WW Barnabas Group

Change - between the waiting and the doing

2011-03-28T14:11:00.000-05:00

Between the waiting and the doing is the place where change takes place.

It is both passive and passionate

We can't rush it

Tigger and Isabelle are in cahoots with God!

2011-02-26T15:12:00.000-06:00

This past week or so I've had a really difficult week making good choices about what I'm eating. I've eaten enough sugar to choke a horse! It takes a really LONG time to unwrap and eat 25 Hershey Kisses, but I'll bet I ate that many one afternoon. Mindlessly...one after the other.

So I was having a little chat with God about needing his help getting my eating choices back under control. My prayer in the past has been, "Dear Lord, please impress upon my heart the desire for healthy food, water and exercise. Help me to make good choices." So I lifted up that prayer once again while I was upstairs getting ready for work. The inner dialogue in my head went something like this:

"Patti, get that leftover stromboli OUT of your lunch sack and throw it in the garbage!"
"No! It's paid for!"
"Patti, you don't need it. It doesn't support your desire to eat healthy."
"No! There are starving children living down the road from Kari."
"Patti, you give others the permission to throw food away. It's okay. Just do it."
"But it tastes good!"

And then I prayed about it. "Dear Lord, PLEASE help me to get back on track!"

I went downstairs and there on the kitchen counter sat Tigger and Isabelle, the cats, EATING MY STROMBOLI! They had unzipped my lunch bag, removed the styrofoam container, and started munching away. It didn't take long until I was laughing and realized that indeed God had answered my prayer. He had used Tigger and Isabelle and they were of course glad to oblige. It was all I needed to help get my head back into the healthy game and I packed another lunch this time with fruit, protein and veggies.

Thanks for watching my back Tig and Isabelle!

Acknowledge the GOOD things within you!

2011-02-21T09:33:00.000-06:00

A couple years ago when my self-esteem was at a low point, I read somewhere that you should re-affirm daily positive things. I created the following list, posted it on the bathroom mirror and read it daily. I came across this list yesterday and realized how much it helped at the time, so thought I'd share the idea with you. Here's my list:

I am God's child
I was created to honor and cherish him
I am a person of destiny
I am creative
I am strong
I am smart
I am blessed
I am a good parent
I am a good leader
I eat healthy and exercise because my body is a temple
I have the favor of God

Our faith is effective when we believe in ourselves!

Cutting the Cake

2010-07-09T07:10:00.001-05:00

You hear rumors about people cutting calories in cake by

doing "this" or "that" and you're never quite sure

what "they" did. Well HungryGirl.com did lots of baking

and tasting and their wonderful results are below. Thanks

once again HungryGirl or doing the homework for us!

BTW - I personally have made the cake mix and diet soda

version a couple times over the past years, and it's

definately a winner. Patti

Why make cake with eggs and oil when there are TONS of better

options? Cake mix with diet soda? Just egg substitute? Only

applesauce? We tried each of these methods and more (and had

fun doing it)! Here's what we learned....

Cake Mix + No-Sugar-Added Applesauce
PER SERVING (1 piece, 1/12th of cake): 179

calories, 3.25g fat, 299mg sodium, 36g carbs,

0.5g fiber, 21.5g sugars, 1.5g protein --

POINTS®value 4*
Ingredients:
One 18.25-oz. box moist-style cake mix
1 cup no-sugar-added applesauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine ingredients in a large bowl and add

1 cup water. Whisk thoroughly and transfer to a

baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray; bake in

the oven until a knife inserted into the center

comes out clean. (Refer to cake-mix box for pan

size and approximate bake time.)

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

Best Flavor: Yellow cake mix. It goes

perfectly with the fruity taste of the sauce.

The Texture: VERY moist and fluffy. A+!

The Taste: AMAZING!!!! Sweet and

slightly apple-y. Two YUMS up...

Cake Mix + Diet Soda
PER SERVING (1 piece, 1/12th of cake): 171 calories, 3.25g fat,

301mg sodium, 34g carbs, <0.5g fiber, 19g sugars, 1.5g protein --

POINTS®value 4*
Ingredients:One 18.25-oz. box moist-style cake mix
One 12-oz. can diet soda

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk thoroughly and transfer

to a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray; bake in the oven until a

knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (Refer to cake-mix

box for pan size and approximate bake time.)

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

Best Flavor Combo: Yellow cake mix + diet cream soda.

Runners-up include lemon cake mix + diet lemon-lime soda and

devil's food cake mix + diet cherry cola.

The Texture: Moist and light.

The Taste: Pretty darn impressive! However, if you're sensitive to

the sweetener in diet soda, you may notice a slight aftertaste...

especially if you use cola of any kind.

Cake Mix + Canned Pure Pumpkin
PER SERVING (1 piece, 1/12th of cake): 183 calories, 3.5g fat, 301mg

sodium, 37g carbs, 1.25g fiber, 20.5g sugars, 2g protein --

POINTS®value 4*

Ingredients:One 18.25-oz. box moist-style cake mix
One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly -- batter will

be VERY thick -- and transfer to a baking pan sprayed with nonstick

spray; bake in the oven until a knife inserted into the center comes

out clean. (Refer to cake-mix box for pan size and approximate

bake time.)

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

Best Flavor: Devil's food cake mix is CLEARLY a classic choice.

(Hello?!Yum Yum Brownie Muffins!) But spice cake mix... WOW.

Yellow and white cake mixes, sadly, do not work as well.

The Texture: Thick and dense in the BEST possible way.

Brownie-like, in the case of the devil's food; the spice cake reminded

us of pumpkin bread!

The Taste: No one would ever guess this is guilt-free in any way.

It's delicious!

Cake Mix + Fat-Free Liquid Egg Substitute
PER SERVING (1 piece, 1/12th of cake): 181 calories, 3.25g fat, 337mg

sodium, 34.5g carbs, <0.5g fiber, 19.5g sugars, 3.5g protein --

POINTS® value 4*

Ingredients:
One 18.25-oz. box moist-style cake mix
1 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)

Directions:Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine ingredients in a large bowl and add 1 cup water. Whisk

thoroughly and transfer to a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray;

bake in the oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

(Refer to cake-mix box for pan size and approximate bake time.)

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

Best Flavor: Egg sub is like the little black dress of cake companions;

it goes well with everything.

The Texture: The first time we made this, we used only 1/4 cup of

water; it was a little dry and dense, but it reminded us of pound cake,

which isn't a bad thing. With a full cup of water, it came out light

and fluffy. It had a more substantial, cake-like consistency than the

applesauce and soda versions, but it wasn't quite as moist.

The Taste: Good! But it's not our favorite. That one's up next...

Cake Mix + Fat-Free Greek Yogurt
PER SERVING (1 piece, 1/12th of cake): 180 calories, 3.25g fat, 306mg

sodium, 34.5g carbs, <0.5g fiber, 20g sugars, 3.5g protein --

POINTS®value 4*

Ingredients:One 18.25-oz. box moist-style cake mix
1 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt (like Fage Total 0%)

Directions:Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine ingredients in a large bowl and add 1 cup water. Whisk

thoroughly and transfer to a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray;

bake in the oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

(Refer to cake-mix box for pan size and approximate bake time.)

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

Best Flavor: Devil's food cake mix. Hands down.

The Texture: The word "velvety" comes to mind... Super moist and

decadent! Kind of like a brownie-cake hybrid.

The Taste: YUMMY! Everyone who tried this loved it. There wasn't

any yogurt taste at all... just pure cake-tastic deliciousness!

5 Power Foods

2010-07-01T10:25:00.000-05:00

The following snippet was sent to me from my health insurance company and they are big, big, big on eating healthy and moving more. I thought it was a good piece and am therefore sharing it with you. Oatmeal with blueberries, anyone?

5 POWER FOODS

from the editors of Healthy Cooking
www.tasteofhome.com/healthycooking

The right foods can do so much more than satisfy hunger. Some foods are so powerful, they fuel our body, pack our diets with nutrients and protect our health.

Here are five power foods you can add to your diet today:

Blueberries. These bright berries have cancer-fighting properties and can also help improve memory. An added bonus? They provide fiber and beta-carotene.
Spinach. This leafy green is known to help reduce the risk of cancer, stroke and heart disease. And, the magnesium in spinach helps to lower high blood pressure.
Oats. Known to decrease the risk of heart disease, oats also provide fiber and protein. Eating oatmeal on a regular basis may decrease insulin resistance and help stabilize blood sugar.
Salmon. Salmon is rich in the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, which studies have identified as the most beneficial of omega-3s. It also helps keep your heart healthy by lowering blood pressure and triglycerides.
Walnuts. Walnuts are the only nut with a significant amount of ellagic acid, a cancer-fighting antioxidant. They also help improve cholesterol.

Pivotal time in life?

2010-06-24T19:34:00.000-05:00

I know that most of my posts are about exercise, food, motivation, etc. and I don't often get into a lot of my personal life, but this week seems to have become a very pivotal time in my life so I feel compelled to write about it. I knew all these events were coming and yet, I didn't realize until today how important they all really are.

My oldest daughter, Lindsay, and her wonderful guy, Andrew, got married on Saturday and it was beautiful and touching. My son, Erich officiated and did a wonderful job. Everything went smoothly with no problems on any front. It was great, even the weather at this outdoor wedding in the park. I am so very happy for them.

My youngest child, Kari, left Tuesday morning for Honduras. She is so brave and amazingly adventuresome. I admire that in her and wish I was stronger in that trait. Who knows, perhaps I will become more so.

My oldest child, Erich and his wife, KT, bought a house and had the closing this week. They are now officially homeowners and as Erich puts it, "able to make the rules." He grew up hearing, "When you live in our house you live by our rules; when you have your own house you get to make the rules." He has proudly pointed out that now he (and KT) get to make the rules. Ha! I love that guy.

Wow what a week! I've always considered that my job was to prepare my children for the future, to get them ready to leave home, and to live on their own. They have been taking steps toward that all along and now, wow. Huge steps for all of them and all within a four day window of time.

Now I plan to start focusing on new goals for me. What will they be?

Spanish classes finally? I've talked about becoming fluent for so long I'm sure no one will ever believe this one.
Re-working a tight budget to travel to Honduras soon?
Start training for a fall marathon? Do I want to do another full marathon or are half marathons a better fit?
I certainly have things like picture albums, etc. that I could do. But I don't hear them calling me just yet.

Hmmmmmm. Seems it wasn't so long ago that I was thinking, "when I have time I want to..." and now I have time and none of the those things sound appealing any longer. But I haven't decided just yet what DOES sound appealing. Any suggestions?

