All is well in Monterey

All is well in Monterey!!!! We've gone to the grocery store to buy our favorite snacks... am munching on Strawberry Mini Wheats, a favorite of mine these days.

Though the Celebrity Golf Tournament is going on at Pebble Beach (next community over), I have not actually seen Justin Timberlake or Peyton Manning. I will let you know if I spot them :>).

On the menu for tomorrow: My Bran Cereal, WW muffin, Sandwich for lunch with some veggies, 2pts here and there of chocolate and chips and then that will leave room for Reception food...

The weather....we will be fighting winds and rain and in the 50's for a few days. So much for the California Sun..

Monterey County CA has one of my favorite coastlines.. A bit more rocky than we are used to in Virginia. We are staying in a community called Pacific Grove along the shoreline of Asilomar State Beach. It's amazing to see these little deer wandering along so close to the ocean. We are on site conference planners who will be babysitting scientists as they come up with some ideas on how to better fuel cells (Feb 15 - 18) as well as water purification (Feb 22-25).. two separate events, back to back.


Island Pork and Pineapple Kebabs
Makes 4 servings
POINTS value per serving: 5

1/2 cup reduced-sugar apricot preserves
1 tablespoon lime juice
◊1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 20 chunks
◊16 fresh pineapple chunks
1 1/4 teaspoons Jamaican jerk seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Spray a broiler rack with nonstick spray and preheat the broiler.

2. To make the glaze, combine the preserves and lime juice in a small bowl; mix well and set aside.

3. Combine the pork, pineapple, jerk seasoning, and salt in a medium bowl; toss to coat. Thread the pork and pineapple alternately on 4 (12-inch) metal skewers. Place the kebabs on the broiler rack and broil 5 inches from the heat, turning every 2 minutes, until the pork is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Brush the kebabs with half the glaze and broil 1 minute. Turn the kebabs, brush with the remaining glaze, and broil until lightly browned, about 1 minute longer. Serve at once.

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

Recipes by Robin.... Thanks Robin!!

Taco Bean Soup
1 cup @ 3 pts each

1 pkg Morningstar crumbles
(2 ½ c water)
2 – 14 oz cans black beans, rinsed & drained
14 oz can pinto beans, drained
2 – 14 oz cans white corn, drained
1 can Rotel
14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix

Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot and cook over med heat for 20 – 30 min. Soup can also cook in a crock-pot on low for 4 – 6 hours. Can add FF sour cream and RF shredded cheese. Be sure and add in the any extra points.


Spicy Tilapia
& Veggies
6 servings @ 6 pts each

6 Tilapia fillets
(6 large sheets of aluminum foil)
3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
14 oz can yellow corn, drained
3 med zucchini, thinly sliced
(Garlic powder, salt / pepper, 1 ½ c salsa)
3 limes

Boil potatoes until tender. Place each fillet on a sheet of foil. Divide the veggies & potatoes evenly over fillets. Sprinkle each with garlic, salt, and pepper. Top each with ¼ c salsa and squeeze ½ lime over top. Fold foil over fillet and seal. Bake 20 min. @ 350.

Liquid

Water versus Fluid: What Counts, What Doesn’t
Article By: Karen Miller-Kovach FEBRUARY 2009 –

In terms of hydration, the words water and fluid are often used interchangeably. However, other liquids, like coffee and fruit juice, are also classified as fluids. Is there scientific evidence to support that these beverages can be included towards meeting fluid recommendations?

Water and Health was this column’s topic in July 2008. This month’s column explores a different, though related, aspect of body hydration. The words water and fluid are often used interchangeably when discussing the intake of liquids by mouth to maintain good hydration. Water is indeed a fluid, but it is just one type. All liquids, including broth, fruit juice, coffee and soft drinks, are classified as fluids.

In meeting daily fluid recommendations, advice is often given to avoid beverages that contain caffeine (e.g., tea, coffee, cola drinks) or alcohol because they are “dehydrating.” However, is there scientific evidence to support this recommendation?
Caffeine and fluid balance
Studies have shown that among people who have not been exposed to caffeine for a period of days or weeks, drinking a large amount of caffeine-containing beverages in a short period of time (e.g., 2-3 cups of coffee or 5-8 cups of tea) results in an increased urine output. However, this does not happen to people who routinely drink caffeinated beverages. They develop a tolerance for caffeine and have a consistent urine output whether or not the fluids they are taking in contain caffeine or not. Even among those who do not routinely drink caffeinated beverages, there is no diuretic effect when caffeine-containing beverages are consumed in normal serving sizes. Therefore, the available evidence indicates that caffeine-containing beverages are no less hydrating than other fluids and can count toward fluid recommendations.

Alcohol and fluid balance
The body’s fluid balance is largely regulated by a hormone called vasopressin. Also known as the anti-diuretic hormone (ADH), the pituitary gland releases it when the body needs to conserve fluid. In essence, ADH signals to the kidney that it should concentrate the urine and keep the body’s blood volume up. Alcohol blocks the release of ADH by the pituitary gland in a progressive fashion. In other words, the more concentrated the alcohol is in a beverage (and/or the more beverages consumed), the more urine the body releases and the gap shifts from balanced, to less hydrated, and, when alcohol is taken in excess, to dehydration. It is not possible to develop a tolerance to this effect2. Because alcohol-containing beverages have the potential to adversely impact fluid balance, they should not be included toward meeting fluid recommendations.

The Weight Watchers program recommends drinking six glasses of fluid a day. All fluids, except alcohol-containing beverages, count toward meeting this guideline.

2009 is your year to Shine!

New Year..... New You.... we wish you luck on your weight management journey.

