Losing It THM Style

My journey to a healthier me using the Trim Healthy Mama eating plan.

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♥Make the right choice♥

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self discipline tips

here are tips I discovered very recently:

something is better than nothing. 5 minutes of work are better than zero. Just because you missed something on your schedule doesn’t mean you can’t still work on it, even for 5 minutes. Grow and build on this.

second drafts / reviews can be done after.

Don’t think you are going to do your very best work on the first try. Take the weight of perfectionism off your shoulders.

don’t think about doing it. just do it as fast as you can.

build on your productivity, not your failures.

If you come from a past of procrastinating and now feel motivated to change and discipline yourself, do NOT try to do everything at once.

if you have a set of different goals to accomplish, begin with the most important one. Wait until the rotine of working for that one settles in (you feel productive and comfortable-ish), and then begin with the next. Repeat.

this way you’ll be building your way up and not juggling everything at the same time, hoping everything works out.

be patient with yourself, you’ll get there!

set smaller deadlines for your goals

have monthly and weekly-ish deadlines

e.g. if you are doing a project, due 22nd Feb, set personal deadlines, like have Introduction written by 2nd Feb, have Methods written by 10th Feb, have project complete by 18th Feb.

take them as seriously as you possibly can, don’t miss out on yourself.

write realistic daily tasks and don’t stop until you finish them. after them you can do whatever you want

on writing realistic daily tasks, the secret is knowing you can only do so much in one day, but trusting you can accomplish everything in the course of any period of time (a week, or 2 weeks or a month, etc.) because you will combine the work from all these different days.

it’s very tempting to write down all the tasks you need to accomplish in one day to just get over with it, but the real deal is you won’t accomplish half of them. You’ll feel very unproductive then, wich leads to demotivation.

spread daily tasks in the time necessary.

have a consistent sleep schedule.

if your mind isn’t ready everything will fall apart.

have one rest day per week where you plan nothing, do whatever you want except studying. this can be harder than you expect!

(don’t forget these are effective only if you actually put them into practice! good luck babes!!)

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Tagalong Cookie Bars - grain, gluten, & sugar free, & THM S.

Tagalong Cookies Simplified and Ready in under an hour! All the chocolate peanut buttery goodness but grain, gluten, & sugar free, & THM S.

Tagalongs are my favorite Girl Scout cookie!  I have got to try this one!

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Peanut Butter Maple Fudge Swirl {THM-S} - Country Girl Cookin

I’m pretty obsessed with peanut butter, I cannot lie! I really do try not to have too much, as it would probably slow down my weight loss…but its SOOO good!!! This recipe has a bit of maple syrup in it. What?? Did I just say maple syrup? But that’s not on the THM plan, right? …

These look super delicious!

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Thin Mint Chocolate Chip Milkshake {Low Carb & Sugar Free!}

You won't believe how close this is to a drive-through diet busting milkshake! There is a secret ingredient that you might think you don't like until you try it in this recipe. Even my teenager is obsessed with these delicious thin mint chocolate chip milkshakes!

Craving Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies? Give this recipe a try!

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Free For Black Friday - 30 Days To Start Trim Healthy Mama Download!

As a special gift for Thanksgiving, here is the '30 Days And 30 Tips To Starting The Trim hHealthy Mama Plan' Download available for all! Happy Holidays!

Thought I would share this for those who may be just starting out with Trim Healthy Mama!

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Chicken Fiesta Bowl - THM E

I came up with this recipe and wanted to share it. It is an E-Meal on the Trim Healthy Mama eating plan.  Serves 4 and only takes a total of around 20 minutes or less to cook.  The prep time is very short, around 5 to 10 minutes.

Ingredients: 4 Chicken Breasts cut into long strips 1 Cup Quinoa 2 Cups Fat Free Chicken Broth 1 (15.25 oz) Can Black Beans (rinsed and drained) 1 (10 oz) can Tomatoes with Green Chili 2 pinches Mineral Salt Habanero and Green Chili Seasoning or any sugar free and MSG free seasoning Fat Free Sour Cream Salsa Scant amount of low-fat shredded cheese.

Directions: Cook quinoa according to directions substituting broth for water.

While quinoa cooks, season chicken breasts well and cook on medium-high heat until no longer pink (or until internal temperature is around 165º) in a large skillet coated with Coconut Oil cooking spray.

Once quinoa is done, toss in Rotel tomatoes, black beans, and salt. Sprinkle lightly with seasoning and stir well.

