Today I led my very first WW meeting, and it was a total success!!!!! It was such a rush to be in front of a room of members, and they actually participated! It felt totally natural to be up there, I wasn't nervous, and it just flowed :)
Today's topic was "Tricks NOT Treats" and challenges with Halloween temptation. I decided early on, I wasn't going to do a whole lot of planning. I wanted to go into it casual and carry a natural conversation with the members and it went exactly how I hoped and then some! Minus the part that I closed the meeting 5 minutes early not being aware of the time... oops.
Success! I loved every minute of it, and the feedback from the members afterwards gave me an extra boost of confidence that I needed to top the cake! My next meeting is Tuesday, and I am hoping it will go just as well. After the last 3 months of training, it is finally coming to an end and I can put all of the tools I have learned to good use :)
Friday, October 28, 2011
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Children & Weight Issues
I am warning you, this is can be a controversial issue and I am certainly not one to push my beliefs/feelings on other people but this is a topic that I feel passionate about and well... I want to talk about it. These are MY feelings, and not meant to start a fire of opinions/facts/right/wrong.
I had a weight issue for most of my adult life, and have first hand seen/felt how different people treat you when you are obese. People can be cruel, judgemental, and it feels like the world is against you. As an adult, I could have controlled my actions, been active and prevented myself from gaining weight. I didn't, therefore, I was obese. Children don't always have the tools to make those choices, who's job is it to guide them and help provide a healthy environment? The parents? School? Who? At what point does a parent step in and take matters into their own hands?
I recently had a very emotional conversation with a co-worker who shared with me that her 12 year old daughter has a serious weight problem and has now reached over 250lbs. My heart absolutely broke. The feelings that she must be feeling as an overweight child must be overwhelming. But most importantly, how did she get to that point at 12 years old? What went wrong? Why didn't her parents step in and help her when they noticed she was heavier than the "average" child her age? Are there other reasons that a child can be obese? Hereditary? Metabolism?
As a mother to two young children, it is my job to teach them these tools their entire life. It is my job to keep them healthy, and surround them with a safe environment. It is my job to protect them. As of right now, this is not an issue in my house. But I will be damned if I sit back and watch my children's life fade away day by day without intervening. This topic boggles my mind, it saddens me and I wish there was something I could do to help this little girl gain her life & self confidence back. There is a whole world out there waiting for her, and as an obese woman in today's society unfortunately she will not be treated the same as a woman of "normal" weight.
What resources are available out there for children w/ weight issues?
What resources are available for parents with children w/ weight issues?
I had a weight issue for most of my adult life, and have first hand seen/felt how different people treat you when you are obese. People can be cruel, judgemental, and it feels like the world is against you. As an adult, I could have controlled my actions, been active and prevented myself from gaining weight. I didn't, therefore, I was obese. Children don't always have the tools to make those choices, who's job is it to guide them and help provide a healthy environment? The parents? School? Who? At what point does a parent step in and take matters into their own hands?
I recently had a very emotional conversation with a co-worker who shared with me that her 12 year old daughter has a serious weight problem and has now reached over 250lbs. My heart absolutely broke. The feelings that she must be feeling as an overweight child must be overwhelming. But most importantly, how did she get to that point at 12 years old? What went wrong? Why didn't her parents step in and help her when they noticed she was heavier than the "average" child her age? Are there other reasons that a child can be obese? Hereditary? Metabolism?
As a mother to two young children, it is my job to teach them these tools their entire life. It is my job to keep them healthy, and surround them with a safe environment. It is my job to protect them. As of right now, this is not an issue in my house. But I will be damned if I sit back and watch my children's life fade away day by day without intervening. This topic boggles my mind, it saddens me and I wish there was something I could do to help this little girl gain her life & self confidence back. There is a whole world out there waiting for her, and as an obese woman in today's society unfortunately she will not be treated the same as a woman of "normal" weight.
What resources are available out there for children w/ weight issues?
What resources are available for parents with children w/ weight issues?
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Recipe - Indian Summer Butternut Squash
Last year I found a new love for butternut squash and inspired by a side dish in a Lean Cuisine frozen meal, I made this up and it is my favorite fall side dish! I named it Indian Summer Butternut Squash because of the beautiful fall colors that the dish has. Seemed fitting :) I didn't take any pictures tonight of the recipe, I just didn't think of it...
Indian Summer Butternut Squash
1 - Medium Butternut Squash, peeled and cut in cubes
1 - Onion, chopped
1/3 Cup - Dried Cranberries
2 - Granny Smith Apples, chopped
1/3 Cup - Water
1 Tbsp Cinnamon (or to taste)
1 Tbsp Nutmeg (or to taste)
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Spray glass casserole dish with cooking spray
3. Add prepared ingredients to dish; squash, onion, dried cranberries, apples, and water
4. Mix ingredients well, top with cinnamon & nutmeg to taste - cover casserole dish w/ lid
5. Bake for apprx. 1 hour 15 minutes or until squash is soft
6. Let cool slightly, serve, and enjoy!
Serving Size 3/4 Cup (4 WW PointsPlus per Serving)
Indian Summer Butternut Squash
1 - Medium Butternut Squash, peeled and cut in cubes
1 - Onion, chopped
1/3 Cup - Dried Cranberries
2 - Granny Smith Apples, chopped
1/3 Cup - Water
1 Tbsp Cinnamon (or to taste)
1 Tbsp Nutmeg (or to taste)
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Spray glass casserole dish with cooking spray
3. Add prepared ingredients to dish; squash, onion, dried cranberries, apples, and water
4. Mix ingredients well, top with cinnamon & nutmeg to taste - cover casserole dish w/ lid
5. Bake for apprx. 1 hour 15 minutes or until squash is soft
6. Let cool slightly, serve, and enjoy!
Serving Size 3/4 Cup (4 WW PointsPlus per Serving)
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