I Swear to Tell the Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothing BUT...

When you track, do you write it all down?  I'm the first to admit that when I was losing the bulk of my weight, I would count all my (in those days) POINTS until I reached my daily target, then I would simply stop counting and writing!

Now, due to the fact that I had a lot of weight to lose, additionally I was very very good about WHAT I put in my mouth and, I assume also, because I have (thank-goodness) never been a night-time nosher - it did not impact my weight loss as negatively as I see it impact some folks.

I learned at some point along the way - actually it was another member who said it to me - and you hear me say it often: "The tracker is not the food police!"  In fact the tracker is simply a list of what I have consumed through the course of the day and the week.

This upcoming week - make a pact with yourself - to write down every morsel.  You will hear successful members say it and so I repeat it here "Tracking Works".  So make that your mantra this week "Tracking Works".  Keep saying it to convince yourself and see what happens when you do...

Oh, and don't forget to come to a meeting so that you can weigh-in and see what a difference it makes!
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Halloween
I thought you might like some information about sugar and it's impact on weight management.  Thinking has changed in recent years and this is the latest....

Old thinking: Eating sugar cause weight gain.

New thinking: Weight loss is about calories in vs. calories out, so eating eating sweets at a level that can take you over your PointsPlus budget--causing you to exceed both your daily PointsPlus Target and your weekly PointsPlus allowance--can add pounds.  What's more, sweets are not particularly satisfying (the're not a "Power Food"), so after eating them, you're likely to reach for more food--thus taking in more calories.

Old thinking: The only way to tame a raging sweet tooth is to go cold turkey.

New thinking: Deprivation may not work because it can backfire, leading to episodes of overeating. A better strategy is to plan for treats so you can have small indulgences and still remain within your PointsPlus value budget.

Old thinking: A treat is a treat is a treat—every-one is junky (and delicious).

New thinking: It’s possible to get a sweet fix from foods that are satisfying and have some nutritional value. For example, fat-free chocolate syrup drizzled on a peach or a frozen banana will stave off hunger far longer than will a handful of gummy worms. And the fruit-and-chocolate treat delivers vitamins and minerals, too.

"We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than we are." ~Adelle Davis

Here is a fun little piece...

14 Things to Do With... Greek Yogurt
(and I don't mean take a bath with it - unless you're Cleopatra)!

Don't relegate this creamy treat to the breakfast table.

Here's a bevy of uses for this delicious and versatile ingredient.

Sure, it’s good as a breakfast food. But Greek yogurt, with more protein and richness than other yogurt varieties, is great for way more than just making a parfait.

Here, www.WeightWatchers.com staffers share their favorite uses for the versatile ingredient.

1.           Add chopped cucumbers, dill and a pinch of salt for a quick Greek tsatziki.

2.          Instead of milk or sweetened yogurts, toss some in your smoothie for a thicker texture.

3.          Try it as an alternative to heavy cream when making Alfredo sauce for pasta.

4.          Mix with chocolate syrup for an easy fruit dip for a party platter.

5.          Add a pinch of salt for a rich substitute for sour cream.

6.          Stir in to a puréed vegetable soup to add thickness and protein.

7.          For a simple frozen yogurt, add chopped fruit and sweetener and put it in the freezer.

8.          Use it instead of mayo in chicken, tuna and egg salad to drastically cut down on PointsPlus values.

9.          For a quick dessert, stir in light jam, raspberries, raisins, cinnamon or shredded coconut.

10.        Use it as a frosting for cake or cupcakes. Just add vanilla or almond extract and a bit of sweetener.

11.        Add spices and a bit of milk for a quick, guilt-free, creamy salad dressing.

12.        Try as a pre-grill marinade for chicken or lamb: a bit of yogurt, za’atar, lemon zest, pepper flakes and a pinch of salt.

13.        Add horseradish to make a fish or shrimp dip.

14.        Mix it with skim milk and use instead of buttermilk for pancakes.

Sign Up as a "Follower" of my blog so that you don't miss Wednesday's Recipe Post "Moroccan Slow Cooker Stew" and others...


Have a wonderful weekend - see you in a meeting

Ideas from the Trenches

Here are some ideas I found online to use foods/snacks you can buy from the meeting room:

CHEDDAR TWISTS
1.  Crumble them atop a casserole such as green bean, tuna noodle or scalloped potatoes.

2.  Break them into crouton sized bits and sprinkle them into soups and salads.

3.  Use a blender to grind them (add herbs, if desired) and use them to coat fish, chicken. Tofu or veggies, such as eggplant.

PANCAKES WITH WW OATMEAL
1 cup of WW Oatmeal and 1/2 cup of egg beaters or 2 or 3 egg whites.

Spray non stick skillet/pan.

Pour mix into pan to make 1 big or 2 medium pancakes.
1 serving = 4 PointsPlus Values 
I usually use a tsp of oil for a total of 5 PointsPlus Values.

CHOCOLATE (OR ANY FLAVOR) SMOOTHIES

Use a cup of 60 calorie almond milk, a cup of ice cubes and 1/4 tsp of coconut extract.

