What's Causing Your Plateau?

Article By: WeightWatchers. com

Different situations potentially contribute to a slowdown in weight loss. The first step to overcome the plateau is understanding what's causing it.

"Weight loss revolves around all aspects of your lifestyle — sleep, stress, even mood," says Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, LDN, the director of sports medicine nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. "And if you're neglecting one of these, you may be sabotaging your success."

Whether you're a Flex Plan or Core Plan® user, here are the common reasons for plateaus with strategies to get your weight-loss efforts back on track.

"I haven't been focusing on portion sizes as much."

If you're on the Flex Plan, refocus on using visual cues to estimate portion sizes. Make sure you're using the correct POINTS® values for the portion you're eating. Check out the Portion Primer for a pictorial guide to common portion sizes.

"I've been eating past my Comfort Zone."

If you're a Core Plan user and you haven't been paying attention to your Comfort Zone lately, make a commitment to start listening to your body's cues for feeling satisfied. Read Discover Your Comfort Zone to learn more about gauging your hunger and how to stop when you feel full.

"I haven't been working out much lately."

Commit to earning at least 1 activity POINTS value (preferably 2 or 3) per day.

If time is an issue, consider increasing the intensity of your workout rather than the length of it. For instance, instead of walking for 15 minutes, try jogging.

Exercise helps lower stress. Many people avoid the gym when they're anxious or overloaded, thinking they don't have time. Kelli Calabrese, MS, an exercise physiologist and editor of Personal Fitness Professional magazine, points out that, "Exercise is one of the best things you can do to bring your stress level down." And since stress is often linked to overeating, reducing it will help you stick to good eating habits.

"I've been taking a new medication recently."

Check with your pharmacist or physician to see if the medication you're taking can cause weight gain. If it does, ask if there's an alternative.

If you're taking an over-the-counter medication, check the label for added calories. If your medication does have calories, compare labels of other products to see if there is an alternative with less or no calories.

Have you been tossing and turning all night long? "If you don't sleep enough, your body looks for another way to find energy," says Bonci. "More often than not, that means you end up overeating just to stay awake." Plus, she adds, when you're exhausted you're less inclined to make smart food choices. Aim for seven to nine hours of shut-eye a night.

"I'm a Flex Plan user, but I haven't been keeping track of my POINTS values regularly."

If you don't have time to write down details, you can use ExpressTrack feature of the POINTS Tracker to enter your own food and POINTS values.

Looking for a way to make tracking more exciting? Reward yourself (with something other than food!) each week you keep track. Buy a new CD or a small kitchen gadget that will remind you of your tracking success.

Wondering if you should switch your food plan? Switching food plans is one strategy for breaking through a plateau. But Weight Watchers recommends that you stay with whatever food plan you've chosen for at least one week. Once you've lived with the plan you started on for a while, you'll have a much better understanding of how good a fit that food plan is for you. The Switch Guide will help guide you through the decision to change to the other food plan if and when you're ready.

Choose your hard

A friend sent me today's post and I thought it's a great one!

"Being fat is hard. Maintaining is hard. Choose your hard."

Isn’t that great? Let’s have our “hard” be maintaining well. Have a great week.

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

At times we can be so creative with excuses for not following program.

It's cold outside.
It's hot outside.
I forget to follow plan.
It's too difficult with a family.
It's too difficult because it's just me.
I eat when I'm upset.
I eat when I'm happy.
I eat when I'm sad.
I eat to celebrate.
I eat to drown my sorrows.
I can track in my head.
I don't have to measure - I know what a portion size is.
I don't like vegetables.
I don't like fruit.
No matter what I do; I can't lose weight.
I can't because....

We can think of any excuse. However, to be successful in this journey, we MUST set our mind to it and decide it's what we want and know that we CAN succeed. We can't be afraid to just do it. It's a mindset and perseverance is key. Set your mind to it. Follow program. One day at a time. Step by step. Before you know it you'll be heading down the path to success and then it gets easier.

Having A Well Fueled Body... Meet the Good Health Guidelines!

We all know we can play the game of eating any type of food we want and as long as we keep the points value within our daily range we should be "safe", right? WRONG! Think of it this way....
if we filled the gas tank on our car with soda pop the tank would be full; however the car will not run properly. In fact, it probably won't run at all. Our bodies are the most amazing machines on earth and we expect them to run at full volume even though we fill them with crappy, empty fuel. With that said, Meet the Good Health Guidelines!

