THM Tip of the Week - for OVEREATERS

This has been an interesting week for me... I'm sorry my blog has had to experience being neglected... My social media life is almost non-existent. I'm going through major GREAT changes in my life and even when they're awesome, they are a bit overwhelming! I am thankful and humbled... God is good! I will share more as things are more solidified but... it's awesome (and scary, well... for me! just don't think I am pregnant... I am not.)

Anyway... Most of my tips right now are directed to THM Beginners that are still trying to figure things out but if you are a THM "veteran" you might still benefit (hopefully) from my tips... here I go:

Today I have several tips, these are specifically for those of us... who... tend to... um... ehem... eat compulsively and don't know when or how to stop overeat

First of all... if you are like me you get frustrated, confused and hate the following phrases

- In moderation (HOW DO YOU MEASURE THAT?)

- Eat until satisfied not full! (Hey! I am not satisfied unless I'm full!!!)

- Don't count calories but "those are too many" 


When I first joined Trim Healthy Mama and read the book for the first time... I felt hopeful and yet a bit confused about some terms.... I found that the book mentions not to count calories but yet... written in the same book.... oh so casually... things like "calories do matter" .... and yet again... "don't worry about calories, we love high caloric meals" and later again another phrase saying "to avoid extra calories" I thought I was going to go completely insane...

The book is honestly, genuinely necessary for this journey! I am not saying the book is wrong... I am saying that ... for people like me... phrases like "just eat them in moderation" don't mean anything and they can be a "scary" rather than "freeing" thing.... Hey! When I've been on other diets I've never been "trusted" with "how much food I can eat!!!" ... What a scary feeling! For me... eating in moderation means not eating the whole chicken like I actually want to! .... For me... eating until satisfied means... that I EAT UNTIL I AM FULL! Because hey! I will NOT be satisfied UNLESS I AM FULL! There... I said it!

So.... what's the trick? If you are like me... CAN YOU DO THIS?

YES YOU CAN DO THIS...

THM does have specific limits for some meals... like E meals 20-45 grams of carbs and only 1 tsp. of fat.... or S meals only 10 grams of carbs (and keep your grains with your E meals, those belong there preferably except for the exception of some low carb items that should, also be limited to about 1 a week if anything) or only 1/2 avocado in an S meal... I dance and enjoy and thrive within those limits... but how about the "limitless fat in an S meal?" how about "eat until satisfied" cases?

Well.... here are my tips:

1. Don't stress too much about it! I know, I know.... it's hard! I am a little obsessive and I want to know exact amounts too... but... don't stress about it... even if you do, in fact, go a little overboard with how much chicken you are eating, it's still not your "sugar overload" the "limitless sugar loaded ice cream you used to eat" "endless chips and salsa or bread sticks" ... you are still making awesome changes that will indeed make a difference in your health.

1. Make a pause! .... After you eat your plate of food and you feel like you want to go to the kitchen get more and more and more... go to the kitchen and instead fill a cup with water, add some ice, drink it, enjoy it and allow yourself to realize that maybe you are already satisfied... if not... then go ahead, eat more.... that glass of water will help you not go too far either.

2. Fill your plate with non-starchy veggies... That feeling of abundance and still eating a lot... will be met... as we learn to "make peace with food" and we learn to control our weird emotional urges to eat like we are never going to be able to eat this... ever... ever again.... I invite you to fill your plate up with lots of veggies... Yes... we do want to fight gluttony and excess... but as we learn to calm those urges down... to have more joy and peace with food and realize it's not our enemy... and those feelings of anxiety towards food quiet down... make better choices on your plate... maybe in the future you'll be so in control about it all that you won't need to overeat at all.... who knows... it's just hopeful thinking here *wink*

3. If it helps you and you can do it... keep a food journal, I know it helps me.... I love Myfitnesspal, not necessarily to "measure" but just to have a visual, in writing of what I ate through the day.... the more I feel comfortable the less I feel the need to do it but I get back at it when I feel I need that re-assurance again.

4. Pray before you eat... I am adding it to the end... but... it's a first!... give God thanks for the blessing of food... and every day with every meal... surrender that to Him... that aspect of your life, give it to Him....


