In One Year, Out the Other

This year, try giving resolutions a rest and just do your best.
Here's a New Year's resolution anyone can keep: Resolve not to make any more New Year's resolutions.

Now, wasn't that easy?

If you're trying to pay down your credit cards, quit smoking, get a new job, find a mate, or shed some excess poundage, abandoning New Year's resolutions won't get you off the hook.

But by setting more realistic goals for yourself and not limiting yourself to a once-a-year, do-or-die, all-out assault on that Everest of debt, those flabby thighs, or the hideous wallpaper you keep meaning to replace, you may find that the finish line isn't so far away after all.

Or as the Rolling Stones put it, "you can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime, you just might find you get what you need."

"Resolutions are all about taking something away from someone," "No one ever says 'I'm going to get healthy." I think if people framed it differently and made it more of a positive experience, then it would be easier for people to keep resolutions, and psychologically it would make them feel a lot better about themselves."

Don't let your goals run wild. ...be realistic......no you may not run a marathon(or you might)but increase your running each month! Even by just a little. Not good~ "I will lose all that weight" how about....I will try to loose 1 to 2 pounds a week. These are a little more attainable. Taking small steps (just not to small~do challenge "you")will not only hold your interest, but it will get you to that goal

Lean on a support crew when struggling. Think of the friends and family who truly want to see you succeed. Enlisting those with whom you have authentic relationships is key when your motivation begins to wane. Choose people who may have seen you fail in the past and who know how much success means to you

Make yourself a priority. Put your needs first, even when it feels utterly selfish. You will derail your progress if you sacrifice yourself for others in order to please them (such as eating a cupcake that a coworker baked even though you’re on a diet).

Challenge yourself―and change things up. It’s hard to remain enthusiastic when everything stays the same

Remember the deeper meaning.~~~do not forget who you are doing this for. I am losing weight to.....not just look better...but to be healthy!

Creamy Chicken Stew Crock Pot Recipe
The perfect low calorie chicken stew recipe for winter, this tasty dish makes you forget you are a Weight Watcher. The creamy sauce and fresh herbs make this delicious stew a real treat. And at just 4 Points + per cup, it’s a pretty good bargain.

Ingredients
•2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into bite sized chunks
•1 pound mushrooms, chopped
•1 cup zucchini, chopped
•1 1/2 cups frozen green peas, rinsed under cold water to thaw
•1 cup carrots, sliced
•1/2 cup celery, chopped
•1/2 cup shallots, finely chopped
•4 cups fat free chicken broth
•1/4 cup fat free half and half
•1/2 cup water
•1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
•1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
•1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
•3 bay leaves
•1/2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
•2 tbsp cornstarch
•2 tbsp lemon juice
•1 tsp salt
•1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
1.In a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven, combine mushrooms, shallots, and 1/4 cup water.
2.Cover and cook over high heat, stirring often, for about 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
3.Add broth, celery, zucchini, carrots, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves; bring to a boil.
4.Place chicken in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker and sprinkle lemon zest on top. Turn heat to high. Carefully pour in the vegetable mixture. Cover and cook until the chicken is very tender, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
5.Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a bowl; discard bay leaves.
6.Skim fat and pour the juices into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until reduced to 2 cups, 15 to 20 minutes.
7.Mix cornstarch with remaining 1/4 cup water in a small bowl. Add to the pan and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened.
8.Add half and half and lemon juice; stir until boiling.
9.Return the chicken and vegetables to the sauce and heat through. Season with salt and pepper.
10.Just before serving, stir in peas and parsley.
Preparation time: 30 minute(s)

Cooking time: 4 hour(s)


Entire recipe makes 8 servings
Serving size is 1 cup
Each serving = 4 Points +

PER SERVING: 200 calories; 4 g fat; 12 g carbohydrates; 25 g protein; 2 g fiber



Read more: http://www.laaloosh.com/2011/09/28/creamy-chicken-stew-crock-pot-recipe/#ixzz1hr5OKQw5

Dear Santa..........

Dear Mr. Claus:

I know I haven't written in about 40 years or so. I offer you my heartfelt apology. It's just that...I was thinking that since I haven't asked for any presents in such a long time, you could grant me my one Christmas wish. My weigh-in day is Christmas morning and I'd really like to lose another two pounds.

Speaking of weight loss, don't you think a certain someone should cut down on the refined sugars and saturated fats if they are going to keep shimmying down chimneys for all of eternity? Your huge gut means you are at a high risk for heart disease and diabetes. I'd like you to be alive and kicking for a while for my grandchildren.

I'm afraid that in this household you are not going to find cookies under the tree this year, but perhaps only a 0 point fruit plate.

Thanks!

Sincerely,

ellen

Pimento Cheese Dip Recipe
This slimmed down version of a popular Southern recipe is a real treat for dieting dip lovers. Each serving has just 1 Points +, making it an ideal low calorie dip recipe to use on just about anything.

Ingredients
•1 cup reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
•1/4 cup reduced fat cream cheese, room temperature
•1/4 cup fat free cream cheese, room temperature
•1/4 cup fat free mayonnaise
•1 4-ounce jar sliced pimientos, drained and chopped
•2 tbsp red onion, grated
•1/4 tsp sea salt
•1 tsp garlic powder
•Dash of pepper
Instructions
1.Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheeses until smooth and fluffy. Add all of the remaining ingredients and beat until well blended.
Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 0 minutes

Diet type: Vegetarian

Diet tags: Low calorie, Reduced fat

Number of servings (yield): 12

Culinary tradition: USA (Southern)

Entire recipe is 12 servings
Serving size is 2 tbsp
Each serving = 1 Points +

PER SERVING: 41 calories; 2 g fat; 2 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 0 g fiber



Read more: http://www.laaloosh.com/2011/08/22/pimento-cheese-dip-recipe/#ixzz1hO5KXIsE

Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
This easy broccoli recipe offers a great way to get in a healthy serving of broccoli along with a wonderful, cheesy broth. Hearty and healthy, it’s a low calorie Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe that makes a great meal idea for the whole family.

Ingredients
•8 oz broccoli crowns, cut into bit sized pieces
•2 14-ounce cans fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
•1 cup reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
•1 large onion, chopped
•1 large carrot, diced
•2 stalks celery, diced
•1 large potato, peeled and diced
•1/2 cup fat free sour cream
•3 cloves garlic, minced
•1 tablespoon whole wheat all-purpose flour
•1/2 tsp dry mustard
•1/4 tsp paprika
•1/4 tsp nutmeg
•1 tsp salt
•1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
1.Spray a Dutch oven or large saucepan with nonstick cooking spray and set over medium-high heat.
2.Add onion, carrot and celery; cook, stirring often, until the onion and celery soften, 5 to 6 minutes.
3.Add potato and garlic; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
4.Stir in flour, dry mustard, nutmeg and paprika; cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
5.Add broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
6.Stir in florets; simmer, covered, until the broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes more.
7.Transfer 2 cups of the mixture to a bowl and mash; return to the pan.
8.Stir in Cheddar and sour cream; cook over medium heat, stirring, until the cheese is melted and the chowder is heated through, about 2 minutes.
Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Diet tags: Low calorie, Reduced fat, Reduced carbohydrate

Number of servings (yield): 6

Culinary tradition: USA (Traditional)

Entire recipe makes 6 servings
Serving size is 1 cup
Each serving = 3 Points +

PER SERVING: 167 calories; 2 g fat ; 19 g carbohydrates; 10 g protein; 4 g fiber



Read more: http://www.laaloosh.com/2011/07/26/broccoli-cheese-soup-recipe/#ixzz1hO6Tlrjm

Note to self.......

