July 13, 2008
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Healthy Thoughts/Healthy Actions
Weight Watchers Newsletter #17
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 Hi Everyone!
I have been thinking so much about time of late. That sounds rather strange...thinking about time. But the letter below illustrates how we deal with time, and how we create challenges and unhappiness for ourselves by this idea of time.
If we spend our time thinking about what we had in the past (or did not have, as the case may be...), or what we want in the future, how much time are we giving to the now?
Why should we focus on now? Well, because now is what we have immediately, and it is our only true reality. Everything else is either a memory or a wish. If we spend our time remembering, we feel unhappy we lost something (our youth, opportunity, whatever), or if we look at the future we feel we lack until we get whatever it is we want out there somewhere. Meanwhile, right in front of us is the gloriousness of our lives: living in this glorious place, eating wonderful food, blessed by so many gifts which we can only see by letting go of the feeling we are lacking in some way.
I challenge each of you to spend a few minutes each day looking at your lives through the lens of now. Breathe deeply and inhale what is happening right in that very moment. The more you do this the more satisfied you will feel. It is a wonderful feeling...
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Meeting Topics / Late July
 The
meeting the week of July 13th looks at your eating patterns. Are you
structured and organized, and eat the same things, or are you
unstructured and flexible? What are advantages and disadvantages of
each style?
And the week of July 20th the topic is: "10 Ways to look Slimmer Now". I think we could all use some ideas on how to make ourselves look the best we can, even when we are not at our ideal weights.
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RECIPES FOR THIS ISSUE
I am including 2 recipes in this section. One I was asked to reprint, and the other is too yummy not to pass on to everyone!
 Pearl Barley Salad
2 CUPS COOKED PEARL BARLEY
1 CUP EDAMAME SOYBEANS, SHELLED AND COOKED (you
can buy these frozen in a bag from Trader Joes)
½ RED ONION, CHOPPED
1
CARROT, CHOPPED
3 CELERY STICKS, CHOPPED
½ CUP PITTED KALAMATA OLIVES (use
the ones packed in water rather than oil)
¾ CUP FAT-FREE FETA CHEESE
RICE
VINEGAR TO TASTE.
MIX ALL INGREDIENTS TOGETHER TO TASTE.
YOU CAN
ADD ALL SORTS OF OTHER INGREDIENTS, SUCH AS ARTICHOKE HEARTS, ANY OTHER FRESH
VEGES, LIKE JICAMA, PEAS, BROCCOLI, ETC.
THIS IS A CORE RECIPE. MAKES 4
SERVINGS. EACH SERVING: 4 PTS.
 Home-made Potato Chips!
4 MEDIUM YUKON GOLD POTATOES
SPRAY OIL
SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE
HEAT OVEN TO 450 AND SPRAY A LARGE BAKING SHEET (OR SEVERAL) WITH SPRAY OIL.
USING A MANDOLIN (NO, NOT THE INSTRUMENT, BUT THE VERY FINE SLICER) MAKE RAZOR THIN SLICES OF POTATOES AND LAY THEM IN A SINGLE LAYER ON THE BAKING SHEET(S). SPRAY THEM WITH OIL AND SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE.
BAKE FOR 10-15 MINUTES, WATCHING CAREFULLY AND FLIPPING SIDES. THESE CAN BURN VERY EASILY SO WATCH THEM!
MAKES 4 SERVINGS. EACH SERVING IS 3 PTS AND THESE ARE CORE.
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The Letter Department
Carolyn from Santa Rosa asks....
I have been doing Weight Watchers for almost a year and have lost 45 lbs, but have 25 more to lose. I feel it is going much too slowly for me. I just want to be there!! Any ideas?
I understand your frustration, Carolyn, but the fact that you have lost all this weight is truly wonderful, and you are not focusing on that. You are only seeing what you do not have, which will make you feel unsatisfied and ultimately can be the downfall of your efforts thus far.
The average loss for Weight Watchers is approximately 1 lb per week, so you are within the average. You are doing great, but by looking at the negative: it is not going "fast" enough, you are not savoring all the good habits you are learning and all the healthy foods you are eating. Let go of a time frame and embrace the amazing thing you have done and continue to do. This focus will get you to your goal: I guarantee it!
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 LINK RECOMMENDATION
One of my members forwarded this lovely motivational video. I hope you will take the time to watch it. Beautiful pictures, and great motivational sayings: one of which, very surprisingly, is from the founder of Weight Watchers: Jean Neiditch. Watch for it!
Click Here
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A New EarthAwakening to Your Life's Purpose
by Ekhart Tolle
ekhart tolle CD 3
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Shameless Promotion!!
The Bodega Seafood Art & Wine Festival is Coming Aug 23 & 24!!
I have been the producer of this festival since it started 14 years ago, and it is a wonderful event. Excellent entertainment (Tommy Castro, Mitch Woods, etc), awesome food (save your points, but there are some surprisingly healthy options here...), an impressive wine and microbrewed beer tasting and wonderful art and fine craft. It is a benefit for the California State Parks in the Russian River region (Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods) as well as the Bodega Volunteer Fire Dept, so come have a great time and support these wonderful organizations!
Oh, and as an aside, we are always looking for volunteers, so if sounds like fun to help please please contact me!!!
www.winecountryfestivals.com
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For Your Information..
Life Coaching
 Besides being a Weight Watcher leader, I am a trained Life Coach specializing in weight managment issues. You may be coming to meetings, knowing full well what you should be doing, but not doing it. Would you like to understand why? Life Coaching goes far beyond Weight Watchers and explores what goes on deep inside that keeps us from seeing our dreams become reality.
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Happiness does not depend on outward things, but on the way we see them.
-Leo Tolstoy
Lots of love and joy to all of you!
- Janet Ciel
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