Seems this is a pivotal week and I need to do some deep thinking.

The Bellin Run 2010

2010-06-11T11:21:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow is the Bellin 10k run/walk. I'm excited because I have family coming to town to visit and participate in the big event. Pete and Carla with their littles, Lindsay my soon-to-be-wed daughter, my cousin and aunt are planning to come, my soon-to-depart-for-2-years-in-the-Peace-Corp daughter is here, Harry is home (yay!), my son & his wife who I thankfully get to see on a regular basis are going to be in it, lots of friends from the running club and church, you get the idea. A very "social" event for this social butterfly.

I think what has me the most pumped though is my friend from church, Amy and my daughter Lindsay.

Amy started walking in January with a goal of finishing the Bellin. I know she's had "life" challenge her training regimen (dad undergoing chemo, challenges at work, 2 littles & a hubby to care for) but she is registered and plans to walk it. I promised that after I finish running it, I'm going to find her and finish with her.

Lindsay signed up to walk the Bellin last year and ended up running the whole thing including a little puking at the end (of which she is very proud.) She's been working out, biking, running, dancing this past year and has improved her fitness level and her time incredibly. I'm excited for her and hope she has a great run tomorrow. She's going to rock the Bellin!

They both inspire me and I am so very proud of them.

Go Amy! Go Lindsay! You can do it!

Memorial Day vs Memory Day

2010-05-25T13:32:00.000-05:00

As I think ahead to this holiday weekend I find myself bombarded with memories that touch both ends of the happiness scale. I am saddened at the loss of my Grandma this past year, but happy when I think of her easy to invoke laughter. I am soaring with joy as we celebrate my daughter's graduation, but it is tempered with both pride and sadness as I am reminded that she'll be leaving for two years in Honduras soon.

Suddenly it feels like Memorial Day isn't just about those who have already passed on to God's abundant life, but also about the events and people who have been in our lives and who have made us who we are today.

Perhaps not Memorial Day.... but Memory Day. Hmmmmmm - food for thought.

Bacher out.

Biggest Loser comments and thoughts

2010-05-18T19:52:00.000-05:00

I am tuned in to week 18 of the Biggest Loser. They have sent the final four home to their families and are recapping their original weigh ins in front of their friends and families. As I see their emotions as they went from pre-weight to current weight it brings tears to my eyes. I can relate to much of what they are feeling. My pre-weight and subsequent loss was not as dramatic as theirs, but the emotions of success and having a new life are still very real and fresh for me.

They have to run a marathon as their final challenge. They are learning how to eat in their "at home" world. Healthy food, healthy recipes, portion control.

"This is about you, it's not about them. Let's get out of here and get an early day in the gym."
"Once you decide you're worth it, you can do it."
"Once you ask for help you'll get everything you need."

One of the contestants struggles with eating at night because he is stressed out or worried about something. He realizes what he's doing but has a hard time stopping nonetheless.

My life is very different than it was five years ago in many ways. Healthy food and exercise are priorities now. Today I walked for an hour in the morning with a friend and then rode my bike over 13 miles in the afternoon on the way home from work. But I also sit here and fight eating because I'm bored, lonely, tired. Like the contestant, I recognize what I'm doing, but still fight it. For a long time it had gotten much easier, it is a tough period the past 5 months. Why? I don't know, but I'm fighting it and I'm not giving in, because I've worked too hard to get here, and I enjoy my new lifestyle, body and healthy choices.

Nothing tastes as good as thin feels.

Bacher out.

A new look!

2010-05-15T07:42:00.002-05:00

It's time for a new look! Polka dots are so fun!

DDPP - 80 minutes of unleashed dancing glory!

2010-05-15T07:16:00.000-05:00

When I was in Minneapolis last week for Kari's graduation from the U, Lindsay (alias DJ Lux) took me with her to Dance Dance Party Party (DDPP) for a fun night. It's held every Thursday night - and here's the deal: No booze, no boys, no judgement (especially no judging yourself!) and no talking.

Just 80 minutes of unleashed dancing glory. It was great exercise and tons of fun. What a great group of dancing gals who I look forward to seeing again in June!

Like Daughter, Like Mother

Posted on May 7, 2010 by ddpptwincities

It’s almost Mother’s Day. Some people buy their moms flowers, others take them out for a nice dinner. But DJ Lux decided to give her mom a big bouquet of booty shakin’.

That’s right; tonight DJ Lux came with Mama Lux in tow. And you know what? The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree; Mama Lux shook it, both by herself and with her daughter (which was freakin’ adorable!). I’m so proud of her, I was thinking of getting this tattoo to commemorate her awesomeness:

And it only got better, because DJ Lux cranked out another 80 minutes of incredible dance tunes. Some were shout outs to her mom, and all of them got us ladies in the groove. So ladies, if you want to give your mom something special, give her the gift of dance. Thanks again, DJ Lux! You are a three-scoop sundae of wonderful!

Tune in next week, when we have special Chicago DDPP DJ Sex Frosting working the tables. Not only that, but DJ Lux’s sister and dance vet extraordinaire, Kari, will be making a final appearance before she leaves us for Honduras. Let’s show them a warm welcome and fond goodbye next week!

Until then, the mix any mother would be proud of:

Filed under: Uncategorized

1/2 Full or 1/2 Empty?

2010-05-02T22:20:00.000-05:00

There is much discussion and theorizing about our view on life according to how we rate what is left in our glass. Is it half full or is it half empty? Well I tend to be a half full kind of gal when it comes to how I view life, but when I was trying to decide if I should run a 1/2 marathon instead of the full... well let's just say I really struggled. My glass was half empty when it came to running the half instead of the full.

I've been struggling with achilles tendon problems for at least 4 or 5 months now and it hurts. A lot. It hurts a lot, much of the time. I thought maybe I wasn't tough enough and I just needed to push through it. For some reason it just seemed like running only 13.1 miles wasn't good enough! The glass was half empty, after all I did a full 26.2 last October and I should be able to do it again, darn it!

Well yesterday during our training run I made the decision that I would do the 1/2 Marathon rather than the full. I know I can do it. I won't feel like crap when I'm done. In fact a couple weeks ago after running 16 miles I felt down right chipper. After the 20 miler however, I felt dead tired for a whole week. 13.1 is the right decision. The half is good and I'm at peace with my decision.

13.1 is half full, not half empty and life is good once again.

Bacher out.

How Many Calories Do I Need To Eat????

2010-04-21T07:05:00.000-05:00

The Weight Watchers program is centered around a points system and lately I've been thinking a lot about how many CALORIES things have vs. their points. So I decided to do a little research about how many calories I can eat each day and either A) maintain my weight or B) lose weight. It's a lot less than I thought it would be! No wonder that old scale goes up and down like a yo-yo sometimes.

Want to know how many calories you can eat and maintain your current weight? Here's an easy to use calculator to give you a hand.

CALORIE CALCULATOR

BTW - it's nice to know that you get 7 radishes for ONLY 15 calories. Nice.

Bacher out.

Being In Control

2010-04-17T09:18:00.000-05:00

I think feeling that we are "in control" of what we are eating is a big deal to most of us. I know it is to me and this past week I am feeling much more in control of what I put in my mouth. I'm remembering to ask myself, "Are you hungry?" and I'm doing MUCH better about not eating for the sake of eating in the evenings. I actually went to bed feeling a smidge hungry the other night! Haven't done THAT in a long time.

Oddly enough when I'm in control of what I eat, I also feel in better control of other areas of my life. So which comes first - control in life or control in eating? The chicken or the egg? Perhaps it's just an overall mindset and general feeling, kind of like an internal compass.

I'll have to ponder that one for awhile. Thoughts anyone?

Filling the Emptiness

2010-04-04T21:02:00.000-05:00

Today is Easter Sunday and it was a very good day. Church, family, friends, a walk in the sunshine. It was a good day. Pastor Greg was talking this morning about the empty tomb and that often we try to fill the emptiness in our lives with "stuff". Alcohol, shopping, drugs, etc. As he was saying those words, my friend who was sitting next to me and I looked at each other and smiled, because for both of us, it's food. And we both know it.

I've always said that knowledge is power. So does knowing that food is my crutch, my so-called drug, my sometime frienemy, make it any easier not to use it as such? Sometimes. To be completely honest, sometimes knowing helps and sometimes it doesn't make a smidge of difference. At least that's been the case in the past.

I'd like to think that recognizing what I'm doing and facing it WILL make a difference in the future. This is the first that I've been this brutally honest about it, and I think it will make a difference in the future. I have to face the issues that are really causing the feelings of emptiness and learn to deal with those. Then the rest should fall into place.

I'll keep you posted. In the meantime I ran 18 miles yesterday training for the upcoming Cellcom Marathon. It went better than I anticipated, but I was glad when we finished. Only a little over a month until the event - it'll be here before I know. I think we have two 20 mile training runs and a couple scaled back runs between now and then.

Bacher out.

Portion Control!

2010-03-19T08:10:00.000-05:00

I am no longer leading my own WW meetings due to a conflict at work. So last night I went to Deb Nockert's meeting just like the old days. I really needed to go back and listen. I miss leading a meeting - but more so I miss the weekly reminder that this will always be something I will have to pay attention to.

The topic this week was on portion control. She did a great job of visually showing us with the scale and the measuring cups how important it is to use them. Some items the group under guessed and some over. Underestimated the points/quantities of bagel and wine but found we could have more peas than first expected. Definitely areas that can get us into trouble when estimated incorrectly.

So this week my friends - pull out the measuring cups and the food scales. Just for shits and giggles weigh your food. Measure your food. Look at the labels on the items and SEE what a portion size is supposed to be and then actually measure it out. Let me know if you have any eye-openers. I'll bet you will!

And by the way - if you measure out a portion and it's more than your tummy has room for. You don't HAVE to eat it all. I'm just sayin'.

Sufficiently buzzed on caffeine...accountable to others

2010-03-09T10:01:00.000-06:00

I had a breakfast meeting at a local coffee shop this morning. After we finished I stuck around drinking coffee and enjoying working away from the office. It's fun the number of laptops that are in action here as people work, chat, meet and do business in an alternate setting.

I've been here long enough that the cookies started calling to me across the dining room, however I promised Amy that I'd email her my food diary this week. So, I started a draft of my food journal and not wanting to add a coffee house cookie to the list, resisted the temptation. There is definitely something to be said for holding yourself accountable to others at various points in time.

