Pumpkin Bread

You go out for dinner and order spaghetti with marinara sauce and a side of grilled veggies. The pasta is so plentiful that it's falling off the plate. Yes, your meal is nutritious. But can too much of a good thing be not so good? Absolutely.

How super is supersize?
In the era of the supersized meal it's often hard to recognize normal portion sizes. Giant bottles of soda, extra-large bags of chips and king-size candy bars are part of our everyday eating landscape. But unfortuantely, as our portion sizes get larger, so do our waistlines. And bigger packages can also sabotage portion control.
Research from the University of Illinois shows that people may tend to eat more food when it's served in larger containers. When movie-goers were given the same amount of popcorn in containers of two different sizes, the people given the larger tubs ate 44 percent more. (The lesson here is to use a smaller plate at dinner!)

Sizing things up
To keep portions in perspective, you need a tool to help you navigate through bulked-up portions. Visualizing recommended serving sizes by relating them to common household objects is an easy and useful technique. By comparing food portions to things you already recognize, you should be able to eyeball a food item and guesstimate how large it is. Long gone are the days of carrying around a food scale. It's wise to weigh things occasionally to get an accurate idea of how big portions should be, but relating those measurements to common objects and teaching yourself to recognize them will be a great step toward achieving your weight-loss goals.

For example:
Your fist is about the same size as one cup of fruit or pasta
Your thumb (tip to base) is the size of one ounce of meat or cheese
Your palm (minus fingers) equals three ounces of meat, fish, or poultry
Your cupped hand equals one to two ounces of nuts or pretzels

Putting it into action
Once you have serving sizes committed to memory, you'll be ready to fit them into your eating plan.
Limit servings of high-fat foods such as fatty meats and fried foods
Buy single-servings of some foods, such as 1-ounce bags of chips or 1/2-cup servings of ice cream
Remember that servings of most vegetables are extremely low in fat and calories. Bell peppers and button mushrooms just might become your new best buddies!


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OVER TWO MILLION POUNDS LOST SO FAR!!!


Consider celebrating your weight loss this week—and the weight you
hope to lose next week (pay it forward!)—by contributing the
equivalent in food donations to the Lose For Good® campaign.


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Portion Sizes at Home

Article By: Liz Josefsberg


The best place to learn correct portion sizes is at home.
And the more familiar you are with adequate portion sizes there, the easier it is to estimate portion sizes when you're eating out.

Here's how to set up your home environment:

Keep measuring tools handy. Set up your cooking/eating area so that measuring tools are easily available and in plain sight. Place measuring cups in the silverware drawer as a reminder to check portions now and then!

Measure liquid and solids differently. There are different measuring systems for liquids and solids (i.e. for solids, 16 ounces equals one pound, and with liquids eight fluid ounces equals one fluid cup). The best tool for solid measure is a food scale or baking/dry measuring cups. For liquid measure, a clear glass or plastic measuring cup with cup- and fluid ounce-markings on the side gives additional room at the top so liquids won't spill over.

Measure accurately. Whether you're using a tablespoon or cup, it should be leveled off. And the best measuring spoons and cups are ones that can be squared off for easy leveling.

Note the actual size of your dinnerware and cups. Figure out what correct servings (for example, a three-ounce piece of chicken next to a one-cup serving of spinach) look like on your plates. Tip: If you have a smaller plate such as a salad or dessert plate, using it instead of a larger dinner plate might make you feel as if you're having more food.

Store foods in individual serving sizes. After you buy bulk-size packages of food, portion out correct serving sizes. For example, if you purchase an extra large bag of pretzels, use plastic baggies to portion it into single servings. The same goes for large packages of poultry and meat – divide it into single servings right away for easy cooking or freezing.

Check the actual serving size. When eating packaged foods or drinks, be aware that a package or bottle probably contains more than one serving, perhaps more than two. When cooking from recipes, be mindful of serving sizes and how many servings a recipe actually makes.



