HCG Hormone Free Round 5 Progress Update

Today is day 17 on the HCG Hormone Free Drops from HCGDiet.com. I feel great! My energy levels are fantastic, I dont feel hungry. I havent had terrible cravings. Things are just so good!

Im down 11.8 pounds! Considering Ive had 4 different days of cheats, TOM, and an incredible amount of stress at work & school within the last two weeks, Im beyond satisfied with my results. I only have 13.6 pounds to go before I reach my go for this round!

Losing pounds is extremely motivating, but inches are even more motivating because I can see the difference when I wear clothes I havent been able to wear in a long time. Finally wearing my snug-fitting, size 12 skinnies! Wooohoo! I bought them super snug back in March and they are just now fitting the way I want them to.

This round hasnt been a complete breeze. The cheat days were a bit tough to recover from, but I knew going into this round I was going to eat whatever I wanted for my boyfriends birthday parties (per his request). Even after the parties were done, the temptation lingers, but I am trying my best to put my goal at the top of my priorities list. 

Last night I turned down chocolate covered macadamia nuts, pizza, and bread sticks. Im going strong right now, but even if I were to cheat I know that it will be OK just as soon as I get back on track. Im really trying to focus on that idea this round: moving on, not feeling guilty, and getting back on track. Ive grown to recognize that guilt is a trigger for my emotional eating. So no matter how badly I slip up, I brush it off and start fresh the next day. 

Life is good. Youre a strong individual who can only give their best. Stop spending time feeling guilty when you fall a bit short. Stop comparing yourself to others and wallowing in self-consciousness. Go out and do something amazing for yourself.

You can get the hormone free drops Im using for 40% off when you use coupon code MYHCGTRIUMPH. This is an exclusive code for my readers only! 26 day kits are less than $50! Get yours now! 

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10 Ways to Boost Your Confidence

They say we are our toughest critics. Just another cliche youd seen plastered on a scenic stockphoto on Pinterest, right? Maybe, but cliches are usually true. I know that Im my toughest critic. I expect myself to be a certain weight, exercise 3 or more times a week, have awesome hair, get a 4.0 in school, be a rock star at work, not to mention be the best friend, daughter and girlfriend my loved ones could ask for. Writing it all down like that seems like a lot, and really it is because the truth is sometimes I go a week without running, sometimes I go 3 pounds over my target weight, sometimes my hair is frizzy, I might fail a test, and more frequently than Id like to admit, I drop the ball on a commitment with a friend. And sometimes when its all too much and I feel like a failure standing at the bottom of my mountain of expectations, I just need a little confidence boost.

Here are ten things that always seem to give me the confidence to keep meeting the expectations I have for myself:

1. Get Ready

Yup, its that simple ladies. Wake up, take a shower, do your hair and put your face on. Pick out a cute outfit and accessorize. And then... take a selfie and post it on Facebook or Instagram. Show the world that youre proud of who you are! Even though wearing yoga pants and putting your hair up in a sock
bun seems tempting, youll feel better if you spend more time on yourself. It completely sets the tone for your day.

2. Exercise

Ive blogged about this before, but basically Exercise = Endorphines, Endorphines = Happiness. Go for a walk, turn on some music and just go. You can jog, you can run, you can kick box, Zumba, or rock climb, it doesnt matter. Just go do something you enjoy even if its only for 30 minutes. Taking care of your body will always make you feel confident.

3. Make a To-Do List and do Everything on it

Theres something magical about a to-do list. I love writing a list of things to do around my apartment on Sunday mornings. Each task I cross off my lists makes me feel more and more accomplished. Its a good way to stay organized and get a lot of stuff done!

4. Paint Your Nails

This is my go to! I am constantly painting my nails. Its almost therapeutic for me. People seem to compliment my nails frequently and it makes me smile. Compliments are always appreciated. If youre not good at painting your nails yourself, go get a mani! Make yourself feel pampered. By taking the time to do something for yourself, youre reinforcing the idea that even though you have a million things going on, you deserve some time to relax and do something nice for yourself.