Note to self...

you are not hungry....you are just TIRED! That is what happens when you wake up at 2 am and workout...speaking of that.....good job, no GREAT job! I told you getting up and working out was a good idea...didnt I? Just laying there in bed when you can't sleep anyway....bad idea. I like the no excuses plan you have set in! Great job! Since we are in the patting yourself on the back kind of mood. Good job tracking this week. It really does make a difference...you make a difference!!!! This week is a tough one...a lot of Holiday...well, crap going on. Not only our retail business, but our jewelry line..(wow)!!! and the catering business! (this is also when the "no excuses" line/little plan comes in handy.) You are doing well with all that is going on....NO this is not an excuse to go crazy and binge this week, it is about trusting yourself, and living in the moment.

Do you talk to yourself???....are you your best cheerleader???....if not, maybe its time. Just remember to put a POSITIVE spin on it...as well as being honest with YOU!

This is a time of year we forget "us" Please do not. This is when all hell brakes loose! Stay in control! I find a little self talk always helps me...give it a try!!
Love and best wishes to you for a wonderful Christmas and a healthy ~ happier New Year!










Chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie....ooohhhhlala

•1 cup Better’n Peanut Butter
•3/4 cup all-purpose flour
•1/4 cup rolled oats
•1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
•1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
•1/4 cup peanut butter chips
•1/2 cup liquid egg substitute
•1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
•1/2 cup granulated sugar
•1/4 cup Turbinado sugar
•1/4 cup canola oil
•4 tbsp fat free plain Greek yogurt
•1 tbsp vanilla extract
•1 tsp baking soda
•1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
1.Preheat oven to 350°F.
2.Beat Better n’ Peanut Butter, oil, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until the sugars are blended. Beat in egg substitute, yogurt and vanilla until combined.
3.Whisk flour, cocoa, oats, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture until blended. (It will be sticky.) Stir in chocolate and peanut butter chips.
4.Using a small cookie scoop or slightly rounded tablespoons of dough, place cookies 2 inches apart on un-greased cookie sheets.
5.Dip the bottom of a glass in water and then in Turbinado sugar. Use the sugared glass to flatten the cookies slightly, leaving a thin layer of sugar on top, re-wetting the glass as needed.
6.Bake the cookies in batches until they are just set and the tops appear cracked, 8 to 10 minutes. (Do not over-bake or they will be dry.)
7.Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Quick Notes
Turbinado sugar is a coarse looking sugar and is light brown in color. Find it in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets or at natural-foods stores.

Preparation time: 15 minute(s)

Cooking time: 10 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 36
Entire recipe makes 3 dozen
Serving size is 1 cookie
Each serving = 2 Points +
PER SERVING: 96 calories; 3g fat; 12 g carbohydrates; 3g protein; 1 g fiber



Read more: http://www.laaloosh.com/2011/12/13/chewy-chocolate-peanut-butter-cookies-recipe/#ixzz1hBLfr4FP

Winter workout......

Corn, Bacon and Potato Chowder

Weight Watchers Recipe


6PointsPlus Value

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Serves: 4
Sweet corn soup can't be beat. Highlight it in this chowder along with buttery Yukon Gold potatoes and smoky Canadian bacon.

1 medium uncooked yukon gold potato(es)
1 spray(s) cooking spray
1/2 cup(s) uncooked celery, chopped
1/4 cup(s) (chopped) uncooked onion(s), chopped (or 1 large shallot)
2 cups corn

1 cup(s) sweet red pepper(s), diced
4 oz uncooked Canadian-style bacon, diced
2 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce, or to taste

Instructions
Pierce potato in several places with a fork; microwave on high power until tender, turning over once, about 8 minutes. Allow to cool; peel and mash.
Meanwhile, coat a large saucepan with cooking spray. Add celery, onion, corn and red pepper; sauté over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
Stir bacon and milk into saucepan; stir in mashed potato and mix well. Season with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce; stir to combine. Cover and simmer 10 minutes (do not allow to boil). Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.
Notes
Feel free to substitute your favorite fresh vegetables like asparagus and broccoli for the red pepper. Or to save time, substitute 2 cups of frozen corn and 1 cup of frozen, diced bell pepper for the fresh corn and red pepper

In winter when temperatures drop and the streets fill up with rain or snow, getting out of bed for a trip to the gym may seem impossible. However, slacking off on any fitness regimen can lead to unwanted weight gain and stress. Design your winter home exercise program following some simple guidelines and using equipment you may already have.
Cardio
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends getting 30 minutes of moderate-intensity or 20 minutes of high-intensity cardiovascular activity 5 days a week. Cardio exercise increases heart rate and burns calories. When you can't go for a run outside, jump rope or run in place, up stairs or on a treadmill at home. Short bursts of cardio, 10 minutes at a time, can be as effective as 30 minutes of sustained activity.
Resistance Training
Resistance training helps you shed fat and increase lean body mass over time. Design your at-home program to work all the major muscle groups in the upper body, midsection and lower body. Strength training exercises include push-ups for the chest, sit-ups for abdominal muscles and squats and lunges for the lower body. The ACSM recommends performing 8 to 10 strength-training exercises with 10 to 15 repetitions of each exercise 2 to 3 times per week.
Equipment
Exercise at home can be accomplished on any budget. With a bigger budget, you can invest in cardio equipment such as treadmills and stationary bikes. Resistance training equipment includes weight machines or dumbbells. With a more moderate budget, purchase exercise videos or books to learn proper form, or use equipment around your house. The "Men's Health Home Workout Bible" suggests using stairs for cardio and benches, chairs, sandbags and buckets and jugs filled with water for strength training.
Good news: There are ways to exercise in less time. First, studies indicate that you don’t need to stretch before exercising. Instead, just do a light warm-up—a few minutes of jogging before a run or five minutes of cardio before weight training. Second, you can get a quick, full-body workout without even leaving home. Try to do 15 repetitions each of crunches, push-ups, triceps dips (off a stable chair), squats, and lunges. Do each rep in a slow and controlled manner (count three seconds on the way up for a crunch and three seconds on the way down), and do three sets of each move. This will help strengthen your biggest muscles, including your abdominals, back, arms, and legs.

Be....YOU

This is true no matter what your current situation. Say, for instance, you’re aware that you’re an alcoholic, a drug addict, a compulsive gambler, or an abusive person, but you’ve decided that you don’t want that. Forgive yourself by accepting that you’re capable of making changes, and then take control. Use the power of your mind to say:
I’m strong. I do deserve a new start. It’s okay to be me. It’s okay to have had my experiences. I accept that this is how I’ve lived, and I’m aware of how it has affected me. I forgive myself now for living that life, and I choose to never go back to it. I will break the patterns and cycles of the past.
You’re not letting yourself off the hook and telling yourself that it’s okay to be an alcoholic, a drug addict, a compulsive gambler, or an abusive person. You’re not giving yourself permission to do any of that again, believing it doesn’t matter. What you are doing is letting yourself know that the past is over and it’s okay for you to have experienced what you did because you learned your lesson. Now that it’s completely understood, you’re never going back there again. You’re not going to repeat these patterns. You’ve changed, and it’s okay to move on.
You can be happy with yourself. You can enjoy peace because you choose to no longer be controlled by your ego. It’s okay to be you. It’s good to love and forgive yourself for everything that was and start living for tomorrow. Create the destiny that you truly know you’re capable of.
You can become the person you want to be. You can change—if you do the work. Even if you’ve been very negative and hurtful, you can choose to transform and not be like that any longer. You can become a committed, honest, loving, compassionate individual; you never have to go back and re-create negativity in your life or the lives of others. Tell yourself:
I no longer live in that mind-set. I no longer think those thoughts. I’m no longer controlled by my ego’s presence. I forgive myself for negative choices of the past by living in honesty today. I now choose to live in truth.
What does it mean to live in truth? It means to live honestly at all levels. It’s not just about what you say; it’s about thoughts, actions, and the way you live. This involves authenticity—to live in alignment with who you know your true self to be. What you’ll receive is very empowering. You become free to live and explore the truth of who you really are as you move toward the future. You’re at liberty to change, develop, and go further in you own life within your own true spirit and mind



Weight Watcher Ginger Snap

COOKIES!!