1. East at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
2. Choose whole-grain foods whenever possible.
3. Include 2-3 servings of milk products each day.
4. Drink at least 6 glasses of water each day.
5. Have some healthy oil each day.
6. Make sure you get enough protein.
7. Limit added sugar and alcohol.
8. Take a multi-vitamin-mineral supplement each day.

Now this is good stuff people! If you focus on the above items daily your body will feel fuller, more satisfied and will have more energy. It is sooooooooo worth it and I cannot emphasize it enough. I encourage you to do it faithfully for the next 3 weeks (21 days forms a habit) and let me know two things: first how you feel and second if it helped you lose weight.

Enjoy and have a great day!
Patti

Crunchy Peanut Noodles with Tofu Recipe

After sharing Lindsay's Adventure in Cooking in an earlier post I was inundated with requests for the recipe she used. It came from the 'Mix it Match it' cookbook and here it is!

Crunchy Peanut Noodles with Tofu

3 Tb reduced-fat smooth peanut butter
2 Tb seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tb reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teas Asian (dark) sesame oil
1 teas sugar
1/4 teas crushed red pepper
4 oz thin linguine
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
2 scallions, chopped
2 Tb, chopped fresh cilantro
7 oz tofu, drained and diced
2 tab chopped dry-roasted peanuts

Whisk together the peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl until smooth and creamy (add a tablespoon or so of water if the mixture is too thick to pour easily); set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the linguine according to package directions, omitting the salt if desired. Drain; rinse under cold running water and drain again.

Combine the linguine, bell pepper, cucumber, scallions, and cilantro in a serving bowl. Add the peanut butter sauce and toss gently to mix. Sprinkle with the peanuts.

Serves: 4
Per serving: (1 cup): 270 cal, 11 g fat, 3 g Fib - Points value 6*
Be sure to recalculate based on your adaption!

Making Small Changes

The following is from the Weight Watcher website and I love the ideas they share:

The surest way to succeed is making small changes. Think in terms of manageable baby steps, like swapping the half-and-half in your morning coffee for fat-free or low-fat milk. There are lots of little changes you can make—in your food plan and daily routine—that will add up to a lot of weight loss over the long haul.

Take a look at 25 tips below (from Weight Watcher’s website) for eating healthfully, fitting exercise into your busy day and revamping your daily routine. Start by picking five changes that you're sure you can tackle and practice them this week. Then try another five next week.

Not every idea is right for everyone, so experiment and see what works for you. Lots of little changes can yield big weight-loss results—and a healthier new you!

1. Good things come in small packages.
Here's a trick for staying satisfied without consuming large portions: Chop high-calorie foods like cheese and chocolate into smaller pieces. It will seem like you're getting more than you actually are.

2. Get "water-wise."
Make a habit of reaching for a glass of water instead of a high-fat snack. It will help your overall health as well as your waistline. So drink up! Add some zest to your six to eight glasses a day with a twist of lemon or lime.

3. Herb it up.
Stock up your spice rack, and start growing a small herb garden in your kitchen window. Spices and herbs add fantastic flavor to foods without adding fat or calories.

4. Slim down your soup.
Make a big batch of soup and refrigerate it before you eat it. As it cools, the fat will rise to the top and can be skimmed off the surface.

5. Doggie-bag that dinner.
At restaurants that you know serve large portions, ask the waiter to put half of your main course in a take-home box before bringing it to your table. Putting the food away before you start your meal will help you practice portion control.

6. Listen to your cravings.
If you're craving something sweet, eat something sweet—just opt for a healthier nosh (like fruit) instead of a high-calorie one like ice cream. The same goes for crunchy cravings—for example, try air-popped popcorn instead of high-fat chips. It's just smart substitution!

7. Ease your way into produce.
If you're new to eating lots of fruits and vegetables, start slowly. Just add them to the foods you already enjoy. Pile salad veggies into your sandwiches, or add fruit to your cereal.

8. Look for high-fat hints.
Want an easy way to identify high-calorie meals? Keep an eye out for these words: au gratin, parmigiana, tempura, alfredo, creamy and carbonara, and enjoy them in moderation.

9. Don't multi-task while you eat.
If you're working, reading or watching TV while you eat, you won't be paying attention to what's going into your mouth—and you won't be enjoying every bite. Today, every time you have a meal, sit down. Chew slowly and pay attention to flavors and textures. You'll enjoy your food more and eat less.

10. Taste something new.
Broaden your food repertoire—you may find you like more healthy foods than you knew. Try a new fruit or vegetable (ever had plantain, pak choi, starfruit or papaya?).

11. Leave something on your plate at every meal.
One bite of bagel, half your sandwich, the bun from your burger. See if you still feel satisfied eating just a bit less.

