Debbie's Weekly "Food for Thought" 10/30/23 - Happy Halloween

 Happy Halloween Everyone

As we launch right into the season of Holiday's Candy, more Social events, and busy work schedules, it very common for our eating patterns to go awry, for us to get cravings and feel totally helpless and stuck on the Candy train for the rest of the year heading towards Doomville!!!.

But, it really does not have to end that way, we can stop the train and take a different mode of transport, we can plan ahead and make allowances, and we can all have success on the scale.

I know this sounds like a haunted tale right now, but all month WW has been preparing us for success for Halloween and throughout the rest of the year too, drawing our attention to Sustainable eating, building meals that keep us strong and energized, understanding our own personal portions and last week we talked about being more aware of our eating habits and this week we will talk  about how to manage cravings.  This is the one you want to get a sneak-peek into now, so go to your WW app, tap on the menu and scroll down to Discover Content and it's the top article.

We all know that eating when we are not hungry is 100% normal, everyone does it, and it is also 100% changeable too, and this week we will practice together a technique I often refer to when emotions hit, known as "Surfing the Urge", this helps us create space between urges to eat and the act of eating which can help us make an intentional choice.

I do hope you will join us at the workshops, we are seeing attendance drop recently and I am keeping my fingers crossed it's just a coincidence and that you will be there to support us all.

I know many of you struggle, even with knowing what to eat and how to work the program, and I want you to know I am no exception.

Full disclosure, I have gained 9.6lb since February, every month it is creeping up, occasionally I get a dip but then it's back climbing ever so slightly, and seeing the number on the scale Sunday really knocked me off my feet, I felt defeated, doomed, and out of control.  

I have been tracking everything and honestly, but I have been more tired, my workouts have been more of a struggle, and I have been having more joint pain, the shock of the number on the scale this week really gave me a wake up call, so I started reflecting back on what I was eating, doing and feeling when I was at my happiest weight, and I found out a few things about myself.

I have added Cookies as a food group, instead of 2-4 Maria's a day, these crept up to 8, and I also added a minimum of 2 of my UK Digestive cookies a day, combined these equaled a total of 9 points.

I know we can eat the things we enjoy and track them, but I also paid attention to our topic last week that said it's okay to incorporate these foods once or twice a week, not 7 days a week like I was doing.  These were becoming a meal, and because they are a lot of points, my food choices got compromised, zero point foods were okay, but limiting dairy, unsaturated fats, wholegrains' etc. I was not getting enough nutrition, and adding the cookies created a gateway to more sugary foods, Pan Dulce and more fruits, consequently my joints started hurting more, my exercise intensity lessened, and I have been feeling so tired.

Another thing I noticed was my change in lifestyle, my hours got greatly reduced, meaning more time at home, and with a much smaller income, staying home more seemed a good thing, until I was starting to not want to leave the house unless I had to for work or groceries.

All these changes have really thrown me off balance, I started feeling low in my moral again, sad more frequently, and very low on energy, and thoughts started to get compulsive about food again and trying to work out more and more, all with no results.

Breakthrough came Sunday when I felt as though I had reached my max and had no choice about making some changes.

So what am I doing:

Tracking 100% honestly

Thinking about the day once at the beginning, setting my menu plan and sticking to it.

No Cookies right now, these need to take a break and eventually become a treat again and not a regular.

Planning my workouts for the whole week, including a day of rest, and this gives me balance and variety, and adding in 10-20 minutes, twice a week of strength training with weights so I don't lose any more muscle mass.

Changing what I listen to, and I found a WW related Podcast on Spotify, it's called "beyond the scale", and it is very insightful, for many reasons, Firstly as your Coach I need to be educated to support you all, but also as a former obese member obsessed with sugar, I need to be kind to myself and really understand the disease I had/have, and how I still have obese tendencies and thoughts, and learning to live with them and how to take control.

We all know that 90% of our journey happens in our minds, and this is so true.

