What THM CAN and CAN NOT do for you

Ah! Complications!... Wouldn't we want everything to just always go smoothly? I often see on the THM groups on FB things that sometimes sound a lot like my very own thoughts.... comments like:

When there are pictures of yummy recipes my (and it seems that I am not alone) thoughts are:

- I wish I had a chef
- I wish I had more money for different ingredients
- Could you come and cook for me?

(and many more)

Sometimes I just click on "Save Recipe" or "Follow post" or "share" with the hopes of "being able to make such yummy recipes" some day... But let me tell you something...

If you haven't started THM yet and if you're waiting until "everything is perfect" let me tell you... stop waiting and start NOW....  Will it be perfect? No! Will things go smoothly right from the beginning? NO! But you will start taking steps in the right direction... Yes, yes, sometimes you will take 1 step forward and then take 1 back ... yes... sometimes you will feel overwhelmed with lots of information that doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to you yet... BUT MY TIP TO YOU will be... Grab 1 thing... ONLY 1 thing and apply it... practice it, rehearse it... and it will soon become 2nd. nature... if you apply 1 thing and 1 thing only each day (or even each week) at some point you will get very, very good at this!

Now.. if you are already a "THM Veteran" like me... but still find yourself drooling over luscious looking pies with ingredients that you can't afford at this very moment... this post is for you (and for me too)

THM can give us the guidelines to a healthier lifestyle
THM can provide tools to motivate us
THM can (and does) provide with tons of women that want to encourage and motivate you
THM can give you ideas for yummy meals on plan

THM CAN'T make us rich
THM CAN'T cook the meals for us (yet... LOL! Maybe some day!)
THM CAN'T start for us!

So... while we might not be able to change some things like our financial situation... we can focus on the things that we can change... starting with our attitude!

1. Focus on the YES! Start thinking of all the things that you CAN afford and how you can combine them according to plan! Make them look pretty! Enjoy them and be thankful (1 leaf of parsley over your soup can go a long way when it comes to VISUAL!)

2. CELEBRATE your victories! I love the THM Beginners group for that! I see so many women celebrating that they didn't eat a biscuit with their chicken or that they said no to candy! You go!

3. STOP COMPARING! (OY! Tough one!) your journey is not like anyone else's ... each and every single person is different.... way different! rejoice for those that melt away the pounds like butter in the sun and if that's not your case... don't throw the towel! What will that do to you? Keep at it! You're on the very right path.

I am not a "weight loser" I am a "weight finder" ... I feel like I smell food and I gain weight! If you are like me... stick with me! Let's be friends! I'll cheer you up and you might do the same for me when I'm down... Stop by my Facebook page and stick around for recipes, tips and encouragement! 

Look at some simple things I ate yesterday... Yummy, inexpensive and PERFECTLY ON PLAN:

 

 



What's in the picture above?

• (bottom left) A zucchini frittata (basically zucchini, eggs and some butter/cream cheese) with coffee that was an "S" meal, 
• (top left) Chicken tenderloins seasoned with Mrs. Dash Savory Seasoning
  and a cabbage/mayo slaw (the expensive "special" thing there would be that bai5).
• (top right)  a yummy (E) steel cut cinnamon oatmeal topped with 1 tbsp. of chia seeds.
• Last but not least: My precious! Oikos Triple Zero! Lots of protein ... Zero Fat... no added sugar and by itself is an FP.
By the way... if you feel like it... and can splurge right now... check this out:

FOR A LIMITED TIME Amazon has a 20% off Coupon on Bai5 Beverages: HERE

See? Not hard at all! Not complicated! What ingredients do you have? If you let me know what your favorite ingredients are I might be able to provide you with ideas on how to use those! Just let me know!


© Paloma K.

Disclaimer: Some links in this post are 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.

Big Bags filled with Air

Last week we went to a big grocery store... it was all decorated with Halloween stuff... Masks and big inflatable decorations were everywhere... My 4 year old is very sensitive to those things and no matter how many times I've told her there's nothing to be afraid of, she still shivers at the sight of those things. My 7 year old on the other hand is no longer scared of them and she tries to help me convince her sister that there's nothing to be afraid of because Jesus is with us, mommy is right there and those things are not even real.

Interestingly my littlest one is still terrified but at the same time oddly mesmerized by those big inflatable "monsters" and while very afraid and shaky she still takes a peek through her fingers while covering her face.

"Those are just huge bags filled with air" I tell her
"Those things aren't real! They are just like huge balloons" I reassure her

My oldest one, while very compassionate and patient tells me "I don't understand why she is still so afraid" and the best way to explain it to her presented itself that night.

I usually send my girls to bed at 8 p.m... They are usually still giggling and talking with each other until one or both end up falling asleep... But that night was different and my oldest came to me with tears in her eyes and told me: "Mommy! I am so afraid... I keep thinking in my head that you are dead" I know exactly what she is talking about... and I know is totally unrelated to the "monsters in the store" because those thoughts are sadly common for her... just like they were for me when I was her age... just like they are for me still this day!

Talking in all honesty my fears are so "real" that they show themselves in my head... almost like pictures! I can SEE the very things that scare me the most "happening" in my head! When I was little I was afraid my parents would die, I could see them like a clear image in my head... lifeless... with their eyes open... "staring at me" but not really looking. I remember how afraid I was sometimes even to get home from school because those images would "attack" me while at school and I was afraid to confirm my fears once I would get home... Those fears are still very "real" for me to this day... But today is not my parents or my siblings what appear in my horrible "awake-nightmares" it's my husband or my daughters! And those thoughts make me even gasp for air! It's not always the same fear... the fears are way more "complex" now... it's not just "death" or a "blank stare" it's so much more! And it's the knowledge of our sick/dark world that has made my nightmares way more elaborated.

