Recipe of the Month

Pineapple-Chicken Packets

1/3 c pineapple preserves
2 T packed brown sugar
1 T soy sauce
¼ t crushed red pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 2” cubes (1 pound)
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2” cubes
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1 ½” cubes
1 c pineapple chunks
¼ t salt

Heat gas or charcoal grill. In small bowl, stir together pineapple preserves, brown sugar, soy sauce and crushed red pepper.
Cut 4 (24 X 12”) sheets of heavy-duty foil. Divide chicken bell peppers, pineapple chunks, and pineapple preserves mixture among foil sheets. Sprinkle with salt. Bring up 2 sides of foil so edges meet. Seal edges, making tight 1/2” fold; fold again, allowing space for heat circulation and expansion. Fold other sides to seal.
Place packets on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 6 minutes. Using tongs, carefully turn packets over, taking care not to puncture foil. Cook 10-12 minutes longer until chicken is no longer pink in center and vegetables are crisp tender.

Nutrition Information – Serves 4 – Each serving provides 300 calories (35 calories from fat) 4 g fat, 26 g protein, 38 g carbohydrate.

Could reduce calories and carbohydrate further by substitute Splenda Brown Sugar (would save 7 g CHO and 28 calories per serving.)

Source:www.eatbetteramerican.com

Summer FUN ideas:

Fish, Camp, Hike, Float, Swim, Wade, Walk, Run, Bike, Explore, Plant, Grow, Mow, Race, Play Ball, Jump, Clean, Swing, Slide, Throw, Shop, Garden, Jog, Sprint, Wander, Gander, Travel, Escape, Hide, Games, Adventure, Visit, Reunion, Share, Enjoy, Climb, Collect, Geo-Cache, Stroll, Frisbee, Golf, Bat, Catch, Sprinklers, Slip-n-Slide, Pool, Celebrate!

Successful Tour

We had so much fun at Support Group! We met at Smith's Food King for a grocery store tour/scavenger hunt. Here are some of our faorite fabulous finds:

1. Kroeger Carb Master Yogurt - 80 calories, only 4 g carbohydrates and 12 g protein and just 40 cents! We taste tested the vanilla and found it yummy! Beat that!

2. Orowheat Sandwich Thins - 100 calories, 5 g fiber and 5 g protein. These delicious thin buns come in whole wheat and multi-grain varieties. The texture (dense and thin) tends to work well for band patients.

3. Torani Sugar Free Syrups - 0 calories. For more than flavoring coffees, try the hazelnut, the almond, or the raspberry in oatmeal!

4. Ocean Spray White Cran Peach or Cran Pomegranite drink mixes - 5 calories. Lynae recommends using 1 pkt per about 24 oz of water rather than the 17.5 oz per package directions.

5. Sobe Lifewater - Kiwi Strawberry Lemonade flavor in particular. You will have to go to Target to taste this limited time new flavor, then you can log on to face book and vote to keep it!

6. Pouches of tuna or salmon - no draining - ready to eat!

7. Almond Breeze Original - just 40 calories per 8 oz (less than half the calories from skim milk.) Try cooking your oatmeal in Almond Breeze - very tasty! However, remember it is not the protein equivalent (just 1 g protein rather than the 8 g in skim milk.)

8. Ballpark All White Meat Turkey Hot Dogs - just 40 calories and 0 g fat - and taste great besides those impressive stats.

What a fun group! I think everybody went home with some new ideas and inspiration and most of us went home with a grocery bag! Looking forward to next month already - June 24th - Special Guest Speaker!div>

May Recipe of the Month

Stuffed Cabbage
Low Carb, Low Fat, Big Flavor

So you want to know how something that’s low carb AND low fat can be so tasty? Trust, me, this recipe is a keeper. I took the idea of using chopped cauliflower from Blane Jelus, (Blane’s low carb kitchen) and applied it to my own stuffed cabbage recipe. This recipe takes a little time and effort, but it is worth it. Make it for company or make it for yourself and freeze portions for many future special meals.

