My favorite snack to take is an apple. Especially this time of year. I just was one, throw it in my purse with a paper towel wrapped around it and I am good to go.

Calorie counting always feels like a “last resort” to me, but it works so I do it… but if you are losing weight without out it, that’s perfect. What you’re doing is obviously working, keep on keepin’ on!

YES, I get so bummed out when I get on the scale after working out every day and it hasn’t budged or has even gone up 1/2 lb. Very frustrating.

With that being said, I’ve decided to workout every other week and it seems to work for me as least right now. Since my weight doesn’t move on my workout week, I figure I’d workout a week for the health benefits of staying active and then take a week off for weight loss. That keeps my body guessing, too, as to what is going to happen each day. So far, so good. I’m still not counting calories yet either because I’m happy with the weight I’m losing and I’m really eating what I want.

I weigh myself twice a day, in the morning and at night. Not to see so much if I’ve lost weight because I know that is not accurate AT all, but it keeps me mentally in check. I know that if my weight is not where it should be in the morning, I need to reign things in a little that day. I can pretty much tell what my weight will be the next morning too, by my bedtime weight.

What I am doing, though, is making sure I don’t ever feel starving hungry. I think that’s the key for me. By constantly munching on something, my system stays active. I’ll usually grab a handful of pretzels or something if I know I’ll be away for a while. I don’t usually take fruit with me because I always feel hungry soon after eating it.

I’m sure my weight would drop faster if I kept my calories under a certain number each day and did not splurge on the weekends, but if what I’m doing right now is working for me by a slow weight loss, I’m happy with that. I’m in no hurry. The goal I set for myself is 1/2 lb a week and so far in the 8 weeks I’ve been trying, I’m ahead of where I should be.

For pumpkin overnight oats, I combine 1/2 c oats, 1/3 c vanilla yogurt, 1/3 c 1% milk, 1/4 c pumpkin and spices right before bed. The oats soak up the liquid ingredients and soften over night. Top with whatever you like in the morning!

They are soft after an hour or so if you did this in the morning, I like to make them at night though so breakfast is all ready to go the following day!