How Important is WHEN????

I came across this article today and thought I'd share it. Interesting...... what do you think?

Is When You Eat Important?

Do you eat by the clock? Skip breakfast or lunch? Avoid snacking as a weight control strategy? If you answered yes to any of these questions, keep reading and learn how to change the timing of your meals and snacks to control not only hunger, but weight.

Our structured lifestyle has led many of us to believe that we must eat at certain times of the day. Many people routinely skip breakfast and lunch due either to time constraints or to a misguided weight-control strategy. Society and weight loss programs have taught us to believe that snacking is bad and should be avoided. Stop listening to others, and listen to YOUR body instead.

Overeating by definition means consuming more calories than our body needs at that point in time. Whenever we overeat, our body stores any extra calories as fat. Fat cells have a seemingly unlimited ability to grow to accommodate more stored calories. The defining factor in the growth of fat cells is the AMOUNT of calories eaten and the REASON they are eaten.

So, how often should I eat?

In the best of worlds, we would eat when we were hungry and stop when we were full. Sound impossible? Watch a six-month-old baby. She cries when hungry, and most certainly stops eating when full. If a baby can do it, so can we.

Try the following:

Instead of eating by the clock, or avoiding snacks because you think they are bad for you, listen to your body. Figure out how your body tells you it's hungry. Does your stomach rumble? Do you become listless and tired? Learn to separate physical hunger from so-called mouth hunger. Physical hunger is our body telling us it needs fuel to continue to function. Mouth hunger is our brain commanding us to eat brownies because we’re stressed. What type of hunger causes you to consume most of your calorie intake?

How much should I eat?

Just as you can relearn your hunger signals, you can also relearn your body's satiety signals. Eat slowly and mindfully, paying attention to how the food tastes, how it feels in your mouth, and how your body feels while you are eating. Stop every five to ten minutes and assess your satiety level. Am I full? Still hungry? Or perhaps I am thirsty. Stop eating when your body signals it is pleasantly full, not stuffed to the point of undoing your belt.

The bottom line:

Instead of paying attention to the clock or the latest fad diet plan, learn to listen to the ultimate expert: your body. Decode your body's messages and eating becomes more natural and less stressful. When you listen to those messages, you are naturally more comfortable, and you'll incline toward the weight your body is meant to be.

Source: http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage written by Lynn Grieger

CREAMY CUCUMBER DIP

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!

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

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

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

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

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!

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!

chocolate smoothie

Here's one more core smoothie idea that can help satisfy a sweet craving :

1 banana
1/2 C. nonfat yogurt (plain or any flavor of choice)
1/2 C. water or milk (depending on thickness)
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (2 tbsp = 0 pts)
2 packets stevia (natural herbal sweetener- you can add more if you prefer sweeter chocolate, this has a nice rich dark flavor)

blend and enjoy!

green smoothies- they're core!

Hi everyone!

My name is Katie, and I'm Patti's daughter-in-law. Patti invited me to contribute to her blog and I'm really excited to put some of my favorite recipes up. I hope you guys like them as much as I do!
I'm doing the core plan, so most (if not all of my recipes) will be core. I will also try to note the points values, too, when I can.

To start today: Green Smoothies! Or any smoothie, really , but they're more fun when they're green . Try not to be scared! This is an easy way to get in your fruits and veggies. I like them for an afternoon snack.

Easy as pie: fruit + leafy green + water or ff yogurt: toss in a blender = green smoothie! Generally I think these run 3 or 4 points apiece, but all you have to do is count what you toss in.

A few suggestions:
banana + 1 C. strawberries + 1 C. spinach, washed
banana + apple + 2 large kale leaves, stems removed
strawberries + ff yogurt + leaf lettuce

You can start with just fruit and yogurt if the green stuff freaks you out. It really does taste good, though! If you're feeling courageous, experiment with your fruit/greens ratio- you'd be surprised how many greens you can stuff in...A little milk is nice too, and some ice cubes can make it a little thicker. (They're a little hard on my blender, but Patti has no problem with hers.)

Feel free to also experiment with vanilla, cinnamon, stevia extract, or other spices/sweeteners for a little extra something.

One last suggestion- if you have the WW smoothie packets and you found them a little chalky like I did, try mixing them with a ripe banana and the same amount of water or milk. The banana adds the creaminess I think they're missing, takes care of the chalkiness, and adds a fruit to your health guidelines in place of a dairy serving. You'll get a couple of extra grams of fiber, too. I particularly liked it with the chocolate and the caramel latte mixes. (Also, if you mix water with the banana, it's the same number of points (3 total) as if you used only milk, for those on Flex.)

Happy blending!

Bulgaria!

I will be in Bulgaria with six other members of New Hope United Methodist Church for the next week and a half. I'm SO excited! A couple months ago we joined into a partnership with the Methodist Church in Russe, Bulgaria and we are going there to meet them and discover how we can best be in partnership together.