1 head green cabbage (about 2 pounds)
1 ½ pounds ground turkey
½ cup onion, minced
1 cup Egg Beaters egg substitute
½ cup tomato sauce
2 cups chopped raw cauliflower
1 Tablespoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

For the Sauce:
1 – 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon brown sugar
½ cup water

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. 2. Core head of cabbage with a sharp knife.
3. Place head of cabbage in a pot of boiling water (enough water to cover cabbage.)
4. As the leaves begin to soft, pull them off and return head to water.
5. Cut the large thick vein off the back of each leaf in a deep V pattern.
6. Mix together the next ten ingredients.
7. Place just enough meat mixture on the cabbage leaves so that you can roll up without squishing out the sides. Work from the thickest side towards you, fold over the meat, then fold the sides in and finish rolling away from you.
8. Place in a glass baking dish, seam side down. Finish stuffing all cabbage leaves with the meat mixture.
9. In a large bowl, stir together crushed tomatoes, thyme, both peppers, brown sugar and water (just enough to thin slightly.)
10. Pour tomato mixture over the stuffed cabbage, and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
11. Bake at 300 degrees about 1 ½ hours (until cabbage is quite soft.)

Nutrition Information – Makes 8 servings – Each serving provides 212 calories, 19 g protein.

Fitness Census 2010

This is a rather interesting article you may like....


Fitness Census 2010: Special Report From Gold's Gym and Health.com Reveals 'Sizeable' Shift in the Shape of America


Eye-Popping Research Exposes a Decade of Flawed Fitness Fads, Supersized Meals and Fatter Pets
DALLAS, April 19 /PRNewswire/ -- In conjunction with this year's U.S. Census, Gold's Gym and Health.com have teamed up to assess how the state of the nation's health has changed since 2000. The result? A 2010 "Fitness Census" that paints a brutally honest portrait of our nation's health, our growing waistline and what the future holds for America in 2020.

While some of the findings are grim (lower life expectancy in the U.S., fatter pets and an increased fat intake equal to 2 sticks of butter per week, per person), the news isn't all bad. New fitness trends and technologies might pave the way to a healthier 2020. To help raise awareness for the 2010 Fitness Census and help consumers battle the bulge, Gold's Gym and Health.com have teamed up to create the "30 Days, 30 Ways" Fitness Calendar. This free interactive tool, available at www.health.com, allows consumers to receive one eye-popping stat and one actionable fitness tip each day.

"Even though there has been a tremendous amount of information released over the past 10 years that promotes the benefits of exercise and diet, the Fitness Census revealed a significant decline in our nation's health," said Robert Reames, Gold's Gym Fitness Institute. "The new millennium began with a decade of supersized meals, a dramatic reduction in physical activity and an obesity epidemic that continues to weigh down the nation. We hope this report raises awareness about the importance of fitness, and that the interactive calendar gives people some actionable steps they can use to stay active and get in shape. Our message is simple: Even a small amount of regular exercise can go a long way."

Here's a look at some additional astonishing statistics as revealed by the Fitness Census:

Two out of three adult Americans are now overweight or obese
A staggering one out of every three kids is overweight, with physical education in most schools disappearing
For the first time in 60 years, the average life expectancy of Americans born today may be less than their parents
There have been an estimated 8 million new cases of diabetes since the year 2000
25% of America's pets are now overweight
In the past 10 years, the number of gastric bypass and other bariatric surgeries shot up nearly 600%, with 220,000 procedures done in 2009 alone. Total cost: $3.7 billion to $5.7 billion
While the economy continues to find its footing, fast food sales in the U.S. are up 15% in just five years
Since 2000, the amount of fat the average American consumes has increased by 180 grams (the equivalent of two sticks of butter) per week. That's an extra 20 pounds of fat per year
Since 2000, the time an average eight- to 18-year-old spends playing video games has more than doubled
The men's "big and tall" clothing market generates $6 billion annually – enough money to cover the deficit of California


In other findings, the Fitness Census took a look at some of the biggest diet and exercise trends of the past decade to see which ones really worked and which ones should stay in the past. From Tae-Bo and instant abdominal devices to 100 calorie packs and video game fitness, the report shows that Americans turned to a variety of exercise trends to help stay in shape. Looking forward, Gold's Gym Fitness Institute experts predict America's next big fitness trends, including Kangoo Jumps and Early Fitness Programs aimed more at kids, teens and tweens.

To kick start their fitness routine, Americans are invited to visit the interactive "30 Days and 30 Ways" calendar at www.health.com/fitness-census. In addition, consumers are encouraged to log on to www.goldsgym.com to receive a free 7-day workout pass to any participating Gold's Gym in America.

About Gold's Gym

Established in Venice, Calif. in 1965, Gold's Gym is the largest full service gym chain in the world with more than 700 locations in 43 states and 28 countries. Gold's Gym offers the latest equipment and services, including group exercise, personal training, cardiovascular equipment, group cycle, Pilates and yoga. With nearly 3.5 million members worldwide, Gold's Gym helps all kinds of people achieve their individual potential through fitness. For more information please visit www.goldsgym.com or www.facebook.com/goldsgym.


