Quote

If we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions. It's not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.

~Anthony Robbins

Tracking Tricks Week 16

Tracking better, more accurately and more consistently for improved weight loss results!

Tracking is very simple in theory. Write down what you eat, along with the portions sizes and call it good!

But, what happens when life happens?

Today is all about learning to track better and more consistently.

Point to Ponder:

A hunter can tell a lot from an animal's tracks: its size, relative speed and it's direction. We also leave "tracks" in our Trackers. They can tel us a lot about ourselves and our eating habits and can also give us clues about whether or not we're on the path to success.

Quote

Motivation is what gets you started. HABIT is what keeps you going.

Practice and repeat!

~ Jim Rohn

Challenges this Week!

While making "ME FIRST" have you met any challenges?

Here are some I considered prior to meeting on Monday.

*Always considering others' needs before our own...
*Believing there's not enough time or resources to meet our needs....
*Believing it's selfish to pursue the things we need and desire....


Some Strategies to combat the Challenges

**Accepting our own needs are important
**Consciously seetting aside "ME TIME" for actions that support your weight loss goals
**Making specific plans to do things I enjoy
**Learning to say NO to extra demands on our time and resources
**Delegating responsibilities to others

Next Week

Tracking Tricks......

Take daily tracking-and your weight loss results- to a higher level!

WALK IT CHALLENGE

Just a reminder to get walking! Practice will only help you succeed for the BIG WALK IT CHALLENGE...on or around May 22.

Quote

"Your real influence is measured by your treatment of yourself."
~Amos Bronson Alcott

Wrap up from yesterday!

When you learn to take care of yourself first, you're likely to be happier, healthier and more in control of your weight loss progress!

ME First!!! WEEK 15

ME First.....or last again?

Do you feel like you always come in last?

How do you feel about prioritizing your list to ensure the things you want are at the top?

Or do you just ponder about CALGONE taking you away?

IT is important to put yourself first when it comes to many things...but with weight loss you have to put yourself first.
Support from others can make weight loss easier, we need to learn how to be our own best friend. Carve time out for our own needs, comfort and feelings. Pretty scary at first. But, with time this eye opening truth can help!

1. Go to the top of the list. Every day, make a to do list and start with your own needs first.
2. Start to say NO!  If you tend to be a YES person, always agreeing to take care of others' needs can sabotage your efforts in weight loss.
3. Take time for what you love. Today that would mean being outside in the garden...does that work for you? When you find and commit yourself to things you love, it is easier.

If you need help getting started, here are some helps.....

This week start by taking the time to meal plan and plan your daily activity while at it.


Try to start small and see what you can find!

Willpower Quote

"It's not that some people have willpower and some don't.  It's that some people are ready to change and others are not."  ~James Gordon

Quote

"Anything you really want, you can attain, if you really go after it."  ~Wayne Dyer

Quote

"Good judgement comes from experience; experience comes from bad judgement."  ~Mulla Nasrudin

Quote

"Our plans miscarry because they have no aim.  When you don't know what harbor you're aiming for, no wind is the right wind."  ~Seneca

Quote

"If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning."  ~Mahatma Gandhi

Quote of the Day

"Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances."-- Thomas Jefferson

Monday, March 14, 2011

What restaurant/food have you enjoyed recently within the guidelines of the PointsPlus Program?  What do you enjoy with your 49 Weekly PointsPlus Allowance?  Do you enjoy yourself with your 49 WPPA?  If not…..WHY NOT?  GET INTO A MEETING THIS WEEK!!  Remind yourself that deprivation is NOT the key to any long term weight loss/maintenance plan!  If I couldn’t have Dunford chocolate donuts…I would die!!! (Okay- not literally….but people around me would be very unhappy due to my negative attitude and then may want to kill me….that’s all I’m saying.)  You see?  Variety/fun is the spice of life!!  ENJOY the program!  Enjoy your favorites!  It can ALL be done with the PointsPlus Program….again, the most LIVABLE PLAN we have EVER had!!!!

Easy Nachos

Easy Nachos15 Baked Tostitos Tortilla Scoops- 3 PPV
1/2 c. Great Value Fat Free Refried Beans- 2 PPV
1 (3.5 oz) container Ricos Salsa de Queso Nacho Cheese Sauce- 4 PPV
(Note- approx 3 oz. Kraft Velveeta (2% milk) cheese sauce had similar points values if you can't find the other)
2 Tbsp. Fat free sour cream- 0 PPV
Green onions, sliced
Tomatoes, diced

Fill each scoop with evenly divided amounts of refried beans, cheese sauce, and sour cream. Microwave until warmed through (approx. 30 seconds). Top with onions and tomatoes.
Total= 9 PointsPlus

Do Not Give Up!

