Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Candied Sweet Potatoes with Pineapple
Pumpkin Mousse
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
How to Banish Bad Habits
Think you can't live without a cigarette, biting your nails or slapping thick butter on your bread? You can! Giving up bad habits can be as easy as 1, 2, 3.
If it were easy to break bad habits, then the weight loss and smoking cessation industries wouldn't be in business. You know how hard it is to ditch bad habits. Rome wasn't built in a day, and similarly, saying goodbye to a bad habit takes months. As you give it up, put strategies in place to understand your compulsion and prevent a relapse. Here's how to withdraw without weakening:
- Take it slowly
Old habits die hard. And the longer you've had yours, the more time you may need to give it up. So don't do anything too suddenly. "Though the cold turkey approach can sometimes work, it's usually only successful for a minority of people," says psychologist Bregita Martin. "For the majority, it's better to learn to live without your habit in stages."
Solution: Instead of trying to get rid of your habit, aim to indulge in it less often. Once you feel like you have more control, try cutting back even more. This habit-reduction method can be successfully applied to many kinds of habits. Over time you'll be able to cut back more and more, and, eventually, stop altogether.
Identify why you're hooked What's driving your habit? "
Anxiety, boredom, frustration or depression are often at the heart of our longest held habits," says Martin. "If one particular emotion seems to chronically overwhelm you, maybe you should consider some counseling to examine why it's an issue and discuss some counter strategies."
Solution: Identify your triggers — the situations, places or feelings that cause you to eat a whole box of cookies or pick at your cuticles. Write them down, listing them in order from strong to mild. Once you know why you are hooked, you can work on strategies to counter those triggers.
- Avoid temptation
You know you have to avoid unhealthy foods. But every time you go for a cappuccino with a girlfriend or to McDonald's with your kids, you can't seem to control yourself.
Solution: "For the first few weeks of quitting, it is a good idea to avoid situations that you know will trigger your craving," say Dr. Robyn Richmond and Kathy Harris in their book Becoming a Non-Smoker. "This will give you a few weeks to build your confidence before you expose yourself to potentially risky situations."
- Create new behavior patterns
Do you chew on your nails or reach for a cigarette whenever you're feeling stressed or bored?
Solution: The next time you catch yourself in the middle of this knee-jerk response, stop and do something else — count to 50, stretch your arms or flex your fingers. Have a small repertoire of behaviors you can use to replace the habit.
Be prepared for relapse
Everything was going so well, but then you had a horrible day so you cut yourself some slack. Now you're slipping back into old patterns.
Solution: Don't go down the self-defeatist road of thinking, "Oh well, I just can't kick it." Regard your relapse as one small step back and focus on the many forward steps you've taken. Now go into damage control. According to Richmond and Harris: "A relapse can be a momentary lapse or can be a return to your habit. But there is a way to bypass this mental tug of war. Be constructive and analyze the relapse, identifying why it happened, in what situation, how you were feeling and what you can do to prevent the same thing from happening again. Then renew your commitment to quit."
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Frito Pie
FRITO PIE
Serves 6 - 5 points each
1 lb. 93% lean ground beef
Heat through. Spoon into 10" pie plate and top with crushed chips.Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes; let cool 10 minutes
Cookies and Cream Three Layer Dessert
COOKIES & CREAM THREE LAYER DESSERT
1 7 oz box reduced-fat chocolate sandwich cookies (used Oreos)
2 pts per serving.
Fast Foods Points Primer
You're standing in line at a fast-food restaurant and don't want to blow all of your POINTS values. Is it possible? Yes! Many national chains offer nutrition information, but since you may not want to take the time to sort through it all we've done the number crunching for you.Here are some ideas for tasty eats at such popular spots as Wendy's, KFC, Dairy Queen and more, in categories ranging from 4 to 11 POINTS values.
You may want to print the list so you can keep it handy for when the fast-food mood strikes!
