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Dotti's Newsletter |
January 8, 2007 |
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Issue #015 |
Welcome 2007 is here and what a great year it is going to be for all of us. I hope that all of us have a very happy and healthy 2007. So, how many of you celebrated your successes in 2006 and made some New Years 'intentions' that we talked about in the last newsletter? I did and it's amazing how good it feels! One of my main 'intentions' was to get exercising more and include some strength training. I have a Nordic Track Treadmill and Elliptical already set up in my garage. I just ordered a NordicTrack E500 Strength System because I feel this will help me accomplish my 'intention' of exercising more, including strength training. How many of you are just starting out on your Journey to a healthier, happier, thinner you? How many of you are already on your Journey but need to recommit and get that 'newbie' feeling back? I'll bet most of us fit in either of these two categories. We are going to talk a bit about starting out on our Journey, whether it is as a brand new newbie or one, like myself, needs to recommit and get that 'newbie' feeling back. Okay, let's grab our tall glass of water and find our way to our comfy chair. Don't forget that wonderful SMILE ☺ of yours for that will put you in the right frame of mind. So, You Are Ready to Embark on Your Journey It really doesn't matter if you have 10 lbs to lose or a 100 lbs to lose you are never alone on this Journey. Initially, I had over a 100 lbs. to lose. Many of my friends had more than 50 lbs to lose. I remember one particular time at my Weight Watcher meeting when a new member opened up about how she had to lose 10 lbs. Most of the members were thinking, "What are YOU doing here?" In reality, it is very hard to lose ONLY 10 lbs, especially when you are so close to your goal weight. Instead of saying "What are YOU doing here?" we need to congratulate her for taking action before she had 50 or a 100 lbs to lose. So, you are finally to a point that you are fed up with your weight and unhealthy lifestyle. You want to do something about it. What will it be? Have you given the Journey you are about to embark on a lot of thought? Do you want it with all your heart? What program will you use? How committed are you going to be to your Journey? These are just a few questions that should be going through your mind as you think about what path you will take. My plan of choice is Weight Watchers. I find that program to be the best Weight Loss/Healthy Lifestyle program around. I can eat what I want, when I want and the choice is completely mine. There are no limitations on what types of food I can eat. The Points system is one of the easiest to implement and one that I continue to use. I started out on the Original 123 Success Points plan and that is the one I've stuck with. Weight Watchers is great because as the years go by they are always improving their system, whether it is Points, Core or something else. Meanwhile, you are free to use the Program of choice that you are most comfortable with. I have members emailing me about the very old 1972 Weight Watchers Program because that is the one they are most comfortable with. Hey, it works for them but it would never work for me. Choice is a wonderful thing. Isn't it great that we all have a choice? It doesn't matter whether it's Weight Watchers, Calorie Counting or any other program. Investigating what the different weight loss programs offer is a must if you're not sure of the path you want to take. Being informed is your best asset in beginning your Journey. One of the main questions you have to ask yourself when embarking on your Journey is "Are you ready to commit?" You must be ready to commit to your Journey with no exceptions. What does "commitment" mean? It means setting aside time each day to learning your new program and putting it to work for you. It means making realistic goals. It means being ready to make lifestyle changes. It means putting yourself first and knowing that by doing so, you will be a much happier, confident and content person to be around. If you don't like exercise it means working on a more positive attitude about exercising. Most of all it means you are ready to change your life to a healthier one which in turn will give you more energy, more confidence, higher self-esteem and a thinner YOU. Some of the things I've heard over the years have one thing in common - fear of losing weight. Let's look at them. 1. I have no support. Who will be there to support me while I'm on this Journey? We all know that when it comes right down to it we are losing weight for ourselves ~ not for our spouse, children or friends ~ ourselves! If you cannot get the support you need from those close to you, try partnering with others who are trying to lose weight. I love the Weight Watcher meetings because you are with others that are working the same program. There is TOPS which is a great support system for any program you are using. I've heard great reviews of TOPS. 2. I'm too busy to work a program to change my lifestyle. How can I fit this in to my already hectic life? Really? Whose life isn't? Think about this for a minute. We all have busy lives, in one way or another. This is LIFE after all and just as we get to relax a bit something else comes up; at least that's how my life seems to go. If you really want to start this Journey and change your lifestyle then you WILL find the time to do it. It's OUR choice to make the time. 3. I cannot lose the weight. Heavy people "run" in my family; it's in my genes. It is medically proven that genes do have some effect on whether you will be thin or heavy. Along the same lines, it IS possible for you to do something about it. You can boost your metabolism by exercising on a more regular basis. Lifestyle habits, many unhealthy, are probably more the cause of obesity than genetics. 4. Nobody in my family will eat low-fat meals or "diet foods". How will I ever lose weight? You would not believe how many low-fat meals don't even taste like low-fat meals. You can adjust the meals slowly. Don't tell them you're making them low-fat. You will be amazed how easy it really is and isn't it cool that while gaining your healthy lifestyle your family will be too! 5. I've done diets before and I always gain the weight back; this will be no different. Well, isn't that the truth! I've been there and got that tee shirt, many times. I have to tell you, just because it's happened before does not mean it will happen this time. This might just be THE TIME for you to gain that healthy lifestyle and maintain it. This time it WILL BE DIFFERENT - it will be successful, fun and exciting! 