My daughter, Lindsay, had a great post on her blog recently that I found to be just what I needed to help re-charge my resolve. I like the reference to fuzzy mind when she doesn't work out. I also get very antsy if I don't exercise.

Well, I think I am sufficiently buzzed on caffeine now that I am ready to attack the rest of the day.

Find someone to hold you accountable. It works wonders, I promise.

Balance!

2010-02-21T21:40:00.000-06:00

Recently the Green Bay Running Club met at House of Speed for an overview of their services and a short informative work out on ways to improve our performance. It was really educational and we learned a lot. One of the areas we focused on was balance and strengthening our core.

I have found myself contemplating the topic of balance quite often lately. While the House of Speed showed us ways we can strengthen and improve our physical balance, my mind cannot ignore that balance is key in many areas including but not limited to mental, spiritual, nutritional, and financial and they ALL impact your daily performance at work, home and in sports.

I'm thinking of ways to challenge myself and grow my knowledge regarding balance in all those areas. Sounds like a revamping of goals is in order.

Sweets for your Sweet

2010-02-11T07:22:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone!
Valentine's Day coming I'd like to suggest a couple sweets for your sweet. Here are a few that caught my eye as either "fun" or exceptionally "yummy" looking. Some came from HungryGirl.com and others I picked up along the way hither and thither. Enjoy!

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 point

Lonna's Hot Fudge Sundae

Edy's 1/2 the Fat Double Churned Vanilla (or Choc) Ice Cream

Hot Fudge or Chocolate Sugar Free, Fat Free cooked pudding.

Lonna makes the pudding ahead of time and puts it in portion size cups. Then when she's ready for dessert she reheats one serving (1/2 cup) of the pudding and pours it over a serving of ice cream (1/2 cup) for a yummylicious finish to dinner.

I don't recall the points right off-hand so you'll need to double check them, but I think it was about 3.

Goo-licious Carmel Goodness!

I selected this next one because my daughter Kari is such a fan of Rice Pudding. It comes from HungryGirl.com and sounds like a really yummy combo. I plan to give it a go that's for sure!

Kozy Shack No Sugar Added Rice Pudding + Light or Fat Free Caramel Dip = Goo-licious Caramel Goodness

PER SERVING (1 pudding cup + 1/2 tbsp. dip): 97 calories, 1.25g fat, 147mg sodium, 17.5g carbs, 3g fiber, 9g sugars, 4g protein -- POINTS® value 1*

Rice pudding is awesome, sweet, and creamy on its own, but we like to kick things up a notch. Scoop a spoonful of thatcaramel dip we love so much onto one of your pudding cups (um, AFTER you've opened the pudding pack, of course). Swirl in said caramel goo, and eat! A-MAZING!

Butterfinger Delight
4.5 Chocolate Graham Cracker Sheets
1 (8 oz.) Container Fat Free Whipped Topping
1 (2 oz.) Butterfinger Candy Bar, crushed
1/4 Cup Hershey's Light Chocolate Syrup
1/4 Cup Smucker's Sugar Free Caramel Topping
Lay the chocolate graham cracker sheets into the bottom of an 8x8 inch pan. Mix together the whipped topping with half of the Butterfinger. Spread the cool whip mixture over the graham crackers. Drizzle both the chocolate syrup and caramel syrup on top of the whipped topping. Sprinkle the remaining half of the Butterfinger on top. Freeze for at least 4 hours.
Serves: 8
Per Serving: 146 Calories; 2g Fat (14.3% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 29g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 105mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates. WWP: 3

Amish Friendship Bread and Chicken Soup

2010-02-03T07:23:00.000-06:00

Last week a friend at church had an extra bag of the starter dough for Amish Friendship Bread. You know, the kind where you "mush" the bag for a few days, add some flour and sugar, mush it for a few more days and then on the magical day number 9 you add some more stuff, split some out for friends and then bake a couple loaves after adding a lot more stuff to it.

Well I wasn't too sure I wanted the starter bag to begin with, but I took it and did my mushing. It's not supposed to be refrigerated, so on the way home I even took it into the gym with me so it wouldn't sit in the car during zero degree weather. I took wonderful care of my bag! Well today is day #9 and this morning I woke up to a small pool of batter on the kitchen counter. I had planned to do my baking this evening, but the process was accelerated and the loaves are in the oven as I type.

This morning I put SO much sugar and oil into this bread that I could feel the pounds coming on as I measured them out! I'm somewhat afraid of the moment that the hot, cinnamon-y bread exits the oven. I'm going to want some and am afraid I won't be able to stop at just one piece.

I need a plan - that's it! I'll play it out in my mind what is best for me and what my actions will be. Okay, I'll eat breakfast while it's baking so when it starts smelling delicious I am not hungry. Then after it comes out of the oven, I'll immediately leave for work so I'm not tempted to dig in. I'm leaving tomorrow to go visit my daughters in Minneapolis (Yay! I love visiting my daughters!) so I'll take it with me and we'll all enjoy it together. That will help tremendously, I'm sure of it. And it will be a nice surprise for them.... unless they happen to read my blog before I arrive, then the jig is up.

On a healthier note - last night I made a big pot of chicken vegetable soup. The flavors have melded all night long and I'm looking forward to a bowl for lunch. Yummy! And healthy.

This is my life. It feels like having an angel and a devil on each shoulder. Sometimes I confuse the angels. I guess that makes me human.

Betty Crocker out.

Be Prepared!

2010-01-27T06:25:00.000-06:00

I am extremely busy this week and see my good and wonderful eating habits falling to the wayside. What's with that!?! Reminder to self:

My body needs excellent fuel and adequate rest right now in order to perform in the manner I need it to.

Okay - I've been reminded. Now I'm off to eat a healthy breakfast and pack a nutritional lunch so I can do the things efficiently that I need to do.

Bacher out.

Marathon Training time

2010-01-09T11:13:00.002-06:00

It's Marathon training time! I've signed up for another one - and yes, perhaps I'm a tad bonkers. Rose asked if running a marathon is like giving birth in that you quickly forget the pain. She said, "weren't you crying last time?" Yes, I did. I cried at mile 23. I was very tired and I wanted to FINISH. However, I pushed through (with encouragement) and I finished. Just as I went on and gave birth to two more children after Erich. Women are tough, a topic for another day.

Today the training runs for the Cellcom Marathon started and over 200 people were there, which is great. I've signed up to run the full marathon and am excited to get started. It's nice to have a plan and a goal to work towards. Today I will print out the training schedule so I can make sure my weekday activity supports my weekend long runs. I've found that it's all very do-able and attainable over time if you make a plan for success and then work the plan. Sounds a lot like weight loss now doesn't it? Hmmmmm - make a plan and then work the plan.

By the way, I'm filling out my food tracker this week. I need a jumpstart because I'm up 5 pounds since November and it's time to get it in check. I promised my members I would because it DOES make a difference. So I'm tracking this week.

Sounds like the key to doing just about anything in life successfully. Make a plan and then work the plan. Okay, we've got the plan...now let's work it!

Bacher out.

Biggest Loser comments and thoughts

2010-01-06T08:36:00.000-06:00

Comments on tonight's Biggest Loser that I liked.

"I'm tired of being emotional about my weight. It's time to do something about it."

"It's the gym! Wow it's the gym. Oh, dear Lord... it's the gym"

"26.2 miles! Are you kidding me?"

"Being one of the two teams that goes home is not an option."

Stand up and finish what you started.

If you don't do what you need to do....

Don't let things get the best of you right now.

A drive thru diet at Taco Bell? This was a commercial that was on during the show...get real!

I don't know about you, but I cannot imagine losing 30 pounds in ONE week! Keep it in perspective my friends that this is their full-time job while they are there. That's all they do is live and breathe what they are telling them to. In real life it comes off slower and that's okay. Just make sure you have realistic expectations for yourself. Then stick to it and persevere!

Let's do it!

Tromping through the snow

2010-01-01T18:53:00.000-06:00

This afternoon Harry and I bundled up in warm clothes, mittens and sorel boots and went out to Barkhausen to walk the snow covered trails.

Several observations:
Encountered a lady who appeared to be playing out a New Year's resolution as she tackled the cross country ski trails for the first time ever. She was alone and plugging away at it. Saw her again in the parking lot and with glowing cheeks she was very happy with her accomplishment. Yay for her!

The trails are very peaceful and quite enjoyable during the winter despite the brisk, cold wind.

It's easier for men to take a leak in the woods than it is for women. Good thing it was Harry that had to go and not me.

My fingers got chilly even though I had on a heavy pair of gloves over top of my cheapies.

I didn't let my runny nose get in the way of fun.

I am resolved to check out the Fox River Trail one day this next week and see if it's walkable in this weather.

Harry said it was very enjoyable outside even though this is the time of year we tend to disparage the most.

January 1 is a great day to look forward and not back.

Overall, a crackerjack New Year's day. We both totally enjoyed it.

Thoughts on Holiday Eating

2009-12-30T22:48:00.000-06:00

A friend of mine posted the following on her Facebook page:

People are concerned about what they eat between Christmas and New Years and really what they should be concerned about is what they eat between New Years and Christmas.

This is so true! In my mind it follows the same principles as someone who is worried about having the perfect wedding. When really the marriage isn't about the day.... the marriage is about every day FOLLOWING the wedding day.

When it comes to food and exercise, it's about what you do MOST days that counts in the long run.

Have a great New Year's eve my friends.

Holiday Training Tips From Jeff Galloway

2009-12-17T07:11:00.000-06:00

I like Jeff's blog and thought I'd share this entry. Check his stuff out sometime.

Here is a recent entry:
It's possible to keep your training on track, even with holiday distractions. Here are some tips that have helped many runners maintain conditioning even with holiday temptations. You'd be surprised, but even very short workouts on maintenance days can maintain your fitness, relieve stress, inject more energy and allow you to feel better during holiday festivities.

Plan Ahead
Write your workouts on a calendar, for the entire holiday period. Just having a plan tends to result in more runs each week. By looking ahead, each day, you will become more focused and are more likely to make time for your scheduled runs or walks.

Pick quiet times
Family members tend to sleep later during the holidays. By getting up and out the door early, you can finish your workout done before others arise. Each day, look at the time periods that would be open for exercise.

Focus on the long ones
Endurance is the key to finishing your race with strength and power. Follow your program, ensuring that you get in the long runs. Depending upon the program, you will only have to run /walk longer every 14-21 days. If you have to go slower or take more walk breaks, do it. Your only mission is to “go the distance."

