Start the New Year Off on TRACK!

Happy New Year! Come to think of it, I probably mentioned that in my last newsletter. Oh well…such is life.  Considering that this week has been both month end and year end close, things went pretty well....and it’s also the reason for the tardiness of the newsletter.  The good news is that all required reporting is done, and all required deliverables, well…. have been delivered! 

I am not sure if I mentioned it last week, but in addition to taking the southern route home (via I-20), I also managed to lose my voice somewhere in Alabama.  For someone who really enjoys talking, this was hard.  The kids enjoyed it though, because I couldn’t shout at anyone and they ended up getting a 3 day reprieve.  Luckily this cold or allergy attack or whatever it was…never went into bronchitis, but it did get me coughing a slight bit.  Thinking back, this was really the first time I had gotten sick in the last year or so since I started my efforts to get healthy.  I really do think that eating right and exercise has a lot to do with boosting your immune system.

However, I was a bit concerned about what this week would mean in terms of my workouts this week. I told Coach Dwayne that I still wanted to work out this week, but wasn’t sure about the strength training due to the cold that I got.  We ended up doing a 30 minute cardio session, which I think by far was one of the best workouts.  We ended up doing a 30 minute interval training session on the treadmill.  He had me at a steady pace of 3.8 mph and started out with a warm-up at a zero incline.  After the warm-up, he had me walk at a 5% incline.  After each 2 minutes he increased the incline 2 degrees, so that after 15 minutes I was at a 10% incline. My heart rate got up to 155+ and I was feeling pretty good, if a bit out of breath.  I got a recovery period of 2 minutes back down to a flat grade, and we repeated the process.  With the cool down at the end, I ended up doing a little over 2 miles in 30 minutes.  Not bad!  We decided to change things up a bit during the week by incorporating a cardio component into the workouts.  Kind of looking forward to seeing what he comes up with.

This week was interesting for those of us in North Texas, largely due to this arctic blast of cold air that filtered its way in.  Monday and Tuesday were cold, but Tuesday night got interesting.  We dropped into the 20’s but with the wind chill, it felt like the teens.  My daughter’s school was closed on Thursday, and things here were still a bit slippy-slidy today, so I took the day from home.  Don’t like driving in icy weather.  Texas drivers are scary enough without throwing bad weather into the mix!

Most of you all have been with me during the course of my weight loss journey that started in August 2008.  I think I may have told you that I have been following Weight Watchers for quite some time (I was a member since 1993, on and off).  This last time I have been on plan for over a year and a half and managed to lose many pounds, even more inches, and many sizes (started out at a 22 and am into a 14 so far!)  I really think that the major part of my success this time around is due to the dynamic of our meeting.  I would venture to say that there is no better meeting anywhere around.  There is something about this group of people that makes you want to keep going. The leader, receptionists and members are incredible.

Awhile back, Sara, one of my meeting buddies, suggested awhile back that we start a clothing circle, in which members bring in items of clothing that no longer fit (too BIG of course…) and share with others that may be in that size range.  I have been able to benefit from this! Sara brought me the dress that I am modeling in the picture below.  I am totally in love with the dress. Never really had a little black dress before, and now I am wearing one…and it looks GOOD! 

I have been able to return the favor of ‘new clothing’ to another friend as well.  Thanks to one simple idea, we have been able to increase our wardrobes while losing weight, and without breaking the bank.  Did I mention that the dress is a size 14?!?!?!

I maintained this week at the meeting, but overall am showing a 2.4 pound loss over the course of the holidays.  Not too bad.  I am glad to have lost anything at a time when many would have thrown in the towel during this time of the year.  The meeting this week focused on planning and tracking, once again, and their benefits.

Focusing on the tracking side: did you know that the average person recalls only half of what they eat? Though you may remember what you had for breakfast, what about the extra nibbles you had while watching TV, snacking on the phone or picking off your kids' plates?

