Debbie's MAY "Food for Thought" 05/21/24 - What we gain from living a healthier lifestyle!

Greetings everyone.

As we remember and honor those who died while serving in the US Military so that we get to enjoy the Freedom and Liberty we have the blessing of each day.

Memorial Day is also the unofficial kick-off to summer, and is a perfect time to check in and see how our progress is measuring up to the goals we set at the beginning of the year.  The days/weeks go by so fast, and we are all so busy it is easy to lose sight of our goals, and get sidetracked. 

May is almost coming to an end and this month we have been focusing on all the things we gain from living a healthier lifestyle.

We kicked off the month getting reconnected with our "WHY", and digging deeper to make sure our WHY is still strong enough and meaningful.

Our "WHY" is the reason that helps us achieve our goals, it's is the reason why we pack a lunch, prep a meal, make an effort, go for a walk, it's the reason that keeps us going, and helps us make better decisions each and every day. Our "WHY" can also change, so revisiting it often keeps us focused, no one can do this for us, so we need a strong reason why we want to do it for ourselves.

Last week we revisited what it is like to eat something we didn't either want or enjoy, and had a good reminder of how outside factors can impact our decision making. The 5 S's are what can influence us, Sight, Smell, Surroundings, Sound, Surprise. Just being aware and seeing how the food fits into our points budget can help us pause, rethink the situation and make a different choice, or totally go for the food we are wanting without feeling guilty.

This week we are getting back to nature. With the lighter mornings, longer daylight hours and warmer weather, many of us are outdoors more and getting more activity, but we have to be aware that we need to keep it exciting otherwise we will get bored and stop.

This week we will be talking about the "AWE walk", and how we can savor our surroundings while still getting in our steps. Taking time to notice and appreciate what's interesting, inspiring or amazing about our surroundings helps us focus our attention and enjoy activity more in the moment, making it more likely that you want to do more. Combining awe and activity is multitasking at its best, energizing both body and mind in ways that can inspire you to move more, find joy in your journey and get closer to your goals.

We will wrap up May next week with reviewing our support network, as not all our Friends and Family members are our cheerleaders, and we know we need a squad to help us be successful.  If you are not surrounded by people that help and support you, it may be time to recalibrate your Family & Friends lists. 

June kicks off our summer season, and we know a new season presents us with a variety of potential obstacles & opportunities. I hope you will join us all month in workshops as we work on a game plan of how you want the next few months to play out and what you'll do to make it happen. Accountability and Action are the winning combination when it comes to achieving our goals, and you get both each week in our workshops.

As always my schedule is below, but as this is the season for many to travel, check out Workshop Finder, and locate a support network near you so you can stay connected to your goals all summer long. Your future self will love you for it.

If you travel and visit a local workshop, snap a picture with the Coach and give them a shout-out on our Workshop group chat.

“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.”

Much love always

Coach Debbie xxx

Here is my Weekly Workshop schedule

​Temple Emanu-El Del Cerro

6299 Capri Drive, San Diego 92120 

Wednesday - 9:30 AM 

Point Loma Assembly Hall

3035 Talbot St, San Diego, CA 92106 

Friday - 9:00 AM  

BONITA - Sweetwater Community Church

5305 Sweetwater Rd, Bonita, CA 91902

Saturday - 8:00 AM 

Saturday - 9:30 AM 

Join me and other members on my Personal Facebook Group Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/552026984828516/

Debbie's APRIL "Food for Thought" 04/01/24 - It's all about FOOD!

Happy April my friends 

Did you know that APRIL is National Food Month!, and one thing I know to be true is every one of us loves food.

In honor of NAtional Food Month, we will be talking food every week this month in our workshops, and this week we kick off with "Recipe Renovation".  You get the floor to swap, share and brag on the recipes that you have lowered the points on, so that this family favorite of yours still makes it to the dinner table, and everyone is happy.

We all know that if the foods and also baked goods we eat excite us, then we have more chance of staying on program for long term.

So what's your most favorite meal?  

What swaps have you made that lowered the points for your recipe?

