Do You Believe? - Dec. 3, 2012

Good Morning ~

To help inspire and support wellness initiatives, I will be periodically emailing motivational stories from the book, Shot in the Arm, written by Sharon Lee Riguzzi.   This week the motivation is, “Do You Believe”.

I wanted to be sure to get the “Shot” and recipes, to you in time for everyone to enjoy; especially with so many taking PTO in December to enjoy the holidays. 

I also wanted to share this in the spirit of anyone, besides me, who has been thinking about those two winners of the lottery last week. We don’t have to sit back and wait for “things to happen”. Let’s take the time to focus on "Believing” in ourselves. Every action we take leads to an outcome so take that first step today!!!

We just launched Weight Watchers 360º, which is our latest innovation. The new Weight Watchers 360° — a holistic approach to surround our members with tools, support, motivation, and guidance in an effort to maximize engagement in the weight-loss process. If you don’t have a meeting at your site, let’s look at launching one as soon as possible to begin supporting the employees with health and well-being.

 May we all continue to “Believe”. 

I hope you also enjoy the recipes below.  Please feel free to share both the “Shot” and recipes with the rest of your co-workers to support health and well-being within your workplace. 
In Good Health ~ Jodie 

 Do You Believe?
Believing-it plays a key role in our lives. Over the years we believe in so many things, some of which have to make us smile! Santa, for example. I really don’t have vivid memories of sitting on his lap, but I absolutely remember writing him letters, being sure to use my best penmanship. Even if Santa didn’t bring everything I asked for, I chalked it up to his having so many children to take care of. I believed. 

Should I even bring up the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes? Please, someone besides me, fess up to imagining the doorbell ringing and trying to look surprised for the camera crew! And when we don’t win, we still conjure up a wonderful winning scene for the next year’s drawing! Why? We believe.  

How many of us were brought up to believe that people are basically good? Even in today’s topsy-turvy world, we still find ourselves looking for the good in all humans. Once again, we believe.  

So here’s the question: Why is it so hard for us to believe in ourselves? 

Let’s take a look at the last twelve months: Did we ever belittle or give up on ourselves? The fact is just about everyone has self-doubts. But let’s not take comfort in that. Instead, let’s learn from it. You and I believe in other people. We probably spend quite a bit of time building other people’s confidence so that they can believe in themselves. Obviously we know how to walk the talk for others. Now it’s time to start believing in ourselves! 

Yes, this is easier said than done. Believing in oneself does not happen overnight. It takes days, weeks, and months, to make it a reality. Let’s start gearing up for the task at hand! 

Here’s a bit of pre-work:
What is the most important thing that you want to accomplish this year? (Let’s start with one item and move on from there once we get rolling.)

  • Picture yourself having already achieved it. Take notice of how great you feel and how happy you look.
  • Storyboard the steps that it will take to make this a happening.
  • Start each day reminding yourself “I am achieving my winning outcome! Today I will take the steps necessary to get closer to it.” (If you’re forgetful, write this on an index card and tape it to the medicine cabinet. And taping another one onto the car visor couldn’t hurt!)
  • At the end of each day, praise yourself. (If others are around, you might want to do this in private. People tend to feel intimidated when another person is in earshot.) 

Repeat these steps for the next 365 days, and you’ll experience marvelous results! The fact is, you already have all of the resources necessary to make your dreams come true-and you don’t have to sit on an old man’s lap to make it happen. What better gift can you give yourself? 

                                                                            ~ Sharon Lee Riguzzi

 Last-Minute Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Weight Watchers Recipe

4PointsPlusValue

Prep time: 3 min

Cook time: 40 min

Serves: 8

Baking the potatoes helps concentrate their sweetness. Couple that with naturally sweet pineapple and you've got a delicious, two-ingredient Thanksgiving side dish.

Ingredients

 

4 large uncooked sweet potato(es), washed and dried   
 

15 1/4 oz canned pineapple, packed in juice, crushed, drained   

Instructions

·        Preheat oven to 400ºF.  Place potatoes directly on middle rack of oven.  Bake, checking for doneness by either gently squeezing potatoes or pricking them with a fork to see if they’re really soft, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.  Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and cool for 5 minutes more. Scrape potato flesh from skin into a large bowl.  Add drained pineapple chunks and mash with a potato masher or spoon until pineapple has broken down slightly, about 2 to 3 minutes. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving.

Herbed Ham-and-Potato Frittata

5PointsPlusValue

Prep time: 25 min

Cook time: 15 min

Serves: 4

Make use of leftover Christmas ham with this flavorful frittata. If you don't have the herbs we've used, give thyme or basil a try.

Ingredients

 

1 spray(s) olive oil cooking spray   

 

3 medium uncooked potato(es), peeled and diced   

 

1/2 cup(s) cooked lean ham, diced   

 

1 1/2 cup(s) fat-free egg substitute   
 

1 Tbsp fresh parsley, fresh, chopped   
 

1 Tbsp rosemary, fresh, chopped   
 

1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped   
 

1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste   
 

1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste   

Instructions Preheat broiler. Coat a 10-inch nonstick, ovenproof skillet with cooking spray. Add potatoes and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender, about 10 minutes. (Note: If necessary, add water by the tablespoon to prevent sticking.) Add ham, egg substitute, herbs, salt and pepper to skillet; cook until almost firm, about 10 minutes. Transfer skillet to broiler and broil until browned on top, about 3 to 5 minutes. Cut into 8 wedges and serve. Yields 2 wedges per serving.
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