Change

The only constant is change.

The plan is changing again.  I was doing WW the last time the plan changed and I'm doing it again.  The last time it changed I was scared and angry.  "The old was working for me, why did they have to go and mess it up?" I thought.  But the new way worked too.  In fact it worked better for me. 

The plan is new starting today.  I haven't made the time to study the changes online yet.  I'm counting my Points through the end of the week and then I'll learn a new program.  But I'm not scared about it this time.  The people at WW have put a lot of studying and time in this.  They think I can do it. 

And frankly, I need to shake up my routine. I've been stuck at this weight for a long time now with no celebrations.  I need to make some changes to get out of this rut.  So I'm looking forward to the change.  I'm going to the meeting next week with an open mind ready to learn the new system.  Just in time for Christmas!

The other big change next week will be that we have a new leader.  Kay is retiring.  So please join me in wishing the best for Kay!  And to welcome our new leader (I think her name is Elizabeth).   We all hope to see you at some of the meetings Kay!  It's been great to know you! Good luck!!!

ATTENTION!!! BAD WEATHER WARNING

If the temperature is below 15 degrees F the Thanksgiving day walk will be cancelled.  The trail is unlikely to be plowed and will potentially be pretty icy.  To be safe that walk will be cancelled, unless someone else has an idea for an alternate route.  If you do have an alternate, let me know and I'll post it here. 

Thanks! 
Kay and Krista

Give Blood, Please.

The Inland Northwest Blood Center is in need of blood.  Please take the time before Thanksgiving to donate.  It doesn't take long and you can save 3 lives at once.   

My family is thankful for the people who donate.  My father's life was saved after a traumatic car accident only 18 months ago, by blood donation. 

The need is great at this time of the year, and while it's difficult to make the time and get to the blood center your efforts are worth it!  Save a life!!

Also, please keep in mind that A PINTS A POUND THE WORLD AROUND!!!   It's good for your body as well as the recipient!

Thanksgiving Day Weight Watchers Walk

 

3rd Annual Thanksgiving Day Weight Watchers Walk

Thursday, November 25

8 a.m.

Coeur d'Alene Lake Drive

First Parking Lot (off Sherman on Coeur d'Alene Lake Drive, past golf course and new condos, first parking lot is just past the overpass for Potlatch Road, on the right.)

Walk as far as you have time for!!!!

To the base of Bennett Bay Hill and back is about 4 miles

To the top of Bennett Bay Hill and back is about 5 miles

To Higgens Point and back is about 9 miles

 

We saw 5 eagles yesterday (Sunday, November 21)

 

Bring kids, husbands, wives, dogs, cats, aunts, uncles, parents, neighbors---everyone welcome!!!

It takes time

"I didn't put the weight on overnight, why should it come off overnight?"

We have all heard it said and it makes sense deep down, but it doesn't change our feeling that this takes soooo long.  Losing weight is hard and it takes time.  And I'm not talking about just the time from your first weigh in when you registered for WW to the time you make lifetime.  That can be a very long time for some of us (and multiple times for others.  This is the 4th time I've registered for WW). 

I'm also talking about the time each and every day we consider, fret, count, and plan our days.  It seems like it can take a lot of time to do all those things we need to do to be successful.  Think about it.  It would be easier to be fat!  We would no longer have to plan our meals, shop for healthy food reading labels as we go and making better choices even if they may not be cheaper. We may not include exercise in our days or track our Points.  Wouldn't it just take less time to be fat?

It might.  But I'll bet we end up with less time in the long run.  I'll bet our lifespan would be shorter.  I'll bet the time we spent with our children and grandchildren would be less enjoyable as we work so much harder to keep up.  I'll bet we would spend less time with friends and family because of health problems, or even embarrassment. 

Personally, I'm rethinking where I spend my time.  My family and my health is important to me and in order to have more time for the things that are important, I'm choosing to spend some more time on those things that will make me time in the end. (Does that even make sense?  It does to me!)

Where are you going to spend your time?

Kay's message!

Hi All,

Let's do our snow dance!  Weather is a'turnin'.  And Thanksgiving is just around the corner.  Are you all mental rehearsing how your plates are going to look?  On Thanksgiving?  And the day after?  And the day after that?  See you all shortly and we will talk about the stresses of the Holiday season.

Happy Points!!!

Kay

More Pumpkin cake!