12. Get to know your portion sizes.
It's easy to underestimate how much you're eating. Today, don't just estimate things—make sure. Ask how much is in a serving, read the fine print on labels, measure your food. And learn portion equivalents: One serving of pasta, for instance, should be around the size of a tennis ball.

13. Don't give up dips.
If you love creamy dips and sauces, don't cut them out of your food plan completely. Just use low-fat soft cheese and mayo instead of the full fat stuff.

14. Make a healthy substitution.
Learn to swap healthier foods for their less-healthy counterparts. Today, find a substitution that works for you: Use skim or low-fat milk instead of whole milk; try whole-wheat bread instead of white.

15. Bring lunch to work tomorrow.
Packing lunch will help you control your portion sizes. It also provides a good alternative to restaurants and takeaways, where making healthy choices every day can be challenging (not to mention expensive).

16. Have some dessert.
You don't have to deny yourself all the time. Have a treat that brings you pleasure, but this time enjoy it guilt-free be—sure you're practicing portion control, and compensate for your indulgence by exercising a little more or by skipping your afternoon snack.

17. Ask for what you need.
Tell your mother-in-law you don't want seconds. Ask your other half to stop bringing you chocolates. Speak up for the place with great salads when your co-workers are picking a restaurant for lunch. Whatever you need to do to succeed at weight loss, ask for it—make yourself a priority and assert yourself.

18. Improve your treadmill technique.
When walking on a treadmill, don't grip the rails. It's fine to touch them for balance, but you shouldn't have to hold on. If you do, that might be a signal you should lower the intensity level.

19. Simon says... get fit.
Here's an easy way to fit in exercise with your kids: Buy a set of 1 lb weights and play a round of Simon Says—you do it with the weights, they do it without. They'll love it!

20. Make the most of your walks.
If your walking routine has become too easy, increase your effort by finding hills. Just be sure to tackle them at the beginning of your walk, when you have energy to spare.

21. Shop 'til you drop...pounds!
Add a workout to your shopping sessions by walking around the mall before your start spending. And try walking up the escalator—getting to your destination faster will be an added bonus.

22. Walk an extra 100 steps at work.
Adding even a little extra exercise to your daily routine can boost your weight loss. Today, take the stairs instead of the elevator, or stroll down the hall to talk to a co-worker instead of sending an email or calling.

23. Brush your teeth after every meal and snack.
This will be a signal to your mouth—and your mind—that it's time to stop eating. Brushing will also give your mouth a nice fresh taste that you'll be disinclined to ruin with a random chip. At work, keep a toothbrush with a cover and toothpaste in your desk drawer.

24. Clean your closet.
First, it's great exercise. Second, it's an important step in changing your attitude. Get rid of all the clothes that make you look or feel bad. Throw out anything that's too big—don't give yourself the option of ever fitting into those clothes again. Move the smaller clothes up to the front to help motivate you. Soon, you'll be fitting into those too-tight jeans you couldn't bear to part with.

25. Take your measurements.
You might not like your stats now, but you'll be glad you wrote them down when you see how many inches you've lost. It's also another way to measure your success, instead of just looking at the scale. Sometimes even when the numbers on the scale aren't going down, the measurements on your body are.

Ideas to Shake Up Breakfast

The following recipes are from the Hungry Girl website which comes highly recommended and looks like a great resource. They have a daily newsletter you might want to subscribe to. Check it out at Hungry-Girl.com Creamy Hot Apple Breakfast with Brown Sugar Crunch PER SERVING (entire recipe): 189 calories, 3g fat, 385mg sodium, 40g carbs, 3g fiber, 19g sugars, 2g protein -- POINTS® value 3* Love morning meals that can double as desserts? You'll FLIP over this sweet concoction... Ingredients: 1 cup peeled apple chunks (any sweet, not tart, variety) 1 Nature Valley Maple Brown Sugar Crunchy Granola Bar (half a 2-bar package) 2 no-calorie sweetener packets (like Splenda) 1 1/2 tsp. Jell-O Sugar Free Fat Free Instant pudding mix, Vanilla 1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch 1/2 tsp. cinnamon dash salt Directions: Place sweetener, pudding mix, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt in a microwave-safe medium-large bowl. Add 1/3 cup of cold water, and stir until blended. Place apple chunks in the bowl, and toss them in the liquid mixture. Cover the dish and microwave for 2 1/2 minutes. Allow it to thicken and cool for a few minutes before removing it from the microwave. Meanwhile, place the granola bar in a sealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or can, until you have small crumbly pieces. Once apple mixture is cool enough to handle, stir in the granola pieces, and then devour immediately! MAKES 1 SERVING

