Note to self

Some things I (and maybe you?) need to try to remember, posted by weight watchers.


"Here we address the most common myths that undermine a healthy approach to weight loss — and offer tips to overcome them to achieve success.

- I'll get back on track on Monday/after the holidays/when the sun comes out
There's no day like today. If you slip, just pick up where you left off. Persistence works wonders.

- I shouldn't wear a bathing suit (shorts, a tank top) until I've lost all the weight
People of all different sizes and shapes enjoy sexy clothes. "When you love yourself, you start enjoying life," says Mandel. Seeing yourself through others' eyes in a harsh, critical way "is a surefire way to blow a weight-loss plan," says psychologist Debra Mandel, PhD, author of Healing the Sensitive Heart (Airleaf Publishing, 2005). Instead, she suggests, it's more effective to focus on developing a more loving relationship with your body. A study published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine (Winter 1998) found that those who started out accepting their bodies were more than twice as likely to lose weight than those who felt dissatisfied or ashamed. Break big goals into smaller ones, and reward yourself along the way. Rather than saying, "I need to lose 25 pounds," say, "I'll buy a new swimsuit, one size smaller."

- The less I eat, the faster I'll lose
Wrong. "The less we eat, the slower our metabolism gets, and the slower we lose the weight," says Mandel. "Deprivation also makes us unhappy and actually causes us to overeat and overindulge." Increasing your caloric restriction in reasonable amounts can increase weight loss, but cutting back to an unrealistic intake will likely backfire. A slow and steady approach — including treating yourself to your favorite foods, in moderation — is your best bet for building a healthy relationship with food and reaching your long-term goals. "

soupies

I haven't made either of these, but I want to. Look pretty healthy. And the chicken broth in the first recipe could be easily be changed out for veggie broth for our veggie/vegan buddies.

Tomato and Pesto Soup

Serves 4
Print Recipe
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil (rinsed), chopped
salt/pepper
½ cup dry white wine
1 to 2 cups chicken broth
28 oz. crushed tomatoes (you could double this to serve more)
½ cup pesto (store-bought or see below for my recipe)
Asiago or Parmigiano Reggiano-topping
crusty bread or mozzarella grilled cheese sandwich (I would sprinkle some salt on the cheese for the sandwich)
Pesto: You will most likely have more than the ½ cup that the recipe requires, so use as you please (perhaps layer with the mozzarella cheese toasty).
3 cups basil leaves
½ cup Parmesan
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
½ to 3/4 cup olive oil
Salt/pepper
Pesto: Place all but the olive oil in a food processor. Pulse until combined and then add olive oil and pulse again to desired consistency.
In a medium pot, over medium heat, add olive oil, garlic, shallots, carrot and sun-dried tomatoes. Season with salt/pepper, cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the wine and simmer for a few minutes. Add a cup of broth and the crushed tomatoes, heat to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes and it’s at this point that you could add more broth to achieve your desired consistency. Add the pesto and blend (you will need to allow it to cool before blending in a food processor, blender or with a hand blender). Adjust the seasonings, if needed and serve. Top with cheese and serve with bread or my choice, a mozzarella grilled cheese sandwich.


Recipe from : http://thedabble.com/blog/steamy-tomato-and-pesto-soup/

This broccoli soup doesn't look appetizing but it's deceiving.

Broccoli Soup adapted from Real Simple
Serves 4
Print Recipe
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
dash or two of red pepper flakes
2 cups vegetable broth (plus more to thin if needed)
1 large bunch broccoli, florets roughly chopped, stems peeled and sliced
1 large Russet potato, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
coarse salt/freshly ground pepper
various toppings (see above for recommendations)
Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and a few dashes of red pepper flakes, stirring occasionally until the onion is soft, 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the broth, broccoli, potato, 2 cups broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
In a blender, food processor or with a handheld immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Add toppings-recommendations above and serve.