I mentioned that I'm a Goal Setter and last night I did just that. I have goals written down in the following areas:
Financial
Faith/Spiritual
Career
Personal
Fitness
Relationships
It was a task of love. I found that learning to love yourself is a big deal and I feel setting goals supports the development of your inner self. I'm eager to get started. The year will fly by quickly I'm sure of it!
And in support of this topic I like this prayer I found today and thought I'd share it:
God of time and eternity, take into your hands all of the hopes, fears, plans and expectations that I have for the year 2009. Walk with me into this new year, and shape me into the person you are calling me to be, so that 12 months from now I may know, love and serve you more. Amen.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
Post Christmas Reflections with New Years Peaking Around the Corner
Okay ladies and gents - how did Christmas go? Did you focus on the people and not the food? Did you put all the tools in place that we've been learning? Or did you cut loose with a free for all and roll around miserably afterwards from over eating?
If so and you feel great, wonderful! Give your self a pat on the back. If not, it's here nor there at this point. Doesn't matter. What does matter is what you do NEXT. Take a deep breath and let it go. Jump right back into your healthy eating and exercise plan. Move on and look to the future.
New Years is just around the corner with it's mighty pull of resolutions. I tend not to be a resolution kind of gal; but rather a "goal setter". I like to take a look back and think about what has changed this past year. Then I look forward and think about where I'd like to be a year from now. What's it going to take to get me there? What do I need to do.... and do I have the knowledge and tools to get me there?
Now here's the kicker and very often the key. WRITE IT DOWN. Put it somewhere that you can see it often, be reminded of it, and focus on it. If it's important enough to you, you'll do it. And that makes all the difference.
Here's to goals for 2009! There's nothing stopping us now.
If so and you feel great, wonderful! Give your self a pat on the back. If not, it's here nor there at this point. Doesn't matter. What does matter is what you do NEXT. Take a deep breath and let it go. Jump right back into your healthy eating and exercise plan. Move on and look to the future.
New Years is just around the corner with it's mighty pull of resolutions. I tend not to be a resolution kind of gal; but rather a "goal setter". I like to take a look back and think about what has changed this past year. Then I look forward and think about where I'd like to be a year from now. What's it going to take to get me there? What do I need to do.... and do I have the knowledge and tools to get me there?
Now here's the kicker and very often the key. WRITE IT DOWN. Put it somewhere that you can see it often, be reminded of it, and focus on it. If it's important enough to you, you'll do it. And that makes all the difference.
Here's to goals for 2009! There's nothing stopping us now.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Christmas is Just Around the Bend - What's the Plan?
Hello my friends!
Christmas is less than a week away! Do you feel it's going to be a challenging time for you regarding food?
Couple things:
Plan for success
-shop for healthy food and have it readily available
-make time to get some movement into your day (excercise)
-mentally see yourself in the situation behaving in the manner you desire. Play it through in your mind until it feels comfortable and you have a pleasing outcome
-Don't beat yourself up if you go off program! It's a day or two, then get right back on program.
Most of all please remember, it's NOT about food. It's about family and those you love. Enjoy them. Love them. Cherish every moment with them.
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year!
Patti
Christmas is less than a week away! Do you feel it's going to be a challenging time for you regarding food?
Couple things:
Plan for success
-shop for healthy food and have it readily available
-make time to get some movement into your day (excercise)
-mentally see yourself in the situation behaving in the manner you desire. Play it through in your mind until it feels comfortable and you have a pleasing outcome
-Don't beat yourself up if you go off program! It's a day or two, then get right back on program.
Most of all please remember, it's NOT about food. It's about family and those you love. Enjoy them. Love them. Cherish every moment with them.
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year!
Patti
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Poached Eggs- Not as hard as they look!
Are you looking for a new way to prepare your eggs? Hard-boiled eggs are a great core snack, but in the winter I want something warm. You can fry eggs in non-stick spray, but if you want something different, why not try poaching them?
Poaching can be tricky, and until now I've only had them at restaurants. However, a few pointers and you can do it at home too! You will need:
eggs
large pot water
vinegar (We didn't have white vinegar on hand, but brown rice vinegar worked just fine.)
pinch of salt
large slotted spoon
small soup or other small bowl
1.) Fill a large pot of water 2/3 full, and bring to a boil.
2.) Arrange all your items the counter near your pot of water. Crack an egg into the small bowl. Be careful not to break the yolk.
3.) Once your water has reached boiling, add a pinch of salt and a drizzle of vinegar. (Maybe 1-2 tbsp.)
4.) Turn your heat down so the boiling slows. You want your water just below boiling.
5.) With your spoon, stir the water along the edge of the pot until you have a good swirling vortex. Be sure the water isn't boiling-if it is just turn it down a bit more.
6.) Carefully pour your egg into the center of the pot- the swirling vortex helps keep the egg white in one piece. It may look funny at first but let it be. Cook for ~ 2 minutes and then gently scoop out with slotted spoon.
7.) Shake gently to remove excess water. If your slots are completely covered with egg (this happened to me!) gently blot with a paper towl.
Serve immediately on wheat toast! We addded grilled portabella mushrooms, avocado slices and some shredded Parmesan cheese to ours. I apologize for the lack of pictures-they disappeared too fast!
Don't be discouraged if the first few attempts end up a big shredded mess in your water. Just scoop out the offending egg, discard, and try again. It'll be worth it. :-)
Other tips:
* I used a metal tea filter to scoop up stray strands of egg whites in the water in between eggs. They don't hurt anything, but it's nice to be able to see how your egg is doing.
*Also feel free to cook the egg a bit longer if you are concerned about the runny egg yolks- it may make the egg a bit tougher but I couldn't tell the difference when I did. I even put one of the eggs back in the water when the whites didn't look quite done, despite having been over 2 minutes.
*Be sure to have any other food prepared before starting the eggs so you can give them your full attention. (I put my husband to work.) Watch the water and adjust the heat incrementally as needed to either keep the temp up (just below boiling) or to settle some sneaky bubbles.
*If you'd like to spend a few points, a pat of butter on top of the egg is MARVELOUS.
Finally, if these directions aren't working for you, you can also do what I did- just google it and look for a video demonstration. There are plenty out there.
Good luck! Enjoy!
Poaching can be tricky, and until now I've only had them at restaurants. However, a few pointers and you can do it at home too! You will need:
eggs
large pot water
vinegar (We didn't have white vinegar on hand, but brown rice vinegar worked just fine.)
pinch of salt
large slotted spoon
small soup or other small bowl
1.) Fill a large pot of water 2/3 full, and bring to a boil.
2.) Arrange all your items the counter near your pot of water. Crack an egg into the small bowl. Be careful not to break the yolk.
3.) Once your water has reached boiling, add a pinch of salt and a drizzle of vinegar. (Maybe 1-2 tbsp.)
4.) Turn your heat down so the boiling slows. You want your water just below boiling.
5.) With your spoon, stir the water along the edge of the pot until you have a good swirling vortex. Be sure the water isn't boiling-if it is just turn it down a bit more.
6.) Carefully pour your egg into the center of the pot- the swirling vortex helps keep the egg white in one piece. It may look funny at first but let it be. Cook for ~ 2 minutes and then gently scoop out with slotted spoon.
7.) Shake gently to remove excess water. If your slots are completely covered with egg (this happened to me!) gently blot with a paper towl.
Serve immediately on wheat toast! We addded grilled portabella mushrooms, avocado slices and some shredded Parmesan cheese to ours. I apologize for the lack of pictures-they disappeared too fast!
Don't be discouraged if the first few attempts end up a big shredded mess in your water. Just scoop out the offending egg, discard, and try again. It'll be worth it. :-)
Other tips:
* I used a metal tea filter to scoop up stray strands of egg whites in the water in between eggs. They don't hurt anything, but it's nice to be able to see how your egg is doing.
*Also feel free to cook the egg a bit longer if you are concerned about the runny egg yolks- it may make the egg a bit tougher but I couldn't tell the difference when I did. I even put one of the eggs back in the water when the whites didn't look quite done, despite having been over 2 minutes.
*Be sure to have any other food prepared before starting the eggs so you can give them your full attention. (I put my husband to work.) Watch the water and adjust the heat incrementally as needed to either keep the temp up (just below boiling) or to settle some sneaky bubbles.
*If you'd like to spend a few points, a pat of butter on top of the egg is MARVELOUS.
Finally, if these directions aren't working for you, you can also do what I did- just google it and look for a video demonstration. There are plenty out there.
Good luck! Enjoy!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
JOY!
Joy is so very cool!
It can be seen in the eyes....in the smile...in the walk and it's great when it's bubbling up and overflowing outward for others to enjoy. I feel that joy is not something that can be given to someone else or believe me I'd give it to you. There is nothing I can do or say that can place joy on your heart. It can't be given or forced however it can be shared. Joy is something that is found within, comes from within and must find it's place in your heart by you alone.
I pray JOY is a lifelong resident in your heart -
It can be seen in the eyes....in the smile...in the walk and it's great when it's bubbling up and overflowing outward for others to enjoy. I feel that joy is not something that can be given to someone else or believe me I'd give it to you. There is nothing I can do or say that can place joy on your heart. It can't be given or forced however it can be shared. Joy is something that is found within, comes from within and must find it's place in your heart by you alone.
I pray JOY is a lifelong resident in your heart -
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
It's a HoliDAY...not a HoliWEEK!
Tomorrow is the big day, my friends. Are you ready? Do you have your plan in place? Have you mentally rehearsed? Can you see yourself ending the day feeling SATISFIED and happy about what you ate versus stuffed, uncomfortable and miserable?
A few tips and reminders...
Eat something for breakfast. Don't head into the event starved or you're headed for a feeding frenzy and before you know it you'll be out of control.
Make time to excercise. Go for a walk, go to the gym, turn on some music and dance.
Take SMALL amounts of the annual things you love and eat them slowly. Savor them. (Don't let yourself feel deprived over missing something you really want.)
Fill the rest of your plate with low energy density foods - low cal stuff that fills you up. Fruits, veggies, white meat.
Eat slowly. Allow your brain and stomach to talk to each other about your comfort level.
Use the technique of leaving space on the plate in between each food item.
Drink water before you get started. Stay well hydrated throughout the day. Not only is it filling; but it helps with the feeling of being satisfied.
Eat slowly.
Wait before you eat dessert. Are you REALLY still hungry? Do you really want it? Is it WORTH the 10 - 15 points? Perhaps 2 or 3 bites is all you need. Just a taste. Maybe not at all. After all, we all know what it tastes like already! (And many times we THINK it's going to taste way better than it actually does.)
Have I said yet that you should eat slowly?
Focus on the people! Your loved ones. Talk, laugh, enjoy them. Enjoy the day and all the parts that are not associated with food.
You CAN do this successfully and you'll be glad that you are on track at the scale. And remember...it's a HoliDAY. It's not a HoliWEEK. Right back to program and healthy eating the next day.
Be thankful for all your blessings.
God is good.
A few tips and reminders...
Eat something for breakfast. Don't head into the event starved or you're headed for a feeding frenzy and before you know it you'll be out of control.
