Happy Sunday!
This has been a rather good week for me. Did pretty well with the tracking, but not so good with the activity. I did my walk on Saturday with the girls, and have identified the June race that we will do. This coming up weekend is the Walk-It Challenge. This year, Heels and Hills is sponsoring the Irving walk. My walking buddies and I signed up for that one. The June race is the Firefly 5K/10K (we will do the 5K) and that one is being held on 6/4 at 9pm near CAILAW center in Plano. You know, any of you local D/FW peeps are MORE THAN welcome to join me on any of these adventures. I love the company, and we always have a good time.
I think that I can finally focus on some aspects of the new position, and I am thankful for that. Any night when I get to sleep prior to midnight is a good thing. Everyone has been so patient, and willing to work with me. Totally fantastic!
May 22nd (in addition to being Walk-It day) is the day that I become the parent of an 11-year-old. So hard to believe that Morgan is turning 11 and will be starting middle school in the fall. I pray every night that G-d will turn on Morgan’s brain and make her realize that the head on her shoulders is there for something other than decoration. (Can I please get an AMEN here????) Fifth grade has been an experience, to say the least. I love her, but she has been driving me nuts, and I hear it will only get worse, with the whole hormone thing looming on the horizon….YEESH…don’t even like to THINK about that one. Makes me shudder...
This morning we celebrated Israel’s 63rd Birthday at our synagogue. There was a carnival and a silent auction. I worked in the kitchen as I usually do and enjoyed dishing up lunch plates for everyone. I was totally wiped out when we got home this afternoon. My spoils from the silent auction included a Scentsy basket and a Gift Wrap basket. Both things that could be used in the house, and the monies went to a good cause.
This week, I made sure that I planned dinners so that I had a game plan to follow, and I made sure that I made my breakfast and Steve’s breakfast so that we could stay on track. I think it’s so important to have a support system, but I will be honest. My support system hasn’t really been that great lately. I think Steve did much better helping me along at the onset of the journey. I am trying to change that.
I love that the topic of this week’s meeting had to do with your support system and asking for that support. I really think that the meeting topics have been very on point lately, and they seem to parallel what I am going through! Again, I promise that I am not quitting on any of you, and this is all just a blip in the journey.
The topic of this week’s meeting concerned managing relationships at work, at home, or elsewhere. It dealt with minimizing weight-loss saboteurs and maximizing weight-loss support.
How to Ask for Help
Plan exactly what kind of support you want
Anticipate how people will feel about your weight-loss efforts
Ask for what you need
Negotiate with your supporters
Be flexible if they can’t offer exactly what you need
Be grateful for their support
I loved the way this one woman described her situation at work. This was hysterical. She called her cube a prison cell, and she used her ‘ammunition’ in the ‘war zone’ which was her office. Her ammunition was a barrage of healthy snacks that she would use to disarm the food pushers. This sounded like something out of Starsky and Hutch, and it made me smile. It was also very timely. How many times have you guys been put in that situation? I totally loved her analogy. Arm yourself with information and healthy options to thwart the enemy J
Okay…before I sign off this week, I want to put out my periodic Public Service Announcement: If you no longer wish to receive this email, please let me know and I will happily remove you! Hate to be the spammer J Have a good week, and I will be back with you soon!
On a closing note, here is a great one from Dr. Seuss.
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter
And those who matter don’t mind!”
~Dr. Seuss
ATTACHMENTS
- The Gift of Support – the companion article to this week’s topic
- The Skinny on Buttermilk – some interesting facts and stuff to do with this great ingredient!
- Healthy Breakfast Ideas for Lasting Energy – some good information and breakfast ideas.
RECIPES
Beef Fajitas
This fajita filling is so good that it makes a terrific meal on its own. If you want to wrap it up, try a large crisp lettuce leaf and save PointsPlus!
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 MINUTES
Cook Time: 11 MINUTES
PointsPlus™ value: 4 per serving
Ingredients:
2 spray(s) cooking spray, divided
12 oz lean sirloin beef, about 1/2-inch thick, trimmed
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice, divided
1 1/4 tsp chili powder, divided
1 large onion(s), sliced
1 large sweet red pepper(s), sliced
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 cup(s) cilantro, fresh, chopped
1/2 cup(s) salsa
1/4 cup(s) fat-free sour cream
8 leaf/leaves (large) lettuce, green leaf-variety (optional)
Instructions:
Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, drizzle steak with 2 teaspoons of lime juice and then sprinkle it with 1 teaspoon of chili powder.
Add steak to skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 6 minutes, turning once, for medium-rare, or longer until desired doneness. Remove to a cutting board and let stand.
Add onion, pepper and salt to skillet. Off heat, coat vegetables with cooking spray. Sauté over medium-high heat until onions and peppers are lightly browned and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining lime juice, chili powder and cilantro.
Slice steak thinly across grain. Toss sliced steak with onion mixture and serve with salsa and sour cream. Wrap up in lettuce leaves if desired. Yields about 4 slices of beef, 3/4 cup of vegetables, 2 tablespoons of salsa and 1 tablespoon of sour cream per serving.
Mango Salsa
This homemade salsa will add tropical sweetness to grilled fish and meat. Or serve it with a store-bought roasted chicken for a flavorful no-cook meal.
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 MINUTES
Cook Time: 0 MINUTES
PointsPlus™ value: 1 per serving (1/3 cup)
Ingredients:
1 large mango(es), finely chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper(s), finely chopped
1/2 medium red onion(s), finely chopped
1/2 medium jalapeno pepper(s), seeded, minced (don't touch seeds with bare hands)
1 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; toss to mix and coat. Yields about 1/3 cup per serving. Note: omit jalapeno if you do not want the salsa to be spicy.
