Spring Celebration Eating

Hello, Weight Watchers! Did last week's discussion increase your confidence in dining out? There are many resources that we can use to make dining out less stressful and a better fit into a healthy lifestyle. We also discussed ways to increase the convenience and ease of eating at home and at work to reduce the need for "everyday" dining out. Planning = success!

NEED A PEANUT BUTTER FIX?
Many of you know that I love peanut butter, but sometime don't have five POINTS to spend on one serving. One solution that I like is PB2, a low-fat powdered peanut butter. It's great mixed into a Creamy Chocolate WW smoothie, or reconstituted and eating with a banana or on a light English muffin.

PB2 is available in regular or chocolate flavors. It's cheaper if you buy in larger quantities, so please let me know if you would like to try some. (There is a smaller sampler pack if it's your first time and you're not sure about it.)

Prices and bundle options can be found here. I will be placing my order April 4, so please e-mail me with your order by April 3.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Connection Pointe members - We're very sorry from the inconvenience, but our meeting will be closed on April 1 for building maintenance. No missed week fees will be charged to those who cannot attend a different meeting that week.

At-Work members - The Bring-a-Friend promotion is back! If you bring a co-worker who joins your series, BOTH of you will receive a free six-month subscription(three issues) to WW magazine! Anyone is always welcome to sit in on a meeting, and this is a bonus for those who bring new faces and new ideas to your meeting. If you have an existing subscription, six months will be added on at the end. Hurry - this promotion lasts until May 30!

Does your company offer a Flexible Spending Account for healthcare expenses? Weight Watchers may qualify, allowing you to use tax-free dollars for your membership fees! Click here for more information and here for a printable receipt.

PANIC BUTTON
Oh, no! I lost my Monthly Pass!
It's okay, you can still attend your meeting. We will always let you come to one meeting with no Monthly Pass, but will need to see it the next time you come and see us. If you need a new one before your new one arrives in the mail or lost your current pass, you can always print a new temporary pass from the Weight Watchers website.

ARTICLES OF NOTE
Celebrations are a part of our lives. Managing events such as Passover, Easter, graduations, weddings, spring break, etc. without feeling as though we are doomed for a setback is a skill we can develop with practice.

Careful planning for events is an important part of successful weight management. This week, we will discuss strategies and using the Tools for Living to give us the confidence to approach each event with a feeling of calm control rather than the dread of resignation. I'll see you there!

Have a great week, everyone!

Cyndi

Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal.

--W.W. Ziege

Near East Marinated Salmon (Works with the Simply Filling technique)
Makes 4 servings
POINTS value per serving: 3

◊2/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
◊4 (4-ounce) skinless boneless salmon fillets (1-inch thick)

1. To prepare the marinade combine the yogurt, curry powder, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper in a zip-close plastic bag; add the salmon. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag; turn to coat the salmon. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, 4 hours or overnight.

2. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Remove the salmon from the marinade and place on the baking sheet. Roast until opaque in the center, 10 – 12 minutes. Serve at once.

Recipe adapted from Weight Watchers Take 5©2003 Weight Watchers International, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Making Restaurant Food "Fit"

Hello, Weight Watchers! Did you find a way to Take Care of Yourself this week? Reducing stress and feeling good about ourselves can boost our motivation for weight-loss. It's okay - your Leader told you to! :D

AMAZING SNACK SALE - FINAL WEEK!
From March 8-31 (while supplies last), all Just 2 POINTS snack bars and salty snacks are on sale for just $3.50 per box! This is a great time to stock up on your favorite snack or try something new.

NEED A PEANUT BUTTER FIX?
Many of you know that I love peanut butter, but sometime don't have five POINTS to spend on one serving. One solution that I like is PB2, a low-fat powdered peanut butter. It's great mixed into a Creamy Chocolate WW smoothie, or reconstituted and eating with a banana or on a light English muffin.

PB2 is available in regular or chocolate flavors. It's cheaper if you buy in larger quantities, so please let me know if you would like to try some. (There is a smaller sampler pack if it's your first time and you're not sure about it.)

Prices and bundle options can be found here. I will be placing my order April 4, so please e-mail me with your order by April 3.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Connection Pointe members - We're very sorry from the inconvenience, but our meeting will be closed on April 1 for building maintenance. No missed week fees will be charged to those who cannot attend a different meeting that week.

