10 Things Losing Weight Has Made Me Thankful For

The season of giving thanks has taken me over! I am completely full of thanks for such a wonderful life.

Here are 10 things Im thankful for! Share the images that relate to you. :)

1. My Health
Being overweight was always scary. Now that Ive lost weight, I have a greater appreciation for health. I am so thankful that I dont have to take medications or poke myself with needles. It truly is a blessing.

2. The People Who Make Me Feel Confident

 I am surrounded by friends and family who constantly help me feel my worth by recognizing my hard work. I have had to re-learn what it means to feel confident and I am so thankful for the people who strive to teach me.

3. A Place To Call Home

No matter how hard my day is, how down I feel about myself or how frustrated I am with not reaching a goal, I always have a place to call home. And the more I think about that, the more I realize how insignificant my other problems are compared to other things I could be going through. 

4. My Family

However dysfunctional and frustrating they may be. I love my family. They have supported me through this journey. They have dealt with my crankiness. They have been there to celebrate my triumphs. They are so dear to me. 

5. My Job 

I realize that the job market is tough, and I am so thankful to have a job and not have to be looking during the holiday season. It isnt the easiest job, but it teaches me a lot. It has helped me accomplish a lot of goals, and it pays my bills. 

6. My Car

I am so thankful to have a car that lets me drive up to the mountains to go hiking, drive down to the health food store, and take me anywhere else I need to go. 

7. My Body

Its a work in progress, but I am so thankful for the body that I have. Through improving it, I have learned to respect it. I am so thankful that its working, that its healthy and that its beautiful. 

8. Tomorrows

I am so thankful that no matter what happens, I always know that tomorrow is going to be a fresh start. No matter what the scale says, I can do better tomorrow. 

9. Endorphins

I am so thankful for the feeling that exercise gives me. I am so thankful that endorphins help me feel satisfied, accomplished and happy after I spend time challenging myself physically. 

10. Access to Healthy Food

I am so thankful that I have access to food, and not just food but healthy food. I have so many choices and so many ways to fuel my body. I recognize that having such an abundance of food is truly a blessing. 

What are you thankful for?

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3 Tips To Avoid Fall Weight Gain

I love fall. It is my favorite season. The temperature is perfect, the colors in the mountains are beautiful, and I can finally wear cardigans, scarves and boots without burning up. Its the season of soup and haunted hay rides. Its the season of cuddling and wearing leg warmers. But of course with all of my favorite fall activities also comes the season of eating.

Tends to bring out everyones desire to bake rolls and pies. Just since the beginning of October Ive had co-workers bring in pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, cheesecake, homemade biscuits and home made cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting. Oh. My. Word. Its like carbohydrate heaven around here!

As easy as it may seem to stuff my face with all this bready goodness and wear baggy sweaters for the next three months, I know that I have a goal that is much more important than snacking on the fall foods that make me pack on the pounds.
Im not saying it is easy, because its incredibly hard to be surrounded by friends when they are eating rich, homemade confections while Im crunching on an apple, but I am saying youll feel better about yourself come January when youre already making progress toward your weight loss goal.

Here are 3 Tips to avoid Fall weight gain:

1. Sweaters are good, just dont hide under them
Big sweaters are in right now. They are easy to dress up with a pair of leggings, boots and a chunky necklace, but they also give you the perfect excuse to gain a little weight and have it go unnoticed. Tempting
right? Nothing hides a food baby (the bloat you get after overeating) better than a cute, off the shoulder, sweater. Keep in mind, though, that sweater season wont be around forever. It takes a lot longer to take off pounds than it does a sweater. Even though its tempting to use this fashion trend as an excuse to indulge in pumpkin spiced lattes from Starbucks, ditch the over-sized sweaters and pick up some fitted cardigans.

A couple months ago, target was having a sell on their boyfriend cardigans, and I stocked up. They are form fitting enough that if I put on too much weight they will show off my muffin top. Its good incentive to eat healthy even when everyone around me isnt.

2. Go for foods that are warm but not rich

Theres nothing quite like the feeling of broccoli cheese soup in a bread bowl, or hot apple pie settling in your stomach. Usually when its cold outside we want something warm to eat or drink, right? Unfortunately a lot of the things we end up eating and drinking are warm but they are also rich. Cream based soups, hot pie, and creamy lattes are loaded with calories. But just because youre on a diet doesnt mean you cant have something warm and delicious, its all about making some healthy swaps. For instance, instead of Broccoli Cheese Soup go for vegetable soup in broth. Its incredibly tasty but it doesnt have the flour and butter that are usually in cream based soups. Instead of apple pie, slice an apple, sprinkle it with cinnamon and Trulicious powdered stevia, and bake it. You still get sweet, warm apples but you cut down on calories tremendously. Instead of a latte add a tablespoon of milk and a teaspoon of stevia to a cup of black coffee. Again, its a lot less calories but you still get that warm, full feeling.

3. Keep exercising
I live in Utah, and eventually its going to get dark earlier than I get home from school and too cold for me to
go jogging outside (yup, Im a sissy). If youre anything like me, staying home seems so much better than braving the cold for a workout.  But NO EXCUSES! There are hundreds of exercise videos out there that you can do in the comfort of your headed home. You can also check out HCGDiet.coms fitness board on Pinterest for some awesome and FREE stay at home fitness ideas! Even if its a 30 minute zumba video, its better than nothing. Keep moving. Your body will feel so much better if you continue to exercise through fall and winter!

Dont use fall as an excuse for weight gain. Enjoy fall without packing on the pounds with those three tips!

Need additional help reaching your goal weight in time for the family Christmas party?  Order your HCG Triumph kit today and you can lose up to 40 pounds before Christmas! Get your kit now while its on sale: http://www.hcgdiet.com/

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