A food diary puts a stop to this lack of accountability. In fact, studies show that people who keep food journals lose more weight and keep more weight off in the long run.

The National Weight Control Registry (an ongoing research project that tracks successful weight loss habits) found that keeping a food journal is the one of the strategies used by most successful dieters.  A recent study found that dieters who tracked their food intake lost twice as much weight as those who didn't track their food.

Your food diary

Whether you put pen to paper or choose a program from the Internet, a good food diary will typically track:

• Calories of all food and drinks
• Time of day
• Portion size
• Emotions or feelings

Keeping a food diary will help you confront the truth about how much, when and why you eat. Then, you can start making the required changes. In addition, journaling can help to:

1.         Control binge eating. You are less likely to go for that second helping if you know you have to write it down.

2.         Track progress. A food diary can serve as evidence of how far you have come in your journey. It also feels great to look back and see you are eating better today than you did weeks or months ago.

3.         Encourage conscious eating. Unconscious eating occurs when we eat without paying attention. You are more likely to avoid eating for unconscious reasons if you are writing it down.

4          Connect eating to emotions. Many people include a column for "observations" or "emotions" in their diaries. In this way, journals can be used to examine certain feelings that may trigger overeating. Only once you identify the causes can you start to do something about them.

5.         Point out nutrition imbalances. As you jot down your meals and snacks, you may notice you lack fruits and vegetables on most days, or that you never eat a protein source until dinner. A food diary can give you clues, in black and white, as to what foods you have been neglecting and need to include in your diet.

6.         Monitor eating patterns. Until you keep a food journal, you may not realize that you have a seven-hour gap between your 11:30 lunch and your 6:30 dinner. Perhaps this is why you're at the vending machine every afternoon at 3 p.m., downing a bag or two of chips or cookies. Solution? Plan to bring or store a healthy snack for the mid-afternoon to ward off poor eating choices.

7.         Monitor calories. Journaling usually requires you to track your calorie intake - which can be eye-opening. Perhaps you were not aware your afternoon soda had 150 calories, or your "innocent" morning latte had 250. By forcing yourself to track portions and calories, you can begin to make adjustments.

8.         Create a tool for your nutritionist or doctor. A food diary is a clear source of information as to what, where and how much you eat. This ready-made tool can be viewed by a health professional, who can provide insight into what you can do to tweak and/or improve your habits.

9.         Show commitment. The effort and time it takes to keep a food journal is proof that you are committed to your health, and have a desire to take a proactive role in your weight loss.

Don't underestimate the power of tracking what you eat. This "bite it and write it" approach can be effective on your own or in conjunction with a weight loss support group. Ask your doctor to recommend a good support group in your community or online. You may even want to swap your food diary once a week with a friend.

ATTACHMENTS

The attachments this week:

1. Your track to success talks about starting off your new year on track by planning and tracking meals.
2. The second attachment this week, WW Online Meal Ideas came to me courtesy of Celeste, one of my readers and a member of the meeting I attend.  For those of you who use e-Tools online, this is a quick pictorial tutorial of how to use the ‘meal ideas’ section of the site to plan meals out utilizing the POINTS® that you are allotted during the day.

Below is a simple mantra to help you start off your year on the right foot. This was posted on the meeting room board, and it’s so appropriate!

WW Online Meal Ideas.doc
 

If you bite it, write it

If you snack it, track it

If you nibble it, scribble it.

If you drink it, ink it

If you steal it, reveal it.

If you sneak it, leak it.

If you grab it, blab it.

If you indulge it, divulge it.

If you lick it, bic it.

If you hog it, log it.

If you ingest it….you guessed it!

Grab your pencil before your utensil!

Only journal on the days you want to lose weight!

Butternut Squash Soup

This past Sunday, we went out for breakfast and then did our usual Sunday running around. We ended up at one of the local Asian markets here in town. I think that one of my New Year's resolutions is to buy all of my produce there. Besides wonderful veggies, I found lobster for $7.99 per pound, shrimp for $3.99 per pound, boneless chicken breast for $1.69 per pound...and in the middle of all this? A beautiful butternut squash. I knew you guys were wondering where I was going with this rambling!