Blimpie Chef Salad (without dressing)
Subway Roast Beef, Turkey or Ham Sandwich
One Del Taco taco
Wendy's small chili
One medium serving of Boston Market's Vegetarian Chili
For 5 POINTS values
Del Taco Bean & Cheese Burrito (Red or Green)
Large Au Bon Pain Split Pea Soup
Six-inch Subway Turkey Breast Sub
Taco Bell Soft Beef Taco or a Tostada
Chick-Fil-A Southwest Chargrilled Chicken Salad with 2 tablespoons Light Italian Dressing
For 6 POINTS values
Arby's Light Roast Turkey Deluxe Sandwich and a side salad with 1 packet reduced-calorie Buttermilk dressing
Au Bon Pain Ham & Cheese Croissant
One Hardee's fried chicken leg and a small serving of mashed potatoes
A KFC Extra Crispy Chicken Drumstick with Skin plus 1 small piece corn on the cob and a serving of green beans
Dairy Queen Grilled Chicken Salad with 1 serving fat-free Ranch dressing
For 7 POINTS values
Wendy's Jr Hamburger with a side salad and half a packet of fat-free French dressing
McDonald's Grilled Chicken California Cobb Salad with 1 1/2 oz Newman's Own Lighten Up! Low Fat Family Recipe Italian Dressing
Six Burger King Chicken Tenders with 1 packet of dipping sauce
Arby's Sourdough Ham Melt
For 8 POINTS values
Hardee's Regular Roast Beef Sandwich
Dairy Queen Homestyle Cheeseburger
1 pizza Little Caesar's Pizza Baby Pan! Pan!
One Taco Bell Double Decker Taco Supreme
One slice (1/12 of a large pie) Pizza Hut Chicken Supreme Stuffed Crust Pizza
For 9 POINTS values
Burger King TenderGrill Chicken Sandwich with Honey Mustard
Chick-Fil-A Chicken Caesar Cool Wrap
McDonald's Filet-O-Fish
2 slices (1/4 of a medium pizza) Pizza Hut Thin 'N' Crispy Cheese Pizza
Subway's Tuna with Cheese Salad
For 10 POINTS values
One serving each of Boston Market's skinless rotisserie turkey breast, savory stuffing, new potatoes and green beans
Hardee's Hot Ham 'N' Cheese Sandwich
One KFC Chicken breast without skin and a serving of each seasoned rice and BBQ baked beans
One serving each Chipotle's rice, black beans and fajita vegetables
For 11 POINTS values
Long John Silver's 1 serving breaded clams and a regular fries
McDonald's Hamburger and a small serving of fries
Six-inch Blimpie's Tuna Sub on a white roll
One slice (1/8 of 14-inch large pizza) Domino's Pizza Ultimate Deep Dish Bacon Cheeseburger Feast Pizza
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Dining Out Dos and Don'ts
Some people trying to lose weight steer clear of restaurants to avoid the large portion sizes, bottomless bread baskets and all those high-calorie entries. But shunning restaurants altogether isn't a realistic approach to weight loss — and it's unnecessary.You can eat out and lose weight. Start with this list of tips to help you navigate the menu options at your favorite fast-food joints and sit-down restaurants.
2. Put on your game face
Skip the all-inclusive (prix fixe) menu and opt for à la carte selections. Doing so might not be as economical, but you'll probably eat less.
Take one piece of bread, then ask your server to remove the breadbasket from the table.
Can I have that without butter? Grilled? With the sauce on the side?
I'd like mixed greens instead of fries with my sandwich.
4. Practice portion control
Ordering a salad as a starter and then splitting a main entrée with a friend.
Creating your own scaled-down meal from a couple of appetizers and/or side dishes.
5. Break down (language) barriers
Au gratin, scalloped, hollandaise.
Parmigiana, scampi, Bolognese.
6. Downsize the super-size
Order something small, like a basic burger. After all, the first bite tastes the same as the last.
Order yourself a children's meal.
7. Watch out for extras
Bacon, cheese and mayonnaise.
Double-burger patties and extra pieces of bread.