A little Debbie tip 💡, instead of using oil in a stirfry, I use rice wine vinegar.  Also grilling instead of frying anything saves points, and when I am looking for ideas, I will search by either the cooking method or the protein in our WW app.

How do you find new, exciting and different ways to make mealtime a happy event?

This is our subject lineup for the rest of the month, and it's all about food:

Restaurant Roadmap (Dining Out): From drive-thrus to certain cuisines to local restaurants, brainstorm strategies to make the most of dining out while staying on track. 

Incredible Edibles (Make the Most of your Budget): How to lean on Zero Point Foods to balance higher Points favorites while staying consistent with our goals. 

Add to Cart (Make Grocery Shopping Easier): Share your favorite Budget friendly food finds and where you get them so we can help each other make grocery shopping a little more exciting. 

Mealtime Makeover (Make Healthy Eating Special): Take inspiration from favorite restaurants to strategize how to make healthy eating at home feel special.  It's not just about the candles!!

When we get excited about our food, it makes a big difference to the effort and energy we put into being on program, and as we kick off the 2nd quarter of the year, it's a really good exercise to assess where you are at.

Did you reach a goal you set for the 1st quarter?

If you did, what's the next goal?

If not what needs to be done?

It's been a long wet miserable year so far, and I really do believe the weather can have a big impact on our moods and feelings, food choices, energy levels and even self compassion too, which makes anything harder to do.

But, we cannot use that excuse all the time, acknowledging that it's been tough, allows us to pivot and own it, and then we can do something about it.  For me getting out to the garden and using the grill brings back a different excitement with food, and I cannot wait to fire up the BBQ.

What are you looking forward to?

It's not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It's what we do consistently.

Much love always

Coach Debbie xxx

Here is my Weekly Workshop schedule

​Temple Emanu-El Del Cerro

6299 Capri Drive, San Diego 92120 

Wednesday - 9:30 AM 

Point Loma Assembly Hall

3035 Talbot St, San Diego, CA 92106 

Friday - 9:00 AM  

BONITA - Sweetwater Community Church

5305 Sweetwater Rd, Bonita, CA 91902

Saturday - 8:00 AM 

Saturday - 9:30 AM 

Join me and other members on my Personal Facebook Group Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/552026984828516/

Debbie's Weekly "Food for Thought" 03/20/24 - Spring is finally here!

 Spring Greetings everyone

Apologies for being late again, it totally slipped my mind and didn't get added to my "to-do" list.

Reviewing the blog, I am going to start sending it out monthly, so the next one will be the first week of April, and I continue to announce it on our Facebook group.

I know you guys have a lot to read now that we have our Coach Messages page on our WW app, and this helps to stay in touch daily.  

The feedback also suggests that less than 10% of who has access to the blog actually open and read, and to you all I say Thank you, it makes me happy when you tell me you look forward to it and you read it, which is the reason I compose it.

So let's dive into Spring, I sure am happy to feel warmer and see the sun shining, it's such a mood changer, and it's a start of better things to come.

When you think of Spring, what do you think about?

For me it's about Spring Cleaning, and that is not limited to the home, it's my attitude too and how I am treating myself, like: setting a workout routine I can stick too and feel good about, thinking of different types of meals, and getting away from soups and stews, and adding more veggies and salads.  More fruits and less sweets, and also making sure to hydrate well.

This month our WW monthly theme has been "Seeds of success", and getting new habits in place.

We cannot expect to see change if we don't take time to review our progress.  It's not by chance or luck that we are successful, it takes working at, making changes in our routines, making different choices with food, activity and sleep and believing in ourselves.  We build new habits, which eventually replace the older ones we want to change, they take working on but they do eventually begin to stick, we just need patience and perseverance, just like the seedlings we plant, some will shoot up fast, others take a little longer, and some are non starters.

This week we will be talking about our environments and how they can support us better.  When you have a great week, there is no luck involved, it's because you made some changes, you made the things that normally have a lot of friction, easier so they can fuel your progress.

I hope you are able to join me and my amazing teams at the workshops for the rest of March, and see your success begin to bloom.

Here are a few quotes that I loved for you to anchor too as we celebrate the start of Spring and New Beginnings:

“Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.” ...