Ok...I was looking for an easy recipe to use for the soup, and the Cooking Light geniuses came through for me again! Enjoy!

Yield: 8 servings at a POINTS® Value of 3 per serving

Ingredients:

* 8 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 2 1/4 pounds)

* 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

* 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

* Cooking spray

* 4 cups warm 2% reduced-fat milk, divided

* 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided

* 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine squash, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 45 minutes or until tender. Place half of squash, half of milk, and half of broth in a blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed mixture into a large saucepan. Repeat procedure with remaining squash, milk, and broth. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not bring to a boil). Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Ladle 1 cup soup into each of 8 bowls; sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons nuts.

Nutritional Information (including the walnuts)

Calories: 204 (26% from fat); Fat: 5.9g (sat 1.9g,mono 1.7g,poly 2.1g)

Protein: 7.5g; Carbohydrate: 34.7g; Fiber: 5.3g; Cholesterol: 9mg

Iron:2mg; Sodium: 370mg; Calcium: 271mg

Elissa’s Oven Roasted Roma Tomatoes

This is a good standby recipe that I go to quite often.  I use these tomatoes as a quick pasta sauce starter and it’s also a great base for tomato basil soup or even a gazpacho, for when the weather is warmer outside.  When you find wonderful Roma or plum tomatoes, buy extra to make this one.

Yield: for an entire pound of roasted tomatoes roasted with a 1 Tbsp drizzle of olive oil, the entire point count is 4 1/2.  If you use less olive oil, the points go down in proportion.   The pound of tomatoes is 1 POINT®, and a teaspoon of olive oil is 1 POINT® and a tablespoon of olive oil is 3 ½.

Ingredients:

Plum tomatoes (I used a pound or two at a time!), sliced in half, lengthwise

1 tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash and slice tomatoes, lengthwise and place on a baking sheet that has been covered with heavy duty aluminum foil and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Give the tomatoes a good sprinkling of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Drizzle about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over the tomatoes. Bake in a 450 degree oven until they start to brown and look a bit charred.

These can be stored for up to a week in the refrigerator. You can also whiz them up with a stick blender and save for a sauce or soup! Combine with fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil and heat up for a nice quick sauce. Love this recipe!

Happy New Year! Set goals for yourself!

We made it home.  I was a much better passenger this time around.  We didn’t even attempt to go home via I-40. To make it less stressful on the mommy, we took the southern route, otherwise known as I-85 to Altanta, I-285 W from there to  I-20 and on west to Texas.  I did MUCH better on the ride home than on the way out.  We stopped halfway, which put us in Vicksburg, MS, and we made it home to Denton by 3:30 on the 29^th.  We got home just in time for a snow shower.  Luckily nothing stuck and it was uneventful.  Why is it that whenever you come home from vacation, no matter how long or short the time away, it always seems like you’ve been gone for a month?

For New Year’s Eve, I ended up making the recipe in the newsletter. It was yummy, comforting, and hearty.  This was a nice dinner that came in at a respectable POINTS® Value!  When served with a nice mixed salad, it’s a pretty filling meal.  I budgeted enough POINTS® to enjoy a glass of champagne…well Asti Spumante anyway… Apparently, one glass was quite enough.  Got a buzz, and felt REALLY sleepy afterward.  I think I made it until 11:01 CST before I passed out. 

I hope that each of you has a wonderful 2010. I hope you all reach your ultimate goals that you set for yourselves, whether weight-related or otherwise.  The topic of the meeting this week was goal setting.  Goals, whether big or small, can help you stay the course of your weight loss journey.  They provide a roadmap so that you have an idea where you are going, and with a map? You will always know when you get there!  A goal should be stated in the positive, be specific and in order to be sustainable, it should be a good fit with your life.  I attached the “Winning Outcomes” tool for living so that you can refer back to it if needed.