"The difference in winning and losing is most often ...  not quitting."  ~Walt Disney

~Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because "he lacked imagination and had no good ideas."  He went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland.  In fact, the proposed park was rejected by the city of Anaheim on the grounds that it would only attract riffraff.

~ As a young man, Abraham Lincoln went to war a captain and returned a private.  Afterwards, he was a failure as a businessman.  As a lawyer in Springfield, he was too impractical and temperamental to be a success.  He turned to politics and was defeated in his first try for the legislature, again defeated in his first attempt to be nominated for congress, defeated in his application to be commissioner of the General Land Office, defeated in the senatorial election of 1854, defeated in his efforts for the vice-presidency in 1856, and defeated in the senatorial election of 1858.  At about that time, he wrote in a letter to a friend, "I am now the most miserable man living.  If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on the earth."

~Winston Churchill failed sixth grade.  He was subsequently defeated in every election for public office until he became Prime Minister at the age of 62.  He later wrote, "Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never - in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.  Never, Never, Never, Never give up." 

~Albert Einstein did not speak until he was 4-years-old and did not read until he was 7.  His parents thought he was "sub-normal," and one of his teachers descirbed him as "mentally slow, unsociable, and adrift forever in foolish dreams."  He was expelled from school and was refused admittance to the Zurich Polytechnic School.  He did eventually learn to speak and read.  Even to do a little math.

~An expert said of Vince Lombardi:  "He possesses minimal football knowledge and lacks motivation."  Lombardi would later write, "It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get back up."

~Michael Jordan and Bob Cousy were each cut from their high school basketball teams.  Jordan once observed, "I've failed over and over again in my life.  That is why I succeed."

For more inspiration on not giving up:  http://www.des.emory.edu/mfp/efficacynotgiveup.html

Quote

"Being negative is easy.  There will always be a downside to everything good, a hurdle to everything desirable, a con to every pro.  The real courage is in finding the good in what you have, the opportunities in every hurdle, the pros in every con."  ~Carolyn Hax

Quote

"All that is necessary to break the spell of inertia and frustration is this:  Act as if it were impossible to fail."  ~Dorothea Brande

Quote

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet.  Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved."  ~Helen Keller

Quote

"Most people who fail in their dreams fail not from lack of ability but from lack of commitment."  ~Zig Ziglar

Week #10 Celebrate Success

If we only recognize in ourselves the times when we have not lost like we think we should, and fail to recognize the positive efforts we have made, we can lose our motivation to keep up the good work.

During this meeting, and this week, you should recognize your accomplishments and reward yourself accordingly/appropriately.

Some suggestions from past members:

One member rewarded herself with a new lipstick for every 5 pounds lost.

Another member, who had wanted an additional ear piercing, waited until she had lost 25 pounds; then every time she looked in the mirror and saw her new earring, she was reminded of how well she had done and motivated to continue on to goal. 

A member bought a new piece of workout clothing for every 100 miles walked/jogged.

Weight is measured in .10 lb increments. Put 10 cents in a jar for each tenth of a pound lost, saving for a new outfit/wardrobe when goal is reached. Seeing the money grow can be motivating.

You always have support right here and more importantly in the weekly meeting. Our meeting rooms are full of people who “get it”; we all understand the struggles of weight loss, and we celebrate and commiserate together. Everyone in the room—including the staff members—has a weight issue; we’re either taking it off or keeping it off. And we empower one another.

Wrapping up Week 9

Did you find a new recipe? Try something different, new or add spice to an old favorite?

Remember to bring any recipes that you tried during the week and share! 

Tomorrow's Meeting insight:

Imagine, if you will, working in an atmosphere where there is never any recognition or positive reinforcement for a job well done, but only criticism for mistakes and being overlooked the rest of the time. It’s probably not a position you would want to stay in for long......come on in to the meeting and we will talk about SUCCESS!

Successful Member-Charolette Portella

BEFORE (2009)

AFTER (2011)

She has dropped an amazing 80 pounds!  She is rocking the scale, loving PointsPlus and living healthy!

Chicken

Chicken

Chicken in the crockpot
Chicken in the wok
Chicken is a power food
That always hits the spot

Grilled Chicken
Baked Chicken
Broiled Chicken, too

Pair it with some veggies or
Throw it in a stew

Spice it up
Shake it up
Add a little zing
Find something fun to do with it
To keep things interesting

Quote

"Variety is the very spice of life that gives it all flavor."
William Cowper

Quote

You must begin to think of yourself as becoming the person you want to be.