Cookies & Cream Mini Bars are here! Coated with sweet vanilla cream, and filled with crunchy chocolate fudge, these new mini bars are just the sweet treat you've been craving! They will replace our Oatmeal Raisin Mini Bar and we will have free samples in your meeting room on or after the week of April 12.

ARTICLES OF NOTE
Eating out is part of more and more of our lives. The typical adult now averages 5.8 restaurant occasions in a week. The tendency to use every eating-out occasion as a reaon to go off-plan can seriously challenge long-term weight management. Eating out doesn't have to mean a loss of control and can fit into a healthy lifestyle - come this week to find out how!

Have a great week, everyone! I'll see you at your meeting!

Cyndi

The chief cause of failure or unhappiness is trading what we want most for what we want at the moment.
--Eleanor Roosevelt

Tortellini with White Beans and Greens
Makes 4 servings
POINTS value: 6

3 cups fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
◊3 ½ cups vegetable or chicken broth
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried sage or rosemary leaves, crumbled
◊2 cups coarsely chopped cleaned spinach
◊1 (16-ounce) can small white or navy beans, rinsed and drained
◊4 sun-dried tomatoes, minced
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook the tortellini as per package directions, until just tender.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring the broth, garlic, sage, and 1 cup water to a boil. Stir in the spinach, beans, and tomatoes. Reduce the heat and simmer until the spinach and tomatoes are tender, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the tortellini; simmer 1 minute longer. Sprinkle with the cheese and serve.

Recipe adapted from Weight Watchers Cook it Quick©2002 Weight Watchers International Inc. All rights reserved.
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Feed Your "Soul" - Not Your Taste Buds

Hello, Weight Watchers! Did last week's meeting give you the nudge you needed to Move More? Moving More is an essential part of weight loss and weight maintenance, and has lots of additional benefits.

AMAZING SNACK SALE
From March 8-31 (while supplies last), all Just 2 POINTS snack bars and salty snacks are on sale for just $3.50 per box! This is a great time to stock up on your favorite snack or try something new.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Connection Pointe members - We're very sorry from the inconvenience, but our meeting will be closed on April 1 for building maintenance. No missed week fees will be charged to those who cannot attend a different meeting that week.

The Westside WW Center has three new meeting options for you! Sunday 1:00pm, Wednesday 7:30am, and Thursday 4:30pm are now available for your convenience, in addition to new retail hours on Friday. The Westside Center is now located at 4525 Lafayette Road, in the new Wal-Mart plaza.

Interested in training to walk or run a race this year? There are endless possibilities! The Indy Runners race calendar is one of the most comprehensive sources of info on local races.

ARTICLES OF NOTE
The Managing Your Feelings habit can help us keep from "feeding" uncomfortable emotions inappropriately. We need to recognize that "there's a positive intention behind every behavior" and that when it comes to emotional eating, we are probably "hungry" for something besides food.

It's just as important to be proactive about avoiding emotional eating, which can be accomplished by filling our lives with self-nuturing pursuits (i.e. practicing the Take Care of Yourself habit). We will spend this week's meeting recognizing and committing to ways we can get the most self-care out of each day.

Have a great week, everyone! I'll see you at your meeting!

Cyndi

A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools.

--William Cowper

Beef with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes (Works with the Simply Filling technique)
Makes 4 servings
POINTS value per serving: 3

◊24 asparagus spears cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
¼ cup water
◊10 ounces lean, trimmed, boneless sirloin steak, cut into ¼-inch strips
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
◊4 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
◊24 cherry tomatoes, halved

1. Combine the asparagus and water in a skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the asparagus is tender, about 2 minutes. Pour off the water.

2. Sprinkle the beef with the salt and pepper; add it to the asparagus along with the scallions and garlic. Sauté until the beef is cooked through. Add the tomatoes and sauté until heated through, about 2 minutes longer.

Recipe adapted from Weight Watchers Cook it Quick©2002 Weight Watchers International Inc. All rights reserved.
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Making Workouts Work for You

Hello, Weight Watchers! Did last week's discussion help you evaluate where you are in the Stages of Change? What is it going to take to get you to the next level?

AMAZING SNACK SALE
From March 8-31 (while supplies last), all Just 2 POINTS snack bars and salty snacks are on sale for just $3.50 per box! This is a great time to stock up on your favorite snack or try something new.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
In April, watch for the new Cookies & Cream Mini bar, Wild Berry smoothie, and Hungry character 7" beanie doll and plush refrigerator magnet (I'm so excited about these!) to come to your meeting!

