Newsletter, week of May 11th

Last Week

Healthy living may sometimes feel like it's costing a lot of money, but as you well know, the savings are real, both short term and long term.

This Week

I can't believe I'm actually going to type this, but this week we're going to discuss "actunities." Confused as I am? Well, it's just a silly way to describe opportunities for extra activity. Find out how to move more!

Kudos

This was a pretty busy week at Awards Central. Velma has lost 10 pounds, Trina and Olivia both reached 15 pounds (and Trina hit 10%!), Margaret celebrated 25 pounds lost, Heidi celebrated 30 pounds lost and her 16th week, Sonya and Libby are also at 16 weeks, and Kristen has reached 55 pounds lost. We finished it all up by celebrating two new Lifetime Members: Lynn and Janedra!

WW Product of the Week

WW Pedometer - when I started wearing mine, I was disgusted by how few steps I took in a day. It's a great motivater to keep on moving! It will track steps taken and distance, and will even calculate activity points earned. Think about one of these if you're dissatisfied with how much you move around.

Weekly Potpourri

Part of our discussion this week touched on buying produce that's in season (in order to save money). If you're not sure what's ripe when, here is a harvest calendar from the folks who manage San Diego's Farm Bureau.

Recipe of the Week

Orzo Salad with White Beans
Serves 6
3 Points

2/3 cup uncooked orzo
1 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup (2 oz) crumbled feta cheese
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup reduced-fat olive oil vinaigrette
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain and rinse with cold water. Drain.

Combine pasta, cucumber and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl, tossing gently. Combine vinaigrette and next 3 ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Add vinaigrette mixture to pasta mixture, tossing gently to combine.

Want to make it Core? Why not swap out the orzo for a Core grain like quinoa or barley. Make the feta the fat-free variety (you can find that at Trader Joe's or Henry's) and instead of vinaigrette just use olive oil and balsamic vinegar mixed together. See? Now it's Core!

--recipe recommended by Marta and from 2008 Annual Recipes for Success

What's Hot at WW.com

We can probably sometimes relate to this one. Five Reasons You're Always Starving.

Quote of the Week

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.