David Viscott

Jennifer's Inspiration

All my life, when I would perform, people would go crazy over my voice. They would go on and on about my singing voice and how amazing my performance was. Lately, when I perform, all I am hearing is how great I looked…they loved my outfit…oh, by the way, great singing.

Gas Station Help!!!

What do you grab at the gas station when your stomach is on empty? (from Hungry Girl http://www.hungry-girl.com/)

Granola bars and snack bars!
Bars with good amounts of fiber and protein are an easy way to curb your hunger. Steer clear of any that pack in more than 300 calories... In fact, my limit for a snack bar hovers at around 200 or so.

Here are some favorites:

Nature Valley Oats 'N Honey Crunchy Granola Bars (The single-serve packs include two bars!)
Each 2-bar serving has 190 calories, 6g fat, 29g carbs, 2g fiber, 4g protein, and a PointsPlus™ value of 5.

Kind Fruit & Nut Bars
Each bar has 180 calories, 11g fat, 20g carbs, 4g fiber, 5g protein, and a PointsPlus value of 5.

Jerky!
This is another great snack. (If you're watching your sodium intake, be sure to check the labels.) There are lots of great options for jerky, and I am an equal opportunity jerky lover — I enjoy beef, turkey, and even soy jerky! Just check the nutritional stats on all of the packages and pick the best one. Single-serve sticks will keep you from going overboard, but multi-serving packs are okay too.

Beverage blunders & best bets!
If you're tired of water and soda, but you need some liquid to go with your snack, be careful! Gas stations usually have an incredible selection to choose from, but one over-caloried drink can throw off your entire day. Beware of the bottled Starbucks coffee drinks and sugary energy drinks. Instead, go for low-calorie finds like these:

Diet Snapple Trop-A-Rocka Tea. The entire bottle of fruity fun is only 5 calories (PointsPlus value 0).
Activate Drinks. I also enjoy these stevia-sweetened beverages. Another 5-calorie bargain (PointsPlus value 0).

Fruit finds...
Some gas stations have fresh fruit on hand, so if you spot some, grab it quick! Your work is over. I know, that Snickers bar is calling your name, but a banana is way more filling, and it's a total freebie! (All fresh fruit has a PointsPlus value of 0. Hooray!)

Candy alert!
If you really want candy and refuse to avoid it, go for one with light and airy filling, like 3 Musketeers. The Truffle Crisp Bars have only 170 calories and 9g fat for a 2-bar serving (PointsPlus value 5). Lollipops won't fill you up, but they are portion-controlled treats, they last a long time, and they'll definitely satisfy your sweet tooth.

If you want a lillipop....the tootsie pop is a cheap PointsPlus value!  1

Chicken Satay

CHICKEN SATAY WITH COCONUT DIPPING SAUCE
PointsPlus Value: 3
Serves 6 (As an appetizer or mini meal)
Serving Size: 3 skewers and 2 tablespoons sauce

1/2 cup light (reduced-fat) coconut milk
1 tablespoon bottled Thai green curry paste
3/4 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut diagonally into 18 strips
1 teaspoon peanut or canola oil
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 teaspoon packed light brown or granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Soak 18 (7-inch) bamboo skewers in water to cover for 30 minutes.

Combine 1/4 cup of the coconut milk and the curry paste in a zip-close plastic bag.  Add the chicken, squeeze out the air, and seal the bag; turn to coat the chicken.  Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, 20-30 minutes or up to 1 day.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes.  Add the broth, peanut butter, sugar, salt, and the remaining 1/4 cup coconut milk; bring just to a boil.  Reduce the heat and cook, stirring, until thick and smooth, 1-2 minutes.  Set aside.

Spray the broiler rack with nonstick spray; preheat the broiler.  Thread the chicken onto the skewers and discard the excess marinade.  Place the skewers on the broiler rack and broil 5 inches from the heat, turning once, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Place the skewers on a platter and serve with the sauce for dipping.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Per serving--131 Cal, 7 g fat, 2 g Sat Fat, O g Trans Fat, 34 mg Chol, 190 mg Sod, 3 g Carb, 1 g Fib, 14 g Prot, 17 mg Calc.

Week 9 SHAKE IT UP

SHAKE IT UP

“When we have the tools we need to accomplish our goals, we are more willing

to try something new”

How many times do we think, Chicken is a great idea for dinner tonight. And, then later preparing it we think, CHICKEN again?  Chicken does not have to be boring; there are exactly 2.3 million ways to prepare chicken and rice.

