Keep on Keeping On! Some Great Advice to Stay on Target

   "Sometimes you just have to keep on keeping on!"  I don't remember where I heard it, but I've always remembered.  This past week at our WW meeting, we discussed how to turn slip-up in to successes.  I shared some of my favorite info about famous people who did not give up:

• The first book Dr. Seuss wrote, To Think I Saw That on Mulberry Street, was rejected by 27 publishers.
• Every cartoon Charles Schultz submitted to his high school yearbook staff was rejected.  Walt Disney wouldn't hire him.
• Thomas Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts in inventing the light bulb.

   You can go to "They Did Not Give Up" to read more about scientists, inventors, artists, entertainers, authors, and sports figures.  The point being, to keep trying even when things don't turn out the way you want them to turn out.
    During our weekly meetings, members share things that help them stay on plan. (This is one of the reasons why members who attend weekly meetings lose 50% more weight that those who don't.) Here are a few things to help you "pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again."~ Dorothy Fields.

• The scale is not your enemy.  It's a feedback machine!  Use it to make a better plan.
• If you mess up, stop and start again.  Take it one day at a time or even one meal at a time.
• Keep track of what you eat and drink!  At the end of each week you didn't get the results you wanted, look back over the weeks you did and see what was different and do it again!
• Get help! Pick one person to whom you give permission to "get in your face," if need be and help you be accountable.
• Be kind to yourself!  Encourage yourself with positive affirmations such as "I can do this!"; "Today is a new day!"; "Hey, I'm worth the effort!"; and "(Fill in your own here)."

And just for fun, take a look at this:

Hey, TOP THAT! (pizza)

   Working in youth ministry for a bazillion years (give or take a few), I've had my share of pizza.  Given a choice, I usually pick a non-pizza place to dine out. Also, being a Weight Watcher, I wasn't willing to give up my daily ppvs for pizza. That all changed a few weeks ago when a friend (Yea for Cinda!) introduced me to Top That! Pizza. Not only do you get to choose your own crust, but also as many toppings as you want for a reasonable price.  They also have what's called a PieLite menu of four pizzas for health conscious folks. If you want, you can go total veggie and be even healthier.
   What do I like about Top That! Pizza?  I can choose a honey wheat or multigrain crust.  They have lots of toppings, including fresh and roasted garlic, peppers, and onions.  In addition to regular pepperoni, they have turkey pepperoni.  I get to choose low-fat mozzarella cheese and feta, too! They also have artichokes, one of my personal favorites!  I can eat a half of a 10 inch pizza for what one slice of pizza would cost me in daily ppvs.
   Okay, let's see you Top That!!!
   

Flag Cake-Skinnied Down Version

   This is probably one of my favorite cakes to make.  I love that it looks like a flag!  The recipe I use is a version I put together when I joined Weight Watchers. I use a box of angel food cake mix (no fat!) with a can of diet sprite (no eggs, no oil). If you want, you can add a small can of crushed pineapple with no sugar added.  Just be sure to drain it well, or you'll have a really soggy cake. (Hint: if you can't find no sugar added pineapple, just rinse and drain it well.)I bake it in a rectangular, glass pan for not quite as long as the package says, usually; I just watch until it gets golden brown. For the frosting, use a large container of sugar free (or fat free) Cool Whip.  Use 1 1/2 to 2 cups of blueberries and a quart of strawberries cut in half to make the flag.  I like to keep it in the fridge and serve it chilled.  The PPVs, for you Weight Watchers, will be determined by the brand of cake mix you use (you can use a regular white cake mix), the type of whipped topping, and the number of servings you choose to cut.  Enjoy and have a happy and safe Fourth of July!