Its okay to indulge...once in a while!

Tip of the Week

Don't be overly-restrictive!
Everyone has his or her favorite treats. Simply allow yourself a little indulgence, but watch out for the frequency and the quantity. Having a small treat once in a while can be rewarding to your weight loss experience. Cutting too much of your favorite treats usually lead to an early relapse.

Recipe of the Week

Insalata Caprese (Pasta Salad)

If you boil the pasta in the morning, drain, and let chill in the refrigerator, all you have to do is toss the ingredients together and dinner is served!

4 cups cooked whole-grain pasta blend, cooled
2 cups ripe cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, cut or torn into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons olive oilSalt to tasteGround black pepper to taste
16 slices reduced-fat salami, quartered (optional)

Place all the ingredients in a medium serving bowl and toss to blend well.
Cover and chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Yield: 4 servings

Per serving: 360 calories, 19 grams protein

Thought of the Week

Don’t always listen to your mate. Although it is suggested that you tell your family, sometimes members of your family will try to dissuade you from trying to lose weight. It’s simple: they might not want you to succeed where they may have already failed, whether consciously or inadvertently. Your loss is not always their gain. Watch out for statements like: “You’ve lost enough weight.” or “I like you just the way you are.” Fact of the matter is, if YOU don’t like the way that YOU are – then YOU are going to have to do something about it, no matter what anybody says. They still love you, though!