Release stress with a short run or walk
Practically everyone experiences stress during the holidays. By moving your legs you will improve your attitude, increase vitality, and feel better about yourself. Even a short session of 5-10 minutes can help you focus on priorities, on a busy day

Minimal training will maintain your adaptations
When you don't have much time, and you are scheduled for a “maintenance run or walk”, just go for 5 minutes. If you get out for 5 minutes you will probably continue for 10 or 15, which will maintain the adaptations in your feet and legs between the long runs.

Don't be obsessive about food
If you don't have the perfect diet during the holidays, you won't lose any fitness. While eating a lot of sugar /fat is not the best diet, you can burn it off as you exercise. If you tell yourself that you will never eat another holiday cookie, you'll probably be good until that day when there's no one around—and it's you and the cookies. If you sample and just taste foods that you like, many runners avoid deprivation binges later.

Stage social runs with friends/family
When you have folks gathering from other areas, schedule a walk or run together. This promotes sharing of lives, stories, while bestowing an attitude boost.

When the weather is not ideal
Get to the mall before the stores open and walk (or run if possible). This will give you a preview of the sale items, while you get in some exercise. Treadmills are a suitable substitute if the weather is austere. Some runners will warm up with indoor exercise, then run or walk outside for 5-10 minutes and continue to alternate out and in.

Christmas is around the corner....

2009-12-16T08:10:00.000-06:00

With all the excitement going on and preparations that you are making, don't forget to pause and listen for God's presence.

It's there - sometimes we just need to take the time, listen, and look for it.

A Little Snowy Chuckle

2009-12-13T17:04:00.001-06:00

Wrong side of the bed?!

2009-11-25T07:38:00.000-06:00

Last night I slept on the other side of the bed and it felt very "wrong". It wasn't right or wrong obviously, but it felt awkward. So I've been pondering why it felt "awkward". If I sleep in a hotel bed or at my mother's house or somewhere else and I'm on the other side of the bed, it doesn't feel awkward. So I've come to the conclusion that it is simply that we are creatures of habit and breaking outside of our habits feels awkward. And in some cases it can be downright hard.

Take eating and exercising habits for instance. We get into patterns - whether good or bad - and then it's awkward to break the cycle. This is a good thing with the good habits, but when we have bad habits that we are trying to break it can be very difficult. Although sometimes uncontrollable forces have a very definite impact on our habits and can throw them off kilter before we realize it has become a problem.

The change in seasons has done that to me. I was really enjoying my exercising and running outside through the spring and summer. Now the weather has turned rainy (cold isn't so bad...but it just seems like it's raining all the time) and I'm finding myself not exercising nearly as much as I used to. And suddenly it feels awkward - and I don't like it.

I'm going to have to weigh the options and decide a new course of action. Last year I used my elliptical almost daily. It was convenient and I really enjoyed it. This year it doesn't sound quite as appealing, and I'm not sure why, but I think it has to do with the social aspect that I've come to enjoy when I run or bike with friends. My initial thoughts are to join the YMCA, another gym, or to use the work out room where I live. In the past I've been quick to join but then find that I don't use the membership and the $$ goes to waste, so I don't want to just jump into that course of action without a strong commitment that I'll go and use it.

I think half the battle is REALIZING that a habit is heading in a "not so good" direction so that corrective action can be taken before a new "bad" habit has been created and accepted.

I'll let you know what I decide. In the meantime I'm going to go put on my workout clothes, get on my elliptical and contemplate which side of the bed to sleep on tonight.

I Get My Moxy From Fern

2009-11-23T17:35:00.000-06:00

As I type this my 91.5 year old Grandma Fern is laying in hospice. She has been strong in spirit, mind and body until a couple weeks ago when she had a stroke. Then a week later she had a seizure and another stroke and now there is no hope for her recovery. They are doing everything they can to make her comfortable and there has been family by her side 24/7 for the past 10+ days.

Grandma Fern is the type of woman everyone wants for a Grandma. She is kind, intelligent, has a good sense of humor, is a hard worker, gives great back rubs, makes an awesome fish fry, (northern and walleye caught by Gramps from Pelican Lake) always looks like a million bucks, is a devoted Packer fan and has been known to gamble here and there.

By example she has taught her daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters how to live and love. (I'm sure the male types in our family learned a lot too, but this is being written from the female perspective today, sorry guys.) I was in my early 20's before I realized that not all mothers and daughters got along! My grandma and her daughters should be the poster family for how to do it right. I have nothing but deep respect for all of them.

My grandma is not a complainer. She likes to shock us with a funny "zinger" when least expected and make everyone laugh. Even now, laying there and fighting for breath for over a week and barely a moan or grumble from her. She's a fighter.

I'm not sure what her image of heaven is, but Grandma thinks my Grandpa has probably found someone else up there. We all know better. They were married for over 60 years and he's waiting with his arms wide open for her to arrive. The best is yet to come.

She's got MOXY, and I'm proud to say that that's where I get my moxy from.

Changes, changes and a fresh look!

2009-11-23T17:01:00.000-06:00

Hi all!

Since a healthy lifestyle is about SO much more than food, I have decided to expand the focus of the blog to include not just the food stuff, but a healthy lifestyle as a whole. There will still be stuff about food - I love food! That's a sure bet, but I'll be expanding my posts to include exercise, and the spiritual aspect as well. (Even more than in the past.) You'll probably find that the posts will be a little more on the personal side as well.

So with the slight shift in content.... a new template was in order as well.

Out with the old and in with the new. I'm liking it!

Filling Out My Tracker

2009-11-15T22:17:00.002-06:00

In the meeting room this week, we challenged everyone to fill out their trackers and bring them in next week. I'm filling mine out faithfully and do you know how many times I have either not eaten something or really thought about it twice because I know I have to write it down?

As you know, I lost my weight on Weight Watchers CORE program where tracking is not such a big deal. I'm not a tracker by nature and so this is a real chore for me. I'm still following the Core (now Simply Filling) technique, but I'm writing it and tracking it. AND it's making a difference. I'm sure of it.

The power of tracking should NOT be underestimated!

The Marathon!

2009-11-13T08:10:00.003-06:00

I'll bet you've all been on pins and needles waiting to read about the WhistleStop Marathon. My deepest apologies that it's taken this long to post. Life has raced along at a crazy pace ever since the race.

I FINISHED! Yay! I did it in 4 hours 39 minutes and 01 second. Truly if I'd have known they were counting the seconds I'd have run a little faster! Ha!

I'm so glad I did it. It was not easy. In fact mile 23 and 24 were VERY hard and if it wasn't for the support of my "fan", I probably would have walked the rest of the way. I'd have finished... but it would have taken me a lot longer. I am happy to say that following a couple days of stiff legs, I was walking normally only a couple days later.

I highly recommend doing a marathon. If I can do it - you sure can too.

And I got a free t-shirt - whoot, whoot!

Tomorrow we leave for the marathon

2009-10-08T21:56:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow morning we leave for Ashland so that I can run 26.2 miles on Saturday in the WhistleStop Marathon.

Just for the record... the marathon I signed up for is the one with blue skies, white puffy clouds, pretty fall leaves on the trees and 50 or 60 degree weather. Picture book perfect. Everyone smiling and happy. That unfortunately is not the forecast for Saturday! So much of a distance race is the mental part and I've been struggling with that aspect this week. Trying to prepare myself mentally for the prospect that there is a very good chance that I'll be running for 4.5 hours in the rain and cold, perhaps even snow. I am finding myself revisiting why I decided to do this in the first place. Here's what I've come up with:

* I first wanted to run a marathon when I was 17 years old. I am now 49.... you do the math.
* I am just about finished with one of the most emotionally draining things a person can go through and it's lasted almost 10 years. It was a marathon in itself and I am almost finished with it. 26.2 miles will be a walk in the park in comparison.
* I have been training to run this marathon for longer than I actually acknowledged it. It began in January 2006, I just didn't know it then. Therefore I am in the best physical condition I have ever been in, in my entire life.
* I want to "check" it off my list. I'm big on lists - refer to my post from the first of the year.
* I have had great support from friends and loved ones.
* I want to make certain people proud of me... including myself.
* This is not something I could ever do on my own. This is a gift of health and endurance from God and I am thankful of that daily.
* Just as eating healthy has become a lifestyle for me, running has as well. I like it.
* My dad will have fun telling people I did it. I like that.
* I have moxy. Whatever that means.

Wish me well my friends! I'll keep you posted.

Bacher out.

Marathon - 12 days to go and counting!

2009-09-28T18:49:00.002-05:00

I told you last June that I had decided to train for a marathon. 26.2 miles. At the time it felt very distant and now my friends it is only 12 days away! Holy catfish! The race I entered is the WhistleStop Marathon in Ashland, WI on October 10th and according to their website it will be a gorgeous fall day, running through the woods gazing at the trees that are yellow, red and orange. Sounds perfect!

I've been training diligently and have run as far as 21 miles a week ago. The training program has us starting to taper so Saturday I "only" ran 14 miles and this week our long run is 8 miles. The schedule calls for 5 miles today, but it's cold and really windy out and I hate to tell you this, but I'm going to jump on the elliptical instead of running outside. Sometimes I'm kinda mamsy-pamsy and a fair weather gal. What I'd really like to be doing is putting on my jammies and curling up in front of the fireplace with Harry and a good book!

I'm not nervous about the run yet, however I do feel I should be thinking more about it. I believe it involves a lot of mental toughness and gumpsion. Set goals and stick to it and be willing to not give up. I imagine that I'll have to reach deep inside at some point and find the guts to just make myself do it.

Running a marathon sounds similar to reaching a weight loss goal doesn't it? Set goals, both long range goals and short term goals. Sometimes it feels easy. Sometimes not. Stick to it. Never give up. Have a plan. Work the plan. Hang in there. Surround yourself with a support team. Just make yourself do it. Enjoy the outcome. Create new habits. Sometimes smiling, sometimes crying, sometimes laughing, sometimes frowning. And in the end proud as all get out that you held tough and accomplished it.

I'll keep you posted - in the meantime keep me in your prayers.

YOUR IMPORTANCE

2009-09-24T08:24:00.001-05:00

I like this! You just never know....

If only you could sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.

-- Fred Rogers, Mr. Roger's Neighborhood

HOPE!

2009-09-22T08:04:00.002-05:00

Did you know that you need hope? We all do. Swiss theologian M.L. Bruner said, “What oxygen is to the lungs, such is hope to the meaning of human life.” Just as our physical bodies would die without oxygen, our spirit will suffocate without hope!

I hope for good health and the strength to have habits that help my body to be healthy and strong. I hope for those I care about to find joy, peace and love in their lives. I hope for many things...both complex and simple.