5. Make a Small Change

Cut your hair, form a new healthy habit, set a goal for work, color your hair, apologize to a friend. Make a small change that feels like a step forward. It doesnt have to be major, it just has to be a gesture of progress and commitment to your goal of being an awesome individual.

6. Do a Detox

Is it just me, or is it completely impossible to feel confident when you feel bloated? Sometimes your body just needs a little break from the toxins in artificial sweeteners and process food. I love the way I feel when Im doing a detox. I feel fresh and revitalized, but best of all I dont feel groggy and bloated. My favorite way to detox is by drinking Lemonade Diet and eating clean. Lemonade Diet is a cheap and effective way to detox, and all you do is drink it twice a day.

 7. Get a New Outfit

Sometimes a new pair of jeans and a cute top is the perfect way to boost your confidence. When Im on a tight budget, I like going to Forever 21. I can usually find a cute outfit on clearance and spend less than $40! Saving money and looking cute? Yeah, thats awesome and definitely worth smiling about.

8. Dish out Compliments to others

When we are able to recognize the good in others, its easier to see the good in ourselves. Try to find something you can compliment on for each person that you come in contact with (even if its with the girl in apartment #208 who steals your Victoria Secret Coupons). I am a firm believer in positive energy and that the more of it you put out, the more of it you will get in return. Think of this one as investing in your bank of confidence. You pay out a compliment and in return you will have more positivity in your life!

9. Do a Service Project

I feel good when I help other people. My favorite way to volunteer is serving breakfast at the homeless
shelter in my area. It only takes a couple hours, but its infinitely rewarding helping people who truly need it. Its a humbling experience that helps me recognize the blessings in my life. After I leave the shelter, it almost seems selfish to feel down on myself. After all, I have a job, warm place to stay and food on the table each night. Being too critical of myself is a waste of energy. That energy should be focused on helping others, not a pity party. There are hundreds of opportunities you can get involved with visit your city, church, or community center website for information.

10. Get out of the House

I know the weather is cooling off and all you want to do is curl up and watch the latest episode of New Girl by yourself with a pint of cookie dough ice cream, but this setting can make even the most popular person feel a bit lonely. I know how hard it can be to resist that temptation after a long day of work. But just try to get out of the house a couple times a week after you clock out. Go to an arcade with a friend, start your Christmas shopping early, go to the gym, go to a karaoke bar with your girls, go on a date! There are hundreds of options, just make sure you try to find a place where you can have fun, meet new people and enjoy new environments. Its a good reminder that theres life beyond television.

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You Are Beautiful How to Build Confidence

I am 22 years old and if I had to guess, Id say that Ive spent about 18 years of my 22 years trying to be

beautiful.

When we are young we start out putting on our mothers lip gloss. Then we start picking out our own clothes. We keenly listen to the way our mother talks about how she looks.  We start making friends and comparing things like hair, skin color, clothes, and shoes.  All before the age of 5, weve constructed in our minds our very first impression of beauty. Its still very fragile and impressionable. As we get older it is influenced by friends, family, and the media. THE MEDIA (here goes another woman talking about how the media is ruining the confidence of women, right? Yeah roll your eyes if you want, but you bet your sweet, probably not so perfectly shaped butt, thats what this is).

Im on a quest to define beauty. My definition doesnt follow the standards set by television, music or the fashion industry because if thats all there is to beauty...I am not beautiful. And seriously, if thats what beauty is, then I would venture to guess that there are very few in this world who are considered beautiful.

Readers who read this also read: A Note About Health From One Curvy Girl to Another

And sure, the few women who do meet those standards are beautiful in their own respects, but being beautiful is more than an image. Its more than looks and size and color. I think that there are many aspects of a person that make them beautiful. I think looks are a small portion of that, but I also think that beauty takes into account how you talk about yourself, how you treat yourself, how you treat others, your talents, your ability to believe in yourself when no one else does, and your ability to be confident even if one of those other aspects falls a bit short according to societys standards.

