Trim Healthy Family weight loss plan that works!

3/26/2013

This blog post contains affiliate links.

WARNING (Ha, ha!): This is lengthy, but thorough. If you've been hearing about the new book, Trim Healthy Mama, I'm hoping this will answer many of your questions about the book and the lifestyle it promotes.

Curious about some of the foods and products I place into my shopping cart each week using Trim Healthy Mama? Check out my pictorial Trim Healthy Mama Grocery Shopping List!

    I was thin most of my life until after my first pregnancy. Not uber-thin, like a twig, but nicely shapely and thin. Pregnancies and a busy life as a homeschooling mama have kept me from working out as often as I've needed over the years...and my weight has suffered because of it.

    And, I love chocolate. Yup. I admit it. Being honest here.

    By the time I reached my early 40s, we had switched to eating mostly whole foods...alongside our chocolate.    :)    You know, whole wheat bread/pasta products (many homemade), lots of veggies, locally raised grass-fed beef, fruit smoothies with breakfast, eggs from my friend's chicken coop across town, coconut oil and red palm oil and...chocolate. We even drank raw goat's milk and then raw cow's milk for about a year...but hardly ever chocolate milk. Go figure. :)

    But you know what? Even with eating so many healthy foods, we had no idea that we were messing with our blood sugar levels. We had no idea that I was pre-diabetic. When I learned that I was pre-diabetic, I was shocked.

    What? After all these whole foods we were eating?

    Little did I know that combining a grass-fed, organic, natural steak with whole wheat pasta or a plain baked potato was wreaking havoc on my insulin levels!

    That's where a new lifestyle book, Trim Healthy Mama, came into our lives a few months ago.

    My doctor hadn't given me much information about how to reduce my risks of becoming a full-blown diabetic. All she told me was to "eat fewer carbs and lose some weight". She also handed me some pills to be taken twice a day, that deceive the liver (I think?) into putting less sugar into the bloodstream. I've learned that this is typical for doctors these days: Here's a pill; you don't need to change all that much about your lifestyle, because you'll end up diabetic anyway. It happens.

    My doctor is a very sweet lady. I'm not being disrespectful. But after talking to a lot of people who have suddenly learned that they are diabetic or pre-diabetic, they are usually getting the same message from their own doctors.

My friend, Lynnae from FreelanceHomeschoolMom.com

After I had been on this medication for about 18 months and had lost around 25 lbs. due to the medication, a friend of mine accidentally learned that she was diabetic. How? By testing her blood sugar levels after her daughter checked her own levels during a biology experiment for their homeschooling curriculum. Her daughter's homeschooling science experiment potentially saved her mom's life! My friend's story has really motivated me to start getting serious about eating in an insulin-friendly way.

    Three out of the four of us in my family were having some of the same issues: excess weight around the waistline, low energy levels, and craving sugar and carbs ALL. THE. TIME. Not very much fun!

    While Elmer and our daughters haven't been tested for diabetes, I have a hunch that at least one of them would show up as being pre-diabetic. And within 10 years, I'd bet you that two of them would both have been diagnosed as being diabetic, just like me.

    What to do?

    I hear women all the time saying how hopeless it is to be able to lose weight. They have tried every diet under the sun. The problem is that their diets probably have some good pointers that are helpful, but when women get close to their target weights and start eating "normal" foods again, they put the weight right back on.

    I wanted a change in our lifestyle, not just in our diet.

    At the same time, I didn't want our meals to be filled with artificial sweeteners that aren't good for us. Splenda, aspartame, sucralose, maltitol, etc. were no-no's for our family.

    I learned aboutTrim Healthy Mama in November or December and decided to give it a try. Prior to this, I had only been on one diet in my entire life - the South Beach Diet. I had lost 30 lbs. over a six-month time period, six years ago, but the reason I gave up on the diet was because every dessert was full of chemicals and artificial sweeteners like Splenda. Blech. Splenda was highly processed, and it made my muscles ache. Any homemade recipes I made with Splenda, including the recipes from their website and the back of the Splenda bag, tasted a-w-f-u-l. Since I kinda like desserts, that was a problem. The other problem with South Beach was that once I began re-introducing carbs like potatoes, rice, and bread products back into my diet, I was almost instantly "hooked" on them again and began to constantly crave them.

    I know that I am a beautiful person no matter what size I am, and while that is a healthy view of myself as a child of God, it also - unfortunately - slowed me down from taking a healthier step into getting down to my ideal weight.

    Trim Healthy Mama isn't a "let's lose weight quick" type of book. Using THM's method of meal planning is a lifetime plan, not a quick fix. If you want to lose weight quickly, try another diet plan. Do a cleanse (ugh). Drink a ton of water. Exercise yourself to death. Train for a marathon. Have bariatric surgery...because THM won't necessarily help you drop 60 pounds in 6 weeks. That would actually be unsafe. Trim Healthy Mama recommends that people plan on losing 4-8 pounds per month. That's do-able, and healthy.

After 9 weeks of using Trim Healthy Mama in our home, and losing over 30 lbs. as a family, here's what we think:

What we love about THM:

Over 600 pages? In a non-fiction book? Yikes! Actually, this wasn't a problem, so don't let this stop you from reading THM. While I'm not a big fan of reading non-fiction books, I got through this book in a hurry! Why? It was so easy to read!

Serene and Pearl are two God-loving sisters who encourage and cajole each other throughout the chapters to help this book be a very comfortable read. I felt like I was sitting on their couch in their living room while they discussed the pros and cons of all kinds of topics related to food health. I loved this! Thankfully, anyone can start eating with the THM methods before they finish the entire book. I think it was helpful for me to read around 230 pages - and then I was ready!