1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup shortening
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold strong coffee or water

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cream together first seven ingredients until smooth.
3. In another bowl combine the dry ingredients.
4. Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture; mix well.
5. Add the coffee and knead the dough until all ingredients are incorporated and the dough forms into one ball that holds together.
6. Cut ball into 4 equal pieces.
7. Divide each pieces into 12 equal pieces.
8. Wet the palms of your hands slightly while doing the next step.
9. Roll the dough into a ball between the palms of your hands then press and flatted the dough onto the cookie (about 1/8-inch thick).
10. Place on a greased cookie sheet.
11. Bake cookies for 10 minutes (or until edges begin to brown and cookies crisp up when cool).

WW POINTS+ for one cookie: 2

50 reasons..............

SALSA ROLL UPS 2 Points Plus!!!!
Recipe from: Weight Watchers Recipes
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.)
Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp. of your favorite salsa
4 flour tortillas (6 inch)
1/2 cup mexican style 2% milk finely shredded cheese
1/4 tsp. chili powder
Mix philadelphia cream cheese and salsa; spread onto tortillas. Top with remaining ingredients.Roll up tortillas tightly. Cut each crosswise into 5 slicesMakes 10 Appetizers (2 roll-ups per serving)
Nutrition Information:Calories 90, Fat 4.5 g, Cholesterol 10 mg, Carbs 8 g, Fiber 0 g, Protein 3 g
Enjoy!

Here are my 50 Thoughts on Weight Watchers and how I Have Succeeded Thus Far! I wouldn't say that all of these tips are Weight Watchers related but combine all the tips and tricks with the program and you can SUCCEED on Weight Watchers too!!

1. Journal journal journal. You absolutely cannot keep track mentally of what you consume on a daily basis. You are bound to forget that handful of pretzels or that snickerdoodle. Write it down and own up to eating it. BITE IT WRITE IT!

2. Drink drink drink. Sip water all day. Eventually it adds up to the required 6 glasses you need. Not only will you feel more full at mealtime, your body will be happy because it is hydrated.

3. Have a glass of soda when hunger strikes. This is a personal tip I use to curb hunger. A diet Pepsi is sweet enough to curb my longing for a treat and the carbonation will help you feel satisfied.

4. Buy precut, pre-bagged finger veggies like carrots and peppers. Then when you feel a need to gorge on food, you can gorge on these for crunch and for a satisfying VOLUME of food. This only works if you need massive quantities of food, not if you have a chocolate attack.

5. Buy bagged salads. They are infinitely better than a head of iceberg lettuce. It adds a touch of gourmet flair to your meal and gives you more vitamins and nutrition than plain old varieties of lettuce. And they are delicious. Shoot for baby greens and arrugula blends.

6. Buy grape tomatoes instead of large beefsteak ones. They look better tossed in salad, they are sweeter and they don’t need to be cut. Also, they are good snacking foods!

7. Buy I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter butter spray. It is very low in calories and provides the same great taste as regular margarine.

8. Use Dotti’s Weight Loss Zone for point values of tons of popular restaurants and for snack ideas. Her website is www.dwlz.com

9. Air pop your popcorn instead of buying microwave popcorn. Then add the butter spray and you get TONS more popcorn for less points.

10. Buy Skinny Cow flying saucers when you want flavor variety for your dessert. Weight Watchers, I’ve found, only come in vanilla and chocolate. Skinny Cow brand comes in those two flavors AND coffee, strawberry, and strawberry cheesecake. And all for just 2 points!

11. Use the Fiber One Just 2 Pointsplus bars for your treats! They are delicious and they are packed with fiber.

12. Buy the Weight Watchers Fruities treats. And they are the perfect treat for the movies.

13. Cook with fat free chicken broth. It adds flavor and is no points.

14. Don’t deprive yourself. Don’t switch to skim milk in your coffee. Simply pour yourself a cup of coffee instead of a mug of coffee and then measure 1 points’ worth of creamer!

15. Buy a scale. I genuinely recommend the Weight Watchers scale. It weighs in grams and in ounces (and I have used both settings). Nothing is more of a reality check than actually seeing what 4 ounces of chicken really looks like!

16. Measure everything! Measure your creamer. Measure your margarine. Measure your rice! Going overboard just a little on things adds up in the end.

17. Don’t cut up all your food at once when eating. Cut each piece as you go along. This seems simple but sometimes it is easier to cut up your entire piece of chicken at one shot but don’t do it! Cut as you eat!

18. Make cauliflower your friend!! When cooked until soft, you can mash it and add lots of fun stuff like reduced fat cheese, garlic, broccoli… and then you can bake it!! It has the same consistency as mashed potatoes!

19. Handle buffets better by only eating things that are special for instance, instead of gorging on the sausage and peppers (ordinary) or the baked ziti (also just ordinary), help yourself to the dishes you wouldn’t normally prepare yourself! This way it is more of a treat to be at the buffet and not just another meal. Have picatta, marsala, any fish, the filet mignon…. Whatever is unique to you so that your indulgence is not wasted on the ordinary.

20. Eat more shellfish! Shrimp is unbelievably low in points especially for the volume you get! And it’s good for you! Enjoy scallops too! These are low fat high protein and LOW POINT alternatives for dinner.

21. Don’t deprive yourself of indulgence. If you really want that dessert (cheesecake, carrot cake, etc) order it to share with someone. Then take the FIRST bite and while you are appreciating that, let the other person eat the rest and save the LAST bite for you! In essence, you really only taste the first initial bite of something and you really only remember the last so save yourself all those calories and fat in between!

22. Find a friend you can share your successes and setbacks with. This person does not have to be on program, they just need to be there for you when you need someone to talk to and bounce things off of. I found that the friends I made at my meetings were the best to talk to!

23. Recognize that each moment stands alone and that no one binge or one gorged meal wrecks anything! It is part of living and learning and that a bad eating decision doesn’t have to snowball into a weeks long or months long setback. It’s like riding a bike, when you fall down, you get right back up!! You don’t walk the bike 10 miles up the road and THEN get back on! You get back on right away! Consider each moment as just that and know that you never really go OFF program. Weight Watchers allows you to incorporate setbacks into your lifestyle without punishment and guilt.

24. Make informed decisions. Use the pointsplus calculator to figure out exactly how much something is valued at. Don’t guess. Knowing exactly how many points a food item is allows you to fit it into your daily intake without sacrificing it and without overdoing it.

25. EXERCISE! Exercise works to benefit you in many ways. It helps you to lose weight, build muscle, burn fat, AND it enables you to eat more if you choose to! Activity points can be added onto your daily intake so the more you exercise, the more you can eat (but seriously, make it a heathly intake so that you can truly benefit).

26. Build more activity into your lifestyle. Walk more, climb the stairs more, stretch your legs more. MOVE MORE! Any movement is better than no movement.

27. Experiment with new recipes. Be creative in the kitchen (like I said with the cauliflower!). Try root vegetables, try different squashes, try different potatoes, try flatbreads instead of chips.

28. Buy reduced calorie light bread.

29. Drink flavored hot tea as an afternoon indulgence. It is no points!

30. Order your Chinese food steamed with your sauce on the side. You will be able to eat much more and you will feel so much less bloated from the MSG and salt.

31. For a sweet treat, try to find Barry’s Bakery French Twists. They are low pointplus each and are a true sweet treat!

32. Treat yourself to frozen yogurt . It is fabulous and treat yourself to the chocolate sprinkles!

33. Switch from skim milk to Skim Plus if it is available in your area. It tastes great and it packs more nutrition.

34. Buy Fat Free, Sugar Free Jello chocolate pudding to satisfy your nighttime chocolate cravings. It needs NO time to set when mixed!

35. Weigh in at meetings. Don’t skip a weigh in if you think you gained weight. You must own it!

36. Prepay for the 10 weeks. It makes a mental difference on your commitment level.

37. Don’t hang out in your kitchen. You will only hear the pantry calling for you. Move to the den!

38. Avoid buying the junk food if possible. You truly can NOT eat it if it isn’t in the house. Save your indulgences for when you eat out. Make them special instead of the norm.

