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January 10, 2010
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Healthy Thoughts/Healthy Actions
Weight Watchers Newsletter #56
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Hi Everyone!
It is officially 2010...another decade! Its hard to believe that time moves so quickly! Why just a few months ago the meeting rooms were abuzz with excitement of people working hard to achieve their goals of losing weight. Then the meetings died down: some quite dramatically. This week marks the beginning of the return for some of you, but I notice many of you have not yet made it back. And I know the excuses, the stories, the hesitations.
I remember well when I was dragged, very reluctantly, back to the meeting room by my neighbor...a decade ago! It took until the beginning of February for her to convince me to finally bite the bullet and come in. Before I did I overindulged as much as possible (I had that "Last Supper" quite a few times), and when I actually began the program again I was surprised that all the stories I had been telling myself about all the food I would have to give up, and how hard it would be, were just that...stories. Yes, there was a structure I had to set up for myself, but it felt good after the chaotic eating I had been doing. And yes, there were foods I chose to stop indulging in, but I found some new foods that ended up being even more statisfying. And the best part was the feeling that I was finally taking control of this demon.
I know most of you know the pluses and minuses of rejoining. But I ask you to consider the minuses of hesitating. How much more weight will you need to lose once you walk back through the door if you wait a few more weeks, or months...or years? What are the health concerns that await you should you choose to ignore the path of good health? Even if we took away the idea of losing weight from the picture, could we look at what focusing on healthier eating, exercise, lots of water and taking control would give us?
So as you can tell, my message is this: I cannot wait to see your smiling (albeit somewhat sheepish) face in the meeting rooms very soon! I welcome you with open arms, zero judgment and lots of hope and good wishes for this glorious year ahead! |
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MEETING TOPICS:
WEEKS OF
January 10 & January 17
The week of January 10th the topic is
Understanding the Filling Foods
In the meeting this past week we talked about tracking, and I brought up using the Filling Foods system. This week we will go into more depth on the Filling Foods and explore how we could use them as our primary choices for meals and snacks.
The week of January 17th we will be discussing
Exercise!!
Every 6-8 weeks this topic is brought to the meeting room, as Weight Watchers wants to bring to light all the ways that people are finding themselves getting more physical. If you are not an exerciser come for inspiration and ideas, and if you are, come to motivate others! We have lots of new members joining so let's give them some great ideas for movin' and shakin'!! |
RECIPE FOR THIS ISSUE
When I was growing up my mom made sweet and sour stuffed cabbages. They were my favorite food, and as I got older and moved away, when I would come for a visit she always made them for me. Recently I discovered in the Comfort Classics cookbook a recipe which sounded similar to her's and sure enough, they were just as delicious.
This is actually my own version: using an Italian seasoned turkey (you can find this at markets like Safeway and Luckys), which brings the points down, and gives them a unique flavor. I have made these for many friends and they are a sure-fire hit!
I have just updated the recipe page of my website so check it out!!
HEALTHY THOUGHTS/HEALTHY ACTIONS RECIPES
STUFFED CABBAGES
Ingredients:
3/4 cup pearl barley
1 large white cabbage
1 lb ground Italian seasoned turkey: Jennie O makes this...If you cannot find it use regular (not the extra lean) ground turkey and add 1 tsp fennel and 1 tsp Italian seasoning to the recipe
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 white onion, chopped fine
1 egg or 1/4 cup egg beaters
salt and pepper to taste
1 jar fat free marinara sauce (Trader Joes has a great one)
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbl brown sugar
Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 350. Spray a baking pan with spray oil.
2) Cook the pearl barley in 2 cups water until tender.
3) Heat a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Take cabbage and separate the leaves carefully and place in the water. Let cook until somewhat tender: approximately 10 minutes. I do this in stages, as it takes awhile to pull the leaves off, so just add them a few at a time to the water.
4) Mix the turkey, cooked barley, egg, spices, onion and garlic together in a bowl.
5) Let the cabbage leaves drain and dry out a bit (I place them on paper towels and blot them), and then take a tablespoon of the turkey mixture and place in center of leaf and fold the sides in and roll. Place each roll face down in baking pan. You may end up with left over filling and tiny cabbage leaves. I simply lay the filling in the pan, like you would a meatloaf, and cover with the leftover cabbage.
6) Mix marinara sauce, vinegar and sugar together and adjust to taste (make sweeter or more tart). Pour over top of cabbages.
7) Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes until fully cooked and tender.
Servings vary, depending on the size of the cabbage. My best guess is: Serves 8. Each serving 4 pts
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Cooking for the Family
A member recently put forward some frustration she was having in coming up with point-friendly meals to serve her family. She had picky eaters, and no one in her family had weight issues. So here are a few ideas for her, and for those of you who face similar challenges.
