Weight Watchers Greater Mississippi, Southern Alabama and Florida Panhandle

November NewsletterWeight Watchers is a great way to lose weight, but it’s also an effective way to improve your overall health. Learn how Weight Watchers has boosted members’ health by reading our success story from Rod and Linda, our recipe, and our tips for a healthier lifestyle. fullylive life

Success StoryRod and Linda – Losing Weight Together!

Linda: I became a Lifetime Member of Weight Watchers in 1982. I maintained my goal weight for many years as long as I went to a monthly meeting and weighed in. Each time I would quit weighing in, and I would gain my weight back and go back to Weight Watchers. Back then, my husband would somewhat cooperate. I was at goal when we moved to Gulf Shores in 1998.

With moving and coming to the beach with delicious fried seafood, I quickly gained my weight back. For the past 19 years, I have gone to Weight Watchers many times. I would go, and my husband might cooperate a week or two, but that was it. I finally just quit going.

“I lost 60 pounds.”

This past year he told me to find a Weight Watchers meeting, and he would go. I ignored him. The second time he asked I found a meeting, and we

Beyond the Scalea good health newsletter from Weight Watchers of

Greater Mississippi, Southern Alabama and Florida Panhandle

Before

both have been going ever since. I have lost 20 pounds. I had already lost 10 before I started back.

Rod: I joined Weight Watchers on July 31, 2016 and have since lost 60 pounds. Linda is a Lifetime Member, and I had halfway followed the program several times with her, losing the same 10 or 15 pounds. We also subscribed to the “diet of the month club.” We’d cut fat, then carbs, then sugar and ate more fiber, protein, cabbage soup, and so on.

I knew that Weight Watchers was a tried and true program. With a background in psychology, I knew the features that made it work: realistic goal setting, tracking or charting, group support, positive reinforcement, and follow‑up.

When I mentioned joining, Linda distrusted my seriousness but took me to a meeting. I kept it up. I was really pleased with what I saw. The meeting was conducted flawlessly by the very professional Sally W. The program had evolved from past iterations to include successful aspects of other diet programs, and the computer application rendered tracking almost effortless. I was bowled over and have been since day one. This was no diet, but an eating program.

One principle I stumbled upon at this time from listening to Dr. Phil and Coach Nick Saban is

that goal setting needs to be about goals and involve things we control. What the scale tells us is not one of those things. Too many other things affect daily weight. I found that staying focused on tracking points worked for me. We weigh in only at meetings. My motto is “track points not pounds.” Our scale lives in the closet.

“This was no diet but an eating program.”

When we started the program, I intended to lose 20 or 30 pounds, and I found that I had much less joint pain. My cholesterol, triglycerides, blood

sugar, and blood pressure numbers were also down. I was enjoying the food we were eating and the way I felt, so I stuck with it.

I started talking with Linda and Sally about conducting classes because I wanted to show other men how this works. I want to be able to help my friends and

family who need live healthier too. With Weight Watchers, I can show them that there is more pleasure in life than food. Weight Watchers has given me the tools to help myself and others.

Success Story SubmissionsIf you have an inspirational Success Story or would like to nominate someone with

an inspirational story please contact Katie at: customerservice@wwfam.com

Servings 4

INGREDIENTS

4 medium sweet potatoes (about 7 oz each)

1/2 cup canned black beans; rinsed and drained

1/2 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen

1/3 cup tomato sauce

2 tablespoons chopped scallions

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese

1 small Hass avocado (4 ounces), chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

4 tablespoons 0% Greek yogurt

healthyrecipe

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash and dry the sweet potatoes. Place them in a slow

cooker, cover, and cook on high for 4 hours or on low

for 8 hours.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the black beans, corn,

tomato sauce, scallions, cumin, cayenne, and salt.

3. Remove the potatoes from the slow cooker and cut

each potato lengthwise three‑fourths of the way

through. Pull apart to create an opening and gently

mash the flesh with a fork. Divide the bean filling

among the potatoes and gently mix it into the potato

flesh. Top each with 2 tablespoons Pepper Jack, return

to the slow cooker, cover, and cook on high until the

filling is hot and the cheese melts, about 15 minutes.

4. Transfer the potatoes to 4 serving plates. Top with the

avocado, cilantro, and yogurt and eat right away.

Adapted from: Homolka, Gina, and Heather K. Jones. The Skinnytaste Cookbook: Light on Calories, Big on Flavor. Thorsons, 2015.

Slow Cooker Loaded “Baked” Sweet Potatoes

8SmartPoints

valueTM

I log a minimum of 10,000 steps on my Fitbit every day. A commitment I have made for myself. – Tina G., staff

I think: is what I’m putting in my mouth going to make me healthier or less healthy? – Laura L., staff

I walk and follow the Simply Filling Plan by eating lots of vegetables. Eating vegetables helps me not to crave unhealthy foods. If you eat the right things, you won’t want the wrong things. – Judy S., staff

Have a tip you’d like to share? Email it to us at info@wwfam. com

3

3

3

This month our staff at Weight Watchers of Greater Mississippi and Southern Alabama and Florida Panhandle (FAM) share how Weight Watchers helps improve their health and inspire them to live a healthy lifestyle. These come from their own experience on the Weight Watchers program and help them overcome every day struggles. Come back each month to get new tips and tricks you can use on your journey.

Both my husband and I use Weight Watchers as the base for a healthy lifestyle. We eat more fruits and vegetables and less processed foods. With feeling better, you begin to be more active, working out more and walking more. ‑ Jodi J., staff

I can’t hurry my health. Just like with any health issue the doctor recommends medicine or some type of treatment as part of therapy. Weight Watchers is part of my treatment for becoming healthy. I must give it time to work. The number on the scale is only one part of the whole picture. – Laura L., staff

3

3©2017 Weight Watchers International, Inc.

WEIGHT WATCHERS and SmartPoints are registered

trademarks of Weight Watchers International, Inc.

Weight Watchers of Greater Mississippi, Southern

Alabama and Florida Panhandle

800 Avery Blvd., Suite 201 | Ridgeland, MS 39157

Franchisee of Weight Watchers International, Inc.

exper ttips

Work the program to improve your health