Cake Mix + Canned Pure Pumpkin
PER SERVING (1 piece, 1/12th of cake): 183 calories, 3.5g fat, 301mg sodium, 37g carbs, 1.25g fiber, 20.5g sugars, 2g protein -- POINTS® value 4*

Ingredients:One 18.25-oz. box moist-style cake mix
One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly -- batter will be VERY thick -- and transfer to a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray; bake in the oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (Refer to cake-mix box for pan size and approximate bake time.)

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

As promised Holiday recipes!!!

Wayne's Pumpkin Smash
PER SERVING (1 piece, 1/9th of recipe): 65 calories, <0.5g fat, 81mg sodium, 12g carbs, 1g fiber, 7g sugars, 5g protein -- POINTS® value 1*




Ingredients:One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin
One 12-oz. can evaporated fat-free milk
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)
3/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and mix thoroughly.
Place mixture in a baking dish (8" X 8" works well) sprayed lightly with nonstick spray, and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. (It will remain a little soft, like pie filling.)
Once ready to serve (it's delicious eaten hot or cold), cut into 9 pieces.
Serve and enjoy!
MAKES 9 SERVINGS
There it is -- hope you love it! BTW, store leftovers in the fridge... if you have any!

	HG's Perfect Pumpkin Bread
	Right Said Bread
	After getting a BAZILLION requests for pumpkin bread, we figured it was time to make some. And after EIGHT attempts, we got it just right. Try it and see! Ingredients: One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin 1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Original Egg Beaters) 1/2 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated) 1/4 cup brown sugar (not packed) 1/4 cup Ocean Spray Craisins Original Sweetened Dried Cranberries (or regular raisins), chopped 2 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 tsp. salt 1/3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine both types of flour, Splenda, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and pumpkin pie spice (in other words, all dry ingredients except for the Craisins or raisins). In a medium bowl, mix together pumpkin, egg substitute, and vanilla extract (all the wet ingredients). Add this mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir until just blended. Slowly sprinkle chopped Craisins or raisins into the batter, making sure they don't all stick together, and mix to distribute them. Spoon batter into a large loaf pan (about 9" X 5") sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the top of the loaf is firm to the touch. (Bread may be moist inside. This doesn't mean it's undercooked.) Allow to cool, and then cut into 8 slices. Enjoy! MAKES 8 SERVINGS
	Serving Size: 1 (thick!) slice Calories: 143 Fat: 0.5g Sodium: 281mg Carbs: 31g Fiber: 4.5g Sugars: 9g Protein: 5g POINTS® value 2

HG Alternative! To make this bread into muffins, evenly distribute the batter among 8 cups of a muffin pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Cook for 35 minutes at 350 degrees, let cool, and enjoy

The Big Three

I can't believe I missed the opportunity to write about the pitfalls of Halloween.  There is a lot of material there to blog about.  I think we pretty much all know it all though.  We know what to do.  We know that we shouldn't raid the kids Halloween candy stash.  We know that we should give away handfuls of the stuff just to get it out of the bowl that we can reach and put it in someone elses home ( That makes me think of this; Lord, if you can't make me skinny, please make all my friends fat.)  We know that we should keep healthy options around so we don't cave to the call of the mini chocolate bar.  We don't always do those things though.  So now that Halloween is over, lets that the time to start preparing for the next of the THE BIG THREE (Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas). 

The three hardest months of the year for most of us are the last three.  October, November, and December.  There are so many reasons why.  We all have different ones, but for me a lot of it has to do with the seasons.  It has gotten cold, and it has gotten dark.  In a month from now I will drive to work in the dark and I will drive home from work in the dark.  It is very hard to get up earlier in the morning to go for a walk because the sun is still hours away from showing up.  I actually don't mind the cold as much.  I like to wear my warm fuzzy hats and mittens, knowing I can come home and warm up.  Which incidentally is another pitfall.  How do you come home and warm up?  Hot chocolate!!!  That's tradition right?  Come in from the snow and make cocoa?  I got out the Wii fit this weekend.  I can turn on all the lights in the living room and pretend it is light out as I take my walk around Wii Island. Then I can make a cup of hot tea instead of cocoa. 

Halloween is over, Thanksgiving comes next, then Christmas.  My sister has already started making her Christmas caramels to give away.  It's already time to start thinking about what to do with all the cookies and candies that your well intentioned friends and family leave on your table when they visit or drop by your house with their good cheer.  What I try to do is enjoy just one, I give the kids one or two, then I take them to work to share.  I hate to say that I end up throwing food away, but I do end up throwing a lot of holiday sweets away. 

Leave a comment here with your plans for how to survive the Big Three....  What are you plans??

I'm looking for input here folks!!