For 2010, I intend to keep publishing, as long as you all keep on reading.  If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, please let me know and you will be removed immediately.   Also, if you know anyone that may benefit from receiving this newsletter, let me know that as well! I welcome additional readership!

Take care, and have a great 2010!

Lots of love,

-E

GLUTEN FREE CORNER;

Paul Prudhomme’s line of ‘Magic’ seasonings are all gluten free! This is a great way to spice up your meals without adding a bunch of calories.  The link to the website is http://www.chefpaul.com/site339.php

RECIPES

Chicken Florentine Artichoke Bake

 

Publish Post

I was looking for an easy casserole-style dish to make for our New Year's dinner tonight. It was just going to be the four of us, but I wanted to make something easy, yet delicious and healthy. I had picked up a copy of the Better Homes & Gardens "Ultimate Casseroles" Special Interest Publication. These are magazine-style cookbooks found by the grocery checkout counters. I like these publications because they provide nutritional information along with easy directions.

Of course, I made this Weight Watchers friendly. Simply substitute 2% cheese for the full fat variety. Also, you can cut the amount used in the recipe. I used what was called for, but used the 2% variety. I also used the meat off of a small rotisserie chicken (my new BFF...) for the chicken component. The rotisserie chicken is the easiest way to save time in cooking, especially where casseroles are concerned. Know them! Love them!

In addition, where the soft breadcrumbs were called for, I used a couple of small slices of a whole grain loaf bought earlier in the week and whizzed it up in the food processor to make the crumbs. A little improvisation never hurt anyone :)

Yield: 8 GENEROUS servings at a POINTS® Value of 8 per serving. Can cut back the portion size a bit and shave a point or two off of this one!

Prep: 25 Min| Cook: 30 Min

Ingredients:

8  oz. dried bow tie pasta (we used Barilla Plus® Whole Grain Farfalle)

1  small onion, chopped

1  Tbsp. butter (I used olive oil instead)

2  eggs (can use egg beaters if desired)

1-1/4  cups milk (use 1% or fat free)

1  tsp. dried Italian seasoning

1/4  to 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)

2  cups chopped cooked chicken

2  cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz.) [reduced fat works well, and feel free to cut down the portion size]

1  14-oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

1  10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

1/2  cup oil-packed dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

1/4  cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2  cup soft bread crumbs

1/2  tsp. paprika

1  Tbsp. butter, melted (we used Smart Balance Butter Blend Sticks)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. In medium skillet cook onion in 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat about 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; set aside.

2. In bowl whisk together eggs, milk, seasoning, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Stir in chicken, Monterey Jack cheese, artichokes, spinach, tomatoes, half of the Parmesan, cooked pasta, and onion. Transfer to a 13x9x2-inch baking dish or 3-quart rectangular casserole.

3. Bake, covered, 20 minutes. In small bowl combine remaining Parmesan, bread crumbs, paprika, and melted butter. Sprinkle mixture over pasta. Bake, uncovered, 10 minutes more or until golden. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 367; Calories from Fat: 146; Total Fat: 16g; Saturated Fat: 5g; Polyunsaturated: 2g; Monounsaturated: 5g; Cholesterol: 99mg; Sodium: 559 mg; Carb: 32g; Fiber: 6g; Protein: 25g; Vitamin A: 95%; Vitamin C: 33%; Calcium: 43%; Iron 20%;

Weight Watchers goes on Vacation!