Lets take a minute to reflect on you. Yes, YOU! If youre struggling to find beauty within yourself I want you to ask yourself a few things, but first, put your physical appearance out of your mind and if at any point you start to compare yourself to another person, start your thought over and ignore the temptation to compare. Seriously, we are doing this RIGHT NOW.
What are you good at?
Was there ever a time where you did better at something than you thought you could? Those small victories are actually big reasons to feel confident. You accomplished those things because you are a mighty person, and you can do hard things.
Now think about your personality.
What are some things about your personality that you feel confident about?
Are you a good friend?
Are you loyal?
Are you caring?
Are you hard working?
Are you driven?
Are you smart?
Are you independent?
Are you positive?
Are you kind?
In this moment you are an amazing individual.You are beautiful. You have talents, you have strengths, and you have experiences that you should feel proud of. You are more than what is in the mirror, you are an individual with a soul. Your thoughts and actions can literally change the world so dont get hung up on a gray hair, or a zit, or a fat roll.

Now that you know what you are good at, how can you channel those strengths to get better at some of the weaknesses that are making you feel insecure? This is a tough question I realize. However, I have learned that while its important to feel confident where you are, its also important to feel confident that you can be what you want to be as well.  Think of it this way, "I love who I am, and because I love who I am I deserve to be my best. Sometimes I think things or feel things that prevent me from being my best. So I am dedicating myself to changing those thoughts and feelings. I am becoming better to one day be my best." So, what can you work on to be a little bit better and little closer to your best?

Readers who read this also read: Im Thankful Im Not a Quitter

By regularly asking myself the kinds of questions listed above, I have improved my confidence. Instead of depending on other people to make me feel worthy and valuable, I know that I am worthy and valuable because I can literally name a handful of things that I rock at.

Its taken me a long time to find beauty in my qualities and strengths.  I am still working on changing some of my negative thoughts and feelings into positive, motivating self encouragement. Each day I have to rededicate myself to ignoring societies definition of beautiful and keep working on my own. My definition of beauty is confidence, and confidence is a feeling, not a look. By acknowledging all the things I am good at in my moments of insecurity, I move past self-pity, I move past self-loathing, and I feel beautiful.

I probably wont ever be a size two with awesomely tan skin and a super nice butt, and thats OK. At the end of the day I realize that I have so much more to offer myself and the world than just looking hot.

Whats your definition of beauty?

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Confidence Killers Meet Their Match 6 Confidence Boosting Actions

When I feel confident, theres nothing in the world that can stop me. Blind date? No problem. Presentation?

Done. Heres the thing though, I struggle with feeling confident. Ive tried a lot of different things to feel confident and if theres one thing Ive learned its that feeling confident is completely withing your control.

While a lot of the times we associate feeling confident with looking a certain way, confidence is a way of thinking. Confidence is believing in yourself, and when you believe in yourself (corny as it may sound) you are unstoppable.

So... how do you just start feeling confident? Well, the first step is to stop doing things that are killing your confidence, the next step is to bit by bit work your way up to doing things that will help you to start believing in yourself.

Here, let me walk you through it.

Counter Your Confidence Killers 

Negative Self Talk - Positive Affirmations
The biggest confidence killer, is negative self talk. Negative self talk is basically the act of putting yourself down. Negative self talk is a hard habit to break. Some people dont even realize they are doing it. For example saying things like, "My thighs are way too big for these shorts," or "Im so dumb sometimes." A lot of the times these things are said sarcastically, or in passing. However, even those sarcastic, little comments like that can do real damage to your confidence. When youre thinking or feeling something negative about yourself, save it. Instead of saying something negative. Think something positive. "Im going to rock my skinny jeans today," or "Im going to do so much better next time!" Start trying to think encouraging thoughts when you encounter situations that are less than ideal. Start rooting for yourself. Have an interview? "I have all the skills this position requires an if I do my best, things will be OK." Dont dwell on your insecurities, focus on your capabilities. Even if they are small. And start recognizing yourself for those things.