Place quinoa mixture in a bowl. Lay chicken strips over the grains. Sprinkle with cheese. Add a dollop of sour cream and salsa.  Enjoy!

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Falling Into the Comfort Food Trap

It’s been awhile since my last post, and my apologies for that. I wanted to touch on a subject that we can all fall prey to without really realizing it - The Comfort Food Trap. Recently, I discovered I was gaining weight instead of losing it.  I couldn’t for the life of me figure it out.  I knew I was eating on plan for the majority of the time.  So, how could I be gaining the weight back? I didn’t get it. I was feeling miserable all the time.  I had no energy.  All I wanted to do was sleep. Then, the light bulb moment came when I realize I had fallen into the “Comfort Food Trap”.

What is the “Comfort Food Trap”? It is our weakness foods. It’s those foods that we reach for when life throws you a curve ball.  We grab them and then camp out there with them.

My comfort foods are the higher fat meals or S-Meals and sugar. S-Meals are super decedent, rich, sometimes super cream and cheesy. These meals are your higher fat meals (over 10g) with low carbs (5g or less) like Lazy Lasagna, Cajun Cream Chicken, Buttah Chicken, Strawberry Cheesecake Shake, and German Chocolate Cake Shake (my all time fav) to name a few. Sometimes, I just have to have actual York Peppermint Patties or a Butterfinger. My husband has this bad habit of bringing me candy bars that are so NOT on plan.  True, it’s my choice to eat them or not.  It’s hard not to cave in when you are a food addict. It’s like putting cocaine in front of a crack addict and expecting them not to use.  I am a total cheese addict as well as a chocoholic. Whenever the kids get sick, or I am feeling blue, or things get stressful, I gravitate towards the S Meals and off plan foods. Before I knew it, I was having S-Meals and S-Snacks for every meal, every day.  I wasn’t switching my fuels out and my body paid the price.  I had begun creeping back up in weight after having this triumphant victory of losing 40 lbs. Sure, only gaining 10 lbs back wasn’t that big of a deal, but I might as well as have gained 20 with the way I was feeling.

For you, your “Comfort Food Trap” may be high carb items like pasta, breads. For others, it may be alcohol.

Wait a minute!  Isn’t Trim Healthy Mama is all about food freedom? Yes, it is; however, too much of a good thing can be a problem. A little treat every now and then isn’t bad.  It’s when you overindulge that the problem begins. You can’t move in to Fatsville or Carbtown, or Sugarland and expect lasting results with Trim Healthy Mama.

How did I fall into the “Comfort Food Trap” in the first place?  I had stopped keeping track of my foods in my food journal. Keeping a food journal is a complete MUST when you are a recovering “foodaholic” or food addict like me. Sometimes it’s the small things that catch us off guard, especially when we become too comfortable with where we are and too comfortable with our journey.

So what did I do?  I dusted myself off, and straightened out my menu! I also started back exercising. I often remember a saying someone once said on a regular basis when I have these light bulb moments, “A little adjustment, a lot of increase.” Now that I am aware of what I was doing, I can stop and change directions. I can now make the necessary adjustments in my eating and fitness routine that will bring better results.  Speaking of which, since starting back on the correct fuel swapping the THM plan calls for, I have lost 5 lbs. I started back on Monday....5 lbs already gone! My energy levels are back up, and I feel so much better!

So watch out for the “Comfort Food Trap”! If you fall into the trap, don’t get down on yourself and give up.  Look at the map again, climb out of the trap, and start on your journey again. Give yourself grace and forgive yourself. It’s okay.  You are not alone.  We all fall into the trap from time to time too. It’s what you do afterwards that determines your success.  Keep plugging along!

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I finally hit the 40 lb mark this month!  Wow...that’s the weight of a canoe?!  Whaaaaa?!

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I Did It!

I made it through Christmas on plan as much as possible.  Christmas Eve I went over into Crossover territory, but still not bad.  Christmas day was all on plan.  I made an absolutely amazing turkey that was moist and juicy, homemade cranberry sauce, Trimtastic Crumb Cake, THM Stuffing (yes, there is a recipe for even that), Winter Wonderland Sip, delicious green beans, deviled eggs, even trimified the broccoli and craisin salad.  My family ate it up.  My mother-in-law still can’t believe I can eat this way and still lose weight!

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It comes down to choice

Tonight was the annual church Christmas banquet.  Every one had brought such delicious looking and smelling food.  There was so roasted beef brisket, smoked ham, various sides, and a very decadent dessert table.  It was a feast for the eyes and the belly.  There were so many choices, most of which were not good.

