Roundup, week of December 18th

What Happened Last Week?

We discussed Power Foods, and how they can unlock the key to eating satisfaction. And if you're ready to take the plunge and go All Power Foods All The Time, we've got the Simply Filling Technique for you. Try it for a day, switch back when you need to. It's flexible!

We had a fantastic week of celebrations, and it's even more impressive when you figure out how close we are to the holiday parties and various celebrations that make weight loss a challenge. Bailey and Yolanda received their first five pound stars, Kay got a ten pound star, and Lorie reached 25 pounds lost. Elizabeth has now lost 30 pounds, and Marie broke the 50 pound mark! We gave 10% keychains to Catherine and Marianne, and on Wednesday night we celebrated Darla becoming our newest Lifetime Member. Wow!

So What's Coming Up?

How many of you participate in a regular exercise program? Would an activity goal help? We'll discuss how to get active, what barriers there might be, and how to bust through those barriers.

Thought for the Week

If you put off everything till you're sure of it, you'll never get anything done. ~ Norman Vincent Peale

Weekly Recipe: Pumpkin Vegetarian Chili

I'm certain I'm not the only one that loves to have a lot of pumpkin flavored dishes when it turns to fall and winter. A chili recipe caught my eye in O Magazine back in October, and I finally got around to figuring out the nutritionals on it. (By the way, I hate when I find a recipe that sounds fabulous and it doesn't provide the nutrition information - make it easy for me, people!)

Pumpkin Vegetarian Chili

This is going on the meal planning list in the next week or two, I guarantee it. If you make it sometime soon, let me know how it tastes!

Roundup, week of December 11th

What Happened Last Week?

We rolled out PointsPlus 2012! Some of you received new Daily PointsPlus Targets, all of you gained the ability to do some tweaking to the amount you eat, and hopefully you also got some inspiration to keep it up during the holidays.

One thing to note: after leading three meetings this week, I can tell some of you aren't convinced on these changes. Guess what? You are not obligated to use any of them. If you don't like the thought of being able to adjust your daily target, don't. If you don't like the thought of fiddling with your 49 WPPA, don't. They are just that: options. If you need structure, not flexibility, you can continue to use the plan as written.

Congratulations to Denise - this week she reached her 50 pound weight loss milestone!

So What's Coming Up?

Ever heard of the Simply Filling Technique? I mentioned in a few meetings this week that we made a tweak to that plan as well. If you don't even know what I'm talking about (not many people do!) I'll teach you all about it this week. In that discussion we'll be focusing on Power Foods, and why they are good choices. Make a list of your favorite Power Foods so we can share with each other this week!

Thought for the Week

Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice. ~ Wayne Dyer

Weekly Recipe: Roasted Tomato Basil Pesto

I saw this recipe and immediately knew it needed to be in my belly. When I worked up the nutrition information as written, it was a little bit more than I wanted to be spending, even on a dinner. So I reworked it a little bit until it was in a range that would fit my day.

I'm not even kidding, this pesto pasta is fantastic!

You'll need a breath mint after it, but you won't care. This was a great tasting dish. You're welcome.

Roundup, week of December 4th

What Happened Last Week?

We talked flexibility, and I gave you a quick preview of some of the 2012 changes we'll be rolling out to PointsPlus this week. Some of you might get an early preview if you log into eTools over the weekend!

Overall I'm proud of you all and how you handled Thanksgiving. Most of you that were in the meetings before the holiday showed up to check in after, and many of you did better than expected! We got to celebrate first five pound stars for Leonor, Melina and Paula Ann, and Nancy became our newest Lifetime Member in the Wednesday meeting! See, the holidays don't have to be a time of weight gain.

So What's Coming Up?

Introducing PointsPlus 2012! Now, compared to last year these changes are minimal, but as always, we look for ways to keep delivering a better plan than we did before. You'll find some new options available to you that will give you the most flexible and personalized plan ever.

Thought for the Week

"Things come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle." - Abraham Lincoln

Weekly Recipe: Paula Deen's Healthier Mac & Cheese

I am a fan of Dr. Oz on Facebook, and he apparently suggested to Paula Deen that she come up with a lighter version of one of her recipes. This makes me chuckle, because, well...

Anyway. She went ahead and lightened a mac and cheese, and someone out there has got to try it and see if it's worth it! Bonus points if you can build it and get some nutrition information on it. I couldn't bring myself to get off my duff and do it for you.

Roundup, week of November 20th

What Happened Last Week?

I donned my turkey hat and we talked PointsPlus values for many of the traditional holiday dishes. I hope you found that helpful to plan your Thanksgiving day strategy. You've got one more set of meetings this week to ask any last minute questions or get a final burst of motivation!

This week we also celebrated Heather achieving her 30 pound weight loss star. What a great way to head into the holidays!

So What's Coming Up?

So now you know the important food values for Thanksgiving, but that's really only part of the battle. Holidays often bring stress with them for a variety of reasons. We'll talk about how to handle it, deal with it, and emerge victorious through this holiday season.

Thought for the Week

Men stumble over pebbles, never over mountains. ~ Emilie Cady

Weekly Recipe: A Traditional Thanksgiving Menu

In our meetings this week we discussed the PointsPlus values of many of the traditional Thanksgiving dishes. If the numbers shocked you or seemed too high for your needs, our website has a bunch of great resources to help you skinny down those favorites:

A Traditional Thanksgiving Menu

That article has links to just about every course you can think of for turkey day. You may find it necessary to log into eTools to get all the recipes, but it's worth checking out. If you try any, let me know how they work out!

Roundup, week of November 13th

What Happened Last Week?

Time spent sitting isn't as productive calorie-wise as time spent being up and active. Were you able to identify ways to sit less and move more? Or if not, ways to be more productive WHILE you sit?

Celebrations this week include five pound stars for Kim (who has lost 21 pounds), Erin (who has lost 26.4 pounds, and Denise (who has lost 42.2 pounds). We also celebrated the fact that Robin is our newest Lifetime Member!

So What's Coming Up?

This week we'll be doing our annual Thanksgiving Plate meeting. If you're not prepared for the big turkey feast yet, and have no idea how many PointsPlus values you might be spending, this is the week for you! You'll get lots of information on the standard turkey dinner items so that you can plan ahead and decide on your Thanksgiving strategy.

Thought for the Week

In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure. ~ Bill Cosby

Weekly Recipe: Baked Potato Soup

Here's a tried and true recipe from me that I think will be great all this fall. Seriously, this soup is SO GOOD you have to try it.

Baked Potato Soup

You cannot tell there is any cauliflower in this soup at all. It's all potato all the time.

Roundup, week of October 30th

What Happened Last Week?

We figured out some pretty good strategies to handle the sweet tooth now that Halloween is almost upon us. I know you can get through this holiday successfully!

We had a bunch of great celebrations this week, which included a five pound star for Carlye, a 10 and 15 pound star for Alicia, and several 25 pound weight loss celebrations: Elizabeth, Ashley, Lynne and Amy! We also celebrated Denise's 35 pound weight loss and gave Kim a 16 week Stay and Succeed Award.

After discussing ways to get rid of excess Halloween candy in Wednesday's meeting (and yes, there is such a thing as "excess" candy!) I did some internet sleuthing.

Halloween Candy Buyback is a program that will take your leftover candy and use it for a good purpose. That website lists several dentists in the San Diego area who will accept your candy. If that doesn't work, here are a few other ideas.

So What's Coming Up?

Have you ever come to a meeting expecting a gain but ended up losing? Sometimes that may seem like permission to continue indulging, but we'll talk this week about what it can really mean.

El Cajon Reminder: Remember that we will only be open from 9am-11am for drop-in service, and there will be no meeting. We will be leaving the center promptly at the end of drop-in hours to attend a mandatory all-staff meeting. We'll see you next week for the real deal, okay?

Thought for the Week

Most barriers to your success are man-made. And most often, you're the man who made them. - Frank Tyger

Weekly Recipe: "Boo"-nana Pops

File this recipe under "things I know I'll never make" but seriously, one of you needs to make these.

Frozen "Boo"-Nana Pops

Because if those aren't the cutest things ever, I don't know what-all.

Roundup, week of October 23rd

What Happened Last Week?

Have you ever lost "only" 0.2? It's all a matter of perspective, and if you appreciate the fact that those small amounts can add up to big results, it will help keep you from getting discouraged!

Those whose weight loss added up to big results this week included Mary, Maggie, Diana and Chantel, who all got their first five pound stars. Heather got her 25 pound star, and Denise celebrated over 30 pounds lost. Nancy was the star of this Wednesday's meeting, because SHE GOT TO GOAL! Who's next?

So What's Coming Up?

Halloween is coming up...and so is the potential for sweet sabotage. This week we'll discuss strategies to keep that sweet tooth in check.

El Cajon Note

I've been mentioning this in the meetings over the past few weeks, but I should probably make note here as well. On October 30th our location will only be open from 9am to 11am, and there will be no meeting that day. All our staff will be attending an annual training event. You can drop in any time between 9 and 11, but we'll have to shut it down right at 11 so we can get to the event across town. Yep, it's early, but then you can get on with your day!

Thought for the Week

You have a clean slate every day you wake up. You have a chance every single morning to make that change and be the person you want to be. You just have to decide to do it. Decide today's the day. Say it; This is going to be my day. ~ Brendon Burchard

Weekly Recipe: Butternut Frittata

Is it time to start breaking out the squash and pumpkin recipes? The weather today tells me so, and so does the calendar, but I hear tell this weekend will be warm again. Well, close enough.

