Wednesday, December 31, 2008

My Goals for 2009

Since this week we've been talking about what we'd like to achieve in 2009, I thought I'd share with you what I'm going to be working on this next year.

Oh goodness, I can't believe I'm about to type this....

1. Get back down to 130 - before the holidays I wasn't quite there, but thanks to the last couple of weeks, I'm about 5 or 6 pounds higher than I'd like to be. My official Weight Watchers goal weight is 140 pounds, so I'm still underneath that, but this number is my Personal Goal.

2. Lay off the diet soda - this morning's meeting has inspired me to give this a shot. As we talked about earlier today, I bought myself a little pocket calendar and some stickers (stars, hearts and happy faces). Every day I don't drink diet soda, I get a sticker on the calendar. We'll see how covered up it gets!

Feel free to ask me about these from time to time. What I'd like to do is use this blog as a way to be accountable to you, for purely selfish reasons of course. I think it would be good at the end of each month to give a status report on how things are going. Think I can do it?

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

By request, here are the questions from this week's meeting. If you missed the meeting this week or are reading this and haven't been in for awhile, this might help you get back on track for the new year.


2008 In Review

  • I'm feeling most proud of....
  • A great way I found to manage my emotions is....
  • I'm proud I handled setbacks by remembering....
  • The most important thing I've learned is....
  • I'm really glad I discovered....
  • My best strategy for successfully dining out was....
  • The Helpful Habit that I improved the most is....
  • What was the most helpful tool you used this year?


Looking Ahead To 2009

  • What habits do you want to continue in the upcoming year?
  • Are there any Tools for Living you'd like to use more often?
  • What do you want to build on?
  • What would you like to change?
  • What would you like more of?
  • What Helpful Habits do you want to improve?
  • What tool do you think would help you stay on program more?


Get yourself ready to go for a great 2009. Having goals gives you something to focus your efforts on, and celebrating those goals when you reach them will keep you feeling motivated. Is 2009 the year you'll reach your weight goal?!?

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Newsletter, week of December 28th

Last Week

Staying focused on the components of our 4-Way Approach can help you survive the holiday season. If you stay engaged by coming to meetings, keep active, eat smart and keep a hold on those good new habits, you'll stay on track!

This Week

Since we're at the end of the year, it's a great time to review what we've accomplished this year, and set our sights on what's in store for next year.

Kudos

Christina got her first 5 pound star, and Candy reached over 20 pounds of weight loss. Pat reached her 10% target this week!

WW Product of the Week

3 Month Journal - people who track lose more weight than people who don't. It's that simple. That's why tracking what you eat and drink is so critical to the Momentum Plan. Pick up our journal and you'll have weeks and weeks of feedback that's easy to find.

Weekly Potpourri

Are the holidays over for you yet? They are for me, thank goodness! Like many of you, this time of year is a challenge for me, and I confess that I emerged a couple pounds heavier than I went into them. Which means I'm getting myself back on track so those pounds don't stick around.

Why do I tell you this? If you're still in the process of losing your weight, it's important for you to know that the struggle doesn't end when you reach that ultimate weight goal. Lifetime membership and long-term weight maintenance is a constant balancing act. Sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down.

So join with me in refocusing so we can head back down, okay?

What's Hot at WW.com

Getting active and moving more doesn't necessarily mean heading out to the gym. Here is a quick and easy workout you can do without leaving the house and without any special equipment. Hop to it!

Quote of the Week

"You cannot teach a man anything. You can only help him discover it within himself." - Galileo Galilei

Weekly Recipe: Mushroom-Barley Soup

Mushroom-Barley Soup
Serves 8
2 Points

1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms (about 2/3 cups)
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 (12oz) package pre-sliced button mushrooms
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 Tbsp minced fresh chives

Pour boiling water over shiitake mushrooms; let stand 10 minutes. Drain mushrooms, reserving liquid. Remove and discard stems, and slice mushrooms. Set aside.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat 1 minute. Add onion; cook 9 minutes, stirring often. Add button mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Add barley, garlic, and shiitake mushrooms. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth and reserved mushroom soaking liquid, discarding sediment, if necessary. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 30 minutes or until barley is tender. Sprinkle with chives.

