to that of the folks you're "hanging out with", you're going to make sure you are not being deprived by having some of the "fun" stuff they're having?  However, instead of making all the same eating and drinking decisions they're making; give yourself permission to break away from following the same behavior as the group and make some decisions that support your membership of the other group*!    *That group being your WW pals :)   

So, now you consider your behavior in relation to the group at your Weight Watchers meeting, understand that you are not somehow an alien member for not being on plan 24/7.  In fact, understand that being on plan 100% of the time is neigh-on impossible for almost everyone.

My experience with members (anecdotally) is that I observe about 1-2% of members being totally immersed in the process.  Those folks don't veer off the path, and, of course lose weight consistently.  About 60-70% of us, who by the way, also lose, sometimes more slowly, but never-the-less, lose, are "on plan more than we're off it" (lifetime members in this category maintain weight).  In other words making up for indulgent meals / days / episodes in other ways.  Unfortunately the rest fall away because it seems too difficult to manage it all.  

Now that's what we talk about in meetings and this week we're tackling "How to make the most of a mis-hap"  PLEASE COME - if you haven't been to a meeting in while, this is the one to come back for.  I absolutely promise, warranty, guarantee and give my scouts word of honor that I will NOT judge you, guilt you, humiliate you or take it personally that you haven't been coming or that you've gained weight, I will simply welcome you back!

NEWS FROM WEIGHT WATCHERS:

Repeated from last week incase you missed it...

The Cookies are here!  
The Cookies are here!
The Cookies are here!


3 flavors of the Weight Watchers 
LIMITED EDITION* cookies...
~ Ginger Snaps
~ Iced Lemon Mini Cookies
~ Chocolate Swirl Cookies


Packed in portion controlled bags they're a wonderful treat for $2.95 per box.


* NOTE: members who know this - know this - they're a limited edition which means that they're only made once a year and shipped to us to sell, when they're sold out they're sold out and they ==G=O ==F=A=S=T!!!

On Sale this week:
Mini Bars (usually $7.50), Smoothies (usually $7.50) and Oatmeal (usually $5.95)


ALL ON SALE FOR $4.95 per box.
If you are in an B2B meeting and would like to send me an order for any of your favorite flavors - please email at least a day before your meeting (not the day of) and let me know what you'd like.  I'll bring your order for you separately in a bag with your name on.  (Please make sure you come and collect your order).


See you at your meeting :)
(thanks Patrice for the beautiful flowers)

Happy HALF-A-New Year's Day!

Yup, today is Half-A-New Year's Day, which makes it a great opportunity to take stock of where we are with our goals for the year.  And, I'm not just talking about our weight management goals, although, that of course is where I am headed with this post.  


Ask yourself...

• Are you satisfied with the progress you have made so far in 2012?  
• Are you going to keep doing what you're doing or start again for the second half of the year?  
• Did you set goals that were too lofty for you to be able to achieve and so you've become disillusioned and overwhelmed with trying?
• Has something significant changed since the beginning of the year that has necessitated your changing direction?

Goal Setting... 

Goal setting creates a bridge between today's vision and tomorrow's reality.  Is yours a fragile rope bridge, a set of stepping stones, a broad walk with no railing or a sturdy stone bridge?

... what's your mind-speak?  Do you say...

~  "Yea Yea, I hear ya, but it's not for me - I'm much better off when I can change and alter with the circumstances I find myself in",  or 
~  "If I set myself a goal, it helps me to clearly step from where I am right now into the new reality that I hope to achieve", or is your brain somewhere in-between?


Why do some of us seem to have an easier time with setting goals than others?  The truth is, I have no idea, I am no expert on this topic, but I can speculate from years of working with members of all kinds and with many different motivators.


Difficulty

One of the differences, I believe, lies in our ability to follow through with the goal we've set for ourself.  It goes without saying that setting a goal that is impossible to achieve is destructive and can quickly have us feeling like we've failed, when in fact, there would have been no chance of achieving that which we set ourselves anyway.  On the other hand an achievable goal, once completed, empowers us to want to do more and achieve more.


Clarity
In the same vein, not stating a goal clearly and precisely has the effect of not defining a finish line, no finish line means there's no end point and therefore no pride in the achievement.


Plan
It's not enough to define the goal.  Once we've identified an appropriate, clear and precise goal, the next step is to make a plan that speaks to how we are going to get there.  


Setbacks
Setbacks are going to happen - have you ever known any project you've taken on go so swimmingly that there was no need for you to make any changes to the way you were approaching it?  Apparently Thos. Eddison and Louis Lattimer had over 10,000 prototypes of the lightbulb before they came up with a model they could construct!  How we view setbacks and how quickly we are willing to adjust has a direct impact on the final outcome of the project.

If you don't know what you want to set for yourself as a goal for the balance of the year, here's a quick exercise you can do ...

Take a blank piece of paper and set it down in front of you with a pen at the ready.  Close your eyes and conjure a person, maybe another WW member whom you admire in the meeting, or someone else you know personally, that is a powerful positive influence and role model for you on your weight management journey.


Imagine that this person is setting their goals for the next 6 months; Weight Loss Goals, Behavior Goals, Exercise Goals, Food Shopping Goals, Food Choice Goals --- What do you think THEIR goals are likely to be?  Don't edit your imagination or allow yourself to be influenced by outside notions or limitations of time or other resources.  Decide on 3 goals they may set for their half year.


Now take up the pen and write the 3 goals down.  Space one at the top of the page, one a 1/4 of the way down the page and the final one at the half-page spot.


In the vacant space between them, and for each one, write one paragraph as to how that goal could be beneficial in YOUR life too.  Then take a good look at the words... one of the 3 goals is going to feel more compelling to you in your life than the others.


Now, on the bottom one quarter of the page, I want you to redefine that one goal to be appropriate, precise and clear for your life.  Write 2 short sentences to describe your plan to achieve the goal and what you will do to execute it.  And finally I want you to write a mantra that will keep you on track when the setback happens - make it positive, not negative - here are some examples.


"It's not a race, it's a marathon"
"Steady and slow, learn as you go.  Lose too fast and it may not last"
"The weight did not arrive from the F*t Fairy last night and the Skinny Fairy is busy someplace else today"
Here's one I love 
"When I got a flat tire, I asked for help from the passer by, I did not get out the car and slash the other three"

Here is an example of what I mean:

"I want to lose 15 pound in the second half of this year and I will keep on track by going to meetings each week and trying something new; food or behavior each month.  I plan to have one splurge meal every month for the next 6 months, and I will plan the outing in advance to make the most of it.  
MANTRA: The scale is merely a weight loss tool, not judge, jury and executioner"

News from Weight Watchers:

The Cookies are here!  
The Cookies are here!
The Cookies are here!


3 flavors of the Weight Watchers 
LIMITED EDITION* cookies...
~ Ginger Snaps
~ Iced Lemon Mini Cookies
~ Chocolate Swirl Cookies


Packed in portion controlled bags they're a wonderful treat for $2.95 per box.


* NOTE: members who know this - know this - they're a limited edition which means that they're only made once a year and shipped to us to sell, when they're sold out they're sold out and they ==G=O ==F=A=S=T!!!

Happy 4th everyone :)