WW (Weight Watchers) Chat #230: Feel in Control Even When You’re Not

WW News July 2021:

No WW Zoom with Gwen today while they celebrate…and Happy July 4th Everyone!
KNOXVILLE GIRLS! IN PERSON Workshops are changing rapidly, currently you can attend any of these (keep checking Connect for W Knox, Thompson Lane and Franklin to stay up to date for middle and east TN). Please note: MASKS ARE STILL REQUIRED
- Central Baptist of Fountain City Church (Knoxville)
  - Mondays at 5:30pm with Gwen R
- Beaver Creek Cumberland Prespyterian Church (Powell)
  - Tuesdays at 9:30am with Gwen R
- Community Studio at Beaver Dam Baptist Church (Halls) (please note: fees must be paid up front in 12 week series)
  - Mondays at 5pm with Kristye G
- WW Studio Kingston Pike (Knoxville)
  - Mondays at 12:15pm with Gwen R
  - Thursdays at 9:30am with Sandi P
  - Thursdays at 12:15pm with Sandi P
  - Saturdays at 8am with Sheryl M
  - Saturdays at 9:30am with Sheryl M
- Community Studio at Fairview Elementary (Heiskell) (please note: fees must be paid up front in 12 week series)
  - Thursdays at 5pm with Kristye G
- Maryville Church of Christ (Maryville)
  - Saturdays at 8am with Sandi P
- First Cumberland Presbyterian Church (Oak Ridge)
  - Tuesdays at 5:30pm with Kristye G
- American Legion Post 104 (Sevierville)
  - Mondays at 5:30pm with Sheryl M
  - Tuesdays at 9:30am with Sheryl M
- Community Studio at Pigeon Forge Community Center (Pigeon Forge) (please note: fees must be paid up front in 12 week series)
  - Tuesdays with Sheryl M
- Central United Methodist Church (Lenoir City)
  - Mondays at 5:30pm with Sandra P
Wellness Check-Ins (no workshop, just check in)
- Cedar Bluff Main Location (9208 Kingston Pike)
  - Thursdays 10am – 11:30am as of April 22
  - Saturdays 9am – 11am
- Powell( Beaver Creek Cumberland Church)
  - Tuesdays 8:30am – 9:30am
- Maryville (Maryville Church of Christ)
  - Saturdays 8am – 10am
To find a wellness check in: Go to WW → Connect → and find the Kingston Pike – W Knoxville, TN group for more info. You can also join me on Sunday afternoons at 2:30pm eastern in this same virtual workshop with hostess Gwen, my fave WW’er and the inspiration for the name of our group If You Have an Egg! East TN Lifetime Members who were in good standing when COVID started have had their membership extended again until the end of June 2021. You will need to attend a Wellness Workshop during the month of June to continue those privileges.
The month’s theme is “Finding Joy” and focuses on reminding us how some “feel-good fuel” can help with our weight loss and well journey!

Last week during Chat #229: Create a Bedroom Oasis, we discovered that sleeping alone with black out curtains, swaying in a hammock surrounded by the soothing sounds and smells of ocean waves isn’t just unrealistic for most of us, it’s not even perfect sleeping conditions for all of us.

So what do YOU need for the perfect bedroom oasis:

Darkness: Not everyone can sleep in a totally dark room but try to turn all blue lights off, put the nightlight out in the hall in case you need it, and if you like more dark but your partner doesn’t try a comfortable eye mask (maybe sprinkle the eye mask with a little lavender for added relaxation!)
Quiet: Do you fall asleep easier with the tv or radio on? It may help to get you to sleep but not to help you stay asleep. Try a tv or radio with a timer to auto shut off after 30 minutes or so.
Smells: You’re going to think I’m crazy but I LOVE the smell of Vick’s Vaporub. If I’m having trouble sleeping I’ll rub just a little under my nose and *zonk* lights out. Diffusing lavender or other calming essential oils can also help.
Temp check: This one is a great debate at our house. Recommendations are between 60 and 67 but John would literally have to sleep in all his clothes. We settle for 70 and I use a fan. The fan also doubles as a noise reducer for outside (loft) noise.
Pillow fight: If you find yourself tossing and turning it may be time to get a pillow designed for your sleep habits like back, side, or tummy sleeper.
Decorate for success: I know that sounds weird but if you have to take 67 pillows off the bed before you can even climb in and then stare at a picture of your mother in law on the bedside table you may need to rethink your decor. The last thing your eyeballs (and brain) should see before lights out should soothe and relax you, not make you feel like you want to get up and salsa.

