“I FEEL GRATEFUL FOR WHERE I’M AT, BUT I’VE WORKED HARD TO GET HERE”

– Jo Woodward, member

14 AUG 2016

WEEK 33WEEKLY

COMMIT TO CHANGE

NOW!

PLAN TOSUCCEED

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Lost

30.8kgin 2 years and 10 months

BODY FIT

&

FROM SECRET EATING TO POST-NATAL DEPRESSION, JO WOODWARD HAD SOME BIG HURDLES TO CONQUER WHEN SHE DECIDED TO CHANGE HER LIFE. NOW THANKS TO HER NEW HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE, SHE’S REACHING GOALS AND IS HAPPIER THAN EVER.

MIND

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WW SUCCESSFUL SLIMMER

I battled with my weight from a young age. We always had lots of homemade treats in the house and I started eating in secret. The sneaky eating habit continued into adulthood, where I’d order two burgers, large fries and a Coke at the drive-through, then eat it in private. My self-esteem was at rock bottom, and I didn’t like myself much.

I joined Weight Watchers not long after my daughter Jessica, 13, was born, and it was the beginning of a new life. I overcame my sneaky eating – the key is to track everything that goes into your mouth, so you take ownership.

When I was young, I used to forge notes to get out of PE and, even while I was losing weight, I didn’t do much exercise. Things have dramatically changed in recent years! I’ve become a runner and the gym is my second home. I also have a job teaching primary school kids how to be active, using games to teach them skills like how to skip and hop.

It still blows my mind that I can go into any clothing store, try on a size 8 and it fits! If I’m having a day where I’m a bit down on myself, I’ll go into my wardrobe, look at my clothing size and say ‘Get real!’ My life now is so different than it was before. I feel grateful for where I’m at, but I’ve worked hard to get here.

A snapshot of my journey

PND: MY STORYBefore I had my first child, Jessica, I had two miscarriages and went into a massive depression. I was having panic attacks and my eating was out of control.

My husband Carl has been my biggest supporter. When Jessica was six weeks old, he encouraged me to see a doctor, I was diagnosed with post-natal depression and put on anti-depressants. Joining WW helped, too. When I felt I was spinning out of control, I could control my weight loss. After 10 months, I weighed 65kg. With my second child, Samuel, 9, I went on a wellness retreat to bond with him before he was born. I still had PND, but attending support groups and going straight back to WW helped (I lost another 6kg and have maintained 59kg for five and a half years). It’s so important to ask for help – people want to be there.

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Set yourself up for workout success with these three ideas. MAKE FIT HAPPEN

Find new friends. Head to meetup.com and search for the activity of your choice in your area. This epic online community holds Meetups around the world where people get together for every sport and fitness activity you can imagine.

Count on a Fitbit. Exercise trackers monitor your incidental activity, take the guesswork out of your steps, and link straight to your My Day account. So, all you have to do is the walking while Fitbit does the rest. It doesn't get much easier than that!

Tune out by tuning in. Load up your smartphone with podcasts to listen to on your workout. From golf to gardening, politics to Pilates, trust us, there’s a podcast out there covering whatever you’re interested in. Watch the time fly when your mind is distracted.

PLAN TO PREPSearch #mealprep on Instagram and you’ll come across thousands of posts from people documenting their organisational efforts in cooking, storing or freezing a week’s worth of meals (sometimes more!). Scientists say there’s more to achieve from meal prep than an enviable social media feed. The American Journal of Preventive Medicine reported that spending more time at home preparing meals is linked to a healthier diet and eating more fruit and veg. But to avoid any pitfalls, WW Senior Food Editor Lucy Kelly advises would-be preppers choose foods wisely. “I prefer freezing pureed soups over chunky ones. I just give them a quick stir with a hand-held blender after they’ve defrosted,” she says. “Roasts, pastas and pizzas don't tend to freeze well. Also, be sure to add the finishing touches - fresh herbs or a dollop of yoghurt - after reheating a dish.”

WW YOUR WAY

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Most of us want to tick off a few goals, but have you written your commitment down? According to a study from Dominican University in the US, you're 42 per cent more likely to achieve your goals, just by putting pen to paper. Start right now.

This week I will:

I will achieve this goal by taking these steps:

Interesting eats! Wellington on a Plate is happening now in New Zealand. This festival of feasting celebrates all things delicious for two weeks. If Wellington is not in your neighbourhood, you can still try experimenting with your food now and then. Making your meals interesting will keep boredom at bay and, when you love what’s on your plate, it makes sticking to the Your Way Program that much easier.

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O Filling & Healthy foods are marked with a green circle. These foods help fill you up and keep you healthy.