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Overcoming Exercise Obstacles
Article By: Dana Robinson


For the many sufferers of joint or back pain, the prospect of an exercise routine can be daunting. But, done right, and with a gentle approach, there’s an activity for everyone.



We all know that exercise is a crucial part of maintaining good overall health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention even recommends getting about 30 minutes of exercise each day — as does Weight Watchers in its Healthy Guidelines.

We also all know that if you’re not used to exercising, getting into the habit can be hard. But millions of Americans have extra hurdles beyond motivation: It’s hard to work out for any length of time if you suffer from back pain, joint pain, or other physical conditions that can knock exercise clear off the priority list.

More Exercise Ideas
As well as the standby low-impact favorite, swimming, many Weight Watchers Community users with flexibility and mobility issues recommend chair dancing. With classes, DVDs, and a big following, it bills itself as a seated exercise program that improves muscle tone, flexibility, and cardiovascular endurance. It’s fun, too!

Many also take water aerobics classes. Hard as it may be to believe, it is entirely possible to break into a sweat in the water — it’s not just visibly discernible.

For a low-impact stretching workout that’s good for beginners or anyone wanting to expand their body’s full range of motion, try our 25-minute joint-friendly workout.
Indeed, for many people with a new pain, or a new diagnosis, it can be tempting to be cautious and reduce the amount of activity. Yet, in most cases, exercise is still an option, and in some, it can also actually be beneficial, provided it’s approached the right way. So, whether you’re suffering from joint pain and arthritis, back pain, or you’re carrying extra weight, we’ve outlined some gentle ways to lower yourself into an activity program. It goes without saying, of course, that you should always consult with your physician before starting, or making changes to, an activity program.

Joint pain
The human body is composed of hundreds of joints, without which we couldn’t walk, turn our heads, or hail a taxi. However, we tend not to notice the impact these precious body parts have on our everyday lives until they begin to hurt. “Joint pain can be caused by injuries, overuse syndromes, imbalanced muscle tension, trauma, or other conditions like arthritis,” says Andrea Metcalf, an expert trainer whose specialties include fitness for older people. “And when someone has joint pain, their exercise goals may suffer.”

Those with arthritic joints may find their condition especially painful. “Arthritis is a progressive disease of the joints in which smooth cartilage that covers the ends of the bones gradually wears away,” says Dr. Calin S. Moucha, associate chief of joint replacement surgery in the department of orthopedics at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. The condition is caused by a number of factors, including genetics and lifestyle; and osteoarthritis, the most common type, leads to stiff, swollen, painful joints.

Exercise options
Cycling and swimming are two great options. These activities are particularly beneficial to those who suffer from joint pain because they preserve joint motion and muscle tone, says Moucha. Swimming also harbors a specific advantage over dry-land activities: no obvious signs of sweating! “I hate to sweat,” says Susan Anderson, a WeightWatchers.com Community user, who swims about three times a week in spite of an arthritic knee. “[Swimming] is the one exercise that I love to do.”

Excess weight
Carrying a significant amount of excess weight can make exercising truly challenging, which is a hard truth for those starting a weight-loss plan. “The additional size of limbs and torso can dramatically influence one’s ability to move the related joints through a normal range of motion,” says physical therapist Tom Purvis. “Furthermore, the additional body weight makes all activities ‘weight lifting,’ and fatigue ensues more quickly.” In addition to affecting the joints’ range of motion, extra weight can negatively alter the alignment of the joints. Physical activity, if not approached correctly, can then exacerbate the condition.

Exercise options
Pool exercises, walking, and Pilates are great ideas. “These three, based on the individual’s needs, can provide effective results without putting unnecessary stress on the body,” says Los Angeles-based Pilates instructor Gia Marakas. Pool exercises and walking are gentle on the joints, while Pilates, which can be performed exclusively on a mat, helps build strength and muscle elasticity. As it focuses on building the core muscles and using them to assist with other types of motion in the body, the overall effects, once a Pilates exerciser has been practicing for a while, can help reduce stress on individual body parts.