“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?”~Vincent Van Gogh

“Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?”~L.M. Montgomery

“Every sunset is an opportunity to reset. Every sunrise begins with new eyes.”~Richie Norton

“Each new day is a blank page in the diary of your life. The secret of success is in turning that diary into the best story you possibly can.”~Douglas Pagels

“Holding on is believing that there’s only a past; letting go is knowing that there’s a future.”–Daphne Rose Kingma

“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.”-JP Morgan

“Forgiveness says you are given another chance to make a new beginning.”-Desmond Tutu

Much love always

Coach Debbie xxx

Here is my Weekly Workshop schedule

​Temple Emanu-El Del Cerro

6299 Capri Drive, San Diego 92120 

Wednesday - 9:30 AM 

Point Loma Assembly Hall

3035 Talbot St, San Diego, CA 92106 

Friday - 9:00 AM  

BONITA - Sweetwater Community Church

5305 Sweetwater Rd, Bonita, CA 91902

Saturday - 8:00 AM 

Saturday - 9:30 AM 

Join me and other members on my Personal Facebook Group Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/552026984828516/

Debbie's Weekly "Food for Thought" 03/11/24 - Sleep routines

Hello my friends

Many apologies for no blog last week, life is busy right now, getting ready to have some major work done on the house, and trying to prepare so it won't be too stressful and disruptive for me, and you know me, thinking and planning ahead as always to make life easier on myself.  Mmm, I wonder where I learnt that skill!!!!

It's amazing really just how impactful our weekly topics and techniques can be in other areas of our lives.

This week's topic "Make Bedtime EZZZ", is near and dear to my heart.  Two years ago we had a similar topic, and I realized that I was not getting enough sleep on a regular basis, so I made that my GOAL, to set boundaries for bedtime, and stick to them, and I have been very true to this technique and still am, and when it is out of my control to go to bed at a set time, I really notice the difference in how I feel, what I eat, my energy levels and also my attitude.

So you may be thinking "How many hours of sleep does an average adult need?" 

Healthy sleep is broadly defined for adults as seven to nine hours of generally uninterrupted (only a few awakenings) sleep each night, with consistent bedtimes and wake times (even on weekends).

I hope you will be able to join me this week and either share how your sleep routine works for you, or learn how to start one of your own.

Sleep can help us stay healthier too, science tells us that getting enough shut-eye can make weight loss easier.

I know all of us are re-starting our sleep routines again this week as we lost an hour, so join me and lets adjust our plans or make new plans together at the workshop.

If you have been away for a while, it's a great time to reset your clocks and make yourself a priority.  You are worth it.

"Take a rest: a field that has rested gives a beautiful crop"

Sweet dreams

We are continuing to sow our seeds for success this month and I can't wait to hear how your seeds are doing.

Much love always

Coach Debbie xxx

Here is my Weekly Workshop schedule

​Temple Emanu-El Del Cerro

6299 Capri Drive, San Diego 92120 

Wednesday - 9:30 AM 

Point Loma Assembly Hall

3035 Talbot St, San Diego, CA 92106 

Friday - 9:00 AM  

BONITA - Sweetwater Community Church

5305 Sweetwater Rd, Bonita, CA 91902

Saturday - 8:00 AM 

Saturday - 9:30 AM 

Join me and other members on my Personal Facebook Group Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/552026984828516/

Debbie's Weekly "Food for Thought" 02/26/24 - Progress check-in!

Happy Monday my friends.

As we get ready to march right into MARCH this week, how are you feeling about your progress this year so far?

Making progress no matter how big or small is "Progress", all steps forward get us further along our journey and closer to our goals.

Take a minute to pause, and think about your journey and progress and ask yourself:

Am I where I expected to be?

Am I 100% committed to a better me?

What has changed this month?

When you reflect on your own journey it gives you the power to make adjustments if needed, or pivot or keep going and doing what works, this keeps the self-love going too.  Not every week is going to be the same, and the weight may stick, but it's the other victories that show the real progress 

And this week we wrap up February with Love Your Wins (Reflect on Non-Scale Victories): The weight loss journey isn’t just about the number on the scale. It’s about all the wins you have along the way. This week we will take a moment to celebrate and appreciate those wins.