8. Don't go top heavy
Go light on croutons, grated cheese and bacon.
Opt for small amounts of low-fat or nonfat dressings on the side.
9. Don't drink away your progress
Alternating alcoholic beverages with noncaloric sodas or sparkling water.
Not drinking alcoholic beverages on an empty stomach.
10. Resign from the "clean plate club"
Eating half the meal and doggie-bagging the rest.
Pushing your plate away when you're full.
And remember to eat slowly. It takes 20 minutes for your body to recognize that it's full.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Easy Corn Casserole
Servinga: 12
Points per serving 3
15 ounces creamed corn
15 ounces corn, whole kernel, canned -- drained
1/2 cup egg beaters® 99% egg substitute
1 cup sour cream, light
1/2 large onion -- chopped
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 cup cheddar cheese, lowfat -- shredded
salt
pepper
Mix everything together.Put into sprayed 9" x 13" pan, uncovered.Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.Per Serving : 130 Calories; 3g Fat 1g Dietary Fiber 3
Lose for Good in other ways too
Article By: Lisa Rogak www.weightwatchers.com
Savvy exercisers have discovered a great way to develop a regular exercise routine and stick to it: Put yourself second instead of first.
By now you’ve heard about the Weight Watchers Lose For Good™ campaign to fight hunger. But getting healthier while giving back can be a year-round endeavor. Read on for ways you can help others in your community while sticking to your weight-loss goals.
So put someone else first on the list when it comes to exercise, and you'll probably find that it's a lot easier to stick to a commitment to work out regularly. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Stroll for dollars
- A wide variety of charities hold annual races for runners and walkers to raise money for research or to defray individual medical costs. Once you sign up, gather as many pledges as you can; that will help keep you motivated as you train. You can also contact the race sponsors for names of other contestants nearby so you can band together to train. Or start your own race: Sandi Garcia launched the Mother's Day Run, Walk and Waddle in Denver in 2007 to benefit research on post-partum depression. (www.runwalkandwaddle.com)
Walk with the big dogs
- Spend an hour a couple days a week walking dogs at your local shelter. You can do it on your own or join with others from your fitness class or workplace. Beth Shaw, yoga instructor and author of Beth Shaw's YogaFit (Human Kinetics Publishers), regularly organizes events around Torrance, CA, where teachers and students visit a shelter to walk and care for the dogs.
Spend time with seniors
- Along the same lines, volunteer at a nursing home and take some of the wheelchair-bound residents out for a walk, advises fitness trainer Paul F. Davis of Goldenrod, FL.
Be a personal trainer
- Serve as fitness coach to a friend who's less motivated than you are but needs to get in better shape. After his friend had a heart attack, Philadelphia-based consultant Neil Gussman brought him to the gym every day, and they both got in shape.
Play in the dirt
- Melissa Laughner of Cochran Mill Nature Center in Palmetto, GA, an environmental non-profit group, works with volunteers who help out with gardening and maintaining trails to keep in shape.
Dish it out
- Volunteer at a soup kitchen or another nonprofit meal delivery organization. In Los Angeles, Project Angel Food relies on up to 60 volunteers a day to prepare 1,300 meals for homebound people with cancer, HIV/AIDS and other serious illnesses. A volunteer may be in charge of chopping hundreds of onions or green peppers, or carrying vats of green beans, which can turn into quite a workout.
