Anyone read the book Trim Healthy Mama?  What did you think?

I thoroughly enjoyed the read AND gained so much knowledge.  I did the diet for a couple months and lost about 12 pounds.  Just wondering if anyone else that has had WLS has read the book and implemented any of the eating plan?

Thanks!

Never heard of it. Maybe I will check it out. 

I haven't heard if it either. Thanks for the suggestion.

Are you still doing the THM?

Morning,

I do it off and on.  Struggling right now.  THM works when I do it, but if I revert back to sugar, it is like crack for me.  Right now I am eating sugar and feeling terrible.  Going on vacation for the next couple weeks, so I am packing some good snacks, but know I will not be sugar free.  When I get back I am going to do what they call the One Week Fuel Cycle.  It has got me back on track before and I know it will again.

Not only struggling with losing more (and having gained back about 30 pounds since my lowest), I have some numbness in my toes, which I know is from elevated blood sugar and candida issues.  This is more than just about losing weight and looking good.  This is for my health.

I need to get back to THM.  I felt fabulous on the plan and it is a doable lifestyle, if you focus on it 90% and then allow some treat days for about 10%.

Have you done THM? Have you read the book?

I find it very encouraging and if you implement the plan a bit at a time, very doable and can be tweaked to satisfy almost all your cravings.  I say almost all, because those high sugar processed foods (which we should not eat) sneak in and create cravings that should not be satisfied.  Sometimes denying ourselves is for the best.  Hard to do, but a discipline, once mastered, will carry through to other areas of our lives as well.

It reminds me of one of my favorite Bible verses:

Hebrews 12:11(NIV)

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Enjoy your day!

I have been stalking the Facebook group for a couple of weeks now. I have tried a few of the recipes and they are pretty good. My friend loaned me the book yesterday, so I will be taking it on vacation and reading it then. I've been told it is a hard read, but full of good information.  I've also printed the Quick Start Guide from the "Gwen's Nest" blog to help me get started until I can order my own copy of the book. My biggest concern/confusion is the sugar/stevia issue.  From what I understand, Stevia, Xyrthirol (sp?), and the other "sweeteners" they mention/list/use in almost all of their recipes (lol) is a sugar alcohol. Is this correct?   I was told by my NUT that sugar alcohol is a no-no as it goes right through your system, is not absorbed.

I don't know how much I've done has helped me any as I am a little over 8 weeks post-op from a revision. But I want to start developing better eating habits while I'm still healing because it might be easier to do than waiting until I get used to eating larger portions again. (make sense?) Plus I think it will be a healthier way for my entire family to eat.  We won't be able to become "purists" for quite some time, if ever. But I think any meal we can replace with healthy stuff is good!

I think you hit the nail on the head. I need to implement a little at a time. Maybe start with a sipper, get used to that each day, and then move on to breakfast. Breakfast is tricky as it is an easy meal to make, or so it seams with all of the recipes I've seen, but getting up early enough is the trick - ha!

I've seen the FP cycles and wonder if it is something I can do, but I need to read more and get to better understand "S" "E" and "FP" contents/goals.

I've been wondering if anyone who has had WLS has tried it - I'm glad I found someone! :)

You will have to figure out which natural sweetener works best for you.  I like Truvia, Stevia in the Raw, but my favorite is Pyure organic stevia.  I have not had it act as a laxative, EVER.  Now, on the other hand, all the artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols go right through me and give me stomach cramps.  Besides having the Sleeve, I also have Crohn's Disease, so I am pretty careful when it comes to trying to stay away from artificial sugars.  I would eat regular sugar before aspartame, etc...  However, Stevia (organic) in as pure of form as possible, is all natural and not chemically tainted like other man made sugar substitutes.  So it works for me.

You will have to try it in increments and see how it goes. 

Yes, implement slowly.  Otherwise you will feel overwhelmed.  I crave certain things now, that I never did before because of this plan.  I am so thankful for the knowledge it gave me and that I know I feel better when I following it.  I have my own little tweaks and definitely am not a purest.  But, in a couple weeks when I am back from vacation, I am going to do a couple days of liquid protein to reset my tummy and to detox from vacation junk food.  Then I am going to do lean proteins and veggies for a week and implement the one week fuel cycle.  I feel so good when I stay away from sugar, too much fruit, too much dairy and too many fatty foods.  

Funny thing... my dog has food allergies, she was 15 pounds and needed to lose a couple pounds.  I started making her food at home.  I make it with organic whole eggs, organic brown rice, organic coconut oil, ground up broccoli, green beans and peas, organic ground beef.  She lost 3 pounds in 3 months and is so much more healthy.  Basically, I cut out all the processed foods (her dog food and treats).  If only I could learn from this.  If I ate whole, natural and good quality foods, I would be nourished and satisfied and naturally lose the weight.

So often I think I need a specific diet or a quick fix. Truth is, I just need to eat as God intended and stop eating for convenience.  A little effort goes a long way for me.  Freezer meals, Greek Yogurt, eggs, turkey burgers, cucumbers, radish chips, cheese sticks, cottage cheese, avocado, chicken cooked up ahead of time.  When I take away some of the overwhelming feeling of preparation, it allows the process to flow a bit easier.  If I think about it too much, I just obsess in a different way.  

My goal is to reach a point of freedom where I eat to nourish my body and even "forget" about food and just live life. I have wasted too many years obsessing over my weight, size, food, emotions, what other people think... my new journey goal is:  Freedom to live life and enjoy each moment of life

That is a great goal! I now sit around during gatherings, or at restaurants and find myself looking at every else's plates and wondering, "where do you put it all?" But then I look down at my own plate and wonder if it is the right food. Food is constantly on my mind and I want to stop being a slave to those thoughts. 

I recently tried the new "Gentle Sweet" from the THM website. I broke out in hives all over my body :(  ... My friend suggested staying away from sweeteners and lean more towards naturally sweet foods (bananas, etc.) as sweeteners. It's truly frustrating. Luckily (and ironically) we are in a major heat wave and all I really want is ice cold water! I like the GGMS recipes going around, but I don't put sweetener of any kind - I like the tartness. Good thing I made a container of GGMS for the day - I"m in no mood to eat. 

I should cook ahead of time. It would save me from over eating. If I have nothing prepared, I will graze until I figure out what I want - not good. I think I need to become a robot and pre-plan my week's meals, at least until I get it figured out.  I pre-ordered the new recipe book coming out in the e-book format. I think it will be easier to search for things I'm looking for. Wish me luck!

Hives are not fun! Yes, natural sweeteners are best, as long as they do not lead to further cravings. I did horrible on vacation, eating choices, but thankfully only gained 1 pound. But need to get back to strength training and walking. The heat has been horrible here too and my air went out on my car a couple months ago. Is it wrong that I hope to sweat out some toxins and fat? Ha!

This next week I am focusing on lean meats ad veggies. My mom is in town and will go to dinner twice. Lunch with friends twice this week and a day with friends on Friday too, which will mean ice cream. So therefore, I will "start again" next Sunday.

Enjoy the new cookbook. I will have to check it out. 

Yes, planning out meals ahead of time helps us to stay on track a ton. Plus, if you cook ahead, it does make those busy days easier.

Try and stay cool!