Finding it difficult to stick with a low-sugar, low-carb diet? Take the 100 Days of Trim Healthy Mama challenge and finally see success!
One of my goals for 2016 was to lose weight and get in better physical shape. My action steps for that goal were put on hold during the past three weeks while my dad was in the hospital.
I spent hours driving back and forth to the hospital (which is an hour an a half away from where we live). Late nights, extreme stress and fatigue, lots of hospital food, skipping meals because I didn’t have time to eat, and too much sitting didn’t do my health any favors!
But I’m not going to give up! After discovering the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle several years ago, I still see it as one of the most balanced eating plans available today.
100 Days of Trim Healthy Mama
A few days ago I came across a “100 Days of Trim Healthy Mama” challenge on Facebook, and I decided I would commit to doing it (to the best of my ability). Here are the guidelines I’m following:
- 100 days of on-plan eating
- Get 15-20 minutes of exercise 5 days per week (I’m doing the Tummy Safe Workouts at Fit2B)
- Eat 5-7 “Deep S” meals per week
- Make a list of NSV (Non Scale Victory) goals you hope to achieve within the next 100 days (my goals include going down a couple of clothing sizes and losing inches)
- Read the new plan book over the next 100 days
Yesterday was my first day of doing the challenge. I took my starting measurements and did the best I could, considering the fact that I had to drive my daughter to an appointment out of town and eat out for dinner.
We have a meal plan for the week, which is really helping me so far. I just went through what we already had in the freezer and in the pantry for this week (waiting for payday to arrive!).
The Menu
Here’s what’s on this week’s menu:
Monday:
- Breakfast: 2 Eggs fried in butter (S)
- Lunch: Quick Tuna Medley (p. 306 old book) (FP)
- Dinner: Quiche
Tuesday:
- Breakfast: Creamy Grains (p. 252 new book) (E)
- Lunch: Deep S Salad (p. 189) (S)
- Dinner: Kai Si Ming (p. 98) (S)
- Snack: cheese stick and apple
Wednesday:
- Breakfast: Eggs (S)
- Lunch: Waldorf Cottage Cheese Salad (p. 190) (E)
- Dinner: Golden Chana Soup (p. 99) (E)
- Snack: FP Smoothie
Thursday:
- Breakfast: Yogurt Parfaits (E)
- Lunch: Deep S Salad (S)
- Dinner: Bangin’ Ranch Drums (p. 162) (S)
- Snack: FP Smoothie
Friday:
- Breakfast: Eggs (S)
- Lunch: Quick Tuna Medley (FP)
- Dinner: Perfect Pizza (p. 211) (S)
- Snack: Greek Yogurt Swirl
Saturday: A scheduled mostly off-plan day (I’ll be at a women’s conference and then a birthday party!) I plan to make the best choices available to me.
Sunday:
- Breakfast: Breakfast Casserole (S)
- Lunch: Salmon Burgers
- Dinner: Taco Salad
- Snack: Celery and Peanut Butter
This is kind of a bare-bones menu since this is a crazy-busy week and I was trying to use what we already had on hand. And sometimes I make a menu and then decide to make something else when the day to eat a certain thing arrives!
The 100 Days of Trim Healthy Mama challenge is such a simple idea, but I think it has great potential to help us stay on-plan. If you decide to do this challenge, I’d love to hear how it works out for you!
Related Posts:
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Just found tbis post. I have been off and on THM for the last year and needed a plan to get back on. I’m going to use your ideas. Thanks for sharing.
So glad it was helpful, Susan!
So funny, I’m thinking of challenging myself to 100 days of THM and did a google search for hashtag ideas. You were right at the top. I was like…hey, I know her blog. :). Do you still do THM?
How funny! Yes, we still eat a lot of THM recipes, although I haven’t been as strict with it lately. I’m making a new menu plan for spring with all THM recipes, so I’m getting back into it full-force! I might even do a new 100 days challenge. 🙂
I always plan something for me by the begining of the new year. I do not always succeed to end it… 🙁 Wish you the best for your plans
Thank you, Christina! I know what you mean, I don’t always succeed with my plans either. 🙂
This is fabulous, Joy! My latest post on my blog was about my discovery of THM last winter. I love this way of eating and it really works! For the first time ever I did NOT put back on the weight I lost during the holidays and I did “cheat” some. It is amazing how the cravings for high-sugar foods just disappear on THM. I no longer needed willpower to resist – it was easy to say “no” because I was no longer hooked on sugar!