The latest recipe on my To Try list is this Butternut Frittata with Sage and Gruyere. As written the nutritional profile isn't too bad, but I'll guarantee that I won't make it with whole milk, and I'll probably sub in some Eggbeaters.

Roundup, week of October 16th

What Happened Last Week?

We talked about managing our environment. Have you made the world around you so that it's easy to make the smart choices? If not, take a look and see how you can - the easier you make it, the easier it will be to do the right thing and be successful!

Celebrations this week included stars for Emily (5), Sue (10), Patricia (20), Ashley (20) and Mary (20). We also celebrated Diane and Albert reaching their 5% target and Jackie reaching her 10% target.

So What's Coming Up?

You might think that tiny amounts of weight loss in a week are silly and insignificant. We'll recap total weight loss during our Lose for Good campaign that just ended to show that every little bit adds up. Small successes are still successes!

Thought for the Week

Our lives are a sum total of the choices we have made. - Wayne Dyer

Weekly Recipe: No Noodle Vegetable Lasagna

Okay, so last week's recipe was a zucchini pasta dish. This is sort of in the same vein, but it's been pinned like crazy on Pinterest, so I thought it might go over well anyway. It sounds a little labor intensive, but what the heck. Once the weather cools off, this could be a great cook once-eat all week meal, since it makes 12 servings.

No Noodle Vegetable Lasagna

Roundup, week of October 9th

What Happened Last Week?

You have a wide variety of Weight Watchers tools to choose from, and if you've got the Monthly Pass, eTools is one of them. Whether it's tracking electronically or looking up a PointsPlus value on the go, eTools is a wonderful tool to keep you in line. Have you found a new feature lately?

Celebrations this week included stars for April (first 5 pounds), Albert and Jeff (both at 10 pounds lost), Denise (25 pounds!) and Kim (5% target).

So What's Coming Up?

It's tough to choose weight-loss-friendly foods when your fridge and pantry are filled with not-so-healthy options. A banana, a yogurt, or string cheese might seem like a disappointment next to leftover coffee cake, cookies, or a bag of chips. Solution? Manage your environment! Join us this week to find out how.

Thought for the Week

Be not afraid of going slowly; be afraid only of standing still. - Chinese Proverb

Clairemont Members - One More Week!

This Wednesday will be the last meeting at our regular location. Meetings held on Sunday, October 16th and after will be at our temporary location. I posted a big long entry on this a few weeks ago: Clicky clicky for all the details!

Weekly Recipe: Skinny Zucchini Ziti

I have been out of sorts and out of my routine for the past two weeks or so. First I was out of town, then I was sick. Don't even ask about my exercise routine. Just...don't.

So now that I'm starting to finally feel human again, I'm ready to start my cooking routine back up, and it starts tomorrow with a bunch of new recipes. Skinny Zucchini Ziti is one of those, and will be feeding us for dinner this next week.

I'm going to throw in an onion, and bought two large zucchinis. Because I mean, really. Thirteen servings and you're going to just use one zucchini? VEGETABLES, PEOPLE.

Roundup, week of September 25th

What Happened Last Week?

We talked about ways to keep your motivation levels up. Remember, every day isn't easy, so having a support network, tangible evidence of your success and an overall goal in mind can be super helpful at keeping you on track.

Celebrations this week included Stay and Succeed awards for Kathleen and Laurie. Linda reached her 25 pound mark, as did Jan. Great work, ladies!

So What's Coming Up?

Many members have eTools access, but only a small number use it. If you visited our demo this past weekend in El Cajon maybe you're joining the small but successful group of eTools users. This week we'll discuss eTools and other tools available to you that will help maximize your success. It's never too late to try something new!

Clairemont Reminder

The countdown to October 15 continues. On that day, we'll be moving locations temporarily while we remodel. If that's news to you, scroll back a week and see my "Attention Clairemont Shoppers" entry for full information. Plus, keep attending your meetings - we're providing up to date information there for you.

Thought for the Week

Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or to lose. ~ Lyndon B. Johnson

Weekly Recipe: Loaded Breakfast Sandwich

When people think of breakfast foods, they often immediately think of cereal. To each their own and all, but I've never found cold cereal all that filling and wonderful. I find that a breakfast full of protein and healthy carbs (whole grains) does me best, and although there is milk in cereal, I prefer to chew things whenever possible.

This loaded breakfast sandwich seems like an easy way to get great fuel in the morning. Don't be hungry before lunch!

Attention Clairemont Shoppers!

If you attend meetings (or plan on attending them in the next few months) at our Clairemont meeting, this post is full of extraordinarily important information!

After the meetings end on Saturday, October 15th our Clairemont location will close for renovation. That's right: no more slatwall, no more high traffic carpeting. I can't wait for you to see what the new room will look like when the renovation is complete. It's going to look fantastic!

During the renovation our meetings will be held as usual at 5675 Balboa Avenue in the Balboa Mesa Shopping Center. If you're familiar with Clairemont, you might recognize that as the former Hallmark shop in the CVS/Vons/Kohl's shopping center, which is right across the street from the Target shopping center. If you are not familiar with the area, here is a map with directions from one center to the other. Prepare yourself now by figuring out how to get there!

Renovation is expected to last 6 to 8 weeks. Obviously that is subject to change depending on how everyone sticks to the project timeline. Your best bet is to continue attending meetings. Yes, that takes us into the fall holiday season - hey, I show up year 'round, you should too! Breaking news will be posted at our Facebook page and you can bet I will share updates on my Facebook page as well. I will also include any relevant information in my weekly emails, so if you're not on my mailing list, let me know and I'll put you on!

If you show up to the wrong location, don't worry! See that map up there? The two centers are extremely close to each other. No, it's not a sign from above. Just put the car back in drive and get your butt to the right location. No excuses!

While we are operating in the temporary location, we will be doing all paperwork manually. This means you MUST BRING YOUR MONTHLY PASS. We will not be able to look up any of your information, so come prepared. What we really will need is your monthly pass number, because that must be written on a sign in sheet. While it's not ideal, an expired pass will still be okay, since it will have your monthly pass number printed on it. You can always log into eTools and print a temporary pass (log in, and in the upper right hand side of the screen click on "Account Settings") if you can't find your current one.

Any change in routine is bound to cause some grumbling. Please be patient with us during this transition. I know there will be some hiccups, and we'll be relying on older technology. But I promise we will all be doing our best to give you the continued meeting experience you've come to expect from us. Your cooperation in this will really mean a lot and ensure that everything goes as smoothly as it can.

Roundup, week of September 18th

What Happened Last Week?

Collectively we agreed that our weight loss magic wands weren't working, but instead of just wishing to have a perfect week, we talked about how to actually achieve one. Let us know if you focused your efforts on a particular area this week to improve your progress!

Celebrations this week included stars for Julie (5), Karyn (10), Darcy and Nancy (15), Elizabeth and Denise (20), and Sunita (40). We also gave 10% keychains to Elizabeth and Amy, and gave Taryn a Stay and Succeed charm.

So What's Coming Up?

Do you think that tending to your own needs is selfish? Do you wish you had more time? This week we'll discuss how you can find secret pockets of time that will allow you to eat right and move more. Remember, we find time for the things that are important to us!

Thought for the Week

An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest. ~ Author unknown, commonly attributed to Benjamin Franklin

Weekly Recipe: Turtle Ice Cream Cake

The recipes I post here are typically recipes I think sound good, or that I would choose to cook for myself. That's why, every once in awhile, I force myself to post something that I wouldn't eat - just because I don't like mushrooms doesn't mean YOU don't!

One thing I don't typically cook at home is dessert. Believe me, it's not because I don't like them! But because I don't often make dessert, I tend to overlook them when I'm posting links here. So today is one of those days where I reach out of my usual routine:

Turtle Ice Cream Cake

Look at that photo. I would eat a MESS of that cake, believe you me.

Roundup, week of September 11th

What Happened Last Week?

Back-to-school-time is often a time to get refocused on other things. Remember the basics of the plan (sticking to your target, making powerful food selections, making the plan livable and get moving) and try to keep the process simple. You can do this!

Congratulations to Linda who won the Succeed All Summer raffle prize this Wednesday. We'll hold Sunday and Monday drawings this week, so be sure you're there - you must be present to win!

Celebrations this week include a five pound star for Jennifer, a 5% target award for Darcy, a 10% keychain to Heather, and a 20 pound star for Jim!

So What's Coming Up?

If someone asked you to describe how you follow PointsPlus, what would you say? You might think you've named the key elements of the program, but consider: could what you left out hold the key to your success? You don't have to be 100% perfect to lose weight, but maybe a 1% improvement would get you those better results you've been hoping for.

Thought for the Week

Persistent people begin their success where others end in failure. ~ Edward Eggleston

Weekly Recipe: Eggplant Kibbeh

I made this recipe over the weekend, and it is phenomenal! I'm using it as part of my lunch, but it could also be a great side dish, or something you'd add some grilled meat to and call it a meal.

The recipe is from a vegan cookbook called Appetite for Reduction that I've been cooking from all year, and if you're interested in that sort of thing, I definitely think the book is worth your time. Since typing it all in here is iffy from a copyright perspective, I googled and found another blog who posted the recipe: Eggplant Kibbeh.