THM is:

written in a very friendly and fun tone
packed with information but in a way that isn't overwhelming
encouraging!
adaptable to both the food purist and individuals who can't or don't like to make everything "from scratch"
easy to use for those requiring gluten-free diets
free of artificial sweeteners

Over 640 pages of new, up-to-date health info and recipes!
Combines biblical wisdom with health science
Learn how to significantly boost your metabolism
Hundreds of recipes for the entire day
Helpful support through a private forum as well as their Facebook page

Plus eye-opening chapters on:

Balancing hormones (for women & men)
Igniting marriage intimacy
Satisfying your cravings for foods
Helpful advice for postmenopausal women

    What kinds of foods must I avoid when using the THM plan? That's always an important question people seem to have when starting a new way of eating.

    Well, virtually nothing is banned, even for those needing to lose weight - except sugar and many carb-laden foods. Unfortunately, even for the whole food purists, sugar calories are found in raw honey, organic maple syrup, date sugar, coconut sugar, evaporated cane juice sugar, etc. So even if I am eating sugar in its most natural form, my body still reacts to it in the same way as it would white table sugar. There go the spikes in my blood sugar levels. Not good!

    However, lest you think you must give up all cakes, cookies, pies, etc., that isn't true. There are some amazing recipes for no-carb or low-carb desserts and breads on the internet! You'll find some here on my website, as well.

    For people who want to or need to lose weight, they're going to want to tone down the types of fruits that they eat. We are primarily eating strawberries, blueberries (in very small amounts), lemons, and apples. Bananas and grapes are an extremely high sugar fruit, so those don't come into our home anymore; nor does orange juice or any juices. But see, the fruit group isn't completely eliminated!

    THM doesn't eliminate ANY food group, which is really nice! I'm not drinking milk with my lunch or dinner anymore, even though I've had milk with lunch and dinner for the last 44 years. Wow. I'm drinking almond milk these days for dinner - the "30 calories per serving" unsweetened variety. When eating a savory meal, I really don't want a sweet beverage, so the unsweetened plain almond milk is working well for me. I never knew I could make the switch! But I did, almost overnight. Yet, our fridge contains heavy whipping cream, half 'n half, sour cream, cheese, and plain traditional Greek yogurt. See? Dairy products aren't eliminated!

    Vegetables? We've always been a big veggie eating family. Lots of salads, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, etc. THM recommends we avoid the starchy, higher glycemic index veggies like potatoes, but we can enjoy sweet potatoes, and in limited quantities, carrots...most everything else is allowed!

Grains? Yes! They are allowed - certain ones, and only when eaten with the right kinds of foods to compliment them in THM style so that they don't go straight to our waistlines. We have learned ways to eat oatmeal for some breakfasts, sweetened with stevia or another THM-approved sweetener like xylitol or erythritol (non-GMO). We can eat low-carb tortillas and wraps. Yum! Also, THM pancakes taste like crepes and are delicious! We can even eat popcorn, as long as it isn't laden with butter or high fat.

Proteins? Yes! Lean grass-fed beef, chicken, salmon, eggs, cheese, and nuts are our primary sources of protein now. While the authors don't eat a few things themselves, like pork products and shellfish, they allow people to eat those foods if they feel comfortable eating them.

TO SUM UP WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT "TRIM HEALTHY MAMA":

We love the conversational tone of the book, making it very quick and easy to read.
The focus on the whole body health of the person, not just what is eaten, is excellent!
The ability to use this book well as a whole food purist or as a "Drive Thru Sue" (one of the categories of people who prepare - or don't prepare - food in their homes) is provided. Flexibility is the key!
$35 seems higher for a cookbook these days, but this book is packed from page one to the end. You will not be disappointed! There's a reason why Trim Healthy Mama has hit the #6 spot already for books of its kind on Amazon.com - without any advertising, promotion budget, big publisher, etc. Wow!
The types of meals aren't "weird" - at least, not to my own family. We've made adjustments to some recipes, but we always seem to do that with our cookbooks.
The level of support from one of the authors, Pearl, is amazing! She regularly answers questions on the Trim Healthy Mama Facebook page as well as the private forum for THM users.
The ease of not eating hardly any sugar and flour products for several months at a time just amazes us! We are definitely seeing great results from eating this way.
I've appreciated the chapters on women's health, men's health, how this will work for pregnant and/or nursing moms, etc. There is a lot covered in this one book!

Challenges in using Trim Healthy Mama:

Lack of some measurements: No book is perfect - and often, recipes aren't perfect, either. Why? Because everyone in the world tastes foods slightly different than the person next door. Everyone has different tastes for levels of sweetness, tartness, etc. Often, it takes experimenting with a recipe to get it "just right" for your own family.

Our family has enjoyed almost every savory THM recipe we've tried, and we've tried a bunch of 'em. The dinners are great for our family; so are the lunches and sides. But I'll admit up front that my children are not picky eaters. Good thing, because they wouldn't have survived childhood. :) I've always said, "I am NOT running a restaurant here!" :)

    However, I was trained to bake and cook using measurements most of the time, with measuring cups and spoons. This doesn't mean that I measure Every Single Ingredient in my home, but I do rely on seeing general measurements in recipes that I use. I guess I'm used to this because every cookbook I've ever seen, and every recipe on the internet that I've ever seen, lists exact measurements. I've always felt I could tweak the measurements if I wanted, or leave off an ingredient or add an unlisted ingredient into the recipe, but at least there was some sort of baseline from which to work.