Okay, the trip is on! We left Denton bright and early on Saturday the 20^th—around 5:15 in the morning.  The drive across 380 to I-30 was uneventful.  I-30 through Arkansas is where the trip began to get interesting.  Somewhere just west of Malvern AR, the engine light on the van started blinking.  There would be a shudder and a blinking engine light.  We had just gotten some maintenance done prior to the trip, so this came as quite a surprise.  Our guy from the Hon-da Doctor found us a place in Malvern that would be able to hook the van up to a computer to determine the cause of the blinking light.   Lucky for us it turned out to be a random misfiring cylinder.  Translation? BAD GAS.  The remedy? Gas treatment from Auto Zone and a new tank of gas.  Just a few more episodes of shuddering and blinking and we were good to go.  For a few minutes there, I thought we’d be having a short trip to nowhere.

We stopped for the night in Mt. Juliet, TN.  The first two pictures below are the kids’ feeble attempts at being cute in the hotel.  Ok…so maybe the attempts weren’t feeble. They WERE downright cute.  We did stick to McDonalds for breakfasts for the kids.  I actually ate the fruit & yogurt parfaits which were 3 POINTS® without the granola pack, which only added another ½ to the parfait.  We stayed near a local grocery store, so we were able to have some more control over what we ate.  This particular store had a deli counter that custom-made Boar’s Head subs for you, while you waited.  Steve and I split one, and had a pretty filling dinner for 7 POINTS®

We got up early on Sunday morning to finish the drive into NC.  The roads were beautiful…I did some censoring though…you guys probably didn’t want to see a bunch of cars off in the ditches along I-26.  Quite frankly, I DIDN’T want to see that either.  I am a skittish passenger, and don’t like heights.  So…interesting trip through the Smokies and the Blue Ridge Mountains.  We missed the blizzard by 24 hours, but many weren’t so lucky.  If I could have ridden through those mountains on the floorboard of the van, I would have.  Yeesh!!!  The kids? Not a care in the world.  They had their DVDs and they were happy as pigs in mud!  We rolled into NC around 3:30pm on Sunday afternoon.  We were all pretty much SICK of being in the car!

Tuesday night, I met my friends at one of the local Gastropubs and enjoyed a nice dinner and some much needed catching up.  I was too late on arrival Sunday to hit the Weight Watchers meeting here, so I found one for Wednesday.  I went and weighed in and my old leader was still working that meeting, after 10+ years!  Thought that was a good sign. I realized that I didn’t have my normal ‘weigh in’ outfit with me, but I did have workout pants and a tank, so that would have to do, even though I could be up because of it.  Not only wasn’t I up, but I had actually come down 2.4 pounds.  That was WITH meeting my girlfriends for dinner, having a glass of wine, shrimp & grits for dinner and a taste of dessert. Not too bad.  I was able to show a loss while on the road traveling and enjoying myself.  Moderation ladies…moderation!

Wednesday I met another great friend for lunch.  This was the friend that I mentioned earlier, who was diagnosed with Stage III Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.  She looked GREAT, and she said she feels great too.  They must have found a chemo cocktail that is working for her.  I am SO glad.  I had to see it for myself. 

Wendy and I had followed similar paths throughout our lives.  We both met our spouses on AOL back in the mid-‘90’s, when that NEVER happened.  We lived in South Florida together, while our fiancées at the time had been living in the Carolinas.  They moved from SC -  TX  for a period of time and came back to SC, while my path took me from FL to NC to TX and we are still there.  The other weird parallel was that we both reached our last straw and started back with Weight Watchers this last time about a month apart. August 2008 for me, and September 2008 for her.  She has managed to lose 35 pounds so far, and she looks INCREDIBLE! I am proud of my Wendy.  We ended up having lunch Jason’s Deli.  Did my research and found a Mediterranean Wrap for only 6 POINTS®. Not too bad!  They also have wonderful flatbread crackers on the salad bar for about 1 POINT® per flatbread. 

I think that I am doing a pretty good job of maintaining over the holidays!  Still spinning from my stellar weigh-in.  I have been wearing my pedometer and trying to get some activity in while enjoying being back in my old stomping grounds.