Alternatively; Freeze leftover coffee from the pot in an ice cube tray. Use 6 - 10 "coffee cubes" and 1/2 cup of skim or soy milk.  VOILA...mocha/frappachino

Water, Ice and a banana but freeze the banana first; it makes it nice and thick.  Great way to use bananas that are a little too ripe.

TUNE INTO THE BLOG NEXT SUNDAY FOR YET MORE STRATEGIES TO COMBAT...

"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.

Don't miss next week's meeting!

Warm Foods, Cold Foods, Sweet Foods, Sour....

Which foods help and which hinder?

Those of you who track - do you ever go back and look at your tracker after you have been to the meeting to obtain "feedback from the scale"?  Do you analyze your food & beverage intake over the course of the week - do you look for foods that have helped your weight management and those that have hurt it?

I am not just referring to trigger foods - although they certainly do fall into this discussion.  Some foods simply make it harder for us to lose weight; whether it's because they're just too fatty, sweet or salty or whether they're foods that are comforting and therefore we have a harder time with controlling portions.  Some of them might be holiday foods and others are (what I term) accessory items.  By that I mean we add them to foods to enhance flavor or satisfaction - the original food may be very low in PPV and seem like a great choice - e.g. chopped egg, but when I turn it into egg salad by adding mayo ... now, that's a totally different story!  Are those items in your pantry, fridge, freezer, car, desk drawer or basement right now?

Take a long hard look at your shopping habits and ask yourself if you're sabotaging your own efforts by bringing items like those into your environment.  If you are, and they are present in your world now, are you able to toss them?  Further to that, I suggest you listen out in meetings for ideas of how to swap out foods that hinder for those that help.

For instance - we spoke a lot about cheese this week; probably because it is just such a food in my life, many ideas were shared for swapping out cheese that is high in PPV for less "expensive" cheeses / cheese substitutions everything from Laughing Cow or Weight Watchers Wedges", through low fat versions of hard cheese, such as shredded 50% fat Cabot cheddar.  Have you tried low fat spreadable goat cheese or fat-free feta?  A great idea is to use "real" Parmesan cheese when you are seeking great flavor, because we habitually use less of it.

So, this upcoming week, take a look at your eating and food preparation habits - see if you can RECOGNIZE those foods which are hindering you from obtaining the results at the scale you are seeking.  REMOVE them from your environment and REPLACE them with something you can and would love to feel comfortable eating on PointsPlus :)

As you clean out space in your kitchen this week, consider bringing in items that represent the weight-loss success you've seen over the last six weeks to donate to the Lose For Good® campaign.  We are happy to accept your donations for one more week.

Give yourself some help - here are some poems you can copy onto Post-It Notes to place on appropriate foods - it may make you smile and help you clean up your environment :)


"POST-IT POEMS" 

Author Unknown

1. TO BE PLACED IN FRIDGE OR CUPBOARD, FOR FAMILY MEMBERS TO READ:
Oh please do not eat
The food on this shelf!
I beg you! I need
this food for myself! 

2. TO BE PLACED ON A FOOD YOU NEED TO HAVE AT ALL TIMES, FOR FAMILY MEMBERS TO READ:
If you took the last one
Please put it back.
I desperately need
this food for my snack.

3. TO BE PLACED ON YOUR TRIGGER FOOD:
I am your trigger food
Stay away! Dash!
If I could do it
I’d jump in the trash.

4. TO BE PLACED ON YOUR KITCHEN DOOR AFTER MIDNIGHT:
You stayed on track
all day and you know it.
Go back to bed.
You’re crazy. Don’t blow it. 

5. TO PUT ON A FOOD YOU’D RATHER NOT EAT OFTEN:
Put me in the rear
put me in the back.
I don’t want the guilt
if you go off track.

6. TO PUT ON A FRUIT OR VEGETABLE IN YOUR FRIDGE:
Don’t put me in the bin!
No no! Please do not!
You’ll forget I’m here
And then I’m gonna rot!


What you see is what you eat, so keep tempting goodies out of sight, out of mind, and out of mouth!


Here are some popular "must-have's" from members.

• Canned, fat-free re-fried beans (for burritos, quesadillas and vegetable dips)
• Flavored mustards (such as tarragon, dill and honey mustards for sandwiches, potato and poultry toppings)
• Flavored salsas/canned seasoned tomato products (for potato toppings, vegetable dips, poultry and fish, Mexican-based dishes)
• Frozen veggie burgers (black bean, Southwestern- and Indian-flavored and soy burgers)
• Grapes (wash and freeze for a frozen treat)
• Gum
• High-fiber crunchy cereal (to snack on or mix into yogurt)
• High-quality dark chocolate
• Highly flavored vinegars (high-quality balsamic vinegar and herb-infused vinegars)
• Highly flavored cheeses (Parmigianino Reggiano, crumbled feta, blue cheese)
• Highly flavored oils (toasted sesame, walnut, extra-virgin olive oil)
• Light crackers/cookies (look for pre-portioned snack packs)
• Light or fat-free whipped topping (for dessert toppings or as a dip/topping for fresh fruit)
• Light or nonfat sour cream and plain yogurt (for making dips and sauces; plain, fat-free Greek yogurt is nice and thick — perfect as a chili/stew topping and thicker creamy sauces)
• Low-fat microwave popcorn
• Mini packs of low-fat cottage cheese
• Pistachios in shells/tamari roasted almonds
• Whole-wheat pitas/tortillas/wraps (use for sandwiches or slice, season and toast for homemade chips)
• Soy chips/baked chips/flavored rice cakes
• Spaghetti squash (bake and remove flesh with a fork as a pasta alternative)
• String cheese
• Sugar-free, fat-free pudding and gelatin
• Sugar-free, fat-free fudge pops, ices and ice cream bars
• Sweet potatoes (for homemade oven-baked fries)
• Whole-wheat pasta and whole-wheat couscous

