On the right "track"...

Tuesday afternoon is never ending….

Wednesday morning papers didn't come…

Thursday night your stockings needed mending…

See how they run……

Happy Hump Day!!!!  Gotta love a newsletter that starts with an excerpt from The Beatles.  I am a huge fan…since I was a little girl.  My favorite was always Paul.  Me and about a bazillion others!  This week didn’t start out great for me.  I forgot my weigh-in garb on Monday, so I ended up being up.  Not a big deal.  Good news story for next week, with a little luck (notice the Wings song thrown in there?) 

I started talking to some friends, and there seems to be a waning sense of motivation here lately.  It’s not just me either….seems pretty widespread.  I am not really sure what the cause is.  Why do we lose motivation? Maybe work is interfering, or maybe it’s just that tracking is getting old?  Not really sure.  I have been doing pretty well with tracking in e-Tools (which is Weight Watchers’ own…) but with FitDay, I have kind of slacked off quite a bit.  This is the program that tallies the total nutritional intake and provides all kinds of graphs. I made a pact with a very good friend that we are going to check in on each other every couple of days so that we can have some accountability and try to get back on the bandwagon.  Again, I didn’t quit by any means.  I am just on the part of the journey where you get off the highway at the wrong exit, and can’t seem to find an on-ramp.  I like that analogy!

This weekend, I did our usual 5k Parker Square walk with Karen.  By the time we got done, we were both pretty much stinky, sweaty, and tired.  Even at 8am, it was still hot and humid.  Whassup with that???  All in all? Good walk though.  We didn’t have any major child-related meltdowns this weekend, which is always nice.  Adam seems to be enjoying his swim lessons, quite a bit.  I think it helps that he has his friends with him.

The workouts this week are getting ridiculous!  I have been a total sweatball at the completion of each session, which I know is a GOOD thing, but I must not be cooling down enough.  I am still sweaty after getting out of the shower.  We have been doing crazy things like lunges with one leg on a stability ball and doing bridges with both feet on the stability ball.  Balance? Not really my strong suit.  Good thing was that I didn’t bust my butt or take anyone down with me.  I stood my ground, so to speak :::tee-hee:::  Sore hammies and sore legs so far this week.  Last workout of the week with Coach Dwayne is tomorrow…I think I can survive it.  Maybe.

Well, we got our new Weight Watchers leader this week.  She seemed a bit nervous, but she was cute, and the meeting went well…however, it was a much smaller meeting than in past weeks. I am really hoping that this isn’t the implosion of our Monday meeting.  I’d like to think that everyone was busy?? Oh well…at least Sally and I will be there together! 

The topic of this week’s meeting was “On the Right Track”. Here is my commentary on this subject…

This is a very relevant topic because I really do believe that the degree of weight one loses is directly proportional to the accuracy and stringency of the tracking that we do on a regular basis.  The research shows that you tend to lose 50% more weight when tracking than when you don’t.  I know at some point on our journey, we are or were all guilty of either lying by omission on our trackers, or just not tracking very well.  I went through a stint where I thought I was doing a good job, but realized that I’d forgotten to write some things down.  There are many ways to journal—before you eat, during the meal or after the meal. Some folks even do their journaling the day after (which I don’t recommend because of ‘tracking amnesia’).  I actually prefer to track before I eat.  I usually track my breakfast, lunch and snacks when I get into the office (since I usually have these meals with me, and I just take inventory at that time).  This actually helps me plan dinners because I know what’s left in my POINTS® budget for the day.

The basic point of the meeting is that tracking is actually your friend.  There are many tools out there to help you…and many won’t even cost you a dime.  For those in my audience not on Weight Watchers, there is a wealth of free information available on the web to help you with your journaling.  Paper trackers and computer software (such as FitDay) can help.  There are also a multitude of free food diaries out there on the web.  Get onto Google and check it out.  Once you find a paper tracker that you can live with, you can print them off and file them in a 3-ring binder and track your successes.  If you are up on a particular week, and want to know what worked in a prior week when you lost weight, by tracking you will have this information at the ready. A free online food tracking tool is also available at http://www.fitday.com.  I have the standalone PC version, and I love it.  The nice thing about the web version is that you only need access to a PC with an internet connection and you can track from anywhere.   If you ARE a Weight Watchers subscriber with an e-Tools subscription, you can use your Blackberry or iPhone to track your food as well.  A free app is available with your subscription.  I just wanted to throw that out there as well.