THREE REASONS TO MARCH INTO A MEETING THIS WEEK
  1. Free samples of the new Cappuccino Twist Melts this week! A melt is a new kind of sugar-free candy with a hard coffee outside and an indulgent-tasting creamy center. A whole strip of 10 candies is only one POINTS value!
  2. Free registration and no missed week fees, which ends March 14.
  3. Inspiration and information in the 10 weekly booklets, accountability at the scale, and 52 yearly meeting topics and discussions!
ARTICLES OF NOTE
Many of us have a tendency to resist activity, even though it is equally important as eating smarter, building helpful habits, and attending meetings. We know that finding activities we enjoy, understanding the personal benefits, and finding ways to fit exercise into our lives are key motivators. Constant brainstorming is needed to make planning and participating in regular physical activity as much a part of our lives as healthful eating.

Have a great week, everyone! I'll see you at your meeting!

Cyndi

True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind and exercise of the body; the two are ever united.

--Charles Caleb Colton

Raspberry Cornmeal Pancakes
Make 4 servings
POINTS value per serving: 6

1 cup reduced-fat baking mix
◊1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 ¼ cups low-fat (1%) milk
◊1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
◊1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

1. Combine all the ingredients except raspberries in a medium bowl. Gently stir in the raspberries.

2. Spray a nonstick griddle or large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Pour heaping ¼ cupfuls of the batter onto the griddle. Cook until bubbles appear and the edges of the pancakes look dry, 2 – 3 minutes. Turn and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes longer.

3. Transfer the pancakes to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter to make a total of 12 pancakes.

Recipe adapted from Weight Watchers All-Time Favorites©2008 by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All rights Reserved
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The Stages of Change

Hello, Weight Watchers! Did last week's meeting inspire you to practice the Self-Monitoring Helpful Habit this week? Self-Monitoring is a great way to keep yourself on track and really see your exciting progress, be it through journaling, measurements, non-scales victories, or any way you choose to track!

EXCITING NEWS FOR THE WESTSIDE WEIGHT WATCHERS CENTER
Those of you who attend at the Westside Center may know that we've been searching for a new home for well over a year now. Well, we've found it! The last meeting in our current location will be held Saturday, March 7. Join us Sunday March 8 in our new location at 4525 Lafayette Road, Ste E for our Grand Opening from 2-4pm. There will be giveaways, local vendor booths, and prizes. EVERYONE is invited, including At-Work and potential members! Current members get an extra entry into the drawing for bringing a friend!

Even if you can't make it on Sunday, the entire first month will be full of surprises for Westside Center members. There will be a big drawing with a guaranteed winner in every single meeting at the end of the month!

DON'T MISS YOUR MEETING THIS WEEK!
This week, meeting rooms all around the country will offer free samples of the newest member of our product lineup, the Mint Cookie Crisp Mini bar. Mint and chocolate cookie, all for just one POINTS value! (Be sure to freeze one, chop it up, and try it in a chocolate smoothie - yum!)

DID YOU KNOW?
  • Weight Watchers is an international company traded on the stock market.
  • All Weight Watchers staff are Lifetime members who have lost at least five pounds with the program.
  • Weight Watchers was mentioned on the Today show last week. It works!
ARTICLES OF NOTE
We can be incredibly hard on ourselves when our motivation slips. Rather than letting ourselves feel like noncompliance with the Program is a result of some character flaw, we will discuss how it's normal to move back and forth among five very real stages of behavioral change. We will learn how to keep our weight-loss efforts going strong!

Have a great week, everyone! I'll see you at your meeting!

Cyndi
Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit.
--Conrad Hilton

Pasta with Sausage, Peas, and Mustard Greens
Makes 6 servings
POINTS value per serving: 7

1/2 pound orecchiette
4 Italian turkey sausage links (3/4 pound), halved lengthwise and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can vegetable broth
1 (14-ounce) can seasoned mustard greens
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook the orecchiette according to package directions, omitting the salt if desired.

2. Meanwhile, to make the sauce, spray a nonstick Dutch oven with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the black-eyed peas, broth, and mustard greens; bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and cook, covered, until the sausage is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the pasta to the sauce; toss to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until well mixed, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with the cheese and serve at once.

Recipe from Weight Watchers cookbook Shortcuts© 2008. All rights reserved
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