Make time to excercise. Go for a walk, go to the gym, turn on some music and dance.
Take SMALL amounts of the annual things you love and eat them slowly. Savor them. (Don't let yourself feel deprived over missing something you really want.)
Fill the rest of your plate with low energy density foods - low cal stuff that fills you up. Fruits, veggies, white meat.
Eat slowly. Allow your brain and stomach to talk to each other about your comfort level.
Use the technique of leaving space on the plate in between each food item.
Drink water before you get started. Stay well hydrated throughout the day. Not only is it filling; but it helps with the feeling of being satisfied.
Eat slowly.
Wait before you eat dessert. Are you REALLY still hungry? Do you really want it? Is it WORTH the 10 - 15 points? Perhaps 2 or 3 bites is all you need. Just a taste. Maybe not at all. After all, we all know what it tastes like already! (And many times we THINK it's going to taste way better than it actually does.)
Have I said yet that you should eat slowly?
Focus on the people! Your loved ones. Talk, laugh, enjoy them. Enjoy the day and all the parts that are not associated with food.
You CAN do this successfully and you'll be glad that you are on track at the scale. And remember...it's a HoliDAY. It's not a HoliWEEK. Right back to program and healthy eating the next day.
Be thankful for all your blessings.
God is good.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Pumpkin Bread = Comfort Bread
I found this reduced calorie pumpkin bread (only 2 points) from HungryGirl.com and it sounds yummy. I'm going to give it a whirl this weekend!
Here's what Hungry Girl says:
After getting a BAZILLION requests for pumpkin bread, we figured it was time to make some. And after EIGHT attempts, we got it just right. Try it and see!
Ingredients:
One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Original Egg Beaters)
1/2 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
1/4 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1/4 cup Ocean Spray Craisins Original Sweetened Dried Cranberries (or regular raisins), chopped
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine both types of flour, Splenda, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and pumpkin pie spice (in other words, all dry ingredients except for the Craisins or raisins).
In a medium bowl, mix together pumpkin, egg substitute, and vanilla extract (all the wet ingredients). Add this mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir until just blended.
Slowly sprinkle chopped Craisins or raisins into the batter, making sure they don't all stick together, and mix to distribute them.
Spoon batter into a large loaf pan (about 9" X 5") sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the top of the loaf is firm to the touch. (Bread may be moist inside. This doesn't mean it's undercooked.) Allow to cool, and then cut into 8 slices. Enjoy!
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Serving Size: 1 (thick!) slice
Calories: 143
Fat: 0.5g
Sodium: 281mg
Carbs: 31g
Fiber: 4.5g
Sugars: 9g
Protein: 5g
POINTS® value 2*
HG Alternative! To make this bread into muffins, evenly distribute the batter among 8 cups of a muffin pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Cook for 35 minutes at 350 degrees, let cool, and
Here's what Hungry Girl says:
After getting a BAZILLION requests for pumpkin bread, we figured it was time to make some. And after EIGHT attempts, we got it just right. Try it and see!
Ingredients:
One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Original Egg Beaters)
1/2 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
1/4 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1/4 cup Ocean Spray Craisins Original Sweetened Dried Cranberries (or regular raisins), chopped
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine both types of flour, Splenda, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and pumpkin pie spice (in other words, all dry ingredients except for the Craisins or raisins).
In a medium bowl, mix together pumpkin, egg substitute, and vanilla extract (all the wet ingredients). Add this mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir until just blended.
Slowly sprinkle chopped Craisins or raisins into the batter, making sure they don't all stick together, and mix to distribute them.
Spoon batter into a large loaf pan (about 9" X 5") sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the top of the loaf is firm to the touch. (Bread may be moist inside. This doesn't mean it's undercooked.) Allow to cool, and then cut into 8 slices. Enjoy!
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Serving Size: 1 (thick!) slice
Calories: 143
Fat: 0.5g
Sodium: 281mg
Carbs: 31g
Fiber: 4.5g
Sugars: 9g
Protein: 5g
POINTS® value 2*
HG Alternative! To make this bread into muffins, evenly distribute the batter among 8 cups of a muffin pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Cook for 35 minutes at 350 degrees, let cool, and
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Time for Change
In Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 it says that there is a time for everything. The time for change is now. Change in our country. Change in our eating habits. Change in our exercise habits. Change in the way we treat others ... and the way we treat ourselves.
Change is good. Embrace it and use the energy to make your goals and dreams come true.
May God bless you as you embrace change!
Change is good. Embrace it and use the energy to make your goals and dreams come true.
May God bless you as you embrace change!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Joy!
Joy is so very cool!
It can be seen in the eyes....in the smile...in the walk and it's great when it's bubbling up and overflowing outward for others to enjoy. I feel that joy is not something that can be given to someone else or believe me I'd give it to you. There is nothing I can do or say that can place joy on your heart. It can't be given or forced however it can be shared. Joy is something that is found within, comes from within and must find it's place in your heart by you alone.
I pray JOY is a lifelong resident in your heart -
It can be seen in the eyes....in the smile...in the walk and it's great when it's bubbling up and overflowing outward for others to enjoy. I feel that joy is not something that can be given to someone else or believe me I'd give it to you. There is nothing I can do or say that can place joy on your heart. It can't be given or forced however it can be shared. Joy is something that is found within, comes from within and must find it's place in your heart by you alone.
I pray JOY is a lifelong resident in your heart -
Sunday, October 19, 2008
They said the day would come...
They said the day would come that staying at goal weight would become a challenge. I am sad to say my friends that after 2 years at goal that day has come. I am officially 2.4 pounds over my goal. I am 10 pounds heavier than I was a year ago. This is not good and does not make me feel good.
I was thinking about it this afternoon and I came to the conclusion that I can do as I've done in the past and just ignore it and see what happens OR I can set my mind to doing something to make a change.
Option #1 - Ignore it and see what happens - hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm experience has proven time and again that when I just ignore it, "IT" does not go away. The problem gets worse and I become very unhappy with myself.
Option #2 - Set my mind to doing something to make a change - Not the easy route by any means; but the best route nonetheless. This has to be my choice. In fact, there is no choice in my mind. I also listened when they said to give away all my larger clothes. I cannot change size or I'll have nothing to wear.
The tough part...how to put my plan into action. Here's what I decided to do:
As a friend/family how can you best support me in my efforts?
They told me this day would come.
I was thinking about it this afternoon and I came to the conclusion that I can do as I've done in the past and just ignore it and see what happens OR I can set my mind to doing something to make a change.
Option #1 - Ignore it and see what happens - hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm experience has proven time and again that when I just ignore it, "IT" does not go away. The problem gets worse and I become very unhappy with myself.
Option #2 - Set my mind to doing something to make a change - Not the easy route by any means; but the best route nonetheless. This has to be my choice. In fact, there is no choice in my mind. I also listened when they said to give away all my larger clothes. I cannot change size or I'll have nothing to wear.
The tough part...how to put my plan into action. Here's what I decided to do:
- Get back to following the CORE food plan with a fervor.
- Go grocery shopping and buy healthy food that supports my efforts. I allowed NOTHING in my cart that would compromise my efforts. (Ask Thorsten, he tried really hard and even tried "pouting" but I would not give in!)
- Cook up a big pot of beef barley and veggie soup. This will give me plenty of easy, healthy lunches or fast suppers this week so I don't fall into the "I'm tired, hurried, etc. trap"
- Cook up a pot of homemade chili. (reference above)
- Prep veggies - clean and cut them for easy munching.
- Make sure I get my water in each day.
As a friend/family how can you best support me in my efforts?
- Ask me how it's going - it's okay to acknowledge this is a time of struggle for me.
- Don't suggest or ask if I'd like to have a cookie, ice cream or pizza. I'm weak right now and if I give in I will regret it later. Trust me.
- Ask if I'd like to go for a walk or do something that gets me out and moving.
- Ask if I'd like to see a movie.
- Celebrate with me when I succeed! Without food :)
They told me this day would come.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
How Many Steps?
How many steps do you walk in an average day? Over 10,000?
If you'd have asked me that question last week my answer would have been, "Oh, wow. A lot, I'd say over 10,000 a day without a doubt." Well last Thursday I bought one of the new, nifty little pedometers from Weight Watchers and have been wearing it daily. Surprise, surprise, I only average about 6,000 steps a day in my normal routine.
If I want to hit the desired 10,000 steps? I have to hit the streets or the trail and make it a point to get them in.
Lesson learned. Point taken. I know what I have to do.
If you'd have asked me that question last week my answer would have been, "Oh, wow. A lot, I'd say over 10,000 a day without a doubt." Well last Thursday I bought one of the new, nifty little pedometers from Weight Watchers and have been wearing it daily. Surprise, surprise, I only average about 6,000 steps a day in my normal routine.
If I want to hit the desired 10,000 steps? I have to hit the streets or the trail and make it a point to get them in.
Lesson learned. Point taken. I know what I have to do.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
"I tore up 4 miles of single track!"
I tried something yesterday that I have never done before. I went Mountain Biking! Check one more thing off my "fun-things-to-do-list". It was way fun and I'm looking forward to going again!
My younger brother is big into Mountain Biking so when he came to town to visit yesterday I grabbed the chance. The weather was gorgeous, we loaded up and went out to the Reforestation Camp. The trails are well marked and we rode about 4 miles of trail winding in and out through the woods. It was great! Very invigorating.
I'm learning the lingo - single track is when there is a single groove for you to ride on through the woods. Double track is more the style that a car could drive on and two bikes can ride side by side.
I found out that I'm more comfortable going up hill instead of down...I decided that's the control freak in me. I was careful. I didn't want to kiss a tree.
I'm a little sore today. It feels good - after all, I tore up 4 miles of single track.
My younger brother is big into Mountain Biking so when he came to town to visit yesterday I grabbed the chance. The weather was gorgeous, we loaded up and went out to the Reforestation Camp. The trails are well marked and we rode about 4 miles of trail winding in and out through the woods. It was great! Very invigorating.
I'm learning the lingo - single track is when there is a single groove for you to ride on through the woods. Double track is more the style that a car could drive on and two bikes can ride side by side.
I found out that I'm more comfortable going up hill instead of down...I decided that's the control freak in me. I was careful. I didn't want to kiss a tree.
I'm a little sore today. It feels good - after all, I tore up 4 miles of single track.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Sometimes 60 feels easier than 10
Okay my friends - true confession time. I've been "trying" all summer to drop 10 pounds. Last November I was 10 under goal then it "inched" up through the spring. So I thought, "I liked being at that weight...I'm going to lose it again." Well, I will tell you...it hasn't been easy! I've been messing around, playing games and basically....maintaining. I bumped up against goal now and again which put the fear of God in me and I'd back off seriously for a few days. But then a fun event would spring up and FUN I'd have. So, the past 2 weeks I've taken the WW challenge, Lose for Good, seriously and I'm now feeling that I'm back in the mindset it takes. (Afterall if WW will donate $10 to world hunger for me losing 10 pounds, I'm doing it!)
Okay, so the operative part you may have caught up above was that this summer I was playing games. My mind (and desire) really wasn't into it. That was the whole difference.