What did I bring to the banquet?  I brought THM Lazy Lasagna.  What is Lazy Lasagna? It’s the amazing and very delicious noodle-less lasagna that you would swear was fattening.  make mine with lean ground turkey instead of beef.  The creamy cheese sauce is so good....1/3 less fat cream cheese, skim milk Ricotta cheese (original recipe calls for cottage cheese) and eggs pureed until so smooth.  I used fresh spinach instead of the frozen the recipe calls for. It also has a large slathering of mozzarella cheese. Oh, and no sugar added marinara or pizza sauce. It sounds so heavy, but it actually isn’t.  It makes such a huge amount that of lasagna.  I filled up a 13x11x3 pan full of it.  Normally the serving sizes are huge for this dish, but since we were sharing they were a lot smaller making it even better since I added in the extra meat from the brisket.

So what did I eat?  I took only one thin half a slice of ham, a small serving of brisket without the BBQ sauce, some of my lasagna, and a nice healthy side salad.  I skipped over the mac and cheese, corn puddings, sweet potato casseroles, scalloped potatoes, green bean casseroles, and the lush desserts.  I could have easily chosen to veer off course for one night since I had been so good during the day.  I could have chosen to eat those heavy desserts.  There was once a time in my life where I would have over indulged in such things.  It comes down to choice for me.  I can either choose to stick to a plan of eating that is healthy and good for me or choose to eat off plan and be sick for the rest of the night and the next few days following.  THM allows for variances in eating and it’s easy to get right back on plan once you have an indulgence.  I, however, refuse to give in to those temptations when it comes to food.  I am a recovering food addict and I HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THAT!  I choose!  No one else gets to. It’s on me if I overeat or eat the wrong things.  I choose to break a cycle of addition that has been a part of my family for generations!  I WILL BE healthy!  I WILL CHOOSE! 

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Recovering Food Addict’s Advice

I found this post on one of my THM Facebook group pages and felt it was very needful to be shared.  Please enjoy this insight from Diane: “I wrote this post for my own personal page, but I'm sharing it here just in case someone else needs the words to say to well-meaning loved ones. It's hard for me to write this, not because I'm embarrassed or ashamed, but because I don't want anyone to feel like I don't appreciate the sentiment in the advice I am sometimes given. This is more for awareness, than anything. People mean well. They really do. But what they don't understand is that often the typical advice given to someone "like me" is so wrong. Here goes. I am not a fat girl on a diet.  I am a recovering food addict.  Please think about this for a while.  I am making different choices in my life because I was literally killing myself with the choices I was making. Simple little lies I let myself believe. "Just this one meal (day, week, celebration, event, etc) doesn't matter." "At least I'm not as big as...so and so " "It's okay to cheat just this once." No one would say this to a recovering alcoholic or drug addict.  I am not looking for praise, accolades, a pat on the back, or even encouragement, although all of those things are very nice.  I want to be completely transparent here.  You do not know what someone's private struggles may be.  Be wary of the advice you administer.”

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This actually makes two servings.....that is if you can bring yourself to share this amazingly delicious and addictive drink.  This is a very heavy S (satisfying) treat. I do not know who originally posted this to Pinterest, but THANK YOU!

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Trim Healthy Mama: Tips & Helps

We all need a bit of help sometimes especially when we begin something new. Here are a few tips and helps to get you started on your Trim Healthy Mama journey and have been invaluable to me.  Other than the plan book and cookbook, these items have been my tools in success and I hope they will become yours as well.

Tip #1 - Set a goal. By setting a goal for yourself, it will help bring the vision to pass. You will find it easier to stay on plan if you set a goal.  It gives you something to work towards.  Set a small on at first so it is easier to obtain then start setting your larger ones.

Tip #2 - Plan, plan, plan.  I have heard it said that “failure to plan is planning to fail”.  It’s so true!  Plan out your menu ahead of time so you can go grocery shopping armed with a perfectly planned out menu in mind.  This will help cut down on all those impulse buys too.  Plan out your menu for the next week right before payday so you know what you are cooking between paychecks and purchase accordingly.  This will so help with the budget. And we all want to spend less at the grocery store if we can. 

Tip #3 - Give yourself grace.  This is something new and a lot of new information to digest.  You will make mistakes and eat things off plan from time to time.  It’s okay. There is no need to freak out over every little thing you do wrong here. This plan is so easy. You can mess up and it’s all okay.  Just start back on plan within three to four hours of making your slip up.  Not a big deal.  You won’t unravel your journey with one little bit or even the entire indulgence of a regular candy bar.  Just breathe.....it’s going to be okay.