Always hold tight to hope my friends! Hope is our oxygen.

Bacher out.

Hot Fudge 'n Brownie Sundae - without the guilt!

2009-08-27T07:44:00.003-05:00

Hi Gang! This one came across my radar from Hungry Girl and I am going to give it a whirl this weekend! Patti

PER SERVING (entire sundae): 190 calories, 2g fat, 116mg sodium, 41g carbs, 4.5g fiber, 27g sugars, 4g protein -- POINTS® value 3*

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate... and MORE chocolate. AHHHHHHHH!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Breyers Double Churn Free French Chocolate fat-free ice cream
2 tbsp. Fat Free Reddi-wip
1 tbsp. traditional fudge brownie mix
2 tsp. Hershey's Lite chocolate syrup
1 tsp. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Original Egg Beaters)

Directions:
Place brownie mix in a small microwave-safe dish (like a ramekin). Add egg substitute and 1/2 tsp. water, and mix well. Microwave for 45 seconds, and then let sit for 5 minutes. Then, use a fork to break it up and crumble into brownie bits (use your fingers, too -- just make sure your hands are clean!). Place ice cream in a dessert dish, and top with brownie bits. Set aside.

Place chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe dish, and cover with syrup. Microwave for 45 seconds, and then mix well. Pour sauce over the brownie bits and ice cream. Dig in!!!

MAKES 1 SERVING

HG Tip! Wondering what to do with the rest of your brownie mix? Make single-serving brownies by thoroughly mixing 2 tbsp. brownie mix with 1 tsp. fat-free liquid egg substitute and 1 tsp. water in a small dish and then microwaving for 1 minute. Let sit for 5 minutes, and then consume immediately! Your treat will contain around 106 calories, 2g fat, 22g carbs, and 1g fiber (POINTS® value 2*).

You Scream - I Scream - We All Scream for Ice Cream!

2009-08-04T06:52:00.003-05:00

From the Weight Watchers website - the low down, on ice cream and great info on making an informed selection.

Like I always say, "Knowledge is power." My favorite is Edy's Slow Churned 1/2 the Fat Peanut Butter Cup at only 130 calories for half cup. Just be sure to invite me over for a small dish when you have it!

Ice cream
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 density 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. There are a few brands on the market now that have a POINTS value of only 3 per serving, but still feel 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.

Diet Soda Cake

2009-07-23T19:08:00.002-05:00

This was dubbed by another WW leader as the "best" Diet Soda Cake. Sounds rather good and as birthday month approaches quickly, perhaps I'll try it!

Best Diet Soda Cake
12 servings at 4 points each

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
1 tsp Almond Extract
1 can White Diet Soda
1 pkg Sugar Free/Fat Free Pistachio Pudding

Mix all ingredients together. Spray 9x13 pan with non stick spray and pour mixture in. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Note: Can put in muffin pan if desired. Makes 12 muffins.

It's official

2009-07-01T22:58:00.000-05:00

It's official gang - I just signed up to run a marathon in October!

The money has been paid.... there is no turning back now!

What are the biggest mistakes people make when dieting?

2009-06-17T05:40:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone! This question (and their answer) came on the Hungry Girl e-zine recently. Their answer follows.... but I'd love to hear YOUR thoughts on the matter. Comment and let me know what YOU think. - Patti

Dear Hungry Girl,

What do you think are the biggest mistakes people make when dieting? Are there any secrets? I keep losing and gaining the same 20 lbs. Ugh!
Diet Diva

Dear DD,
There are many mistakes people tend to make when dieting. I'm going to list some of the biggies. And remember, this is just my opinion.

1. Following fad diets. I'm not a fan of fad diets. They don't teach you how to eat in a way you can live with forever. Sure, if you follow a set plan for a limited time, you can lose weight. The hard part is maintaining that weight loss in the long term. If you try to stick with the fad diet's style of eating, it's very likely you'll eventually give up or get bored. If you go back to your old eating habits, you regain the weight. This is a huge problem and the reason why I don't recommend fad dieting.

2. Skipping meals. If you skip meals you'll only end up hungrier and more likely to eat too much and/or the wrong thing. It's that simple. Eat breakfast. Eat lunch. And eat dinner!

3. Drinking calories. Sheesh! Drinking your calories is a WASTE... really. It's much more satisfying to chew food than it is to drink stuff. Having a low-calorie liquid swap is fine -- like treating yourself to one of our Swappuccinos or a diet hot cocoa when you're craving the real thing. But it's too easy to sip an extra 300 - 500 calories a day if you drink calorie-packed beverages. Avoid those and stick with water for the most part.

4. Living in denial. Don't pretend there are no calories in condiments, that a salad is healthy and diet-friendly no matter what, and that food you eat while standing (or on an airplane, etc., etc.) doesn't count. It ALL counts!

5. Not reading labels. READ LABELS, people! And read them CAREFULLY. Take note of serving sizes and servings per package. This is KEY.

There you have it... those are five mistakes that are very common. And no, there are no real secrets to dieting -- except that you need to find a way to eat that'll work for you FOREVER. That's the one thing people tend to forget -- the forever factor.

I rocked the Bellin 10k run!

2009-06-14T20:23:00.003-05:00

So yesterday was the Bellin 10k run and I so totally rocked it! I really had not timed myself prior to this, but had a pretty good feel that I may be able to break an hour. So I set out and tried to keep a pace that was good for me. Not too slow and not killer. When I was coming around the corner at 6 miles and I saw the gun time I thought, I might be able to break an hour if I push it the last 3 blocks. So I tried to step it up a bit and push it to the end. Well come to find out I had an extra 2 minutes on my calculation because I didn't pass the starting line until 2 minutes after my wave started. Long story short - I finished in 56:28! An average of 9:06 minute miles. A personal best, thank you very kindly. In fact, in 1990 (when I was REALLY 29) I ran it in 58:43. So there you have it. I'm running faster now than ever before.

Next goal - running a marathon in October. I'll keep you posted on how the training is coming along.

In the meantime, NEVER doubt your abilities to do something better than you ever have before. Never say never.

Choose good carbs

2009-06-12T07:16:00.002-05:00

Choose good carbs, not no carbs. Whole grains are your best bet.

Whole Wheat Bread - Don't be misled by fad diets that make blanket pronouncements on the dangers of carbohydrates. They provide the body with fuel it needs for physical activity and for proper organ function, and they are an important part of a healthy diet. But some kinds of carbohydrates are far better than others.

The best sources of carbohydrates—whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans—promote good health by delivering vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a host of important phytonutrients. (Can you say Filling Foods First gang?)

Easily digested carbohydrates from white bread, white rice, pastries, sugared sodas, and other highly processed foods may contribute to weight gain, interfere with weight loss, and promote diabetes and heart disease.

My source for the above? The Harvard School of Public Health. So believe it.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

2009-06-09T18:42:00.002-05:00

This sounds yummy!

1 - 15pz can pumpkin
1 - 18.3 oz fudge brownie mix (family size)
2 Tbsp low fat peanut butter (Better N' Peanut Butter) - at room temp

Combine pumpkin and brownie mix until smooth. Spread in prepared 8 x 8 pan.

Dot top with peanut butter and use knife to swirl around. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Will look undercooked - very thick and fudgy. Remove from oven and cover with tin foil. Cool in the fridge.

36 servings at 1 point each

tasting touching hearing seeing breathing

2009-06-03T06:30:00.003-05:00

MY DAUGHTER GAVE ME A POSTER FOR CHRISTMAS WITH THIS POEM BY ee cummings ON IT. IT HANGS IN FRONT OF MY ELLIPTICAL AND I'VE READ IT OFTEN THIS PAST WINTER. I REALLY LIKE IT AND IT SPEAKS TO ME IN THE PROCESS OF EMBRACING LIFE AND REMOVING THE CONTROL FOOD HAS OVER ME. I WANTED TO SHARE IT WITH YOU.... ENJOY -

i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday;this is the birth
day of life and love and wings:and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any--lifted from the no
of all nothing--human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

-ee cummings

Strawberry Blueberry Trifle - it's a celebration!

2009-05-21T06:25:00.005-05:00

I originally posted this almost a year ago to the day, but feel it needs repeating as we head into Memorial Day weekend and summer picnics. This is an excellent choice to make for friends and family! Enjoy the holiday and God Bless!

Festive Angel Food & Berry Dessert

We 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

3 C. fat free skim milk
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.

You Don't Have To Run A Marathon - Just Move More Than You Have Been!

2009-05-17T16:53:00.004-05:00

The Bellin 10k run is coming up soon - the second weekend in June - and I"m getting excited about it already. I've been running and working out on my elliptical. I'll be ready Eddy!

It's been a long time in coming though and it was gradual working up to the fitness level where I could run a 10k. And I'll be honest, I could have done it a couple years ago if I'd wanted to. But I didn't want to and I think that's truly key to a successful exercise program. You have to want to do it. If you are forcing it, it won't last and lasting is the key component here.

Pick something you enjoy doing. Pick something you can see yourself doing "for the rest of your life". Take it on a little at a time. Step by step. I like to say, "we aren't asking you to sign up for a marathon, just move more than you have been". That's what I always say to my members at the WW meetings.... and here I am seriously considering training for a marathon. Holy catfish. I'll keep you posted.

Sabotaging Yourself with a Healthy Menu Item???

2009-05-15T07:51:00.001-05:00

Hey gang - what's your take on this!? Rather interesting I thought... and being aware of the possibility that we are doing this to ourselves helps us overcome it!

Healthy Menu Items May Sabotage Your Diet
Researchers Say Good Options Actually Lead to Bad Food Choices

By Bill Hendrick
WebMD Medical News Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

April 23, 2009 -- Maybe next time you see a tossed salad in a restaurant you should look the other way -- especially if you're on a diet -- because just seeing the healthy food on a menu may induce you to make a fattening choice, new research indicates.

Yes, that's counterintuitive, but it happens again and again, says Gavan Fitzsimons, PhD, professor of psychology and marketing at Duke University, who led the startling study of what he calls "vicarious goal fulfillment."

The team's findings are published online in the October issue of the Journal of Consumer Research.

"We've found that the presence of a healthy item leads people to choose the one that is the least healthy on the menu," Fitzsimons tells WebMD. "Just seeing the healthy item and considering it makes you feel you've done your duty. It's crazy, but it's human."

Participants in a study who'd scored high on measures of self-control relating to food avoided french fries and other unhealthy choices when they had only unhealthy items from which to choose. But if a side salad was added to the selection list, even the most disciplined were more likely to take the fries, the researchers say.