Do not be afraid... You can do this! Trust me... If I can you can! and if you need some more encouragement, accountability or just a pal! Meet me here on my blog or at my FB page, leave comments, questions or even prayer requests. I'll love to hear from you!

So... as you can see the authors of the book were right to give us the freedom and the reins of how "much we eat" in some cases... I leave you with this to reflect on it:

"All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any." - 1 Corinthians 6:12
 

© Paloma K.

 Disclaimer: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, this means that you pay the same price, but I also receive a very small compensation. I recommend products I have tried and love.

Turkey Bean Soup - Another amazing E meal

Hello fellow healthy eaters... whether you follow a specific plan (like in my case, the Trim Healthy Mama plan) or you just love to make healthy food for you and your family... I have a yummy soup that will not disappoint (at all!!!)

This soup is rich in protein and fiber, it's higher on carbs and very low on fat which, if you are a Trim Healthy Mama, you know it makes a perfect "E" meal.

This week I guess my focus has been on helping you introduce more E meals to your menu... I hope I am succeeding. The Trim Healthy Mama plan is one that is rich on high fats but also has just the right amount of carbs to keep you energized and feeling good! Do not be afraid of "E" meals... they're good for you and they will make this plan more doable on the long term. We all want to lose weight and lose it fast, unfortunately we start to take shortcuts that end up being our downfall many times (just like with the many diets we tried in the past)... Don't try to "get smart" and just do another version of a very popular low carb diet that starts with A and ends with tkins ... Embrace the THM plan and the freedom you can find in it.

My dear, amazing husband does not like beans... he's not a big fan of them... but this soup is one that he never complains about! He devours it (and don't let him know I told you but he asks for seconds most of the time)

Now... with this recipe you can use all cannellini beans or a mix of cannellini and black or pinto beans but the trick is to KEEP those cannellini beans in there! Such a nice mild flavor! ... they are amazing and so good for you. We all know beans are awesome and reach in fiber, right? But... cannellini and pinto beans are particularly lower on carbs in general!

With this recipe I use canned beans but you can boil and make your own if you prefer, I usually go to this recipe when I am in a hurry and still want to eat something yummy, comforting and that says "I love you" when you taste it. But here, let me tell you about the carb numbers (if you're like me and you're interested) behind beans:

1/2 cup of Black Beans (from canned cooked plain beans)
Total carbs: 23 grams
Fiber:  6 grams
Net Carbs: 19 grams

1/2 cup of Red Kidney beans (from canned cooked plain beans)
Total Carbs: 22 grams
Fiber: 7 grams
Net Carbs: 15 grams

1/2 cup Cannellini beans (from canned cooked plain beans)
Total Carbs: 19 grams
Fiber: 6 grams
Net Carbs: 13 grams

1/2 cup of Pinto beans (from canned cooked plain beans)
Total Carbs: 18 grams
Fiber: 7 grams
Net Carbs: 11 grams


Now... let's go to that awesome "E" recipe, this can be a great lunch or even dinner... it is YUMMY! I usually cook it on the stove top but it can also be just thrown into the crockpot all together! It freezes well!

Turkey Bean Soup! - THM - E -

This I made with only cannellini beans and prepared on the stove top.

Ingredients

• 1/ 1/2 - 2 pounds lean ground turkey (can use ground venison too)
• ½ cup diced white onion, or more if desired
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (you could use parsley, I prefer cilantro)
• 2 tsp. chili powder (optional)
• 1 1/2 tsp. of cumin
• 1 Tbls. garlic powder (or minced garlic)
• 15-ounce can cannellini beans*  (You can use all this variety of beans or just your favorite kind)
• 15-ounce can kidney beans* 
• 15-ounce can black beans*
• 15-ounce can pinto beans*
• 4 cups chopped zucchini
• 28-oz can crushed tomatoes (I use Original Ro-Tel Tomatoes for more flavor) - pureed in your blender -
• 2 tsp. sea salt (or more to taste)

* Note: Make sure your canned beans HAVE NO SUGAR ADDED. 