Anyway, I've come to the conclusion that it was actually easier for me to lose 60 pounds. Believe it or not.
Next time you see me, ask how that 10 is going. Keep me accountable - please!
Okay, so the operative part you may have caught up above was that this summer I was playing games. My mind (and desire) really wasn't into it. That was the whole difference.
Anyway, I've come to the conclusion that it was actually easier for me to lose 60 pounds. Believe it or not.
Next time you see me, ask how that 10 is going. Keep me accountable - please!
Monday, September 15, 2008
Can I Buy Just HALF A Cookie?
We were in a new "goodie" shop where I was oogling the peanut butter cookies ...and in my opinion nothing beats a REALLY good peanut butter cookie! My friend and I laughed after I asked the high school clerk if it was possible to buy only half the cookie; but I was totally serious. Sometimes I only want a bite. Just a taste is enough.
On that same note - my daughter dragged me into the Godiva chocolate store in Minneapolis last weekend. Her plan was simple... they have "samples" - you take one small piece, get a yummy taste and walk out the door. We saved "a mint" (haha) in both cash and calories with this technique. And just a taste was plenty.
Many of you may be tired of hearing about my "3 bite" rule; but I need to say it occasionally if for no other reason than to remind myself of it. Three bites of a "rare sweet" are plenty and here's why: The first bite tastes like you've died and gone to heaven. The second bite is still very, very good. Bite number three is still quite yummy. But by bite number 4 the taste has diminished significantly and it only goes down hill from there. The first 3 bites are the best - so stop after that and you'll have had the best part!
BTW - I came across a blog I've been enjoying and want to share with you also. This guy puts it out there in a way that makes me think and I like that. It also seems that he has the same mindset as I in our approach to food and exercise. Check it out sometime when you get a chance...Rich DiGirolamo's Hey Skinny
On that same note - my daughter dragged me into the Godiva chocolate store in Minneapolis last weekend. Her plan was simple... they have "samples" - you take one small piece, get a yummy taste and walk out the door. We saved "a mint" (haha) in both cash and calories with this technique. And just a taste was plenty.
Many of you may be tired of hearing about my "3 bite" rule; but I need to say it occasionally if for no other reason than to remind myself of it. Three bites of a "rare sweet" are plenty and here's why: The first bite tastes like you've died and gone to heaven. The second bite is still very, very good. Bite number three is still quite yummy. But by bite number 4 the taste has diminished significantly and it only goes down hill from there. The first 3 bites are the best - so stop after that and you'll have had the best part!
BTW - I came across a blog I've been enjoying and want to share with you also. This guy puts it out there in a way that makes me think and I like that. It also seems that he has the same mindset as I in our approach to food and exercise. Check it out sometime when you get a chance...Rich DiGirolamo's Hey Skinny
Sunday, September 14, 2008
"It's probably just a food baby. Did you have a big lunch?"
"It's probably just a food baby. Did you have a big lunch?" That line from the movie, "Juno", made me laugh but I actually lived it this weekend! I am SO used to eating smart and staying in my comfort zone that when I ate past that and into the Thanksgiving Day stuffed zone last Thursday I was surprised. And the really surprising part is that it has taken me until today, Sunday, to not be too full! I'd feel a little hungry and I'd eat (more than normal... surprise, surprise!) but honest to goodness I was overly full for 3 days!
Just so you know - my tummy HATED me and caused me to have a belly-ache the whole time. It truly feels good to be back on track today.
My saving grace at the scale this morning? I rode my bike 20 miles on Friday while my "food baby" and I were having a blast cruising around the Twin Cities with my real, live, smiling baby.
We live and learn...and learn...occassionally forget... and learn again.
Just so you know - my tummy HATED me and caused me to have a belly-ache the whole time. It truly feels good to be back on track today.
My saving grace at the scale this morning? I rode my bike 20 miles on Friday while my "food baby" and I were having a blast cruising around the Twin Cities with my real, live, smiling baby.
We live and learn...and learn...occassionally forget... and learn again.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Fall Is Here - Do Your Jeans Fit?
Hi Gang!
I had a member join a meeting yesterday who said she went to put on her jeans yesterday for the first time in months and they were TIGHT! AHHHH! She looked at the clock and had a half hour to get to the meeting, so in she came. It was really nice to see her smiling face again, and I"m glad she shared that experience with me. You know in the spring we prepare for "shorts season" and watch our weight; and now here it is "jeans season" and we have to make sure they still fit too!
This is the second fall I've pulled out my jeans and had them fit well. I didn't truly appreciate that fact until I was reminded yesterday that it wasn't always that way for me. ( I have been know to lay on the bed and use a plyers to pull up the zipper on my jeans. Yes, my friends, it wasn't pretty.) So this morning when I pulled out a pair of jeans and slipped them on I had a brand new appreciation for the way they fit. Yay me - I maintained for another summer! WOW.
So, what I hear you all saying is that THIS IS A LIFESTYLE. Healthy eating, moving more, and thinking before we pop stupid, useless calories into our face. This truly is a journey as we learn the balance of eating and moving in a manner that keeps us feeling good and fitting into our clothes.
If you didn't maintain or lose this summer - get your butts into a meeting room. (Mine are at 4:00 and 5:30 at Green Bay West; I also lead a Fruits & The Spirit class at New Hope United Methodist Church in De Pere on Mondays at 12 noon which focuses on healthy eating, exercise and prayer.) Do whatever it takes to get back on track - being healthy and feeling good is important!
After a busy summer and not very many posts.... I'm back so be sure to check often!
I had a member join a meeting yesterday who said she went to put on her jeans yesterday for the first time in months and they were TIGHT! AHHHH! She looked at the clock and had a half hour to get to the meeting, so in she came. It was really nice to see her smiling face again, and I"m glad she shared that experience with me. You know in the spring we prepare for "shorts season" and watch our weight; and now here it is "jeans season" and we have to make sure they still fit too!
This is the second fall I've pulled out my jeans and had them fit well. I didn't truly appreciate that fact until I was reminded yesterday that it wasn't always that way for me. ( I have been know to lay on the bed and use a plyers to pull up the zipper on my jeans. Yes, my friends, it wasn't pretty.) So this morning when I pulled out a pair of jeans and slipped them on I had a brand new appreciation for the way they fit. Yay me - I maintained for another summer! WOW.
So, what I hear you all saying is that THIS IS A LIFESTYLE. Healthy eating, moving more, and thinking before we pop stupid, useless calories into our face. This truly is a journey as we learn the balance of eating and moving in a manner that keeps us feeling good and fitting into our clothes.
If you didn't maintain or lose this summer - get your butts into a meeting room. (Mine are at 4:00 and 5:30 at Green Bay West; I also lead a Fruits & The Spirit class at New Hope United Methodist Church in De Pere on Mondays at 12 noon which focuses on healthy eating, exercise and prayer.) Do whatever it takes to get back on track - being healthy and feeling good is important!
After a busy summer and not very many posts.... I'm back so be sure to check often!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
For the Sashimi Lovers
| This is direct from the Hungry Girl newsletter and I have several readers who I know love sushi and will love this info. So here you go my friends! Hi, Hungry Girl! I love sashimi and can eat a lot of it. I used to think it was pretty healthy. But I recently checked the nutritionals for salmon (my favorite!), and it's about 45 calories and 2g fat per ounce! I'm pretty sure the average piece of sashimi is one to two ounces, so does that mean I'm taking in around 240 calories and 10g fat for just three to four measly pieces of fish? And who eats just four pieces?! I know it's good fat and all, but does that mean sashimi is not too good calorie-wise? Sashimi-Chewer | ||
Dear Sashimi-Chewer, Hold on there! Before you panic, let's get things straight. For starters, some of your facts are a little fishy (some pun intended). The average piece of sashimi is not one to two ounces. Sashimi is typically very thinly sliced and weighs around 1/2 oz. per piece on average. While salmon is on the high end in terms of calories and fat, most varieties of fish contain an average of 35 calories and 1g fat per ounce. So if you get an order of assorted sashimi, the entire thing will probably weigh in at around two to three ounces and have about 100 calories and 3g fat or so (give or take a little). I eat a TON of sashimi (okay, not literally, but I do eat an awful lot of it!), and I always feel good about that choice. I do usually indulge in a few orders of sushi, too, but I ask for those with not a lot of rice (a good trick!). I also avoid crazy rolls that have lots of mayo, cream cheese, oils, fried items, etc. In general, rolls have more rice than straight sushi pieces. Click here and here for some more sushi survival tips (and check out the HG book for even more!). I LOVE RAW FISH!!!! | ||
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Jean Nidetch Interview
The woman who taught the world to slim
When housewife Jean Nidetch invited a few neighbours to the first meeting of her dieting group 45 years ago, who could have imagined it would blossom into a multimillion-dollar franchise? Louise France tracks down the irrepressible founder of WeightWatchers, now 84, to her home in Florida - and asks her how she did it
- The Observer,
- Sunday January 13 2008
- Article history
In 1961, an entrepreneurial and rather prescient housewife from New York realised that you need to know what it's like to be fat before you can tell people how to get thin.
You may not have heard of Jean Nidetch. But you will have heard of the slimming group that she invented over four decades ago. This is the busiest month of the year for WeightWatchers, the internationally renowned diet programme, which encourages people to lose their flabby bits by suggesting a food plan based on a simple scoring system and weighing them in at a meeting every week. With the hopeful gusto that comes from any new diet, thousands will be spending January forsaking cake and crisps and totting up the points in a tub of no-fat raspberry yoghurt.
I was three weeks into my own WeightWatchers' diet, wondering if life was too short for another night in with a skinless chicken breast, when I decided to track down Jean Nidetch (or, more accurately, Dr Jean Nidetch - for the cab driver's daughter from Queens, New York, who dropped out of night school because her family was broke has been awarded an honorary doctorate). To my surprise WeightWatchers couldn't help. Dr Jean Nidetch, the press office curtly informed me, was no longer involved with the corporation. However, three months, many phone calls and, bizarrely, an email from her estate agent later, I am half a stone lighter and on my way to a retirement home in Coral Springs, Florida.
Appropriately, the woman who owes everything to a weight problem - her own when she was 38, and 75 million others ever since - has just finished lunch in the communal dining room.
'Why! Hello-ow! Louise from London!' she beams.
Imagine Barbara Cartland crossed with Joan Rivers. Jean is reassuringly trim, with a billowy blonde perm the colour of cooked pasta, and a megawatt smile. She's wearing a glittery top and a ring set with a gobstopper-sized green stone that she will later gleefully inform me is fake. Dr Nidetch may be a tiny bit uncertain on her feet and in need of a walker these days in order to gad about to her nearest poker game but she's in fairly fabulous nick for 84.
Her apartment walls are covered with black-and-white pictures from the days when she used to be met at airports by cheering crowds bearing banners: 'Jean the Queen!' and 'Be lean with Jean!' There's Jean on the front page of the daily newspaper in Las Vegas where she lived for many years after she retired. Jean holding court at Madison Square Gardens on the 10th anniversary of WeightWatchers. Jean with Fred Astaire whom she dated for a while ('I refused to dance!'). On her desk there is a mountain of unopened envelopes from WeightWatchers franchise holders, the men and women who earn a living by running diet meetings. Somehow one of them put the word out that she was celebrating a birthday and literally hundreds have been in touch.