A relevant quote to end on…

If you bite it, write it

If you snack it, track it

If you nibble it, scribble it

If you drink it, ink it

Grab your pencil…before your utensil!

-Another great one from the meeting room board!

RECIPES

American Potato Salad

Steve had a friend over for dinner this weekend, and we decided to grill.  I am appalled at the fat and calorie counts on store-bought salads, so I set off to find one that I could make at home.  I found this one on the Weight Watchers website, and it turned out fantastic.  The only thing I did differently is leave out the hard-boiled egg.  Steve is not a fan of eggs in his potato salad, but you know what? It was fabulous WITHOUT it, and it probably saved a point or so.

POINTS® Value: 2 per ¾ cup serving

Servings: 8

Preparation Time: 12 min

Cooking Time: 9 min

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

2 pound(s) Yukon Gold potato(es), peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks  

2 large egg(s), hard-boiled  (I left these out, and it didn’t hurt the dish at all!)

2 tsp apple cider vinegar  

1/2 cup(s) plain fat-free yogurt, Greek-style recommended  

1/4 cup(s) fat-free mayonnaise  

3 Tbsp sweet pickle relish  

1 1/2 tsp SPLENDA® SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener  

1/2 tsp table salt  

1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground  

1/2 cup(s) celery, diced  

1/3 cup(s) red onion(s), chopped   

Instructions:

    Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with 2 inches of water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are fork-tender, about 7 to 9 minutes; drain and cool slightly.

    Meanwhile, in a large bowl, using a fork, mash yolk from 1 egg with vinegar until smooth. Add yogurt, mayonnaise, relish, Splenda, salt and pepper; stir until blended.

    Add potatoes, celery and onion to bowl; toss to mix and coat. Chop remaining egg white and egg; gently fold into potato salad. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving.

Notes:

A large amount of regular mayonnaise was replaced with some fat-free mayonnaise and creamy non-fat Greek-style yogurt.

Garnish with chopped dill, red onion and/or chives. For a change of pace, substitute 1-inch red potato chunks for the Yukon Gold potatoes.

Amaretto Berry Cheesecake

This is another great recipe that I adapted from Kraft.  I wanted something good for dessert and cheesecake was calling my name.  I didn’t want to do this one as written because the POINTS® were waaaaay too high to justify the splurge.  I substituted Neufchatel and fat-free cream cheese for the full-fat variety, and it came out fabulous.

POINTS® Value: 6 per serving

Servings:  8

Preparation Time:  10 min

Cooking Time:  50 min

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Ingredients:

8 oz package Neufchatel cheese, softened

8 oz package fat free cream cheese, softened

½ cup sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

3 Tbsp. almond-flavored liqueur (can use 1 tsp almond extract in place of the liqueur)

2 eggs (or ½ cup egg beaters)

1 lowfat graham cracker redi-crust

2 cups mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries and sliced strawberries)

Instructions:

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add liqueur; mix well. Add eggs; beat just until blended.

POUR into crust.

BAKE 35 to 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. Top with berries just before serving. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

Cajun Chicken with Fresh Tomato Relish

This was last week’s Wellness Wednesday choice in the café downstairs.  I sent the newsletter out on Monday, so I missed getting this out to you.  This was another big hit, in my opinion.  Just enough heat!  No new one for today…as they did the Spicy Mexican Skillet Chicken dish again today.

POINTS® Value: 3 per serving

Servings:  4

Preparation Time:  20 min

Cooking Time:  10 min

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Ingredients:

Relish

2 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

8 medium green onions, chopped (1/2 cup)

1/3 cup chopped celery

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon red pepper sauce

Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb)

3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

Instructions:

1.  In medium bowl, mix relish ingredients; set aside. Heat gas or charcoal grill. Coat both sides of each chicken breast evenly with Cajun seasoning.

2. When grill is heated, carefully oil grill rack. Place chicken on gas grill over medium heat or on charcoal grill over medium coals; cover grill. Cook 10 minutes, turning once, until juice of chicken is no longer pink when center of thickest part is cut (170°F). Serve chicken with relish.