"The one takeaway from this that I think is important is that consumers have to be really conscious of this tendency to lower their self-control and indulge when a healthy option is available," researcher Keith Wilcox, a doctoral student at Baruch College, City University of New York, tells WebMD. "It appears that by simply considering a healthy option, consumers are being more indulgent. So consumers have to recognize that considering something good may lead to bad behavior."

Self-Control vs. Temptation

The researchers asked participants to select a food item from one of two pictorial menus. Half saw a menu of only unhealthy items, including fries, chicken nuggets, and a baked potato with butter and sour cream. The rest were given the same options plus the choice of a side salad.

More went straight for the most unhealthy choice when the salad was an option compared to when it wasn't.

Ironically, Wilcox says, "the effect was strongest among those consumers who normally had high levels of self-control."

Fitzsimons says the presence of a salad on the menu had a "liberating effect," freeing even the self-disciplined "to give in to temptation and make an unhealthy choice. In fact, when this happens, people become so detached from their health-related goals, they go to extremes and choose the least healthy item on the menu."

What's going on "is happening outside our conscious awareness," he tells WebMD. "People believe they are high in self-control, then walk up, see the healthy option, and somehow satisfy the health goal; then they have no goal and make an unhealthy choice. That's what we want to get out to the world -- that knowing your vulnerability gives you ammunition to resist."

Laurie Mintz, PhD, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia and an expert on eating and sex disorders, tells WebMD that people might be able to overcome vicarious goal fulfillment by constantly reminding themselves of their intentions. She suggests wearing a rubber band around the wrist and snapping it before ordering in a restaurant to practice self-control.

"If you see a salad and it doesn't look as good, it almost makes the other stuff look better," says Mintz, who is also a clinical psychologist. "There's a freeing effect, and you say, 'I might as well.'"

Norman Pollock, PhD, a nutrition professor at the Medical College of Georgia, says the study "provides us with another snapshot of the complex nature of eating habits. These observations provide additional information regarding possible factors involved in the etiology of obesity ."

The research, he tells WebMD, suggests that "interventions to enhance self-control and delay of gratification may be beneficial in the prevention of excessive weight gain ."

At its core, the study "confirms that we are sometimes our own worst enemies," Koert van Ittersum, a marketing professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, tells WebMD. "Once we feel we have done something right -- as in thinking about eating a salad -- we feel we deserve more. The mind plays tricks on us. We go in a coffee shop and pick up a muffin, which in our minds is something small, but in reality is huge, but our minds don't see that."

Fitzsimons says that since fast-food restaurants increased so-called healthy choices, sales have grown, but from "increases in sales of burgers and fries" and other fattening items.

"This is one of those human quirks that we may be able to overcome if we are conscious of it and make a concerted effort to stick to the healthy choices we know we should be making," Baruch College researcher, Lauren Block, PhD, says in a news release.

The researchers also found that participants also made unhealthy choices in other experiments. Most chose a bacon cheeseburger over a healthier veggie burger and also chose fattening chocolate-covered Oreos over cookies in a labeled 100-calorie pack.

"What [the study] shows is that adding one or two healthy items to a menu is essentially the worst thing you can do," Fitzsimons says. "This is all brand new research, showing that much of what we do is happening outside our consciousness."

The Cellcom Marathon

2009-05-15T07:23:00.002-05:00

Sunday is the Cellcom Marathon in Green Bay and I'm discovering the excitement around this cool event is high. It starts tonight with a health and fitness expo and Lambeau Field. What a great opportunity to learn a lot about making your lifestyle a healthy one. I'm going to check it out and I'll keep you posted!

Annual Physical

2009-05-13T21:44:00.002-05:00

I've been told that personal updates are the preferred posts so here goes....

Today I had my annual physical and I passed with flying colors.
Resting heart rate - 46
Blood pressure - 118 over 60
Oxygen - 100%
Cholesterol - results still out
Weight - 70 pounds less than my physical in 2003. Yes, 70 pounds lighter. That fact still blows me away sometimes.

How have I done it? I still eat very much to the regimen of the WW Core program or what is now considered the Filling Foods on the WW Momentum plan. I am very aware of eating only when I'm hungry and stopping when I'm satisfied. Not full. Not stuffed. Satisfied.

I also exercise from 30 - 45 minutes at least 6 days a week. Walking, biking, elliptical, running. Sometimes others, but mostly those four. Exercise has become enjoyable for me and I look forward to my work outs. I even get all "antsy" if I don't exercise.

It has been lifestyle changes and they weren't all made in the same day. Small steps at a time and today I am happy with my visit to the doc. I didn't use to feel that way.

It feels good.

Acts 17:28

2009-04-13T16:03:00.002-05:00

"In God we live and move and have our being." Acts 17:28

Isn't this a great bible verse? I just happened upon it and I really like it!

In GOD
We LIVE
We MOVE
We have our BEING

I like it!

Map This Walk, Run, Ride!

2009-04-08T20:02:00.002-05:00

I've posted the link here before, but consider it well worth repeating! I really like MapMyWalk.com. You can easily chart your walk, run or bike ride on the map and it tells you how far your route is. It's got a great training log and you can even track calories burned and weight if you want.

Turned out my little jaunt the other day was a whopping 4.53 miles! Awesome!

MapMyWalk.com Check it out! I like it!

Fudge...UNPUDGED!

2009-04-02T20:06:00.004-05:00

Hungry Girl (hungrygirl.com) has done it again. Armed with nothing but pumpkin, some brownie mix and a VERY lowfat PB, she’s whipped up a version of chocolate peanut butter fudge that's so low in calories and fat, it'll make you cry tears of joy. Here's the secret recipe...

Ingredients:
2 cups canned pure pumpkin

1 box Betty Crocker Fudge Brownies Mix (the 18.3-oz. Family Size box)

2 tbsp. Better ‘n Peanut Butter, room temperature

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine pumpkin with the brownie mix in a large bowl; stir until smooth (do not add anything else). Spray a small baking pan (8" X 8" work best - no larger!) with nonstick cooking spray and pour in the mixture. Spoon 2 tbsp. of Better ‘n Peanut Butter (room temperature) on top and use a knife to swirl peanut butter around. Cook for approximately 35 minutes. The batter will remain very thick and fudgy, and it should look undercooked. Remove from oven. Cover with aluminum foil and let cool in fridge for a couple of hours. Cut into 36 squares and serve.

Serving Size: 1 piece (approx. 1.3 oz.)
Calories: 63
Fat: 1g
Sodium: 56mg
Carbs: 13.5g
Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 9g
Protein: 1g

* 1 Point!

Building A Network of Support is Key....

2009-04-02T19:49:00.002-05:00

This is what Mayo Clinic has to say about it:
It doesn't take a scientific study to show that surrounding yourself with supportive family, friends and co-workers can have a positive effect on your mental well-being, but there's plenty of research to confirm it. A strong social support network can be critical to help you through the stress of tough times, whether you've had a bad day at work or a year filled with loss or chronic illness. It's never too soon to cultivate these important relationships — and your social support network can never have too many good friends.
What is a social support network?

A social support network is different from a support group. A social support network is made up of friends, family and peers, while a support group is generally a structured meeting run by a mental health professional. Although both can play an important role in times of stress, a social support network is something you can develop when you're not under stress, providing the comfort of knowing that your friends are there for you if you need them.

You don't need to formalize your support network with regular meetings or an official leader. A coffee break with a friend at work, a quick chat with a neighbor, a phone call to your sister, even a visit to church are all ways to reduce stress while fostering lasting relationships with the people close to you.
Benefits of a social support network

The positive effects of a support network include:

* Sense of belonging. Spending time with people helps ward off loneliness. Whether it's other new moms, dog lovers, fishing buddies or siblings, just knowing you're not alone can go a long way toward coping with stress.
* Increased sense of self-worth. Having people who call you a friend reinforces the idea that you're a good person to be around.
* Feeling of security. By reaching out and sharing yourself with others, you have the added security of knowing that if you start to show signs of depression or exhibit unhealthy lifestyle habits, your friends can help alert you to the problem.

Cultivating your support network

The first step toward developing a strong support network is an evaluation of your own behavior as it relates to building and maintaining friendships. After all, relationships are a two-way street. The better a friend you are, the better your friends will be. Here are some suggestions for nurturing your relationships:

* Stay in touch. Answering phone calls, returning e-mails and reciprocating invitations let people know you care.
* Be proactive. Don't wait for someone else to make the first move. If you meet someone you think could be a good friend, invite him or her for coffee. Or be the one to strike up a conversation while in line at the grocery store.
* Know when to say "no" and when to say "yes." Spending time with people who aren't supportive can add stress and take away valuable time. On the other hand, don't decline an invitation because you feel shy or insecure.
* Don't compete. Be happy instead of jealous when your friends succeed, and they'll celebrate your accomplishments in return.
* Be a good listener. Find out what's important to your friends — you might find you have even more in common than you think.
* Challenge yourself. Keep looking for ways to improve. Maybe it's by complaining less, being more generous or forgiving others' faults.
* Don't overdo it. In your zeal to extend your social network, be careful not to overwhelm friends and family with phone calls and e-mails. Save those high-demand times for when you really need them.
* Appreciate your friends and family. Take time to say thank you and express how important they are to you.

Adding to your support network

Ready for more friends, but not sure where to find them? Here are some ideas for extending your social network:

* Visit the park. Whether you bring your dog, your kids or your running shoes, you'll have something to talk about.
* Volunteer. Pick a cause that's important to you, and you're sure to meet others who share a similar value system.
* Ask a friend. Next time you meet a friend for lunch, ask him or her to bring along someone else.
* Go back to school. A local college or community education course puts you in contact with others who share similar hobbies or pursuits.
* Look online. In-person relationships may be best, but if you're living in a small town or living abroad, you might find added support through chat rooms or online bulletin boards. Many good sites exist for people going through stressful times, such as chronic illness, loss of a loved one, new baby, divorce and other life changes. Just be sure to stick to reputable sites, and be cautious about arranging person-to-person meetings.

