Newsletter - June 2013 for Middlesex County
Area Captains Newsletter June 2013 for Middlesex County
Diane Trayah (H)978-657-6103 (C)978-551-1278 e-mail: topsmiddlesex@gmail.com
Hi Everyone,
Summer is here (I think). Get moving before it gets too hot out there. Very different weather everyday. You never know what you’ll experience from day to day.
Fall Rally
Everyone should have received the Fall Rally packet information by now.
If not please let Ron Azzu know by emailing him at
rgacounsel@aol.com
Date: October 5th.
Place: Four Points Leominster (right off Rte 2)
Time: 9:30 am to 4:00 pm
Theme is: PEACE, LOVE and TOPS.
Find your tye-dye Tshirts. Make this a chapter meeting. Make those
protest posters and show your spirit.
Start planning a fundraiser to make it affordable for everyone to go in
your chapter. Go to http://www.topsgoodies.org
for fundraising ideas.
CHAPTER VISITS
It is nice visiting all the chapters . Last month was a
busy time. Visited four chapters which included MA 14 Wakefield, MA 50
Malden, MA 299 Townsend, and MA 354 Waltham.
This month on my list is MA 82 Reading and MA 253 Billerica.
Since a lot of members are on vacation in the summer, I will resume my visits in September. I will be away the last two weeks in September. My husband & I and two other couples will be touring Europe including stops in Rome, Paris, and a seven day cruise including stops in Marseille, France, Italy and Spain. If you do need me, I am around all summer to chat or answer any questions that you may have.
NEW MEMBERS
Welcome: 253 Billerica, Patricia Fino and Kathy Hajinlian
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to
MA 327 Burlington Turning 28 years old this year
PUBLICITY EVENTS
If you know of any health fairs or upcoming events that TOPS would have
a good shot for publicity, please let me know so I can plan ahead. We
had a health fair in the Town of Tewksbury on May 1st. The best part it
was FREE.
FARMERS MARKETS
Don’t forget to financially support your Farmers markets. They are
almost in every town.
TOPS does have two spaces reserved on July 21 at:
Wilmington Farmers Market – located on the
Swain Green across from the Town Common at 140 Middlesex Ave. in
Wilmington, MA. I will be there 10:30 to 1:30
And
Wakefield Farmers Market – August 10 at the Lake Q (Farmers Market and
booths are located near the highway as you come off Rte 93.) Come and
visit me. I will be there from 8:30 to 1:30pm
Tomatoes and Peppers….Colorful fruits and vegetables of the vine get their wide range of vivid colors from health-protecting substances such as lycopene, vitamin C and vitamin A. Use them generously in dishes to enhance nutrients with very few calories.
1. Choose firm, well-shaped tomatoes that are fragrant and intensely
colored, store at room temperature and enjoy within a few days.
2. Keep canned petite diced tomatoes on hand for a low-calorie and
nutritious addition to salads, pastas, soups, casseroles or dips.
3. Roasted peppers do wonders for any dish or alone as a side dish.
Roast them yourself or buy them already roasted in a jar for added color
and nourishment.
Recipe idea: Oven-dry grape tomatoes by slicing in half and placing cut side up on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Bake at 250 F for two hours. Toss oven-dried tomatoes into pasta, salads or enjoy as an appetizer with goat cheese.
Berries….Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, black raspberries, blackberries -- these delicious colorful berries contain a powerhouse of antioxidants that help prevent cellular damage. They are also an excellent source of fiber and very low in calories. Eat them by the handful or work more of them into your diet.
1. Get your day started with a healthy dose of fiber and antioxidants.
Enjoy whole-grain cereal, pancakes, or waffles topped with fresh or
frozen blueberries.
2. Skip the decadent dessert and satisfy your sweet tooth with a bowl of
fresh mixed berries.
3. Mix fresh berries into a spinach or mixed green salad for a
refreshing and filling first course.
Recipe idea: Toss toasted slivered almonds, sliced strawberries, sliced scallions, grilled chicken strips, and salad greens with a light raspberry vinaigrette for a healthy summer supper.
Recipe idea: Dazzle your friends and family with a beautiful, low-calorie parfait made by layering fresh fruit, low-fat vanilla yogurt, and granola for a quick meal, snack or dessert.
Beans…..Mainstays in the vegetarian diet, beans are an excellent substitute for meat. These tiny tasty nuggets are a great source of protein, chock-full of fiber and capable of filling you up with very few calories. They come ready-to-eat in the can or frozen, or dried for slow cooking. (Tip: Take digestive enzymes such as Beano to minimize the gas that is often a side effect of eating beans.)
1. Have several varieties of canned beans in your cupboard (or frozen in
your freezer) to toss into salads, soups, stews, pasta, salsa, or rice
dishes.
2. Dried beans must be soaked in water for several hours or overnight to
rehydrate them before cooking.
3. Make a quick high-fiber, high-protein salad with a variety of drained
and rinsed canned beans (pinto, chickpeas, and black beans) and light
Italian salad dressing.
Recipe idea: Drain cans of black beans and corn, toss together with a jar of salsa, juice from a fresh lime, a dash of olive oil, and balsamic vinegar for a nutritious salsa to eat with grilled fish or baked chips.
Mango… This delectable brilliant orange fruit is juicy, sweet, and tart. Mangoes are high in fiber and a rich source of potassium and vitamins A and C, with only 135 calories for the entire fruit. The center pit makes it a bit tricky to slice up but the extra effort is worth it.
1. Increase your intake of potassium the easy way. Simply slice up a
mango and eat.
2. Chop mangoes then toss into salsas or chutneys for a tropical treat
on grilled fish.
3. Stock your pantry with mango juice for a quick and nutritious
smoothie or refreshing mango-lime spritzer.
4. Put spoon-sliced mangoes on top of pancakes, waffles, French toast,
whole-grain cereal, salads, cakes, yogurt, and puddings.
Recipe idea: Drain cans of black beans and corn, toss together with a jar of salsa, juice from a fresh lime, a dash of olive oil, and balsamic vinegar for a nutritious Recipe idea: Drain cans of black beans and corn, toss together with a jar of salsa, juice from a fresh lime, a dash of olive oil, and balsamic vinegar for a nutritious salsa to eat with grilled fish or baked chips.
FACEBOOK update
Don’t forget if you have Facebook to sign up for our
MASS TOPS group. There is a lot of daily talk about motivation,
different ideas in losing weight and helping each other on a daily
basis. Invite all your other members to join too. We are almost at 100
members.
www.70pounds.com
(There are other weight loss poems too.)
Mirror Mirror
by Jaimee Jones
Mirror mirror on the wall do you have to tell it all?
Where do you get the glaring light to make my clothes look just too
tight?
I think I'm fine but I can see you won't cooperate with me.
The way you let the shadows play you'd think my hair was turning grey.
What's that you say, a double chin?
No that's the way the light comes in.
If you persist in peering so you'll confiscate my facial glow.
And then if you're not hanging straight you'll tell me next I'm gaining
weight
I'm really quite upset with you for giving this distorted view.
I hate you being so smug and wise.
Oh look what's happened to my thighs!
I warn you now oh mirrored wall since we're not on speaking terms at all
If I look like this in my new jeans you'll find yourself in smitherines!
If you don’t have time to read my newsletter aloud
to your chapter, either forward them to your
members or print it out and give it to them.
As always, you know where you can find me. Cell: 978-551-1278 Home: 978-657-6103.
See you lighter ~Diane Trayah
