Now that Portia is born, and I'm headed back to goal weight, our family is focusing back on plan, no crossovers. Seeing other mamas who are sticking with the plan and having success, always encourages me, so I'm interviewing a couple of my mama friends so you can be inspired by their stories as well! Let's help each other!
Jackie is one of my best friends and local Trim Healthy Mamas. When we first met, we were both on this same journey, and finding out we had this in common was some of the glue that made us fast friends. I know her story will encourage you!
1. What got you started on your Trim Healthy Mama Journey and what made you stick with it?
I came across THM through friends sharing their progress on FB. I dismissed it initially as a “fad diet” without looking into it very much. I had been on a journey learning about nutrition and felt I had a pretty good grasp. My relationship with food had a premise of common sense which meant no approaches that were extremes and unsustainable. I also felt all the food groups were designed by God and good for our bodies and wasn’t interested in diets that eliminated a food group (which at this point in time, all I came across, did do this to get results).
The problem I began running into is, while I felt all food groups were good for us, I was finding it hard losing weight without neglecting what I felt are vital nutrients (i.e. good fats). After being at my highest weight after my 4th baby I began despairing. I just couldn’t figure out how to eat nutrient dense foods AND lose weight. I broke down and prayed God would reveal to me the answer. I admitted He had it. He designed me and I trusted He would give it to me. Shortly after I was prompted to look into THM again. That’s when I realized it wasn’t an extreme diet and, as a matter of fact, their whole premise and outlook on food aligned with mine only they had figured out how to utilize ALL God-given foods to nourish, heal and keep us at a healthy weight!
What made me stick to THM…has been a journey. I have learned if we strip food down to just a “cold weight managing” approach, instead of a God-given pleasure and tool, we begin to resent it, and what we resent, we abuse. Another thing about it was I didn’t see it as a fad diet I would just try out to lose weight, but a tremendous GIFT of knowledge on health overall.
This has helped me to chose not to look outside at all that I “can't” have and, instead, chose to be continually overwhelmed at the abundance of goodness I CAN have.
I also think the biggest part in me keeping to THM is realizing this is my reasonable duty. To care for my body as it is my vehicle, not for me alone, but for God. If that meant a crazy regimen, I could be happy and glad, for it would be from my Maker and another way to honor Him. Its the difference between humble acceptance and trust vs victim mentality and blame. This is what makes the difference, glad obedience and thankfulness of the goodness I DO have, instead of selfish lust and desire for what I don’t….
2. What is your biggest challenge on Trim Healthy Mama and how do you overcome it?
Without a doubt, cooking. It’s just not my thing. I guess overcoming this goes hand in hand with what I wrote above. Understanding that this is only about me in as much as it coincides with serving my God. If in order to keep me healthy I had to begin a super strict regimen, hard medical intervention, etc., I could do it with joy, because my focus isn’t on depravations, but on stewarding all, including my body, for God. I guess keeping the care of my body with a conscious mind toward God and not seeing it as autonomous, makes it a whole other experience. A joyful experience. Whatever ailments or set backs (or weight issues) I experience in it, it is my responsibility to do what it takes to manage it. So if that means cooking more than I’d like, then I am going to cook unto my God for the sake of caring what He has entrusted to me. Instead of begrudging cooking, I accept it as His will and it is my JOY to do His will.
3. What is your favorite Trim Healthy Mama Resource?
Probably Pinterest. It’s what really helped me get started with recipes and ideas.
4. What are your go-to snacks?
Skinny chocolate and coffee, toast and PB junkie (occasionally w/ sliced up banana on top), or Triple zero and berries.
5. Do you have any tips or tricks you wish you had learned earlier?
Keep it simple! No reason to overwhelm yourself. Enjoy the journey and the wealth of knowledge you get to explore, orient and grow a relationship with. Exploration takes time, but that’s part of its joy. If we knew perfectly how to do it and execute it just like that, it would be stripped of triumphant victories and eyes-wide discovery. Just knowing and done. Not fun. So enjoy. Trust God to work through the imperfect beginnings and even the failures that will come well after beginning, and love all He is teaching you through it.
6. What is your favorite crowd pleaser or family favorite meal/dessert?
We mostly just took our staple meals and made them THM friendly.
Spaghetti bake made with dream fields.
Taco night w/ brown rice (XO for kids and husband), rinse beef so I can go E, S or even FP.
Hamburger night. Instead of a bun, I will chop up a couple hamburger patties and put it over lettuce, add tomatoes, mustard, onions and shredded cheese while the rest of the family will have it the traditional way on bread or buns.
Chicken Alfredo. Instead of noodles, I’ll smother steamed broccoli with Alfredo sauce and top with grilled chicken. I use a super easy Alfredo sauce off Allrecipes: https://www.allrecipes.com/
Hubby Lovin’ Chicken on pg. 218 in Trim Healthy Table cookbook. It has lived up to its name as it was proclaimed, “the best chicken I’ve ever had”, by a very food-particular hubby. We will have it with brown rice and what we call “crack green beans” as a side. Cracked green beans: Take 1 or 2 bags frozen green beans, put in a skillet along with a stick of butter, season w/ onion powder, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until cooked through and a little blackened. I seriously won’t have green beans any other way now.
I hope this is helpful and encouraging!
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