How would you measure your success if the scale didn't exist?

For me it's important to make myself a priority at least once a day, be it to make time to relax and unwind, or workout with intention, doing something for my mind or body reminds me why I am still a WW member after 21 years, it's because I am worth the investment.  

Everyone I live with agrees🤣, if I take care of myself, I am a nicer and happier person to be around and they benefit greatly from this too.  It's all about balance, self-care and quality of life.  For me my health is the most important part of my journey, and making sure I eat right, move more, sleep better and stay mentally healthy and acknowledging at least one thing a day that makes me feel successful.

When we acknowledge the Non Scale Victories that we witness daily, it provides insight into the real us, our strength of character will show through, the determination we use to tackle life, shows up in our resilience and determines how we get through sticky situations, the decisions and choices we make to advance our success.

What NSV's have you witnessed this past week?  Make a list of them and bring it to the workshop, so we can celebrate with you.

NSV's really can be miracles' in the making.

I can't wait to see you all as we wrap up February, We have had some great topics this month, here's a quick recap:

Eat Foods You Love (Identity New Food Favorites): Changing what you eat is a lot easier when you love the foods you’re eating. 

Love Yourself (How Would You Treat a Friend?): Treating yourself with love and compassion, the same way you would a friend, can make healthy choices easier. This really can help you change the way you talk to - and think about - yourself. 

Love Your Spaces (Set Up Your Environment ): Love where you live by setting up your spaces in a way that makes healthier choices easier. 

We also launched the pilot of "Messages" last week, which is so amazing, hope you have checked it out, and feel special to be included in this Pilot.  

This is only for members who have the premium membership which includes workshops (in-person and Virtual), as it is designed to be an extension of our weekly meetings, where we can continue to message and support each other throughout the week, and I just love reading how you are all supporting each other.  This is really what makes WW so special, a community of people who care for each other, and this is just the start of community building and investment into our "In Person" workshops.

We are planting roots and soon we will start to see them grow, and I can't wait.

Much love always

Coach Debbie xxx

What are you excited about?  Come and support the workshops this week

Here is my Weekly Workshop schedule

​Temple Emanu-El Del Cerro

6299 Capri Drive, San Diego 92120 

Wednesday - 9:30 AM 

Point Loma Assembly Hall

3035 Talbot St, San Diego, CA 92106 

Friday - 9:00 AM  

BONITA - Sweetwater Community Church

5305 Sweetwater Rd, Bonita, CA 91902

Saturday - 8:00 AM 

Saturday - 9:30 AM 

Join me and other members on my Personal Facebook Group Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/552026984828516/

Debbie's Weekly "Food for Thought" 02/20/24 - This journey is more than just what we eat!

Hello my Friends

February is almost over, so let me ask you, have you been loving yourself more this month?

I know it's tough, but Self-Love, is the secret ingredient to success and happiness, not just on WW, but in all aspects of our lives.  This past week we practiced being our own best friend, and changing how we talk to ourselves, which is important as that negative voice that lives within our head can be so tiresome and consuming, and we are the only ones always listening to it.

This week we will be moving into "Our Spaces", this is not just about the kitchen countertops or fridge, let's expand and think about other spaces in our lives, our car, our bedroom, TV Room, workout space, office etc.  

When we organize our space to support us, it seems as though life is effortless, and everything falls into place easier.

Imagine this, you want to get more sleep, but your bedroom has become the storage area, and just getting to bed is like tackling an assault course, how likely are you to set an earlier bedtime, so you can relax and wind down?

Now imagine the room is free of clutter, your bed is made, and you have soft sheets and bedding, some big snuggle pillows, and a dim light.  Now are you wanting to go to bed earlier, to get cuddles from the pillows, of course you do, there is no friction, and it feels calm and cozy, which will support your goals to sleep better.  

We know that when we sleep better, we do many other things better too.

What space in your home do you want to set up to support you more?

Where will you start?

We will do some Dreamhouse Dreamin` this week and I hope you will be joining us at the workshop (schedule below as always).