Since the information isn't at that entry, here are the nutritionals:

For 1/6th of the recipe: 130 calories, 1.5g fat, 28g carbohydrates, 9g fiber, 5g protein, 4g sugars, 0mg cholesterol, 400mg sodium

Cook's note: bulgur is a toasted cracked wheat that's a neat replacement for some other types of grain. I bought mine from the bulk bins at Henry's Market.

Roundup, week of September 4th

What Happened Last Week?

Grocery shopping can be a valuable factor in your success. Buying healthy food is the first step in eating it! But beware the tricks of their trade, and for heaven's sake, don't go hungry!

We also kicked off the Lose for Good campaign this past week. Until October 15th, your weight loss goes toward calculating a monetary donation to Share our Strength and Action Against Hunger. You can also help locally by bringing in food donations. Your generosity is critical to helping someone in need.

So What's Coming Up?

Summer (in spirit) is technically over, so many of you will be "back to the grind" when it comes to Weight Watchers. We'll recharge your weight loss efforts so you can have a successful fall.

My Succeed All Summer challenge is just about over this week! Because we will be closed on Monday for the holiday and Sunday is still technically a holiday weekend, we will not be doing the drawings for those meetings this week. So Sunday, if you're in attendance you'll have one last chance to collect a star! Wednesday group - your prize drawing will be held next week so be sure you're there! Email club members: remember you'll get a second entry into the drawing just for being a member.

Labor Day Walk!

Join us on Monday at 8am to kick off the holiday on a healthy foot. Come to Balboa Park, park in the zoo parking lot, and be ready to meet us at the carousel for a 5K (3.1 mile) walk. All speeds, all abilities, all welcome. Bring your friends and family.

Thought for the Week

I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it. - Thomas Jefferson

Weekly Recipe: Cucumber Pomegranate Salad

It's just about Labor Day weekend, and maybe you have a barbecue or get-together on your calendar. If you've got to bring a dish, this one could definitely be a winner.

Cucumber Pomegranate Salad

That recipe just screams summer salad to me. Cool, fresh and colorful. Enjoy!

Roundup, week of August 28th

What Happened Last Week?

Plateaus - you've been there, you know them, you hate them. Remember that 90% of them are preventable by making sure you continue those healthy habits you were practicing on day one.

Celebrations this week include five pound stars for Jennifer and Scarlett, a 55 pound star for Karla, and a 70 pound star for Yolanda! We also celebrated 5% awards with Ashley and Denise, and gave Marlene her 16 week Stay and Succeed award.

So What's Coming Up?

The supermarket can be a minefield of potential pitfalls: aisle after aisle of tempting foods and beverages! We'll create a game plan and learn to take advantage of the resources available to make shopping a smart trip, not a disaster.

Special for Labor Day!

Join us at Balboa Park near the carousel on Monday, September 5th at 8am. We'll be walking/running/blading/whatevering a 5K course just like we did back on Memorial Day. Mark your calendars and bring your family and friends!

Thought for the Week

You will face many defeats in your life, but never let yourself be defeated. ~ Maya Angelou

Weekly Recipe: Eggplant and Tomato Tagine

In the discussion of meatless meals recently, I had a request for a recipe for eggplant. Eggplant is a GREAT vegetable that can serve in a meatless dish, because it has heft and flavor. Here's a recipe from Cooking Light that I think will be delicious. And this kind of recipe usually is better the next day, so if you have leftovers, don't worry. The flavors will blend and intensify!

Eggplant and Tomato Tagine

Roundup, week of August 21st

What Happened Last Week?

We explored the world of meatless meals. Even if you're a die-hard carnivore, you've probably had a meal that didn't contain meat. As you're expanding your healthy eating repertoire, this is just another option for you. Let us know if you try anything new!

Celebrations this week included ten pound stars for Denise and Darcy, and a 15 pound star for Taryn. Monday - I'm sorry I wasn't able to celebrate with you this week!

So What's Coming Up?

Do you get frustrated when your weight loss stalls, especially if you believe you've been doing everything right? Of course you do! This week we'll talk about steps you can take to jump-start your weight loss. No one wants a plateau, but it's a typical part of our weight loss journey. Having the tools to deal with it is extraordinarily important!

Thought for the Week

We cannot do everything at once, but we can do something at once. - Calvin Coolidge

Weekly Recipe: Beautiful Barbecue

Okay, so after a week of talking meatless, I'll indulge you with some barbecue recipes from the website.

Weight Watchers Goes Barbecuing

Hilariously enough, the first recipe linked in the article is for tempeh - which is of course a meatless source of protein. You just can't get away from those vegetarians! :)

Return of I Cook So You Don't Have To! Avocado Berry Smoothie

If you were in this week's meeting (and you were, weren't you?!?) you may recall that there was an idea in this week's Weight Watchers Weekly to make an avocado smoothie. Now, I love avocados, so I'm just crazy enough to decide that was a good idea. Here's what the suggestion said:

"Blend flesh of 1 avocado with 1 cup nonfat milk, 1/2 cup ice cubes, and 1 cup fresh berries. Sweeten to taste."

Now, using simple recipe math, I figured this was going to be a PointsPlus loaded smoothie, what with a full avocado and all. But I also figured that with a cup of berries, a cup of milk and a whole avocado, this would blend up into a very large smoothie, and could easily be two servings. And so I decided this would be a Saturday morning treat for my husband and I.

Here are the nutritionals for what I made. I went out of my way to find a rather small avocado, and according to the scale, there was 3.4 ounces of flesh. I used a combination of raspberries and strawberries - mostly because the raspberries I bought for this ended up being fuzzier than I could tell when I bought the package, and I happened to have some strawberries on hand. But I think this would probably also work with blueberries.

Surprisingly this smoothie didn't turn out green, like I expected. The berry color is obviously the dominant one here. I could taste the avocado, but I'd say I tasted the berries more. It was tremendously smooth and creamy (I'm sure making it in my Vitamix probably helped). By using a small avocado, this was definitely not the calorie bomb that I anticipated.

So try it. You might like it!

Roundup, week of August 14th

What Happened Last Week?

The basics of a healthy meal plan can easily be satisfied by eating Power Foods and following the Good Health Guidelines. If you learned something new this week, I hope you'll apply it with good results!

Congratulations go out this week to Shelia for reaching her first five pounds lost, Richard for reaching 10 pounds, Lynne and Pat for hitting 15 pounds lost, Jan for getting to 20 pounds, and Nylene for hitting 30 pounds lost! We also celebrated with Nancy for hitting her 5% target, and gave 10% keychains to Jan and Caroline.

So What's Coming Up?

It seems like everywhere you turn these days, there's talk about going meatless. Vegetarian this, vegan that! It's the hot topic for a bunch of reasons. If you're new to meals without meat, we'll discuss how to make a meal that doesn't feel like a let-down, like a collection of vegetable side dishes. As a vegetarian myself, I'm happy to provide some of my own experience. If you're veggie too, let me know! You'll be our expert!

Thought for the Week

No matter how small, acknowledge the achievement. ~ Greg Henry Quinn

Weekly Recipe: Go Meatless!

In honor of this week's topic, I'm going to share a few links to meatless recipes that I use on a regular basis:

Vegetarian Times - this magazine's website has a searchable recipe database. Not everything's going to be light, but I've found plenty to make, or at least lighten up a bit. Full nutrition information is provided.

Fat-Free Vegan Kitchen - not all of these recipes seem to have nutrition information, but many do. Susan's recipes are definitely Weight Watchers friendly. BEWARE: some of her recipes do have "Points" calculated, and they refer to the old program, not the PointsPlus program! Be sure to do your own calculations.

Post Punk Kitchen - Vegan with an attitude! Once again, not all the recipes she posts are light. But I do own her Appetite for Reduction cookbook, and that is full of a boatload of delicious recipes that easily fit into your daily targets. I got that one for Christmas and early this year was a flurry of cooking from that collection.

Roundup, week of August 7th

What Happened Last Week?

We explored the benefits of snacking. From managing hunger to cravings, if you make the right choices, snacking won't ruin your weight loss plans. Thanks to all of you for sharing your favorite snack ideas.

Weight loss awards this week went to Carolyn (5 pounds), Elizabeth (15 pounds), Erin (20 pounds), and Karla (50 pounds). The folks reaching their 5% targets included Lynne, Pat, Candi, Cindy and Debbie. We gave Norma her 16 week Stay and Succeed Award, and Marlene and Kathy reached their 10% targets. That's a great week!

So What's Coming Up?

What does your food day look like? We'll discuss how to put together a healthy day, how the new MyPlate from the USDA can help, and OF COURSE our Good Health Guidelines! Be prepared to share your healthy habits and to pick up some new ones.

Baked Snack Sale Alert! Starting Sunday, all of our baked snacks (pretzels, twists, crackers, popped snacks) will be on sale for $3.50!

Thought for the Week

Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them ... every day begin the task anew. ~ Saint Francis de Sales

Weekly Recipe: Tomato and Olive Dip

If you liked the look of the dip on the cover of this week's edition of Weight Watchers Weekly, you will be happy to know that I'm saving you the trouble of having to search for it on the website. As a bonus, the recipe is part of an article all about snacking, so there are a few bonus recipes as well.