Photo 1: Adam at the hotel in Mt. Juliet, TN Photo 2: Morgan at the hotel in Mt. Juliet, TN Photo 3: I-81 heading from TN toward NC Photo 4: I-26 heading toward Asheville, NC Photo 5: My girls and I at The Liberty, on Tuesday 12/22/2009 Photo 6: My Wendy and me at Jason’s Deli on Wednesday 12/23/2009

At the time you receive this newsletter, I will not have attended a meeting yet, but I will get to one later on this week, probably Saturday.  I am looking forward to spending more time with family and friends.  I found this timely quote online today.  Thought it was cute, so I shared! I hope that all of you have a very happy holiday and an even better 2010.  Enjoy yourselves, and I will be back with you after vacation.

“In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it 'Christmas' and went to church;

the Jews called it 'Hanukkah' and went to synagogue;

the atheists went to parties and drank.

People passing each other on the street would say 'Merry Christmas!' or 'Happy Hanukka!' or (to the atheists) 'Look out for the wall!'” 

~Dave Barry

The attachment this week is called ‘Measure Your Success’.  This shows that the scale IS NOT the only measure of success.  Pictures, measurements and smaller sizes are all GREAT indicators of your success.  Give it a read!

GLUTEN FREE CORNER;

Still researching. Be back next week!!!

RECIPES

Festive Feta Spread

This dip is a favorite. It stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to five days so it's great for drop-in holiday guests

Yield: 16 servings at a POINTS® Value of 3 per serving

Prep: 15 Min| Cook: 0 Min

Ingredients:

 7 oz roasted red peppers, packed in water, drained    

 1 pound(s) 1/3 less-fat cream cheese, two 8-oz blocks, softened, cut up    

 4 oz reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled    

 1 large garlic clove(s), peeled    

 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground    

 3 Tbsp dill, fresh, chopped    

 1/4 cup(s) dill, fresh, whole sprigs    

 10 1/2 oz baked low-fat tortilla chips    

Instructions:

Slice off a 1 1/2-inch piece of roasted pepper to use for garnish; wrap and refrigerate. In a food processor, combine remaining roasted peppers, cream cheese, feta cheese, garlic and black pepper; process until smooth. Add chopped dill; pulse until evenly distributed.

Scrape mixture into a serving bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour (or up to 5 days) to firm up slightly and for flavors to blend.

To serve, smooth surface of dip with a spatula. Arrange dill sprigs on top in a circular fashion to form a “wreath;” cut reserved piece of roasted pepper into tiny “berries" and place on wreath. Or create any other decorative pattern you desire. Yields about 3 tablespoons of spread and 8 chips per serving.

Notes:

This recipe can be cut in half to serve 8, but it keeps so well (up to 5 days refrigerated) that it makes sense to make the whole batch to have on hand for unexpected holiday guests. Serve with pita wedges, whole grain crisp breads or crackers and/or raw vegetables. (The dip alone is 2 POINTS values for 3 tablespoons.)

Put on your yarmulke...here comes Chanukah....and my cast of characters!

I am in the final countdown of the trip preparations for the NC vacation.  My goal is to still issue the newsletter while I am away.  It should be nice, issuing from a different location.  Already scouted out my meeting location—the one I used to attend when I lived there is still in the same spot!  My hope is at WORST to maintain over the time I am away, although I will take any loss that I can.  I just really need to buckle down and just track track track track……I am NOT losing my motivation, and I am not quitting.  I just wish that the fruits of my efforts would manifest themselves already.  Goes back to that patience thing.

Good thing though? I have my peeps. They love me and provide great support. This too shall pass! I will step over this pebble in the road. Our leader gave us each a pebble this week to use as an anchor.  We should never lose sight of the fact that most things are little things.  Sometimes I have a tendency to make mountains out of molehills (or in the case of the meeting: Pebbles!). I will put these ups/downs into perspective and let them go on by!

As many of you may know, Chanukah started last Friday night.  I wanted to do an easy but delicious dinner for the family.  I decided on a turkey meatloaf and some sweet potato latkes (I also tried to stay healthy too, if you noticed!). The meatloaf was based off a meeting room recipe (it’s below if you were wondering!) and the sweet potato latkes were adapted from a recipe in Women’s Health Magazine.