If the living room is cluttered with memorabilia ('Louise! I have 41 albums. That is all I need. You can always buy clothes, you can always buy furniture. But you cannot replace pictures. To me they are the most memorable thing I own'), the small kitchen is spotless. When she's hungry she joins the queue for single residents in the restaurant and hopes she gets to sit next to someone interesting. For emergencies she keeps a stash of cans of soup. In the fridge there's a tub of ice cream - she treats herself to one spoonful every so often - and a bottle of Baileys Irish Cream.
'Would you like a glass?' she asks. 'I like to have one in the afternoons. Trust me. You can't get drunk on Baileys. It just makes you sleepy!'
She fetches some ice and pours the creamy liquid into a tumbler. I privately wonder how old I was when I last drank a Baileys - 17? 18? - and fleetingly calculate how many WeightWatchers points there are in a mugful of the stuff - 723? 856?
'Ooh, yes please,' I say.
'Good girl,' she replies.
The woman once voted one of the most influential people of the 20th century settles herself behind a desk upon which she still has her old Rolodex. WeightWatchers was more than simply the right idea at the right time. Like that other American guru Dale Carnegie, who wrote How To Win Friends & Influence People, Nidetch had an inherent understanding of what makes people tick (or in this case eat), plus a gift for mesmeric public speaking. At the company's 10th birthday party in Madison Square Gardens (the New York State Department re-named Times Square WeightWatchers Square for the whole week to celebrate) she stood alone onstage and addressed 17,000 fans without the aid of a script. 'For two hours!' she tells me proudly. 'Two hours!'
After the event she was mobbed by well-wishers. One in particular still stands out, 34 years later. A woman approached Jean with a baby. Nidetch recalls: '"Just touch my baby", she said. "Because if it hadn't been for you I could never have got pregnant."' The woman had struggled to conceive until she'd lost 80 pounds on a WeightWatchers diet. She was so grateful, she'd christened her daughter Jean.
In 1961, Jean Nidetch weighed 214 pounds precisely. 'Don't ask me how I remember, but I do! When you're my age certain things come back to you like crazy!' she exclaims. Jean, I am coming to realise, loves telling stories, replete with stage whispers and perfectly timed comedic pauses and dramatic exclamations. She is a natural performer.
She was a 39-year-old, overweight tax clerk, married to Marty, a bus driver, who was also overweight. 'I met him in a diner. I was sitting at a luncheonette. Eating. And he was sat next to me. Eating. We fell in love and we loved to eat. We knew every restaurant in Queens that didn't charge for dessert.' They lived in Little Neck, Queens, with their two sons, David and Richard, in a three-room apartment. When money was tight Jean would go to her aunt's chicken farm in New Jersey and bring back eggs to sell door-to-door to the neighbours.
One day when she was shopping in the supermarket a neighbour said to her: 'Hey Jean! You look great.... When are you due?' She's whispering now. 'I will never forget it. She thought I was almost nine months pregnant. I went home and I looked in a full-length mirror in the closet. And it shocked me. Because I never thought of myself as fat. Actually, I had never even weighed myself.'
There was a diet class that she knew of in Manhattan at the New York City Department of Health. 'It was called,' - big intake of breath - 'the OB-ES-ITY clinic.' Another pause. 'What a horrible word!'
When she arrived everyone was wearing their coats. Many of them were wearing sunglasses. She sat down on the last row. And she listened. 'The speaker was thin, which for openers, I didn't approve of. Then she pulled out a portrait of herself when she was fat. And then I believed her.' (Jean would later stipulate that all WeightWatchers franchise holders must once have been fat and be willing to display life-size pictures of themselves from their XXL days.)
The diet-sheet handout was a revelation. 'Most people who are overweight collect diets. It's like a hobby. You save them. You have drawers filled with them. But the whole idea of this one was that you use your brain and treat your body like you would treat a child. It belongs to you and it needs to be nourished.' Jean was convinced. Every Wednesday she would take two buses and the subway over to Manhattan and attend one of the meetings. 'It occurred to me that what was more important than the weight loss' - and Jean, rest assured, was shedding the pounds faster than a bride-to-be - 'was the companionship. The camaraderie. That meant more.'
Her neighbours began to notice the new svelte Jean, and wanted to know her secret. 'And because I love to share I told them.' However none of them wanted to schlep to Manhattan for the meetings and so it was decided that every Thursday everyone would go to Jean's apartment and she'd tell them what she had learned the day before.
And that was how it began. 'They would call and say, "Can I bring my cousin?", "Can I bring my sister?"' When Jean's chairs ran out, people would bring their own. Marty lost weight; so did Jean's mother, Mae. It got to the point where there was no room left in the living room so somebody suggested that she rent a venue. She found some empty storage space, a loft, above the cinema in Little Neck. The rent was $75 a month. 'I charged everyone the price of a movie ticket. Two dollars.'
She gave up her office job and began to hold meetings, three times a day, after breakfast, lunch and dinner. 'Because you cannot talk to overweight people when they are hungry. If you talk to a fat person about losing weight and all she is thinking about is her next meal then she is not listening.'
There was something about Nidetch, this charismatic everywoman, that was to prove hugely popular. Did she realise this was the beginning of a multimillion-dollar business? 'No! No! No!' she wails. 'Not at all. I didn't realise anything. But I watched people who came, under duress. And they would sit there with their arms folded. And I watched them unfold, and I watched them move closer, just as you are doing now, and it moved me. It still does.' Her eyes fill with tears. 'Wow, I realised, they like to hear me. So I am going to tell them. You don't have to lose weight for me. You don't have to lose weight for your mother. You don't have to lose weight for your husband. You have to do it for you. And if you don't want to, that is OK, too. I never in my life told somebody, "You ought to lose weight".'
You might be reading this and thinking Hurrumph, it's only a diet. You might also be thinking Hurrumph, diets never work anyway - look at all those overweight Americans! And you might have a point. But what Nidetch was instinctively doing for her neighbours, and as WeightWatchers grew, many hundreds of thousands of others, was to offer them a sliver of self-esteem and the knowledge that they needn't feel ashamed. That not everyone is as effortlessly skinny as a twig, but you needn't have thighs the size of oak trees either.
'It mushroomed like you wouldn't believe,' she remembers, taking a sip of Baileys. When she wasn't holding meetings in the cinema she was getting into her Studebaker and driving to see wannabe dieters who lived outside New York. She'd make a point of wearing something chic but plain ('I didn't want to distract people from what I was saying by wearing something fancy') and take along a set of scales. At one such gathering, in Baldwin, Long Island, she met a canny business man called Al Lippert who was to become a key player in the company for years to come. They discussed the idea of franchising out the idea: charging people a small sum to set up their own local diet groups. Lippert suggested she go to see his brother, Harry, who also happened to be a lawyer.
Harry asked her what she wanted to call the new business.
'Let's call it "Lose Pounds!"' she said.
'That's awful,' replied Harry.
'"Watch Your Weight!"'
That's even worse, he replied.
'What about WeightWatchers In-ter-nat-ion-al!' said Jean, drawing out each syllable as she retells the story 44 years later.
Harry said that was ridiculous but he stamped the pages anyway and handed her the legal papers. Marty, Jean's husband, was horrified. 'When is this going to be over? I liked you better when you sold eggs,' she remembers him telling her, in a curmudgeonly fashion. Her mother also pleaded with her to stop. 'Why can't you be a manicurist, like me,' she begged. But Jean Nidetch - 40 years old by this point and weighing a whopping 72 pounds less than she used to - had discovered her vocation and life would never be the same again.
Jean pours me a second Baileys and searches for more albums. She pulls out her cook books, once bestsellers, now long out of print, and says she'd like to put together a new book full of photographs. There are certainly enough of them. She went to the launch of every franchise and would take a photographer to record each trip.
'I never felt nervous. I was at home. I am more comfortable in a crowd than I am at a party.'
By the early Seventies there were WeightWatchers branches all over the United States, Canada and Europe, each one run by lecturers who knew what it was like to be overweight and could sympathise with clients. While Al Lippert oversaw the launch of a low-fat food line, Nidetch focused on publicity and writing columns and recipes.
Jean, how rich were you by this point, I wonder?
'I can't tell you,' she replies. 'It never really dawned on me. I still don't know how much I have in the bank.' Unlikely as this may sound, I believe her. She certainly made a lot of money. She was able to buy her whole apartment building in Queens (she decided not to move out of the area because her sons were still in school) and employ a housekeeper and maids. She bought Marty his bus company (it failed - he preferred being a bus driver, not a businessman). But money was never a motivating factor for her and she doesn't sound as though she was particularly savvy about it. When the company was floated on the stockmarket she was told she couldn't buy shares and she didn't persuade her mother to either. She failed to retain the copyright on her cook books.
What she loved was the attention. 'The adoration of the public is better than anything you can imagine. A billion times better than the money. Sure, money helps to pay the rent. But the adoration! The envelopes!' She sweeps her arm over the fan mail on her desk.
'For a while, you know, I got egotistical about it. Oh, I'm Marilyn Monroe, I thought. I am a star. I remember being filled with ego. And then one day I was getting off a plane, surrounded by crowds of people, and my handbag strap broke. I watched my compact fall, then my mirror, my wallet. And I thought - God just told me who I am. I am not Marilyn Monroe. I am a lady who got thin and now I have to tell the world about it.'
Nevertheless, Marty's plump wife who had loved to eat pudding and had worked the Addressograph at the local tax office was no more. Jean Nidetch, president of WeightWatchers, was flying first class all over the world dressed in fashionable fur swing coats and slingback heels. She was appearing on chat shows and mixing with celebrities like Anthony Quinn and Bob Hope. She arrived at functions with security guards. A picture of her in a slinky white evening dress was used to flog tins of WeightWatchers fish.
'How many people do you know who have been on the side of a fish box!' she shrieks with laughter. Her mother hated the tinned fish, but she used to frame the boxes. 'She would go to the store and say, "That's my daughter!"'
Perhaps unsurprisingly, after 24 years together, her marriage ended. 'I said to Marty: "I know you're unhappy and I don't want you to be unhappy. But I am driven. I have to do this and I know you hate it."'
What did her sons think of their newly famous mother? It must have been strange to discover that their mum was not only thin, or, for that matter, thin and famous, but thin and famous and not at home very often either.
'By this time they were teenagers and to be honest I don't think they thought much of it. Your children certainly don't tell you you are great. When you do something exciting your family is afraid for you. But I was never afraid. It always worked out. I loved what I was doing. I still love it. I think about it. I look at these pictures and relive it.'
After 10 years as president she stood down. I ask if there was a falling-out with colleagues like Al Lippert but she claims not. Simply, the airports had lost their appeal and she didn't enjoy sitting behind a desk. She still worked as a consultant but she'd had enough of the day-to-day slog. 'In the end I wished them good health and said goodbye.'
Perhaps she really had had enough - she was in her fifties, with money in the bank. In 1978 the company was sold to Heinz and it's said that Nidetch received over seven million dollars. She sold the apartment block in Queens for six times what she paid for it and moved to the west coast.