Easy as 1,2,3! PointsPlus Value Snacks

Roundup, week of July 31st

What Happened Last Week?

Fun without food
How could it be?
Look at this list
And you will see
Lots of choices to keep us busy
We can dance at Zumba
'til we both get dizzy!
Join a club
Or go to the zoo
Take a bus trip and I'll go too!
Fun without food
Won't be so bad
Being without YOU would make me sad!
Let's get together and plan some fun
And enjoy this warm weather while there's still some sun.
Being together is what it's about.
So let's ditch the food and let's go out!

Hopefully you got some great ideas on how to plan fun activities that aren't food centric. Thanks for all your brainstorming!

Celebrations this week include a five pound star for Nancy, a 10 pound star for Deborah, Marlene and Amy, and a 10% keychain for Linda.

So What's Coming Up?

Snacking gets a bad rap, but it's really a great way to fuel your body and stay in control of your hunger. Snack smart and you'll stay on track!

Thought for the Week

Stop living life for what's around the corner and start enjoying the walk down the street. - Grant L. Miller

Weekly Recipe: Chilled Yogurt Soup

Right now as I post this, it's actually a rather cool day, but I'm sure warm weather won't stay away for long. I'm a huge fan of soups, but if it's 90 degrees, who really wants to sit down with a cup of hot broth?

Chilled Yogurt Soup with Spinach and Chickpeas

Martha Rose Shulman, you've done it again. Now I can have soup no matter the weather!

Roundup, week of July 24th

What Happened Last Week?

This summer you might be going to barbecues, having cocktails, going on vacation, you name it. You have choices to make. Will you make the right ones? Be proud of yourself when you do!

I don't have Sunday's celebrations, but I can tell you that we celebrated 10 pound stars for Francine and Kim, gave Jan a 15 pound star, and had Jeff reach his 5% target. Summer celebrations!

So What's Coming Up?

Fun = Food... That's a pretty common equation for us, isn't it? It can be hard to train our brains to consider ways to socialize that don't involve food or drinks, right? We'll explore fun options that your friends won't be able to turn down.

Thought for the Week

Within you right now is the power to do things you never dreamed possible. This power becomes available to you just as soon as you can change your beliefs. - Maxwell Maltz

Weekly Recipe: Brown Rice Salad with Tomatoes & Sugar Snap Peas

Is this thing on? I'm back! And I was googling for something completely unrelated when I found a link to this week's recipe.

This will be on the cooking schedule this weekend!

Since I value not alienating my coworkers with my terrible onion breath, I will likely skip the red onion and use scallions instead, which won't be so potent.

Enjoy!

Roundup, week of July 10th

What Happened Last Week?

Imagine how easy it would be to lose weight if you had a personal chef, personal trainer, and unlimited amounts of time. Yeah, right! Dealing with real life is necessary, and so we make do with what we've got.

Some of you that are doing GREAT with what you've got received awards this past week. We gave a first five pound star to Lynn, and a ten pound star to Caroline and Robin. Kathy, Melissa and Tammie all received their Stay and Succeed charms.

So What's Coming Up?

You know that eating fruits and vegetables improves health and weight loss. But sometimes it can be hard to get enough and enjoy them. We'll share tips this week for making fruits & veggies as appealing as possible, and talk about how best to prepare them. Remember ZERO POINTS PLUS!

Thought for the Week

When things go wrong don't go with them. - Elvis Presley

Weekly Recipe: Russian Watermelon

I have to be honest: sometimes when it comes time to post the weekly recipe, I have no clue what to post. Today was just that kind of day. So I decided to log into eTools and see what I could find.

It's hot, so a chilly dessert seemed in order. I narrowed my search to desserts within the range of 0-4 PPV. Then I decided to filter only 5 star rated recipes. And then I hit the jackpot. Sometimes a name just catches your eye, you know?

Russian Watermelon

Not surprisingly it involves vodka, so you know, if that's not your thing this won't be for you. But I have a feeling some of you out there might be interested.

Roundup, week of July 3rd

What Happened Last Week?

We discussed how travel and vacations can upset the usual routine. You all shared some wonderful tips on how to survive various travel scenarios!

Awards this week went to Judy, Heidi, Mary, Candi and Jeff for 5 pounds lost. Paul received a 15 pound star, Sunita her 35 pound star, and Karla got her 45 pound star. 10% targets were reached by Marlene and Lorie.

So What's Coming Up?

Any time a celebrity talks about weight loss, it's easy to rationalize that "well, if I had a team of experts helping me out, I'd lose too!" If only we had unlimited funds for a team of professionals. Well, you may not have that, but that doesn't mean you're stuck with nothing! We'll focus on the resources we DO have, and figure out how to make the most with them.

Thought for the Week

First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do. Life is a grindstone. Whether it wears you down or polishes you up depends on what YOU are made of. ~ ZigZiglar

Weekly Recipe: Heidi's Low-Fat Borscht

Members in the Monday night Lemon Grove meeting might remember our discussion about Heidi's borscht. She sent me a link to where she posted the recipe on eTools - in the Community Recipe Swap** - and now I'm sharing it with the rest of you!

Heidi's Low-Fat Borscht

Thanks, Heidi!

** You can post a recipe there, too! When you're building a recipe using the recipe builder, you have a chance to save it and share it with other users. If anyone else does this, let me know and I'll feature your recipe, too.

The Seven Days of Vacation

We didn't make it through all seven days of the vacation discussion in some of this week's meetings, so I had a request to post the rhymes from each day. Here we go....

Vacation Day #1
I'll be touring in a city
With museums on every street.
The question that I have is
"Oh my God! Where will I eat??"

Vacation Day #2
I'll be hiking up a mountain
Awesome views from all around.
But what matters even more
Is where can food and drinks be found?

Vacation Day #3
I'll be traveling on a bus
For six hours in my seat.
While I'm trapped inside the bus
I know I'll want to eat!

Vacation Day #4
I'll be sailing on a cruise
With activities night and day.
My only worry is
Will I eat the whole buffet?

Vacation Day #5
I'll be staying in a spa
With healthy, power foods for all.
But if at night I'm hungry
Is there candy down the hall?

Vacation Day #6
I'll be staying in a condo
Sharing breakfast, dinner, lunch.
How will I share food
And not O.D. on Cap'n Crunch?

Vacation Day #7
Today my trip is ending
I'll n longer have to roam.
But now I'm freaking out
Because I have no food at home!

Well this completes my list
Of why vacations make me gray.
But I'd like to add a plan
That might be helpful every day:

If I start to eat a meal
And find that overeating wins...
I can stop. And I can change.
As the second course begins.

Roundup, week of June 26th

What Happened Last Week?

Is your stomach a happy balloon? How about a shriveled angry one or a puffed up cross-eyed one? Paying attention to your hunger and fullness cues is a real important step in learning how to eat the correct amounts (and when to do it)! Keep the balloon visual from this week's Weekly in mind when you're thinking about whether or not it's time to eat.

This past week we celebrated various 5 pound milestones: Janai, Kristine and Sydney all reached their first five pounds lost, Paul and Marlene both celebrated 10 pounds lost. Melissa reached 20 pounds lost, and Jody, Nellie and Krystal all got their 25 pound weight loss awards!

So What's Coming Up?

When we take a vacation from our work and routine, we often end up taking a vacation from weight-loss efforts as well. And once that happens, it can be really tough to get back on track. We'll discuss strategies for handling disruptions like that, and how you can stay connected to your weight-loss efforts even when you're far from home.

Thought for the Week

If we wait for the moment when everything, absolutely everything, is ready, we shall never begin. - Ivan Turgenev

Weekly Recipe: Summer Rolls with Miso Sauce

It's officially summer, and at least today there's actually summer weather here in San Diego. But as we get deeper into the warm weather, you'll probably be less inclined to want to heat things up in the kitchen - I know that's how I feel!

Summer Rolls with Miso Sauce

Wouldn't that be a good light meal on a hot day? Or a nice afternoon snack? I'm usually inclined to think that egg rolls and the various iterations out there are bound to be more work than I'm ready for, but these actually seem pretty straightforward.

Roundup, week of June 19th

What Happened Last Week?

Randomly guessing a food's PointsPlus value probably isn't the best way to go about things. Use your head, your hand, your phone, your experience, whatever it takes to make a more educated guess when you're not 100% sure how to count something.

This week we celebrated 5 pound stars for Amy and Debbie, 10 pound stars for Lorraine, Corey and Stephanie, and a 20 pound star for Lorie and Andrea. We also celebrated with Caroline, Stephanie and Jan, who all reached their 5% targets this week!

So What's Coming Up?

When your body really needs food, your brain receives "feed me" messages from a mix of physical reactions. But you and I know this isn't the only time we eat! How would being more in tune with your body's hunger signals and honoring them help you get to your goals? That's what we'll talk about this week.

Thought for the Week

You must have long range goals to keep you from being frustrated by short range failures. ~ Charles Noble

Weekly Recipe: Callaloo

I don't think I'd ever heard the word "callaloo" until last week, much less eaten it. But a weekly email that I subscribe to passed along this recipe for a stew inspired by what turns out to be a Caribbean dish.

I know that recipe doesn't have any nutrition information (something that bums me out when I find a great-sounding recipe) so I built it myself and made a few modifications which you can see here. Basically I subbed in light coconut milk for the regular, and replaced half the broth with plain water, because the sodium count as originally built was ridiculous. I opted to go with the bean option and leave out the rice. With this link you can calculate the PointsPlus value easily.

