My Trimaversary

"Once you discover nothing tastes as good as peace feels, the journey becomes less and less about food and more and more about God." 

Lysa TerKeurst

Yesterday was my Trimaversary. It was one year ago on September 9 that I started my journey of eating healthy with Trim Healthy Mama.
I had been challenged in the past by God to show self-discipline in my life in the area of food/health, but after many ups and downs, I struggled so much with finding my "want to" that I just couldn't get started!

I went on furlough last year weighing more than I ever have, and discouraged because I knew I would gain more weight while in the US. I hated having pictures taken. It was so hard to choose pictures for our prayer card, because I didn't like any of them! I was on furlough for 4 months when I stepped on the scales and was in shock when I saw how high the numbers were. I had kept promising myself, "I'll never get higher than ___," and I was higher than every one of those promises.

I had two good friends (one in the US and one in NZ) that had shared with me about THM on numerous occasions, but I was afraid to spend that much money on a book. I was afraid that it might not work for me, or even more, that I might not have the will power to stick to it. I tried to get it from the library, but it was always checked out with a long waiting list. This day I was desperate. I just had to make a change. I bought the ebook, and started reading it right away. I stayed up late, devoured half the book, and made changes immediately. I didn't tell anyone that I was trying something new because I thought I might fail! 

In the first week I lost more than 5 lbs. Even though we were on furlough, I was able to cook for myself most of the time. When we were traveling or at other's homes, I just made the best choices I could. If someone made me lasagna, I ate it, and then was right back on plan in 3 hours. By the time we left for the field, 2 months after I started THM, I had already lost over 25 lbs! I have continued THM on the field, and, after a year, have lost 55 lbs (25 kg). I am just lower than my pre-pregnancy weight - FINALLY, as my first pregnancy was 16 years ago, and my last one 13 years ago! I have gone from a US size 18 to a US size 8/10. 

Trim Healthy Mama has helped me implement change. I am not at my goal weight, but I know I can do this. I cannot ever see myself returning to my former eating habits.

(It was these before photos that contributed to my decision to make a change! I don't have good before pics, because I hated having my picture taken!)

Before

After

Cinnamon Vanilla Rooibos Tea (Hot or Iced)

I started playing with different ways to drink Rooibos tea when I needed a substitute for my Five Roses tea with cow's milk. I love my Five Roses, but only with cow's milk, and that's not very conducive to my shrinking waist line! So, here you have it. Dairy Free. Sugar Free. Yummalicious!

1 Rooibos tea bag

1/4-1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Vanilla

Pinch Cayenne Pepper

Pinch Salt

Unsweetened Almond milk, to taste
Sweetener of your choice (I use stevia)

Add 1 Rooibos tea bag to a large mug. Add hot water. Steep as long as you prefer. I like it strong so I just leave my tea bag in. Add cinnamon, vanilla, cayenne pepper, and salt. Stir. Add almond milk to taste. Inspired by Trim Healthy Mama's The Shrinker. Serve hot, or poor over ice. If serving over ice, add up to 1/2 cup almond milk. Enjoy!

Change...

My blog has been VERY quiet as of late. I think that it's justifiable with packing, moving out of a house, flying to another country and traveling for 6 months, and then moving into a new house. And that's not to mention any other "minor" events in our family during this time period!
So... I'm back. We are still settling into our new home, but we're back in Africa and life is beginning to look like normal, if there is such a thing.
While we were traveling, we ate lots of different foods. We enjoyed our old favourites - Arby's, Mexican food, cheesesteaks, Grinders from Mancino's, etc. We also had MANY delicious home cooked meals as we met new people and visited with old friends in their homes. We ate our way across the Eastern US! ;) And needless to say, instead of losing weight or even maintaining it, I gained. I stepped on the scales in Sept, about 4 months after we started traveling, and reality slapped me in the face! I was determined to make a change.

 

A couple of friends had mentioned Trim Healthy Mama (THM) to me months earlier, and I was interested, but the cost of the book seemed daunting, especially when I wasn't sure I would stick with the plan or if it would work for me. But now, I was ready to splurge. I needed to make a change! And I found that the ebook version from their website was a much better price.
That was the 7th of September. I started implementing the plan on the 9th of September. We were still  traveling in the US and had many meals provided for us, so I wasn't on plan 100% of the time. I love this way of eating! It has made a huge difference for me, not only in weight loss, but in the way I feel! I love that I feel hungry when it's time to eat, which is approximately every 3 hours. I have lost 31 lbs. (14 kg). And before I started THM, every afternoon I would feel exhausted. I felt like I had to sleep or I might just collapse! I no longer feel that way! In fact, last week on my birthday, I laid down to rest to "spoil" myself and got back up because I didn't feel like sleeping! It amazes me how much more energy I have!
I just wanted to share, as it was as a result of some good friends sharing with me that I found this great tool to get healthy. Check it out! You may even be able to get a copy from your local library!

Butternut Soup (Stove Top or Instant Pot)

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

3 C cubed butternut
1 1/2 C water
2 cubes chicken bouillon
1/4 tsp marjarom
1/8 tsp pepper
1/16 tsp ground cayenne pepper
8 oz. cream cheese

Stove - Cook butternut with water, bouillon, marjarom and spices. Bring to boil and cook 20 minutes more.
Add cream cheese and puree/blend. Heat through, but do not boil again!

Instant pot - add all ingredients except cream cheese to Instant Pot. Set to pressure cook for 4 minutes. Quick release steam, add cream cheese and puree. Serve warm.

Baked Scrambled Eggs

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Other

EASY to make - perfect for Sunday mornings! :)

1/4 C butter, melted
5 eggs, beaten
1/2 C milk or water
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Add melted butter to square baking dish. Mix eggs, milk (for a Trim Healthy Mama version, use water) and salt. Pour into pan with butter. Bake 10 minutes. Stir. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer, until eggs are cooked.

You can add anything to it that you like cooked in scrambled eggs!

This serves 5. To make for more people, just increase recipe and use a bigger pan. 1 egg per person.

*Note* Use a glass pan if you don't want green eggs. ;)

Chili

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

1 lb. Ground Beef (Mince), browned and drained
3 cans Red Kidney Beans, undrained
1 can tomato puree
1 sm can tomato paste
1/4 C chili powder (recipe for homemade chili powder or substitute with 1-3 tsp crushed chilis) more or less to taste
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp basil
1 tsp cumin
Frozen Corn

Add all to slow cooker and cook till hot - as little as 4 hours, or all day on low! If you need it quick, throw it all in a soup pot and warm on the stove.

Top with shredded cheddar cheese.

Adapted for THM E - used lean Ground Turkey, browned, drained and rinsed; Nature's Promise Kidney Beans; no cheese.