The meatloaf ended up being a huge hit.  The picky 9-year old ate three slices! We had one loaf left and we ended up eating that one last night. This dinner ranked high on the ‘make again’ scale.

As far as the sweet potato latkes? They seemed like a good idea at the time.  I found the recipe online and adapted it.  The mixture came together as I expected, but when I baked them, they sort of fell apart as I tried to flip them over. 

Just in case you haven’t met my clan yet, I’d like to introduce you.  Starting with photo 1, playing the part of  “The Picky 9 Year Old”, we have Morgan Nicole. Next to her, in the role we like to call “The Instigator”, we have Adam Hunter.  The next photo is of all of us.  My wonderful supportive hubby, Stephen, is on the far right.  The supporting role of “Stuffed Dog” is played by Bob (don’t ask…Adam named him!)…Oh yeah…the one in purple, kid wrangling? That’s me! A much happier face than it was 44 pounds ago!

The photo on the left was taken last night right before the kiddos tore into the nightly gift!  The photo on the right was taken in Fort Worth this past Saturday during a visit to my 93 year old Grandma Edna.  She really enjoys having the family around, even though she probably won’t remember that we were there! 

I had another less-than-stellar week this week, but am taking this in stride.  I was up, albeit ever so slightly.  We are talking a few ounces.  I know…this is getting old.  Last week for our 7-day challenge, we had to formulate a “Winning Outcome” and each day write a way that we will achieve this goal, or a reason why we want to reach the goal.

This is my “Winning Outcome”, which sort of goes along with the ‘Hold the Love Handles’ Challenge being held here at work:

WINNING OUTCOME:  “I want to either maintain my current weight or lose weight over the last two weeks of the year and to break my weight loss stagnancy.

• Monday: I need to refocus my efforts and evaluate my tracking
• Tuesday: Try switching calorie levels between morning and evening to see if that helps
• Wednesday: Continue on with the extra 10 minutes of activity each day
• Thursday: Why do this? BECAUSE I AM WORTH IT!
• Friday: Keep focusing on the big prize!
• Saturday: I want to do this for my health. Need to break through the plateau!
• Sunday: Try something Different

PERSEVERANCE is defined by Merriam-Webster as: Persisting in a state, enterprise, or undertaking in spite of counterinfluences, opposition or discouragement

Strategies

• Feedback NOT Failure (we all slip up. It’s okay!)
• Be realistic & patient (set realistic goals and be patient)
• Planning & preparing (this helps you get through the rough spots!)
• Keep a positivity journal (one thing you do right each day, as a motivating factor!)

The attachments this week are great!

1. Focus on Willpower – determination and effort are key factors in accomplishing your objectives!
2. Mustard: A Clever Cook’s Secret Weapon – learn how to use this wonderful condiment!
3. Naughty and Nice Holiday Foods – a nice eye-opening article courtesy of Coach Dwayne in the Fitness Center!

Loved the closing quote for today!

“Nobody trips over mountains.

It’s the small pebbles that cause us to stumble.

Pass all the pebbles in your path, and you will find you’ve crossed the mountain.” 

~Author Unknown

RECIPES

Chicken with Noodles and Vegetables in Ginger Broth

This light, fresh, flavorful soup is the perfect foil to heavy holiday fare.

Yield: 4 servings at a POINTS® Value of 7 per serving

Prep: 15 Min| Cook: 25 Min

Ingredients:

4 oz rice noodles

2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

2 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce

2 Tbsp honey

4 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

3 star anise pods

4 (5-oz) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, thinly sliced

1 medium yellow squash, halved lengthwise and sliced

4 oz snow peas, trimmed and halved

2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Cook rice noodles according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, combine broth, soy sauce, honey, ginger, and star anise in a large skillet; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover , and simmer 5 minutes. Add chicken; return to simmer. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.  Add yellow squash and peas.  Cook until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are crisp-tender, 5 minutes longer. Remove and discard ginger and star anise. Divide noodles among 4 bowls. Top each with chicken breast and ¼ of stock mixture. Top with cilantro

Carrot-Parsnip Latkes

Latkes are savory pancakes that are a traditional Hanukkah treat.