So when my 7 year old came to me that night, crying about what she was "seeing"... I was happy I got the answer so quickly! I told her:

- "Those are just huge bags filled with air"
- "What?" she said.
- "Yes baby! Remember at the store you couldn't understand why your sister was so afraid of those bags? Well... she was scared because to her, those monsters seem sooo real... but ... are they?"
- "No, they are not!" she replied
- "Well, your fears look big, and real! but they are not! and we need to fill ourselves with truth and understand what's real RIGHT NOW so we can overcome and not be afraid of those *monsters* anymore... once we see them for what they are... they won't be as scary and every time we see them again we will just have to remember the TRUTH about them"
- "Ah! I see!" She said wiping her tears and almost with a smile in her face.

So I proceeded to read out loud from Psalm 91: (it was the first one that came to mind)

¹ Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”
³ Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
⁵ You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.

As I said each word of these verses tears started washing my own fears away... fears that I wasn't even thinking about before I started reading... But the Word of God is surely alive and it reveals things! It changes, transforms, cleanses, breaks, restores, heals and convicts!  My daughter and I had a special moment... when we both just admitted our very weaknesses and our need to go to God and give it all to Him... Praise God for His Word and for the freedom we still have to read it to one another.

Are there any "Bags filled with air" scaring you right now? they might be very different from what I described but... what is it that you're going through? Are you experiencing anxiety? overwhelming sadness? paralyzing fear in your life? Deflate them with THE TRUTH! Pop those huge, scary balloons that look sooo real and powerful with the sharp sword of His Word. Let the big scary shadows vanish with His light! I am not saying I know exactly what you're going through... I am sure you might even have very justifiable reasons to feel the way you do... But remember you have a Sword, a Shelter, a Refuge, a Strong Tower... Our Almighty God and His Holy Word at all times with you. What are your favorite Bible verses for times of desperate need of comfort/peace and encouragement? Share them so we can together focus on the TRUTH.

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philipians 4:8

© Paloma K.

THM, Bible Studies and Wreaths

Hello everybody! It's been ages since I last blogged anything! I've been feeling totally disconnected and it's been hard to find my "blogging groove again" ... It doesn't mean I haven't had anything to blog about... You might not see me around as much but I am still on Trim Healthy Mama... It's still kind of a "my own THM plan" ... just because of some of my own thyroid needs but usually I adhere to the rules most of the time...  I do get some crossovers in... and I've had some low (very low moments, just this very last week) but I've also had great highs too! I just recently introduced weight lifting into my exercise routine and it's been great! I can actually see/feel changes starting to happen... and while those changes are NOTHING to some for me they've been huge given my thyroid issues. I do Trim Healthy Mama the 'easiest/cheapest' possible way my meals are easy and with "everyday" ingredients...  here are some pics of some of the things I've been eating to give you an idea:

As you can see I've been eating meals made with common ingredients:

• Spicy Roasted almonds ( THM -S-)
• Fried eggs with pan roasted veggies and avocado (S)
• Lightly breaded Chicken with buttered zoodles -used coconut flour for the breading- (S)
• Chicken Salad over romaine hearts, avocado, jalapeño peppers and strawberries on the side (S)
• Low fat cottage cheese with strawberries (FP)
• Chicken breast with veggies (FP) (or add a side of brown rice and make it an "E").

See? It doesn't have to be too fancy or complicated to be yummy and perfectly on plan.

... I have no budget for special ingredients,  But if you do go ahead and enjoy them! Trim Healthy mama has some special ingredients and others that are more common in their store... all of them at great prices here: Trim Healthy Mama Store

Now... what else has been going on with my life?

Well... This Summer I volunteered to translate a book from English to Spanish for our Bible Study... I highly recommend this study for you! You can suggest it in your church if they do studies like this, but if you don't have a Bible Study group you can still do it on your own... I highly recommend it:

  Nehemiah: A Heart That Can Break by Kelly Minter

This Study is really amazing... I don't want to give much away but trust me... God can use it to change your life.

 

 

Another thing I've been busy with... interestingly have been crafts! I have been feeling crafty lately and I've been checking out the "wreath making" world, these are two wreaths I've made:

 

 

Burlap Wreath with Fall Foliage

Straw Wreath covered with Yarn, decorated with felt flowers, pine cones and ribbon



And last but not least... We've had a great response to hubby's First Book...

 

  Suffering Well: Job’'s Stubborn Faith  

 

 

I mentioned it before that it was finally published and we are so blessed to have great friends who have been praying with and for us! Our church family has been just as excited as we are and our Pastor and his wife hosted a beautiful celebration to dedicate the book, have a beautiful prayer time and some book signing of course.

 

Our Pastor's wife besides being a great support for her husband and all of us in church, she is also a great blogger, amazing hostess and a very creative homemaker... You have to check out her blog and you can see how she decorated for our Book Dedication Celebration here in her beautiful blog: Quite Simply - Gay Jeffries Blog.

Of course there's a lot more I could share but not without making this the longest blog post... So I will end it here.

I hope I can bring you some new recipes soon!

 



© Paloma K.