A cautionary tale

Remember that the goal of extending your social support network is to reduce your stress level, not add to it. Here are some things to look out for when evaluating your relationships:

* Manage obligatory social ties. Some evidence shows that the negative consequences of maintaining obligatory relationships, such as with certain relatives or co-workers, can outweigh the benefits. Although you may not be able to cut ties with a nagging in-law, look for ways to manage the relationship so that it doesn't become a stressor for you.
* Beware of codependents. A support system with people who are engaged in the same unhealthy behaviors that you're trying to overcome — whether it's substance abuse or simply a negative attitude — can be damaging to your well-being.
* Avoid a sense of duty. The best support systems have no strings attached. If your peers are constantly demanding repayment for their efforts, or you feel pressured to conform to their beliefs, you're probably better off without them.
* Pick the right supporter. If you need help through a hard time, consider carefully which friend or family member to ask. A sibling might not be the best choice, for example, in dealing with grief over a lost parent because he or she too is affected by the loss.

The bottom line: More friends, less stress

It's always a good time to make more friends or improve on the relationships you already have. Whether you're the one getting the support or the one doling out the encouragement, you'll reap the rewards of comfort and compassion.

Staying On Plan and On A Budget

2009-03-31T15:53:00.002-05:00

10 Smart Saving Tips from the Weight Watcher website.

1. Limit impulse purchases.
"Go to the store with a shopping list," says Mercer. And stick to it.

2. Buy in season.
Blueberries are a cheap treat come summer but practically an investment once it's fall. Consider growing some of your own produce as well.

3. Use coupons.
Sign up for your supermarket's shopper discount card, too.

4. Purchase sale items in bulk.
"Use the same main ingredient and dress it up differently," Mercer suggests. Turn ground beef into chili, burritos and a topping for baked potatoes. Plus, freeze some beef for the weeks to come.

5. Buy generic.
Follow this rule except when you know a certain brand is of higher quality. A major national brand of sliced Swiss cheese recently sold for $4.49 per half pound versus $3.49 for the store brand (priced on shoprite.com).

6. Think whole foods.
"The more processed foods you buy, the higher the price," Mercer says. Even a banana in pricey New York City only costs a quarter whereas a small candy bar costs at least 75 cents.

7. Do it from scratch.
"You're paying more for convenience," says Mercer. So grate your own cheese and shred your own lettuce.

8. Shift those proportions.
Use pricey meats as an accent; not the main event. For instance, skip the pork chops and cook up a pork stir-fry.

9. Load up on beans.
Meat is expensive, says Mercer. A pound of 85% lean ground beef purchased on shoprite.com costs $3.69. A 1-pound can of black beans? A mere 50 cents.

10. Shop at wholesale food stores.
Some examples include Costco, Sam's Club, BJ's and more. Make sure you know prices, though, to guarantee a savings.

Exploding Chicken Taquitos from Hungry Girl

2009-03-31T06:52:00.002-05:00

I haven't tried them yet, but they look yummy!
Let me know how they turn out! Patti

These li'l Mexican treats are so stuffed, they're almost guaranteed to crack a bit when you bake 'em in the oven -- hence the name "Exploding." De verdad!

Ingredients:
8 small (6-inch) yellow corn tortillas
One 9.75-oz. (or 10-oz.) can 98% fat-free chunk white chicken breast in water, drained well
1/2 cup salsa
1/3 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp. dry taco seasoning mix
Optional: red enchilada sauce, additional salsa, fat-free sour cream, for dipping

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken and salsa, and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Remove chicken mixture from the fridge, and drain any excess liquid. Add cheese and taco seasoning, and mix to combine. This is your filling. Set aside.

Prepare a baking sheet by spraying with nonstick spray, and set it aside.

Dampen two paper towels, and place tortillas between them. Microwave for about 1 minute, until tortillas are warm and pliable.

Take one tortilla (keep the rest between the paper towels), spray both sides lightly with nonstick spray, and lay it flat on a clean dry surface. Spoon about 2 heaping tbsp. of filling onto the tortilla. Spread it evenly across the entire surface, and roll tortilla up tightly, so that you have a cigar-shaped tube. Secure with toothpicks and place seam-side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

Bake for 14 - 16 minutes, until crispy. Allow taquitos to cool for 5 minutes. If you like, dunk in enchilada sauce, salsa, or sour cream!

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Serving Size: 2 taquitos
Calories: 197
Fat: 2.5g
Sodium: 594mg
Carbs: 22.5g
Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 2g
Protein: 20.5g

POINTS® value 4*

Are You Moving That Body? Let spring jumpstart you into action!

2009-03-18T07:23:00.004-05:00

Are you moving that beautiful body of yours? The weather in Wisconsin has been great the past couple days - have you been out moving as fast as the snow is melting? If not.... why not???! Get going, get your "groove on" and enjoy the sunshine. Then take that enthusiasm and keep it going (inside or outside) and don't lose that motivation.

A quick story for you -
I've been burning my stress energy on the elliptical this winter instead of diving into the kitchen cupboards. This past weekend I was talked into signing up for a 5K Run/Walk. I wasn't sure until the race started if I would walk it or run it. Well I broke into a run with the rest of the crowd and thanks to my steadfastness through the winter on my trusty elliptical I was able to RUN the whole thing - and even enjoy it! It actually felt easy. Crazy, I know!

Get moving my friends and stay mOtiv8ted - you'll be glad you did!

Let's Talk Food!

2009-03-10T06:54:00.002-05:00

Okay! Enough time spent on deep, inward thinking! (For now anyway....) Let's talk food!

My favorites lately:
Apples - Pink Lady or sometimes labeled Cripps Pink - sweet, crispy, juicy - really good
Sweet potatoes - baked whole or cut up and drizzled with a little olive oil and then baked on a cookie sheet as "fries"
Grapes - mostly green ones! I take them along to work to munch on at snack time!
Chicken or Beef Barley soup - the recipe on the side of the barley box is a great one. I put it in single portions and freeze it; then I can just grab one and take it to work for lunch.
Rotisserie Chicken - fast and yummy. The leftovers work great in the barley soup.
Oatmeal made with non-fat vanilla (SF) yogurt and then some kind of fruit ie: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, bananas or a spoonful of peanut butter.

Yum!

Growth through disappointment

2009-03-07T21:16:00.001-06:00

Every disappointment is important. It is part of life and cannot be avoided. Disappointments are necessary! You grow by losing and then accepting the loss. Change occurs through loss and disappointment. Growth occurs through loss and disappointment. Life takes on a deeper and richer meaning because of them. The better you handle them, the healthier you will be and the more you will grow. No one said that loss and disappointment was fair, but it is part of life.

Is it going to be easy?

2009-02-23T18:08:00.002-06:00

As we are learning a new way of eating - a new lifestyle - we could smile and say, "it's easy" but we'd be lying to ourselves and to everyone else. It will be easy at times.... but there will be times that it will feel downright hard! For inspiration, let me share the story of Admiral Jim Stockdale.

Jim Stockdale was the highest-ranking officer in the "Hanoi Hilton" POW camp from 1965 to 1973. He was deprived of his rights under the Geneva Convention, tortured over twenty times, and often wondered if he would ever see his family again. In his book Good to Great, Jim Collins quotes Admiral Stockdale as saying, "I never lost faith in the end of the story." And when Collins asked "Who didn't make it out?" Stockdale replied, "Oh, that's easy. The optimists." "The optimists," Collins said, "I don't understand." To which the Admiral replied, "The optimists were the ones who said, 'We're going to be out by Christmas.' And Christmas would come, and Christmas would go. Then they'd say, 'We're going to be out by Easter.' And Easter would come, and Easter would go. And then Thanksgiving, and then it would be Christmas again. And they died of a broken heart. This is a very important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they may be."

I think his story is a really powerful one and fits many hardships in life... including our weight loss journey. It won't always be easy, but if we are convinced that:
1) This is not the last chapter in our life (basic optimism) and
2) That we are honest with ourselves that yes, we will suffer, however it will get better.

Thank God everyday you didn't have to live this concept the way he did.

In all struggles in life hold tight to the fact that next chapter is an awesome one!

Faith vs Fear....Positive vs Negative

2009-02-20T22:32:00.003-06:00

Great conversations this week on positive thought versus negative thought. Think you can or think you can't....either way you're right! (thanks Henry Ford) It's one of those head things that is crucial to your success on many levels. Weight Watchers considers it a Helpful Habit and I consider it key to my mental well being! I saw the following and really like it so thought I'd share....

THE CHOICE IS YOURS

Do you know what Fear and Faith have in common? A future that hasn’t happened yet. Fear believes in a negative future. Faith believes in a positive future. Both believe in something that has not yet happened. So I ask you, if neither the positive or negative future has happened yet then why not choose to believe in the positive future? What do you have to lose but the fear that is sabotaging your joy and success?

I believe during these challenging times we have a choice between two roads. The positive road and the negative road. And our bus can’t be on two roads at the same time. So we have to make a choice and this choice determines our belief about the future and the attitude and actions we bring to the present…

Your faith and belief in a positive future leads to powerful actions today. The future has not happened yet and you have a say in what it looks like by the way you think and act. Fear or Faith. The choice is yours. - Jon Gordon

Another thing in life that is a choice.....

Do You Love Yourself?

2009-02-13T19:50:00.003-06:00

"Love takes time… It also takes energy and trust and choice. Whether the love is between parent and child, husband and wife, or love of yourself, love takes all these things.... love takes time, love takes energy, love takes trust. Love takes the choice to love.

So, this Valentine's Day, think… about real love, in all its forms. As Paul says [in 1 Corinthians 13], "it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things." It takes time, energy, trust and choice."

And with that said, loving yourself in your weight loss jouney, in life, is key. It takes time to accept it. It takes time to plan it. It takes energy, trust and the choice to love yourself.

Love yourself my friends. It is so worth it...and so are you!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Feeling Out of Control?

2009-02-04T14:35:00.004-06:00

Control in our lives is an issue. It can be a big deal. There are so many things happening around us these days that we have absolutely no control over and we often times feel helpless to make an impact on the outcome.

Now, that may be true of many things in our outside world... but when it comes to food, don't kid yourselves my friends, you have control. There is no one force feeding you. There is no one on this earth who has more control over what goes into your mouth than YOU do. (In hindsight I realized that when I lost my weight a couple years ago, food was the ONLY thing in my life I felt I could control.)

So if you feel out of control in the area of food, what do you do? I've got a few thoughts that might help.

1)Get a plan. A plan that works for you.
2)Start with small changes. Just focus on one thing a day...or a week. When that comes naturally, then make another change.
3)Get a support network of friends. If it can't be your family or close friends (because some just are not supportive of our efforts) then find that support elsewhere. Join Weight Watchers, find support in a co-worker, or neighbor, or friend from church. Someone somewhere will be happy to do the journey with you. Don't be afraid to reach out to them.
4)Realize that it may not be easy at first. You are changing habits that have been in place for a long time.
5) Remind yourself that you are the BOSS about what goes into your mouth! (No matter how often Aunt Helga puts food in front of you and says, "eat, eat" YOU are still the boss. Ya, ya, ya!)
6)If you have no idea where to start... start with eating a fraction of what you normally would. Eat 3/4 or 1/2 of what you normally put on your plate. Start by eliminating fried foods. Start by eating 3 pieces of fruit each day.
7) Pray about it. Fall to your knees and ask for help!
8)Celebrate your successes whether they are big or small. Celebrate!