If I was not a Coach and regularly reading all of our WW material, and having the privilege of sharing it with you at our weekly workshops, this would be the time on my journey that I would get back to the workshops as a member and really immerse myself again and create hunger for success again and feed weekly in the company of my like minded peers.

I will for the month of November be a fully committed member and I will let you know my progress as I go each week, and know that at each workshop I take away so much from you guys too, so this is a two way journey and I love that I get to share this with you all, and that you all make me feel safe to be truthful and vulnerable too.

I look forward to seeing you all, have a Happy Halloween, and just be mindful, and know you are worth it.

Here are a couple of links to get familiar with how much sugar is in the Candy: 

https://www.insider.com/halloween-candy-how-much-sugar-2019-9

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/30/heres-how-much-sugar-is-in-the-10-most-popular-halloween-candies.html

*The AHA suggests a stricter added-sugar limit of no more than 100 calories per day (about 6 teaspoons or 24 grams) for most adult women and no more than 150 calories per day (about 9 teaspoons or 36 grams of sugar) for most men.

I can't wait to catch up with everyone this week.

Much love as always

Coach Debbie xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

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" 10/23/23 - "Eating Patterns"

Greetings everyone and Happy Monday 

As I look out the window right now, I see the grey clouds, the soft drizzle of rain, and it feels a lot like "FALL".

We are finally getting a break from the sun and the heat, even though I do love the sun and being outdoors during the summer, but there is a slight anticipation that we will soon have sweater weather here in San Diego, and I am really looking forward to some snuggles again.

Last week I had my share of sun on our vacation, I loved relaxing around the pool, reading my books, and just resting my body & mind for the week, and giving myself a much needed recharge, it's amazing when we are still and relaxed how our thoughts change.

My thoughts were drifting to the Holidays, and a startling reality that as of today we have only 8 days until Halloween, 31 days until Thanksgiving and 63 days until Christmas day.

Knowing the holidays are coming helps me plan ahead, I could bury my head in the sand but that will not help me on my journey and keep me on track, this year we will be in the UK with Family with different weather, environments, and of course foods, so checking in with my eating patterns and intentions will be essential for me so I don't over do it.

This preparation has already started for us all with the weekly topics WW has given us for this month.  They have designed these to help us pause and see where we are at, notice our habits and also identify what works for us.

Last week we talked about eating for strength, adding more protein and calcium based foods, as these will make us stronger.

This week we will be digging into our 'Eating Patterns".

There are no “right” or “wrong” patterns of eating.  

Eating patterns are highly individual - there is no right or wrong, just what works for you and what you can stick to.

A sustainable pattern of eating is not “perfect.”  

A sustainable pattern of eating allows you to include the foods that matter the most to you and on WW, all foods are on the menu. Being on the WW program helps nudge us all towards a healthier pattern of eating.

While away last week, I really paid attention to my eating routine, as I felt I was getting a bit too regimented and found myself eating more in quantity too, regardless if I was hungry or not, and this really helped me to not overindulge, and to review my habits while in an all-inclusive resort.  

Now that I am home and getting back into a routine, it is helping me tweak some areas to have a better eating pattern, which also includes better for me content too, including what I am eating and when, and planning ahead to try new recipes and meal ideas, thanks to the newly updated "What to Eat" section on out WW app.  If you have not seen it yet, do check it out, tap on the Chefs hat icon at the bottom of your screen, and enjoy.

Yesterday I made a Sheet-pan veggie frittata for our breakfasts and today I am making a Cream of Mushroom soup, and I have a few new recipes lined up for the rest of the week.

Share your recipes and meal ideas with us all on our Connect groups or my facebook group, link below.

I do hope you will join us this week, it's so important with the Holidays so close, to be consistent in attending.

Also remember to RSVP too, this is more than just a commitment to attend, it adds your profile to our attendee list so it's easier to check you in and also in the case of an emergency and we need to contact you, we can, if you don't RSVP we have no way of knowing how to contact you now as we have no access to your contact information to let you know.

Attendance is also being monitored to see if it's viable to add more workshops, so if our attendance drops, our chances of adding more workshops also drops.  And like you I am really advocating for more workshops for you all 💗

Can't wait to catch up with everyone this week.