Tip #4 - Find a buddy or support group. This will be the most beneficial of all the tips.  There are many, many THM Facebook groups that you can connect with and sometimes even local groups that meet in your area.  You can share ideas, recipes, ingredient swaps, etc.  These groups will help you stay accountable as well as help you with figuring out what recipes you really like.  The group I belong to cooks an on plan item and shares it during the group.  We also take time to pray for each other and our journey.  When you hit those days when you are struggling, call your buddy or reach out to the online community for encouragement.

Tip #5 - Keep TWO journals. Why two? One is for your food journal and the other for your personal edification during this journey.  Keep track of how you are doing as far as staying on plan and your progress with your food journal, jot down recipe changes, make nots of the recipes you really enjoyed, etc.  Your personal journal will help you keep track of how you are feeling emotionally and mentally.  It will also help you keep track of emotional eating triggers that you can pinpoint and avoid or turn into emotional victories. It will also be a great place for you to write encouraging words to yourself.  You can write down quotes that inspire you and keep yourself motivated.

Tip #6 - Shop around for your supplies and make a supplier list. You will be surprised of the places that carry items you will need on you THM journey.  Places like Tuesday Morning, Big Lots, Dollar Tree, GNC, Kroger, Whole Foods, Aldi, and Walmart all carry items that are THM friendly.  Check out your local Co-Op groceries stores as well as Asian markets.  They have bulk spices for really great prices. Online retailers like Thrive Market, Olive Nation, Swanson’s and Amazon can help you find some unbeatable prices. You can also check out local food banks, discount grocery stores, and salvage stores like Hudson’s.  You would be surprised of the goodies you can find there for dirt cheap. Create a supplier list based on your research. Write down where you find your THM supplies so it will be easier to restock when the time comes.

Tip #7 - Make a binder of all your THM stuff.  This way, you can keep up with the awesome recipes you print off Pinterest and other websites you come across.  This will help you stay organized.  You can also keep track of your progress logs in your binder and put both your journals in there so you can keep up with them. Put your supplier list in your binder too.  Also, a before picture of the binder would be great as well.

Tip #8 - Don’t weigh yourself every day! Set yourself free from the scale.  Weigh when you start your THM journey and periodically through your journey. I weight myself every week. Sometimes, I don’t step on the scales for a full month. It will take some stress off for those times you have more water retention. Keep track of your weight in your binder and journals.

Tip #9 - Measure, measure, measure! Take your measurements periodically throughout your THM journey.  This will be so much encouragements when you don’t see the scale move.

Tip #10 - Reward yourself for both small victories and milestones! Don’t forget to reward yourself in non-food ways when you hit a goal or milestone.  Go for a massage, mani/padi, get a new hair cut, buy new clothes, etc. Treat yourself because you deserve it!

Tip #11 - DO NOT NEGLECT YOUR FAMILY! - This one is majorly important.  Remember, you are setting an example for your family not traveling in a different direction.  Introduce your new menu to them and watch them become healthier and more vibrant.

Tip #12 - Invest in good small kitchen appliances. You will use these constantly.  Start off with what you can afford and move up as you can to higher quality.  I started with an Oster blender (I had that thing for 10 years) and worked my way up to a refurbished KitchenAid blender.  I’ve had my Black and Decker food processor for almost 15 years and it still does the job.  You will need a slow cooker/crockpot.  Get one large enough to cook a family meal in. It doesn’t have to be expensive by no means.  They all do the job.

Tip #13 - Mason jars, mason jars, mason jars.  Ha!  I love those jars.  I grew up drinking sweet tea out of them.  These beauties will come in handy for all your luscious smoothies you will be making.

Tip #14 - Invest in some storage containers.  This is an absolute MUST! You will need a variety of sizes.  Heck, you can use butter boxes, sour cream containers, etc.  It all works! To stay more organized in your shelves, I do recommend some decent ones that you can put labels on for your coconut and almond flours, sweeteners, xantham gum, oats, etc.

I hope these ideas will help you in your journey to a healthier you.

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Hot Mess Breakfast - Heavy S THM

Want a quick breakfast that won’t wreck you day?  Then this quick and easy Hot Mess Breakfast recipe is right up your alley.