6. I'm comfortable with being overweight. I'm healthy and feel good. You and I both know that being overweight is both unhealthy and uncomfortable. Almost all of the ones I know, who are dealing with extra weight, are unhappy with their self-image and have medical issues that might be relieved when weight is lost. It is normal to be afraid of change. No one needs to be afraid of losing weight and embarking on this Journey. It is a win-win deal. You will gain so much from this lifestyle - health, self-esteem, strength, confidence, thinner you and much more. Wait and see. I think Vincent Van Gogh sums it up very well ~ "Courage - What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?" What is considered overweight? The guidelines for what is considered normal weight, overweight and obesity are based on Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is a ratio between height and weight that reflects the proportion of fat to muscle. According to the guidelines, a BMI between 20 and 24.9 is normal. BMIs between 25 and 29.9 are defined as overweight. 30 or over is considered obese. Now that you've made the decision to change your lifestyle and embark on your Journey let's get started. Buy yourself a notebook, which you can use just for you. Write today's date and "Today is the first day of the rest of my life" because it truly is. In fact, I'd write that in big letters so it's the first thing you see when you open your notebook, which you'll use throughout your Journey. One of the things you can include in your notebook is an assessment of how you "see yourself" and what changes you would like to see happen. For instance, when I look in the mirror I see "batwings" on my arms. YUK! I want to change that. I also see my eyes. I actually like those. Nothing to change or improve there. Make this an honest assessment and include the good with the bad. The next thing you can include in your notebook is all the reasons WHY you want to embark on this Journey. For me it was to be thinner, have more self-esteem and confidence and to be healthier. What are yours? Your reasons are just as important as my reasons. Maybe the next thing you can include in your notebook is a photo of you NOW with this in big letters: "Not for a Million Dollars will I quit this Journey!" This is what I always said from Day One of my Journey. I may have had stumbling blocks and side trips but I have NEVER stopped WANTING this Journey! Your notebook will also be a great place to write down the challenges that you might have during your Journey and how you will handle them. Being prepared is the best defense against challenges. Goals are another important part of your notebook. What are your goals? Are they realistic or are they so high you'll never reach them? Write down some realistic goals that you can accomplish. For example, don't say "I want to lose 2 lbs a week". You are setting yourself up for disappointment if you do that. It is better to say, "I want to lose weight every week". You do not have a "number" set in concrete that way. You are a winner no matter how much weight you lose. Make your goals something you CAN achieve but not something that sets you up for disappointment. Along with your goals you should create a page of rewards. I liked to give myself a reward for every 10 lbs. Make the rewards non-food rewards. Some good ideas are a new paperback, new cookbook, scale, nail polish, etc. You get the picture. Okay, how about exercise? Do you like exercise? Do you hate exercise? How will you incorporate it into your new healthy lifestyle? How about writing down all the things you like to do that involve moving your body? Could it be bike riding with the family? How about tossing a Frisbee with the dog? Walking the dog? What about swimming? How about playing softball or bowling on a league? These all involve movement which is important in your new lifestyle. As you can see exercise isn't always about going to the gym, doing the treadmill or elliptical or weight machine - it's about moving your body using whatever method that helps you to do so. Of course, having fun while exercising is an added bonus! My leader always told us to get back to our childhood where we never gave it a second thought to going outside and running about, swinging, swimming and constantly moving. Isn't that the truth? Now that we've talked a bit about starting your Journey, let's talk about recommitting. Recommitting is a great way to get that "newbie" feeling back. What exactly is a "newbie" feeling? Let me tell you all ~ it is a feeling of excitement, adventure and confidence in learning new things to improve ourselves, both mentally and physically. It is that feeling of constantly being energized by everything around us - yes, you see many things in a whole new light. You cannot stop talking about your new lifestyle and all you've learned. You are smiling a lot and wondering why everyone has not started this fantastic Journey of their own. Oh, what a feeling! You will also notice that your "newbie" feeling is contagious and before you know it some of your friends and family have jumped on the bandwagon. Yep, that is the feeling I always want to have! Good luck to you all on your Journey to a healthier, happier, thinner and more confident YOU. You all have it within yourselves to be the best you can be. It's up to you. I'm rooting for you all. Best wishes, Quotes to Lift Your Spirits "I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning." ~~J.B. Priestly "Every new day begins with possibilities. It's up to us to fill it with the things that move us toward progress and peace. " ~~Ronald Reagan "Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense." ~~Ralph Waldo Emerson Come Join the Fun! Do you want some extra support during your Journey? Would you like to have a place you can call "home" and be yourself at? Our Message Board is just the place. It's home to all our Zonie friends who share their Journey experiences and are always willing and ready to offer support, laughs, friendship and My Journey Back to Goal A little about my Journey back to Goal... Program is going well. I am down a pound from where I was on Christmas (and down 42 lbs during my comeback) so I'm a happy camper. My mantra is to "Never give up wanting this Journey". We spent the Christmas Holidays with Al's Mom, Betty. We had a wonderful visit.