Thanks for the tip on the challenge. I am going over to join that group today!
Sinea
So glad it was helpful, Sinea! Glad to hear you’re finding success with THM!
This sounds like a fun challenge; I’ll have to check out the plan book. I have started exercising 4-5 times a week for a minimum of 15 minutes and I’m trying to eat better. I am so glad to hear that I’m the only one who makes up a meal plan for the week but doesn’t strictly stick to it! I often swap out the days on which I make the items based on what I feel like eating or even based on what fresh items might go bad first. Good luck with your meal plan and weight loss; I wish you all the success.
Thanks! I’m about to start the challenge all over again and I hope to be more successful with it this time! 🙂
How did you go? I’m guessing from the time you posted this to now your 100 days would be up. I am 4 months into pregnancy number 3 and would really like to not put on to much weight as I haven’t really taken off after the first 2 pregnancy. My mom is thinking of doing this for a year –> I don’t have that long of an attention span but I could maybe do 100 days. Because once baby is born its all going to go crazy. Thanks! From one Joy to Another
Hi Joy! Yes, my 100 days are up. I did the best I could, but since my dad was in the hospital when I started those 100 days, and then he passed away, and now we’re helping my mom prepare her house to sell…well, I wasn’t able to give it 100%! But it did help me to stay on plan more than if I hadn’t consciously been trying to do the 100 days thing.
Also, this did give me the impetus I needed to read through the new plan book, which really helped me understand the plan better. So, I did accomplish that! And, I also exercised more than I would have without setting this goal.
I hope to try it again once our life gets a bit more normal (if it ever does). Aiming for 100 days on plan gives you something to work toward, so I think it’s a great idea!
This plan sounds very actionable! It sounds like you've done your research and thought out in advance, so I have faith that you will be successful. Pinning and stumbling this. <3
Thanks for the encouragement, Lindsey! Last week I was able to be consistent with THM and exercising 5 days that week, and I feel great. I'm really enjoying the challenge. 🙂
This actually sounds doable. I may have to check into it and give it a try.
So far I've been loving it!
Your plan for the week sounds great! I did really well with THM in the fall (losing about 12 pounds in 4-6 weeks). But, since the holidays and a new pregnancy, I've been mostly eating off plan. I'm hoping once the always hungry, go more than 2 hours without food, nauseousness goes away, I'll be back on plan. Actually, the last 2 pregnancies (this is baby #6), I've had gestational diabetes, so I'm hoping that knowing the THM plan, will either help me on the gestational diabetes diet, or, maybe I won't even have it this time (able to pass the glucose test). I have a dry erase calendar that I use for my dinner planning (I think I got it from Raising Arrows blog), but I'm not as good with planning the other meals and snacks each day. Where did you get your planning sheets? Oh, and for breakfast, one of my favorites is the brainy blueberry muffin on page 275 of the cookbook. And, a favorite snack is the cottage berry whip. I actually prefer it with less sweetener than it calls for too.
Congratulations on your pregnancy, Bridget! I know how hard it is to eat a certain way if you're dealing with nausea.
I have the same difficulty planning the other meals and snacks—snacks are really hard for me to plan, and then I usually end up just not having one at all. I haven't tried that blueberry muffin yet, so I'm looking forward to it!
Here's where I found the meal planning sheets: http://gwens-nest.com/weekly-menu-planning/
With a challenge like this, you're sure to make progress!
Blessings,
Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage
I hope so! If I can just stick with it and be disciplined! 🙂
Once I understood that you keep your fats and sugars separate, it made easier for me to just eat the usual things we had at home, but combined differently.
You could easily pack some Greek yogurt with some berries – or mix up some tuna and top with some avocado slices. Those would work on the go and keep you full and on track. 🙂 With the FB group you will probably come across a lot of great suggestions.
Hugs,
Carol
Thanks for the ideas, Carol! I did some of that when I was at the hospital, but sometimes it's easier to just eat whatever is available. I tried to just make the best available choices (like choosing a salad with grilled chicken and then a dressing w/o added sugar, or getting unsweetened tea when I was desperately needing some caffeine to keep me awake for the long drive home after dark!). I do wish I had some avocado right now…I can't buy any groceries until after payday, but I'm looking forward to buying a few things like avocados when I can. 🙂