How I made THM Work for Me.
- Alyssa C.
- Jun 15, 2019
- 4 min read
Collagen powder. Nutritional yeast flakes. Frozen okra. Baobab powder. Stevia & Xylitol. Lots & lots of spinach. If you told me one year ago today that I would have these items in my pantry at home, I wouldn't believe you! If you would have told me that not only I'd have them in my pantry, let alone LOOK FORWARD to enjoying these foods on a daily basis, I would have been laughing hysterically. Now, I cannot go a single day without these items! They are a part of how I made THM work for me & my family. Today, I'm going to share with you how I made THM my own.
First, let's get 2 questions answered about my journey:
1. Did you stay on plan 100% of the time? No way! I made many mistakes when learning how to eat better. I had "off plan" meals, (I refuse to call them cheat meals, because of food freedom, y'all!) I would eat milk chocolate & cookies on occasion, dine out & enjoy some deep-fried food AND THEN I would re-set to try again. I don't believe in legalism, but grace when it comes to eating!
2. Even with your "off plan" eating, do you still consider yourself to be a "Trim Healthy Mama?" 100% YES!! Because this is way of eating is a form of self identity - something that can be done, adjusted to your season in life & is meant to be tailored to you - I would own it when I chose to eat off plan without condemning myself knowing that this didn't diminish the fact that I was still a THM!
Here's another way of thinking about this: I am an equestrian. I have been riding/owning horses for over a decade. There was a season in my life where I didn't own horses & wasn't riding. This went on for approximately 2-ish years. Did I consider myself to no longer be an equestrian? No way! It's a part of my identity. It's what makes me, well, myself! I identify as an equestrian - even during the seasons of life where I wasn't riding just like I still identify as a THM when I choose to eat off plan!
Now, let's chat about how I made this plan work for me!
1. I didn't quit my old eating habits cold-turkey. As I mentioned in my trimaversary blog post earlier, I eased my way into eating differently. I started with just breakfasts during the month of April. Then I did breakfasts & lunches during May. By June, I felt confident enough in my knowledge to aim for all 3 meals a day being on plan.
2. I didn't start out with any "special ingredients." The first time that I read the THM plan book, I was overwhelmed by the amount of dietary supplements listed in the book! To be entirely honest, I was put off by it. What do you mean I have to consume baobab & collagen powder?! But then I read a bunch of blog posts, testimonies & reviews by women who did the plan successfully without weird things. Over time, I slowly introduced some of the special ingredients into my life after researching the overall health benefits of adding them into my diet.
3. I invested in the cook books. The Trim Healthy Mama & The Trim Healthy Table cook books are amazing! It breaks down the fuels for each meal & gives you tons of ideas for meals, desserts, drinks, sippers and more. You learn which ones are your favourites (and which ones are not!) Pinterest is also another great place to gather recipes! Also, google Brianna Thomas!
4. I kept meals simple. My daily meal plan often consisted of: eggs and a fruit smoothie or a protein fruit smoothie for breakfast, leftovers from dinner for lunch & one easy recipe from the cookbooks for dinner. Salads also quickly became my friend! We have our rotational favourites from the cookbook that now make it into our regular meal plans for each week. It doesn't have to be complicated! Keeping it easy has helped me to be able to stick to the plan.
5. I chose to not feel guilty when things didn't go as planned. Both me & my husband work full time. My job in particular can be quite demanding at times. There are often weeks where my intentions for eating on plan just don't happen. And that's okay. I learned very quickly that choosing to not feel guilty when my meals weren't absolutely perfect was better for me & my overall progress than living in a place of condemnation. I learned how to treat my body with honour, respect & grace even when I failed with my food choices. This is important to your success with anything in life really!
6. I relied on the transformative power of Jesus to shift my thinking. While this is last on the list, it is the most important! Without being firmly rooted in the truth about who I am in Christ, I am susceptible to falling into my old, unhealthy ways of thinking about food. As I have allowed my mind to be transformed by renewing old thought processes in regards to my health, my body & my eating habits, I saw changes in areas that I never thought I would be able to overcome! It's all through His mercy & grace.
xo, Alyssa
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