Over the Christmas Holidays I fell out of a "routine" on my eating but I stayed pretty close to Program most of the time. I did not get as much water in as I would have liked but I was happy to get the minimum in on most days. My exercise suffered greatly even though I had a treadmill available to me. What was that all about? I did get some exercise walking the mall and shopping at the various stores which had those after-Christmas sales going on. Hey, I was moving so that counts for something! I have ordered a new NordicTrack E500 Strength System which I hope to start using shortly after it arrives. I have all the equipment ~ Dr. Roberta's Exercise Track on my "Enjoying Weight Loss" Hypnosis CD's, treadmill, elliptical and now this system ~ so I have no excuses. As far as listening to my "Enjoying Weight Loss" Hypnosis CD's by Dr. Roberta Temes , I only did it a couple of times while at Moms and when I did, I managed to stay right on track with my Program. Dr. Roberta Temes really is a big help to me on my Journey. She always manages to provide me with a positive attitude and the self-confidence to know I can follow my Program and stay on course. I had my podiatrist appointment on Jan 4th; and yes, I do have plantar fasciitis—no fun, as many of you know. I invested in another pair of good shoes; this time running shoes, and also two more sets of the great insoles I bought previously. My special, supportive slippers should be arriving shortly which I'm going to love as I HATE wearing shoes in the house all day long. I've always been a barefoot kind of lady but I guess that has to end. So sad. ☹ I was put on an anti-inflammatory and told to take it. I hate the side effects of those drugs, and so I didn't take them like I should have with the last one I was given. But with my foot hurting like it is, I will have to bite the bullet this time. Along the lines of health, I am slowly coming off my sleep meds and reducing my other meds. This has helped me tremendously in the sleep area. Let's hope it continues, saying with fingers crossed. I am working on a plan to get a more regular schedule going which will include a good sleeping pattern. I am so lucky with the tools I have to help me continue to be successful on my Journey: my wonderful husband Al; all of my wonderful friends on our Message Board; and a wonderful Weight Watcher program! When I need that extra support on my Journey, I have my Enjoying Weight Loss Hypnosis CDs to return my focus. Believe me, these tools are the key to my continued success and perseverance on Program. If you are interested in learning more about Dr. Roberta’s Enjoying Weight Loss Hypnosis CDs you can read our review at http://www.dwlz.com/hypnosisreview.html. They really are an invaluable tool on my Journey which I continue to use often.
THANK YOU all for your wonderful support. It's always so nice to know we are traveling this road together; that we are never truly alone on this Journey; that there are always helping hands to get us over the hurdle; that a HUG will be waiting when needed and most of all, that we have each other - ALWAYS! Al's Essays on Weight Loss and Maintenance Al has written many in depth essays on Weight Loss and Maintenance and they are now available on the website!
