I hope everyone is staying cool in this hot weather! Please be sure to drink plenty of water and be careful with outdoor exercise.

At the centers we are running a bring a friend promotion. If you bring a friend, and they join, you both receive a backpack type of bag.

I tried a new recipe tonight, a chicken casserole. It was very good and the whole family liked it. I will post it later this week. Below are some favorites I hope you enjoy.

Taco Soup
1 cup = 2 points

1 lb. ground beef (I use turkey)
1 onion chopped
1 16 oz whole kernel corn,undrained
1 16 oz can tomatoes, undrained
1 16 oz can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups water
1 4oz can green chili peppers
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
1 10 oz pkg ranch style salad dressing
3 16 oz cans mexican chili beans, undrained

Brown ground beef, drain grease, add remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.

Chocolate Muffins 24 muffins at 2 pt each

3 cups Kelloggs Extra Fiber All Bran Cereal
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 box low fat brownie mix

Soak cereal in water for 15 min. Add baking powder and brownie mix to cereal/water mixture. Stir until mixed together. Spray muffin tins with vegetable cooking spray. Fill muffin tins about 1/2 full.
Bake 350 degrees about 20 minutes

Hi all,

The following are the "10 Ways to Look Slimmer Now" tips that we talked about this week.

1. Perfect your posture.
Walk/sit with back straight, shoulders relaxed, tummy pulled in

2. Accentuate positive features.
Use clothing styles, color, flattering haircut, manicure, or make-up to
bring attention to assets.

3. Minimize figure/physique challenges.
Avoid added material where weight is heavier. Opt for single-breasted
vs. double-breasted jackets and a-line skirts & flat-front trousers vs.
pleats.

4. Make accessories work for you.
Larger rings, bracelets and watches make hands look smaller. Longer ties elongate torso. Avoid belts that draw attention to waistline. Add pizzazz with scarves, handkerchiefs, shoes, or handbags, while keeping basic wardrobe simple.

5. Lengthen your silhouette.
Shades of one color head-to-toe gives a long, lean line. V-necklines, vertical stripes lengthen. High-heeled/open back shoes lengthen legs.

6. Wear trends that flatter.
Avoid up-to-the-minute clothing styles, if not flattering. Use simpler styles and add trendy items as accents.

7. Choose clothes that fit.
Avoid baggy and too-tight clothing. Try a fit just grazing the body.

8. Wear colors, prints and fabrics that slim.
Solid, darker colors and non-shiny fabrics slim. Since large prints and
shiny fabrics seem to add inches, use sparingly, e.g., as a shirt under a jacket or as small touches.

9. Follow the Good Health Guidelines for water.
Staying hydrated prevents bloat. Carry water with you everywhere!

10. Pose like a celebrity.
With good posture, shoulders rotated 3/4 to the front, slightly-lowered chin. Look into the camera and smile!

Sunday, July 20

This week at our meetings we're talking about 10 ways to look slimmer now. We want to dress slimmer and present ourselves in our best light no matter where we are with our weight loss goals. We'll talk about tips to help us.

Last week we talked about eating patterns and how jotting down when we eat can help up discover patterns about ourselves. Are we structured or unstructured in our eating. Are we physically satisfied with what we're eating? Are we waiting too long to eat then overeating? Do we need to make adjustments?

My husband has a doctor's appointment the end of August so he is back on the bandwagon for WW. It's so much easier when other family members are on board with achieving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Hope to see each of you in the meeting room this week!

Welcome to my blog!

Hey everybody! It's Judy here, I just started my blog. The goal of this blog is to give you weekly updates on WW meeting topics, answers to your questions and provide fun stuff like recipes and tips!

Hope you enjoy!