Per serving: 108 cal, 2g fat (0.3g sat fat), 3.3g fiber, 545mg sodium

Friday, December 19, 2008

Newsletter, week of December 21st

Last Week

Staying successful through the holidays is possible. Keeping in touch with your weekly meetings helps, as does staying active. You can do it!

Incidentally, if the weather or traffic kept you away from your meetings this past week, do try to get in to the meeting this week. You missed me in my ANTLERS for goodness sake! That's worth the price of admission right there...isn't it?

This Week

We'll continue our discussion of holiday survival tips, this week focusing on our habits and our eating choices.

Monday folks - Monday is my birthday, so come on in and help me celebrate my 35th Weight Watchers style!

Wednesday folks - I know it's Christmas Eve, but we WILL be open! Please join Fern and I. I might even have a special surprise for you....

Kudos

Sari received her 10 pound star this week. This time of year my celebrations list is a lot shorter than it usually is, but if you're sticking with the program and checking in, know that you're a winner no matter what the scale says.

WW Product of the Week

Our smoothies are a great way to get in your dairy servings (don't forget those Good Health Guidelines over the holidays!) and can help beat hunger in the face of all those holiday treats. Our 1 Point mini bars are also a nice substitute for all the red and green wrapped candy that's everywhere. Arm yourself with low-Point options and chances are you'll do better.

Weekly Potpourri

Speaking of antlers, (I was, wasn't I?) if I could get my hands on a pair of these babies I'd be delighted!



This is courtesy of Garfield Minus Garfield, which never fails to crack me up.

What's Hot at WW.com

You've probably figured out by now that I'm not the girliest girl out there, but one of my vices is buying smelly lotions. And for some reason the lotions I buy often smell of food. Huh, I wonder why that is? Here's a quick review of a few different products that will smell great without the Points.

Quote of the Week

"The majority of men meet with failure because of their lack of persistence in creating new plans to take the place of those, which fail." - Napoleon Hill

Weekly Recipe: Halibut with Salsa Verde

Halibut with Salsa Verde
Serves 4
4 Points value

4 (6oz) skinless halibut fillets
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp canola oil
1 cup fat-free salsa verde
Cilantro sprigs
Lime wedges

Sprinkle the halibut with the salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the halibut and cook until just opaque in the center, about 3 minutes on each side.

Place 1 fillet on each of 4 plates and top evenly with the salsa verde. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and lime wedges.

Per serving: 198 cal, 5g fat (0g sat fat), 1g fiber, 634mg sodium

-- from our new Momentum cookbook

Chef's note: when I was shopping for ingredients, the halibut was a little pricey, and chicken breasts happened to be on sale. So if you're watching your grocery budget, you could easily swap in chicken or even turkey in favor of the fish. I also added 1 1/2 cups of black beans to the salsa. If you do that, the Points value increases to 5.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Newsletter, week of December 14th

Last Week

We rolled out our new Momentum plan! This is a satisfying and livable program that can help keep you motivated until you reach all of your goals. Have you been eating those Filling Foods?

This Week

We're into the final stretch of the year, and many of you are really busy. Maybe your exercise routine has suffered as a result. We'll help you figure out how to keep moving, and why it can benefit you these next few weeks.

Kudos

Candy and Sandee both received their first five pound stars this week. Gloria reached 10 pounds lost, Olivia reached 35 pounds lost, and Dan has now lost 50 pounds!

Congratulations also to Lisa, who completed her 4-day Leader training course and officially started her mentoring this past Monday. Over the next couple of weeks you folks at Lemon Grove will see the beginnings of a brand new Leader!

WW Product of the Week

Weight Watchers pedometer - okay, maybe there's no time to hit the gym with all the holiday errands you're running. But if you're on your feet walking through the mall or walking out to that far-flung parking spot, you're still moving. Our pedometer will keep track of your steps, how far you walk, and even count Activity Points.