Nutritional Information:

1 Serving: Calories 150 (Calories from Fat 35); Total Fat 4g (Saturated Fat 1g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 70mg; Sodium 630mg; Total Carbohydrate 4g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 2g); Protein 26g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 15%; Vitamin C 15%; Calcium 2%; Iron 8% Exchanges: 0 Other Carbohydrate; 1 Vegetable; 3 1/2 Very Lean Meat; 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 0

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Around the Clock Satisfaction....or 'When hunger comes calling'...

Ba-da…ba da da da…Ba-da…ba da da da…Monday Monday….

Yes…this is totally a Monday.  Still trying to find out where the weekend went.  Oh yes!  I remember now. I did 2 5K walks.  No OFFICIAL walks, just the usual on Saturday and one that my leader organized for Sunday.  As many of you know, I don’t deal well with change.  I really think that Who Moved My Cheese was written expressly for me.  I have been attending Weight Watchers meetings at the Arapaho Village Center since November 2008, when our ‘Weight Watchers At Work’ session folded.  I immediately clicked with our leader, Kathryn.  She has an amazing group that is incredibly participatory in the meetings.  I really love the meetings and look forward to them each week.  I found out by email on Friday that Kathryn had retired from being a Weight Watchers Leader…which actually explained a few things.  She organized Sunday’s walk, but indicated that she’d be participating as a WW Member, rather than a leader.  That one slipped right over my head…but it makes sense NOW.  When she told me that she would be retiring, my stomach dropped.  My head was reeling and I became incredibly sad.  The first think I thought was “Wow…I have 33 pounds left to lose, and no leader to get me there”.  How incredibly selfish of me though.   I never once considered that she may have had an agenda of her own.  She wasn’t abandoning us, but rather, she was moving on with her life.  She wasn’t quitting on us…as she is still a member like the rest of us.  So instead of being up in front of the room, she will be sitting in the peanut gallery with the rest of us! 

I reached out to my audience of newsletter readers and to my Facebook friends for support.  I am going to be fine.  Only had one nay-sayer in the bunch, but I believe that the comments that this person left on my wall were removed before I had the privilege (or disservice) of reading them.  In any case, I attended my meeting as normal this week and enjoyed my time with my Weight Watchers Peeps (LOVE YOU GUYS!!!).  Our substitute leader this week was great too, an added bonus!  

This weekend was a very active weekend for me.  I walked a total of AT LEAST 10K.  I did two 3.1 mile walks between Saturday and Sunday plus whatever incremental walking we did.  I put in almost 20,000 steps in the two days.  My legs are shot, and my body is swollen.  My fingers swelled up like sausages after Saturday’s walk.  Lucky for me, I was able to get my rings off.  On Sunday, however, I was taking no chances.  The rings stayed home!  It did feel a little weird being ‘single’ for those couple of hours though!  Once I got home and showered, I put the rings back on and was my old married self again!  I took some water with me for the walk on Sunday.  Even though the walk was at 6:30 pm, it was still 97 degrees outside.  My nice COLD water was merely lukewarm by the end of the walk.  It was wet though, so I didn’t argue too loudly.  The scale wasn’t on my side this week, but with all the swelling, it wasn’t a surprise.  I need to make sure I get enough fluids in this week. 

Adam (the 3-year-old) started his second summer of swimming lessons.  He actually has two of his friends from preschool in his class, which made the little guys more comfortable.  They were all a bit shy at the outset, but by the end, jumping off the side into the pool seemed to be the most awesome activity of the day!  Adam was having such a good time, that he wanted many, many turns jumping in.  To ensure that this would happen, he helped his friends (by pushing them by their butts…) up and out of the pool.  He would then take his spot on the side and continue on with the jumping in. It was pretty comical! Then…on the way home he asked if we were going to another pool.  He was disappointed when we told him that we were going home.  He fell asleep after that!  Kids!!!!

I had my blood work done again a couple of weeks back.  The good news story there was that the cholesterol number came down 11 points, and the good cholesterol number went up by about 12 points.  I am definitely headed in the right direction.  Getting it checked again in another 6 months.  Hopefully my good work with the diet and exercise will continue to pay it forward.

So…I continue pressing on with the weight loss journey.  I just have to get into my head that all change isn’t bad.  Things will go on as they always have. I just have to roll with it.  After all…I have people to motivate, right????  I am going to be there for you guys.  I know that you are all there for me.