You can find Al's Essays on Weight Loss and Maintenance at: Penny's Low Fat Desserts Do you intend to add some new foods to your healthy lifestyle in 2007? This means gradual positive changes toward healthy eating habits—even when it comes to sweets! Penny, a lifetime member with Weight Watcher's (and lifetime dessert-lover), understands the challenges of staying on plan. Gradual changes toward eating healthier foods can become permanent while old habits that included sugary, fatty foods (and the guilty "aftertaste") can become the exception. Once you get used to enjoying the taste and textures of healthier foods, "trouble foods" probably won't taste the same—a topic in Penny's next newsletter. Thankfully, there are many delicious healthy foods available to us. If you cannot do without desserts (and no one should have to!), you can eat healthy and on plan with Penny's big and delicious muffins and cookies. They are all low in fat, very high in fiber and extremely satisfying. There are 10 flavors each of both cookies and muffins available. Penny's newsletters are short and definitely sweet. To sign up, just click on this link—http://www.PennysLowFatDesserts.com/newsletter.asp Do you want to find out more about these delicious snacks and desserts? You can message direct to Penny on the DWLZ message board: "Foods that keep us OP". Penny's Website: http://www.PennysLowFatDesserts.com/ Penny's email and telephone: Penny@PennysLowFatDesserts.com or call (866)-221-5109 Comic Relief Twas the Month After Christmas & I Ate Too Much 'Twas the month after Christmas, and all through the house Stress Busters to Help You De-Stress Work on developing realistic, meaningful goals. You will keep better balanced if you develop challenging but attainable goals. To help keep you motivated develop interesting and purposeful goals. Learn to travel light by mixing and matching your clothes so you will have less to pack. [This one is hard for me and something that would help me a lot if I could just bring myself to do it. I always OVER PACK!] If you are one who gets stressed out with crowds and long lines try to shop and bank during off hours. Simplify your life as much as possible ~ Cancel the magazines you subscribe to that you never have time to read. [I'm guilty of many magazines laying around waiting for my attention.] Resources Software You Can Use! The Weight Commander is an awesome program for your Journey. I highly recommend it to everyone who is on a Journey of their own. It is a wonderful program to track your progress on any weight loss program you are using. You can read My Review of the Weight Commander or go straight to the source and check out this great software by following this link to Weight Commander. He has many tips and ideas throughout his program which will help you be successful on your Journey.
100 Calorie or Less Snacks Based on averages of the brands available. Don’t forget to always check your nutritional label. DWLZ Cookbooks One and Two Have you ordered your DWLZ Cookbooks yet? These cookbooks are filled with recipes that are Zonies' favorites, dishes that are delicious but on program, with nutritional information listed. This is two books in one package: DWLZ Cookbooks Volumes One and Two. The recipes are easy to make and don't use hard-to-find items. They are together in one PDF file, viewable in your free Acrobat Reader (Version 5 and higher). These make wonderful gifts. Whole Grains for Getting Your Fiber Requirements 25 to 30 grams of fiber is recommended daily by nutritionists. Whole grains are a great source of fiber along with fruits, vegetables and legumes. Here are some whole grains that might fit into your meal plans: ♦ Fiber One Cereal, 1/2 cup ~ 14 g fiber Receive a 1 day shopping pass to Sam’s Club You can still pick up your one day shopping pass to Sam’s Club from Philly Swirl. Go to http://www.phillyswirl.com/aboutus/1day.cfm to get your Free 1 day pass to Sam’s Club. Shop as if you were a member all day and don't forget to stock up on Philly Swirl’s Sugar-Free, Fat-Free Swirl Pops Keep your freezer stocked with these great 10 calorie pops which can be enjoyed anytime throughout the year. If you are interested in learning more about the Philly Swirl products please visit them at http://www.phillyswirl.com/ and drop them a line. They would love to hear from you. Psst...don’t forget to pass the word! We want to see these awesome Sugar-Free, Fat-Free Swirl Pops remain available to all of us on our Journey. Let's take the power we have to make a difference by passing the word about these awesome pops and keeping them available to us in the future. Cobbler Recipe Upside Down Blueberry Cobbler ♦ 1/3 cup canola oil Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix oil, sugar and sour cream together in a medium bowl. Add flour and baking powder. Spray an 8x8 inch casserole dish with the cooking spray. Spread batter in bottom of dish. In a blender or food processor, puree half the blueberries with half the orange juice, then pour into a separate bowl and mix with remaining whole blueberries. Top batter in dish with whole-blueberry mixture. Pour remaining juice on top and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake 25-30 minutes. This is great topped with 1-2 tbsp fat-free whipped topping. Makes 4 servings Per serving (without whipped topping): 254 calories, 10 g fat, 39 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 3 g protein Food Finds While at my mother-in-laws over the Christmas Holiday I discovered the following cereals. I had very limited choices as my