The Breakfast Club PER SERVING (entire recipe): 195 calories, 2g fat, 663mg sodium, 6g carbs, 1g fiber, 4g sugars, 36g protein -- POINTS® value 4* More than just an '80s flick... now it's an enormous, sandwich-inspired egg scramble! Ingredients: 2/3 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters) 2 oz. raw extra-lean ground turkey (like the kind by Butterball or Jennie-O) 2 slices Jennie-O Extra Lean Turkey Bacon 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes Optional toppings: ketchup, hot sauce, salt, pepper, etc. Directions: Cook bacon according to package directions, either in a pan with nonstick spray or in the microwave. Once cool enough to handle, chop into bite-sized pieces, and set aside. Bring a pan sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Add ground turkey, and use a spatula to break it up and crumble it as it cooks. Once turkey is no longer pink, add egg substitute to the pan, and scramble until it is almost solid. Then add bacon pieces, and continue to cook until the scramble is fluffy and fully cooked. Plate it up and top with the chopped tomatoes. If you like, finish it off with your favorite egg-y add-ons (we like ours with ketchup and a little salt & pepper). Happy breakfasting! MAKES 1 SERVING

Lindsay and Her Mix It Match It Cookbook

The following excerpt comes from Lindsay's (my daughter) blogspot. Enjoy!

February 23, 2008

Adventures in Cooking

I tried making a new recipe from the cookbook Mom gave me for Christmas - this one is Crunchy Peanut Noodles with Tofo (altered).



It's a homemade peanut sauce, which was the reason I wanted to make it in the first place. I love peanut sauce, but it's really fattening so making my own sauce allowed it to be a lot healthier. I used reduced sodium soy sauce instead of regular and low fat creamy peanut butter as opposed to regular (plus I like crunchy so I had to buy new pb anyway). It's got green onions, red pepper, and cucumber. It's also supposed to have cilantro, but Trader Joe's didn't have any, which I consider a blasphemy. It's pretty good, but I'd have to say that instead of the green onions the recipe suggested, I'd put some other vegetable in. I also didn't put any tofo in, but I'd bet chicken or beef works as a substitute as well. Consider it should also have the delicious cilantro flavor, I'm excited to try it again. I still have left over peanut sauce, so I'm going to play around with that in the upcoming days as well. But I'm definitely leaving out the green onions next time, which also begs the question of what I'm going to do with the large pack of green onions I bought - another disappointing thing about Trader Joe's.

Making the sauce

Cut up vegetables and finished peanut sauce

Assembly of the noodles and vegetables, waiting for sauce.

I was cooking while I listened to music I have to do a presentation about on Wednesday. I'm presenting on Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald, so it was pretty fun listening to jazz and the scatting while I cooked. I'd recommend it to anyone.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Recipe - Yummy!

Here is the recipe for the infamous Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie I mentioned in one of my meetings this week. It was very tasty and I highly recommend it… in controlled doses of course!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
POINTS® value | 3
Servings | 8
Desserts |

Ingredients
4 Tbsp reduced-fat peanut butter
1 Tbsp honey
1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies
1 package fat-free instant chocolate pudding and pie filling mix
2 cup fat-free skim milk
8 Tbsp Free Whipped Topping

Instructions
In a bowl combine peanut butter and honey; microwave on high for 20 seconds.
Stir in cereal.
Press into 8" or 9" pan and chill.
Prepare pudding as directed and pour over pie crust.
Chill, then serve with whipped topping

Waterfall Tour via Snowshoes

'In the solitude of a winter landscape you might expect the sound of falling water to be absorbed by the cushioning buffer of a carpet of snow. But what you hear actually is more pronounced, due, perhaps, to the absence of much competition save for the faint clomp of your snowshoes.'

I was so intrigued as I read the above excerpt while researching snowshoeing! Can you see yourself tromping along through the snow with the reward being a beautiful waterfall tucked back in the woods? I want to go there.... I'm going to go there!

It's so very appealing that I MUST share this golden nugget with you! Check it out at TravelWisconsin.com.

Several years ago, we traveled to many of the waterfalls on the tour during the summer months and it was a blast. We took along a picnic lunch and it was great fun, so if you are unable to make it during the winter... it's a great summer activity also.

(Feeling stressed? A day in a place like this will help! Can't physically go today? Then close your eyes, take a few deep breaths releasing slowly and imagine yourself there. The mini vacation can be a great tool to expel pent up emotions and energy.)