The topic of this week’s meeting was “When hunger comes calling”.  Our leader asked us if we eat by the clock….you know…breakfast at 8, lunch at noon, dinner at 6, etc… Here is what she had to share this week:

Need to know info:

• Going a long time without eating makes you overly hungry and more likely to lose control when you finally DO eat.
• Identifying your hungriest times of the day can help you devise strategies for staying satisfied and in control.
• Staying ahead of hunger can boost weight loss success.

Keeping hunger at bay

What is your “profile”? How do you answer this question: “When I get hungry I ____________ “

• Eat whatever isn’t nailed down
• Try to wait until mealtime
• Eat as soon as I’m hungry
• Eat whenever the urge hits
• Eat the first thing in sight!
• Don’t wait
• Try to determine if it’s true hunger
• Have a planned meal or snack

What can help:

·         3 meals a day + snacks

·         Several mini-meals a day

·         Filling foods (trust me here…they DO work)

·         Good health guidelines

In my experience, I have found that having a personal arsenal of snacks (your own vending machine, if you will…) helps to stave off the hungries.  I have a variety of 1 to 2 POINT® snacks in my bottom desk drawer (note to self: lock drawer since you all now know my secret….) to help keep me on track during those times when you really need a snack.  I also try to take some of the filling foods with me (veggies, fruits, etc….).  The best find that I have made, thanks to both my former leader and Hungry Girl?  Fiber One—the twiggy looking cereal.  This is one of the only cold cereals that is actually a filling food (there are a few others out there…they are [unsweetened] shredded wheat, puffed rice and puffed wheat).  The taste of these twigs remind me of Quaker Corn Bran from when I was a kid.  They are filling, but have an ever so slight sweet taste to them.  I have been adventurous, using them in yogurt for a filler, as well as crumbing them in a food processor and using them as a binder for turkey burgers.  Love this stuff.  Went and bought another box this week for the pantry!!!!  It’s ZERO POINTS® for up to a ½ cup serving size.  I put just under ¼ cup into my yogurt and that makes it a very satisfying snack. Add a few berries and you have a very low POINT ® parfait.  Food for thought!

Some parting (and VERY relevant words from my beloved ex-leader….)

When you've eaten too much and you can't write it down

And you feel like the biggest failure in town;

When you want to give up just because you gave in

And forget all about being healthy and thin;

So What! You went over your points a bit;

It's your next move that counts...So don't you quit!

It's a moment of truth, It's an attitude change;

It's learning the skills to get back in your range;

It's telling yourself "You've done great up till now;

You can take on this challenge and beat it somehow."

It's part of your journey toward reaching your goal;

You're still gonna make it, just stay in control.

To stumble and fall is not a disgrace

If you summon the will to get back in the race;

But, often the strugglers when losing their grip

Just throw in the towel and continue to slip

And learn too late when the damage is done

That the race wasn't over and they still could of won.

Life-style change can be awkward and slow

But facing each challenge will help you to grow;

Success is failure turned inside out

The silver tint in the cloud of doubt.

When you're pushing to the brink, just refuse to submit;

If you bite it you write it... But DON’T you quit!

-Kathryn Tregoning

RECIPES

Crispy White Pizza

This recipe comes courtesy of Hungry Girl.  I was going through some old newsletters, and found this one.  It looks delicious, and I am making this one during the week!

POINTS® Value per serving (entire pizza): 176 calories, 3g fat, 947mg sodium, 29g carbs, 13g fiber, 7g sugars, 19g protein -- POINTS® value 3*

Servings: 1

Preparation Time: 15 min

Cooking Time: 15 min

Level of Difficulty: INSANELY easy

Ingredients:

1 La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious Low Carb/High Fiber Large Tortilla

1/3 cup fat-free ricotta cheese

1 tbsp. shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. plus 1 dash salt

Dash black pepper

1/4 cup thinly sliced onions

6 basil leaves

4 thin slices plum tomato (Romas rock)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place tortilla on a baking sheet sprayed lightly with nonstick spray. Bake in the oven for 5 - 6 minutes per side, until slightly crispy. Leave oven on.

In a small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, 1/8 tsp. salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat on the stove. Add onions and, stirring occasionally, cook until softened and slightly browned, about 3 minutes. Immediately stir onions into cheese mixture.

Spread onion-cheese mixture evenly on top of the tortilla, and top with basil leaves, tomato slices, and a dash of salt.

Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, or until entire pizza is hot. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut into slices. Pizza for one!