    While many of the THM recipes do contain exact measurements, quite a few of them don't. I remember a THM Chili Relleno casserole dish I was making, but because no pan size was given, nor the amounts of some of the other key ingredients, I had no idea how long to bake this dish! Yikes! So the dish ended up taking 45 minutes longer to bake than the recipe originally stated. By the time it was ready, my husband was overly hungry and a bit on the grumpy side. It would have been much better to have exact amounts listed in the ingredients, with the recommended size of baking dish for the recommended amount of time. Then, if I'd chosen to double or half the recipe, I would have a much better idea of what size of baking pan to use and how much longer it would need to bake. Does that make sense?

    Lest I give you the idea that every recipe is confusing like this, it's not. Just some of them. And thankfully, I can ask on the Facebook group and get a quick answer most of the time so that I'll know how to proceed. Then, I just pencil in the info. in my THM book for next time. I also purchased a set of Cuisinart metal measuring spoons labeled with "tad", "dash", "sprinkle", etc., and those have been very helpful - really!

    We weren't overly impressed with the dessert recipes and some of the smoothies. Some of my friends have said the same thing. At first, it was because I didn't have all of the better-tasting ingredients, like less bitter cocoa powder (available at Walmart and most grocery stores), or the right brand of whey protein powder that tasted decent. We've been able to experiment with some of the recipes and get them to taste better. But that has definitely been a learning curve for our family - and a frustration at times.

    We also weren't used to the taste of stevia, which has a bitter aftertaste. It took us about 6 weeks to adjust to the taste of stevia until we were very happy with using it. Unfortunately, NuNaturals changed their formulation of their pure stevia extract in April 2013, and it no longer tasted good at all, even after a few weeks. We will be switching to a new brand of stevia extract which will be available by December 2013 or January 2014. I'll let you all know what that brand is when it becomes available, and how you can purchase it online.

    We've found a couple of websites that have dessert recipes that taste better to us, and while they are low-carb or no-carb recipes, they are higher in fat. We've just learned not to have dessert as often.

    We've also learned which natural chocolate bar to buy in our town that is low carb and sweetened only with stevia and erythritol. (There's only one type in the entire town that will work for THM!) We've also found the type of no-sugar, stevia/ erythritol-sweetened ice cream bars in our town that THM recommends. These are expensive, though, so it's not something we enjoy as a regular snack.

SOME UNUSUAL INGREDIENTS YOU MAY WANT TO PURCHASE:

    Every household has their own set of ingredients that they keep on hand. Me? I have over 100 spices in my cupboard, and I use most of them regularly. Other moms will only have salt, pepper, and maybe a couple of other well-used spices. That's okay. So while cardamom may not be unusual in my spice cupboard, it may be unheard of for you.

    That's why I hesitate to say that some of the ingredients used in THM recipes are "unusual". Many people still don't use coconut oil in place of shortening and other liquid oils. So for them, buying coconut oil is going to be an additional purchase of what they would consider to be an unusual ingredient. For my family, we've been using coconut oil for years, so it's used almost daily in our home.

    There are a few ingredients that you may want to purchase if you begin using THM. You don't have to purchase these, though, to stick with the philosophy of the book. It's all up to you! It's really great that the book identifies lots of places to purchase the ingredients, and their Facebook page has a document in the Files section that shows people the best price options and where to purchase them. I've highlighted the ingredients that I feel you truly do need to use Trim Healthy Mama:

coconut oil
almond milk (or other similar low-carb/low-sugar milk alternative)
low-carb bread options (recipes are also included to make your own flatbreads and other bread products)
chana dahl (a lentil/bean type of thing; I still haven't purchased this)
chia seeds (optional)
low-carb pasta like Dreamfields brand (doesn't work for everyone who is diabetic)
flax seeds or flax meal (optional)
almond flour (unless you are allergic to nuts; then, you may need to substitute other non-carb flours)
glucomannan (a natural thickener made from the konjac root)
konjac noodles (optional)
nutritional yeast (definitely optional; adds flavor to savory dishes)
defatted peanut flour (definitely optional)
quinoa (optional - can avoid recipes that use this although we enjoy this grain)
liquid stevia drops (or people can experiment with using xylitol and/or erythritol instead, or Truvia)
Pure Stevia Extract Powder (or people can experiment with using xylitol and/or erythritol instead, or Truvia - I'll provide more info. late 2013 or early 2014 about a new brand that you'll love!)
whey protein powder (the brand they recommended tastes quite good; another brand we tried was not good tasting)
xanthan gum (optional)
Greek yogurt (traditional, plain)

Amazingly, most of these ingredients are now available in our small town of about 22,000 people. We have one particular large grocery store (not a national chain) that has a huge natural health/foods section, and many of these items are carried there. WalMart is also carrying some of these items now.

I did order online via Amazon or from a couple of other sites recommended by THM:

glucomannan powder
defatted peanut flour
whey protein powder
mesquite powder to round out the flavors in any chocolate dessert and chocolate frappa recipes that called for cocoa powder

Anything else that you should know about Trim Healthy Mama?

    The recipe index in the back of the book lists recipes by title, not by type of food, so it was very hard for me to find pancake recipes, for example. Thankfully, one of the gals using THM typed out a new recipe index, sorted by modern methods, and this is available for free download from the THM Facebook page!