So it turns out that this week is All About Callaloo because just today, I get a message in my inbox with yet another version of callaloo that might make an excellent side dish.

No matter what you think of the food, you've got to admit it's a fun sounding word. CALLALOO!!!

Roundup, week of June 12th

What Happened Last Week?

Beyond the numbers, tracking can provide you with lots of information about who you are and what makes you tick. Did you accept the challenge to track something new this week?

We gave stars this week to Conni (5), Vicki and Denise (10) and Erin (15). Hopefully with the tracking you'll do this week you'll see the success you need to be on next week's list!

So What's Coming Up?

One of the trickiest things about navigating parties and restaurants is accurately estimating the PointsPlus values of foods and beverages. This uncertainty can frustration and lead you into a gray area where you're fudging values or not counting them at all. We'll explore ways to feel more comfortable at estimating when you're unsure.

Thought for the Week

The real quality of our life is not determined by what we have won from it, but by what we have discovered within it. ~ Guy Finley

Weekly Recipe: Tex-Mex Tabbouleh

If you were at this week's meetings, you saw me hold up my journal and know that right now I'm tracking on paper. That doesn't stop me from using the Android app on my phone, though!

One of the great things about the app is that it highlights recipes I might like. There are tons of recipes to be found via eTools, but somehow I always seem to miss something. Featured yesterday was something that was totally up my alley, and is now going to be part of next week's lunch plans.

Tex-Mex Tabbouleh

Note to eTools: any recipe that includes avocado is sure to be one I'll enjoy. Love you!

Roundup, week of June 5th

What Happened This Week?

Having a support system in place is so important. So is thanking them for their help! Whether it's your friends and family or virtual members at the WW website, having someone to lean on can make the journey easier.

Celebrations this week included a five pound star for Darcy, a fifteen pound star for Linda, and a 25 pound star for Nylene. Thanks to all of you who came out to the Memorial Day walk at Mission Bay - you will get your 5K charm this week if you haven't already received it.

So What's Coming Up?

Another Walk-It Opportunity! Meet this Sunday (6/5) at 6pm at the Visitor Information Center at Mission Bay (right at the foot of Clairemont Drive) and another group of Weight Watcher members is going to gather and get their walk on!

Are you paying attention? You are if you're tracking. But tracking can take many forms, and the things you track certainly aren't limited to what you're eating and drinking. Self-awareness can lead to more optimal weight loss results!

Thought for the Week

More people will die from hit-or-miss eating than from hit-and-run driving. - Duncan Hines, food critic (no seriously, he was!)

Weekly Recipe: Fuji Apples with Saigon Cinnamon

A fellow Weight Watchers leader shared this simple snack idea, and I thought you might enjoy. Here's what he has to say:

I've gotten rave reviews over my simple Fuji apples and Saigon cinnamon habit. I started eating apples and cinnamon well before the new PP program, but since the new program, it's really come into its own. Members rave about how it helps them, so I routinely bring my bag of apples and cinnamon into the meeting room, and let people marvel at how good they smell and taste.

The approach is simple: I cut up about 4 Fuji apples into eighths and put them in a freezer size zip lock bag. In the morning I pull them from the fridge and sprinkle some Saigon cinnamon on them.

The apples become this delicious treat that accompanies me the whole day. Everywhere I go, people comment on how good they smell each time I open the bag. I carry them in my car and the whole car smells wonderful. As the day progresses and the apples get a little warm, they taste even better.

A few months back, I randomly commented about my apples in front of the meeting room and everyone wanted to know about them. I shared my approach and members immediately began imitating me, bringing back wonderful stories about how the apples and cinnamon helped them.

Now, I have fun with it, I always bring my bag of apples and often comment on them. I joke with members who become members of my "Fuji apples and cinnamon cult" -- everyone laughs, and members who use it, rave about it.

Zero points plus.....oh yeah.


So. Where do you get Saigon cinnamon? I wouldn't be surprised if locally you might find it at Whole Foods, maybe in Henry's bulk spice section, or at specialty kitchen shops like Great News. But definitely you can order it online at Penzey's or The Spice House. I have ordered from Penzeys before and can 100% vouch for their quality and service. Let me know if you try it!

Roundup, week of May 29th

What Happened Last Week?

Exercise is a well-known recipe for good health. But sometimes we still find reasons not to do it. If you contemplate how good it feels after, does that help you take the first step? Remember, activities you enjoy are your best bet. But just getting up out of the chair is important. The less you sit, the better off you'll be!

We awarded first five pound stars to Kim, Taryn and Alicia, and gave a 10 pound star to Laurie. David reached 30 pounds lost, and Mark hit the 50 pound mark. Kim hit her 5% target, and Melissa received the 16 week Stay and Succeed award. Georgetta, Robin and Maria all received a 5K charm for their participation in the Walk-It Day 5K this weekend!

Speaking of the Walk-It Day 5K...

Mark your calendars for Monday at 8am! Yes, this Monday, Memorial Day, we will meet at De Anza Cove down at Mission Bay at 8:00 in the morning. Show up and you'll be able to start your day with a walk along with some other Weight Watchers members. This will qualify you to receive a 5K charm! You can walk as slow or as fast as you like. You're also not obligated to walk 5K - you could go more OR less. This is an informal gathering, so you're welcome to walk as you please. Bring guests, that's OK too.

So What's Coming Up?

MONDAY - remember that your meetings will be closed. You can join me on Sunday in El Cajon if you like (11am weigh-in and 11:30 meeting), or you can find another meeting during the week. If neither of those options works and you can't attend a meeting, that's OK too. We don't hold it against you when WE close for the holiday.

For those of you who WILL be at this week's meeting (and hopefully that is all of you!) we'll be talking about the people who make our journeys that much easier. Be thinking about your support network and who it is that lends you a helping hand. If you don't come up with many, don't forget our meeting rooms are here to support you!

Thought for the Week

Who I am really keeps surprising me. - Poet Nikki Giovanni

Weekly Recipe: Memorial Day Spread

Eating Well is definitely one of my go-to sources when I want something that's healthy but a little more on the "gourmet" side. In honor of the holiday weekend that quickly approaches (yay!) they've featured quite a few healthy Memorial Day type recipes. You may want to fire up your grill because there are recipes featuring chicken, flank steak, even a grilled pizza!

Happy holiday weekend!

Roundup, week of May 22nd

What Happened Last Week?

We talked breakfast! It sounds like most of you are already eating it, which is great. It sets the tone for a healthy day, provides fuel and energy, and keeps you from getting too hungry and doing silly things.

We had some great celebrations this week including a five pound star for Jan and Mike, a ten pound star for Roz, a 15 pound star for Anne, a 35 pound star for Karla, and a 60 pound star for Susie. We also awarded 5% celebrations to Norma and Matthew, and gave 10% keychains to Teresita, Melissa and Sherry.

So What's Coming Up?

Most of you know the benefits of activity. Yet there are any number of reasons why you still might not exercise. We'll help you identify those obstacles and explore strategies for getting past them.

Thought for the Week

Progress always involves risks. You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first. ~ Frederick Wilcox

Weekly Recipe: My Quinoa Recipe inspired by Mark Bittman

Did you know that you can now share recipes in a Community Recipe Swap on eTools? There has always been a community recipe swap feature, but now the PointsPlus values are actually verified! So in theory the quality of the recipes and the accuracy of their values should be improved.

Go to the Recipe Builder and build a recipe as you normally would. When you save your recipe, you'll have the option to share it with the community. That's what I did with this week's recipe:

Orangey Quinoa from Mark Bittman

California Baking Company

This is a post based on a discussion that occurred this morning in Clairemont at my 6:30am meeting. So if it seems random to you, that's why.

California Baking Company is a bakery located in Chula Vista that sells French style rolls. Their products are carried at local Smart and Final stores. Susie brought in their package this morning and a great discussion came out of it.

The product in question is an approximately 4 ounce French roll (yes, we got out the scale and weighed it in the meeting room) that according to the package label contains only 90 calories. Using all of the nutrition information and a PointsPlus calculator, this roll apparently calculates out to ONE PointsPlus.

Before you run out and snatch the entire supply off the shelf, this would be a time to employ some common sense. Does it sound too good to be true? According to our very own Pocket Guide, a high fiber dinner roll clocks in at 4 PointsPlus for a 2 ounce roll. The folks at CalorieKing say a generic French roll that weighs 4 ounces would contain over 300 calories...far higher than 90!

I googled the company, and they have no web presence. There are several yellow page websites that list their business information (address and phone number). I found a three year old blog entry by a guy who raves about how these low-calorie rolls are helping him have a healthy lunch. I find it easy to believe that a company that can't be bothered to have a web presence (Facebook! A blog! Twitter! Anything!) in this day and age might end up with erroneous nutrition information on their food packages.

I cannot prove that 90 calories for one of their rolls is correct OR incorrect. But having held them in my own hands this morning, I do not feel comfortable eating one and assigning it 1 PointsPlus value. Something just doesn't seem right here.

Who knows if we'll ever get to the real truth here. But this is a cautionary tale - nutrition labels can be incorrect. Right Pirate's Booty? If you feel like something is too good to be true, it just might be.

Roundup, week of May 15th

What Happened Last Week?