Check out this site on snacks that are no more than 50 calories: http://www.ediets.com/news/NewsArticle.jsp?componentPath=&itemType=&start=1&id=2600007#article


White-Frosted Cupcakes

Makes 24 servings
POINTS values per serving: 3

18 1/4 oz unprepared packaged devil's food cake
1 cup water
◊1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
◊3/4 cup fat-free egg substitute
6 oz light cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz fat-free cream cheese
2 tbsp powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners or coat with cooking spray.
2. Beat cake mix, water, applesauce and egg substitute together for 2 minutes at medium speed. Pour batter into prepared muffin pans.
3. Stir together light cream cheese and vanilla. Drop a spoonful of the mixture into center of each cupcake. Bake until firm, 19 to 22 minutes. Cool completely before icing.
4. For icing, stir together fat-free cream cheese and powdered sugar. Do not stir too vigorously or it will become too soft to spread. Divide icing among cupcakes and spread to cover tops.

Recipe from Weight Watchers.com

Turkey Day * Pumpkin Pie

Those who

Stuffeth...... Puffeth

Prior Planning Prevents Pudgy People.... plan to be successful!!!!

Weight Watchers ™ Pumpkin Pie

Complete Recipe with photo:
http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/index.aspx?recipeId=51184

Now POINTS® Value: 3

Servings: 8

Preparation Time: 20 min

Cooking Time: 60 min

Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Pumpkin pie doesn't have to weigh you down. Our lightened-up version is the perfect ending to your Thanksgiving meal.

Ingredients
4 spray(s) cooking spray
4 sheet(s) phyllo dough
1/2 cup(s) dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp table salt
1 1/2 cup(s) canned pumpkin, puree
1 1/2 cup(s) fat-free evaporated milk
1/2 cup(s) fat-free egg substitute
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch round pie pan with cooking spray.
Cut phyllo sheets in half. Place 1 sheet in prepared pan and lightly coat with cooking spray. Top with another sheet of phyllo, placing corners just to the right of the previous sheet's corners. Repeat with remaining sheets to form a circle. Press layered phyllo into pan and roll in edges. Bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Whisk together brown sugar, spices, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg substitute and vanilla in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

Pour filling into crust. Bake until set, about 50 minutes. (Cover crust edges with foil during baking if they are becoming too brown.) Cool completely before cutting into 8 pieces.

Chef Tips
We renovated Pumpkin Pie by:
Replacing a butter-laden crust with layers of light, crispy phyllo dough.
Using fat-free egg substitute instead of whole eggs.
Using vanilla extract for sweetness.

Holiday Tips

(1)EVERYTHING IN MODERATION. Keep portions in check-smaller plates etc.

(2)Make a Decision - If you decide that NOW is the time to change your lifestyle then it doesn’t matter what time of year it is, you can do it. A healthy lifestyle is year-round anyway and it doesn’t "go away" when a holiday comes up. If that were the case then it would be very hard to maintain your weight because on average there are 2 holidays of some sort each month!

(3)Chart your Goals - If you are averaging .5-2 pounds a week as WW's suggests that is pounds gone by December 31st! No matter how many pounds you lose between now and December 31st you will be well on your way towards your goal.

(4)Drop Perfectionism - You can have some of your old favorites if you really want them on Thanksgiving and Christmas - all you need to do is change how you eat them. In other words, just have a taste of them or a small portion instead of a huge helping or two. members at goal do not eat buffet size portions but they do indulge at times. This option will only work for you though, if the foods you choose to eat on these holidays are not your trigger foods.

(5)Drop the Diet - Diets don’t work and neither do magical diet pills and powders. What does work is Weight Watchers it creates a healthy lifestyle!

(6)Maintain Your Exercise Routine - Even if on the actual holiday dates you do not stick to only whole foods you can still maintain your regular exercise routine and even get the entire family involved. Take a 30-minute walk after your meal and get some fresh air. Get outside, get that blood pumping, and get moving. Take a bottle of water with you and have fun instead of only focusing on the holiday feast.

Pita Chips with Black Bean "Caviar"

Makes 8 servings (Appetizers)
POINTS value per serving: 2

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon prepared black olive tapenade
1 tablespoon crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 (6-inch) whole-wheat pitas, toasted, each cut into 8 wedges

1. Combine the beans, tapenade, feta, oil, garlic, and pepper in a medium bowl; gently mash with a wooden spoon to break up some of the beans. 2. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with the pita wedges.

Recipe from Weight Watchers Cookbook All Time Favorites © 2008. All rights reserved.

Lose for Good Campaign Results

In the New River Valley (Virginia), I work as a Leader at a traditional location where the Food Bank is located. Right prior to our Lose for Good Campaign, I witnessed why this initiative would be desperately needed. We were setting up all the goodies we sell during our meeting when, on this particular night, the Food Bank Administrator and a young couple walked through to gain access to a large kitchen pantry in the building. The girl was clearly with child and the young man could have been my brother, my cousin, my son. Instead of being defeated as I am sure their situation could have triggered, they were upbeat. The reason? The kitchen pantry. They were going to get groceries for the week.

In the weeks that followed I could not get what I had witnessed out of my mind. Could we as Weight Watchers Members make a difference? Needless to say as the Lose for Good Campaign was set into motion I felt I had to share what I had seen with my At-Work Members. I offered members the story then stated, “Just as what you have in your pantry can hold the key to your weightloss success, it can also hold the key to helping those who need a little extra to get by”. As a result, we worked together to gain the extra motivation to “Lose for Good” (191.8 pounds from Sept. 7 – Oct. 18) as well as collect a total of one hundred, thirty two non-perishable items for our local food bank located at New River Community Action.

We have been proud of being a part of this weightloss initiative.

Submitted by,

Lesia Linkous
Weight Watchers Leader on behalf of

Virginia Tech, Southgate Center
Virginia Tech, Outreach
Montgomery County Government