    You won't find photos of the recipes in this book. I know, sad. :( However, the good news is that the authors, Serene Allison and Pearl Barrett, are already working on their second book, and I've heard that it will contain at least some recipe photos. Hooray for those who love photos of what they are preparing! Also, there are some photos of recipes on the THM Facebook page and the private forum pages.

    The THM lifestyle is not recommended for young children, pre-teens, or teens unless they are overweight and need to get down to a healthy weight for their age and height.

    Has our grocery bill gone up? Definitely, the first four weeks were more expensive. However, over the last 10 weeks, I've learned where to buy ingredients that are less expensive, and the items I ordered online haven't needed to be ordered again, yet. If your grocery cart isn't used to basically only holding single-ingredient items, and is used to buying highly processed foods, you will find that the amount of money you spend on groceries most likely will go up, especially if your entire family is eating this way.

    If you are more of a "whole foods" type of family, and you're used to having mostly single-ingredient items in your shopping cart, then your grocery bill shouldn't shock you too much. Keep in mind, though, that I live in the Pacific Northwest, and our groceries here are very expensive, even though much of the produce and seafood are grown and caught here. Groceries are typically much less expensive in the south and the midwest. Apparently, it's cheaper to harvest seafood and produce here on the west coast and ship it to other parts of the country than it is to keep it available in our own little part of the world. Hmm.

    Lastly, how much time do I spend preparing meals?

    The first week was tough. I spent a long time flipping back and forth through the book to do our meal planning for the week; then, shopping for ingredients that I wasn't used to looking for, especially since our Walmart had just finished expanding to include a grocery section, was time-consuming. I did quite a bit more cooking than normal, just because all of us weren't used to figuring out what we could eat for breakfast and lunch.

    Now that we're used to the THM methods, my husband or girls will prepare their own breakfasts or lunches - or I'll prepare them. It just depends. The point of it is, we do have more dishes to do on some days, but I'm definitely not cooking as much as I did the first two weeks. It was an adjustment for us all, but everyone is pitching in to do their part, so I'm not really spending any more time in the kitchen than I used to do.

Let's give away one paperback copy of Trim Healthy Mama to one of Joy In Our Journey's readers!

Please, only U.S. residents may enter this giveaway. Thanks. :)

Entrants must be 18 years or older; only U.S. residents are eligible to enter this giveaway. I will select the winner of this prize using Random.org (via this Rafflecopter entry form, below).

I will be verifying the winning entrant's giveaway entry options to make sure they are valid. In the past several months, multiple potential winners were excluded from winning even though their names had been selected randomly as winners, because they said that they had signed up for email subscriptions but had not completed the process, which includes clicking on an email you will receive to confirm your subscription. An email subscription to Joy In Our Journey.com is not a requirement to enter our giveaways, but if you do use an email subscription option to enter to win, please make sure that you click on the confirmation email that you will receive. That will validate your entry. Thank you! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I have received no compensation of any kind for sharing with you my honest review of Trim Healthy Mama. There's just so much buzz about this book, online, that I wanted to share my thoughts about THM with you. The authors of Trim Healthy Mama have provided one paperback copy to the winner of this giveaway.

108 Comments

Kristina Schmidt

3/26/2013 03:43:26 am

I haven't read this book, but am very curious how to implement this diet with several nut-allergic people in my family.

Julieanne link

3/26/2013 09:31:34 am

For nut allergies, you would probably use unsweetened coconut milk. The authors have said that coconut milk has a little bit more fat than unsweetened almond milk, so you would use 3/4 cup coconut milk (from a carton) plus 1/4 water to equal 1 cup of almond milk.

As far as adding nuts to the rest of the menus, this is always optional.

For almond flour to make baked goods, you could try some flax meal combinations.

But if none of the children in your family needed to lose weight, then you wouldn't need to worry about this at all. You'd just use the almond milk for yourself.

Melissa Rauch link

3/26/2013 05:04:42 am

Oh, how it would fill my world with more joy and blessings to win a copy of THM!! I've joined the facebook sites and follow as much as I can glean from it, but our budget doesn't have room for a book purchase right now. Thank you for hosting a give-away, very kind!

Jalynn Patterson link

3/26/2013 05:22:57 am

How hard was it to get implemented into your routine? Especially your families routine?

Julieanne link

3/26/2013 09:32:26 am

We had a very busy couple of weeks or so - and then we got down to the routine of it. It's worked out really nice for all of us!

Lyn

4/4/2013 07:19:09 am

Trying to enter & couldn't get my comment to post before so thought I'd try again here...Really would love to have a copy of this book to help our family with healthier eating. Haven't seen the book, so I'm wanting to learn about how to separate fats and carbs and how to prepare foods with the sweeteners suggested in the recipes I've seen posted.

Shannon

3/26/2013 05:34:17 am

I'm curious how I could implement this with mine and my husband's diet but not with our 2 young children, since it isn't recommended for their age.

Julieanne link

3/26/2013 09:35:45 am

Throughout the recipes in the book, they frequently say that if you are serving this recipe to children, especially those who don't have a need to lose weight, then add such and such to their portions, like cheese or nuts or other quick add-ons. Plus, the children are still free to eat all the fruit they want, and other options like regular milk, etc.

JOANN S THOMAS link

3/26/2013 05:36:21 am

Very good review. Down 10 lbs in 5 weeks on the plan.

Julieanne link

3/26/2013 09:36:43 am

Congrats, Joann! That's fabulous!