The Fun List

Here it is... The Fun List that I've been telling you about! Whether you are trying to fill 10 minutes or a whole day I'm sure you'll find some great ideas to help you stay excited about life and to avoid eating due to boredom.

(Many thanks to Wanda for sharing the bulk of the list and to the members of my meetings this week for brainstorming several additions.)

Physical

• Archery
  
• Balance Ball
• Basketball
• Backpacking
• Bike around your local university campus
• Bike ride
• Billiards
• Bodysurfing
• Bouldering
• Bowling
• Bungee jumping
• Canoeing
• Croquet
• Cross country skiing
• Dance lessons
• DDR dance off
• Dog – walk, play fetch, etc
• Double Dutch jump rope
• Downhill skiing
• Enter an adventure race
• Fencing (the sport, not the act of building one)
• Firing range
• Fishing
• Fly a kite
• Frisbee golf
• Go hang gliding
• Go to a waterslide
• Go to the playground
• Golf
• Handball
• Hiking
• Hockey
• Hot-air balloon ride
• Ice skating
• Jet Skiing
• Jog at sunset
• Jumping off sand dunes
• Jumping rope
• Kayaking
• Kickboxing
• Kitchen Dancing
• Lacrosse
• Laser tag
• Learn a new sport
• Mall Walking
• Marathon
• Master’s swim practice
• Motorcycling
• Mountain biking
• Mud football
• Night Swimming
• Organize a flag football game
• Paintball
• Paragliding
• Pick up Basketball game
• Pilates
• Ping Pong game!
• Platform diving
• Play Frisbee at night
• Play hopscotch
• Play in Waterfall
• Play on the beach
• Race in a regatta
• Racquetball
• Repelling
• Ride a horse
• River rafting
• Rock climbing
• Roller skating, roller blading
• Rowing
• Running
• Sailing
• Samurai sword fighting
• Scuba diving
• Sculling
• Skeet shooting
• Skydiving
• Sledding
• Snow shoeing
• Snowboarding
• Soccer
• Softball
• Spelunking
• Surfing
• Swimming
• Swing on a swing
• Tai Chi in the park
• Take a moonlight bike ride, cross-country ski or walk
• Tap dancing
• Team sports
• Tennis
• Tobogganing
• Toilet Paper Dancing
• Train for and enter a triathlon
• Treadmill
• Ultimate Frisbee
• Volleyball
• Walking – Trails, Neighborhood, Mt.Bay Trail
• Water-skiing
• Weight lifting
• Windsurfing
• Yoga
• Ziplining
  
• Zumba
  

Alone

• Baking Bread
  
• Bubble bath
• Build a fire and watch the flames
• Build something
• Call a friend
• Chat rooms and IMs
• Color hair
• Crank up some music
• Crochet or knit
• Curl up with small book that you can read in an hour
• Dance
• Daydream
• Do some woodwork
• Embroider
• Garden
• Go for a walk
• Great music to groove to/ clean to
• Hang a bird feeder & watch
• Have breakfast in the morning sunshine
• Keep a sketchbook
• Learn to knit
• Leather tooling
• Listen to Christmas music
• Listen to music outdoors
• Make a “100 things I want to do” list
• Make Jewelry
• Makeover
• Manicure
• Meditation
• Nap
• Nap outside
• Online puzzles
• Origami
• Paint
• Pedicure
• Pet your pet
• Photography
• Play an instrument
• Play the piano
• Play Wii
• Prepare a great salad
• Read
• Refinish an antique
• Rent a great movie
• Research your family tree
• Scrapbook
• Sew
• Sing
• Sketch or draw a landscape
• Star gazing
• Start quilting
• Take a mud bath
• Take photos
• Watch a comedy
• Watch a foreign film
• Write
• Write a letter
• Write a movie script or book
• Write some poetry
• Write songs

With another

• Ask a grandparent about their wedding day or some of their most favorite fun moments
• Attack a household chore as a team then go out and celebrate as a team
• Board games with friends you haven’t seen recently
• Bunko night with friends
• Family games: Tag, hide and seek, kick the can
• Film a movie short
• Fly a kite with a kid
• Fondue Dinner Party
• Geocaching
• Go for a walk
• Go to breakfast or lunch with a friend
• Have a bonfire and roast marshmallows with friends
• Have dinner with old people you know
• Hugs from people you love
• Ice Cream Party
• Meet someone for a picnic
• Murder Mystery Party
• Play cards
• Play in a Band
• Play Twister
• Play Wii
• Puppet show
• Scavenger hunt
• Sex
• Sing in a small group or chorus
• Stage a gallery show
• Teach a class
• Teach a skill to someone else
• Throw a huge party
• Water Balloon fight