CHILE
This is a very family-friendly dish, which can be made with lean beef, or ground turkey (or ground chicken, which I actually like better), beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, and lots of spices. A little goes a long way, point and filling-wise.
SPAGHETTI WITH SAUCE
Again, one can use ground beef, turkey or chicken, and then cut up lots of vegetables very finely and saute them before adding the marinara sauce, so that you are sneaking those veges in. You can make meatballs, if you like, or make it all vegetarian, and parmesan cheese, the likely topping, is only a point for 1/4 cup! Is the family resistant to whole wheat pasta? Try the Whole Foods brand, and cook it a bit longer than you do white pasta. I have served it to my "no hippy food" nieces without a peep, because it looks and tastes just like white pasta!
TACOS/BURRITOS
The cool thing about serving tacos or burritos to the family is that you can make it a do-it-yourself thing. Steam, or pan fry with spray oil, the tortillas (light ones for you, regular ones for the family), and heat up non-fat refried beans (Trader Joes has them, and I swear they taste just like the real thing!!), chop up lettuce, avocado, tomatoes, grate some cheese (light for you), and if you want to make ground meat, or sauteed chunks of chicken breast, that is an extra treat. You can saute up onions and peppers to do a fajita-ish thing too! Yum!
MEATLOAF
Try the Italian seasoned ground turkey for this, with chopped onions (if the kids aren't overly picky), rolled oats instead of bread crumbs, egg beaters, or egg white, ketchup, and top it with BBQ sauce.
YUMMY VEGETABLES:
I know I'm pushing the credibility line here by suggesting that you could make interesting vegetables for your family, but here are a few ideas:
1) Spray a pan with oil, and saute some garlic, add any chopped vegetables you family likes (my faves are broccoli, brussel sprouts or asparagus) and saute until they begin to turn brown. Squeeze a bit of Braggs Amino Liquid (see the product page of my website):
and enough water to cover the bottom of the the pan. Cover and let steam until the water has evaporated. Salt and pepper to taste. Put butter on their's (or a light sprinkling of cheese) and have your's as is.
2) Make vegetable soup with a variety of veges, but heavy on the carrots and tomato (I like to use a can of stewed tomatoes). Then blend it and call it cream of carrot soup!!
3) Roasted veges combined with potatoes. Mix beets (golden are best because they don't look like beets), and parsnips with sweet and Yukon gold potatoes. Spray the roasting pan, lay the veges and potatoes in a single layer, spray them, season them and roast for 20 minutes at 450.
SHORTCUT FOODS
If cooking is the last thing you have time for, try Trader Joes Breaded Chickenless Nuggets, or Morningstar Farms Tomato and Basil Pizza Burgers. These are great kid-friendly entrees that your waistline will like as well! See the Product page of the website for more info. |
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Meetings Meetings Meetings!
 I sent an announcement out over the holidays about some meeting additions, closures and changes so here they are as a reminder, with some other information:
I am working on starting a new meeting in Sebastopol at Palm Drive Hospital. I am waiting for the administrator to find a member coordinator, as this will be what is called an at-work meeting, although it will be open to the public. But in order for a meeting to be held in a working environment we need to have someone who books the room(s) used, and does other tasks to make sure it can happen there, hence the need for this person. I should know this week, and if you get in touch with me (if you have not already) and let me know you would like to attend I will email you as soon as I have the information.
I am sad I had to close the Tuesday evening meeting in Petaluma. Not enough people were attending. I asked that people write me if they wanted to see it re-open and heard from one peron, so it does not look hopeful.
I am, however, subbing on Friday mornings in Petaluma through the end of the month. It is a 9:30 weigh-in, 10am meeting.
The Wednesday evening Cotati meeting is struggling terribly, and it is likely another leader will try to revive it, if it does not improve in the next 2 weeks. If she (he?) cannot bring it to life it will close, so if you are a lapsed member from that meeting and would like to see me there, and for it to stay open, please come help us save it!! |
WALKING GROUP!
I wrote in the last newsletter that I was trying to create a walking group on Thursdays and got only one response...I know many of you are walkers, so I really hope some of you might consider making a commitment to walking once a week with Weight Watcher friends!
1:45 at Howath Park, to walk the Spring Lake loop at an easy pace. Let me know if you'd like to give it a try. |
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LIFECOACHING AND WEIGHT COUNSELING
Many of you have been coming to meetings for some time, or perhaps not even braving the meeting room, and although you know exactly what you need to do to lose weight, you find yourself not doing it. Usually there is something deeper going on, and if you feel inclined to explore further and finally manifest this dream, lifecoaching can be the path to that goal.
I am a certified co-active Lifecoach specializing in weight management. I also counsel on weight issues, doing things like shopping, eating out and cooking with you, and often combine the two practices.
I hope you will take the time to check out my website and consider taking the first step towards making this lifelong desire a reality! What have you got to lose?
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