Lori Mayberry

3/26/2013 06:14:46 am

Thank you, for the very thorough and helpful review, Julieanne! I have been dragging my feet about this, but your words have encouraged me! I would like to give a copy of THM to someone I love.
Thank you!

Robin Weiss

3/26/2013 06:20:19 am

No, I haven't seen TRIM HEALTHY MAMA, but your review makes it sound very healthy & doable as a life style change!

Cindy

3/26/2013 06:53:05 am

This sounds very doable! I have been trying to stay away from sweets/white flour altogether, but this kind of lifestyle sounds more like it would be up my alley! I wonder if agave nectar is allowed?

Brittany Miller

3/26/2013 09:13:00 am

Hi, Cindy! I'm Julieanne's daughter, and since she hasn't answered yet I'll do it for her. ;) Agave nectar is not allowed, because even though it is very natural, it is still a form of sugar, and is very high in carbs. Agave is definitely more natural than white sugar, but it has the exact same carb content, unfortunately.

Bethany Gates link

3/26/2013 06:57:08 am

This was a very good review, very well-rounded and I think it addresses the concerns people have, especially when people are used to 'quick-fix' diets.
Well done!

Bethany Gates link

3/26/2013 07:01:22 am

And now for the giveaway response :-) I own the book and don't have any questions about it. I do have several friends and family members who are interested in the book but not quite ready to take the plunge. I'm entering this giveaway to have a chance at getting a book for one of those folks who would benefit greatly from it.

Sara @ Embracing Destiny link

3/26/2013 07:36:44 am

I've read several reviews and excerpts of the book and would love to win it! I have chronic illness and chronic pain, along with insulin resistance, and from what I've seen, this might help me!

Julieanne link

3/26/2013 09:38:20 am

Sara, if you are dealing with insulin resistance, I can just about guarantee that THM will help you with that problem! Lots of women have talked about how THM has helped with insulin resistance.

susan link

12/1/2015 11:04:56 pm

This is a response to Sara's post:
My doctor also said that sugars and carbs are really hard on the adrenals, and when we eat a lot of them (carbs and sugars), it causes a lot of inflammation. I feel so much better (less aches and pains) when I'm on a low carb diet!

One Southern Girl link

3/26/2013 07:36:45 am

I've used my mom's kindle version to make some of the recipes... but haven't really had a chance to read it. I think glucomannan was a life-saver for me since I can't have dairy and I desperately wanted pudding! Yum!

Julieanne link

3/28/2013 03:34:29 pm

We've been very interested in learning more about using glucomannan in some of our recipes, too! We've thickened our stir fry sauces with it, and it was so easy that I think we'll use it for gravy, even though we only make gravy 2-3 times per year. We've used it in homemade puddings and in some smoothies and frappés. It's worked well for us!

Beth link

3/26/2013 08:34:01 am

I have not seen this book yet but I am very interested now especially after reading your review. My big question is, can this book/method be used successfully by a vegetarian family? I saw that they avoid pork and shellfish, so Im hoping if you avoid all meats there is still a way to use this book.

Julieanne link

3/26/2013 09:40:51 am

Beth, the authors of Trim Healthy Mama lived for years with vegetarianism and veganism, and they don't recommend it. People on all vegan diets still can easily become diabetic and have struggles with their insulin levels. Yes, I think you could use this book despite being a vegetarian, but since each meal must be based upon protein, I think it would be a lot harder to do. You'd have to read the book or possibly talk with the authors on their Facebook page to ask them about if it is still possible to use THM as a vegetarian.

Janet Parks

3/26/2013 08:43:31 am

I have not reviewed THM, but my daughter has purchased the your and loves it. I have joined THM's Facebook page and am nspired by what I read on there. I would love a copy of the book so I can get down to a healthy weight.

Jessica Payne

3/26/2013 09:16:51 am

I have been doing THM for about 3 weeks, though I haven't totally implemented everything yet...but I'm getting there slowly. :) I would love to win this book for my Mom. Thank you for the giveaway. And GREAT review!

Jennifer link

3/26/2013 10:56:58 am

I've read what a lot of people have been sharing online about this book, and I wonder how my whole family would adjust to the changes. We have so much unhealthy food in our house. I'd like to try it.

Julieanne link

10/9/2013 02:25:13 pm

We were the same way, Jennifer. While we ate a lot of whole foods and fruits, veggies, and whole wheat breads, etc., we ate junk, too. What worked for us was for me to give away every ingredient or processed food that wasn't "on plan" with THM, so that we wouldn't be tempted to use it. This has really worked for my family!

Carolyn

3/26/2013 11:46:55 am

I have been following this book from Above Rubies for quite sometime! So excited to see its out and working for so many people! I think the most interesting thing for me is how they include ALL the food groups.

Amy

3/26/2013 12:24:00 pm

I have the ebook but I really want the hard copy before I spill something on my iPad.

Deborah

3/26/2013 01:45:02 pm

My sister-in-law was just telling me about this book last night. Her friend recommended it. My question is how heavily does it rely on dairy and eggs?

Julieanne link

3/28/2013 03:47:39 pm

Deborah, there is a fair reliance on eggs and dairy. But if someone is allergic to milk/dairy products, they can always use coconut milk or coconut types of substitutions. While people can also use soy products, THM doesn't recommend the use of soy in everyday amounts.

There are quite a few breakfast options that include eggs, but there are also a variety of options that don't. You could always buy the liquid egg substitute if there was something you really wanted to make that required eggs - if you had an egg allergy.

Jenny

3/26/2013 01:53:28 pm

I've just started the THM eating plan, very optimistic about the future!

