Review: Trim Healthy Mama

Trim Health Mama (THM for short) is a bit unique... it’s mainly a lifestyle of healthy eating that was created as a way to help women (and men too) lose weight and be healthy. It was founded by two sisters (Serene & Pearl) who did a LOT of experimentation and research to come up with this very detailed way of eating.... and it WORKS! They do sell some products online and in their own store in Tennesee, most of which are food-related, however,  in this review I’m not so much going to look at the products they sell as much as their actual philosophy/eating plan. (Their products are good though and I believe are an A in the purity department and products are sold directly through their website, with a few available on Amazon.) I DO highly recommend getting their book “Trim Healthy Mama Plan” (check Amazon or local bookstore - or better yet, borrow from a library!) which explains the plan in detail. It is NOT a “diet”, it is a lifestyle. They also have a facebook page that you can join and follow just to learn more, hear testimonies/experiences and get inspiration. Their plan has been reviewed and even recommended by doctors and found to be very healthy AND effective for achieving health. Many, many women (and men and young people) have lost weight, lost their diabetes status, and fixed other health issues as well as just achieved better overall health and energy – all through eating right!

The Trim Healthy Mama plan essentially boils down to this: Eliminating high-starch/sugar/processed foods and separating fuels (carbs and fats). So, no more “white” foods (flour, white potatoes, white rice) and no more sugar (this includes large amounts of honey and maple syrup as they still spike your blood sugar). They have S-meals (for fat-based meals, the S stands for “satisfying”), E-meals (for carb-based meals, stands for “energizing”), and XO’s or crossovers (which are a combination of fats/carbs for those who do not need to lose weight or are pregnant/nursing). There are certain guidelines you need to follow in order to really lose weight of course (like how no more than 5 g of carbs in an S-meal). Some find this harder than others - some lose weight very slowly no matter what they do. It really depends on your body. For flour you substitute things like THM's own baking blend (which is a combination of things - I make my own from almond four, oat fiber & flaxseed meal) or coconut flour. Sprouted flour is also on-plan as it is not as processed and is easier on the digestive system. They have sugar substitutes like stevia, xylitol, etheritoyl (or a combination). I use Pyure (combination of stevia and etheritoyl that you can get at Walmart). Honey is acceptable in very small amounts as well as coconut sugar (these may cause you to stall on weight loss though). There is special low-carb pasta out there that you can use instead of regular pasta or they also recommend using zucchini or spaghetti squash instead (both of which are really good by the way). Here are a few examples of different S & E meals:

S-meal: eggs with veggies and cheese; eggplant parmesan (if you bread them then you use a flour substitute) with ground beef and tomato sauce; chicken with alfredo sauce (homemade with better ingredients) using spaghetti squash; various cakes using substitute flour and sweeteners.

E-meal: Sandwich using sprouted bread with turkey, laughing-cow cheese (a very low-fat cheese), and lettuce, etc. (you can have 1 tsp of mayo, mustard is fine); chicken with brown rice and veggies; waffles made with oats and low-fat ingredients, oatmeal muffins.

They have two different cookbooks you can get (I have both) but there are tons of recipes to be found online and on blogs (simply google THM recipe) and that are shared on the facebook pages. There are few other people who have produced cookbooks that are THM friendly as well (Brianna Thomas is a popular one). Some when starting out are concerned about extra cost for "special ingredients" but you don't necessarily need unique ingredients for lots of recipes - and many things you can find at Walmart or grocery stores if you look. Also, if you're cutting out other things that aren't healthy and you budget well it should work out!

I have been on the plan for several years, and while many times I have gone "off plan" or haven’t stuck to it 100%, when I do, I notice a difference! I feel better, healthier, I often will lose weight without really even trying and I believe it's made a great difference for me while pregnant as well since I've been very healthy and not gained as much as I know I would have otherwise! Food feeds your body, so what you eat and how you eat it matters! 

Check out their website here and you can also subscribe to their podcast (Trim Healthy Mama) where they talk a lot about health and cover lots of topics from various ingredients to fasting. If you're curious, I highly recommend just joining their facebook page to see and hear testimonies and learn more!