Purvis maintains that a person carrying a significant amount of extra weight can take advantage of any number of physical activities, so long as the action is controlled (slow and steady to avoid injury) and performed with appropriate progression (no need to take on too much activity all at once). “It’s not what you do, it’s how you do it,” says Purvis.

Back pain
It comes in many forms (lower, middle, or upper back pain) and has many potential causes (stress, heavy lifting, bending the wrong way in yoga class, etc.). “Most people at some point in their lives have back pain,” says exercise physiologist William Sukala. “Most of it being self-resolving with rest and removal of the offending cause for a few days.” Back pain conditions range from acute to chronic and vary in intensity from a mild annoyance to a can’t-stand-up-or-bend-down situation.

Exercise options
Since there are so many varieties and causes of back pain it’s essential to check with your doctor before engaging in any type of exercise, lest you make a bad situation worse. A good rule of thumb however: if it hurts, don’t do it. “The acute vs. chronic question is going to make a difference as to which exercises can be performed and which should be avoided,” adds Sukala. “If it’s something more severe, the person needs to be seen in consult and have further work-up for treatment options.”

About the writer
Dana Robinson is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer.


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Member Recipes

Chicken Tacos

This is the easiest chicken taco recipe. It is my son, Nick's, favorite dinner. I throw the chicken in the crockpot frozen and cook on low for 6 hours -7 hours.

Makes 16-20 tacos ( 1 taco with 2 oz. meat, lettuce and tomatoes = 3 points)

40 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package taco seasoning
1/4 c. salsa
La Tortilla Factory whole wheat tortilla shells

Place chicken with taco seasoning and salsa in a crockpot. Cook on low for 6 or more hours until easily shreddable. Shred 30 minutes before serving. This will help absorb some of the juice. Serve using a slotted spoon.
Wrap tortillas in foil and heat in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.
Top with lettuce and tomatoes. Add points for any additional toppings such as cheese or sour cream.


Veggie Pot Pie w/Jack-O-Lantern Crust
Serves 8; Points: 3

2 (17-oz.) cans mixed vegetables, drained
1 can cream of mushroom or celery soup
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon dried celery flakes
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 ready-made refrigerated pie crust

In bowl, mix all but crust. Spoon vegetable mixture into greased 10-in. round baking dish.
For jack-o-lantern "face," in the pie crust dough, cut out 3 triangles - 2 for eyes and 1 for nose. Cut out mouth. Place crust over vegetables. (You may discard cuttings or bake on a separate sheet.)
Bake at 375ºF. about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly and crust is browned. Serve warm.



HASHBROWN CASSEROLE
1 small onion
1 cup reduced fat Cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp. margarine
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 32oz package of southern-style hash browns, thawed
16 oz container fat-free sour cream
1 10oz can of reduced fat Cream of Mushroom soup
Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients and place in baking
dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Serving size: 1 cup = 3 POINTS


Cheesy Cauliflower Bake
With these "fake" cheesy potatoes you can cheat without cheating.
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
16 oz sour cream, light
1 tbsp black pepper
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 packages cauliflower, frozen
Boil the cauliflower until tender but not mushy. Drain.
Add sour cream, half the cheese , cream of chicken and pepper.
Mix ingredients well but without mashing the cauliflower. You want some chunks.
Spray a casserole dish and pour mixture in.
Pour remaining cheese on top.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 °F (175 °C) for 20 minutes.
Remove foil and broil for an additional 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly browned.



PUMPKIN BREAD

1 cup applesauce
2 cups pumpkin (1 large can)
3 cups sugar
1 1/4 cup Egg Beaters
1/4 cup water
3 1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each: nutmeg, ground cloves, cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Mix applesauce, pumpkin, sugar and eggs. Add the rest of the ingredients. Spray
cooking spray in the bottom of three 8" loaf pans. Divide dough between pans. Bake
at 350 for 1 hour or until done.

This recipe makes three small loaves, 36 servings total. 2 POINTS per serving.