Check out this article on how your home space can improve your mental health: https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/ways-to-hack-your-personal-space-for-better-mental-health/

This week we launched our new "MESSAGES" PILOT, and you are all part of it if you live in So-Cal, if not then you will hear more in April when we go live nationally.

If you have the Messages option on your home screen bar on your WW app, jump in and say Hi to everyone. I am popping in and out, but you guys are already showing each other so much love and support, it's so incredible to see.  We all need a Friend, and we get to be everyone's friend here, and share the love.

Introduce yourself, and what workshop you go to.

This will not replace workshops, if anything I believe it will help us all stay in touch more and keep workshop conversations going throughout the week, so we want to be at the workshop more, and more will join us and help us all get back to what we had pre-pandemic, a community that cares fiercely for each other and are there week in and week out to see progress, and share their journey with pride. 

As with any pilot, we will have glitches, so patience while we iron out the kinks, we have a great tech team standing by to help us, and we are all learning as we go.

Just have fun and share the love, and if you find you are getting too many notifications, here is how you get to set them to what you want or not: 

To customize your Notification Settings, in the WW app, tap on Profile> Settings > Notification Settings. 

I can't wait to see you all this week, 

Much love as always

Coach Debbie xxx

“I learned a long time ago the wisest thing I can do is be on my own side.”💖

Here is my Weekly Workshop schedule

​Temple Emanu-El Del Cerro

6299 Capri Drive, San Diego 92120 

Wednesday - 9:30 AM 

Point Loma Assembly Hall

3035 Talbot St, San Diego, CA 92106 

Friday - 9:00 AM  

BONITA - Sweetwater Community Church

5305 Sweetwater Rd, Bonita, CA 91902

Saturday - 8:00 AM 

Saturday - 9:30 AM 

Join me and other members on my Personal Facebook Group Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/552026984828516/

Debbie's Weekly "Food for Thought" 02/12/24 - Self-Compassion

Happy Valentines or Galentines to you all.

I know this is one of those holiday's you either love or hate, but regardless of which one, all have the potential to involve chocolate!, 

You may receive it as a gift, work with it, or buy it half price on the 15th.  So if chocolate is your thing, make sure you have a plan, because after this one day, you still need to "Love yourself".

"Self-Care", has a lot more awareness than it used to, and I believe we are all getting better about taking care of ourselves, for example: getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, eating better, hydrating, and being more mindful.  However Self-care and Self-Compassion are very different from each other, and we tend to ignore the Self-compassion aspect of our journey.

Our topic this week is "LOVE YOURSELF".  I can't wait to see you all at the workshops and share the love with each other.  For insight into this great topic (A new way to respond to setbacks), go to your Connect group and view the posting made on Sunday, which has the link to read more. 

It's so easy to be critical of ourselves when things don't go the way we planned, but just like the superbowl yesterday, both teams gave it their all, they really brought their "A" game, they had heart and dedication and the passion to fight for what they wanted, but there cannot be two winners, but just because one team won, it doesn't mean the other team failed, it was just a result and not a judgement.  It's funny when we put into perspective other events or results, we can easily give grace and compassion, but if you blow your points, skip out on your workout, or forget to track, we become very self-critical and sometimes even cruel and mean to ourselves, so this week we all need to practice more "Self-Compassion".  After all, what would you say to a friend in the same situation?

Be careful what you say to yourself, as YOU ARE LISTENING.

Much love as always

Coach Debbie xxx

I can't wait to see you all this week, 

BELIEVE......... AND THE WEIGHT LOSS WILL FOLLOW 💖

Coach Debbie xxx

Here is my Weekly Workshop schedule

​Temple Emanu-El Del Cerro

6299 Capri Drive, San Diego 92120 

Wednesday - 9:30 AM 

Point Loma Assembly Hall

3035 Talbot St, San Diego, CA 92106 

Friday - 9:00 AM  

BONITA - Sweetwater Community Church

5305 Sweetwater Rd, Bonita, CA 91902

Saturday - 8:00 AM 

Saturday - 9:30 AM 

Join me and other members on my Personal Facebook Group Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/552026984828516/