Your homework for last week’s chat was #Bedroom Oasis. Change ONE thing about your bedroom and see if it helps you fall or stay asleep. How did that make you feel?…and then type it, snap it, however you want to share it and then tag me for your next cool badge!

Let’s see how you did!

Sandi G has a pillow speaker and listens to the radio for 90 minutes. She hits reset when she has to get up to potty and finds it’s so relaxing!
Mary Ann is one of the gals who just doesn’t sleep much. She always keeps her TV on low with a timer to go off to help her get to sleep. The one thing she changed this week was to try and be in bed a little earlier than normal…she will take any sleep she can get!
Marlene said this week’s chat was made just for her! She hasn’t been getting much sleep lately so she made a couple of small changes like leaving her phone in another room, setting a bedtime for each night, and lowering the temperature a few degrees. And guess what? She got 7 hours of sleep the first night and almost 8 hours the second night! She had more energy the next day and is considering these small changes a big success!

Bravo, you did it!

This Week’s Topic: Feeling In Control Even When You’re Not

If you haven’t seen Frozen II, do yourself a favor and watch it one time even if you don’t have small kids/grandkids. It’s worth sitting through once to hear all of the deep (and some dark), poignant lines from the most beloved character, Olaf. Of course the 80’s love ballad from Kristof will leave you regretting your Farrah Fawcet hairdo and blue eyeshadow if you are my age.

The town is falling apart (literally) after the enchanted Elsa summons earth, wind, fire, and water from their sleeping place. Everyone including the trolls have just been jolted from peaceful sleep and have gathered to some small patch of land that seems to be the only place unaffected by what’s going on. While everyone else is near panic and not doing much other than handing out blankets (they seem to do that alot) Olaf is letting a group of Arendell children stick icy snowflakes in his chin and head. When the ever naive Anna asks what they are doing, Olaf calmly says “we’re calling this controlling what you can when things feel out of control”.

Wow.

How many times have you been in a food situation and thought “great, I have no control over this. No one asked me. No oe cares if I’m trying to lose weight (feel better, get my blood pressure under control, etc). So I guess I’ll just flip my wagon over, set it on fire, and wait to see what happens”?

Ok…so you can’t control THAT, what can you do?

Recognize: deep breath, take two seconds and identify what you can’t control
Refocus: quickly look around and find a thing or two you CAN control
Redirect: find a way you can influence one of those things and do it!

This Week’s Homework: #ChannelYourSnowman

Your homework for this week is #ChannelYourSnowman. Think of a recent time you felt out of control and decide what you could have done to Recognize, Refocus, and Redirect the situation. If you write it down you are twice as likely to use it next time…and then type it, snap it, however you want to share it and then tag me for your next cool badge!

Don’t forget to do your homework #ChannelYourSnowman and tag me when you share on social media!

Instagram tag @ifyouhaveanegg
Facebook Page tag @ifyouhaveanegg
Facebook Group tag @Kelly Green Milligan
WW Connect tag @ifyouhaveanegg

Extra Credit: Caprese Time!

One of the ways I’m going to make sure I stay in control this week is by preparing a couple of delicious recipes with some tomatoes I’ve harvested from my garden.

We’ll start with a simple caprese sandwich.I start by spraying a few Jospeh’s Lavash Mini Pita (or your favorite low-point bread) with oil – Evo Sprayers are great for this – and placing them in the basket of my Simple Living Products air fryer. I top each one with a few sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and Dak’s Italian Blast seasoning. Air fry these on 360 for about 8 minutes, top with basil and a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette, and you’re on your way to a great meal!

And then for another option, we’re making a super simple Caprese Pasta Salad!