Purchases

• Buy new towels or sheets
• Get some flowers for yourself
• Jewelry
• New clothing
• New lipstick or perfume
• Paint something in your house
• Replace socks and underthings
• Visit a new restaurant

Service

• Babysit someone you love
• Family History Research
• Missionary Splits
• Read to children in the hospital
• Take lunch to a friend at work or an older relative or neighbor
• Volunteer: Red Cross, museum, 10K, etc.
• Worship
  

Out of the house

• Antique shopping
• Attend a concert
• Attend a lecture or book signing
• Attend a musical
• Attend a sporting event
• Audition for a play
• Bird watching
• Botanical Garden
• Celebrate an unusual holiday
• Eat your dinner on the beach or by a lake
• Escape to a Bed & Breakfast
• Feed the ducks at the park
• Foot massage
• Get a book on tape to keep in your car
• Get a great book list and check out 3 books from the library
• Get a haircut
• Get a massage
• Go camping
• Go on a trip
• Go out to dinner
• Go rummage sale shopping
• Go sketching downtown
• Go to a comedy improve
• Go to an Oprah taping
• Go to the all night drive in
• Go to the museum
• Gourmet cooking class
• Historical Tour
• Karaoke
• Oxygen Bar
• Pick a favorite place to watch the sunset or sunrise and go there often
• Planetarium
• Play Chess in the park
• Poetry reading (presenter or attendee)
• Read the newspaper at a park
• Rest under your favorite tree
• Road trip!
• Send a message in a bottle
• Shop for new foods
• Spa day
• Take a dance class
• Take a home improvement class
• Take a new class at the Y
• Take a pottery class or other university class
• Travel to a new state or country
• Visit a circus
• Visit a park or conservancy
• Visit a rodeo
• Visit the zoo
• Volunteer for a charity
• Walk the trails at the nearest state park
• Watch a race (regatta, etc.)
• Waterfall Tour

Geocaching!

Just learned tonight about Geocaching and it sounds like a fun way to move more and get some exercise in an entertaining way. Check it out:

What is Geocaching? (You pronounce it Geo-cashing, like cashing a check.)

Geocaching is an entertaining adventure game for GPS users. Participating in a cache hunt is a good way to take advantage of the wonderful features and capability of a GPS unit. The basic idea is to have individuals and organizations set up caches all over the world and share the locations of these caches on the internet. GPS users can then use the location coordinates to find the caches. Once found, a cache may provide the visitor with a wide variety of rewards. All the visitor is asked to do is if they get something they should try to leave something for the cache.

Find out more about it at Geocaching.com

It's Your Turn To Make Choices...

Resolve to succeed. The greatest discovery one can
make is that nothing is impossible.

Controlling STRESS!

How To Keep Stress From Controlling Your Life

Reprinted from LOYALTY LEADER. Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. Loyalty Leader, is a professional speaker, corporate trainer and author. She helps companies boost their profits by leading them to greater customer and employee loyalty. Subscribe to her free online newsletter at: www.LoyaltyLeader.com

Feeling stressed is a fact of life. If you don't complain about the amount of stress you're under, you are probably in the minority. After all, everybody is stressed out. Right?

Wrong! Everybody has stress, but not everyone is stressed out. If you're tired of living under too much pressure and are looking for ways to get out from under all the stress, it may be time for you to try some new strategies for managing stress.

There are certainly sources of stress that are beyond your control such as illness, a job loss or other traumatic events. But when these factors are not present, it's important to recognize that much of your stress comes from day-to-day pressures such as work, family obligations, personal problems, financial challenges and commitments. There are some mornings when I'm stressed out before I even get out of bed because I'm overwhelmed just thinking about what lies ahead.

But just because you're under stress does not mean there is nothing you can do to improve your situation. It's time to take charge and making some changes to keep stress from becoming a destructive force in your life. Here are seven tips for breaking away from an unhealthy, stressful lifestyle:

Make a commitment to yourself.

Examine how sincere you are about adopting a new lifestyle. Are you willing to do the work that change requires such as giving up some old habits?

Learn how to say "No."

Resist taking on obligations for every project, meeting or engagement you are asked to participate in. It may be that's how you reached overload in the first place. Before you volunteer your time, evaluate how your "yes" affects other areas of your life. Will it mean that you will spend less time with your family? Will it keep you up at night worrying about how you can get it done?

Set healthy boundaries on your availability.

This means having a realistic understanding of what you can and cannot do, as well as what you are and are not willing to do. The people around you will grow to respect your boundaries. You'll know when you've failed to respect your own boundaries when you view an activity as an intrusion.