When we change, the people around us may or may not always be receptive. We discussed some strategies to get the support we need to be successful.

Celebrations this week included a 10 pound star for Norma, 5% awards for Vicki and Jennett, and a 10% keychain for David.

So What's Coming Up?

Are you hungry first thing in the morning? Does what you eat first thing set the tone for the rest of the day? This week we'll explore the importance of starting the day with a healthy, satisfying meal.

Thought for the Week

A healthy body is a guest-chamber for the soul; a sick body is a prison. - Francis Bacon

Weekly Recipe: Two Butternut Squash Options

This week's recipes are recommendations from Richard. Here's what he has to say:

I tried the butternut squash fries and butternut squash soup (the one with 12 1pt servings) and they were both super good. We used the neck of the squash for the fries and the bulb part for a half-recipe of the soup.

Butternut Squash Fries

Butternut Squash Soup

Roundup, week of May 8th

What Happened Last Week?

We talked about the strategies and challenges related to dining out. I think you all shared some great tips, and I hope you took plenty more from your Weight Watchers Weekly. Hey, by the way, if you weren't at a meeting this past week, you didn't get a copy - and I AM IN IT! If you're lucky, I might have saved a few (ahem, for my "files" or something like that).

We had lots to celebrate this week, including a five pound star for Noel and Janeille, a ten pound star for Stephanie, a 15 pound celebration for Melissa and Sherry, and a 30 pound star for Karla. We also gave out 16 week Stay and Succeed charms to Tiffany, Pat and Erin, and a 10% keychain to Krystal.

So What's Coming Up?

You don't live or lose weight in a bubble. The people around you can have an impact (good or bad) on your weight loss efforts. We'll explore those relationships and some things we can do to minimize sabotage and maximize support.

Thought for the Week

Good habits are as easy to form as bad ones. ~ Tim McCarver

Weekly Recipe: Creamy Quinoa with Dried Cranberries

I discovered this recipe, which is sort of a twist on the typical oatmeal for breakfast thing. As is, the recipe figures out to 10 PointsPlus values - and that's just about the high end of what I personally would find acceptable given a 29 PointsPlus day.

I fiddled around with the recipe a little bit and discovered that if you drop the quantity of the pecans and dried cranberries from one half cup to one third cup each, that will drop the PointsPlus value of each serving to 9. I considered doing without the soymilk, but I think that would take away the creamy factor, so I didn't bother to run the numbers on it. I think the dish would still taste good made solely with water, but it becomes a different recipe entirely.

Roundup, week of May 1st

What Happened Last Week?

You all got to brainstorm about new ways to prepare and serve "old" foods. I hope you enjoyed hearing everyone's ideas, and maybe now you've got something new to try. Getting bored with your food is dangerous, so try it!

Awards this week include five pound stars for Norma, Francine and Roz. Penny got her 10 pound star, and Larry got his 20 pound star. Robin reached 40 pounds lost, and Mary got her 45 pound star. We celebrated Karla's 10% target, and Maria is our newest Lifetime member! That's a great mix of celebrations that range from beginning to end, isn't it?

So What's Coming Up?

I am really excited about this week. Make sure you grab a Weekly and read it when you're in the meeting room - this one is not to be missed! You're going to find great tips for dining out in it, which is what we'll cover during the meeting. It's one of our biggest challenges, and there are lots of approaches we can take to be successful.

Spotted on the Shelves!

We are testing out some new products, and they've arrived in the meeting rooms!

These Popped Barbeque Potato Crisps are dead ringers for Pop Chips, don't you think? Each box contains 5 packets of 2 PointsPlus worth.

These Popped Cinnamon Swirl Crisps don't look as much like Pop Chips to me, but almost look like those mini rice cake crisps that Quaker and some other folks make. These also have 5 packages in the box and are 2 PointsPlus per serving. Both sell for $4.50 a box.

These products are so brand new, I haven't even tried them! Not all locations are getting both flavors, since we're testing them out. I saw the Cinnamon Swirl at Lemon Grove on Monday night, and this morning in Clairemont we actually had both flavors. I'm not sure what El Cajon will have until I see it for myself Sunday morning. If these sound good, you'd better buy them while supplies last!

Thought for the Week

The big secret in life is that there is no secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you are willing to work. It is called massive action. Action is the gas in the tank. Without you, the car will not run. ~ Marcy Blochowiak


Weekly Recipe: Halibut Kebabs with Spicy Pepper Sauce

I sat down to compose this entry, and not having a surefire recipe I needed to share, I decided to take a look at my inventory. Looking through the tags I use for my entries, I saw that out of all the entries tagged as recipes (over 200!), only 16 were tagged as seafood.

That doesn't surprise me in the slightest, since I've never been a huge fan of seafood, and I've spent various times of my life (including now) as a vegetarian. I typically post what sounds GOOD to me. So I've left you on your own when it comes to fish.

Halibut Kebabs with Spicy Pepper Sauce

Clearly you know I haven't tried this recipe. But did you know that the WW recipe search allows you to refine options by rating? This recipe is rated 5 stars, so while it's not a personal recommendation, I have faith that you'll enjoy it if you make it!

Friend Makin' Monday: Today I....

I don't do a lot of personal blogging around here, but every once in awhile I post something that's a little bit more personal. Tonight via Facebook I stumbled across someone who is wonderfully inspiring. All The Weigh has lost over 100 pounds and is a woman on a mission. Reading her story actually got me a little misty-eyed.

So to pass along a blog you all might enjoy, I'm going to participate in her "Friend Makin' Monday" entry and post a little something about me:

FMM: Today I....

Today I felt...like I could have used another day off!

Today I saw...someone celebrate becoming a Lifetime Member at Weight Watchers. That never fails to be inspiring.

Today I ate...strawberry and cucumber salad - it's a recipe I posted here a few weeks ago.

Today I kissed...my husband, who I have been married to for 2 years and 364 days.

Today I bought...nothing. The plane tickets to Italy that we bought yesterday took up everything we had!

Today I heard...one of my current favorite songs on the drive to work - Keane's "My Shadow."

Today I lost...track of time and ended up taking a little bit too long of a lunch break.

Today I decided...that I really didn't make too many decisions today!

Today I need...to focus on how I will achieve some of the small goals that have been elusive lately.

Today I wish...that everyone reading this knew how proud I am of them. Changing your lifestyle isn't easy, and you're some of the few brave enough to give it a shot.

A Day in the Life

It's a rare day when Weight Watchers is closed. We pretty much stick to our schedule but for a few holidays each year, and Easter is one of them. Since I work a Sunday meeting (as many of you know), this is pretty much my only guaranteed Sunday off, unless Christmas or New Year's Day happens to fall the right way.

Being with my Weight Watcher peeps is actually one of the highlights of my life, but I'm not gonna lie - it's nice to have a day off once in awhile! But since we didn't hang out today, I thought it might be fun to share with you some things I did to make good use of my time.

I started the morning down at Mission Beach for an early run. I met up with a couple of friends after that to walk up and down the boardwalk. There were plenty of surfers, a few beach Easter services, and more than a few people out for a nice stroll.

When all was said and done, I covered about 12 miles. Which worked up an appetite. This dish is called "Nirvana" and it's from Isabel's Cantina. I highly recommend their breakfast and lunch menus if you're ever in the area.

The rest of the afternoon was spent cooking (I made the couscous with chickpeas and oranges from our latest cookbook...among other things) and lamenting the state of Padres baseball.

Happy Sunday, everyone!

Roundup, week of April 24th

What Happened Last Week?

Tracking is notoriously a secret of successful members. But often it's the thing we don't enjoy doing. Hopefully you thought of some new methods to track, or some more compelling reasons to keep it up. It'll work!

Sunday members: as you know I was not there to work this past week. I was in a classroom all day learning about different fitness assessment methods. So I don't have the usual list of celebrations from you. But I definitely was thinking about you!

Monday and Wednesday members saw celebrations for Pamela and Jennett, who each got their first five pound stars. Mary received her 10 pound award, and Helen reached 15 pounds lost. David got his 25 pound awards, and Theresa celebrated her 5% award.

So What's Coming Up?

SUNDAY NOTE: it's Easter this Sunday, and that's an official Weight Watchers holiday, so all of our locations will be closed all day.

I'm hoping that with the recipes I post here, and all of the resources you have at the Weight Watchers website, you're not getting bored with your food intake. But if so, we'll talk about how you can ensure this doesn't happen. Because let me tell you, when you're bored with the food you have, you'll definitely go looking for something else!

Thought for the Week

The person interested in success has to learn to view failure as a healthy, inevitable part of the process of getting to the top. ~ Dr. Joyce Brothers

Weekly Recipe: Egg and Herb Salad

Since Easter is this weekend, it's entirely possible that you'll end up with a surplus of hard-boiled eggs. If that's the case, you're going to need to do something with them.

I apologize in advance for this one - the recipe I'm linking doesn't have any nutrition information available. You can easily calculate the PointsPlus value of it by using the Recipe Builder in eTools, or by using Simple Recipe Math - look up the PPV of each ingredient, and tally it all up. Either method is fine, though the recipe builder of course will be more accurate.

But back to the leftover eggs. This egg and herb salad is a fresh twist on your typical egg salad. Enjoy!

Roundup, week of April 17th

What Happened Last Week?