Much love as always

Coach Debbie xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

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" 10/09/23 - What works for YOU?

Good morning everyone

I am back after a week of celebrations and fun with my Sister and Brother-in-Law, who flew in from the UK to celebrate with us for our anniversary week.  It was a week of surprises, unplanned events, a disruption to my workout routine and my sleep, but it was worth every single minute, just to have quality family time.  Living here with all my family in the UK can get lonely at times, and this visit really filled my cup.

Part of our WW program, encourages us to be healthy and happy, to eat the foods we love, enjoy them and also stay mindful at the same time, and this is what I did this past week, I tracked it all, and knew day to day that it was very different, but just staying mindful kept me in line, I didn't overdo anything, however I had more sugar and alcohol last week than I had in a very long time, and I also had more upset stomachs too!!!!.

I love that our monthly theme this October is all about our "Eating Patterns and Habits", it's a great time to get back to the real basics, What, When, How Much, How Often, and Portions.

Last week we talked about being aware of our eating patterns, not just when we eat, but why and how much.

This week we will talk about "Finding the Right-for-you portion size".  Portions are personal, what is enough for one person may not be enough for another, so we all need to determine what is the right amount for us.  This is determined by multiple things to consider, such as: what amount leaves us feeling satisfied, and how will it fit into our budget.

A serving size is VERY different from a Portion size.  To get the nutritional data of food, WW uses the data that is set by the FDA for packaging, this is always a suggested serving size, it is not telling us it is what we need to have, we get to decide that based on how it works within our budget.  Based on the data that determines a suggested serving size, we use this to calculate the points, and then we can determine individually if we need more or less or if this amount works for us, both in satiety and within our budget.

Have you been paying attention to the labels?

Are you measuring and or weighing your foods?

How do you know what portion is right for you?

I can't wait to hear how you figure this out.

I will be on vacation from 10/12 to 10/20, so next week there will be no blog, but I will try to connect via our Facebook group when I have internet access.  You can join us on Facebook using the link at the end of this page.

I know you all want to see results, and you want to make progress too, and I know that you all can do it, just get back to basics of the program, become a new member again, plan meals, get the groceries you need, put in a little effort, because you are worth it, and you deserve it.  

• “If you want to fly, give up everything that weighs you down.” ―Buddha.

Much love as always

Coach Debbie xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

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" 09/26/23 - "F.O.M.O or J.O.M.O?"

 Hello my friends

As we wrap up our month of "Reflect & Refresh" techniques, what have you given more thought to lately?

For me I have been trying to put me back into my day to day routine and trying to figure out why I have been gaining and not losing!.

To do this I really reflected on my early weeks as a WW member, yes the points were different, and it was over 20 years ago, but the one takeaway I had was, regardless of what plan we are on, when something works it works, so I dug deeper, and asked myself: what did I do that worked for me?.

It really was simple, I planned what I ate, I thought about it ahead of time, and I was eating more veggies, proteins and fiber based foods!.  What an epiphany that turned out to be. 

I was very routine in adding a veggie to every lunch and dinner, be it just lettuce in a sandwich, or a side of steamed broccoli with a microwave dinner, it was all about bulking up the meal with the fiber, which kept me fuller longer, I remember I used to feel so sleepy once I ate, and was full for hours, which helped me to stop night snacking and also I planned an afternoon snack, sometimes I didn't want it or need it, if I drank enough and stuck to my plan.  

I was very mindful of the sugar snacks, and conscious of the grams of sugar I had each day, and tried to stay within the recommended 24 grams a day, (and 36 grams a day for men, based on the AHH guidelines).  When we pay attention to all our labels, sugar is in everything and it adds up really fast.

So this week I wrote out my meal plan, just putting it on paper made me more conscious, and I tracked in the app at meal times, I started planning my cookies and not free feeding with them, and I also got onto a Virtual Workshop, ☝.  What was hilarious was the group were talking about the benefits of tracking, and one said, it keeps us accountable and we have to budget and be honest, of course we do, thought me, and realized that I had popped the lid off of my cookie tub, and was dunkin cookies into my tea as I was watching it, WOW, that was a really big wake up call, and I quickly closed it and put it back in the pantry and closed the door.

