by Vicki

I am currently attempting to enjoy a no-cheat 100% Trim Healthy Mama (THM) October. You can read about my journey so far here and here. If you are interested in what THM is you can go their website or purchase their plan book and cook book. 

Two weeks done! Phew 🙂

Week 2 was definitely harder for me than Week 1. I think that kind of makes sense with the human condition (or at least my human condition). I find that I am always pretty good with the first week of a change – all the adrenaline and excitement about my new choices seem to keep me accountable and in check. Then week 2 rolls around with the realization that change is work and work is hard and hard is tiring and well, I’m already tired with normal life and three children. So. There’s that.

I also struggled with some chocolate cravings this past week. Okay, you got me, a lot of chocolate cravings. I love me my chocolate and its hard to say “good bye”. I know that THM has lots of chocolate substitutes and that 85% dark chocolate is on plan (and I like these options!) but buying already made and cheap chocolate is just plain easier :).

I’m embarrassed to say that this week wasn’t a complete success. I never fully cheated, but there were little bites sneaked as I prepared kid’s snacks, 5 Costco fries eaten while waiting for the littles to eat their lunch, meals/snacks eaten in less time than the required (suggested?) 3 hour intervals, too many on-plan protein bars enjoyed (these are sooo good), and mixing of fuel sources (although those happened accidentally). I think some of the problem was that I wasn’t fully prepped for this week. I am following Jen Mason’s October menu to help keep me on track but last week I just couldn’t get it together. I was late in getting groceries, I didn’t follow the meal plan and just kind of “winged” suppers, and I didn’t do any prepping of healthy snack options for myself.

This coming week, in order to get myself more cheat-free and on track, I have come up with some goals. 1) I would like to implement the different sippers that are in the cookbook. These sippers are super drinks that help heal your internal body, combat cravings, keep you filled and fueled between meals, and are kind of yummy! 2) I also want to really strive to meet the 3 hour intervals between meals and snacks. I find this a little difficult because I often don’t get around to feeding myself breakfast until later in the morning (after feeding the kids, dressing the kids, organizing the kids, throwing in a load of laundry, doing a quick tidy up of some area or other in the house, etc. etc. etc.) so that pushes my entire meal plan off for the day. If I eat breakfast at 9:30, I have to eat lunch at 12:30, snack at 3:30 and supper at 6:30 (which is kind of late for the kids and makes our evenings less enjoyable). But 12:30 to 5:30 is kind of a long break between meals (for me) and I find myself craving an energy boost or pick-me-up mid afternoon. So, my plan is to try to make sure I feed myself earlier on in the day. Even changing my routine enough that I eat breakfast by 8:30 would help make the rest of the day run smoother and easier (food-wise, no saying it will have any affect on what I am able to accomplish or the amount of chaos created by the three kids ;D).

So, those are my goals for this week (in addition to continuing to follow THM and the meal plan laid out by Jen Mason): Drink more sippers (hydrate & heal) and eat breakfast earlier so that I can leave 3 hours (minimum) between each meal and snack. What are your healthy goals for this week? Are you trying to drink more water? Exercise more regularly? Go to bed earlier? I would love to hear your goals. I’ll help keep you accountable if you help me :).

On to Week 3!

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by Vicki

I, currently, am not my best self.

I am not healthy and I don’t feel healthy.

I want this to change. I need this to change.

I love my family, I do. But having three kids in four years does take its toll on a person. Also, dealing with depression and anxiety, and then adding postpartum hormones to that mix, can create some havoc on a body.

Aaaaaand, I like chocolate. And peanut butter. Especially when they are together.

I would love to feel healthy again. To have energy for the entire day. To be able to run with my kids. To feel good about myself. Maybe even to play soccer again.

These are tough things to accomplish. And I have a lifetime of bad habits to break to get there. But, I know that the only way to get there is to start.

So, for the month of October, I am making some BIG changes. I am going to start following the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle plan 100%.

Some of my sisters have been following the Trim Healthy Mama (THM) lifestyle for the past year (give or take some months). They have experienced some very positive results: more energy, better skin, weight loss, and an overall sense of better health. I have dabbled with the THM plan by making some of the recipes and having “on plan” days but I have never stuck to it.

One thing that the THM plan promises is food freedom. A person doesn’t need to deprive themselves of something they love, they just need to find a healthier substitute. That might mean making my own sugar free (but still tasty) chocolate and peanut butter desserts or eating tacos in salad form instead of on a wrap. One thing is for sure, I will need to start spending more time in my kitchen (not my favorite place in my house), but I am committed to giving this a try.

For the entire month of October, I will stay on plan. No cheats, no “Oh well, I’ll start tomorrow”s, and no excuses. I have been following and dipping my toe into this plan for so long that its time to really try it and see if I notice a difference. I am going to make my first month easier by using the monthly meal plans provided by Jen Mason from the blog Working at Homeschool. She is so amazing! She plans the entire month of meals and writes up the weekly grocery lists. I barely have to think! I will do some tweaking to the meal plans to make sure they are ‘my family-friendly” but for the most part I will follow what is planned. I am going to do two weeks of the September meal plan and the rest of the time I’ll follow her October meal plan.

I will also be using this blog to give myself some accountability. I’ll be journaling each week about my progress, my struggles, my successes, my food likes and dislikes, and any helpful tips or tricks I learn along the way.

If you follow this lifestyle I would love to hear from you (I would love to hear from you even if you don’t)! Give me your best advice for staying on plan! Or just drop an encouraging note – I could use it.