Yield: 8 servings (2 latkes) at a POINTS® Value of 1 per serving

Prep: 20 Min| Cook: 50 Min

Ingredients:

¾ lb. carrots, peeled

¾ lb. parsnips, peeled

1 small onion, peeled

3 large egg whites, lightly beaten OR 1/3 cup fat-free egg substitute (such as Egg Beaters)

¼ cup all-purpose flour or plain dried bread crumbs

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

¼ tsp salt

1/8 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

Directions:

Set a rack on a large baking sheet and place in the oven. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Coarsely grate the carrots, parsnips, and onion into a medium bowl; stir to combine. Add the egg whites, flour, thyme, salt and pepper; mix well.

Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Drop the mixture by ¼ cupfuls into the hot skillet to make 4 mounds. Press each mound into a 3-inch pancake. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer the latkes to the oven and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining mixture.

Yields 2 latkes per serving.

Meat Loaf Muffins

  

Yields: 12 “muffins” at a POINTS® Value of 3 each. If you make 16, they come to 2 POINTS® each

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs extra lean ground beef

1 (6 oz) box stuffing mix (I used Stove Top low sodium chicken flavor)

½ cup egg substitute, OR 3 egg whites

1 cup fat free chicken broth

Directions:

Mix all and divide into muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Add ½ tsp ketchup to each during last 10 minutes of cook time.

Baked Sweet Potato Latkes (based on the recipe originally published in Women’s Health Magazine)

The latkes....Before picture (I couldn't bear to take an 'after' picture. It was just TOO sad.)

Serving size: 4 latkes; yields 4 servings at 3 POINTS per serving

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled

1 small onion

1/4 cup matzah meal, or unbleached white flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup egg substitute, or 3 egg whites

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

salt and pepper

spray oil or 2 tablespoons olive oil

Serve with:

non-fat or low-fat sour cream

applesauce

Instructions:

1. Place a couple of non-stick baking sheets in the oven and preheat to 450°F .

2. Peel the potatoes and onion and coarsely grate in a food processor fitted with a shredding disk or on a box grater. Grab handfuls of the grated vegetables and squeeze tightly between your fingers to wring out as much liquid as possible.

3. Transfer the grated vegetables to a mixing bowl and stir in the matzah meal, baking powder, egg substitute, parsley, cinnamon, nutmeg, and plenty of salt and pepper. (The latkes should be highly seasoned.)

4. Spray the hot baking sheets with oil (or drizzle the oil on it and spread with a wooden spoon) Spoon small mounds of potato mixture onto the baking sheet to form 2-1/2 inch pancakes, leaving 1 inch between each latke.

5. Bake-fry the latkes in the oven until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes per side, turning once with a spatula. (When you turn the latkes, try to flip them onto spots on the baking sheet that still have oil.)

6. Transfer to plates or a platter and serve at once with sour cream and/or applesauce.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 188

Protein: 4 g

Sodium: 177 mg

Total Carbohydrate: 34 g

Dietary Fiber: 4 g

Sugar: 8 g

Total Fat: 5 g

Saturated Fat:1 g

Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g

Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g

Vitamin A1955 IU; Vitamin B1- Thiamin0 mg; Vitamin B2 - Riboflavin0 mg; Vitamin B3 - Niacin0 mg; Vitamin B60 mg; Vitamin B120 mcg; Folate5 mcg; Vitamin C19 mg; Vitamin E1 IU; Iron1 mg; Calcium47 mg; Phosphorus22 mg; Potassium403 mg;

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