Know your stress level.

Some people can handle more stress than others. I know that there are times when I feel my business is under control and everything is running smoothly. It's during those times that I'm more willing to add stress to my life such as a home remodeling project. Limit changes in other areas of your life when you are already feeling overwhelmed.

Stop putting things off.

Keep in mind, the less time you have to get something accomplished, the more pressure you'll feel. If there were ever a sure-fire cure for stress, it's eliminating procrastination. Make a "to-do" list every evening for the next day. It will give you more focus and help you to get things done. If you don't finish everything on your list, move the remaining items to the top position on the next day's list. You will be amazed at how much you can get done just by sticking to your list.

Get organized.

Moving the same piles around on your desk each day wastes an enormous amount of time. A messy, cluttered work area actually saps your energy and increases your stress. Commit a block of time to cleaning up your work area and setting up a system for managing your emails, paper trail and other time wasters at work and home.

I don't know how much stress you're currently dealing with, but anything you do today will start chipping away at it. Every positive action you take, no matter how small, will bring results. Respect yourself. You cannot keep all stress away from your door. It will come, whether through the demands you've set on yourself, from others or from day-to-day living. But when you learn how to keep stress under control, you will have accomplished something tremendous for yourself.

Cold-Weather Cravings

Cold-Weather Cravings

Thanks to Deb Nockerts for this entry!

When the temperature drops, food cravings swing from cool and light to hot, heavy and filling. Salads just don't hit the spot in quite the same way as a pan of baked ziti. But eating wisely doesn't mean that you have to forego all your favorite cold-weather foods. Here's how to fit comfort foods into your healthy-eating plan.

Satisfy Your Cold-Weather Cravings

You've probably heard your Leader or other meetings members mention that brainstorming is a great way to come up with simple solutions; like how you can enjoy mac and cheese on a blustery day and still lose weight. So take a few minutes to brainstorm all your favorite comfort foods—no matter how many POINTS® values you think they contain. Think: meat loaf, pasta bakes, stews, apple pie. Then think of ways that you can make them fit into your plan.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Bake or buy whole-grain breads for a filling and fiber-rich addition to dip in your soup.
• Browse through lightened-up recipes in the new Find & Explore feature of your Plan Manager. Choosing "Winter" under the "Occasion" tab brings up nearly 400 season-appropriate dishes.
• Use the Recipe Builder to figure out how many POINTS values your favorite cold-weather recipes have. Then see how you can reduce them by substituting lighter ingredients such as low-fat or fat-free milk and cheese.
• Check your Meal Ideas for inspiration to whip up something new today.
• Enjoy your favorite high-calorie casseroles, chowders and desserts. Just keep an eye on portion size, and be sure to track the POINTS values in your Food Tracker.

Winter food urges are inevitable. By giving in to them in a low-fat way, you're actually bettering your chances of reaching your weight-loss goals. After all, figuring out a way to eat healthfully for the long haul is vital to achieving lasting weight loss. Satisfaction is a big part of that.

Habits - Do you serve them or do they serve you?

I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest asset or your heaviest burden.
I will push you up to success or down to disappointment.
I am at your command.
Half the things you do might just as well be turned over to me
for I can do them quickly, correctly and profitably.
I am easily managed, just be firm with me.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.
I am not a machine though I work with the precision of a machine and the intelligence of a person.
You can run me for profit or you can run me for ruin.
Show me how you want it done.
Educate me.
Train me.
Lead me.
Reward me.
And I will then...do it automatically.
I am your servant.
Who am I?
I am a Habit.

Author Unknown

Don't Quit!!!

I got the following poem at one of my meetings while I was losing and stuck it on the fridge. It's a great reminder!

DON'T QUIT

When you've eaten too much and can't write it down
And you feel like the biggest failure in town:
When you want to give up just because you gave in
And forget all about being healthy and thin:
so What! You went over your Points or Comfort Zone a bit:
It's you next move that counts..
So don't you quit!!
It's a moment of truth, It's an attitude change.
It's learning the skills to get back in your range:
It's telling yourself "You've done great up till now:
You can take on this challenge and beat it somehow!
It's part of your journey toward reaching your goal.
You're still going to make it, just stay in control.
To stumble and fall is not a disgrace
if you summon the will to get back in the race.
But often the strugglers when losing their grip just throw in the towel and continue to slip
And learn too late when the damage is done
That the race wasn't over and they still could have won.
Lifestyle change can be can be awkward and slow.
But facing each challenge will help you to grow:
Success is failure turned inside out.
It's the silver lining in the cloud of self-doubt. When you are pushed to the brink, just refuse to submit:
If you bite it JUST write it.. But don't you QUIT!
Author unknown

Cake made with Diet Soda???

