PRODUCT HIGHLIGHT - 3 Month Journal

It's one of the two steps of the new program - TRACKING! It will become your record of how you are doing with motivation and success right before your eyes. The three month journal is $6.00.



The best investment is to purchase your first one in either the Basic Member Kit or the Deluxe Kit.

The Basic Member Kit is $25.00 - it includes the three month journal, dining out companion, food companion, cookbook with coupons to purchase other Weight Watcher products.

The Deluxe Kit is $39.00 - it includes all of the products that are in the Basic Kit, PLUS a DVD "Start Getting Healthy". The DVD has Move Smart (3 different workouts - cardio, toning, balance/flexibility). There is a segment on fitness and cooking healthfully. You also get a great book called "Quick Fixes". This includes recipes for easy and quick meals. I HAVE THIS KIT AND LOVE IT!

Preview 2009 - Week 2 - Balancing Points Values

Dear Members,

Many of us put "Losing Weight" as their number one New Year's Resolution!

Does this involve restrictions, limitations, rules, regulations?!!

Possibly?

Well, remember, you are a Weight Watcher Member, not a masochist!

You have many tools to assist you in reaching your winning outcomes. Most of these tools involve making your life easier and simpler. You have choices! You really can have what you want!

This week we'll discuss how to bulk up on Filling Foods for extra satisfaction and nutrition whilst working out weekly point allowances and activity points.

Let's make this work for you not against you!

See you at the meetings!!

Paula

Preview 2009 - Week 1 - K.I.S.S.

Dear Members,

In these first few weeks of the year, you may have piled your New Year's Res lists full of wonderful goals and items you've always meant to finish or begin. Congratulations!

As the glow of the holidays pass you may be wondering how you are going to accomplish all of it.

Or possibly you didn't even create a list to begin with. "My New Year's Resolution? Not to make one! Then I won't be disappointed when I don't finish all I set out to do."

Whoa there....Give yourself a break.

Whether you've made a list or not, goal setting, no matter what time of year is a great way to keep your life in perspective as well as motivate you.

Come to the meetings this week and we will discuss...

K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple & Sustainable

We have a new program and what better time to weed out the mental cobwebs, clear the runway, and open your mind to new possibilities and chances to reach for your winning outcomes.

Better still accomplish those goals by breaking them down into simple, specific, achievable steps.

See you this week!!!

Since the holidays are over and the weather seems to be cooperating, we are on our regular meeting schedule. This includes those of you at WWU. Your series continues on Thursday and runs through to the third Thursday of this month. At that time a new series will begin.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Food Finds - Indian Food - Trader Joe's

This is a hearty lunch option. Dal Makhani - made of lentils and kidney beans.

It's great with brown rice, but there are other accompaniment suggestions on the back of the package.

Only 3 points per serving. The entire package is two servings. Not bad :) Very tasty.

Week 52 Preview...Plan For Holiday Success Part 2 - this time it's personal!

Dear Members,

Temptations of the holiday season abound, and a small slip can be the catalyst for lapse, relapse and ultimately, collapse of your weight loss efforts.

We all know that tracking gives us an incredible awareness of what we are eating and how it is effecting our progress. This week you will receive week3's booklet, "Staying Ahead Of Hunger".

You will find powerful tools that can be a huge help at this time of the year.

Honing the skill of listening to your body's signals - will help you make the best choices possible. Not only food choices!

See you at the meeting!

We are closed Christmas Eve/New Year's Eve and Christmas Day/New Year's Day.

Remember to call 800-651-6000 for inclement weather information.

Week 51 Preview...Plan For Holiday Success Part 1

Dear Members,

This week's topics-

Meeting attendance - Come to the meetings each week.

Moving more - Exercise at least 15-30 minutes each day. Doesn't have to be all at once, kids!

Summary -

There has been a survey that says, that members who attend the weekly meetings are THREE TIMES MORE SUCCESSFUL than those that go it alone.

Remember that exercise is one of your good health guidelines. It's recommended that you exercise most days of the week. Also, by exercising you can offset some of the indulgences that happen this time of year.

Come to the meetings

This week we will discuss strategies to get you and keep you on track and to exercise!!

We are closed Christmas Eve/New Year's Eve and Christmas Day/New Year's Day.

Remember to call 800-651-6000 for inclement weather information.

Week 50 Roundup

Yup, you're not blind, you didn't see a blog for week 50, but here it is now:

Challenges:

Make filling food choices each day.

Track what, when and how much food you eat.

Questions:

What did you think of the new pocket planner?

Did you find having the food a-z list, handy?

New News!

Did you notice that you have a points find attached to the pocket guide? What do you think?

Summary

Focus on adding low energy density/filling foods to your meals. Notice how this makes you feel and if your meals are more satisfying.

Jingle Bell Walk/Run

We did it! Heather and I took Meg and Oliver on a windy jaunt through downtown Bellingham. Here you'll see me and the dogs at the finish line. It was a great walk even though it was freezing cold.



Now on to week 51....

Umm..Knock Knock Is Anybody There?

Dear Members,

This week's post will be extremely short and sweet, well spicy, in fact.

We are concentrating our efforts on the new program!!!

It's very exciting and as I've said before it is a combination of the best of both previous programs.

Remember, if you know someone who has not been to a meeting in a while, he/she can come to a meeting for FREE to check it out. If they want to re-join, at that time they will be asked to register and pay the fees.

It's been super busy during this transition time. Like most of you, I do have a good supply of Weight Watcher Cookbooks in house and tonight my daughter, Heather, whipped together the Mexican Polenta Pie recipe from the "From Pantry To Plate" edition.