It's all about ME! Err...YOU! Taking time to care for yourself is so crucial. You can't help others or be productive if you're not happy and healthy. It's not selfish and horrible to spend some time doing things that are good for YOU.

We gave a five pound star to Pam this week, and celebrated Anne's 16 week Stay and Succeed award. Twenty pound stars went to Jody, Paula and Tammy, and Maria has now lost 25 pounds! Three people reached their 5% targets this week: Debbie, Danielle and Julie.

So What's Coming Up?

When we celebrated this past week, lots of our big losers attributed at least part of their success to tracking. We know it's a valuable tool - but do we always do it? If we track this consistently and accurately, there's no way we won't succeed!

Thought for 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: Wheat Berry Minestrone

I feel like I go in waves when it comes to what my favorite whole grain is. (Which, by the way, that probably makes me a complete Healthy Eating Nerd - who on this planet has a "favorite whole grain" for goodness sake?) Just last week I was looking for some recipes that use wheat berries. If you've never had them, they are about the same size as barley, or a really fat grain of rice. They're dark brown, and have a wonderful, chewy texture.

So yesterday, as I download the new WW Mobile Beta for Android, what should pop up as a featured recipe, but a soup with wheat berries! Perfect timing. And this one uses the crock pot, which is one of my favorite kitchen gadgets. So here goes:

Slow Cooker Wheat Berry Minestrone

Roundup, week of April 10th

What Happened Last Week?

We launched our 3rd annual Walk-It Challenge! What better way for you to set a goal and create steps to achieve it - sign up to show up and you've got the accountability factor working in your favor. Links and further information on the challenge will be forthcoming. I'll post them here and also on my Brand New Shiny Facebook Page Outsmart the Fat. Become a fan!

Celebrations this past week included five pound stars for Samantha (5 pounds), Kathy, Stephanie, Sherry, Krystal and Melissa (10 pounds), and Mary (35 pounds). This seemed to be the week to reach 5% and 10% targets, because we shared those with Carol, Anne, Kathy, Melissa, Andrea, Gina, Linda, Stephanie and Krystal!

So What's Coming Up?

Sometimes it's easy to get wrapped up in the to-dos of life that we forget we have our own needs. Maybe it's been eons since you've been able to make yourself a priority. This week we'll discuss solutions to that - if you don't take care of yourself...who will?

Thought for the Week

Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all. ~ Norman Vincent Peale

Weekly Recipe: A Plethora for Passover

Today on the Weight Watchers website they are featuring a bunch of recipes suitable for Passover. By my count, fourteen recipes will get you two full seder options and some other miscellaneous dishes.

Even if you're not observing Passover, these links are worth a click. No matter what you believe in, I'm pretty sure most of us would believe in something called "Ultimate Chocolate Sorbet."

Roundup, week of April 3rd

What Happened Last Week?

We discussed the importance of weight loss buddies and how to find the right kind of support. I'm glad to see so many of you already have those networks in place!

Celebrations this week included: Fil, Lavon, Vicki and Mary (First Five Pounds), Teresita and Nellie (Fifteen Pounds), Maria, Gina and David (Twenty Pounds), Karla (Twenty-Five Pounds), Helen (Five Percent) and Mark (Ten Percent).

If you want to join these losers but feel like you're struggling, be sure to talk to me or one of the receptionists in our meeting rooms. We can help, we can give you pointers...but not if we don't know you need them!

So What's Coming Up?

It's back! Weight Watchers is once again holding a Walk-It Day! The challenge kicks off Sunday, April 3rd. When the website goes live that day, I'll be posting the link so you can get more information and start thinking about moving! I'll have a handout for all of you this week with complete information.

Tying into the Walk-It Challenge, we'll discuss goal setting as it relates to getting you into an activity program you can stick to. For some of you it may seem like a struggle - we'll help break down the barriers so you can see how easy it really is.

Thought for the Week

You cannot change anything in your life with intention alone, which can become a watered-down, occasional hope that you'll get to tomorrow. Intention without action is useless. ~ Caroline Myss

Weekly Recipe: Strawberry Cucumber Salad

I stumbled onto a link for this salad posted by the Almond Board of California (because, you know, I surf that site ALL the time). The picture alone sells it for me. What a great spring recipe!

Strawberry Cucumber Salad

Roundup, week of March 27th

What Happened Last Week?

I encouraged you to think back to your lapses. Not so that you can feel guilty about them, but so you can take a moment and think about what happened and why. Don't you think it's more productive to learn from your experiences than to ignore them and repeat your mistakes?

There were a lot of successes in the meeting rooms this week. I'll take a deep breath and start rattling them off:

Sherry, Rahad and Stephanie lost their first five pounds, Linda, Erin, Lorie and Debbie all reached 10 pounds lost. We gave 15 pound stars to Tammy and Althea. Robert and Chris got 20 pound stars, and we gave out 5% awards to Tammy, Erin, Nellie and Lorie. Susie got back to her goal weight this morning, and on Sunday Rick became our newest Lifetime Member!

So What's Coming Up?

Having a buddy can make weight loss easier, lead to increased accountability and decreased boredom, give you inspiration and enjoyment, and give you a healthy dose of competition. Support can come from anywhere, so we'll talk about what kind you need, and where to get it.

Thought for the Week

If it is to be, it is up to me. - Author Unknown

Weekly Recipe: Crustless Green Quiche

My friend Jen is an excellent cook, and when she mentioned she'd made a crustless quiche that was healthy, I begged her to share the recipe with me. Thankfully she did, and you can find it here:

Crustless Green Quiche

I used meatless bacon (which, don't get me started, I should have probably just used something not even related like roasted red peppers or sun-dried tomatoes) but Jen's version called for the real thing. If you eat meat, I'd recommend you do that. Bacon is too tasty to fake it.

Roundup, week of March 20th

What Happened Last Week?

Deprivation is the straw that breaks the camel's back when it comes to weight loss progress. If you've struggled with the feelings of "I can't" and "I shouldn't" it's important to take a look at your choices and see if you can improve your physical and mental satisfaction when it comes to eating. Remember, many of us impose rules on ourselves that we really don't need to. It's OK to live a little!

Since I did not lead Sunday's meeting, I don't have celebrations from that group. But I was able to participate in celebrating Penny's five pound star, Gina's 20 pound star, Nancy's 16 week Stay and Succeed award, and best of all, seeing Maria reach her GOAL WEIGHT! Yahoo!

So What's Coming Up?

Reflecting on past weight-loss experiences - both slip ups and successes - can give you valuable feedback. Learning what works and what doesn't work can help you move forward to future success.

Thought for the Week

A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book. - Irish Proverb

Weekly Recipe: Baked Pears Three Ways

This week you get Three! Three! Three recipes in one. These all come from Pat who mucked around in the kitchen and came up with three different ways to have a 3 PointsPlus value dessert of baked pears.

Baked Pears with Raisins

Baked Pears with Dates

Baked Pears with Mincemeat

Roundup, week of March 13th

What Happened Last Week?

Last week was all about YOU. What you've accomplished, what skills you've gained. I know it might seem weird, but focusing on how great things are going for you can help keep you motivated to finish the journey.

Accomplishments for this week include five pound stars for Kathy and Melissa, 15 pound stars for Teresa, David and Jody. Barbara reached 20 pounds lost and Mark celebrated 25 pounds lost. We gave 5% awards to Teresa and David, and gave a 10% keychain to Denise.

So What's Coming Up?

Are you worried you won't be able to eat the foods you love? Deprivation is a dangerous game that can ruin your progress. This week we'll talk about how to avoid deprivation and be satisfied with our food choices on a physical AND mental level.

Thought for the Week

We either make ourselves happy or miserable. The amount of work is the same. ~ Carlos Castaneda

Weekly Recipe: Polenta Lasagna

This is a leftover recipe from last week's recipe swap, courtesy of Pamela. I will definitely have to make this one myself!

Polenta Lasagna

I also have a few recipes I got from Pat on Sunday, but I need to get those run through the nutrition information mill before I post them. Probably next week....

Roundup, week of March 6th

What Happened Last Week?

We talked about how boredom can throw a monkey wrench into your eating and activity plans. I hope you're keeping an eye on things and finding ways to keep it interesting. You don't have to change EVERYTHING CONSTANTLY, but a little variety can go a long way.

Veronica and Larry both got their first five pound stars this week. Andrea, Teresa, Helen, Jennifer and Melissa all reached 10 pounds lost. Those who celebrated a fifteen pound milestone include Juanita, Joanne and Chris. Karla and Denise have now lost twenty pounds. We also celebrated 5% targets with Jody and Teresita, and Maria reached her 10% target. I love seeing everyone's success!

So What's Coming Up?

Now that we've gotten through two full months of the year, it's time to start looking back and acknowledging how far we've come. By celebrating your successes you'll gain confidence to move forward. Show up ready to share what you've achieved and applaud the efforts of others!

This week we will be offering samples of our new lemon mousse pie mini bar, and if you like them, you'll be able to purchase them (and all our other mini bars, oatmeal and smoothies) for just $4.95!

Thought for the Week

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do. ~ John Wooden

Weekly Recipe: Wednesday Recipe Swap

So Wednesday morning we did a little recipe swap that tied in nicely with the week's topic of shaking things up a bit. Here I present the results:

Coke Zero Cupcakes

Three Bean and Pork Slow Cooker Chili

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Baked Macaroni and Cheese**

** A note on this one: the blog I'm linking to altered the original recipe slightly. When published in the magazine the recipe called for whole wheat penne and she used a different pasta shape - that's irrelevant to the nutrition information, so just use whatever whole wheat pasta you like. The cheddar cheese called for is a total of two and a half cups - her recipe says 2 plus "more for sprinkling" - your eyeball will probably want to add more than that half cup!