There was an audacious romance with an Italian bass player whom she met on a cruise ship and married within a week - 'I called him the Italian stallion but it wasn't to last. We never fought, but we never talked either.' She won't tell me his name because she has never actually divorced him. 'To my knowledge he is still alive. But since I never remarried and neither do I plan to...'
For 22 years she lived in Las Vegas. She played a lot of poker and gave money to good causes. Every year 20 students from disadvantaged backgrounds have their college fees paid by the Jean Nidetch Foundation. Following a substantial donation there is a building named after her at the University of Nevada.
And then after all that good fortune, there came tragedy. In October 2006, her youngest son, Richard, an actor who lived on the top floor of her house, collapsed suddenly from a ruptured stomach tumour. She called 911 and the ambulance took him away. The following day the hospital called. 'He had, they said, "expired".' She whispers the word. Suddenly, the woman who a moment ago was gaily recalling her ill-advised marriage to an Italian toyboy sounds frail and dreadfully weary.
'He lived with me. We talked every night. I will never get over it. My first thought was to damage myself and I thought about it. But although I am not religious I do believe that if you commit suicide you won't go to heaven. I remember reading that somewhere. But when I get there I have to ask God - how come a parent should lose a child? It's like losing a limb, only worse.'
Some days are better than others. 'I don't feel old. I know I am 84. I know this is the finale of my life.' Her eldest son David helped her to move to Coral Springs, which is near his home. Her friends know that she'll answer the telephone between 11am and 11pm, no earlier and no later. Every Saturday she has her hair done at the beauty parlour. Every Thursday afternoon there is a nickel-and-dime poker game. There are her photographs and her grandchildren and a tumbler of Baileys in the afternoons to look forward to.
WeightWatchers is now owned by a European investment firm, which bought the business from Heinz for $735 million in 1999. Every so often she wonders if she's been forgotten and will cold-call the company she invented in a three-room apartment in Little Neck, Queens, over 40 years ago.
The last time Jean rang the head office in New York she asked the unsuspecting woman on the switchboard, 'Who invented WeightWatchers?'
'Oh my God! You don't know?' said the woman. 'It was Jean Nidetch!'
'And is Jean Nidetch still alive?' asked the real Jean Nidetch, a tad mischievously.
'Oh my God! I hope so!' replied the woman. 'Don't tell me she died!'
A word of advice. Should you happen to work for WeightWatchers, and an elderly lady with a ballsy New York accent rings up one day, take it from me. The indomitable and rather marvellous Jean the Queen is still with us, thank goodness.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Trigger Toning!
I liked this article from Weight Watchers. Check it out!
Although they don't give you a workout in the same way as aerobic activity, this type of exercise is vital if you want to firm up while losing weight.
Trigger Happy
The trick is to use specific moments during the day as triggers to remind you to do toning exercises. These need only take out a minute or two of your time and, at the end of the day, you'll be amazed at the amount of toning time you squeezed in.
Even small moves help keep you and your joints flexible, as well as burning off energy. And we all know that every little bit helps.
Trigger: Getting Out of Bed
First thing in the morning, stretch to the ceiling on tiptoes and then, feet firmly flat on the floor and legs straight, gently bend forward as far as you can. Don't worry if you can only reach your knees or shins, within weeks you'll find yourself much more flexible.
Trigger: While Cleaning Your Teeth
Lift yourself up and down on your toes as you brush. Calf raises are great for flabby calves and a good pre-ski exercise.
Trigger: Waiting for a Bus or Train
As many buttock clenches as you can manage.
Trigger: Watching TV
At the beginning of the show and during each commercial break, get on the floor and do 10 sit-ups or push ups (start off doing push ups on your knees.
Trigger: When the Telephone Rings
Breathe out and hold stomach muscles in for a count of 20.
Trigger: Waiting for Coffee to Brew or the Kettle to Boil
Standing press-ups against the wall or 10 squats.
What triggers do you have throughout the day that you could use? You can use anything from checking your email to emptying the cat food bowl as your trigger. Be creative and consistent with your "reminders" and activities.
Although they don't give you a workout in the same way as aerobic activity, this type of exercise is vital if you want to firm up while losing weight.
Trigger Happy
The trick is to use specific moments during the day as triggers to remind you to do toning exercises. These need only take out a minute or two of your time and, at the end of the day, you'll be amazed at the amount of toning time you squeezed in.
Even small moves help keep you and your joints flexible, as well as burning off energy. And we all know that every little bit helps.
Trigger: Getting Out of Bed
First thing in the morning, stretch to the ceiling on tiptoes and then, feet firmly flat on the floor and legs straight, gently bend forward as far as you can. Don't worry if you can only reach your knees or shins, within weeks you'll find yourself much more flexible.
Trigger: While Cleaning Your Teeth
Lift yourself up and down on your toes as you brush. Calf raises are great for flabby calves and a good pre-ski exercise.
Trigger: Waiting for a Bus or Train
As many buttock clenches as you can manage.
Trigger: Watching TV
At the beginning of the show and during each commercial break, get on the floor and do 10 sit-ups or push ups (start off doing push ups on your knees.
Trigger: When the Telephone Rings
Breathe out and hold stomach muscles in for a count of 20.
Trigger: Waiting for Coffee to Brew or the Kettle to Boil
Standing press-ups against the wall or 10 squats.
What triggers do you have throughout the day that you could use? You can use anything from checking your email to emptying the cat food bowl as your trigger. Be creative and consistent with your "reminders" and activities.
Friday, July 18, 2008
I need your help!
I'm testing out SurveyMonkey.com for my day job and want your input! Please click on the link below and fill out the short survey. And when I say short....I mean like really short. (and entertaining)
Thanks for your help!
Patti!
Click here for my test survey!
Thanks for your help!
Patti!
Click here for my test survey!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
What street are you walking down?
- A man walked down the street and fell in a hole. He really had to struggle to get out, but he finally did.
- The next day he walked down the same street, saw the hole and fell in again. He thought, "I've been here before I know what to do." He got out after struggling, but it was easier than the first time.
- The next day he walked down the same street. He saw the hole and fell in again. This time he thought, "I've been here before - this is my fault." He got out one more time.
- The next day he walked down the same street, saw the hole, remembered what it was like to fall in and walked around it.
- The next day he walked down a different street where there was no hole.
What street are YOU walking down?
Monday, July 14, 2008
You Scream - I Scream - We All Scream for Ice Cream!
Source: Weight Watchers.com newsletter
The one-size-fits-all term of old now has several sub-categories, with varying degrees of waistline-friendliness.
The rich, decadent flavor of superpremium ice cream comes from an abundance of milkfat (at least 14 percent) and very little added air—and denseness means more calories. Premium is a step down from there (11- to 15-percent milkfat, and a bit more air), but still packs plenty of POINTS® values. Both varieties tend to come in more unusual, “gourmet” flavors. Regular contains at least 10-percent milkfat, and has even more air than premium. Compare nutrition facts labels—you’ll be surprised by how well some regular ice cream fits into the program. Reduced Fat contains at least 25-percent less fat than its regular counterpart. Light and low-fat has less than 30 percent of calories from fat or no more than 3 grams of fat in a half-cup serving. Non-fat has less than 0.5 grams of fat. That said, always check the nutrition facts: the “light” variety of a superpremium brand may have more POINTS values than the “regular” from another brand.
A few words about milkfat: Because the amount of air pumped into different brands varies so greatly, the percentage of milkfat doesn’t correspond precisely to the number of fat grams per serving. For example, if a superpremium vanilla has 16-percent milkfat and 12 fat grams per serving, the regular might have 10-percent milkfat and 7 grams of fat in a serving, and the light could have 4-percent milkfat and 4 fat grams. That’s why it’s so important to calculate the POINTS values for each specific brand you try.
Slow-churned, cold-churned or double-churned
Three names for the same thing, this is a revolution in reduced-calorie ice cream production, a new process that disperses the tiny globules of milk fat more thoroughly. The basic recipe—and the milkfat content—is the same as other low- and reduced-fat ice creams, but the technique used to make it creates the illusion of richness. These products can offer the satisfaction of premium ice cream with far less fat and calories. One brand, for example, has a POINTS value of only 3 per serving, but it still feels indulgent. Note that “no sugar added” doesn’t always equal a big difference in calories (or POINTS value).
Soft serve
Surprise! Those sweet swirls are almost always reduced-fat—most recipes call for only 3- to 6-percent milkfat. Plus its soft texture comes from churned-in air, which yields fewer calories by volume. Frozen custard is not the same as soft serve—it’s got added egg yolks, plus a higher percentage of milkfat.
Gelato
Similar in texture to soft serve but with a much more intense flavor, gelato can be an occasional treat. It usually has more milk than cream, meaning a lower fat count than regular ice cream, but with much less air—so there are more calories in less volume. Stick to small servings.
Frozen yogurt
With a taste and calorie count that’s similar to light ice cream, this is usually a good choice—but don’t forget to read the nutrition facts! Some frozen yogurts have a higher POINTS value per serving than slow-churned ice cream.
Non-dairy frozen desserts
If you’re a vegan, lactose intolerant or watching your cholesterol, you can still enjoy a creamy treat. Frozen desserts based on soy or rice are plan-friendly—relatively low in calories and fat—and, while they may not taste exactly like the real thing, they’re a whole lot better than nothing.
Sherbet and sorbet
Sherbet has less milkfat and more sugar than low-fat ice cream, and its POINTS value is relatively low. Sorbet has no dairy in it at all, so it’s usually fat-free—but the high sugar content means that it may have just as many calories as some ice creams. But texturally it’s entirely different: more icy and refreshing, but less decadent.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
How Important is WHEN????
I came across this article today and thought I'd share it. Interesting...... what do you think?
Is When You Eat Important?
Do you eat by the clock? Skip breakfast or lunch? Avoid snacking as a weight control strategy? If you answered yes to any of these questions, keep reading and learn how to change the timing of your meals and snacks to control not only hunger, but weight.
Our structured lifestyle has led many of us to believe that we must eat at certain times of the day. Many people routinely skip breakfast and lunch due either to time constraints or to a misguided weight-control strategy. Society and weight loss programs have taught us to believe that snacking is bad and should be avoided. Stop listening to others, and listen to YOUR body instead.
Overeating by definition means consuming more calories than our body needs at that point in time. Whenever we overeat, our body stores any extra calories as fat. Fat cells have a seemingly unlimited ability to grow to accommodate more stored calories. The defining factor in the growth of fat cells is the AMOUNT of calories eaten and the REASON they are eaten.
So, how often should I eat?
In the best of worlds, we would eat when we were hungry and stop when we were full. Sound impossible? Watch a six-month-old baby. She cries when hungry, and most certainly stops eating when full. If a baby can do it, so can we.
Try the following:
Instead of eating by the clock, or avoiding snacks because you think they are bad for you, listen to your body. Figure out how your body tells you it's hungry. Does your stomach rumble? Do you become listless and tired? Learn to separate physical hunger from so-called mouth hunger. Physical hunger is our body telling us it needs fuel to continue to function. Mouth hunger is our brain commanding us to eat brownies because we’re stressed. What type of hunger causes you to consume most of your calorie intake?