So while I'm gone, my sweet daughter-in-law, KT, who is a creative wiz in the kitchen is going to post a number of recipes and ideas for your enjoyment.

Have fun and I'll see you the end of June!
Thanks KT!
Patti

CHOICES!

I have been know to say that (over and over) that this is all about a lifestyle choice. Everything is a choice. Just how MUCH do you really want __________ (fill in the blank)? (ie: to wear your skinny jeans, to breathe easier after a flight of steps, to eat that ooey, gooey, goodness bar?)

Let's take a Little Debbie Cake for example. Yes, you can have one.... if you want to. But did you know the following:

One Little Debbie Cake EQUALS
(and when I say EQUALS I mean all the following items totalled together!)
1 apple, 1 banana, 1 orange, 5 cups light popcorn, 2 slices light bread, 1 cup grapes, AND 1 container unsweetened applesauce

So - you can have one Little Debbie Cake OR you can choose to have ALL those other things.

Everything is a choice - how hungry are you?

Angel Food Delight!

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.

STRAWBERRY PIE..can't believe I ate the whOle pie!

STRAWBERRY PIE

Only 7 Points…. For the WHOLE pie!

We laughed in the meeting room about the possibilities with this one…. 7 points, that’s lunch! I could take it for lunch and sit and eat the whole thing and watch everyone’s jaw drop as I eat the whole pie!

24 oz. fresh strawberries

2 cups water

1 small box sugar-free cook and serve vanilla pudding

1 small box sugar-free strawberry jello

12 oz. light cool whip

Put water, pudding and jello in sauce pan and stir until mixture boils. Pour over berries and chill for 4 – 6 hours. Cover with the cool whip and serve!

Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

8 oz package fat free cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp lemon juice

44 medium strawberries, whole

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

In a small mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice until smooth and creamy, set aside. Using a paring knife, hollow out the top of each strawberry to a depth or approximately 3/4". Gently fill each with cream cheese mixture using a pastry bag just slightly above the tops. Place them on a cookie sheet as you do this. Once all of the strawberries are filled, dip each top into the graham cracker crumbs and place back onto the cookie sheets. Place the cookie sheets into the refrigerator and leave them for a few hours or overnight to completely chill.

4 strawberries= 1 point
Thanks to Deb for this one!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Recipe #2

Hi everyone! Thought I'd post this Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie recipe for your holiday enjoyment. Rumor has it this is fantastic (I plan to make it very soon based on Tanya's recommendation.) Have a great holiday weekend!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

9 servings/ 3 points each

8 Tablespoons Peanut Butter

4 oz. Sugar-free Fat-free Choc Pudding Mix

4 oz. Sugar-free Fat-free Vanilla Pudding Mix

3 Cups Skim Milk

5 Sheets Graham Crackers

Layer graham crackers flat in a 9x9 inch pan.

Mix peanut butter, vanilla pudding and ½ of the milk and pour over the crackers.

Mix chocolate pudding and the rest of the milk then pour over the peanut butter mixture.

Refrigerate and serve.

Serving suggestion – Sounds like it would also be good if you put pudding layers in between two graham cracker squares, wrap in saran wrap and freeze for a yummy “ice cream” sandwich. If anyone tries this before I get a chance… let me know how it works!

MapMyWalk.Com

You have got to try MapMyWalk.Com! It's the best thing since sliced bread! I just heard about it today and when I got back from my walk I mapped it out on the website and it's really nifty.

Tonight I walked 3.88 miles and after creating a FREE profile I mapped it and started a training log so I can track my exercise going forward.

As I learn more about it I'll keep you posted - but so far I think it's pretty cool.

Here's a link for your convenience ...... MapMyWalk.com

Calories Burned During Activity

Ever wonder how many calories you burn during various activities? Well I tell you it's quite the eye-opener. I had fun checking out some of the different fun things I've been doing. Did you know that playing ping pong for an hour burns about the same amount of calories as walking briskly? (Who'd have thought?)

Here's a link to a site where you can plug in your activity and determine how many calories you'll burn based on your height, weight, age and gender. Calorie Burning Calculator

Lose Weight and Save Money!

Here's just a teaser....

Replace 1 - 20 oz. regular soda with water five days a week and you'll save
(drum roll please....)

65,000 calories and $390.00! (Holy catfish Batman!)

So check out this link for the whole dealio. It's kinda interesting I thought.
Joy Bauer's Article on msnbc.com

WW Margarita Recipe

Cinco de Mayo is almost here! How about a WW Margarita Recipe?

Mix the following in a blender:
1/8 cup Lime Juice
1 tube WW lemonaid mix in
10 ice cubes
1.5 oz tequila
After mixing well, add:
1 can diet white soda

The whole blender is only 2 points!

Salud!