Want a Weight Watcher product for the holidays? Non-members are always welcome in the meeting room to buy products for their favorite WW'er. Just let your Secret Santas know when our meeting rooms are open, and they can stop on by to pick up that special something.

Weekly Potpourri

GeoGreeting! I've created one for you folks, but if you follow the link you'll see how you can create your own. Neat!

What's Hot at WW.com

There are probably potlucks or big dinners in your very near future. Check out this holiday recipe guide to get some help for all those upcoming celebrations!

Quote of the Week

"Be careful the environment you choose for it will shape you; be careful the friends you choose for you will become like them." - W. Clement Stone

Weekly Recipe: Classic Creamy Cheesecake

Classic Creamy Cheesecake
Serves 16
5 Points value

Crust:
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup Splenda
3 Tbsp butter, melted

Filling:
2 (8 ounce) packages regular cream cheese
1 (8 ounce) package fat-free cream cheese
1 1/4 cups Splenda
4 eggs
1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice
1 pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9 inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Combine crust ingredients in a small bowl. Press on bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Beat cream cheeses together at high speed with a mixer until creamy; gradually add Splenda, mixing well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until each one is incorporated. Add lime juice and a pinch of salt, beat until smooth. Pour into prepared crust.

Bake 50-60 minutes or until mixture is almost set, and slightly firm to the touch. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to release sides, and help prevent cracking. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack; cover and chill at least 8 hours.

--Thanks to Annita for supplying this recipe

Friday, December 05, 2008

Newsletter, week of December 7th

Last Week

Having a new activity or a new piece of equipment can make you jazzed to move more. Wouldn't that help you make progress to your goals? If you've got a Christmas wish list going, maybe you should add something athletic to it!

This Week

HOLY COW IT'S FINALLY HERE! We'll be rolling out our new Momentum plan. I think you'll find the changes we've made are all good ones. The plan will help you be satisfied, it will be sustainable (and healthy!) and it's going to get you to your goal weight in 2009!

Kudos

I'm catching up since I didn't do a newsletter last week, so here goes!

Sari and Dianne received their first 5 pound stars, and Candy got her 10 pound award. Sabrina and Dawna both reached 15 pounds lost. We gave 25 pound awards to Amber, Annita and Karen, and Cherie got her 30 pound star. Dan has now lost 45 pounds, and Heidi is up to 65 gone. We also awarded a 10% keychain to Karen, and 16 week charms to Amber and Dan. Phew!

WW Product of the Week

Check out our new Member Kits! Our basic kit has an updated version of the Complete Food Companion and the Dining Out Companion, as well as a 12 week journal (updated for the new program). The deluxe kit has all that and more, including a DVD!

Weekly Potpourri

Nikki tipped me off to a great website that will help you get active. The folks at Vavi Sport & Social Club can teach you how to dance, they can get you out on the road running, or they can even help you relive your childhood with a game of dodgeball! These events do have a fee associated with them, but it's an investment in your health and well-being. Have some fun!

What's Hot at WW.com

Well of course the hottest thing right now is the new plan! It's already been rolled out on the website, but if you haven't checked it out yet, read about The new Momentum Plan so that you'll be ready for the meeting this week.

Quote of the Week

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." - Albert Schwietzer

Weekly Recipe: Zesty Veggie Rice

Zesty Veggie Rice
Serves 2
4 Points value

Prepare Weight Watchers Zesty Spanish Brown Rice as recommended on the box. In a separate skillet, saute 1/2 cup sliced onions, 1/2 cup sliced bell peppers and 1/2 cup diced tomatoes. Saute until the onions are semi clear and the bell peppers are almost cooked. Add the prepared rice to the vegetable mixture and continue to saute for 2 minutes, until well combined.

Thursday, December 04, 2008

Need some Momentum?

So it seems the folks at Weight Watchers have updated their website with our brand new program information. You know, the one I was telling you was rolling out next week?

If you have eTools, you'll be able to see the updated tracker and various tools. If you don't have eTools, you'll still be able to read about our new Momentum plan.

If you're curious, and can't wait, check it out! We'll give you the rundown in the meeting room next week.