You ARE in control - it just may be that you haven't realized it yet.
Good luck and lots of power to ya!

Do It Anyway

2009-01-25T19:59:00.002-06:00

This was found written on the wall in Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta:

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

It Really Comes Down to Choices

2009-01-24T19:26:00.003-06:00

Everything in life comes down to choices... from the attitude you choose for the day to the food you eat. Take a look at the following comparison.

1 individual Little Debbie Cake is EQUAL to all of the following foods combined:

1 apple, 1 banana, 1 orange, 5 cups light popcorn, 2 slices light bread, 1 cup grapes, and 1 container of unsweetened apple sauce.

That totally amazes me.

Personally, I choose to have a great attitude each day and I choose to eat foods that will fill me up without a bojillion calories. (Most of the time anyway!)

Always consider your choices.

The Eight Traits of Emotional Hunger

2009-01-20T21:02:00.001-06:00

Emotional and physical hunger can feel identical, unless you’ve learned to identify their distinguishing characteristics.
The next time you feel voraciously hungry, look for these signals that your appetite may be based on emotions
rather than true physical need. This awareness may head off an emotional overeating episode.

Source: Virtue, Doreen. Constant Craving A-Z. (Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, 1999).

Emotional Hunger

1. Is sudden. One minute you’re not thinking about
food, the next minute you’re starving. Your hunger
goes from 0-60 within a short period of time.

2. Is for a specific food. Your cravings are for one
specific type of food, such as chocolate, pasta, or a
cheeseburger. With emotional eating, you feel you
need to eat that particular food. No substitute will do!

3. Is "above the neck." An emotionally based
craving begins in the mouth and mind. Your mouth
wants to taste that pizza or chocolate doughnut. Your
mind whirls with thoughts about your desired food.

4. Is urgent. Emotional hunger urges you to eat
NOW to instantly ease emotional pain with food.

5. Is paired with an upsetting emotion. Your
boss yelled at you. Your child is in trouble at school.
Your spouse is in a bad mood. Emotional hunger
occurs in conjunction with an upsetting situation.

6. Involves automatic or absent-minded eating.
Emotional eating can feel as if someone else’s hand is
scooping up the ice cream and putting it into your
mouth ("automatic eating"). You may not notice that
you’ve eaten a bag of cookies (absent-mined eating).

7. Does not notice or stop eating, in response
to fullness. Emotional overeating stems from a
desire to cover up painful feelings. The person stuffs
herself to deaden her troubling emotions and will eat
second and third helpings, even though her stomach
may hurt from over-fullness.

8. Feels guilty about eating. The paradox of
emotional over eating is that the person eats to feel
better and ends up berating herself for eating
cookies, cakes, or cheeseburgers. She promises
atonements to herself ("I'll start my diet tomorrow.")

Physical Hunger

1. Is gradual. Your stomach rumbles. One hour later, it
growls. Physical hunger gives you steadily progressive clues
that it’s time to eat.

2. Is open to different foods. With physical hunger, you
may have food preferences, but they are flexible. You are
open to alternative choices.

3. Is based in the stomach. Physical hunger is
recognizable by stomach sensations. You feel gnawing,
rumbling, emptiness, and even pain in your stomach with
physical hunger.

4. Is patient. Physical hunger would prefer that you ate
soon, but doesn’t command you to eat at that instant.

5. Occurs out of physical need. Physical hunger occurs
because it has been four or five hours since your last meal.
You may experience light-headedness or low energy if overly
hungry.

6. Involves deliberate choices and awareness of the
eating. With physical hunger, you are aware of the food on
your fork, in your mouth, and in your stomach. You
consciously choose whether to eat half your sandwich or the
whole thing.

7. Stops when full. Physical hunger stems from a desire to
fuel and nourish the body. As soon as that intention is
fulfilled, the person stops eating.

8. Realizes eating is necessary. When the intent behind
eating is based in physical hunger, there¹s no guilt or shame.
The person realizes that eating, like breathing oxygen, is a
necessary behavior.

Fennel and Onion Smothered Steak

2009-01-19T19:24:00.003-06:00

I promised I'd start posting some of my favorite WW recipes so here goes:

I normally advise you to run the other direction when you see the word "smothered" describing a food dish, but not this one! This one is very, very good and has been declared "the best 'fat' recipe you ever made" by a very reliable source. I've made it several times and it was always met with a thumbs up.

Ingredients:
3 teas olive oil
1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced (I've also used fennel seeds when needed)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 teas dried tarragon
3/4 teas salt
1/4 teas freshly ground pepper
1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
2 (1/2 pound) boneless sirloin steaks, trimmed of visible fat and each cut crosswise in half

1) Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fennel, onion, garlic, tarragon, 1/4 teas of the salt, and 1/8 teas of the pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until fennel and onion are very soft and golden, about 11 minutes. Add the broth and cook until almost evaporated, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

2) Sprinkle the steaks with the remaining 1/2 teas salt and 1/8 teas pepper. Heat the remaining 1 teas oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steaks and cook until browned, about 2 minutes on each side. Add the fennel mixture and cook, stirring constantly to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, until the steaks are done to taste and the liquid thickens, about 1 minute for medium-rare or about 3 minutes for well done. Serve at once.

Note: Lean sirloin benefits from a shorter cooking time to stay tender. So if you prefer your steak well done, cut the sirloin into very thin slices or substitute beef tenderloin in the recipe.

Makes 4 servings.
Per serving (1/2 steak with about 1/4 cup fennel mixture): 206 calories, 10 g fat, 2 g fiber. Points value 5 for flex/momentum - recipe is core/all filling foods.

Filling Foods First!

2009-01-07T21:53:00.002-06:00

I have come to realize that our food choices are SO key to managing our weight long term. I'm so glad that the WW Momentum program has finally honed in on this.

I have a news flash for you my friends, "Not all points are created equal." I can eat fruits, veggies, lean meats, fat-free dairy and whole wheat grains galore and be more filled up and satisfied than chowing down on fat and sugar laden items. For instance...we could eat one "gotta have it" ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery OR we could eat healthy, filling food for the WHOLE day! Choose your points wisely!

Okay - think of your car. Would you consider filling the gas tank with fat and sugar and expecting it to run flawlessly day after day? No Way! You fill the tank with what it needs to run well. Why would you not do the same for your body? Your body is a well-tuned machine that runs hour after hour, day after day, year after year. Doesn't it just make sense that we would fill it with great fuel (and perhaps take it out for a run/walk now and again?)

Not all points ARE created equal. Choose from FILLING FOODS FIRST and you'll definately feel more full and satisfied. This I can guarantee and promise you.

Now, as my daughter says, "Bacher out."

core pancakes

2009-01-03T10:17:00.003-06:00

Quick core tip: core pancakes

1/4 cup oatmeal
1 egg
~ 1/2 tbsp water
optional: 1 packet calorie free sweetener (e.g. stevia, natural herbal sweetener), vanilla, or spices of your choice

Mix well and fry up like a pancake! Add fresh fruit on top or just eat plain. It's not terribly low in points, but satisfying when plain oatmeal has gotten boring. You can also simply add an egg to the ww oatmeal cups - they have fruit and such added in already, and are delicious, but a little more expensive.

1 cake = 4 pts
2 cakes = 10 pts

Thanks for this entry Katie! I love it when you add posts....Patti

Goals for 2009

2008-12-29T20:42:00.003-06:00

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.

Post Christmas Reflections with New Years Peaking Around the Corner

2008-12-26T07:07:00.003-06:00

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.

Christmas is Just Around the Bend - What's the Plan?

2008-12-19T07:22:00.002-06:00

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

Poached Eggs- Not as hard as they look!

2008-12-13T10:45:00.002-06:00

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!

JOY!

2008-12-09T22:24:00.001-06:00

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's a HoliDAY...not a HoliWEEK!

2008-11-26T06:45:00.003-06:00

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.

Pumpkin Bread = Comfort Bread

2008-11-19T07:53:00.002-06:00

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

Time for Change

2008-11-05T07:22:00.002-06:00

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!

Joy!

2008-10-22T06:27:00.001-05:00

They said the day would come...

2008-10-19T16:30:00.002-05:00

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:

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.

I decided these were the items I will focus on this week. I will exercise, but it won't be in the written plan until next week.

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.

How Many Steps?

2008-09-30T18:16:00.004-05:00

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.

"I tore up 4 miles of single track!"

2008-09-23T20:18:00.003-05:00

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.

Sometimes 60 feels easier than 10

2008-09-20T15:06:00.004-05:00

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!

Can I Buy Just HALF A Cookie?

2008-09-15T19:19:00.002-05:00

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

"It's probably just a food baby. Did you have a big lunch?"

2008-09-14T14:01:00.002-05:00

"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.

Fall Is Here - Do Your Jeans Fit?

2008-09-05T08:41:00.003-05:00

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!

For the Sashimi Lovers

2008-09-03T21:47:00.004-05:00

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!!!!

Jean Nidetch Interview

2008-08-10T17:45:00.000-05:00

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

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.

Trigger Toning!

2008-07-22T22:03:00.002-05:00

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.

I need your help!

2008-07-18T19:09:00.005-05:00

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!

What street are you walking down?

2008-07-17T19:45:00.002-05:00

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?

You Scream - I Scream - We All Scream for Ice Cream!

2008-07-14T13:07:00.002-05:00

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.

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.

How Important is WHEN????

2008-07-13T21:15:00.002-05:00

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

2008-07-13T11:46:00.000-05:00

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.

2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
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.

Guacamole!

2008-07-08T11:02:00.002-05:00

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*

How Nutrition Affects Your Hair

2008-07-03T11:12:00.001-05:00

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!

- 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

Cool New Gadget

2008-07-02T10:43:00.004-05:00

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

Grilled Asian Burgers with Onion and Pineapple

2008-06-29T07:47:00.002-05:00

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.

Alternative to ginormous deep-fried onion thingees

2008-06-28T17:00:00.003-05:00

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*

Bulgaria's (Шопска салата) Shopska Salad - yummy!

2008-06-26T05:46:00.007-05:00

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!