In my twenties, I became pregnant with my first child. During that pregnancy I gained 100 pounds.

After giving birth I was very happy to have a beautiful baby girl, however I was very upset of the fact that I was 100 pounds more then I used to be. So through this weight loss journey I learned about many resources and advice that I am very grateful for.

I am grateful for...

1. Gaining weight, gaining a better self esteem. I am sure that you are thinking "how could gaining weight give you a better self esteem"? For most people it could be the opposite, but I learned that it is the way you look at it. My self image as a teenager was very poor, even though I was skinny and beautiful. After gaining 100 pounds my self image did not get better, however I learned that the people in my life really loved me for who I am and not what I looked like. Through that I learned that it really is not a huge deal how you look on the outside, it's about the person you really are. When I was a teenager I think that I feared gaining weight because of what people would think of me. I regret not being thankful back then, so I decided to be grateful for the curvy lady, I had become. Through gaining weight I have learned that I am an awesome person and people really do love me. As of now I am still losing the weight I gained about two years ago, but this time I am grateful for who I am and losing weight will help me enjoy a healthy, more energetic life.

2. The support of friends and family. I am very grateful for my friends and family. My husband has always been very supportive of me and has always made me feel beautiful. My friends and family have always offered me support, through helping me when I want to eat something bad and encouraging me to keep on exercising. They have never made me feel bad about my weight gain and have always treated me the same.

3. The Internet. I am so grateful for the free information that is available on the internet. I have read many great EzineArticles about weight loss and health. There are millions a blogs and websites that offer great information, motivation and support. I love the help that I have received so much from the internet that I decided to go ahead and make my own weight loss blog and become an EzineArticles Author. It has brought me much joy to be able to reach the world and share the information that I have learned. The Internet is also a great way to purchase weight loss programs, clothing, supplements and books. I am very grateful to find helpful information and purchase products from the comfort of my own home.

4. Home Exercise Programs. I love being able to pop in a DVD and have a personal trainer in my own living room. Experts from all over the world have put together priceless exercise programs that can be followed from the comfort of your own home. They almost always come with a nutrition plan as well. My favorite trainer so far would have to be Tony Horton. He has created many programs such as The Ten Minute Trainer, P90X, and Power 90. I can say that he is my personal trainer because I have had much success following his programs. He is very funny, motivating and make's sure that you go at your own pace. The nutrition plans are also delicious and easy to follow. If you are someone that is tired of going to the gym, think it's to expensive or have no idea what you are doing at the gym then I encourage you to get a home exercise program that you think would be fun and try it out. Most programs cost what only two months could cost at a gym and you get to keep them forever. Another great point, is that if you have children it is much easier to pop in a video and exercise then it is to find a babysitter when you want to go to the gym. Your children will also see what you are doing and join into the healthy lifestyle you are creating.

5. Television. Alright it might sound cheesy, but I am very grateful for Dr.Oz, Oprah and Dr. Phil. These three professionals have helped so many people get healthy and lose weight. I have learned so much from watching these television shows. They have kept me motivated, I have learned many tips and strategies all well as new programs and what to eat. Television is North America's biggest past time so we might as well learn something while we are sitting there. Also if it was not for television I would not be able to use home exercise programs.

6. The technology of counting calories. I never thought that I would be grateful for eating less and counting my calories all day, but I am. With out technology it would be really hard, but there are so many websites and even smart phones that offer free calorie counters. Every time I plan a meal or eat something I pop online and check out how many calories would be in that meal or how many calories I actually consumed. It has taken all the guess work out of eating properly and has saved me a lot of time. I can plug in my age, weight and height and it automatically calculates how many calories I need to consume to lose weight. It also let's me know how many pounds I should lose a week if I keep eating that way. You can also use technology to find out how many calories were burned during exercise. That is a great tool as well.

We are so lucky to live in this day and age. Technology is at it's best and only getting better with every passing year. There are always going to be specialist researching the latest ways to get healthy and professional creating programs. If you are just starting out in your own weight loss journey or have been doing it for awhile I encourage you to find the things you are grateful for. It will bring you much joy and help you to see that weight loss really is easy in this time and age and that you can do it.

Jodi is a compassionate person who loves helping people in any way. Her project right now is to help people achieve their weight loss goals. For great weight loss advice, information and products please visit her blog.http://www.theweightlossguide.net