It's a great recipe if you love Mexican food, want something warm, spicy, and satisfying; something that feels like comfort food, but won't make you feel guilty later for eating it.

With so many recipes, you need to find what works for you and in this case Heather did tweak it a bit and saved a step:

MEXICAN POLENTA PIE

Cook Time: Aprox. 35 minutes
Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS
1 15 1/2 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained.
1 14 1/2 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 cup frozen corn kernels (Original recipe called for 10 oz of corn kernels)
1 zucchini, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
1/4 cup broccoli florets cut into 3/4 inch chunks (Heather added this to the org. recipe)
1/4 cup cauliflower florets cut into 3/4 inch chunks (Heather added this to the orig. recipe)
1/4 cup carrot matchsticks (Heather added this to the orig. recipe)
1 cup frozen shelled Edamame
1 cup jarred chunky salsa (Heather used Emerald Valley Organic Salsa Medium)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 16 oz. tube prepare polenta, cut into 12 (1/2 inch) slices
1/2 cup reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend (Heather used half as much as the orig. recipe)

optional fresh cilantro to taste

The original recipe asked that you cook some of these items in a skillet before baking. Heather felt this was unnecessary and cut that step out. Because she cut that step out the veggies stayed fresh and al dente. She also prepared the entire recipe hours ahead of time and placed it in the refrigerator until ready to bake.

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 F.

Spray a shallow 2 1/2 quart baking dish with non-stick spray.

Combine all ingredients except the polenta, cheese and cilantro (optional) in the baking dish.

Top the mixture with cilantro and 1/4 cup of cheese.

Lay out the polenta slices on top of all the ingredients.

Bake until bubbly at the edges, about 25 minutes (little over 30 minutes if you had it in the refrigerator)

Sprinkle remaining cheese (1/4 cup) on top of polenta and bake for another 3 minutes longer or until cheese melts.

Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Points value: 4 (orig recipe was 5, but because Heather used 1/2 the cheese, it's 1 less point)

Per serving: 280 Cal, 3.5 g Fat, 8 g Fiber

I'll see you this week!!

Paula

Preview Week 49 - What Gear Do You Need To Move More

We are going to talk about some of the things that we need in order to get the type of exercise we enjoy accomplished.

One of the things that I have loved doing for years now is walking. So, for me, essentials are: a good pair of walking shoes and a pedometer.

I have the pedometer that Weight Watchers put out this year. It is very easy to use and it gives you the number of activity points you earn each day to turn into food points, if you like.

I think it's important to know how much you improve with your particular exercise. If we stay the same all the time and don't stretch ourselves to go farther or with more intensity, the weight loss will stagnate.

The pedometer keeps me on track. I can observe if I am not walking far enough or if I need to start working harder and walk more.

We have the pedometer for sale in the meeting room for $24.00. A nice gift for yourself. Plus for those of you that have the previous models....this new one calculates your stride automatically.

I want to spend most of this week's meeting, though, on the progress you made over the Thanksgiving Holiday and any questions or concerns you have about the end of the year.

I really want to open up this meeting to discuss concerns and issues with your weight loss progress, program questions, and also reflecting on your successes and look forward to even more rewards with the new program that will be launched next week.

Reminder: If you have friends who have not come for a while, encourage them to come back and hear about the new program. Remember they can come free and stay for the meeting and getting started. If they wanted to re-join that's when they would need to pay the registration and weekly fee.

Another reminder..... Jingle Bell Walk/Run for the Arthritis Foundation. This will be on Saturday December 13th. Please see previous posts for more information www.bellinghamjbr.kintera.org

I'm getting myself prepared for the event, which includes getting my buddies Oliver and Meg dressed up and ready to go, whether they like it or not.

Here are the results:








Watch for us on December 13th!!!

Also, I thought it would be kind of cute this year to have one of those holiday photo cards. So, I got Heather to take pictures of me with Meg and Oliver. It was quite the task. I was hot and sweaty by the end of it. Now I know what Claudia Schiffer feels like.


Here's the first couple tries (Actually this is the 50th and 51st)



It's not bad, but Jackie has to butt in..


Here we go...



Jackie was desperate to get in the photo, but when the time came for his close up he clammed up!

I'm a celebrity get me out of here!

Wrap Up Week 48- Why Would You....

Food Saboteurs!

Did you recognize when you were being sabotaged?

What did you end up doing?

Did you ask for help?

I'm going to spend most of week 49 talking about our experience over the Thanksgiving holiday and how you dealt with the special foods of the season.

Here's what I was up to this last week:

This year I used a recipe for a marinade and I also purchased an injector kit from Big Lot's. It was only a couple bucks and I was able to make an excellent bird this year. The marinade consisted of orange, rosemary, garlic, and chiles. Very flavorful, and low points.

I always start my gravy in the bottom of the roasting pan to get all the flavors. This had a lot of the marinade taste, plus a lot of the turkey flavors. I took out the turkey to rest and then placed the inexpensive roasting pan on the burners to heat the gravy. As you know the trick to a smooth gravy is to keep stirring! I use a whisk to stir mine.

Here are a couple classics. We had sweet potatoes, and garlic mashed potatoes (for my daughter) as well, but pictured are the green bean casserole and a special cornbread dressing, that complimented the marinade flavors. It had cornbread(duh), green chiles, red roasted bell peppers, hominy, and garlic. It was great.

We pulled out all the stops, we even used the good china for these turkeys!

I even decided to do some decorating this year. This is just the beginning. I was pretty exhausted after a full day of cooking. Apparently, Meg was too.