Roundup, week of February 27th

What Happened Last Week?

Portion control is a major factor in successful weight loss. Don't let portion creep or portion distortion ruin your progress. If you haven't done so lately, you may want to re-weigh or re-measure what you're eating to be sure you're doing what you think you are!

Weight loss celebrations this week include a five pound star for Jenn, a 10 pound star for Althea, 15 pound stars for Beverly, Karla and Tricia, a 25 pound award for Cherie, a 30 pound award for Virginia, and a 50 pound award for Susie. We also gave 5% awards to Althea, Karla, Teri, Chris and Leilah.

So What's Coming Up?

There is a great week on tap in my Weight Watchers meetings! Our topic will address boredom - whether it's in your food choices or your activity choices. We'll discuss strategies to keep things mixed up and exciting.

SUNDAY - remember that we will be holding an eTools demonstration this week! We'll start the demo right after the meeting ends at noon. It should last approximately 45 minutes, and we'll probably have some giveaways. Friends and non-members are welcome, and if you're not usually a Sunday member but want to come check it out, you are absolutely welcome to stop on by.

WEDNESDAY - don't forget to bring a recipe with you for our recipe swap! Ground rules are that whatever recipe you share needs to include either the nutrition information or the PointsPlus value. You don't need to bring copies for everyone, but at least bring a copy that I can take with me to post here on the blog. Be ready to tell us about the recipe, where you got it, tips for preparation, etc.

MONDAY - I don't actually have a special event scheduled for you this week, but I didn't want you to feel left out. If you're reading this and you haven't shown up in awhile, why not? If you need extra special help, drop me a line here, in email, at Facebook, or come on in and we'll give you some TLC.

Thought for the Week

Failure is only postponed success as long as courage "coaches" ambition. The habit of persistence is the habit of victory. ~ Herbert Kaufman

Weekly Recipe: Edamame Salad

My favorite spin instructor just started her own website, and has already posted a few quick, healthy recipes. She hasn't included nutrition information for them, but I cranked them through the software so I can share one with you:

Edamame Salad
Serves 2

2 cups of frozen edamame (thawed)
1 cup of frozen corn (thawed, you can also substitute frozen peas)
2 cups of a mixture of chopped red pepper and celery
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs of cider vinegar (I like Braggs)
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (you can substitute oregano)

Mix all ingredients and voila! This makes 2 servings!

Per serving: 369 calories, 12.7g fat, 44g carbohydrates, 6.8g fiber, 23.9g protein, 198mg sodium

Roundup, week of February 20th

What Happened Last Week?

We discussed getting the world around us set up for success. Get your kitchen, your workplace and anywhere else you spend time full of tools that will help, not food that will sabotage.

This week's celebrations included the following: 5 pound stars for Liz, Linda and Alejandra. Folks reaching 10 pounds lost include Gina, Anne, Karla and Paula. Mark got a 15 pound star and Pamela got her 25 pound awards. A bunch of people reached their 5% targets: Georgette, Carol, Paula, Pat, Andrea and Gina. That's a lot of weight loss!

So What's Coming Up?

Oh man. I get to do my tablespoon of peanut butter joke again! Woo hoo! We'll talk about portion sizes and why it's important to consistently keep an eye on them.

SPECIAL EVENT!!!

We will be holding a special eTools demonstration immediately following the Sunday meeting in El Cajon on February 27th. If you have never used this tool (and if you haven't but you're reading this WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?!?) but would like to see what it can do, stop on by! If you're going to be at your regular Sunday meeting anyway, budget in a little extra time to stick around!

Thought for the Week

Slow and steady has not always been an inspiring concept. It's not as sexy as speed and sharp turns of direction. But it may be just the thing to keep you from running out of gas, while still moving you forward. The most important thing is to keep walking forward, no matter how slowly. Sometimes slowness can be frustrating. You might become impatient; you might get discouraged with a setback. But a setback doesn't have to set you back. Simply using it as a learning opportunity can leapfrog you ahead again. From now on, try paying attention more to your direction and less to your speed. Be patient, focus on a little bit at a time, and soon enough, you'll be further than you ever thought.

Weekly Recipe: Chicken and Cavatelli Soup

As I post this, we've had a day full of rain and more to come. (Gosh, that drive from downtown to El Cajon this evening was NOT cool.) So when I was looking around for a recipe to post, this chicken and cavatelli soup seemed like just the thing.

I'm still doing the vegetarian thing, so I haven't tried this myself. If you do and it's good, let me know!

Roundup, week of February 13th

What Happened Last Week?

We discussed hunger - how do you know it when it happens? And the other side of the coin - satisfaction. Hopefully you've been paying attention to the signals your body sends you this week. Awareness is key to adjusting your eating patterns.

Once again, my weight loss awards list is phenomenal! Five pound stars went to Terri, Aimee, Becky, Shelley, Andrea, Emily, Aida and Maxine. Anita, Lisa, Jody, David, Joanne and Kate all received 10 pound stars. Linda got her 15 pound star, and Janet got her 25 pound award. We had two 5% awards this week - Tasha and Lori, and Cherie received her 10% key chain. It's great to see a bunch of successful and motivated people isn't it?

So What's Coming Up?

Need a kitchen makeover? I'm not talking granite counter-tops or new appliances, of course. But is your kitchen full of success? We'll discuss how the foods and tools you keep on hand can have an impact on your success.

Monday! I know this week's meeting falls on Valentine's Day, but please do stop in to see us. We'll be showing you love by working that night, so send it on back by stopping in to get your weekly WW dose.

Thought for the Week

Most of our obstacles would melt away if, instead of cowering before them, we should make up our minds to walk boldly through them. ~ Orison Swett Marden

Weekly Recipe: Cake Mix + Greek Yogurt

This cake recipe came up in Wednesday's meeting, and we realized that none of us had taken a look to see how its value had changed under the new PointsPlus program. Here it is:

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

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


When I made this recipe I used a lemon cake mix. It was moist and fantastic!

2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

On Monday, the government published an updated version of their dietary recommendations. This is the moment when I realized I am a nutrition nerd, because I immediately went online and downloaded the report in its entirety so I could read it.

Some of the big things the guidelines now focus on:

Sustaining a healthy weight by maintaining a calorie balance over time - for us that simply means continuing to stick to our Daily PointsPlus targets. If you're doing that, you're already on the road to following that guideline.

Choosing nutrient-dense foods - can you say Power Foods? This is the easiest way for you to find foods that have higher eating satisfaction, lower sugar, lower sodium, healthier fat, and more fiber. That's exactly what the dietary guidelines are calling for!

Environment and behavior modification are key to making the lifestyle changes necessary for weight loss and weight maintenance - you don't say? We've been saying that for years at Weight Watchers. That's why we say to Manage Your Environment. And Manage Your Feelings. I'm using capitals because we have action sheets for those in every meeting room!

Sodium intake should be limited to 2,300mg per day and those who are 51+, anyone who is African American, or has hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease should limit intake to 1,500mg - the Weight Watchers plan has never specifically issued any guidance on sodium, but we have always encouraged members to default to what the government-issued dietary guidelines have been saying. Keep in mind that given the state of health in this country, more than half of us fit into the special category that should limit intake to 1,500mg per day. When the average intake in this country is 3,400mg per day, you can see there's work to be done. Once again, Power Foods will be a key factor in helping you cut the salt.

So if you'd been hearing about the new guidelines and wondering how that would impact your Weight Watchers life...it really doesn't. These guidelines remain consistent with the program and behaviors we've been teaching in meeting rooms for years. What we need is to get the entire country to get on board. Just do it!

Roundup, week of February 6th

What Happened Last Week?

It's important to recognize that setbacks happen. Once you accept that things won't always go smoothly, it's important to learn how to deal with that. Stay positive, create an anchor, and use our group support to get you through the hard times!

I have quite an extensive list of celebrations from this past week's meetings. Here goes: first five pound stars went to Helen, David, Teresa, Althea, Christina, Andrea, Melissa, Carol, Sharon, Joanne, Patrick and Wenda. Those celebrating 10 pounds lost include Tammy, Renee, Linda, Denise, Mark and Tricia. Maria received her 20 pound star and a 16 week Stay and Succeed charm. Marie also got that clapping hands charm this week. 5% celebrations went to Christina, Denise and Barbara. We gave Molly her 10% keychain Wednesday morning, and last but absolutely NOT least, Rick reached his WEIGHT GOAL! Phew - a busy week!

So What's Coming Up?

How do you know when you are truly hungry? If we're going to start finally obeying our body's hunger and fullness signals, we certainly need to know what they are! We'll discuss how to tell and how to make sure those hunger signals aren't a deafening presence in your life.

This week we'll also be giving out samples of our new Cinnamon Crumb Supreme snack bar. If you like it, know that all snack bars (the 3 PPV ones) and baked snacks (pretzels, twists, crackers) will be sold for $3.50! Sale price is good through February 26th.

Thought for the Week

The limit of your present understanding is not the limit of your possibilities. ~ Guy Finley