I discovered quite a lot about myself this month and it has helped me adjust and think more positively instead of getting all upset and frustrated.

This week we will be wrapping up September Embracing "NO"! 

When we say "NO" to something, we get an opportunity to say "YES" to something better, or more worthwhile, so this week be prepared to take notes, bring a pen or your phone to take notes on, as we will discover, how we can turn "F.O.M.O" (fear of missing out) into "J.O.M.O", (joy of missing out).

What have you said "NO" to that allowed you to "YES" to something more beneficial to yourself?

I hope you all say "NO" to hitting that snooze button this week, and instead say "YES" to making it to our morning workshops, where you know you don't want to miss out on anything.

Have an amazing on plan week everyone, I really look forward to seeing you all.

Remember: You Matter, You are Important, and You are loved 💖.

Much love as always

Coach Debbie xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

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" 09/18/23 - "Time to Reflect and Refresh"

Good morning everyone

I hope you are enjoying the Fall like weather that we have right now, yes it's a bit grey, but how good does it feel!!  but what's even better is we know it's only going to last a short while and the sun will be back before the end of the week.

Don't you wish you could look forward on your weight loss like that and know for certain it will happen?  If only we could predict how and when we will lose weight, life would be so much easier.

Alas, it does not work that way, but when we know what works for us, and really tap into our "WHY", which is the real reason for wanting to be being a better version of ourselves, then we can set ourselves up for success.

My WHY is to keep heart healthy and not become a statistic of my family history, of which most have either died of had some heart problems before the age of 60.  To do this I have to eat healthy, avoid the processed foods and saturated fats, keep active, and sleep well.  

This has become my way of life, and activity is always a priority, even after all these years, every day I could talk myself out of it, but my WHY keeps me motivated, I want my body to feel good, because when it feels good, I do much better.

This month in our workshops we have been focusing on reflecting and refreshing, knowing what works for us.  When we look back and see how far we have coasted away from the core behaviors that help and support us, then we can start to reel ourselves back in and get ready for success.  

This week we will officially start our Fall season, so are you ready to "FALL BACK" into those good habits again?  

If yes, what is your first step?

This is important as we build on this first step. for me, changing the decor at home to more Fall colors makes me aware of the season.  Clearing out the pantry, fridge and freezer makes me aware of what I have in stock and helps me plan meals better using these core ingredients, like: beans, tomatoes, spices etc., and seeing all the Fall veggies is inspiring me to make more sheet pan roast veg trays, and slow cooker meals too using the root veggies again.

Do you know where you are going to set your starting point?

This week in our workshops we will be talking about "How to refresh your Kitchen".  Our kitchens are the heart of all our homes, and it's the easiest place to provide us the support we need, but also the easiest place to derail us to.  How do you want your Kitchen space to support you? 

Go to one of our Connect groups on your WW app and read the Facts for this week and also the weekly technique.

Need help connecting to our Connect group, we can help you at the workshop.

So are you ready to get back to basics, kickstart weight loss and build on self happiness?, then be sure to join us in person at the workshops this week, you can use "Find a Workshop" on your ww app menu to find one if you are not able to attend ours, or see my schedule below so you know where I will be each week.  

I look forward to seeing you all.

Happy FALL!  

Much love as always

Coach Debbie xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

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" 09/12/23 - Reflecting on what's going well!

 Hello my dear friends, 

This has been a really tough week for me, now that I am getting back into a regular routine after a busy August with the family here I have too much thinking time, and the grief of losing my beautiful boy "Beau" has hit me really hard, I have been falling apart without any warnings, and then his Urn arrived yesterday, and I was a blubbering mess. 

This week's topic has helped me to try to reflect on the good times, the memories and moments that we did have, and slowly day by day I am healing.  I am so grateful that I got to be his Mum, and give him 6 years of unconditional love, he truly was my Favorite Hello and my hardest Goodbye..

