February 22, 2018

Ovxrcxme STRXSS

It’s alwxys with xs, bxt xs mxmber Alxxis hxs foxnd, thxre arx wxys to rxthink,

refrxme, axd rxspond to strxss thxt are hexlthy—axd helxfxl.

February 25—March 3, 2018

Overcome STRESS

It’s always with us, but there are ways to rethink, reframe, and respond to stress that are healthy—and helpful.

New York-based Alexis Eggleton sailed on Weight Watchers® first Caribbean cruise with her mom (right), also a member! Check out her story on weightwatchers.com/us/article/getting-ship-shape. (For subscribers.)

2 | WEIGHT WATCHERS WEEKLY WEIGHT WATCHERS WEEKLY | 3

Co

ver

imag

e b

y iS

tock

.

Stress is natural: It’s your body’s automatic response to perceived pressure or threat. It can hit you at once, like on the day of a big work presentation, or build over time, due to things like illness, relationship tensions, even a lack of time for yourself. “Trying to fit everything into my day stresses me out,” says Alexis. “Between commuting, working two jobs, exercise, and family time, it can be challenging to get it all in and meet everyone’s (and my) expectations.”

Sometimes stress can motivate you, like when you pull together the details for a surprise birthday party for your spouse. But often it works against you—and your health. Stress can show up in the form of pain, difficulty sleeping, upset

stomach, and/or headaches. It dings your emotional health, too: You might have difficulty concentrating; or feel irritable, tired, or always worried. “I can feel stress rise up my back and into my shoulders,” says Alexis.

Frazzled folks are more likely to overeat, eat more unhealthy foods, and gain weight. Alexis can identify: “Before WW, I self-soothed with food, an extra glass of wine, a bigger portion. Afterward, I’d feel ashamed and still stressed out.” It’s impossible to banish stress, but changing how you think about a situation can help. That’s made a difference for Alexis: “WW has taught me there’s no such thing as perfection. There will be good days and bad days, but as long as I’m making progress I’m succeeding. A ‘progress over perfection’ mentality has helped ease the stress my perfectionism was causing me!”

Overcome STRESS

HOW ALEXIS FLIPS THE SCRIPT ON STRESS

DANCE IT OUT: “I put on some pop music and take a few minutes to dance and sing along with the music. Anywhere will do—the copy room at work, the middle of my kitchen, in traffic… the more absurd the place, the more I giggle and relax.”

HIT THE GYM: “Something amazing happens about 20 or 25 minutes into a great cardio session. I stop worrying about what’s bothering me and start focusing on my breathing and my steps. Then it’s like ‘Stress? What stress?’ ”

TAKE A BREAK: “Even a five-minute walk outside can remove my stress and allow me to be more objective. Without that break, I tend to make mountains out of molehills!”

TAP YOUR RESOURCES: “Having the #WWFam to lean on for support [in Connect] has made a huge difference in my life and my journey!”

What do you need from your #WWFam? Share, ask, inspire on Connect on the mobile app (for subscribers).

“ACKNOWLEDGE THE STRESS, OWN IT, AND REFRAME IT. BREATHE DEEPLY, GET ACTIVE—DO SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER WITHOUT FOOD!” —JUDY

As member Alexis has found, you can rethink, reframe, and respond to stress in healthy—and helpful—ways.

WHAT TO DO: REFRAME YOUR STRESS We can’t control stressful situations, but we can change our response to them. What you think determines how you feel, which determines what you do. Learn to identify unhelpful thoughts now, and the next time stress gets in your face, you can reality-check the situation, shift your thinking, and come away with a calmer, more realistic perspective. The examples below can walk you through a shift in perception—and stress level.

FOLLOW UP When you face a potentially stressful event, identify the unhelpful thought and reality-check it to a new, helpful thought, using these examples or pp. 2–3 in your Shift Your Mindset book.

4 | WEIGHT WATCHERS WEEKLY WEIGHT WATCHERS WEEKLY | 5

Lig

htb

ulb

ico

n b

y S

hu

tter

sto

ck.

THINK AGAIN Look at anxiety-inducing situations with a new, more helpful mindset.

YOUR TURN! What unhelpful thought have you had during a stressful event recently? Write it here. Give it a reality check, then write your helpful thought here.