Christa

3/26/2013 02:36:14 pm

I would LOVE to win a copy of this book!! :)

Cristi link

3/26/2013 03:58:48 pm

I'm wondering if this book would be a good choice for someone that wants to eat healthier but doesn't necessarily need to lose weight.

Emily

3/27/2013 04:09:00 am

Absolutely! I need to lose some weight but I want to be healthy more than skinny. I have lost 7 pounds and I feel SO much better already! My knees don't hurt as much, my asthma is better, and I have so much more energy!

Julieanne link

3/28/2013 03:50:18 pm

Cristi, I think this would provide some excellent nutrition information for you, but to be truthful, if a person truly does not need to lose weight or should not lose any weight, it wouldn't make much sense to follow the meal suggestions in this book. A person would need to "cheat" to prevent herself from continuing to lose weight. However, it would give you, again, a ton of healthful information that would help you make better decisions on food choices in a lot of circumstances, so if you found that you began to gain unneeded weight, you'd know how to combat that.

Pamela Dorfman link

10/9/2013 08:46:54 am

Actually.. I believe that someone who does not need to lose weight would definitely benefit from the recipes and this book.. the sisters deal with too much weight loss and discuss the crossovers and how they avoid losing too much weight. It is just such a healthier way of eating..

Mariah

3/27/2013 04:03:43 am

Looks like a good, helpful book. I would love to win a copy! :)

briana link

3/27/2013 04:23:10 am

I have not looked at it. I wonder how compatible it is for people on a gluten and dairy free diet.

Julieanne link

3/28/2013 03:52:36 pm

Briana, since Trim Healthy Mama doesn't rely on many bread products, it would be easy to use this book and the included recipes and remain gluten-free! For dairy, though, that's another issue. There is quite a bit of dairy throughout the recipes. It would depend on whether you would want to pay the expense of coconut milk (in cartons and canned for various fat levels), or how you personally felt about using soy products. Of course, some of the add-ons like cheese could be optional. So it would depend on your comfort level with some things and your food budget.

Julieanne link

4/5/2013 04:40:12 pm

Briana, THM also has a members-only Facebook page designed to give support to its members that have allergy issues. You could learn a lot about using THM on a gluten-free and dairy-free diet from that group.

Allergen Free THM's:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/495900470451999/

Martha link

3/27/2013 07:19:09 am

I love THM. I just started about 2 1/2 weeks ago. I would love to get this book for my friend who might not be able to afford it.

Darrell

3/27/2013 01:39:39 pm

I started reading THM in Nov and really enjoy eating this way. I think the support of the fb group and informative reviews like yours help with getting started :)

Daisy

3/29/2013 12:37:16 am

I would love to win this, because I'm trying to follow the diet without having the book, and I think it'd be a whole lot easier if I owned it. :-) Great review! Thanks!

Liz

3/31/2013 07:44:52 pm

Would love the book!

Lynne Bowers

3/31/2013 08:33:30 pm

I was just introduced to this book by a friend. The testimonials that I have read so far are amazing. So many lives being changed. Great giveaway!

Beverly

3/31/2013 09:16:06 pm

We are working on eating more whole foods. My kicker is getting away from the white flour and white sugar. I do use some white wheat flour, but can't do the nut flours because of allergies in the home. I'd love to see what they recommend. (and could stand to lose mucho poundage too. ) :)

Danielle Jude

3/31/2013 09:32:22 pm

I would love to have a copy of this book. I have been struggling with my weight for years. I definitely would open my eyes and ears (and tastebuds) to this. I am tired of counting calories and depriving myself a happy and healthy life.

Tammie

3/31/2013 10:20:01 pm

I have really been wanting to buy this book. Thank you for your review and the opportunity to win it.

Stephanie O

3/31/2013 11:16:04 pm

I have not but I keep reading good things about this book. Praying I can get my hands on a copy because I have a lot of weight to loses.

tancy

3/31/2013 11:18:32 pm

I would really like to have the book! I am curious how hard the plan is! But I see a lot of other busy mom's doing it. :)

breanna

4/1/2013 01:42:03 am

Can you use this book if you don't believe in buying low and nonfat foods?

Julieanne link

4/2/2013 04:36:01 pm

Breanna,

Yes, you can use THM if you don't believe in buying low fat and nonfat foods. However, one of the main points of living the THM way is that you will be changing up your meal types so that your metabolic system will be needing to change how it handles the variety of foods coming into your meals. So, to eat a medium- to high fat meal for 21 meals a week would end up not changing up your metabolism - and it would slow down. If you are able to read a copy of THM, you'll see how many recipes call for the healthy fats like coconut oil, etc., but then there are other E meals (E = Energizing) that are carb meals that contain only a tiny amount of fat. For E meals, you could select recipes that don't include sour cream, cream cheese, and the like (because those would be non-fat or low-fat versions). Hope that helps!

Colette Van Hattem

4/1/2013 03:26:02 am

It is helpful knowing someone who is doing this before starting :) Thank you for sharing your experiences.

Sarah Bailey link

4/1/2013 03:51:54 am

I've got an e-copy and enjoying it so far but would love a physical copy.

Eleanor Hofer

4/1/2013 10:26:41 am

I LOVE this book and if I get to win I would give it away to someone very special. I would love to be able to afford one for everyone of my sister and sister in laws and close friends!!

Gayle Drake

4/1/2013 04:01:22 pm

I have read the book and plan to start the new lifestyle this week! Trying to compile everything necessary from their Facebook site.