 

 

can you take from today’s activity to easily put together a tasty dinner?

Let your imagination run away with you the next time you feel boredom kicking in, and

stay one step ahead with today's great ideas.

Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff
Makes 6 servings
5 PPV per serving1 pound boneless, skinless chicken
1 container (16 oz) fat free sour cream
1 packet powdered onion soup mix
1 can fat free cream of chicken soup
1 small can mushrooms
Add all ingredients to crock pot. Cook on low for 6 hours

If you have a night that you just can’t come up with a good recipe, what ideas

“Where do you find your favorite recipes?”

“Would you be willing to try new recipes if they come recommended?”

Quote of the Day

"Avoid the crowd. Do your own thinking independently. Be the
chess player, not the chess piece."
-- Ralph Charell

Wrapping up the Week!

From

http://www.fooducate.com/blog/2010/05/02/serving-sizes-what-a-joke/

“If there is one datum that throws off the entire purpose of the nutrition facts panel, it has got to

be the serving size. We take a quick glance at the calories and fat content, but often don’t

register that the serving size is not even close to what we actually consume. As a result we

(usually) end up consuming much more calories than we think.

In a recent consumer survey by Supermarket Guru Phil Lempert, a full 92% of consumers said

they find it hard to relate what they eat to the printed ‘serving size’ on the package.

The FDA mandates that serving size appear in 2 formats – a weight, and an easily assessable

household measure. For example – 3 ounces, 1 cookie. Or 27 grams, half a cup. But in the

case of some products, the values don’t make sense.

Here are a few of our “favorite” examples:

1. A serving of Oreo’s is a mere 3 cookies. Hah.

2. Fig Newtons – 2 cookies. Double hah.

3. Leading brand potato chips serving size is 14 or 16 chips, depending on the package size.

Alternatively it’s 1 ounce. Show me an ounce of chips.

4. A cereal serving size of 1 ounce. Most people consume 50% more at least.

5. Soft drinks. A serving is 8 fl oz (1 cup), but many single serve bottles are twice that size.

6. Ice cream – half a cup. What is that, a third of a scoop?

Supposedly, the serving sizes are based on the average of what people consume. In the US, not

Lilliput

to present a more healthy product.”1. But most manufacturers try to print the lowest number they can get away with in order

Quote of the Day

“Everything we do is a habit so why not choose good habits and healthy portions

sizes?” ~Molly, blogger

Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Centers

Peanut Butter Cookies with mini Chocolate Centers

2 Sprays Cooking Spray
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup regular butter
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter or creamy
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup flour
1 oz semi sweet chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 375ºF. Coat 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray or cover with parchment paper.
• Place sugar, butter and peanut butter in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; blend well with mixer.
• Add salt, baking soda and flour to sugar mixture; beat until completely incorporated.
• Drop batter by heaping teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheets and flatten with the back of a wooden spoon. Make sure to leave about 2 inches between each cookie. (Bake in several batches to prevent over-crowding if necessary.) Place a chocolate chip in center of each cookie.
• Bake cookies until edges brown, about 10 to 11 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheet for 1 or 2 minutes; remove cookies to a wire rack and cool completely. Yields 1 cookie per serving.

 Course: dessertsPointsPlus™ Value:    2Servings:  30Preparation Time:  12 minCooking Time:  11 minLevel of Difficulty:  Easy

Quote of the Day

Now I am I’m even surprised at the portion size of some” ~stlc, blogger

“When I first started out actually measuring what I was supposed to eat it took

me a long time to re-program my eyes and once I started getting used to the

portion sizes I decided that it was time to go out into the wild so to speak. Then

I went out a couple of times and was SHOCKED at just how huge the portions

were! And I used to happily eat all of it and be, “mmm nice meal.” :)

too wary to even order at a restaurant! LOL but what I do now is order 2

starters. And they are perfect :)

of the starters actually. :)

Double Chocolate Pudding

Double Chocolate Pudding

1 oz bittersweet chocolate
2 cups low fat chocolate milk at room temp
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
6 Tablespoons spray can whipped cream

• In a small pot, over very low heat, melt chocolate, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add 1 1/2 cups milk and cook, stirring occasionally, to combine, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix remaining 1/2 cup milk with cornstarch until well-blended with no lumps; add to pan with chocolate-milk mixture. Increase heat to medium and bring to a boil, stirring constantly; boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and cook until thickened, about 30 seconds; pour about 1/3 cup pudding into each of 6 small ramekins. Cover ramekins with plastic wrap, pressing plastic down onto the surface of pudding (so skins don't form) and refrigerate until chilled. When ready to serve, top with whipped cream. Yields about 1/3 cup pudding and 1 tablespoon whipped cream per serving.