How much should I eat?
Just as you can relearn your hunger signals, you can also relearn your body's satiety signals. Eat slowly and mindfully, paying attention to how the food tastes, how it feels in your mouth, and how your body feels while you are eating. Stop every five to ten minutes and assess your satiety level. Am I full? Still hungry? Or perhaps I am thirsty. Stop eating when your body signals it is pleasantly full, not stuffed to the point of undoing your belt.
The bottom line:
Instead of paying attention to the clock or the latest fad diet plan, learn to listen to the ultimate expert: your body. Decode your body's messages and eating becomes more natural and less stressful. When you listen to those messages, you are naturally more comfortable, and you'll incline toward the weight your body is meant to be.
Source: http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage written by Lynn Grieger
CREAMY CUCUMBER DIP
CREAMY CUCUMBER DIP
POINTS® Value: 2 for 1/2 cup serving
(Thanks Skinny Week.com)
Servings: 8
Note: To make this a CORE plan recipe, swap the reduced-fat yogurt and mayonnaise for fat-free versions of the same products.
1/2 cup reduced-calorie mayonnaise
1 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
1 1/2 cup cucumber(s), seedless (English), diced
1/2 cup red onion(s), diced
6 Tbsp mint leaves, fresh, chopped
6 Tbsp dill, fresh, chopped
In a medium bowl, stir together yogurt, mayonnaise, salt, cumin and cayenne pepper until smooth. Add cucumber, onion, mint and dill; stir to mix.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Guacamole!
Guac 'n Roll!
This is from Hungry-Girl.com and it sounds great! I'm going to give it a try very soon....
We KNOW guacamole, people. And we are POSITIVE you're gonna FLIP over this stuff! (Pssst... we recommend dipping cut veggies and baked tortilla chips in it!)
Ingredients:
One 15-oz. can early/young peas, drained
1/2 cup mashed avocado (about 1 medium-small avocado's worth)
1/3 cup chopped cherry or grape tomatoes
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 cup fat-free Greek yogurt (like Fage Total 0%)
4 tsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. chili powder
Optional: chopped cilantro, chopped jarred jalapenos, additional salt and pepper
Directions:
Place drained peas in a medium bowl and mash thoroughly with a potato masher or fork. Add all other ingredients except for the tomatoes, onions and optional items. Continue to mash until blended. Stir in the tomatoes, onions and, if you like, some chopped cilantro and/or jalapenos. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed. Enjoy! MAKES 6 SERVINGS
HG Alternative! This stuff is a great spread for sandwiches, pitas and wraps -- and it's an excellent omelette topper. Two tablespoons of it has just 29 calories and 1g fat, plus 1.25g fiber (POINTS® value 0*)!
Serving Size: 1/3 cup (1/6th of recipe)
Calories: 78
Fat: 3g
Sodium: 320mg
Carbs: 10.5g
Fiber: 3.5g
Sugars: 4g
Protein: 3.5g
POINTS® value 1*
Thursday, July 3, 2008
How Nutrition Affects Your Hair
Does nutrition affect your hair? You bet your boots it does! Want healthy, shiny hair? Make sure you eat a balanced diet and your hair will be happy, happy, happy! Just a little bit of trivia on the topic that you may find interesting. I sure did!
Source: diet.com
- - The most important factor in the quality of your hair is your overall nutrition and health.
- - Optimal hair growth occurs when there are no nutrient deficiencies.
- - If you’re shedding more than normal, it may be due to an iron deficiency.
- - Biotin – aka vitamin H – is recommended to strengthen both nails and hair.
- - Deficiency in vitamin H – aka biotin – can result in hair loss that includes losing eyebrows and eyelashes.
- - Hair problems resulting from poor nutrition can be reversed by restoration of proper diet.
-
- - Vitamin A deficiency that goes untreated can result in dandruff caused by the buildup of cellular debris in the hair follicles.
- - Each strand of hair is made up of 25% water. So make sure you stay hydrated if you want moisturized, soft hair!
- - An L-cysteine supplement can increase the hair shaft’s diameter. L-cysteine is a non-essential amino acid.
- - To avoid your hair becoming dry and brittle, make sure there’s enough protein in your diet.
Source: diet.com
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Cool New Gadget
Okay - so today I was snooping on the wonderful world wide web and stumbled across this very cool device. It's a sports bra (or shirt) that has special fibers that monitor your heart rate and are transmitted to a watch or monitoring device on your wrist. Isn't that cool? What a nifty way to monitor if you are hitting the target zone that you desire.
Here's a link: NuMetrex Heart Monitor
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Grilled Asian Burgers with Onion and Pineapple
This came from the Weight Watchers website and sounds like a really yummy grilled meal. It's Core (low energy density) as prepared below, however if you eat it on a bun then that's considered part of the weekly 35 points.
Core Recipe
Servings | 4
Preparation Time | 18 min
Cooking Time | 9 min
Level of Difficulty | Easy
Grilled pineapple adds a sweet balance to these savory burgers. We serve them bunless but you can turn them into sandwiches as well. (Add points for the bun.)
Ingredients
* 1 pound uncooked lean ground beef (with 7% fat)
* 1/4 cup scallion(s), sliced
* 3 Tbsp teriyaki sauce
* 1 Tbsp ginger root, freshly grated
* 2 tsp minced garlic
* 4 slice pineapple, four 1/2-inch-thick rings
* 1/2 medium vidalia onion(s), cut into four 1/4-inch-thick rounds
* 4 sprays cooking spray
* 1/4 cup cilantro, fresh, chopped
Instructions
* Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high.
* In a medium bowl, combine beef, scallions, teriyaki sauce, ginger and garlic until thoroughly mixed; form into four 3/4-inch-thick patties.
* Off heat, lightly coat burgers, pineapple and onion with cooking spray; place on grill. (Never spray cooking spray onto an open flame.)
* Grill pineapple, turning once, until lightly charred, about 4 minutes; remove from grill and cover to keep warm. Grill burgers and onions, turning once, until burgers are desired degree of doneness and onions are lightly charred and tender, about 7 to 9 minutes.
* To serve, place 1 burger on each of 4 plates. Top each with 1 slice of onion (separated into rings) and 1 slice of pineapple; sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of cilantro. Yields 1 burger per serving.
Core Recipe
Servings | 4
Preparation Time | 18 min
Cooking Time | 9 min
Level of Difficulty | Easy
Grilled pineapple adds a sweet balance to these savory burgers. We serve them bunless but you can turn them into sandwiches as well. (Add points for the bun.)
Ingredients
* 1 pound uncooked lean ground beef (with 7% fat)
* 1/4 cup scallion(s), sliced
* 3 Tbsp teriyaki sauce
* 1 Tbsp ginger root, freshly grated
* 2 tsp minced garlic
* 4 slice pineapple, four 1/2-inch-thick rings
* 1/2 medium vidalia onion(s), cut into four 1/4-inch-thick rounds
* 4 sprays cooking spray
* 1/4 cup cilantro, fresh, chopped
Instructions
* Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high.
* In a medium bowl, combine beef, scallions, teriyaki sauce, ginger and garlic until thoroughly mixed; form into four 3/4-inch-thick patties.
* Off heat, lightly coat burgers, pineapple and onion with cooking spray; place on grill. (Never spray cooking spray onto an open flame.)
* Grill pineapple, turning once, until lightly charred, about 4 minutes; remove from grill and cover to keep warm. Grill burgers and onions, turning once, until burgers are desired degree of doneness and onions are lightly charred and tender, about 7 to 9 minutes.
* To serve, place 1 burger on each of 4 plates. Top each with 1 slice of onion (separated into rings) and 1 slice of pineapple; sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of cilantro. Yields 1 burger per serving.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Alternative to ginormous deep-fried onion thingees
You know those ginormous deep-fried onion thingees served at chain restaurants? The one you order and pretend it's a good thing because it's a 'vegetable'? Believe it or not they are 2,710-calories and they are only an appetizer! CRAZINESS! The newsletter from Hungry-Girl.Com has a re-work for this tempting little devil in disquise and I thought I'd share it with you today. (Note: If you haven't checked out their website yet I highly recommend it.)
Here it is:
This swap for those notorious fried onion appetizers is slightly more complicated than our other recipes -- but it is SO, SO, SOOOO worth it! And if you share this giant thing with 3 pals (instead of 1), each serving'll have just 96 calories, POINTS® value of 1*. Rock on, Bloomin' Blossom!
Ingredients:
For Onionn:
1 jumbo sweet onion, not peeled
1 cup Fiber One bran cereal(original)ground to a breadcrumb-like consistency in a blender or food processor
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Original Egg Beaters)
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt (like Lawry's)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper
For Sauce:
3 tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise
2 tsp. ketchup
1/8 tsp.seasoned salt
dash chili powder
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine ground cereal with the seasoned salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
Cut the top half-inch of the onion off (from the pointy side, not the flat one). Leaving the root (bottom) intact, carefully peel the outside layer off.
Next, starting from the top, carefully cut the onion down and across the middle, stopping about a half-inch from the root. Repeat to make a criss-cross, cutting the onion down the middle again and stopping a half-inch from the bottom. You should now ha ve 4 sections still attached at the bottom. Cut each of those sections down the middle (from the top), again stopping before you get to the root.
Place the onion, cut side up, in a large bowl, and cover completely with ice water. Allow to sit for 5 - 10 minutes, or until "petals" open up. (You can use your hands to gently help pry them open once they've been soaking for several minutes.) Remove the onion, and dry both the onion and the bowl.
Once both are dry, place the onion back in the bowl, with the petals up. Pour the egg substitute evenly over it, making sure to get in between all the petals (use your hands to separate them). Swirl egg substitute around so the bottom and sides of the onion get coated. Then flip the onion over to drain excess egg substitute. The entire surface of the onion should be covered lightly with egg substitute. Transfer onion to a separate, dry bowl. (You'll likely have about half the egg substitute left in the first bowl.)
Slowly sprinkle ground cereal mixture evenly over the onion, making sure to thoroughly coat each petal -- again, use your hands to separate them -- flipping the onion upside-down once you're almost done coating, so that the entire surface gets coated in crumbs. (If needed, spread a little more egg substitute on any dry spots to get the crumbs to stick.) Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray, and place the onion in it with the petals facing up.
Place dish in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes (until outside is crispy and inside is soft). Meanwhile, combine sauce ingredients. When onion is done, allow it to cool slightly. If you like, carefully cut out the center of the onion (so petals are easy to remove). Serve with sauce and enjoy! MAKES 2 SERVINGS
Serving Size: half of recipe (including half of the sauce)
Calories: 192
Fat: 1.75g
Sodium: 700mg
Carbs: 54g
Fiber: 17g
Sugars: 13g
Protein: 7g
Points value 3*
Here it is:
This swap for those notorious fried onion appetizers is slightly more complicated than our other recipes -- but it is SO, SO, SOOOO worth it! And if you share this giant thing with 3 pals (instead of 1), each serving'll have just 96 calories, POINTS® value of 1*. Rock on, Bloomin' Blossom!