39. Eat a small protein within half an hour of exercising. This helps your body’s metabolism work better.

40. Avoid those quick energy bars as snacks. Eat them only if you plan on using that energy for activity! If not, it is nothing more than an empty carb that you could probably have better enjoyed somehow else.

41. READ LABELS when shopping! Make sure you check the fat content and the carbohydrate content. You don’t want to eat TOO much sugar! Bring your points finder with you to help you make the right choices for you.

42. Understand serving sizes. If the label says that a serving is 4 oz. then measure those 4oz. out so you familiarize yourself with what 4 oz. actually looks like.

43. Do NOT punish yourself for a weight gain one week. That sets off a snowball effect that could take you YEARS to get under control. Instead, try to change one thing in the next week to counteract your gain.

44. STAY FOCUSED. Your goal is to lose weight and get healthy! The occasional trip to McDonalds is ok and the occasional chocolate bar is fine but IN MODERATION. Keep focused on the end result and the good choices will counter balance the poorer or weaker ones in the long run.

45. Don’t think of yourself as constantly “on a diet”. This is a setup to failure because it categorizes you and if you decide to have something not considered “dietary”, then you feel like you cheated. You NEVER cheat! You DECIDE! Weight Watchers is built in such a way that it incorporates every food into a point value and YOU get to DECIDE how to spend those points. But trust me, using your points daily for McDonald’s is going to be a slower weight loss than grilled chicken points.

46. You cannot eat unlimited amounts of zero point foods. 0 + 0 + 0 does not necessarily equal 0. Every food has calories and if you eat unmeasured unlimited amounts of zero point foods, they ultimately total up to a calorie count that warrants a point. Just be careful.

47. Use Weight Watchers.com for help with recipes! They have wonderful ideas for low point recipes that I have used.

48. Try Weight Watchers.com etools to figure out the point values for your home recipes and for online journaling if you hate writing down your food and are married to your computer! Online journaling has a database of food point values so it makes it easy to figure out your daily points.

49. BUY THE FOOD COMPANION. This is priceless. I use it as my bible. You may also want the Dining Out Guide.

50. Live your life! It isn’t about what you eat and don’t eat, it’s about making food choices on your own and putting the power in your own hands. It’s CONTROL. You control what you eat, when you eat and how much you eat. Just account for everything and you will see where you can cut back, eliminate, and enhance and you WILL lose weight!


Well, I didn't think I'd really have 50 things to say but frankly, I could probably have gone on with a few more! I have lost 76 pounds to date and am shooting for 10 more but trust me, these last 10 ain't easy!

Good luck to you! Weight Watchers is there to help, not just as a business but as a support group. Find that great leader that inspires you and you will succeed.

What I miss from 145 pounds ago

What I miss from 145 pounds ago................
I miss some aspects of life when I was big. 145lbs ago.
I miss the reckless abandon.

I miss the volume of food, the horizon of eats that lay before me on a table, knowing full well that the only thing stopping me was my fist-sized stomach. And even then there was always stretch.
I miss the way the fourth slice of pizza tastes. The fifth even more.
I miss bricks of brownie + ice cream + caramel + whipped cream + the crumblies of a Reese’s twosome. For a snack after lunch.
I miss fried food!!!!!!!!!
I miss when menus at restaurants were just lists of delicious dinners. And nothing more nutritionally threatening.
I miss not thinking for more than four seconds before deciding that, why yes, I’d absolutely adore donuts for breakfast.
I miss plunging my forearm into a bucket of thrice buttered pop corn at the movie theater. Shoveling mouthfuls of salted and soggy kernels into my gullet. Then Snow Caps. Then Sprite.

I miss brunching with sausage, egg, and cheese on greased and griddled everything bagels ........with hash browns and a mind on lunch.

I miss not caring when or how my next meal came, only that it came. And stayed. And never left.
I miss the way Cap’n Crunch-ed so loudly I couldn’t hear anyone hollering for me.
I miss that feeling I had when every fiber of my anatomy believed food to be the kindest, most loving spirit a girl could know.

I don’t miss the way heat felt suffocating. The way temperatures teasing 70 threatened me.

I don't miss not being able to play with the grandkids...

I don't miss wondering if I will see my kids and grandkids grow old.

I don't miss the way I felt........all the time.
I don’t miss the caramel creams ....and how I would get sick eating them.
I don’t miss the Lucky Charms and the Corn Pops and the Honeycomb that helped me with me cope. They never filled the answers like I’d begged them to.
I don’t miss wondering if invisibility would be a more comfortable state. There are no places to live there.

I don’t miss the way my legs chafed, the way shorts rode up until I discreetly tugged them down.
I don't miss ripping pants out....in public.
I don’t miss the way my legs fell asleep if I dared sit cross-legged on the floor.
I don’t miss feeling like a wallflower.
I don’t miss watching people move, and act, and sing, and dance and wishing, oh wishing, I felt that free.
I don’t miss sealing my hopes and dreams into an envelope and mailing it to the future. I never knew how to get there. Or why it never came.

I don’t miss thinking, “Someday they’ll see. I’m better than they know. One day…”
I don’t miss my stomach calling my brain to tell her I’d eaten enough and I just couldn’t (couldn’t!) eat another bite. She never answered.
I don’t miss the staring.
I don’t miss loading a gun with ‘fat’ and ‘pig’ and ‘whale’ and handing it to others to pull the trigger. They never heard mercy.
I don’t miss the excuses and the regrets and the feeling like I’d wasted precious years.
I don’t miss the tears.
I don’t miss dreading, oh dreading, any occasion with dresses, or dressing up, or dressing, really. Not the girdles.
I don’t miss thinking that size 16, 18, and 20 ....24....26 would fit differently, more acceptingly, in different stores.

I don’t miss waiting.
And waiting.
And waiting.
Then waiting some more.
For life to begin.
Because she was hanging out all along.
And when I found her sitting quietly, off to the side, just waiting on me to begin her
I had missed her.

What’s the moral here?
What’s the matter with missing 145lbs? With letting every one of them go completely and asking, gently, that they never come back? It’s not you, it’s me.
The matter is that, fat or thin, big or bitty, I’ll always be both. No, I won’t look in the mirror and see the other. No, I won’t praise one too highly. Because they’re all I know.
Each is valuable.
When you’re big for thirty plus years, the only thirty you’ve ever known. You’ll know that who you are was formed in there, and that’s beautiful.
Hear me.
Beautiful.
I hear accounts of those who’ve lost a tremendous amount of weight. Maybe they were on the Biggest Loser; maybe the cover of People. Most often, they speak about their former selves, the bigger ones, in a very detached way. As if the here and now is infinitely better and more lovely than the past. And maybe it is in lots of ways. But here’s the thing: it was you all along.
I don’t think back on my past and want to redo it. I don’t flip pages of my baby book and think, ‘dear, what cankles you had.’ I don’t see my adolescent self, my teenage self, and wish those pictures, scrapbooked and framed, would disappear. Really? My life, big, was always all I knew. And that is perfect in its own right.
Yes, I know now that with 145 extra pounds, something more was wrong than my weight. The scales I tipped should have tipped me off to emotional suffering. But not all of it was sad, or scared.
Some of the weight was happy and as well rounded as it came across.
Some of it meant that I developed a personality first.
A sense of humor before a sense of entitlement.
Empathy before ego.
Some of the weight meant that I didn’t care about myself. But in turn, maybe I cared deeply about a number of meaningful external parts of life. I poured my heart into relationships, molded to fit friends and circumstances. A big ball, I rolled with the changes. I doubt I’d be able to do that now, so much more rigid and spindly. I had a protective layer. Something to pull over my eyes , and the world, threatened to break me.
I found spirit.
I cared deeply about the way people perceived me. But maybe that made me more in tune and intuitive. Maybe that’s why, now and always, I could and would like to sit for hours and days on end, just listening to someone else. What’s your story? Where are you from? And, are you content? love and peace xxoo


I find there’s a fine line between like and obsessed. A whisper-thin, sliver of a line. Take my reverence for Target, for example. What began nearly ten years ago as a casual, “Hey I really think that place is the cat’s pajamas” slipped almost too quickly into me considering ways to spend an entire weekend within its red doors. How lovely a weekend that would be.
My relationship with my muffin tin is similarly alarming. We can call it obsessive if we must. The thing is, I just can’t quite seem to help myself.
Because, I mean, well… everything can be cupcaked…made petite…muffined even. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert can all be popped, hot, from the twelve cup tin.
So then- shouldn’t they be?