Readers who read this also read: A Note About Health From One Curvy Girl to Another

Negative Friends - Happy People
Dont waste your time with people who dont help build you up. If you have a bitchy friend who is constantly making snide remarks regarding your clothes or your hair, its time to drop her and stick to the people who love you for you.

Tabloids & Ads - Body Positive Media
If youre consumed by tabloids, looking for the latest trends to try and boost your confidence, you might be doing more harm than good. Constantly looking to the media to tell you whats popular, whos hot and what to buy arent going to help you love yourself more. Dont feel your mind with airbrushed photos and unrealistic body ideals. Stick to body positive media like this campaign from Panteine Pro V that tells women its OK to be strong and dominant.

Mirrors - Skip the Mirror
Every day, I used to spend 20-30 minutes in the mirror trying on outfit after outfit. I didnt like the way one dress hugged this roll too tightly, or the way certain pants were too loose in the butt. It was a constant battle between me and my reflection. Then I moved. And when I moved, my full length mirror broke...And I didnt bother replacing it. I cant even begin to describe how free its been to know that I can put something on because Ive been wanting to wear it, and leave the house without reconsidering a million times. You can feel just as confident wearing something because you like the color and you want to wear it, as when you like the way something looks on you. :) Ditch the mirror for a day and pick out an outfit that makes you feel beautiful.

Comparisons - Self Reflection
Comparison is the thief of joy. When we compare ourselves to others, we overlook our own unique talents, quirks, and blessings to lust after the life of another. What a waste. Youre an individual, so act like it. Stop comparing yourself to others in an effort to be something youre not. Instead, try reflecting who you are and who you want to be. Instead of losing weight to look like someone else, try starting a healthy habit thats important to you because you.

Unrealistic Expectations of Yourself - Positive Goals
At the end of the day, you are human. You make mistakes. You cant expect yourself to be perfect. You can however, set realistic goals that are positive. How do you know if your goal is positive? If the thought of it makes you smile and gives you butterflies, thats a good start. If you propels you to be a nicer, happier person, thats also a good start. When you stumble, when you fail, recognize that its all part of the journey. Each day wake up and set a goal that you can accomplish that day. Maybe its exercising. Maybe its smiling at 10 strangers. Set positive goals for yourself. Even if they are small, achieving a goal you set is incredibly gratifying and its great boost for your confidence.

What are some things that make you feel confident?

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Sauteed Kale Sausage Spaghetti Squash Medley

Whats better than a recipe with spaghetti squash or kale? A recipe with both. I was checking out some low carb recipes on Pinterest and I found a Sausage, Kale, and Spaghetti squash. I thought Id check it out, and simplify it a bit. Kale pairs so well with sausage and spaghetti squash pairs well with with almost everything. Im a big fan of making dinners in less than 30 minutes. The original cook time on this dish was around and hour and 20 minutes. I did it in about 25. Woot woot. Turns out, my variation is super delicious, and I thought this low carb dinner would be worth sharing.

Ingredients:

• 2 small spaghetti squash, halved and de-seeded
•  1 bunch kale, chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• 1 pound Italian Sausage
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1/4 cup mozzarella 

Directions:
In a casserole dish, place spaghetti squash face down and fill dish with about an inch of water. Microwave for 15 minutes. While spaghetti squash is cooking, heat olive oil in large pan. Add kale to pan and sprinkle with garlic and onion powder. Saute kale on medium heat until tender. While youre sauteing the kale, cook sausage in a small pan. Once sausage is browned, add in onion and cook them through. Add meat and onion mixture to kale and cook on low heat until sausage, onion and kale lightly brown. Scrape spaghetti squash into a large bowl using a fork. Add in the kale and sausage mixture and combine. Serve immediately topped with a little mozzarella.

Makes 4 servings. 545 calories per serving, 16 net carbs, 20 grams protein.

If you want to cut down on fat and calories, go with regular ground turkey instead of Italian sausage and skip the mozzarella.

Recipe adapted from: PaleoGrubs.com

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Life Update Balancing Life for Better Health

Life has this way of pulling you into chaos. When this happens, you hang on for dear life and pray you make it through.