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Weight Watchers is Hiring!

The next great Leader or Receptionist could be you!

Have you reached your weight loss goal-and maintaining it-with Weight Watchers?  Want to help others do the same?  Your success can help others!

• Meetings Leaders help others achieve what you’ve achieved by offering your expert knowledge of the Weight Watchers plan and support
• Receptionists help members feel motivated to succeed by welcoming members, conducting weigh-ins, collecting fees, managing product sales and sharing program knowledge and materials

By being a part of our team, you’ll receive great training, support in your own weight maintenance as well as discounts on products and access to free meetings. And depending on how many meetings you work each week, you may qualify for healthcare benefits and paid vacation time.

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Meetings – the skinny!

"Go to the meetings. You don't have to weigh in or say a word. I went for months without ever opening my mouth. I listened and learned and eventually took part in the group."  --Donna, Weight Watchers meetings member.

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This was posted on a member’s blog:

DECISIONS - one day at a time!

Thanks skygirl!

MONDAY
I wanted to stop at McDonald’s for an ice cream cone.  I didn't.
(It wasn’t within my Points budget that day!!)
TUESDAY
I wanted to skip breakfast because I was in a hurry.  I didn't.
(I threw a scrambled egg into a bowl, nuked it, put it on a WW bagel with a piece of fat free cheese, and ate it in the car on the way to work.)
WEDNESDAY
I wanted to have a big dessert like everyone else was having at dinner in the restaurant.  I didn't.
(I reached into my purse and took out a 2-point bar that I ate instead!)
THURSDAY
I wanted to sleep in and skip my morning walk.  I didn't.
Since I had already made a plan with my neighbor, I was obligated to go out and meet her! 
(I didn’t want to let her down!)
FRIDAY
I wanted to skip my Weight Watchers meeting and go shopping instead.  I didn't. 

(And my weight was down!)

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Come back to the blog on Wednesday for some great ideas I found online for re-purposing foods and snacks you can buy from the meeting room to make new and different foods and snacks.

Turkey and Squash Soup

Turkey & Squash Soup

PointsPlus Value: 4
Servings:  6

Preparation Time:  15 min
Cooking Time:  30 min
Level of Difficulty:  Moderate

Makes a delicious, waist friendly, hearty lunch or supper. 

The recipe is from the Jan/Feb 2010 edition of Eating Well.com and was kindly supplied by a Weight Watchers member at one of my meetings. 

I have taken the liberty of making a couple of small changes to “lighten up” the points and make it even quicker to prepare.

It has a little kick to it from the crushed red pepper flakes and a zing from the lime juice.  If you want to, you can substitute lemon juice.   You could also sub out the turkey for chicken.

Ingredients

2 tsp canola oil

2 medium leeks, trimmed, chopped and thoroughly rinsed

1 red bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1½ pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1" cubes

1½ tsp dried thyme

1½ tsp ground cumin

8oz cooked skinless light meat turkey, chopped or cut into strips

1½ cups cooked frozen corn kernels

2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp kosher salt

½ tsp Ground black pepper

Instructions

1.   Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over a medium high heat.  Add the leeks and red pepper; cook stirring often until the veggies begin to soften - about 4 minutes.

2.   Add the garlic and cook for approx 1 minute - be careful not to burn.  Add the broth, squash and spices.  Put the lid on the pan and bring to a simmer.

3.   Skim any froth from the top of the soup and continue at a slow simmer for approx 10/12 minutes until the squash is tender.

4.   Add the rest of the ingredients bring back to a simmer and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

5.   Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary and serve & enjoy!

ONE LAST THING

My buddy, a WW Leader, offered me this perspective the other day when I was mad at myself - does it work for you?

A WW week consists of 21 meals. So 21 is equal to 100% of (our eating) week.  If 21 is 100%, what would 1 meal be?

1 meal equals 4.76% (if we round it up it would be 5%). 

How many of us have thrown an entire week away because we were off the program only 5%? 

Compare it to a test in school. How many of us would have been thrilled to get a 95% on an exam? 

If you've experienced a lapse, you can recover from it by coming back to your meeting!

Check back on Sunday for the next Blog Posting.
Enjoy the rest of your week :)