Petite Lasagnas
recipe slightly adapted from Hungry Girl
(makes 12)
12 oz raw ground turkey
¼ tsp salt, divided
¼ tsp pepper
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped mushrooms
14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes, or tomato sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp dried oregano, divided
½ tsp dried basil
1 ½ cups part skim ricotta cheese
24 small square wonton wrappers (the kind near the tofu in the refrigerated section of the produce dept)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the turkey, onions, mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Crumble the meat and saute the mixture for about 10 minutes, or until the turkey is cooked through. Add the garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds.
Add the crushed tomatoes and 2 tsp of oregano. Bring the pan to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, a pinch of salt and pepper, the remaining teaspoon of oregano, and the basil. Stir to mix well. Set aside.
Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Place 1 wonton wrapper into each of the 12 cups, pressing firmly in the bottom of the cup and up the sides.
Using half of the ricotta mixture, divide it among the 12 muffin cups. Next, using half of the turkey tomato sauce, spoon it evenly over each of the ricotta filled cups. Sprinkle with 2 tsp of mozzarella.
Gently press another wonton wrapper on top of the mozzarella layer.
Repeat the process by distributing the remaining ricotta, then the remaining tomato sauce, and finally the rest of the shredded mozzarella.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
Let the cups cool, remove them from the pan, and serve!

Nutrition Info for 1 petite lasagna: 5 PointsPlus
Calories: 181.2, Total Fat: 7.9g, Cholesterol: 41.9mg, Sodium: 389.5mg, Total Carb: 13.6g, Fiber: 1 g, Sugars: 1.6g, Protein 14.1g

Aging and Metabolism

Your Aging Metabolism -- Tips on Revving Your Metabolic Motor

Wrinkles, sagging skin, and graying hair aren't the only crosses you have to bear as you age. Your metabolism also makes the growing-older hit list.
After age 30, metabolism slows by about 2% per decade, thanks to a loss of muscle mass -- we lose as much as 50% of our muscle mass between the ages of 20 and 90, and the rate of loss is especially pronounced from ages 50–70.
Why is that important? The less muscle you have, the fewer calories you burn, and that can add up to age-related weight gain. For women, menopause can slow metabolism even more. Yes, life is unfair, especially since women have slower metabolisms than men to begin with because of their naturally higher levels of body fat. Here are some tips to help you boost your metabolism.

Metabolism Boosting Tip #1 -- Eat breakfast. Breakfast gets your metabolism out of its resting state and back into burning mode. Skipping breakfast and other meals may prompt your body to store calories as fat rather than to burn them, in case your body won’t be getting more food any time soon. Infrequent eating may also prompt you to overeat later as a result of excessive hunger.

Metabolism Boosting Tip #2 -- Eat frequently. Instead of eating three large meals a day, spread out your food consumption (for example, eating small amounts of food every three hours or so) to keep your metabolism at work, burning and processing calories all day long. An added bonus: Eating smaller, more frequent meals is more filling than eating the same amount of calories in three large meals.

Metabolism Boosting Tip #3 -- Eat more lean protein. A recent Dutch study found that consuming a third of your daily calories from protein can boost metabolism. The reason: Your body burns more calories when digesting proteins vs. carbohydrates or fats. Protein also makes you feel more satisfied, so you may end up eating fewer overall calories. Be sure to choose non-fatty protein sources, such as lean meat, poultry without the skin, beans, and nonfat dairy products.

Metabolism Boosting Tip #4 -- Exercise frequently. Regular aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, swimming, dancing, or biking, keeps your metabolism in high gear. The latest national guidelines recommend getting 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise on most days of the week to prevent weight gain.

Metabolism Boosting Tip #5 -- Strength train. Resistance training -- working with machines or free weights -- can help counter some of the muscle loss that normally occurs with aging. And as we said before, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn (the body uses more energy to maintain muscle than fat tissue). Two to three weekly sessions of strength training that work the major muscle groups in the chest, arms, legs, and back should do the trick.

Metabolism Boosting Tip #6 -- Get enough sleep. Inadequate slumber may affect your weight -- not only because you’ll be too tired to exercise but also because tiredness may lead to snacking as a “pick-me-up.” In fact, a study of over 1,000 people found that those who sleep less than the recommended eight hours a night weigh more than those who get adequate rest. In addition, researchers are investigating whether lack of sleep affects appetite-regulating hormones.

Metabolism Boosting Tip #7 -- Move as much as possible. Research from the Mayo Clinic shows that people who fidget and move around a lot, even if they don't formally exercise, have more active metabolisms and burn more calories than nonfidgeters. In their study, fidgeters moved about 152 minutes longer per day than nonfidgeters -- and as a result burned 350 more calories a day. The lesson: Take every opportunity to move a little more during your day, from changing the TV channel by hand to pacing while talking on the phone and standing when you could be sitting.

What Not To Do -- Use supplements. You've likely seen ads touting metabolism-boosting supplements. Ingredients commonly found in these products include caffeine or kola nut, bitter orange, coleus forskohlii, guarana, yerba mate, and yohimbine, all of which are stimulants that raise your metabolism by boosting your heart rate. Many have serious side effects -- in fact, the most popular stimulant to date, ephedra (Ma-huang), was banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after its use was linked to 17 deaths. Even if supplements do work without harming you, they can be expensive, and they only supply a temporary fix: When you stop using them, your metabolism slows down again.

Turkey Enchilada Pie

PointsPlus™ Value: 5Servings: 6Preparation Time: 15 minCooking Time: 30 minLevel of Difficulty: Moderate
Ingredients
1 spray(s) cooking spray
3/4 pound(s) uncooked ground turkey breast

1 medium uncooked onion(s), chopped
1 tsp chili powder
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup(s) fat-free skim milk

4 oz canned jalapeno peppers, drained and chopped
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
3 large burrito-size wheat flour tortilla(s)

3 cup(s) fresh tomato(es), chopped
10 Tbsp low-fat shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium heat. Place turkey, onion and chili powder in skillet and cook until turkey is browned, stirring occasionally to crumble meat, about 8 minutes. Remove turkey mixture from skillet and set aside.
Place skillet over medium-high heat and add flour. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.
Remove skillet from heat; stir in turkey mixture, jalapenos and cumin.
Wrap tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave on HIGH until softened, about 15 seconds. Place 1 tortilla in bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. Spread 1/3 of turkey mixture over tortilla. Spoon 1 cup of tomato on top and sprinkle with 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of cheese. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients ending up with 2 tablespoons of cheese.
Cover pie plate with aluminum foil and cook until cheese melts, about 15 minutes. Let stand, covered, 2 minutes before cutting into 6 wedges.

Recipe from Weightwatchers.com

BERRY COBBLER

Makes 8 servings

2 cups fresh blueberries

2 cups raspberries

3/4 cup all purpose flour

2/3 cup unpacked light brown sugar

6 tbsp regular butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Place berries in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, combine flour and sugar.
Remove 3 tablespoons of flour mixture and gently toss with berries. Place berries in an 8-inch square pan.
To make topping, add melted butter to remaining flour mixture, and mix well. Crumble little bits of topping all over top of berries.
Place pan in oven. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until berries start to bubble. Cut into 8 pieces, and serve warm or at room temperature. Yields 1 piece per serving.
Weight Watchers PointsPlus™ Value: 5

© 2011 Weight Watchers International, Inc. © 2011 WeightWatchers.com, Inc. All rights reserved. WEIGHT WATCHERS and POINTS are registered trademarks of Weight Watchers International, Inc. and are used under license by WeightWatchers.com, Inc.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week’s Weight Watchers meeting was all about how to survive Thanksgiving. The general thought over Thanksgiving is, “It is a holiday, of course I am going to gain weight!” We might not say it, but we are thinking it! It is just kind of an “understood” fact for most people. Over the holidays you gain weight, in the New Year, you lose all the weight you gained.