Heather L. link

4/3/2013 06:40:27 am

I haven't read the book yet, but I keep hearing about it. I just recently joined the facebook group to learn more about it as I'm trying to decide if it's compatible with our lifestyle.

Shelly

4/4/2013 04:59:43 am

This is a great review! I've had the book for a while now and am a lot more motivated now that I joined the fb page. I would like to win the book to give to my sister.

Emily Bruggeman

4/4/2013 05:59:20 am

Sounds like a book I need to read and change my lifestyle not only for me but for my family!

Melissa F

4/4/2013 06:42:02 am

I love this book! I love the real food recipes it contains! I am hoping to win a copy for a dear friend who has several health issues. I have told her about the book: I am hoping to present her a copy of the book! :)

Susan

4/4/2013 01:44:47 pm

I have the e-book and would love the paper copy. Still new to the whole THM way. Enjoyed reading your review.

KayM

4/5/2013 01:51:13 pm

No, I haven't read this book. In fact this is the first time that I've heard about it. Your information was so thorough. At this point, I can't think of any questions. I have always tried to eat healthy, but need to do something a little more structured, so I am really interested in reading this book. Thanks for offering a copy.

Heather

4/5/2013 10:20:33 pm

I have been patiently waiting for enough extra money to buy this book since it came out last fall. I've had friends lose weight and feel great on THM. The gift of a free book would be a God-send, as I'm just waiting for someone to defect and give away their unused copy (which clearly doesn't happen with THM!)

My question deals with food allergies. Our family has to eat free of gluten, dairy, egg, soy, almond, cashew, sugar, HFCS, nightshades (tomato, potato, peppers, eggplant), cocoa, melon, pork, etc. I'd love to figure out if we can actually use this book ! We already use coconut milk, coconut oil, ghee, great meats, straight veggies, etc.

Thanks for offering a free book giveaway. It's very kind of you. God bless!

HillaryM link

4/5/2013 10:29:59 pm

No questions, yet. You've written a great review that addressed everything I was unsure of. Hoping to win!

Jennifer

4/5/2013 10:32:01 pm

Thanks for the awesome in depth review, I'm really looking forward to reading this book.

paula link

4/5/2013 11:08:03 pm

My sister got herself and my mom a THM book, and my mom has diabeties, which thank to the book and a lifestyle change in how she looks at food and prepares food has lost 20 pounds, and is off all medications, I have join the FB page and have been trying to follow the recipe's, but I am having a hard time understanding what some of this means, I have been saving up to buy the book for my self. I would love to share the joy of it with my kids( who are starting to have there own baby's, and my in laws. With out the book and by just reading the FB page I have lost a pant size and 5 pounds, I cant wait to see what I can do with the book!!!

Karen link

4/5/2013 11:19:32 pm

I have read a couple reviews from other bloggers and most seem to like the book too. I have not seen it yet. I would like to see them come out with an updated version with all the issues you listed. I am interested to see how they handle being gluten free with their way of eating.

Hillary Gould link

4/5/2013 11:31:05 pm

I would love to win a copy of this book. I have not had an opportunity to view it yet, but I did ask to become part of their Facebook group when I read about others who were having success with using their "plan" and recipes. I don't really have any questions about it right now...just really wanting to know how it all "works."

Tonia Miller

4/5/2013 11:54:34 pm

Thanks for the great review of the book! It's so good to realistic expectations. We buy 90% whole foods already, so I am fairly confident I can work this into my budget each week! Yay!!! Thanks for doing the give away! It's fun to have a chance to win! To God be the Glory!

Leah

4/6/2013 12:16:46 am

I'd love to be entered for this giveaway.

Youthful One

4/6/2013 02:41:56 am

I haven't got my hands on the book yet, which is why I'm entering the giveaway. :)
Many of my friends have been on the plan since January and have been reporting fabulous results. I've been a part of 2 THM fb groups for months now and have been mentally gearing up for starting as soon as I can get a book. :)

camille

4/6/2013 05:13:13 am

I would love to have this book. I have been following the facebook page, sounds like a good way to become healthy!

Dawn C link

4/6/2013 07:32:55 am

Is this good for a gluten free diet?

Julieanne link

4/8/2013 04:04:32 pm

Dawn, yes, this works for people on gluten free diets, quite easily! There's also a private FB forum for THM'ers that are gluten free. You should be able to find quite a bit of info. on that site to help answer your questions.

Lis link

4/7/2013 02:03:01 pm

I have not seen this book, other than in your review. Don't really have any questions at the moment, just interested in checking it out! :)

Alicia Stelling link

4/9/2013 02:55:06 am

I would like to read this book.

Erica Colvin

4/9/2013 02:58:01 am

I've been doing THM for about six weeks. I love it. My original copy is starting to get a bit worn. And I'd love to pass it on to a family member when I win a new copy :-P

Julia P

4/9/2013 03:00:01 am

I've been wanting this book!

Rebekah

4/9/2013 03:00:52 am

i have been going back & forth about ordering the book for 2 weeks now - price being the main factor. my main question is whether someone on a very tight grocery budget can do it - and without having to make 2 separate meals for our family each meal.... :). would love to win a copy!

Julieanne link

4/9/2013 07:26:40 am

Rebekah, if you are used to eating mostly processed foods (frozen, jarred, dehydrated, boxed, etc.,), you'll find that eating with whole foods and mostly filling up your shopping cart with single-ingredient items unfortunately WILL be more expensive for you.

