Hi Everyone,
I hope you have been working on the four Good Health Guidelines that we talked about last week. This week we have five more to add. Each guideline is important and with practice we can make a daily habit of each one.
Liquids - the guideline 6 glasses per day
What Counts: all liquid except alcoholic beverages, including milk, juice, water, seltzer, diet soft drinks, coffee or tea. The best choice is water.
Why they're important: They keep you hydrated. They're also needed for temperature regulation and proper function of body cells, tissue and organs.
Healthy Oils - the guideline: 2 teaspoons daily
What Counts: Olive, canola, safflower, sunflower or flaxseed. Avoid saturated and trans fats.
Why they're important: Contains vitamin E and essential fatty acids. May help lower risk for heart disease and stroke. Are essential for proper body and brain function. Help your body absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Vitamin/Mineral Supplement - the guideline: 1 per day
What Counts: Any supplement that contains no more than 100 percent of the daily recommendation for vitamins and minerals.
Why it's important: It will ensure that your nutrient needs are covered.
Activity - The guideline: At least 30 minutes a day most days of the week.
What Counts: All activity counts, including gardening and housework.
Why it's important: Keeps you healthy and fit while you're losing weight and helps you keep the weight off once you've lost it.
Sugar and Alcohol - The guideline: Limit your intake. Women should have no more than 1 alcoholic beverage each day, men 2.
What counts: Desserts, cakes, cookies, candy, sweetened beverages and alcohol.
Why it's important: Sugar and alcoholic beverages contain empty calories with few or no nutrients.
Come to the meeting this week to learn more and discuss action steps to take!!!
Lorraine
ZUCCHINI MEXICAN STYLE
Makes 4 servings (2/3 cup)
Points value per serving 2
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 zucchini, cut on the diagonal into thick matchsticks
1/2 cup corn kernels
1 (4 1/2 oz) can chopped green chilis, drained
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack Cheese
1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the zucchini. Increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes.
2. Stir in the corn, chilis, salt; cook stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 3 minutes longer. Serve sprinkled with the Monterey Jack.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
BE HEALTHY - PART 1
Hi Everyone,
When it comes to being healthy what we feed our body makes all the difference in the world. The good health guidelines that Weight Watchers gives us helps us do just that, give our body the right combination of nutritious foods to keep us healthy. Let's look at what it takes to fulfill some of those guidelines. We will talk about the others next week.
Fruits and Vegetables:
The guideline: 5 servings daily
What counts: all fruits and vegetables
What's a serving: 1 cup is a serving for leafy greens, 1/2 cup for all others
Why they're important: rich sources of vitamins and minerals, including antioxidants, help reduce the risk of many diseases.
Milk products:
The guideline: 2 servings daily (3 if nursing, a teen, over 50 or weigh more than 250 pounds).
What counts and what's a serving: milk or calcium fortified soy milk (8 ounces each); lattes (12 ounces) or cappuccinos (16 ounces); Weight Watchers smoothies (1 packet); cottage cheese (2 cups); hard cheese (1-1/2 ounces) or ricotta (1/2 cup); and yogurt and pudding (both 1 cup).
Why they're important: Contains calcium but also protein, zinc, potassium, phosphorous, riboflavin and added vitamin D. Milk products can help strengthen bones and protect against colon cancer and high blood pressure.
Lean Protein:
The guideline: 1-2 servings per day
What counts: lean meats, skinless poultry, fish, beans, soy products and lentils.
What's a serving: 1-2 oz lean meats, poultry, or fish; 1 egg; 1/2 cup legumes (dried beans, peas or lentils)
Why it's important: Provides essential amino acids Needed to repair and build body tissue.
Whole Grains:
The guideline: Choose whenever possible.
What counts: Whole grain cereal, breads, pasta, rice or grains.
What's a serving: Check the A-Z food list in the Pocket Guide for individual foods, but for many the serving size is 1 cup cooked.
Why they are important: Packed with nutrients, including fiber.
At the meeting this week we will discuss foods that will fulfill each of these guidelines and ways to make sure we include each guideline every day. Bring us your ideas!!!
See you at the meeting.
Lorraine
ITALIAN SKILLET CHICKEN
makes 4 servings - points value 3
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, sliced
3/4 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and cut into strips
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until opaque about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended and the chicken is cooked through about 10 minutes.
When it comes to being healthy what we feed our body makes all the difference in the world. The good health guidelines that Weight Watchers gives us helps us do just that, give our body the right combination of nutritious foods to keep us healthy. Let's look at what it takes to fulfill some of those guidelines. We will talk about the others next week.
Fruits and Vegetables:
The guideline: 5 servings daily
What counts: all fruits and vegetables
What's a serving: 1 cup is a serving for leafy greens, 1/2 cup for all others
Why they're important: rich sources of vitamins and minerals, including antioxidants, help reduce the risk of many diseases.
Milk products:
The guideline: 2 servings daily (3 if nursing, a teen, over 50 or weigh more than 250 pounds).
What counts and what's a serving: milk or calcium fortified soy milk (8 ounces each); lattes (12 ounces) or cappuccinos (16 ounces); Weight Watchers smoothies (1 packet); cottage cheese (2 cups); hard cheese (1-1/2 ounces) or ricotta (1/2 cup); and yogurt and pudding (both 1 cup).
Why they're important: Contains calcium but also protein, zinc, potassium, phosphorous, riboflavin and added vitamin D. Milk products can help strengthen bones and protect against colon cancer and high blood pressure.
Lean Protein:
The guideline: 1-2 servings per day
What counts: lean meats, skinless poultry, fish, beans, soy products and lentils.
What's a serving: 1-2 oz lean meats, poultry, or fish; 1 egg; 1/2 cup legumes (dried beans, peas or lentils)
Why it's important: Provides essential amino acids Needed to repair and build body tissue.