Ingredients:
For Onionn:
1 jumbo sweet onion, not peeled
1 cup Fiber One bran cereal(original)ground to a breadcrumb-like consistency in a blender or food processor
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Original Egg Beaters)
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt (like Lawry's)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper
For Sauce:
3 tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise
2 tsp. ketchup
1/8 tsp.seasoned salt
dash chili powder
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine ground cereal with the seasoned salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
Cut the top half-inch of the onion off (from the pointy side, not the flat one). Leaving the root (bottom) intact, carefully peel the outside layer off.
Next, starting from the top, carefully cut the onion down and across the middle, stopping about a half-inch from the root. Repeat to make a criss-cross, cutting the onion down the middle again and stopping a half-inch from the bottom. You should now ha ve 4 sections still attached at the bottom. Cut each of those sections down the middle (from the top), again stopping before you get to the root.
Place the onion, cut side up, in a large bowl, and cover completely with ice water. Allow to sit for 5 - 10 minutes, or until "petals" open up. (You can use your hands to gently help pry them open once they've been soaking for several minutes.) Remove the onion, and dry both the onion and the bowl.
Once both are dry, place the onion back in the bowl, with the petals up. Pour the egg substitute evenly over it, making sure to get in between all the petals (use your hands to separate them). Swirl egg substitute around so the bottom and sides of the onion get coated. Then flip the onion over to drain excess egg substitute. The entire surface of the onion should be covered lightly with egg substitute. Transfer onion to a separate, dry bowl. (You'll likely have about half the egg substitute left in the first bowl.)
Slowly sprinkle ground cereal mixture evenly over the onion, making sure to thoroughly coat each petal -- again, use your hands to separate them -- flipping the onion upside-down once you're almost done coating, so that the entire surface gets coated in crumbs. (If needed, spread a little more egg substitute on any dry spots to get the crumbs to stick.) Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray, and place the onion in it with the petals facing up.
Place dish in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes (until outside is crispy and inside is soft). Meanwhile, combine sauce ingredients. When onion is done, allow it to cool slightly. If you like, carefully cut out the center of the onion (so petals are easy to remove). Serve with sauce and enjoy! MAKES 2 SERVINGS
Serving Size: half of recipe (including half of the sauce)
Calories: 192
Fat: 1.75g
Sodium: 700mg
Carbs: 54g
Fiber: 17g
Sugars: 13g
Protein: 7g
Points value 3*
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Bulgaria's (Шопска салата) Shopska Salad - yummy!
I'm back and have to share this absolutely yummy salad that we ate while in Bulgaria. The ingredients are fresh and it makes for a very refreshing meal. The cheese is made locally in Bulgaria and I'm not sure if it's available in the USA; however I'm told feta cheese works well for it also.
We had it both homemade and in restaurants and it was a big hit every time. The Shopska salad is Bulgaria’s most popular salad and was named after the Shoppi, or natives of Sofia (the capital of Bulgaria). This salad is perfect any time of year and it's easy to make!
Шопска салата - Shopska Salad
4 tomatoes
2 cucumbers
2 roasted peppers or fresh green peppers
2 spoonfuls chopped parsley or cilantro
2 spoonfuls chopped onion or green onion (optional)
half a pound of white cheese (ie: brined sheep's cheese, feta cheese) - grated
olives (optional)
salt, vinegar, sunflower or olive oil to taste
Preparation:
Cut the tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers in bite-size pieces. Mix well with the parsley and onion. Sprinkle salt, vinegar and oil to your personal tastes. Arrange on the plate like a pyramid and top with the white cheese and olives.
In case you'd like to check out what we did while in Bulgaria here's a link: newhopedepere.blogspot.com.
Also - Thanks Katie for your additions to the blog while I was gone. I hope you'll continue to add more posts in the future!
We had it both homemade and in restaurants and it was a big hit every time. The Shopska salad is Bulgaria’s most popular salad and was named after the Shoppi, or natives of Sofia (the capital of Bulgaria). This salad is perfect any time of year and it's easy to make!
Шопска салата - Shopska Salad
4 tomatoes
2 cucumbers
2 roasted peppers or fresh green peppers
2 spoonfuls chopped parsley or cilantro
2 spoonfuls chopped onion or green onion (optional)
half a pound of white cheese (ie: brined sheep's cheese, feta cheese) - grated
olives (optional)
salt, vinegar, sunflower or olive oil to taste
Preparation:
Cut the tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers in bite-size pieces. Mix well with the parsley and onion. Sprinkle salt, vinegar and oil to your personal tastes. Arrange on the plate like a pyramid and top with the white cheese and olives.
In case you'd like to check out what we did while in Bulgaria here's a link: newhopedepere.blogspot.com.
Also - Thanks Katie for your additions to the blog while I was gone. I hope you'll continue to add more posts in the future!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
chocolate smoothie
Here's one more core smoothie idea that can help satisfy a sweet craving :
1 banana
1/2 C. nonfat yogurt (plain or any flavor of choice)
1/2 C. water or milk (depending on thickness)
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (2 tbsp = 0 pts)
2 packets stevia (natural herbal sweetener- you can add more if you prefer sweeter chocolate, this has a nice rich dark flavor)
blend and enjoy!
1 banana
1/2 C. nonfat yogurt (plain or any flavor of choice)
1/2 C. water or milk (depending on thickness)
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (2 tbsp = 0 pts)
2 packets stevia (natural herbal sweetener- you can add more if you prefer sweeter chocolate, this has a nice rich dark flavor)
blend and enjoy!
Monday, June 16, 2008
green smoothies- they're core!
Hi everyone!
My name is Katie, and I'm Patti's daughter-in-law. Patti invited me to contribute to her blog and I'm really excited to put some of my favorite recipes up. I hope you guys like them as much as I do!
I'm doing the core plan, so most (if not all of my recipes) will be core. I will also try to note the points values, too, when I can.
To start today: Green Smoothies! Or any smoothie, really , but they're more fun when they're green . Try not to be scared! This is an easy way to get in your fruits and veggies. I like them for an afternoon snack.
Easy as pie: fruit + leafy green + water or ff yogurt: toss in a blender = green smoothie! Generally I think these run 3 or 4 points apiece, but all you have to do is count what you toss in.
A few suggestions:
banana + 1 C. strawberries + 1 C. spinach, washed
banana + apple + 2 large kale leaves, stems removed
strawberries + ff yogurt + leaf lettuce
You can start with just fruit and yogurt if the green stuff freaks you out. It really does taste good, though! If you're feeling courageous, experiment with your fruit/greens ratio- you'd be surprised how many greens you can stuff in...A little milk is nice too, and some ice cubes can make it a little thicker. (They're a little hard on my blender, but Patti has no problem with hers.)
Feel free to also experiment with vanilla, cinnamon, stevia extract, or other spices/sweeteners for a little extra something.
One last suggestion- if you have the WW smoothie packets and you found them a little chalky like I did, try mixing them with a ripe banana and the same amount of water or milk. The banana adds the creaminess I think they're missing, takes care of the chalkiness, and adds a fruit to your health guidelines in place of a dairy serving. You'll get a couple of extra grams of fiber, too. I particularly liked it with the chocolate and the caramel latte mixes. (Also, if you mix water with the banana, it's the same number of points (3 total) as if you used only milk, for those on Flex.)
Happy blending!
My name is Katie, and I'm Patti's daughter-in-law. Patti invited me to contribute to her blog and I'm really excited to put some of my favorite recipes up. I hope you guys like them as much as I do!
I'm doing the core plan, so most (if not all of my recipes) will be core. I will also try to note the points values, too, when I can.
To start today: Green Smoothies! Or any smoothie, really , but they're more fun when they're green . Try not to be scared! This is an easy way to get in your fruits and veggies. I like them for an afternoon snack.
Easy as pie: fruit + leafy green + water or ff yogurt: toss in a blender = green smoothie! Generally I think these run 3 or 4 points apiece, but all you have to do is count what you toss in.
A few suggestions:
banana + 1 C. strawberries + 1 C. spinach, washed
banana + apple + 2 large kale leaves, stems removed
strawberries + ff yogurt + leaf lettuce
You can start with just fruit and yogurt if the green stuff freaks you out. It really does taste good, though! If you're feeling courageous, experiment with your fruit/greens ratio- you'd be surprised how many greens you can stuff in...A little milk is nice too, and some ice cubes can make it a little thicker. (They're a little hard on my blender, but Patti has no problem with hers.)
Feel free to also experiment with vanilla, cinnamon, stevia extract, or other spices/sweeteners for a little extra something.
One last suggestion- if you have the WW smoothie packets and you found them a little chalky like I did, try mixing them with a ripe banana and the same amount of water or milk. The banana adds the creaminess I think they're missing, takes care of the chalkiness, and adds a fruit to your health guidelines in place of a dairy serving. You'll get a couple of extra grams of fiber, too. I particularly liked it with the chocolate and the caramel latte mixes. (Also, if you mix water with the banana, it's the same number of points (3 total) as if you used only milk, for those on Flex.)
Happy blending!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Bulgaria!
I will be in Bulgaria with six other members of New Hope United Methodist Church for the next week and a half. I'm SO excited! A couple months ago we joined into a partnership with the Methodist Church in Russe, Bulgaria and we are going there to meet them and discover how we can best be in partnership together.
So while I'm gone, my sweet daughter-in-law, KT, who is a creative wiz in the kitchen is going to post a number of recipes and ideas for your enjoyment.
Have fun and I'll see you the end of June!
Thanks KT!
Patti
So while I'm gone, my sweet daughter-in-law, KT, who is a creative wiz in the kitchen is going to post a number of recipes and ideas for your enjoyment.
Have fun and I'll see you the end of June!
Thanks KT!
Patti
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
CHOICES!
I have been know to say that (over and over) that this is all about a lifestyle choice. Everything is a choice. Just how MUCH do you really want __________ (fill in the blank)? (ie: to wear your skinny jeans, to breathe easier after a flight of steps, to eat that ooey, gooey, goodness bar?)
Let's take a Little Debbie Cake for example. Yes, you can have one.... if you want to. But did you know the following:
One Little Debbie Cake EQUALS
(and when I say EQUALS I mean all the following items totalled together!)
1 apple, 1 banana, 1 orange, 5 cups light popcorn, 2 slices light bread, 1 cup grapes, AND 1 container unsweetened applesauce
So - you can have one Little Debbie Cake OR you can choose to have ALL those other things.
Everything is a choice - how hungry are you?
Let's take a Little Debbie Cake for example. Yes, you can have one.... if you want to. But did you know the following:
One Little Debbie Cake EQUALS
(and when I say EQUALS I mean all the following items totalled together!)
1 apple, 1 banana, 1 orange, 5 cups light popcorn, 2 slices light bread, 1 cup grapes, AND 1 container unsweetened applesauce
So - you can have one Little Debbie Cake OR you can choose to have ALL those other things.
Everything is a choice - how hungry are you?
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Angel Food Delight!