MAKES 1 SERVING

Let me know how you like it! BTW, if you can't locate fat-free mozzarella, just use part-skim mozzarella or half a stick of light string cheese pulled into pieces and roughly chopped. That 

swap will only add about 10 - 20 calories and 1g fat. Still Under 200!

Linguine with Zucchini Sauce

This is a great standby recipe that I used to do quite a bit in the mid-'90's. I found this one in a cookbook that I am about to consign at Half Price Books later this week. I took a friend's advice and scanned the recipes I wanted and am pitching the book. I thought it was high time for someone else to enjoy these books. I really culled through the shelves today. It felt great to have more room...Now I can buy MORE COOKBOOKS!!! I need help.

This sauce is sort of similar to an Alfredo but not nearly as heavy. This recipe was adapted from the Family Circle Cookbook that came out in around 1993 - 1995. It was a looseleaf binder type cookbook, and this one was one of my favorites from that one. I hope you all enjoy it.

POINTS® Value: 6 per serving, based on 6 servings.

Servings:  4 - 6

Preparation Time:  15 min

Cooking Time:  20 min

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Ingredients:

1 lb linguine

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 1/2 lbs zucchini, coarsely shredded

1/4 cup yogurt or low-fat sour cream

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, I used sharp

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions:

1. Cook linguine according to package directions, until al dente, firm but tender.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 30 seconds. Add 1/4 of the zucchini. Increase heat to high; cook, stirring, until zucchini is well coated with oil. Add remaining zucchini; cook, tossing occasionally, until tender, about 3 minutes. Turn into large serving bowl.

3. Drain linguine. Add to zucchini along with the yogurt; toss to mix. Add the cheese, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

If you like, feel free to serve with extra parmesan or romano cheese to top, but be sure to adjust POINTS® if necessary.  A creamy and YUMMY summer dinner!

Chicken Milanese with Arugula Salad

Cooking the chicken in just a touch of butter results in a delicious golden, crisp crust reminiscent of deep-frying.

POINTS® Value:    7

Servings:  4

Preparation Time:  20 min

Cooking Time:  14 min

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Ingredients:

            1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice  

            1 Tbsp olive oil  

            1/4 tsp table salt  

            1/4 tsp black pepper  

            2 bunch(es) arugula  

            1/2 medium fennel bulb(s), very thinly sliced (about 1 cup)  

            1 cup(s) red onion(s), thinly sliced  

            1 cup(s) grape tomatoes, quartered  

            1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4 oz pieces  

            1 tsp table salt  

            1/2 tsp black pepper  

            2 Tbsp all-purpose flour  

            1 large egg(s)  

            3 large egg white(s)  

            1/4 cup(s) parsley, fresh, minced  

            1/2 oz romano cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup)  

            1/3 cup(s) dried bread crumbs  

            4 spray(s) cooking spray, divided  

            1 Tbsp butter, divided  

            2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, or to taste  

Instructions:

In a small bowl, whisk together first four ingredients; set aside.

In a large salad bowl, combine arugula, fennel, onion and tomatoes; set aside.

  

Place chicken between two sheets of wax paper; pound until 1/3-inch-thick (link to video). Rub salt and pepper into both sides of chicken.

Place flour in a shallow bowl. Place bread crumbs in another shallow bowl. In a third shallow bowl, whisk together egg, egg whites, parsley and cheese.

Dip a piece of chicken into flour; turn to coat and shake off any excess. Next, dip chicken into egg mixture; turn to coat. Lastly, dip chicken into bread crumbs, shaking off any excess ingredients. (You want to coat the chicken very lightly, not cover it with a heavy crust.) Set aside and repeat with remaining chicken.

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat. Melt half of butter in skillet (do not allow it to burn); add two pieces of chicken. Cook chicken until coating is golden, flipping once, about 7 minutes; remove to a paper towel and cover loosely to keep warm. Off heat, recoat skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat. Melt remaining butter in skillet; cook remaining pieces of chicken.

 Toss salad with dressing. Sprinkle chicken with lemon juice and serve topped with salad. Yields 1 piece of chicken and 2 cups of loosely packed salad per serving.

Notes

    The chicken can be battered and stored in the refrigerator ahead of time. When you’re ready to eat, simply sauté the chicken as directed.

    This lightened up classic can be served on its own, over a bed of steamed spinach or with a salad like the one shown above.