January is the month with the most birthdays in our family. These cakes are moist and scrumptious. In fact I'll bet if you don't tell your family that it's "adapted" they won't even be able to tell! Top it off with FF Cool Whip and yummy-city.

Happy, happy, happy birthday .... to you and you and you!

Diet Soda Cakes
Serving Size : 12

18 1/4 ounces cake mix -- any flavor(1 box)
10 ounces diet soda -- any flavor
2 egg whites -- slightly beaten, optional but cake
stays together better and is fluffier

Mix the dry cake mix, the diet soda, and the egg whites
until well blended. Pour into a 9 X 13 sprayed pan or
prepared cupcake tins. Bake according to the directions
on cake mix box.

0 g Dietary Fiber; 190 calories; 5 g Fat; 35 g Carb (be sure to double check your specifics)

Other Diet Soda Cake Combinations:

orange cake /diet Mountain Dew
cherry chip cake / A& W diet Cream soda
diet lemon + lemon;
angel or yellow cake/orange diet pop
diet peach with white cake
spice cake/ diet lemon-lime pop
diet ginger ale + white
diet cherry sodas in chocolate cake
Diet cola + devils food or chocolate mix
diet vanilla coke in chocolate cake
devils food cake with diet Vanilla coke
diet root beer with chocolate cake
diet cherry coke with chocolate cake
marble cake + diet cream soda
etc...the possibilities are only limited by your imagination...mmmmm

Frustration!!!

Some days we get so frustrated with ourselves. We doubt our abilities and our willpower fades away. We doubt if we have the knowledge to do what we need to do. We eat because we are bored, scared, frustrated, tired, lonely or any variety of reason we really don't want to actually acknowledge or face.

What to do... what to do!?!

When this happens we need to get centered. Back to the basics. Call in the calvary and any other providers of support and strength we can call on. This is NOT A DIET! This is a lifestyle change and that doesn't mean we throw everything that makes our bodies healthy and feel good to the wayside. NO!

• Call a friend
• Get up and move
• Force yourself to concentrate on something positive
• Make a plan - plan for meals, plan for shopping, plan for exercise
• Pick something - anything - however small and get it DONE. Get the feeling of accomplishment and success so you can feel good about it.
• Move on and start over - the next minute is a brand new minute - no need to wait until tomorrow.
• Pray - fall to your knees and pray.

A dear friend of mine wrote the following prayer and it's awesome:

“O God, you accept and love my prayers

the kind that are like a florist’s arrangement

of perfect cut flowers

each word and sentence chosen and scripted.

But today my prayer is no such bouquet.

But you O God accept and love my prayers

perhaps even more so

the kind that are not prettily arranged and comfortable to see

but are like a single plant violently yanked

by its roots from its bed

and with tears plunked down on your altar

roots, dirt, stem, leaves, blossom, buds and all.

Today my prayer is in sobs and one word sentences

and repetition of the same questions

that cannot be answered.”



Always remember there is a strength within you that waits patiently for you to call upon it.
Be strong my friends.

It's Oatmeal Season!

Looking for a nice, warm, filling breakfast for these cold mornings? I have become an oatmeal lover this past year. It's fast, it fills me up to my comfort zone, it sticks with me for a long time, and there are so many ways you can "snazz" it up so it doesn't get boring, and hooray it's CORE! Here are just a couple ways of "snazzing it" that you are going to just love.

As always be sure to run it through a calculator and double check all points values.

Oatmeal Jumble

Thanks to Mary from my Wednesday At Work Meeting for sharing this gem - it's delicious!

• 1/2 cup uncooked oatmeal
• 1/2 large banana(s), cut up in pieces
• 1/2 cup sugar-free fat-free vanilla yogurt
• 1 Tbsp fat-free skim milk
• 1 Tbsp chopped pecans (Mary uses slivered almonds, I had pecans handy)
  

Stir together and cook in the microwave for about 2 minutes.
Servings: 1 Points: 6 or CORE plus 1 Point



Oatmeal "Snazzers" to stir in...
Unsweetened Applesauce
Cinnamon
Vanilla flavoring
Raspberries
Strawberries
Mangos
Bananas


Oatmeal Pancakes
WW prepackaged Oatmeal (either Strawberries and Cream or Maple Brown Sugar)
1 egg
little skim milk - just enough to make it "batter" consistency

Mix everything together and cook in fry pan sprayed with nonstick spray.