September

Ok ok... I know I've been a slacker on the whole blogging thing! I lost my partner in crime that helped me come up with things! No worries though- I'm gonna step up my game! (And if I don't get after me next time you are in here please! I do need reminding at times!) Oh and by the way in case you couldn't tell... this is Lesley- I'm not going to write this thing generic anymore- it's just me yapping! ;)

This Thursday the 23rd is Support Group- 6 pm in the Clinic! In our new yet not quite done classroom! :) ... you will have to come check it out for yourself! Lynae is going to be putting on a presentation for us. Any of you that frequent Support Group know exactly who I am talking about and know that we are in for a fun night!

We have a change in the dietitian position again too! There must be something fishy going on with it.. maybe I should reconsider my initials after my name ey?! Kristine got engaged and accepted a job offer at a school in Utah! CONGRATS girl... although we are sad that we didn't get to have you around for long! Good luck! ;) Amanda is our new gal! Don't worry she is just as fun and nice as the other two.. you'll love her!

Paula does get to change her title! She recently passed a test and now has her B.N.! What does this mean you ask!?! She is a certified Bariatric Nurse-- lots of knowledge to better help us out!

We have been getting lots of referrals for new patients from you guys! THANKS!!! Trying to work out something with the hospital to show our appreciation for those who you send to us and have surgery! You guys rock-- keep it up!

Lots of 'New' Stuff

Happy August.. I know it's almost half way over!! School is getting ready to start again and the fairs are amongst us! Which brings me to the first matter of happenings..

Support Group is Thursday the 26th at 6:00 pm in the clinic. We are going to try our best to hold it outside-- and escape the sprinklers! This month is going to be a fair-like event! It would be great if you bring a sample of something that shows off one of your skills to "enter into our fair"! But ummm sorry... no animals! Lesley doesn't do well with those! ;) Please pass this info around to anyone you may talk to.. especially note the time change!

Next......

We have changed our monthly informational seminars to the first Thursday of the month at 6:00 pm in the Cancer Center rather than holding them on Saturdays. The response has been good so far! Let anyone who you think may be interested know. Also if you would like to come and be a special guest to share your experience at a seminar let us know... we would love to have your input!

And last but definitely not least...

Many of you have been in recently and noticed that there have been some new faces and others missing! As much as we hate to see anyone go we realize that there must be bigger and better adventures to be had in other spaces!

Carolyn took employment at a different facility so Paula and Didi are now co-coordinators of the New U program! Way to go girls-- you are doing awesome!

Paula is sharing her adjustment top notch skills now! Didi and Terri are RNs which have worked on 3rd floor for many years (and still do) and are now helping out here in the clinic! YAY!

Our wonderful Eric is still here to encourage and help you get the most out of the good weather we have right now (can't it stay forever?! PLEASE!!) and to keep you going when it gets nasty! He's here for ya!

Just one more to introduce to you... promise! Kristine is our new dietitian! She knows she has some big shoes to fill but we're pretty darn sure that she's going to be great at it! What about the food coach that you've been: a) scared to face b) glad to see or c) indecisive depending on the week?!? Sandi took on a big and exciting adventure! She found a wonderful microbiologist who swept her off her feet and moved her to St. Louis (the Rams or Cardinals-- who really did she go for?)! We are happy for her even though someone threatened to lock her in the closet so she couldn't go! :)

I think that pretty much covers our big stuff-- come in and visit the 'new' New U! Look forward to seeing everyone!

---Lesley (ya-- I'm still here too!)

O one more good thing.... FOOTBALL IS STARTING!!!

Summer Fun

It's tonight!

It's Support Group!

That's Thursday, July 22nd @ 7 pm - meet at the new U Clinic.

Is the summer heat an excuse to slow down or lazy around? - Not a chance!

Eric will be presenting lots of ideas for warm weather activities!

Come and join us for a walk and inspiration and support and fun, fun, fun!

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