SOURCE Gold's Gym

Your Store Tour

You won't want to miss Support Group this month! We will be going to Smith's Food King @ 400 South Woodruff in Idaho Falls for a tour. Your tour guide will be Sandi and she will be showing you some tricks to save calories and money while not missing out on nutrients or taste - can't beat that!

Wear your walking shoes - this is not a bus tour! You will put on some miles as you scout out the treasure hidden there.

The date is Thursday, May 27th! Mark you calendar now and plan to be there for a really fun time. Meet at the New U clinic at 6:45 if you would like to carpool or in the deli area at Smith's at 7:00 if your prefer to go straight there.

Feel free to bring a friend, your coach, or anyone interested in joining us on our quest to become healthier every day! See you there!

Anchors Away

Why Charting Your Course Begins
with Dropping Your Anchor

It's nice to have an anchor.

If you're a boat, an anchor means you have
complete freedom to sail wherever and
whenever you want, but when it's time to
stay put, you have a safe harbor.

The sailing analogy works well for weight
loss surgery patients, too. I use the metaphor
all the time when I talk about being the captain
of your own ship. However, I seldom acclaim
the "anchor" when I speak on taking charge of
one's own life.

If you're a WLS patient, an anchor means no
matter how much we waiver from our WLS
programs on any given day, there are some
tried-and-true options for us that will help
keep us on the straight and narrow. Your
anchors will always bring you back to a
safe place when you go off plan -- and we
all do from time to time.

Here are a few of my personal anchors
that I rely on when I'm particularly
tempted or veering off course:

Don't mess with my breakfast. For me,
starting off my day right is easy and
tasty. I love cheesy eggs; they're good
for me, so I have them every morning.
I prefer the consistency in my day, and
I don't feel deprived. While I may
occasionally veer off course later in the
day, this first meal always gets me back
on plan.

More than my feet hop on the scale.
Some people feel overwhelmed
weighing and measuring their food. For
me, I find it comforting to know with
certainty that I am sticking with my
plan. When I am home and able to use
the scale with relative ease, I do take
advantage of this tool in my own WLS
program.

Always plan for a Plan B. This is
especially true when you find yourself
talking into the metal box at a drive-thru
restaurant. If you have a disaster plan
set in stone before you pull up, then
you'll know what to do when you get
there. A certain fast food restaurant, for
example, offers chili and a side salad.
For me, this menu choice is better than
most, and has consequently ended up
in the fine print on my contingency plan.

You'll need to tweak your own plan so
it works for you when you are tempted or
eating at a restaurant.

I would encourage you to take some time
and think about the anchors in your own
program. Let me know what you discover
and how well they are working for you.

*********************************************************

From Small Bites, the email newsletter for the National Association for WLS. Subscribe today and get your F'REE report, How to Regain-Proof Your WLS at http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=7Ir9V&m=1d33Ayu2xrt6Cb&b=9qlRq598ynBxu3yoy.H1vw.

Bariatric Conference

One of our great patients found out about this event and wants to share it with all of you-- thanks Lynae

Bariatric Wisdom and Karen Donaldson (EXCEL Weight Loss Solutions) are proud to announce a truly amazing and unique Never-Been-Done-Before teleconference sponsored by Mybiglife.com - the newest and fastest growing online community for weight loss surgery. Over 20 experts in the field of weight loss, including doctors, surgeons, chefs, ministers, dietitians, personal trainers and the president and CEO of the Obesity Action Coalition, will be guest speakers. Donaldson’s presentations titled Carbs and Cravings – Understanding the Blood Sugar (and Belly Fat!) Blues and Releasing the Emotions That Are Keeping You Fat are Tuesday, March 9, 10:00 am MST and Thursday, March 11, 2:00 pm MST, respectively. The event lasts for one week, March 8-12, and is LIVE, so participants will have opportunities to ask the presenters questions. Go to http://bariatricwisdom.com to sign up and check out which presentations you want to attend. In addition, 30 CEUs available for the Nursing Professionals and Dietitians. If you can’t attend the sessions live, there are also options to purchase MP3 audio files, replays, and presentation notes. With just a phone and computer, you can keep your expenses down and your information up by attending this amazing conference from the comfort of your own home. Register on-line or contact EXCEL Weight Loss Solutions at 233-0593 for more information.