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.