Directions (for stove top)

1. Brown the turkey (or venison) meat in a skillet and drain (salt lightly).
2. If cooking on the stove top, (on medium-high heat) using a very large pot add the meat, onion, cilantro, chili powder, cumin and garlic, stir until onion is slightly softened.
3. Open and partially drain all 4 cans of beans; I leave about half the liquid in each can for the soup to have more liquid. Add the beans, and tomatoes to the large pot. Stir to incorporate.  Keep the heat on medium high until it starts bubbling. Turn the heat to low to simmer (covered with a lid, slightly open) for about 40 minutes .
4. Stir and taste occasionally, adjusting seasonings as needed. Add the zucchini and simmer for 15 more minutes (covered). Add the salt just before serving to best preserve its nutrients.

Directions (for slow cooker)

1. Brown the turkey (or venison) meat in a skillet and drain.
2. Turn your slow cooker to high setting. Add the meat, onion, cilantro, chili powder, cumin and garlic the pot. Stir, cover and set aside.
3. Open and partially drain all 4 cans of beans (leave some liquid, about 1/2 of each can for the soup). Add the beans, zucchini, and tomatoes to the cooker. Stir well.  Keep the heat set on high for 4 to 5 hours or adjust heat to low and simmer for 6 to 8 hours.
4. Stir and taste occasionally, adjusting seasonings as needed. Add the salt just before serving to best preserve its nutrients.

Sprinkle some extra fresh chopped cilantro when you serve. If you can handle the heat add some crushed red pepper flakes too! Optionally top with a dollop of plain 0% greek yogurt if desired or top with cheddar cheese for a crossover (crossovers are great but not weight loss inducing).



Please let me know if you try this recipe and how you liked it! I hope you and your family enjoy it as much as we do.


© Paloma K.

  Disclaimer: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, this means that you pay the same price, but I also receive a very small compensation. I recommend products I have tried and love.

Trim Healthy Mama - Chicken Salad "S"

Hello friends, as you know I have been talking lately about my new eating regime... I am extremely happy to say that even when I haven't lost much weight and have been fluctuating with a couple of pounds lately I am NEVER hungry and I am NOT gaining... In the past I used to gain weight if I ever went over 1200 calories... I would've never dreamed to be able to actually have a healthier relationship with food... In my THM journey I am learning to not hate food nor (love it excessively)  I love our Creator and I am trusting HIM with my eating... who would've thought? RIGHT? He was right FROM THE BEGINNING! And here I was trying everything and always feeling deprived in the past! I went from pills to shots, to extreme diets and everything worked for a period of time... but then I would gain it all back and more! ALWAYS! Now... don't be discouraged for the fact that I say I haven't lost much... I have had to admit that age and my crazy dieting have messed up with my system big time and now my metabolism is slow and I have thyroid issues... I have an appointment in April to get my hormone levels checked out and hopefully start to see more results with THM as I continue to improve my health but I am a big believer (now) on whole foods and letting God use them to restore my body that I have put through so much in the past!

I will probably be sharing more about my weight loss journey soon and about how "it all began" but for now I just want to share with you my delicious and healthy lunch I had today... I hope... if you are also struggling with weight and diets that you will give God a chance.... a chance to control every single area of your life including eating... and trust Him and what He made, the way He intended to nurture your body and to heal whatever could be going wrong with it...

Now... To my lunch

Simply Delicious Chicken Salad - S

This is an S Meal (S stands for satisfying in the THM plan... if you're not familiar with this but would like to know more visit http://www.trimhealthymama.com/ )

Servings: About 4

Ingredients:

• 2 big chicken breasts cooked and shredded (careful if you buy rotisserie chicken from the store, check the label, they usually add sugar to it. No sugar is on plan)
• 1/4 red onion (chopped)
• 2 stalks of celery (peeled and diced)
• 1/2 cup natural almonds (you can also use dry roasted, lightly salted almonds)
• 1/4 cup real mayo (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika (this is the "secret" Ingredient, smoked paprika has an amazing smokey yes but also sweet flavor that makes it all extra special, I use the Kirkland Brand)

garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Mix it all and Enjoy!!!
 
Garnish: Up to half an avocado (sliced) per serving, 2 slices of tomato, large lettuce leaf.

I hope you enjoy this meal (as much as I did) you can also serve this salad with 1 Light Rye Wasa Cracker to stay on S mode.

Enjoy!


© Paloma K.