ON THE ROAD AGAIN

I'm in Mount Pleasant, SC for a couple of days this week - back home Wednesday lunchtime.

That means a couple of things -

1. I've switched to the Core Program, which is always a lot easier in my estimation when you're out of routine. Had a great dinner at Outback tonight - all Core!

2. I brought my sneakers and running gear with me and went for a run on the road this morning. There's an exercise room in the hotel, but I don't like hotel treadmills. They are generally very inferior to those in my gym back home, as was proved last year in Houston when I tripped on a treadmill, the Stop button didn't work and I seriously skinned my knees. Anway it's warm here - great weather for an outdoors run!

Too many good snacks on offer at the conference I'm attending. They were handing out Coldstone Creamery ice cream sundaes during one break today, but I'm glad to say I passed on that offer. My resistance crumbled with the shrimp in sauce over grits during another break - but it was a small serving (cocktail glass size).

Traveling has its own challenges, but there are solutions too!

MY FRIEND TURKEY

One of the best finds in the past year, or whatever, has got to be 97% fat free ground turkey. It's so much healthier than any kind of ground beef and the fact is that since I always use it with some kind of sauce, there's no real taste issue either.

4oz is only 2 Points, whereas 4oz of ground beef is 8 Points.

So it's tasty, economical (Points-wise that is) and it tastes good. We do a lot with it - like the South African dish Bobotie that I just made for tomorrow night's dinner. It's delicious and only 4 Points for a generous serving.

I'd give you the recipe, but the key ingredient is a blend of spices I got in South Africa that is certainly not on the shelves in Pathmark.

Okay, I just remembered Google - here's a recipe -
http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/RECIPES/RECIPES/meats/bobotie.html

MID-WEEK MEANDERINGS

+ They've opened a new pizzeria right next to the WW center in Miller Place. Trust me, from what I saw last night more of their customers need us than they do a sicilian pie with pepperoni and garlic knots on the side.

+ The Lose To Win initiative is going really well in the two centers I work in - loads of food coming in for local not-for-profits.

+ Not sure if I like the new version of The Biggest Loser. Maybe that's because I missed week one. We'll see.

+ If anyone knows how to prepare the new WW Mexican Rice side dish that we're selling in our centers without it being a sloppy mess, please let me know. Obviously it involves something other than following the instructions on the box.

+ I've been encouraging members to get the Skinny Songs CD. You can check it out for free here - www.skinnysongs.com - look out for my mug shots on their website.

+ Biggest weight loss in last night's 7.00pm group - 4lb. How did she do it? She told us she wrote everything down. Now there's a novel concept.

+ Last Saturday was my first anniversary of taking over the Saturday groups and our numbers were up 14% on the same weekend last year. That was encouraging. Not good enough of course, but encouraging.

+ Met a friend for breakfast in a diner today. I've never been a big morning eater, but whenever I was in a diner I would eat a full breakfast. It did cross my mind to stray a little as I looked at the menu, but my friend helped me by commenting, "Why are you looking at the menu when you know what you're going to have?" So that's what I ordered, my new normal, oatmeal.

FROM THE BOSS

Some good stuff here in a CNN interview with WW Ceo David Kirchoff -

http://money.cnn.com/video/#/video/news/2008/09/22/news.092208.weightwatch.cnnmoney

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Tomorrow marks the first anniversary of my taking on leading the Saturday morning WW groups in Selden. One year ago tonight I didn't sleep too well as I was nervous about the prospect of taking on the considerable responsibility of becoming the coach/ mentor/ adviser/ friend to several hundred people most of whom were still on the journey to health that I had only completed myself six months earlier.

I knew I could give a reasonable presentation - I've been doing that with groups of people since I was a teenager. But that isn't the issue. Sure, I knew the program, but being able to pass on accurate information is not what this is all about for me.

It's all about people.

People desperate to win a battle that has been a lifetime's struggle for many of them. People who simply want to live longer, enjoy life more and feel better about themselves.

Could I really help the members?

With God's help and the support of a great staff team, I think I'm doing it and hope to continue to do so for a good few years to come.

CONFESSION

I always recommend to my WW members that they go into every potentially challenging situation with a plan - be it a birthday party, a company dinner, Thanksgiving, or whatever. My theory is that it is better to deviate slightly from pre-determined actions than go in with no plan and blow it all.

So the feedback on yesterday's city trip is this -

I did have a plan and I did deviate from the plan. I guess an Indian restaurant is probably the most tempting place that I can ever find myself in and I did succumb. But there are some positives.

1. I had allowed plenty of points for the occasion.
2. I refused both appetizer and dessert.
3. Bottom line, it was just one meal.
4. Today is another day and I'm back on track.
5. I enjoyed it!

WEIGHING THINGS UP

Gill and I are heading for Manhattan in a half hour or so, to see Celine Dion in concert in Madison Square Garden. We don't go into the city together that often - I think the last time was our wedding anniversary trip in December - so we want it to be special ... which includes dinner!

Recognizing that special is not sitting some place and eating a grilled chicken salad, I've been planning for this evening and a visit to our favorite Indian restaurant on 44th Street.

It's a simple plan, but may be of help to others -

1. I've made this a low-point day so far, so that I have plenty left for dinner.
2. I've got a number of my 35 felxible points for the week banked for tonight.
3. I've looked over points values for Indian foods and know what is a good choice - and what is not!

So wish me luck and pray that my resolve holds!