I believe....that is CRAP!!! It is time to change our thinking!

One way to change the past is to learn from it, make a plan, and stick to it. At this week’s meting, we had plates where we would figure up how many points we would be eating on that day and then plan accordingly. This is my third time hearing this talk but I guess you can never hear something too many times when it comes to weight loss. Here is the breakdown of our favorite Thanksgiving foods:

■1/2 cup of stuffing- 5 points plus
■4 ounces of turkey – 4 points plus
■1/4 cup gravy – 3 points plus
■1/2 cup mashed potatoes – 3 points plus
■1/2 cup sweet potato souffle – 5 points plus
■1 cup Green Bean Casserole – 6 points plus
■1/8 slice of Pumpkin Pie – 8 points plus
■1/8 slice of Apple Pie – 11 points plus
■1/8 slice of Pecan Pie – 14 points plus
Do any of those surprise you? A few of them surprised me. I have always known that Pecan Pie is the worst food you can eat on Thanksgiving but Apple pie has fruit in it…it is supposed to be healthy! When adding up, realistically, what I would “normally” eat on Thanksgiving, my total was…

39 POINTS PLUS!!!!!

Yes, I know that is more than I get in a day. And…this is just one meal.
So, what are some things I am going to remember this Thanksgiving when I sit down at the table to eat?

■Only eat what is SPECIAL to the holiday. I will not eat mashed potatoes, I can eat those anytime. I will not eat the Green Bean Casserole, too many points for the taste. I will DEFINITELY not eat any Pecan Pie.
■Only eat a little of what we love. If it is really good, I can go back for a little more. Try it all before I commit to a big serving. That way, if it is not worth the points, I don’t feel obligated to eat it!
■Find a healthy alternative to our fattening, favorite foods. I am searching now for alternatives and will do a blog post next week sharing them with you. Why do all of our favorites have to be bad? They don’t! I am on a mission to find recipes lightened up!
■The most important thing I will remember is how far I have come. One day is not worth taking ten steps back. I have to keep moving forward.

Triumph over Turkey day!

Thanksgiving weight gain isn't inevitable. With a few tricks, you can enjoy the meal without regretting it come Friday. Here are a few ways to avoid Thanksgiving weight gain.

1.Don't Save Up
Don't save calories from earlier meals for "the big one." You'll inevitably get too hungry and overeat to compensate for missing those meals. Thanksgiving day should include a healthy breakfast, lunch, and a small snack in the afternoon. Then, you won't be too famished to practice portion control when dinnertime arrives.

2.Make Like a Rabbit
That is, help yourself to a veggie-filled salad or raw vegetables, such as carrots and celery, before the main meal. Doing so will curb your appetite, help you feel fuller longer, and give you something to munch while others are eating high-cal hors d'oeuvres.

3.Figure Out What's Filling
When deciding which dishes to avoid, think filling -- the ones you eat a serving of and think, "I couldn't eat another bite," but somehow manage to anyway, such as high-fat casseroles (e.g., broccoli and cheese), cream-based soups, creamed potatoes, potatoes au gratin, and stuffing with gravy. Chances are, the more filling, the more fattening.

4.Drink Less Like a Fish
If your family serves wine during Thanksgiving dinner, try to limit yourself to one glass. A few glasses add up to hundreds of calories. (According to Calorie Count, three glasses of white wine serve up 210 calories!) Plus, drinking can actually stimulate your appetite and make you more likely to disregard portion control and less likely to say no to the dessert table. So after one glass, swap wine for water.

5.Don't Sleep it Off
Triptophan is a worthy adversary, but fight the urge to nap the evening away. Moving more than usual -- a game of touch football in the front yard or a marathon of shopping on Black Friday -- will help compensate for any little indulgences.

6.Eat Turkey Until You Never Want to See Another Turkey
Leftover turkey is a healthful, lean protein source that's perfect for making diet-friendly meals. Turkey (without skin and gravy, of course) with brown rice and steamed veggies makes a low-cal, well-rounded dinner ...

7.Make Maintaining Your Mission
Losing weight during the holidays is a tough proposition. Resolve instead to maintain what you've already accomplished. Trying to follow a strict "diet"( I don't like that word) may lead to you eventually overeat or even binge. Don't stress out over no net loss -- celebrate a lack of gain!

Deviled Eggs - 2 Points plus

Recipe By :Weight Watchers
Serving Size : 1/2 egg

8 hard-cooked large eggs
1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
paprika -- optional

1. Spoon low-fat yogurt onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels: spread to 1/2-inch thickness. Cover with additional paper towels, and let stand 5 minutes. Scrape yogurt into a medium bowl using a rubber spatula, and set aside.

2. Cut eggs in half lengthwise, and remove yolks. Add 12 yolk halves to yogurt, and mash yolks with a fork until smooth. Reserve remaining 4 yolk halves for another use. Finely chop 4 egg white halves, and add to mashed yolk mixture. Add mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, mustard, salt, and pepper to yolk mixture, and stir well. Pipe or spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons yolk mixture into each remaining egg white half. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Sprinkle eggs with paprika, if desired.


OR~~~~~


Deviled Eggs


■4 Hard Boiled Eggs, halved
■1 Tbsp Low Fat Mayo
■1 Tbsp Fat Free Greek Yogurt
■1 tsp dijon mustard
■Sea salt & Black Pepper to Taste
■Paprika Sprinkles
INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place eggs in a large stock pot, cover with water, add1 tsp baking soda and bring to a boil. Once the eggs reach a rolling boil, remove from heat, cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Remove lid, rinse with cold water and peel.

2. Peel then slice the eggs in half and remove the yolks. Combine the yolks with everything through the Black Pepper. Mix and “stuff” your egg shells. Sprinkle with paprika.

Makes 4 servings, 2 Points+ each

How to thrive through the Holidays...not just survive.

You can thrive, not just survive, and create a wonderful holiday season this year. You keep your expectations rational, take care of yourself, take control of your time and limit your commitments, and embrace your family and friends.

These tips will help you reduce stress, relax, and breeze through the holiday season feeling grounded and in control.

*Keep Your Holiday Season Expectations Rational
The most important contributors to a happy holiday season are the expectations you create in your own mind about the holidays. You can't make them perfect - people get sick, recipes don't always turn out as expected, and family members don't always get along.
People aren't always kind to each other AND you are not going to make everyone happy. You'll be healthier and happier if you keep your expectations reasonable.
You don't have to have the perfect party, perfectly behaved children, or the most beautifully decorated home. Give yourself a break. You'll be happy you did.

*Take Care of Yourself During the Holiday Season
Taking care of your physical and mental health is the single most important aspect of creating holiday health and happiness. Start now so you are ready to go when the holiday season arrives. Eat a healthy diet that gives you most of your calories from vegetables, fruits, grains, and other delicious healthy ingredients .Why? The point is to feel better about yourself. If you eat better, you feel better. You have more energy. You look better and consequently, your self-esteem is enhanced. The higher your self-esteem, the more confident and successful you are. (Get the cycle?)

*Exercise regularly!!!!! A must!!!!
You know the feeling when you have got your workout in!

Gift Wrap Runs~Wrap two gifts, then walk or run up and down your stairs three times or jog in place for two minutes. Repeat five times or until you're done packaging your presents.Read more:
Cookie Push-ups~While you're waiting for the cookies to bake, do five push-ups (knees on the floor for beginners; plank position for advanced exercisers). Then lie on your back with four dish towels (each folded in half) under your head, knees bent, and feet shoulder-width apart. Raise your hips off the floor about six to eight inches, then slowly lower them. Repeat five times.