Swing a hammer
- Habitat for Humanity draws on volunteers to build houses, and the variety of skills involved in a typical weekend of work can hit every muscle in the body.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
County Fair estimated food points value
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Here is some information that you want to know about County Fair Food and remember to keep in mind, everything adds up quickly at the fair and these points are just estimated.. Points values: (remember they can vary depending on ingredients & portion size)
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Kebabs POINTS value of 8 for two small skewers -
Corn on the cob, POINTS value of 1 per ear
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Corn on the cob with two tablespoons butter 7 POINTS
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Grilled turkey leg (large, with skin) POINTS value of 27
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1/2 Funnel cake POINTS value of 12
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French fries POINTS value of 10
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Belgian waffle with whipped cream POINTS value of 9
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Foot-long corn dog POINTS value of 8
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Fudge (1 piece) POINTS value of
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3Chili dog POINTS value of 7
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Pretzel POINTS value of 3
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Nachos with cheese POINTS value of 9
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Beer POINTS value of 3
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Peanuts POINTS value of 4
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Caramel apple, large - 9
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Churro (1 oz) - 3
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Cinnamon Roll - 16
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Cotton Candy (1.5 oz) - 3
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Choc. covered frozen banana - 4
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Fried Twinkie - 11
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Hotdogs w/chili or cheese (franks w/plain bun) 7 to 13
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PointsCurly Fries - 14
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Dippin' Dots Ice Cream, 1/2 cup chocolate or vanilla - 4
**STATE FAIR FOOD POINTS***NOT OFFICIALLY CALCULATED BY WEIGHT WATCHERS*
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Baklava (2" square) - 5
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Belgian Waffle - 8 (add 1 Pt for each Tbsp of whipped cream)
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Big Brownie - 15
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Caramel Apple - 10
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Caramel Dip w/Apples - 7
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Caramel Corn - 8
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Cheese Sticks (2) - 10
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Chili Dog - 10
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Cheese Curds (2) -
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12Cheese Curds (an order) - 25-30
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Chocolate Shake (8 oz) - 10
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Chocolate Frozen Banana - 9
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Cinnamon Roll - 13
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Corn Dog - 7
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Corn on the Cob - 2 (with butter - 6)
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Curly Fries (8) - 12
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Donuts - 6-9
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Egg Roll - 5
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Fish & Chips - 16
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Fried Ice Cream - 9
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Fried Rice - 5
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Fudge (1 bite) - 2
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Footlong Hotdog - 12 (w/Chili - 14...w/Cheese - 14...w/Chili & Cheese - 16)
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Fresh Fruit (1 cup) - 1
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Fries in a cup - 20-25 (bucket - 80 Points)
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Fried Veggies (per cup) - 8-10
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French Fries (10) - 3
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Guinea Griner - 18
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Grilled Chicken - 6
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Gyro - 12-15
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Hotdog - 5-7
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Ice Cream (per 1/2 cup) - 7-8
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Ice Cream bar (reg) - 5
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Lemonade - 8
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Lemonade (unsweetened) - 0
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Mini Donuts (bag) - 25
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Mini Donuts (5) - 6
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Milk Shake - 20
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Nachos (5 chips) - 5
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Onion Rings (3) - 9
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Onion Rings (order) - 16-20
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Onion Rings (med serving) - 15
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Pocket Bread w/Veggies - 6
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Pocket Bread w/meat - 9
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Popover - 4
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Pickle on a Stick - 0 (w/cream cheese & corned beef - 16)
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Peanuts (40) - 4
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Popcorn (buttered) - 21
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Popcorn (not buttered) - 8
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Pork Sandwich - 9
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Pork Chop on a stick - 8-10
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Reuben Sandwich - 20
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Sno-Cone - 4
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Soft Serve Yogurt - 3
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Soft Shell Veggie Taco - 2
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Shrimp Kabob - 5
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Steak Kabob - 8
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Soup in a bread bowl - 24
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Sweet Martha's Cookie (each) - 2
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Taffy (4 pieces) - 3
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Tenderloin - 12
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Turkey Leg - 12-22
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Turkey Tenderloin - 7
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Wonder Bar - 10
See what it takes to burn the calories of some favorites
Caramel Apple: 3 miles
Key Lime Pie
1 Ready crust reduced fat graham cracker pie crust
1 package sugar free lime flavored gelatin (4 serving size)
1/4 cup boiling water
2 6 oz. containers Key lime pie flavored light yogurt
1 8oz. container fat free whipped topping, thawed
In large heat resistant bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water.
Stir in yogurt with wire whisk.
Spread in crust.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours
Serves 8 3 points per serving