Festive Angel Food & Berry DessertWe made this gorgeous and delicious recipe for my daughter-in-law's wedding shower and it was of course a huge hit. I've been looking high and low for the actual recipe and can find it nowhere, so here's a picture and the ingredients are to the best of my recollection. I do remember that we used SF, FF Vanilla pudding that day because we were unable to find the SF, FF White Chocolate Pudding at the store. I also remember that we doubled the recipe and then forgot to layer the pudding/cool whip as often as we were supposed to. With this recipe I believe you can't go wrong - layer it as much or as little as you'd like and it will be a hit! Be sure to use a clear bowl because as you can see part of the fun is in the presentation of this one.
1 Angel Food Cake cubed
Strawberries - may want to slice or quarter depending on size of berry
Blueberries
Tub of Cool Whip - I always use the fat-free one
1 package sugar-free, fat-free white chocolate instant pudding mix
3 cups skim milk
(Remember we doubled the above ingredients to fill the punch bowl pictured above)
Prepare the pudding according to the package. Cube the cake, wash and prep the berries. Start layering with pudding first and then the other ingredients. Repeat the layers as many times as you can and finish with cool whip and a couple "perfect" berries to top it all off.
Enjoy!
Update: My wonderful daughter-in-law had the official recipe handy and here it is!
Strawberry Blueberry Trifle
2 oz ff sf instant white chocolate pudding mix
1 pound angel food cake
3 C. strawberries
3 C. blueberries
8 oz light whipped topping
In a bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for two minutes or until slightly
thickened. Place a third of the cake cubes in a trifle bowl or 3 1/2 qt.
serving bowl. Top with a third layer of the pudding, 1 C. sliced strawberries,
1 1/2 C. blueberries and a third of whipped topping. Top with remaining cake,
pudding strawberries, blueberries and topping. Garnish with quartered
strawberries. Serve immediately or refrigerate.
Friday, May 23, 2008
STRAWBERRY PIE..can't believe I ate the whOle pie!
STRAWBERRY PIE
Only 7 Points…. For the WHOLE pie!
We laughed in the meeting room about the possibilities with this one…. 7 points, that’s lunch! I could take it for lunch and sit and eat the whole thing and watch everyone’s jaw drop as I eat the whole pie!
24 oz. fresh strawberries
2 cups water
1 small box sugar-free cook and serve vanilla pudding
1 small box sugar-free strawberry jello
12 oz. light cool whip
Put water, pudding and jello in sauce pan and stir until mixture boils. Pour over berries and chill for 4 – 6 hours. Cover with the cool whip and serve!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Strawberry Cheesecake Bites
Strawberry Cheesecake Bites
8 oz package fat free cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
44 medium strawberries, whole
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
In a small mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice until smooth and creamy, set aside. Using a paring knife, hollow out the top of each strawberry to a depth or approximately 3/4". Gently fill each with cream cheese mixture using a pastry bag just slightly above the tops. Place them on a cookie sheet as you do this. Once all of the strawberries are filled, dip each top into the graham cracker crumbs and place back onto the cookie sheets. Place the cookie sheets into the refrigerator and leave them for a few hours or overnight to completely chill.
4 strawberries= 1 pointThanks to Deb for this one!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Recipe #2
Hi everyone! Thought I'd post this Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie recipe for your holiday enjoyment. Rumor has it this is fantastic (I plan to make it very soon based on Tanya's recommendation.) Have a great holiday weekend!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
9 servings/ 3 points each
8 Tablespoons Peanut Butter
4 oz. Sugar-free Fat-free Choc Pudding Mix
4 oz. Sugar-free Fat-free Vanilla Pudding Mix
3 Cups Skim Milk
5 Sheets Graham Crackers
Layer graham crackers flat in a 9x9 inch pan.
Mix peanut butter, vanilla pudding and ½ of the milk and pour over the crackers.
Mix chocolate pudding and the rest of the milk then pour over the peanut butter mixture.
Refrigerate and serve.
Monday, May 12, 2008
MapMyWalk.Com
You have got to try MapMyWalk.Com! It's the best thing since sliced bread! I just heard about it today and when I got back from my walk I mapped it out on the website and it's really nifty.
Tonight I walked 3.88 miles and after creating a FREE profile I mapped it and started a training log so I can track my exercise going forward.
As I learn more about it I'll keep you posted - but so far I think it's pretty cool.
Here's a link for your convenience ...... MapMyWalk.com
Tonight I walked 3.88 miles and after creating a FREE profile I mapped it and started a training log so I can track my exercise going forward.
As I learn more about it I'll keep you posted - but so far I think it's pretty cool.
Here's a link for your convenience ...... MapMyWalk.com
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Calories Burned During Activity
Ever wonder how many calories you burn during various activities? Well I tell you it's quite the eye-opener. I had fun checking out some of the different fun things I've been doing. Did you know that playing ping pong for an hour burns about the same amount of calories as walking briskly? (Who'd have thought?)
Here's a link to a site where you can plug in your activity and determine how many calories you'll burn based on your height, weight, age and gender. Calorie Burning Calculator
Here's a link to a site where you can plug in your activity and determine how many calories you'll burn based on your height, weight, age and gender. Calorie Burning Calculator
Monday, May 5, 2008
Lose Weight and Save Money!
Here's just a teaser....
Replace 1 - 20 oz. regular soda with water five days a week and you'll save
(drum roll please....)
65,000 calories and $390.00! (Holy catfish Batman!)
So check out this link for the whole dealio. It's kinda interesting I thought.
Joy Bauer's Article on msnbc.com
Replace 1 - 20 oz. regular soda with water five days a week and you'll save
(drum roll please....)
65,000 calories and $390.00! (Holy catfish Batman!)
So check out this link for the whole dealio. It's kinda interesting I thought.
Joy Bauer's Article on msnbc.com
Friday, May 2, 2008
WW Margarita Recipe
Cinco de Mayo is almost here! How about a WW Margarita Recipe?
Mix the following in a blender:
1/8 cup Lime Juice
1 tube WW lemonaid mix in
10 ice cubes
1.5 oz tequila
After mixing well, add:
1 can diet white soda
The whole blender is only 2 points!
Salud!
Mix the following in a blender:
1/8 cup Lime Juice
1 tube WW lemonaid mix in
10 ice cubes
1.5 oz tequila
After mixing well, add:
1 can diet white soda
The whole blender is only 2 points!
Salud!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Praying for Help
I found this article on the Weight Watchers website and I love it! I am in awe of her and want to share her story with you.
In her video on the website she refers to the 3 - P's that kept her going:
Prayer, Program and Perseverance.
Having once tipped the scales at 282 pounds, Jane is convinced that without her faith—and the Weight Watchers plan—she wouldn't be wearing a size 6 today.
In her video on the website she refers to the 3 - P's that kept her going:
Prayer, Program and Perseverance.
Praying For Help
 After |
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Having once tipped the scales at 282 pounds, Jane is convinced that without her faith—and the Weight Watchers plan—she wouldn't be wearing a size 6 today.
In August 2001 my sister got married, and I was her matron of honor. Later, when I saw the pictures from the wedding, I was absolutely horrified. I just cried because I couldn't believe I looked like that. And the video—the video was even worse. It made me feel so depressed. I thought, "I don't want to live like this; I hate the way I look." I was carrying 282 pounds, and I'm 5 feet 4 inches tall.
While I was crying, I got down on my knees and prayed. I said, "God, I can't do this on my own. I need you to help me." I had prayed for help before, but this time I gave it over to God. I acknowledged that I couldn't do it on my own.
My dad, who passed away when I was 17, really instilled the importance of faith in me. My husband and I have been part of a wonderful church for the last 20 years, and, in addition to our two grown kids, our congregation is like our family, so praying was nothing new for me. But this prayer was different. It was a desperate plea for help.
I've battled my weight my whole life. I went on my first diet when I was 9 years old, and I've tried just about everything that's come along since—the grapefruit diet, high-protein diets, liquid diets, even Fen-Phen, the drug combination that was taken off the market in 1997 because it caused heart valve problems in some people. I'd lose 5 or 10 pounds, then gain 20, lose 20, and gain 40. Even though my weight-loss attempts were a losing battle, hardly a day has gone by that I haven't worried about my weight or tried to watch what I eat.
I was never one of those people who overate regularly. Sure, I overate at times and I ate fattening foods— I love ice cream—but I also have a terrible metabolism. It's not an excuse. It's reality. I'd eat the same slice of cake that everyone else ate, but it would make me gain weight. It was enormously frustrating.
In 1999, I was diagnosed with an under-active thyroid, which can cause a slow metabolism, and I went on medication to increase my thyroid function. That helped a little; I didn't seem to gain weight quite as easily after that. But by then I was so heavy, it didn't make much difference.
I tried to convince myself that being fat was OK—some people are just heavier than others—but in my heart I knew I could never be happy as a fat person. I'd cry when I couldn't find things to wear and I hated to go shopping. I never looked at my body in the mirror, because I didn't want to see how big I was. I'm a nurse and I am the vice president of my company's home-care division. I felt as if I was in control of my life and successful in every aspect except for my weight. It was awful.
After seeing the pictures from the wedding and asking for God's help, I joined Weight Watchers on September 8, 2001. My goal was to get down to 155 pounds. A part of me didn't believe I would ever get there because I'd failed so many times before. But I developed a routine that I still do to this day: I started to get up at 4:30 a.m. for quiet time—Bible reading and prayer. I'd say verse 13 of Philippians, chapter 4: "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Then I'd go for a fast two-mile walk. I always hated exercise—hated thinking about it, hated doing it. But I made up my mind that I was going to do everything I could to make this effort work.
I wish I could say the weight loss was easy, but it wasn't. There were plenty of upsetting setbacks. I remember going to a meeting after what I thought was a really good week, and the scale told me I was up 4 pounds. I was so upset; I couldn't stay through the meeting. At that point, I still had more than 100 pounds to lose, and I thought, "I'll never get there at this rate. I'll be 100 years old by the time I reach goal."
When I got home, I went into my bedroom and got on my knees. I said, "Okay, God. I'm really feeling discouraged. I need help." And then it came to me that God was trying to teach me a lesson. I needed to learn to accept setbacks and to keep believing in myself through them. I had many, many bad days after that, but because I saw them as lessons, they fueled my determination. When I'd gain a pound or two, I'd tell myself, "I'm not going to let this defeat me."
One day, I went out for my daily morning walk, and as I was striding along I had an unbelievable epiphany: I was enjoying it. Not only did I like walking, but I felt really good. I was eating healthy food and I liked it. The compulsion to eat foods that made me fat was just gone. It may sound hokey, but I think God took it away because every time I felt as if I was losing control, I would say that verse from Philippians, and a sense of peace would come over me. In any case, during that walk I realized that I was cured, healed. Somehow, I just knew that this time—for the first time ever—the weight loss was going to stick. And I knew it was because God was helping me.
I reached my initial goal in February 2006, and then lost another 22 pounds by July.* I've weighed 133 pounds ever since. Recently at work I heard someone describe me as "the tiny little woman over there." I thought, "What? They can't possibly be talking about me." But they were. When I think about the last six years, I realize it hasn't been so much a weight-loss journey as a journey of faith. I'm proud of myself and proud of my effort. But without God's help, I wouldn't be wearing a size 6 today.
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