Whole Grains:
The guideline: Choose whenever possible.
What counts: Whole grain cereal, breads, pasta, rice or grains.
What's a serving: Check the A-Z food list in the Pocket Guide for individual foods, but for many the serving size is 1 cup cooked.
Why they are important: Packed with nutrients, including fiber.
At the meeting this week we will discuss foods that will fulfill each of these guidelines and ways to make sure we include each guideline every day. Bring us your ideas!!!
See you at the meeting.
Lorraine
ITALIAN SKILLET CHICKEN
makes 4 servings - points value 3
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, sliced
3/4 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and cut into strips
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until opaque about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended and the chicken is cooked through about 10 minutes.
Friday, October 9, 2009
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
Hi Everyone,
Taking care of yourself means taking time to eat smarter, move more, attend weekly meetings and focus on building helpful habits.
Getting healthier by losing weight with Weight Watchers is among the best ways we can take care of ourselves. As we feel better and more confident about ourselves and our weight loss journey, we will have more energy to take care of everyone else in our lives.
Step one is to get the support we need to get ourselves on the right track for weight loss and long term maintenance. This happens at our weekly meetings. The meetings are the magic!!! They help keep us focused and learn strategies to make it happen.
See you at the meeting for more information!!!!
Lorraine
SLOW COOKER BEEF STEW
Makes 6 servings - 6 points each
1 pound beef stew meat trimmed of fat
1 cup mini carrots
1 cup sliced celery
1 onion wedge cut
1 can stewed tomatoes with liquid
1 can potatoes drained
2 T tapioca
salt and pepper to taste
Put all ingredients in Crock Pot and stir. Cook on low 8 - 10 hours
Taking care of yourself means taking time to eat smarter, move more, attend weekly meetings and focus on building helpful habits.
Getting healthier by losing weight with Weight Watchers is among the best ways we can take care of ourselves. As we feel better and more confident about ourselves and our weight loss journey, we will have more energy to take care of everyone else in our lives.
Step one is to get the support we need to get ourselves on the right track for weight loss and long term maintenance. This happens at our weekly meetings. The meetings are the magic!!! They help keep us focused and learn strategies to make it happen.
See you at the meeting for more information!!!!
Lorraine
SLOW COOKER BEEF STEW
Makes 6 servings - 6 points each
1 pound beef stew meat trimmed of fat
1 cup mini carrots
1 cup sliced celery
1 onion wedge cut
1 can stewed tomatoes with liquid
1 can potatoes drained
2 T tapioca
salt and pepper to taste
Put all ingredients in Crock Pot and stir. Cook on low 8 - 10 hours
Saturday, October 3, 2009
IS YOUR PROGRAM BORING OR EXCITING
Hi Everyone,
How often do you find yourself eating the same foods again and again? How about activity, the same thing again and again?
What happens to your weight loss progress when you are bored? Does your motivation wane when you are bored? Could this be a time when you find yourself more vulnerable to eating temptations. Avoiding boredom is a key skill for successful weight loss and long term maintenance.
Spicing up meals, snacks and exercise efforts can be done easily by focusing on foods and activities that count as 2 points values. A goal of earning or spending 2 points values can seem small enough to be realistic and doable.
Let's think of some 2 point snacks. A large apple, yogurt with pineapple, string cheese, a hard boiled egg, raisins, weight watchers smoothies, oatmeal, an english muffin, etc. When we start thinking about snacks lots of ideas pop into mind. Thinking before we eat helps us to come up with lots choice and variety. Planning is the key. We know we are going to want a snack so thinking in advance and having many choices available help to keep us from getting bored.
Activity is the same, the more we change the more interesting it is.
Bring your ideas to the meeting this week. See you there.
Lorraine
CREOLE-STYLE COD FILLETS
Makes 4 servings (1 cod fillet; 1 cup veg; 1/2 cup rice)
Points Value 6
2 cups spicy vegetable or tomato juice
2 green bell peppers, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
4 (6 oz) cod fillets
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 cups hot cooked brown rice
1. Combine the vegetable juice, bell peppers, onion, and celery in a large nonstick skillet; bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are just softened, about 4 minutes.
2. Nestle the cod into the vegetables. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the fish is just opaque throughout, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve with rice.
How often do you find yourself eating the same foods again and again? How about activity, the same thing again and again?
What happens to your weight loss progress when you are bored? Does your motivation wane when you are bored? Could this be a time when you find yourself more vulnerable to eating temptations. Avoiding boredom is a key skill for successful weight loss and long term maintenance.
Spicing up meals, snacks and exercise efforts can be done easily by focusing on foods and activities that count as 2 points values. A goal of earning or spending 2 points values can seem small enough to be realistic and doable.
Let's think of some 2 point snacks. A large apple, yogurt with pineapple, string cheese, a hard boiled egg, raisins, weight watchers smoothies, oatmeal, an english muffin, etc. When we start thinking about snacks lots of ideas pop into mind. Thinking before we eat helps us to come up with lots choice and variety. Planning is the key. We know we are going to want a snack so thinking in advance and having many choices available help to keep us from getting bored.
Activity is the same, the more we change the more interesting it is.
Bring your ideas to the meeting this week. See you there.
Lorraine
CREOLE-STYLE COD FILLETS
Makes 4 servings (1 cod fillet; 1 cup veg; 1/2 cup rice)
Points Value 6
2 cups spicy vegetable or tomato juice
2 green bell peppers, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
4 (6 oz) cod fillets
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 cups hot cooked brown rice
1. Combine the vegetable juice, bell peppers, onion, and celery in a large nonstick skillet; bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are just softened, about 4 minutes.
2. Nestle the cod into the vegetables. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the fish is just opaque throughout, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve with rice.
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