YOU MIGHT THINK SHIFT YOUR THINKING

UNHELPFUL THOUGHT “Fighting with my brother really stressed me out. I need some ice cream to calm down.”

HELPFUL THOUGHT “Yes, that fight was stressful. Ice cream might make me feel better for a few minutes, but in the long run, unplanned eating will make me feel worse. I’ll skip the ice cream and turn on some music to get my mind on something else.”

HELPFUL THOUGHT “It’s not failing if I get a couple of questions wrong; that’s just being human. What’s important is that I do the best I can.”

UNHELPFUL THOUGHT “I need to get a perfect score on this exam; anything less means I’m a failure.”

EVENT/ SITUATION

UNHELPFUL THOUGHT

REALITY CHECK

HELPFUL THOUGHT

You didn’t know the answer to a question your boss asked during a presentation.

I can’t believe I didn’t know the answer. Now I have to worry about my career being over.

Did I have the resources to know the answer? Is my career really over?

It’s OK to not always know the answer. My career isn’t over. I’ll look up the answer and send it to my boss.

You are on your way home from visiting a sick friend in the hospital.

It was so hard seeing my friend like that. I deserve a slice of pizza to make me feel better.

What does feeling emotional have to do with what I eat and my hunger? Will pizza really make me feel better?

I feel stressed, but that’s because I’m emotional, not hungry. I need self-care but food will probably make me feel worse later. I’ll take a few moments to just breathe.

Retailer: Schreiber Foods will redeem for face value plus 8¢ provided you have complied with its terms and our redemption policy. ANY OTHER USE CONSTITUTES FRAUD. Send to Schreiber Foods, Inc., P.O. Box 880001, El Paso, TX 88588-0001. Cash value 1/50 of 1¢. Void where restricted. Limit one coupon per purchase. Do not double.

WEIGHT WATCHERS on foods and beverages is the registered trademark of WW Foods, LLC. WEIGHT WATCHERS for services and SmartPoints are the registered trademarks of Weight Watchers International, Inc. Trademarks are used under license by Schreiber Foods. ©2018 Weight Watchers International, Inc. All rights reserved. Selection may vary by store.

on any 2 (two) Weight Watchers® cheese or cream cheese products.

˜INGREDIENTS:4 oz skin-on wild salmon2 Tbsp Reduced Fat Whipped Cream Cheese Spread1/4 lemon, juiced1/8 tsp extra virgin olive oil1/2 plum tomato, sliced1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:Preheat oven to 350º.

Drizzle oil into a small baking pan and place salmon, skin side down.

Arrange tomato slices on top of the salmon and cook for 6-8 minutes.

Mix the Weight Watchers Reduced Fat Cream Cheese Spread together with the chives, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.

When salmon is finished, top immediately with cream cheese mixture and enjoy!

Brand of ingredients used may impact the nutritional information of this recipe resulting in a different SmartPoints® value.

™

Save $1.50MANUFACTURER'S COUPON EXPIRES 4/25/2018 DO NOT DOUBLE

Baked Salmon withChive Cream

Whipped Cream Cheese Spread:

3 SmartPoints valueper serving

Find out where to buy your favorite productsat WWProductLocator.com

ADVERTISEMENT

Rec

ipe

© W

eig

ht W

atch

ers

Inte

rnat

iona

l, In

c.

All

rig

hts

rese

rved

. Pho

to b

y Ti

na R

upp

.

[LIGHT FARE]

CHICKEN AND ORZO SOUP WITH FENNEL

In a large soup pot, combine broth, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil over high heat.• Add carrots, fennel, and orzo; bring to a boil. • Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until orzo and vegetables are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. • Stir in chicken; cook until heated through. • Remove pot from heat; stir in lemon juice and dill. Yields about 1¼ cups per serving.

8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 tsp table salt (or more to taste) ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (or more to taste) 4 medium carrots, thinly sliced into rounds 1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced and then chopped (or to taste) 1 cup uncooked orzo 2 cups chopped cooked skinless boneless chicken breast ¼ cup fresh lemon juice 3 Tbsp chopped fresh dill (or more to taste)

Enjoy leftovers for lunch the next day! 3 SmartPoints® VALUE PER SERVING // PREP 12 MIN

COOK 18 MIN // SERVES 8

FAST & EASY

ADVERTISEMENT