WOW

Almost a week since I was last here! Can't believe it.

We had a busy week with our son and the grandchildren here from Texas, but I'm happy to say I had a very good week despite the potential distractions of meals out, barbecues, a visit to a Mets game and a bunch of other stuff.

Where I suffered was a mandatory reduction of exercise. It seems like early in the week when I left home to go to the gym, the kids heard me and then proceeded to wake up the rest of the household.

This did not make me too popular!

With Ben and Emily now back in the Lone Star State, I was back to the gym today, but am planning to do something a little different tomorrow that will put a different spin on "going to the gym". I'm planning to run there and back, wiithout going in, a distance of 5 miles according to www.mapmyrun.com

You gotta keep mixing it up!

WEIGHT WATCHERS KEY LIME PIE

Stole this recipe from a friend's Facebook page - sounds great.

3 Points per serving

1 reduced fat graham cracker crust
1 (1/16 ounce) package sugar-free lime gelatin
1/4 cup boiling water
1 (8 ounce) container fat-free whipped topping
2 (6 ounce) key lime pie yogurt



In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in yogurt with wire whisk. Fold in whipped topping with wooden spoon. Spread in crust. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.



* I reserved a tiny bit of the whipped topping and after it was set put a thin layer on the top with a mint leaf for garnish.

Thanks Kim!

QUICK PANCAKE

I had a visit from our WW Territory Trainer during one of my groups yesterday. She's a great lady who makes the rounds to assess leaders and thankfully, after her time in my meeting, I think they're going to keep me on for a while longer.

We were chatting about breakfast in the group and I liked the sound of a quick, tasty recipe our Trainer threw into the discussion.

Take one container of WW Blueberry Oatmeal, mix in 1/4 cup of egg whites, spray a pan and cook!

You end up with one very large, tasty, 2 Points pancake.

I tried it at lunchtime yesterday - well worth the minimal effort!

THOSE DESSERTS

Okay, so since I know you're wondering how I got on today with my new friend, Executive Chef Todd, here's how I dealt with the challenge of great food - or didn't.

Since I knew I would be eating differently than usual, I started the day by working out more than normal - ran seven miles along the beach road in the sun. Good, but tiring!

Then I ate a very light breakfast - fruit - since it was going to be an 11.30 lunch.

When we went into Mama Kwanz restaurant, Todd met us and said he would be sending out a complimentary dish of appetizers and the desserts would also be on him.

I focused on the pan-seared - rare - tuna from the appetizers and then ordered a scallop dish for my entree that Todd was preparing specially for my host and friend, Wally Odum. It came with rice and seaweed salad (hot) and was absolutely outrageous. Unbelievable flavor.

Calculating the Points would have been tough, but I estimated no more than 12, which wasn't bad at all.

So when it came time for the promised desserts, I figured it wasn't too bad to go for keylime pie and share it with Gill.

All in all, a really superb meal - Todd is a great chef - and not too damaging.

Todd invited us back tomorrow as he's going to cook something more that's special, which means I'll be running at least seven miles again I guess!

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY

This has been an insane four or five weeks (which to some degree explains the infrequency of posts here) as I have spent time in England - twice - a few days in Montauk and am now on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

This latest trip comes under the category of work, as I was invited down here to preach at a friend's church in Nags Head today. That having been said, now that we have come this far we'll hang out with our frfiends until early Wednesday morning when we head back to NY.

While I was preaching this morning I mentioned the fact that I love desserts. Don't ask me how I got there, I have no idea.

Little did I know that in the congregation there was a guy who runs a great local restaurant where it had already been planned we would eat lunch tomorrow. He let me know that he would definitely hook me up with the sweet stuff.

Me and my big mouth!

Now I have to work out how to let him know I can't eat all the goodies he's probably going to bring in my direction. It's a pity I wore my WW t-shirt when I went running this afternoon. I should have saved it for tomorrow's visit to Mama Kwanz!

ROUTINE WHEN THERE IS NO ROUTINE

We spend a week out in Montauk sometime during the month of June every year, thanks to some generous friends who let us use their very comfortable place out here. I don't look on this as vacation, since I use the time to catch up on reading and on listening to podcasts.

While we're only here for three days this time, the fact remains that it's a break from regular routine, so I made plans to ensure that I maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Firstly, as long as the weather cooperates, I always run out here. There's a six miles route from where we stay, along most of the length of Old Montauk Highway to Hither Hills State Park and back again. I do that each morning.

Then it's a case of making sure I have the food with me that I need. Plenty of fresh fruit, salads. You need to plan that ahead of time.

We ate out this evening and will do tomorrow, but healthy choices in restaurants are helping me stay on track. I checked how the fish was cooked before I ordered it - it was broiled and delicious!

The fact that I am relaxed, having a change of pace and in a different environment cannot become excuses for making decisions I will regret later. Out of routine or not, I can make good choices and enjoy them.

NATIONAL DONUT DAY

As if to test my will power, a Dunkin Donuts was opened about 800 yards down the street from my house a couple of years ago. In all honesty, I prefer 7-11 coffee, but sometimes it's just far more convenient to pause at DD instead.

This morning when I got my extra large coffee with skimmed milk, the manager offered me a donut. I politely declined, but he went on to explain this was a special promotion for one day only. Every customer who bought a beverage got a free donut because it was National Donut Day.

Free is a word that is tough to ignore and while I didn't plan to eat a donut, I wasn't going to pass up on something for nothing. So I chose a jelly donut and brought it home, not sure what to do from there.

Eventually, after weighing every option including eating it, I decided to put my donut on Ebay and auction it off to the highest bidder - donating the money to a charity in India I am part of, Jeevan Asha, that cares for slum children in Mumbai.

If you want my donut, you can bid on it here - http://shop.ebay.com/items/?_nkw=dunkin+donut+jelly&_armrs=1&_from=R40&_mdo=

8 CAN SOUP

This sounds cheap, quick and good!

8 Can Soup
1 can of each of the following:

Corn 11 oz
Sliced white potatoes
15 ozDiced tomatoes
14.5 ozCut okra (or green beans)
15 ozVeg All - (I am assuming this is mixed veg)
15 ozHormel Turkey Chili with beans
Hormel Turkey Chili without beans
Campbell's Old Fashioned Vegetable Soup

Open all cans. Do not drain. Empty into large pot. Heat thoroughly and enjoy
2 POINTS per 1 cup serving

AVOIDING THE TAPS AT WORK

There's an excellent article on this at www.weightwatchers.com here's an extract -

Avoiding Food Landmines
Every workplace has them: a dish of chocolate kisses, a reappearing plate of donuts or bagels, or an ever-present box of leftover pizza. Research published by Brian Wansink, Cornell University food psychologist and author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think (Bantam, 2006), shows just how dangerous those little treats are: Indulging in the office candy bowl can pack on the calories and ultimately cause a weight gain.

What to do: Make a stash of your own. "Make sure you have healthy snacks on hand so you can avoid the temptation," says Stokes. Stokes suggests homemade trail mix tossed with a few nuts and dried fruits, or cookies such as gingersnaps, graham crackers or animal crackers.

Full article - http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=3&art_id=34251&sc=3011