*Take Control of Your Time and Limit Commitments
Making too many commitments, failing to keep them, and then experiencing guilt and stress over your procrastination and failure.

*Take Time to Enjoy Family and Friends: Establish Traditions
You have one life with a limited amount of time. Spend the time of your life with people you love. Make sure you don't spend the holidays trying to change your siblings or redressing grievances from years past. Share memories and laughter. Take time for personal reflection. Establish new traditions at home. Traditions change as the people in your life die; make sure you establish new traditions with the family members who remain.

No matter what holidays you celebrate, these tips will make them happier, healthier, and more fun. Please accept my wishes for a happy holiday season for you and yours.

Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce

- 1 12 oz bag of whole cranberries
- 2/3 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
- 1 cup of water
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 dash cinnamon
- 1 dash nutmeg

Directions:
In a medium sized pot, combine water, sugar, and Splenda over high heat until sugar and Splenda have dissolved. Then add bag of cranberries and dash of cinnamon and bring to a boil. When cranberries start to “pop”, stir gently and remove from heat. Transfer cranberry sauce into serving dish and place in fridge to chill.

Each serving = 1/2 cup
1 Serving = 2 Weight Watchers Point +



Cranberry Scones Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 cup all-purpose flour (Use whole wheat flour to kick up the nutrition a bit)
- 2/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp table salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup egg substitute (I like Egg Beaters)
- 1 cup fat free buttermilk
- 1/4 cup low calorie butter, melted (I used Brummel & Brown)

TO MAKE FAT FREE BUTTERMILK: Mix 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice + fat-free milk to make 1 cup & let stand for 10 minutes = 1 cup fat-free buttermilk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat a baking sheet with non-fat cooking spray. I used the Pam Butter Flavor kind.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar; mix well and set aside. In another bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk and melted butter. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined; fold in cranberries.
Drop 12 equal two-inch mounds of batter on prepared baking sheet about 1-inch apart. Bake until tops just start to turn golden, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Entire recipe makes 12 scones
Each scone = 3 Point + total



Read more: http://www.laaloosh.com/2010/03/09/low-fat-cranberry-scones-recipe/#ixzz1dskFimjw

holiday

Try some of the following survival tips to make it easier.

Take care of yourself



•Get a massage

•Exercise increases the production of endorphins and enhances feelings of well being and positive attitude

•Journal even when you don't feel like it

•Good nutrition makes you feel fit. Over or under eating takes a toll mentally and physically

•Vitamins will help you fill in the gaps

•Give yourself small gifts

•Get up and out in the mornings and go out for breakfast. let them wait on you

•Keep moving and busy without throwing yourself into a frenzy

•Let your feelings out. Stuffing them makes them come out with a vengeance later

Simplify the holidays



•Clean closets

•Eliminate your poisonous or negative "friends"

•Say no to extra things you said yes to, and shouldn't have

•Go through your files and dump the extra papers

•Give gifts only to those you WANT to

•Remember you don't' have to do it all.. You don't have to bake cookies for the whole county......, buy for everyone, decorate the house, spend time with all relatives.. UNPLUG and let others take care of you

Surround yourself with color and positive things



•Poinsettias are bright and beautiful

•Buy flowers at the grocery store for each room of your house

•Buy a goldfish

•Rearrange your furniture

•Find a great CD and play it as loud as it goes

•Boil orange slices, cloves and apple juice, to make you surroundings pleasant

Surround yourself with people and activity



•Call your treasured friends and tell them you will need help over the holidays

•Reconnect with old friends and family

•Ask for hugs. give hugs


Visit and volunteer:



•children's hospital

•soup kitchen

•work with church in community

•rotary or other community group

•buy a gift in honor of the person who died and give it to a child in the hospital / a lonely person / a sick person

•give time or money to a charity in honor of that person

Thanksgiving Green Bean Casserole





With this skinnier, healthier Green Bean Casserole Recipe, there’s no need to leave this delicious dish off your Thanksgiving table this year! And with just 3 Points + per serving, you may find yourself preparing it more than just for Thanksgiving.

Ingredients
•1 16 oz bag frozen, French cut green beans, defrosted
•1 large onion, thinly sliced
•8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
•1/3 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
•1/3 cup whole wheat flour
•1 cup reduced fat butter milk
•2 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
•1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
•1 cup Fiber One cereal
•1/4 cup liquid egg whites
•1 tsp garlic powder
•1 tsp salt
Instructions
1.Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 2 1/2-quart casserole dish with non-fat, butter flavored cooking spray.
2.In a food processor, combine Fiber One cereal, salt and garlic powder until cereal has reached a very fine breadcrumb-like consistency. Place into large, Ziploc bag.
3.In a small bowl toss onion slices with egg substitute to coat onions. Then place onion slices into Ziploc bag with the cereal mixture and shake well to coat.
4.Spray a large nonstick skillet with the butter flavored cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the onion slices and cook, turning once or twice, until golden and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool and divide into two equally sized portions.
5.Combine one portion of the onions, the green beans and mushrooms in the casserole dish.
6.In a small bowl, mix buttermilk, soy sauce and yogurt and pepper, then pour over green beans, onions and mushrooms.
7.Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables; stir to coat
8.Spread the remaining onion topping over the casserole.
9.Bake the casserole until bubbling, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Preparation time: 20 minute(s)

Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Diet type: Vegetarian

Diet tags: Low calorie, Reduced fat, Reduced carbohydrate

Number of servings (yield): 4

Culinary tradition: USA (Traditional)

Entire recipe makes 4 servings
Serving size is 1 cup
Each serving = 3 Points +

PER SERVING: 125 calories; 2 g fat ; 20 g carbohydrates; 9 g protein; 5 g fiber



Read more: http://www.laaloosh.com/2011/11/15/thanksgiving-green-bean-casserole-recipe/#ixzz1dyXDm6vF

Change.....

Forward movement and change
Change is good. Change is frightening. Change is liberating. Change is necessary. So often we become stagnant in our everyday lives and are afraid to make changes. Even when the changes are for the better. It could be the smallest change: a new hair cut, maybe spruce up our living room with a new bold color paint, or buy a new daring pair of shoes. Then there's the major changes: dump the person in your life that is zapping our energy, quit the dead end job, or lose those unwanted 30 lbs. Whatever it is that is keeping us in a negative place we often opt to stay there because we're fearful of making the changes and putting in the necessary work. It's a crazy oxymoron.

Everything is going well in life all is fine and dandy. We find ourselves in a comfort zone. We like our job, our partner, etc., but there are always areas that we can improve to make us better. I'm always looking for ways to improve, grow. I strive everyday to be better. I refuse to become complacent and sit still. Life is about forward movement. My weight loss and self transformation journey to date is the BIGGEST change I've ever made. I say this all the time, this is a transformation from the inside out. Besides, making changes in my diet and becoming physically active. There were plenty of things I did NOT like about my character:

I'd tell someone I was going to do something and then I wouldn't. And, to boot I'd have a flip attitude about it if they asked me about it.
I gave up really easy. If anything caused a challenge. Forget it. Game over. I quit.
I didn't value myself and had a horrible desire for validation from others
Negative outlook
Selfish, selfish, selfish
I've had to take a long hard look at myself and make all sorts of changes. It's been a long painful yet very rewarding journey. Sometimes, I wonder when will I stop changing. I think, I can honestly say-- never.

For those in a comfort zone. For those in a negative place. I challenge you to find it within yourself to make the necessary changes to do whatever is you want to do, reach whatever goal you want to reach, and become the BEST person you can be. One thing is for sure, you can't keep doing the same things and get different results. If you've been contemplating making changes in your lives - the time is now. Here's to forward movement and change.


Chocolate Crunch Snack Mix Recipe
Chewy and crunchy, sweet and salty, this Chocolate Crunch Snack Mix has it all! And for just 3 Points + per serving, it’s a great low calorie snack to indulge in when that sweet tooth strikes.