Ingredients 2 oz. smoked sausage links (I used Heritage Farms because it has less fat) 1/4 cup cheese of choice (you can use a low fat cheese for less calories and fat) 1/2 cup chopped portobella mushrooms 1/3 cup liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters) Salt and Pepper to taste or any other seasonings you like Coconut Oil Cooking Spray Directions: Chop sausage up into small pieces.  Spray pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat.  Throw in mushrooms and sausage. Cook until mushrooms are tender and sausage is browned.  Pour in the egg and toss in the cheese and seasonings.  Cook until eggs are set to desired firmness and cheese has melted. Slide it out onto a plate and EAT IT UP!  Enjoy with your coffee or favorite morning beverage.  If you want you could even put this into a tortilla and roll for a quick out the door breakfast that is filling. You could also add in some chopped Zucchini or kale for an extra veggie kick. Who says you can’t have veggies for breakfast?

I punched all the ingredients into SparkPeople.com’s recipe builder and this is what it came up with.  So adding in the low-fat cheese would really change the fat content dramatically as well as using Turkey Sausage instead of regular which was all I had on hand.

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What is Trim Healthy Mama?

To start with, let me tell you what it isn’t.  It is not a “get slim quick” lose 50 lbs overnight fad diet. It is not a strict “can’t eat that” plan. It is not the “cut out all that tastes good” plan. THM is not a prepackaged one menu fits all plan. It is not a counting of calories, points, or bites.  It does not have strict portion control guidelines.  Wait, say what?  You don’t have to workout like 4 hours a day every day for this to work. Thank goodness! There are no pills, no potions, no weird powdered drinks that don’t mix well, no cardboard tasting food, no freakish plastic wraps, no patches....nope..nada.

Trim Healthy Mama is simply FOOD FREEDOM. It is a pathway to a healthy view of food.  It is a healthy eating lifestyle. It is a healing reset for our body. There are plan options for those who suffer from allergies to gluten, egg, dairy, etc.  There are options for those who are total planners and those who prefer the fix it quick meals too.  Whether you lose weight fast or slow (like me), this plan WILL WORK for you.  You can even incorporate your favorite weight loss drink mix or supplement if you choose to.  There is even a provision for women who are pregnant and nursing. How cool is that?  Two amazing sisters, Pearl and Serene, sat down and put there heads together with years of research from their own horribly unhealthy diets and input from awesome nutritionists and doctors to come up with a plan that actually works.  Check out their FAQ here.

So, do you like butter, eggs, bacon, chocolate, cake, rich foods, cheese, ice cream, chicken, fish, pork, beef, shrimp, veggies, hot chocolate, rich creamy shakes and smoothies?  Then get the plan book and cookbook ASAP! 

But....how can I eat those things and lose weight?  It’s all about balance.  You balance out good healthy carbs with healthy fats.  Basically, you don’t add fats to your carbs and carbs to you fats. That’s simple enough, isn’t it?  Are you ready to take the plunge and start on the road to a better you?  Then please, take the steps to order the plan book and cookbook. You will be so glad you did.

You can purchase from Lifeway Christian Stores, Family Christian Stores, Amazon, and Walmart.

I am NOT an affiliate of Trim Healthy Mama in any way, nor do I receive any commission on the sales of any Trim Healthy Mama product.  I am just someone who has finally come out of the tunnel of confusing and conflicting diet plans and fads.

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Cauliflower Crack Soup - THM S

This is a variation of a recipe I saw in one of my Trim Healthy Mama Facebook groups.  I can’t stop eating it!  I absolutely crave this stuff.

Ingredients

1 12-16 oz bag frozen cauliflower (I get the steamable bag one)

1/3 cream (can be heavy, regular or fat free)

1/2 Fat Free Sour Cream

1/2 shredded cheese (any kind works, but I love Colby Jack)

1/3 real bacon bits

1/2 finely chopped onion

1 garlic clove minced

1 tbsp real butter (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Extra Add-ins: Cayenne Pepper (yum), paprika, Tabasco® (yummm), sriracha sauce (yayes), chili powder....the sky’s the limit.

Instructions:

Cook cauliflower according to directions.  While cauliflower is cooking, heat cream, sour cream, cheese, garlic and onion in a saucepan over medium heat stirring constantly until fully melted and smooth.  Add in bacon and seasonings while stirring.  Once cauliflower is done, dump into a large bowl.  Pour sauce over the cauliflower, add salt and pepper to taste, and toss slightly. Sprinkle top with cheese and a bit more bacon if desired. Share if you can, otherwise EAT IT UP!  

Alternate Ideas:

Throw this in the oven at 350º for around 15 to 20 minutes or until all bubbly.