THM. I’ve been using those letters a lot lately. They stand for Trim Healthy Mama. ..And I’m sold. Not as some sort of fad diet, but as a lifestyle shift for me.
As I’ve spoken of previously, before I ever had my stroke, at the Lord’s prompting, I made the decision to go gluten free. My weight started dropping fast. I don’t know for sure, but I was down probably 30-40lbs when my stroke hit. I kept losing weight in the hospital and for several months after. I think everyone thought it was due to the stroke, but I knew it was the change in my diet.
My blood pressure dropped. My A1c levels dropped. Enough that I eventually felt comfortable going off meds, and using diet and herbs to control them. (***this is me I’m talkin’ about, I’m NOT suggesting others go off their meds).
However, I was still wanting to lose more weight. Not so much for the weight itself (but yes, a lil of that too), but for my health needs and to get a little more cushion, so to speak, between me and the meds. I’d gotten to within 20 lbs of my goal weight, but then I leveled off. ? I stopped losing. Just stopped. Bam. Wasn’t gaining, thankfully. I was simply maintaining- which was a good thing- but I was stalled and stumped. I started praying about it, and that’s when I found THM. Trim Healthy Mama.
Actually, I’d seen it before. Having been around Pinterest scavenging for healthy recipes, I’d seen it a lot. I just didn’t realize what it was. I’ve also been familiar with Serene and Pearl, the authors, for over 20 years. I just never realized THM was their gig. The Lord kept bringing it back to my attention over and over, and when I finally read the basic premise of it; that it was as much about blood sugar as about eating and food, the light dawned.
So I ordered the book. And as I read, I realized I’d been maintaining my weight because I WAS eating healthy. I had understood I needed all the food groups. I’d understood carbs were energizing and needed. And that good fats, including meats, were healthy and satisfying. I was just combining them in ways that caused me to maintain my weight. (In THM terms, I was eating “crossovers”). Once I learned what to eat with what and what not to eat with what, my weight immediately started dropping again.
This sounds dumb maybe, and presumptuous, but I’m already down about 6 lbs in 4 weeks. I can tell my clothes are getting looser. I’m not obsessing about it, honest, but having dropped so much weight before, I’m still fine tuned to its occurrences. My glucose readings are dropping too already, and I’m expecting my bp to follow suit. And I’ve not really done anything special; mostly just rearranged what I was already doing.
Basically, the idea is to not ditch any of the food groups, but to make them all work in harmony as God designed them to do in the human body. It’s about separating your fats from your carbs, and making sure to eat protein with every meal. These things level out the blood sugar by resetting your hormones (insulin, leptin, and glucagon). Thus, you’re burning your own fat for energy instead of food.
I won’t lie. Even for me, who’s been into health and healthy eating for a long time, there’s been a learning curve with this way of eating. It’s been a month or so and I still don’t yet feel fully like I know what I’m doing. Of course, for me, some of that may have been from the brain damage from the stroke, but either way I’m still definitely making mistakes. However, in the learning there’s been several “aha” moments as I’ve put 2 and 2 together about food intake and my weight/health.
You can find the THM book everywhere. I got mine used from Amazon. I went with the old book which is cheaper. It’s the plan and cookbook together, and I like it. But they also have a newer version that’s 2 separate books that might be more your style. There’s an fb page too for beginners where you’ll see lots of amazing testimonials.
Lookin’ forward to what God has in mind for this journey. I’ll keep y’all posted.
Be well,
mary
Check out Our THM Pinterest Board for lots of great links (it’s in the sidebar or down below). Here’s a couple for newbies that I’ve found helpful if you’re interested to know more about the THM plan:
http://thefabulesswife.com/2014/12/dear-trim-healthy-mama-newbie-tips-for-the-new-and-overwhelmed.html
check out our online store for healthy, chemical-free items we sell
The purpose of Jordan’s Crossing Herbal Connections is to promote the sharing of information about healthy, natural products and dietary supplements. JCHC’s views and opinions are INFORMATIONAL ONLY and are not intended to constitute medical advice. If you are sick, injured or pregnant, please consult a licensed health care professional.