This week in our workshops we will be talking about reflecting on what's going well, and I will introduce you to the "3 Good Things" technique.  

You can check it out on the WW app on our Connect group.

When we practice Gratitude by focusing on the good things in our lives, it helps us maintain a positive approach to each and every day, and this helps us overcome hurdles and keep up the good habits which we know will get us closer to our goals.

It's not always easy to identify "3 Good Things",  so we will start with the small things we are grateful for.  Right now and in this moment I am grateful for the fan above me, that is keeping me cool 😉

I am so grateful to every one of you for being part of our WW world, and attending our workshops, as this allows me to do the job I love to do, and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for all of you.  You all fill my heart with Gratitude each and every week 💖.

I am forever grateful to WW too, for not just helping me lose weight and keep it off, but for guiding me through lots of change, personal growth and new found confidence.

What WW taught me in my early years on program was that I was worthy of happiness and personal success, that I could change, and how it was important to be grateful for all the little steps that happened along the way, these are the NSV's, (non scale victories), and with every challenge, cames an opportunity to create something good and lasting.

I look forward to filling our rooms with gratitude this week, and I can't wait to see you all.

Much love as always

Coach Debbie xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

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" 09/04/23 - All good things come to an end?

Happy Labor Day my friends, 

I hope you are taking today to do something wonderful for you and your loved ones.

I am sorry I didn't get to blog last week, I tried but it just didn't happen, so much to do, and so little time to do it all!.

The family left last Tuesday evening and are now safely back in the UK, they are falling back into their routines and getting over the jetlag, and today the kids went back at school.

Our younger Grandson started secondary school today, so the start of a new beginning for him, and Mum & Dad only have one school run now instead of two, which is a positive change.

We are all normally sobbing at the airport as we don't always know when we will see each other again, but this year we plan on going in December to see them, so goodbyes were more of a "See you soon" instead.

All of these events involve a lot of changes, and it's amazing how we adapt, and fall into new routines.

As we celebrate the unofficial end of summer, we will all find ourselves falling into new routines, it's not really all good things coming to an end, it's more like time to start a new chapter, which gives us an opportunity to reflect and review the past, and on WW this is what we have been working on all of August.  What takeaways do you have from your summer on WW this year?

It was a tough one for me, I know food wise it is hard and I make allowances like not expecting to lose weight but more to stay consistent with my workout and eating routines, and this always helps, but when the unplanned happens things do get rough, and I know you all know how that can feel.

What is more important here is that we take a positive approach as we begin a new season, wipe the slate clean and time to forward plan.

What Goals do you have? - Write them down, share them with family & friends and WW too, it will create accountability to keep you focused.

When was the last time you visited your "WHY"? - Is your WHY still relevant, maybe that event you was aiming for has passed, think of why you want to get healthier, and remember to dig deeper for the real core reason.

Do you find your schedule more hectic now? - If your schedule is changing, now more than ever lean into the program, use the tools to meal plan and prep, we all know a little planning can help us save time during the week, it's an investment that you will always benefit from.

Remember any GOAL without a PLAN is just a WISH!!!!

As always here at WW, we know that a new season brings changes, so we have you covered.  

This month our Theme is centered around helping you all with techniques to get you reinvigorated as you settle back into regular routines and gear up for the fall. 

This week we will be working on how to Boost our Mood with Activity!

I hope when you review your schedule you will keep your WW workshop as a top priority for yourself, so that together we can all have a great Fall season, and really settle into routines before the Holidays start.

We have 2 short months to get into new habits and routines that will help us navigate and prepare for the holidays, so it's no surprise that you will start seeing the fall flavors in store now, so plan for them too.

Yes you can have your Latte and enjoy it, but like everything, in moderation!😜

I can't wait to see you all this week, all our workshops saw a great jump in attendance last week, this makes me so happy, as when we see growth in attendance, we can plan to add more workshops, as without all of you we wouldn't have any, and for that I am forever grateful for your support and loyalty.

Much love always

Coach Debbie xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

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/