However, if you are used to eating whole foods and not hardly any processed foods, there may be a few ingredients that you'll want to order up front, and that will cost you more...but they last quite a while, so it's not something you'll even buy on a monthly basis. Basically, overall, our food budget hasn't changed, and we're able to make this work. Groceries in our area of the Pacific NW are not cheap, however.

Tanya link

4/9/2013 03:03:11 am

I have been eager to buy this book but have not yet set aside the funds for it just yet. To be able to win it would be a WONDERFUL opportunity. We use a lot of these ingredients already and just need to learn to use them in recipes, oh and I LOVE desserts too.

Sara

4/9/2013 03:03:59 am

I LOVE this book and have been wanting an extra copy to give to a friend that could really use it, esp. the hormone section!

4/9/2013 03:06:41 am

I have looked thru this and think it looks great!

thx

Wendy

4/9/2013 03:32:05 am

So thankful for Serene and Pearl and their availability to help us along the way!

Jessica link

4/9/2013 03:33:11 am

I"ve great things about THM!

Shelley Mitchell

4/9/2013 03:33:59 am

Ahhhh....I want to win this book so bad! Thank you for hosting a giveaway!

Michelle S.

4/9/2013 03:42:07 am

Excellent review! I would love to have a paper copy!

Sarah Smith

4/9/2013 03:47:30 am

I've not purchased the book but really looking into it now! :)

Ruth Hanson

4/9/2013 04:00:37 am

I LOVE this book! I am using it to help me achieve a healthy balance with my hormones and post-partum body. I would love to win a copy of this book and send it to my mother. I'm dying to share this with her as I believe it could be such a blessing to her as she struggles with physical issues.

Lynne B

4/9/2013 04:07:07 am

What a great giveaway!

Jasmine

4/9/2013 04:12:24 am

I actually already have this book. I bought it for my birthday several months back, but I'd love to be able to give a copy to one of my sisters.

rhonda

4/9/2013 04:14:44 am

I have the thm book and love it and keep recommending it to my friends. I NEED another copy to share cause I keep loaning mine out!

Madalyn Willing Martin

4/9/2013 04:15:47 am

I haven't read this book yet, only for lack of funds. I have followed Nancy, Pearl, Serene and the others at Above Rubies for many years; and have been following Pearl's author page as well as the group page for some time.

Being diabetic and overweight, I can see that this bool would be a great blessing. Thank you for the offer!

Christine link

4/9/2013 04:18:31 am

I Thank your for your thorough review of this book. I have been making changes in my diet but having the book would be helpful for my dietary issues.

Carmen Erickson

4/9/2013 04:45:19 am

I haven't read it yet, but can't wait!

Kay

4/9/2013 05:03:07 am

Thanks for the book review! This sounds very exciting and I would love to win a copy of this book!

Jenny link

4/9/2013 05:09:04 am

I have heard excellent reviews all around on THM...Would love to try these healthy yummy recipes to get back in shape after baby! :)

Maria Beuca

4/9/2013 05:24:03 am

Can't wait to try THM!

Bambi Moore

4/9/2013 05:45:39 am

Thanks for the opportunity!

April link

4/9/2013 05:59:29 am

I purchased the ebook/pdf and have been trying out some of the recipes. This may sound awful but one thing that I am wondering is if I will have to eat this way forever...? I have weight to lose after having our fifth baby but normally I don't put on weight if I am eating whole foods with desserts occasionally. I am worried that if I change my eating habits that my body will not be able to go back to eating my homemade bread with butter without putting on weight. Maybe this is talked about more towards the end of the book?

Julieanne link

4/9/2013 07:31:11 am

April, no, your question doesn't sound awful! :) When a person is at their target weight that they've determined where they want to stay, she is able to add back in other foods.

The question would be whether your body is showing insulin resistance. Even thin people can become pre-diabetic or diabetic. That's probably what you would want to check via blood test with your doctor after you get to your target weight, or maybe every 6 months or so after adding some healthy carbs back into your diet.

renee link

4/9/2013 06:28:00 am

Looks like a good, helpful book. I would love to win a copy!

Abby

4/9/2013 06:41:18 am

I was able to look at my sister's book last week while she and her family were visiting. I now have too many questions to list! I need my own copy!! :)

Kate

4/9/2013 07:23:11 am

Can you tell me the brand names for the cocoa powder and the ice cream bars you mentioned? I asked on the THM FB group and no one has had an answer.

Julieanne link

4/9/2013 07:34:09 am

Kate, everyone has had different taste preferences for the cocoa powder. We have used Hershey's but now are using Ghiradelli's brand, and we seem to like it better. Some people like the Trader Joe's brand, while others can't stand it. Some people like the Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder, and others don't. It's kind of on a trial-and-error basis.

The THM book mentions the type of ice cream bars they recommend: So Delicious brand "no sugar added" ice cream bars. We've tried the fudge bars and didn't like them very well, but the vanilla ice cream bars coated in chocolate have been quite good! They're expensive, though, so it's a once-a-month treat in our home.

Kate link

4/9/2013 07:52:40 am

Thank you, Julieanne! I love all types of Ghiradelli chocolate so that sounds like it would work for me. Good to know about the ice cream bars too. :-) I can't wait to try your coffee drink, btw!!

dawnbrisset link

4/9/2013 09:58:41 am

I would love a copy of this book! I have checked it out from the library twice so far, but would love to be able to mark it up. :)

Hi! I'm Julieanne!
You'll find me in the kitchen
trying new Trim Healthy Mama recipes, loving God, and carrying out that love as I bless my husband and teen daughters.

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