mother-in-law lives in the country, quite a distance from a large grocery store. Honey Bunches of Oats is one of the best cereals I've ever had and it's a good source of Whole Grain! ♦ Honey Bunches of Oats Honey Roasted (Post), 3/4 cup Rosso Bruno Tomato What is a Rosso Bruno Tomato? It is a flavorful new hybrid fruit with benefits. This tomato has more vitamin A and twice the amount of fiber than the red varieties. Once this tomato reaches a rich brown color the flavor is at its peak. Once the tomato turns red it is overripe. You can find these at a store listed on Dulcinea.com, and they are about $4.00 per pound. Who Knew... Our Journey is not just about weight loss; it's about constantly learning new things... An unbelievably rude waiter at Oscar's Tavern in New York so unintentionally amused Muppet creator Jim Henson and Sesame Street director Jon Stone that he inspired the creation of Oscar the Grouch. In terms of area, Sitka, Alaska, is the largest city in the United States, yet it can only be reached by boat or plane. [Juneau, Alaska is the second largest in terms of area, and the same is true for it.] The first Ronald McDonald was Today show personality Willard Scott. The three-tone musical chime that identifies NBC is composed of three notes ~ G, E, and C ~ which is short for the company's original (and now current) owner, General Electric Corporation. Resources Smoothie Recipe Cucumber-Honeydew Smoothies ♦ 1 cup chopped honeydew melon, chilled Makes 2 servings 1 serving: 36 calories, 0 g fat, 0 mg chol, 80 mg sodium, 9 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein Organizing Tips ♦ Before filing a piece of paper, ask yourself if you really need to keep it Resources Ways to Cut 100 Calories ♦ Instead of a chocolate bar, savor four chocolate kisses. Awesome Brands, and a Success Story Please stop by Awesome Brands at www.awesomebrands.com, and check out their many products. Jan has a wonderful success story about how she lost over 100 lbs and kept it off. Their website is dedicated to bringing healthy, low calorie snacks to us. Let's try and support an awesome website that helps to support us on this wonderful Journey of ours. Clark Bars are here! They're made by the same company who made the WOW BAR. They recently discontinued the WOW bar but, fortunately, the Clark Bar tastes just like it! If you liked the WOW Bar you will LOVE the Clark Bar even more! 1 bar (.49oz) has 60 calories, 2.5 g fat, 0 g fiber and 3 g carbs. Order some today for those chocolate cravings! Awesome Brands still have "I Eat Carbs" tee shirts for only $5.00! I love mine! Click Here to order yours today! Winter Workouts - Calories Burned Snowshoeing, 3 mph on a packed, flat trail, snow, burns 510 calories an hour. Website Updates By the next newsletter I will have more Restaurant Updates available for you. For now I have updated the Starbucks page at:
All my updates can be found on the Message Board in the DWLZ Website News & Updates forum at:
US restaurant updates can be found at our Restaurants
Canadian restaurant updates can be found at our Canadian Restaurants "When you make a mistake, don't look back at it long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power."~ Hugh White The 2007 DWLZ Conference Sadly we were forced to cancel this year's conference. You can read my message that explains why, and that gives further information for those who planned to attend, by clicking on the following link: It truly does break my heart that we had to cancel the official Conference. Please know that we will still be available that weekend if any of you would like to come out anyway for a visit. Thanks so much for understanding. Goodbye Another visit is coming to a close ~ how fast the time goes when you are having a great time. Until our next visit, always keep in mind you are never alone on this Journey. We are all here with you, right beside you, rooting you on. Take care until next time...
"I cannot relive yesterday and tomorrow isn’t here yet, so I will just deal with today." ~ Dotti Newsletter Sign Up If this newsletter was forwarded to you, you can sign up for it yourself at: Dotti's Newsletter Subscription Page - http://www.dwlz.com/eletter.html Dotti's Weight Loss Zone
And please don't forget to come and visit DWLZ! If you are not already a regular visitor, it is time for you to come and make yourself at home at my web page, where you will find lots of tips on losing weight, and help in picking out good things to eat at your favorite restaurants, while still remaining on program. We have motivation, success stories, and much more. It is a lot like Disneyland: you'll have lots of fun, and you could never see it all in just one day! However, unlike Disneyland, Dotti's [ http://www.dwlz.com ] is open 24 hours a day, every day. Copyright and disclaimer Copyright DWLZ, Inc. - 2006, all rights reserved. This document may be reproduced freely as long as it is always reproduced in its entirety, including this copyright message, and the disclaimer below, and as long as it is always distributed free of charge. Disclaimer - This newsletter is not meant to be a substitute for any professional advice, guidance, or counseling. We are not doctors. Any information contained in this email reflects our own opinions and experiences. It is not intended in any way to serve as or take the place of medical advice from a physician. |
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Dotti 
This shirt is definitely fun to wear and will get you meeting lots of new people!
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