Ingredients
•1 cup Wheat Chex cereal
•1 cup pretzel sticks broken in half
•1/4 cup dried cranberries
•3 tbsp bittersweet chocolate chips, melted
Instructions
1.Combine Chex, pretzels and cranberries in a medium sized bowl.
2.Drizzle with melted chocolate; stir to combine.
3.Spread the mixture on a wax paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.
Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 30 minute(s)
Entire recipe makes 4 servings
Serving size is ¾ cup
Each serving = 3 Points +

PER SERVING: 200 calories; 2 g fat; 27 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 4 g fiber



Read more: http://www.laaloosh.com/2011/10/27/chocolate-crunch-snack-mix-recipe/#ixzz1dDkYk7Lt

fitness mindset.....

I....LOVE.....THIS.....!!!!!

Do you know a person who is heavily involved in fitness, if given one week to live, will work out at least one or two times of their final last days, knowing full well that they will die the very next week guaranteed. Fitness is as natural as brushing their teeth, taking a shower, or eating. Most , if not all, people who are given a week to live will still brush their teeth, take a shower and eat, irrespective of their fatal condition. Do you fall into that category?

Ask yourself this – when will a cook stop cooking, when will a mother stop being a mother? Given the example above, death would only intensify these conditions of cooking, mothering or working out. I made a commitment that even though I hated working out, I was going to do it for six months straight at a minimum of six times day per week, barring only sickness. So I did just that, didn’t matter if I was tired, had a headache, rained, in the middle of a snowstorm, or I didn’t feel like it. I did just that for six months straight. At about month five, “IT” clicked. I became addicted. I acquired what I had heard about before…The Fitness Mindset. This is a place where you are in pain every day, and enjoy it, because you know you are still alive, know that you are getting stronger, know that you pushed yourself.
Next is to “Just do it” – this is it. If you don’t just do it nothing is going to happen, no magic weight loss pill is going to work, your marriage is not going to magically improve, nor is your dream job going to appear out of nowhere. If you want it, you gotta go get it.



You will have setbacks, those are natural. It’s what you do when have them that won’t be natural. It’s so easy to say, “screw it, this is too hard, it’s not working, I’ll just go back to my old way, at least I’m comfortable with that.” Don’t do it. Instead, cut yourself some slack, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get right back at it. You are only one work out/one meal away from getting right back on track. NEVER GIVE UP!!

Never giving up is the fitness mindset.

Healthy Onion Rings


Makes 4 servings = 3 P.P. per serving

2 sweet onion, sliced
8-10 Tbsp Italian breadcrumbs (make sure they are the Italian ones, not plain.
4-5 egg whites
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray 1-2 cooking sheets with cooking spray. Cut onion into 1/2 inch thick slices and separate into rings.

In 1 small bowl, place egg whites, in another bowl, place Italian bread crumbs. Dip onion into egg white, then over to the breadcrumbs. You may need even more breadcrumbs as when they start to get wet, they don’t stick too well. Nutritionals are based on what actually made it onto the onion.

Place battered onion rings on cookie sheets. Spray the top of them with cooking spray. Place in the oven for 20 minutes, flip, then bake another 10 minutes until golden & crispy!

Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 119 Fat: 1 g Carbs: 20 g Fiber: 1.8 g Sodium: 370 g Sugars: 1.5 g Protein: 8 g

I am thankful for life....and.........

I am thankful for life and the realization that each new day is a chance to once again try to live the very best life I was intended to live. I am going through a little bump in the road right now. I have a dear friend in the same boat...Jodean again,I write about you!....and me :)

It's a Wonderful Life .. if we just take time to sift through any difficulties and count our blessings .. for there really are far more blessings than we initially realize.
When you have a negative body image, lack and scarcity are also mostly what you focus on. You lack this. You lack that. And, as a result, your worldview and happiness also shrink.

The more you nit-pick, the more you find unacceptable with your body. The more negative your body image, the more fixated you become on fixing yourself. On dieting or exercising away those countless bad body parts.

Soon life turns into, “When my thighs get thinner, I’ll be happier.” “When I lose those last 5 lbs., I’ll look much better, and I’ll feel much better about myself.” ”

“When I look a different way, life will be perfect.”

When we live in this world of wishes, we live in the future – instead of truly being in and enjoying the present.

Plus, when we’re preoccupied with what we don’t have (or the negative parts we do have), it’s hard to be positive all around. The negativity starts to pervade other facets of our lives.

One practical way to start building a more positive body image is to practice gratitude. “Spend some time making a list of things you’re thankful for having, rather than you wish you had.” You can write positive things about your body or do a general gratitude list, or both.

The benefits~ “it will definitely change your mood, make you feel more positive, and allow you to focus on the abundance of all you have!” I could’t agree more. (BTW, she says that you can substitute the word “grateful” with “appreciate,” if you like.)

I’ll start us off. Here’s my combo gratitude list:

1.I am grateful for my strong body, which has done some challenging things throughout my life.
2.I am grateful for my facial features, which when I’m resemble my mom and dad’s, and that makes me happy and proud.
3.I am grateful for my muscular legs.
4.I am grateful for my hands, which let me write for hours.
5.I am grateful for my body overall, which is unique to me, and only me.
6.I am grateful for my feet, which take me anywhere I want to go.
7.I am grateful for my stomach. It’s far from flat but it gives me the strength to do some pretty cool things in my exercise routine.
8.I am grateful for this blog and its awesome readers.
9.I am grateful for my husband and my family and friends, whose support, knows-no-bounds generosity and unconditional love mean a lot to me.
10.I am grateful for being alive.
What about you?

Maybe you’re grateful for your kids and how your body gave birth to them (we often forget just what an amazing accomplishment that is!). Maybe you’re grateful for your job or the ability to do a certain hobby. Maybe you’re grateful that your feet will take you anywhere too.

Maybe you’re grateful because you have your mom’s eyes(i...do....). Maybe you’re grateful for your muscular legs or strong stomach. For being in recovery from an eating disorder. For the people in your life. For having a gorgeous smile.

It can be anything, no matter how big or how seemingly small.

Try writing a list of 10 things, and keep that list handy so you can remind yourself whenever your inner critic starts creeping in. You might also want to keep a gratitude journal and write in it several days a week. Consider writing what you’re thankful for in general, and why you’re thankful for your body, too.



Crockpot Tuscan Sausage and Bean Soup
Servings - 6 Servings size - approx. 1 1/2 cups or 1/6th of recipe Points plus per servings - 6 points+
Calories - 241, Total Fat - 5g, Carb., - 31g, Protein - 19g Fiber - 8g


12 oz. turkey smoked sausage ( such as Hillshire Farms brand), sliced
2 cloves garlic, rough chopped
1 onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
2 large celery stalks, diced
1/2 cup cauliflower florets, chopped ( optional, I added because I wanted to use them up)
1/2 medium bunch kale, stems removed, and leaves chopped ( about 4 cups)
3 cups fat free, low sodium chicken broth
2 cans ( 15.5 oz each) of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
One (14.5 oz.) can of diced tomatoes, with Italian seasonings
1/2 cup dry red wine ( or water)
1 tsp. dried basil
salt and pepper, to taste*
juice of half a lemon


1. In a slow cooker, combine all of the ingredients. Stir to combine. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high, until the vegetables are tender. ( If you choose to cook on stove top, saute the carrots, onion, garlic, celery and cauliflower ( if using) in a little cooking spray in dutch oven or large stock pot for about 5 min. Add the basil and cook for another minute or so. Then add the rest of the ingredients, bring to boil, and allow to simmer, slightly covered, until vegetables are tender...about an hour or so)

2. Squeeze juice of half a lemon into the soup and stir. Enjoy.


*this recipe does not require much salt, if any...the sausage, the beans and the canned tomatoes add quite a bit of salt to the recipe on their own. I would advise you to taste before you salt.

~~~ My Kitchen Adventures. ~~~