LAMB, LEMONGRASS & COCONUT CURRY

For more slow-cooked healthy and hearty recipes, grab

a copy of the latest WW cookbook,

REAL FOOD SLOW

O 1 tsp cumin O 1 tsp ground coriander O 1 tsp ground turmeric O 1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger O 600g lean lamb leg steaks, fat trimmed,

cut into 3cm pieces 1 tbs olive oil 1 cup (250ml) light coconut milk ½ cup (125ml) reduced-salt beef stock 1 tbs tamarind puree 1 tbs brown sugar O 4 fresh kaffir lime leavesO 2 fresh lemongrass stalks, bruised O ½ cup fresh coriander leavesO 1 long fresh red chilli, thinly sliced

1 Combine cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, ginger and lamb in a medium bowl.2 Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over

medium-high heat. Cook lamb mixture, turning, in batches, for 3–4 minutes until browned. Transfer to a 4.5 litre (18-cup) slow cooker. 3 Add coconut milk, stock, tamarind, sugar, lime leaves and lemongrass to slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low for 6 hours (or high for 3 hours).4 Remove and discard lime leaves and lemongrass from curry. Stir in half the fresh coriander. Serve curry with remaining coriander and chilli. NOTE: Suitable to freeze (without coriander or chilli) for up to 3 months. SERVE WITH: 0 SmartPoints™ value steamed Asian greens (such as gai lan or bok choy) and snow peas, plus steamed brown rice. Add 4 SmartPoints™ value for ½ cup (85g) cooked rice per serve. ON THE STOVE TOP: If you don’t have a slow cooker, cook curry in a large covered saucepan over low heat for 2 hours or until lamb is tender.

SmartPoints™ VALUE PER SERVE: 9 | SERVES: 4  PREP: 20 mins | COOKING TIME: 6 hours 10 mins (low); 3 hours 10 mins (high)

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NEXT WEEK You’ll discover how a little self-care can lead to the big results you want. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Your feedback means a lot to us and helps us improve your experience. The next time you see an email with the request ‘Tell us about your WW experience’, please take the 5-minute survey and tell us what you think.

ASK OUR EXPERTSENIOR FOOD EDITOR LUCY KELLY IS HERE TO HELP.

2016 MY TRACKER This beautifully designed little book is your 13-week tracking companion. It’s the perfect place to record everything you do under FOOD, FIT and FEEL. Record your food, track how you’re going towards your weekly FitPoints™ goal, and monitor how you feel (we’ll show you how). We’ve also included some great nutrition information, shopping tips and terrific recipes.

($11.90 AU & NZ)

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FOUR QUICK FEEL-GOOD FIXESA lot of people turn to comfort food when they’re in a bit of a funk. Reaching for food is quick and easy, but it’s not always healthy. Here are four of my favourite ways to relax when I’m in need of some 'me time'.

Have a warm, relaxing bath and read a good book.Watch a funny movie or TV show and have a bit of a laugh.Call a loved one for a chat and a quick catch-up.Plan a pampering treat, DIY at home or book a massage or manicure.

O Filling & Healthy foods are marked with a green circle. These foods help fill you up and keep you healthy.

ADVERTISING FEATURE

CREAMY SPAGHETTI WITH BACON, BEANS & MUSHROOMS

SmartPoints™ VALUE PER SERVE 8 SERVES 4 | PREP 15 mins

COOKING TIME 20 mins

240g dried spaghettiO 500g green beans, trimmedO 125g Weight Watchers

Bacon, choppedO 500g mixed mushrooms, slicedO 2 garlic cloves, crushed ½ cup (120g) Weight Watchers

Sour Cream

1 Cook spaghetti in a large saucepan of boiling salted water following packet instructions or until tender. Add beans for last 4 minutes of cooking. Drain, reserving ¼ cup of cooking liquid. 2 Lightly spray a frying pan with oil and heat over medium-high heat. Cook bacon, stirring, for 4 minutes or until crisp. Transfer to a plate. Lightly spray the pan with oil and cook the mushroom, stirring, for 5 minutes or until golden. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Combine the bacon, mushroom mixture and sour cream with the pasta and beans in a bowl. Toss to combine, adding a little reserved cooking liquid if necessary. SERVE WITH shaved parmesan for 1 SmartPoints™ value per tablespoon. #

LOOK OUT FOR NEW PACKAGING COMING SOON TO YOUR DAIRY AISLE

Healthier classic

SO VERSATILEPerfect for dips, baking and marinades, Weight Watchers Sour Cream has just 1 SmartPoints™ value per tablespoon serve. Try adding a dollop to a bowl of hearty vegie soup for added creaminess.

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