PointsPlus™ Value:    3Servings:  6Preparation Time:  5 minCooking Time:  5 minLevel of Difficulty:  Easy

Quote of the Day

“I’m never confused by the serving size of rice or soup or vegetables being too

small – just chips and ice cream.” ~Kundan, blogger

Plates

, a “local voice” by Kevin Ellis

The Dinner Plate

“I was watching Nightly News the other day and this report came up that after listening to it, I

hit myself in the head and said, “Of course this makes sense now.”

The report was about our dinner plates and how they have gotten much bigger since the 1950’s.

Now I am not just referring to the portion sizes, we all know about that and that is not news, but

the plate itself. In the 1950’s the average size of a dinner plate was 9” in diameter. Now in 2010

it is 12” in diameter. This is a 33% increase in just the size of our plates!

So now you may say, so what? Our plates our bigger what does that mean? Well, back in the

50’s when you made 2 eggs and 2 strips of bacon it filled the plate. Now by making that same

breakfast meal with the same amount of food, it doesn’t even dent the plate. You have to make

3 eggs and 5 strips of bacon just to fill the plate. That is a 50% increase in the food we put on

our plate. Have you ever looked at the size of a restaurant plate? They are huge! Back in the

50’s they were 33% smaller. Here is the funny thing as I see it. Once you finished your plate of

food in the 50’s for the most part you were satisfied. As a nation in 2010 we still finish our plates and in the end we are consuming 500 more calories each day because of it.

You see, people may try to control their eating but what I have found out is that we eat with our

eyes and not our heads. We fill our plates and then sit down. Now if our plates are 33% bigger

than they were in the 1950’s aren’t we putting more food on them and aren’t we consuming

more calories because of that? Some dietitians call what we do now as “mindless eating”, eatingwith our eyes rather than our appetites.

Did you know that the average male waist size in the 1950’s was 35” and for women it was

30”and now in 2010 that average size for a male is 39.7” and for women 37”? Did you know thatin the 50’s the average weight for males was 166 pounds and for women it was 140 pounds and now it is 195 pounds for men and a whopping 165 pounds for women. (I got this from Universityof California, Berkley). Good old “Portion Distortion” has really set in and gotten us to where we are today.

So what is the solution? How can we control this? Even our cups are bigger than they were in

the 50’s. What is the answer? Personally, now that I now these facts, I am going to make sure

that I don’t fill my plate and if it is filled I will make every attempt to not eat everything on it but

save some for another day or time. My attitude will no longer be, “I have to finish everything on

my plate.” But, “I am satisfied now I should stop and relax.”

Now that you know these facts,…what are you going to do about it..?”

Quote of the Day

“Who’s coming up with the serving sizes? A serving size of ice cream is a half a

cup. What, what is that? Is that like a joke some guy put on there?.... I think a

serving size of ice cream is when you hear the spoon hit the bottom of the

container!” ~Brian Regan, comedian

Monday, February 21, 2011

We didn't meet today due to the holiday. However, here is the topic shared around the world.

Week 8 Portion Savvy

A VISUAL APPROACH TO BECOMING PORTION SAVVY

Measuring foods and drinks is the only way to ensure accurate portions. You are able to learn portion-sizing the best way, at home. Today the percentage of meals and snacks that occur at home within easy reach of a food scale, measuring cups and spoons is rapidly decreasing.

Portion sizes matter, significantly. Recognizing correct portion sizes and the Points Plus values that go with them, is key to weight loss success. When we are away from home, being able to judge accurately depends greatly on a member's ability to see portion sizes.
Try to keep in mind those helpers when deciding portion control for those times you don't have a handy measurement tool with you. (Or you can hang one on your key chain. Ha Ha) :)

Tennis Ball: 1 cup (cereal)

Compact Disc: 4 inches (Great for pancakes, etc)

Cell Phone: (Like a blackberry): slice of cheese= 3 Points Plus values

1 Die: (plural=dice) 1 teaspoon

3 Dice: 1 tablespoon

Wendover Weight Watchers

Welcome to the Wendover area Weight Watchers Blog.

Emily and Kamerin are happy to announce that we will be sharing from day to day about weight loss, the journey, weekly topics and help idea's!  Hope you enjoy!