Ive realized lately that I havent been very personal on here lately, mostly because Ive had some big things to handle recently and I tend to withdraw from friends, family, and readers when that happens.

Whenever I feel stressed, its usually because there is an imbalance in my life. My physical, mental, and emotional health are all very important to me. Usually when something goes amiss in one of those aspects, the other ones fall apart too. You cannot be healthy if any of those things are lacking. Its no surprise that as I started to get overwhelmed, I started to put on a few pounds here and there. Im not yet where I want to be because Ive been neglecting myself, and so I have made it a goal to refocus myself in every aspect of my life. So, just to catch everyone up... Heres what Im working on:

Physical

FitBit Fun! I got a fit bit a few weeks ago and its been so fun competing with my friends to get all my 10,000 steps in. :) I got the FitBit Zip on sale at Best Buy and its been an interesting challenge trying to move more on days when Im not scheduled to run! Each day I have the goal to hit 10,000 steps.

Speaking of Running... Last month I did phenomenal with my running. Each week I set up a schedule on Mondays and would make sure I stuck to that schedule. Three weeks ago, I finished a run and was having a really hard time breathing. A day later it was much worse and I went into see a doctor after having a really bad panic attack that led to a fit of coughing that I was not able to catch my breath from. I was having chest pain and felt terrible. Turned out I had a breathing virus causing inflammation in my lungs, and a fever of 103! I did a breathing treatment, was put on steroids and an inhaler, and told I needed to take a little break from running. That little break turned into about two weeks. The first week doctors orders, the second week being terrified that I wouldnt be able to finish a run without having an asthma attack. This week I am putting that fear aside and going for a good run tonight! :) My goal is to get my mileage up to 15 miles per week with my average mile time being 10:30. Im not a very fast runner, but I am enjoying celebrating the little victories of getting my mileage up and my pace down! Im also working toward increasing my long runs to 6.2 miles. Once I have my mileage up, Im going to work on my speed. Id like to be able to run a mile and a half in 11:56. 

As far as my diet goes, I am trying to cut out all candy this week. I am also trying to stick to 1300 calories M-F, 1500 calories Sat & Sun.. My focus is on eating balanced meals. Low carb during the week, and still being mindful during the weekends, trying to only eat whole grains. Woohoo. Ive been trying to take my focus off the number on the scale and instead focus on how well Im sticking to the goals above. If I do all these things above, I know my weight will be fine.

Mental

I am trying to take control of my life by taking control of my thoughts. I realized that Ive lost sight of some of the things I really enjoy just because Ive been too unmotivated to put the effort into keeping up with them. One of my goals to improve my mental healthy is to things that I dont want to do if I know they will improve or contribute to my life. So that pile of laundry that is sitting in my room, Im going to fold it. And that blog Ive been wanting to start, Im going to start it. That phone call Ive been needing to make, Im going to make it. Those articles and documentaries Ive been meaning to read, Im going to read them. One of my greatest fears in life is becoming stagnant. I dont want to settle. I want to progress. Progressing means overcoming yourself mentally and learning to push through the lazy thoughts that are holding you back. And thats exactly what I plan to do.

Emotional

Emotionally, Ive been having a difficult time. Going through a breakup basically destroys your confidence, then add all the other pressures of life onto that, and it becomes really easy to feel negative. Emotionally, Im trying to come to terms with the fact that being alone doesnt mean you have to feel lonely. My happiness is not dependent upon another person. Ive made a goal to be productive with my alone time instead of trying to escape it by making plans, spending all night on social media. Im also working on serving others to feel more confident about myself. I know that I have a lot to offer this world, and that thought is empowering, but if I never take opportunities to help others, I dont feel like Im living up to my full potential.

Remember that no matter how hectic your life gets, you still are capable of rising above all of the things that try to hold you down. Your life is in your hands. Your happiness is solely dependent upon how you react to situations. Are you going to be a victim in the your own story? Or are you going to be a hero? Its your choice. Ive made mine.

What are some of your goals?

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