WW (Weight Watchers) Chat #233: Feel More Joy!

WW News July 2021:

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 OPTIONAL FOR THOSE FULLY VACCINATED
- 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

Tuesdays at 6pm with Gwen R

- 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
- 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 #232: Hooray for Happy Meals! I was less than 72 hours away from putting my bottom in a chair again and in case you couldn’t tell…I literally couldn’t be more excited! If you’ve never been to an in person workshop and have an opportunity to go, go. If you ever get a chance to go to one of Gwen’s workshops, GO!

Did you know just adding a little something special to a meal actually MAKES it more special?

Break out Grandma’s china: Even though I hate washing them (ok I don’t hate, just really dislike) real dishes can make the difference between a dine-and-dash situation while you stand at the counter going over your to-do list, and a slow down sit down experience. You may even slow down enough to taste what you’re eating! Something simple like using my favorite “half bowls” adds some fun without taking up much space in your cupboard
Give it a name: Waldorf Salad sounds like so much more fun than yogurt with some fruit. And That Man’s anything gets everyone in my family excited!
Find your colorwheel: I don’t know about you, but a colorful plate just makes me happy. No, I don’t mean the plate (although those can be fun too!) I mean the food! My Taco Tuesday Power Bowl features red, yellow, green, brown, and black to make each food “POP” off the plate…and right into your happy mouth.

Your homework for this week was #MakeHappyMeals. Last week we made Happy Time, this week we are making Happy Meals. No, not the golden arches – something way more happy than that! I set a STAR goal for my happy and healthy meals this week that I hoped would inspire you to do your homework. You checked out my STAR and then made your own…and then typed it, snapped it, however you wanted to share it and then tag me for your next cool badge!

Let’s see how you did!

Carol Lou made happy meals by choosing zero point purple things like brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and potatoes and adding her own home grown herbs – chives, basil, parsley, sage, rosemary and dill. Then she made it extra happy by using WW Pound Dropper’s recipe for a Strawberry Poke Cake that made me happy just looking at it!
Mel found some low carb bread and used it for toast with her scrambled eggs, but…she’s planning a happy meal by using it for a Weggo this week! And y’all know Weggos make ME happy 🙂
Vickie has been using ½ granny smith apple, 2 handfuls of spinach, 4 strawberries, Oikos no sugar yogurt, stevia, and 1 cup of water for a breakfast smoothie. She says it’s yummy AND filling…so that makes her happy!

Bravo, you did it!

This Week’s Topic: Feel More Joy!

According to Dictionary.com the definition of “awe” is

Awe

noun

An overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc., produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful, or the like:
In awe of God; in awe of great political figures.
Archaic. power to inspire fear or reverence.
Obsolete. fear or dread.

verb (used with object), awed, aw·ing.

To inspire with awe.
To influence or restrain by awe.

If you’ve been feeling a little unmotivated to exercise, track, follow the program…or (fill in the blank) ________ you might need to find a little more awe in your day! Finding a little reverence, admiration and being inspired by some awe can bring you more joy. How can you find some awe?

Enjoy the moment: Instead of spending time on your phone or checking email, take a moment to look around and enjoy the moment you’re in – no matter how simple the moment may be
Unplug: We all spend entirely too much time on your phones. Leave your phone in your purse and be present during your day.

Be mindful: Pay attention to the things that go well for you. We’re so quick to focus on things that went wrong, but if we look for the good we’ll find it.
Look around: Enjoy your surroundings and take a moment in your day to look around to see the things you might otherwise miss.

This Week’s Homework: #EnjoyTheAwe

Your homework for this week is #EnjoyTheAwe. Slow down, look around, unplug and find some awe in an otherwise normal activity this week…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 #EnjoyTheAwe 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: The Joy of In Person Workshops!

You all know I’m not a big fan of doing the same thing over and over. That definitely extends to my eating habits. I’m not a huge fan of eating the same leftovers multiple days in a row. I like to change things up and have some variety in my diet.

But last week I focused on a STAR goal and making meals that I could enjoy over multiple days (in multiple ways) to get back into some healthier eating habits. So let’s see how I did!

My STAR goal was to make meals for 4 days and ACTUALLY eat them.

Breakfasts – I started every morning eating yogurt with granola and a hard boiled egg. I added a variety of DAK’s seasonings to the eggs to give them a little extra flavor. And for a little caffeine boost I made cold brew coffee with a Premier Protein shake in place of creamer.

Lunches – You all know I struggle to fit in a lunch break especially on work days. To make my meals easy, I made smoothies with Vital Proteins protein powder in a variety of flavors. They were big and super filling to keep me going throughout the rest of the day.

Dinners – I made a batch of my Chicken Breast Waldorf Salad and honestly I probably made too large a batch. The first night of this goal I didn’t get to stick to my dinner plan but the other three days went as planned and I thoroughly enjoyed my salad.

These four days went so well that I’m going to try it again this week! To get myself started off on the right foot I’m making a big batch of Windstar Karen’s Buffalo Chicken Dip that I’ll enjoy throughout the week. And of course, I need some variety so I serve it in a variety of ways, including: