How to lose weight fast was a question I was asked frequently when I was an admin on the Trim Healthy Mama Facebook groups. Even though this post addresses the question from the THM perspective, I think it applies to many other ways of eating as well. If you’re not familiar with the Trim Healthy Mama plan, I review the book here. ~Gwen
Q. Any specific advice for us on how to lose so quickly? I’d love to hear some of your own ‘tricks.’
A. I’ll answer from my own experience here, and what I’ve seen from moderating this now nearly 6,000 80,000 and growing member Facebook group:
How To Lose Weight Fast
Mostly, those who lose quickly are just those blessed with a fast metabolism that recovers quickly when sugars are removed. They don’t ‘cheat’ or eat off plan frequently and avoid real sugars, but they do bounce a good bit in their calorie intake.
While THM is not really designed for quick weight loss, it does happen for some. What makes it different from ‘quick weight loss’ plans and gimmicks is that it doesn’t attempt to ‘force’ weight loss at the expense of overall health…so for those whose bodies *can* lose quickly, they do. For those who need a slower, gentler approach, they experience loss and healing at the rate that their own body dictates.
<Updated 1/2015> I found that even though my body was *able* to lose quickly, I now wish that I had slowed down my losses. Though I did sustain quick and lasting results in weight loss, I ended up needing specialized help for the past six months to recover from complications from overwhelming my liver. I have a somewhat common liver processing issue called MTHFR that makes my body work harder at detoxing, and weight loss can and does strain that process. If you have a family history of heart disease, stroke, miscarriage, autoimmune disease, autism, or miscarriage, or if you react strangely to “healthy” foods, I strongly suggest that you consider being gentle to your body during any weight loss program, and that you ask about MTHFR genetic testing. <end of update>
Those who lose more slowly either have underlying health or hormone challenges that their bodies are dealing with in addition to weight loss, so that slows them down. But the basic lifestyle and diet of Trim Healthy Mama are only going to support their rate of healing and move ‘diet concerns’ out of the way when dealing with a health problem that needs to be addressed.
Some ladies find that adding in additional liver support really helps their body process the fats into and out of their body in a much more efficient way. The liver processes all lipids or fats, including the ones we eat, the ones in our bloodstream that we are giving off as we lose weight, and also our hormones, which are lipids. So the liver really has to work extra hard during weight loss or during periods of hormone readjustment (like pregnancy, nursing, or menopause.)
Silymarin is one of my favorite herbal liver support herbs, and one I take daily to support my body in healthy weight loss. This is a great liver support blend that contains silymarin if you want to support healthy liver function: (affiliate link)
Some signs that you may need liver support are: pimples or acne, indigestion after meals (especially fatty meals) that ranges from bloating/gassy feelings to pain, and a history of gall stones.
Plateaus or Stalls in Your Losses
Plateaus and stalls can be a normal part of healthy weight loss. Early on with THM, I would be seeing my friends losing 1-2 pounds a week at a steady rate, but I would stall for 2 weeks and then lose 2-3 pounds. It’s just how my body worked at that point, and it does fall within the normal range of weight loss experiences. I’ve also had phases where I was losing around a pound a week with no real changes to what I was doing. So that can change as your body adjusts and heals.
Certain times in your monthly cycle can also stall weight loss, but just because you’re retaining water.
The Scale Speaks-When to Ignore It
It’s REALLY important to not get too number bound with your scale. It’s a good indicator of overall weight, but that involves SO much more than just body fat. Hormone fluctuations, water retention, and more will dramatically affect the scale anywhere from 1-4 pounds per day.
This is one of my favorite quotes from the Facebook group, from a lady who had seen the scale move up from one day to the next:
“My husband always reminds me: “A pound [of fat] is equal to 3500 calories…did you REALLY eat 3500 too many calories yesterday? Really?”
Pitfalls For DIY Stalls
Here are some of the most common THM obstacles to weight loss that I see frequently on the wall over on the Facebook group:
- You go longer than 4 hours between meals and snacks during the day. The feeling of not wanting food or not being hungry is a great indicator that you’re stalling out your metabolic fires.
- By counting calories and being overly restrictive, AND/OR by over-exercising or stressing your body while restricting fuels, you can also accomplish the same thing: an overall stalling or slowing of the metabolism. This will really make a person feel like CRUD. And I think it happens pretty frequently, because of the ‘eat less to and work out harder to get skinny’ lie that most of us have believed our whole lives. And even worse, not eating enough also brings you into my next pitfall:
- Not eating enough slows or stalls the detox systems of the body. (this will open in a new window). Now, the site I just linked to is not a diet theory site…it’s an explanation of the two detox phases of the liver. I know I’m a geek for reading stuff like this, but I learn the COOLEST stuff! Like this,
“Inadequate protein intake specifically reduces Phase I clearance, and insufficient calories decreases overall detoxification function. The detoxification process requires large amounts of caloric energy, which comes mainly from the food we eat. If we do not eat enough protein, the body breaks down vital tissue protein to produce the energy it needs. This decreases the available amounts of Phase I and Phase II enzymes, amino acids, and peptides, because the body breaks down protein to amino acids and peptides. The greater the toxic burden of the body, the higher the need for protein, carbohydrate, fat, and micronutrient intake.” (emphasis mine.)
In plain English, that means: Eat enough food or you’ll feel like crud.
- Mamas who are nursing can pretty easily fall into this same zone of getting too few calories, as they need additional calories to fuel their milk production on top of what they need to keep their metabolism revved. KellyMom, an awesome site for breastfeeding info says this:
“Consuming less than 1500-1800 calories per day (most women should stay at the high end of this range) may put your milk supply at risk, as may a sudden drop in caloric intake.A mother’s “baseline” need for calories (not including lactation) depends upon her activity level, weight and nutritional status. A mother who is less active, has more fat stores, and/or eats foods higher in nutritional value may need fewer calories than a mom who is more active, has fewer fat stores, and/or eats more processed foods.”
Nursing Mamas need an additional 400-500 more calories per day to support healthy milk production IN ADDITION to the number of calories that they are burning with working out or just regular life activities. So listen to Kelley, and listen to your body: eat when you feel genuinely hungry.
- By avoiding carbs or energizing “E” meals When you limit carbs too much or eat too few E meals, you’re basically doing an Atkins intro, keto, or low carb diet. You will lose weight initially, and then find yourself exactly in the same shoes as the lady who only eats celery and birdseed: feeling like crud with no energy. I’m gonna do a shout out for emphasis here:
HEALTHY CARBS FUEL YOUR METABOLISM!!!
Do not be afraid of your E fuel food friends: fruit, beans, brown rice, quinoa, sweet taters, and popcorn. Just keep them away from fats and in the measurements given in the book and FEEL what they do for your body, your emotional state, your energy levels, and your waistline!
Now, let’s shimmy down to the other end of this teeter totter. Away from the celery sticks and lettuce turkey wrap lunch…at the opposite end of the spectrum: the Lasagna Lunch with brownie dessert.
- A lady can lose her momentum from overstocking her lunchbox with too many calorie rich foods.
Peanut butter, nuts, bacon, avocado, chocolate, and cheese? All fine in moderation, but if these are your ‘go to’ foods that make daily appearances in hearty quantities, then it’s gonna be hard to get your end of the teeter totter off the ground real quick. An over-fueled metabolism is going to have more to store. You will want to lighten up your meals and snacks, and vary the quantity of fats and calories that you’re getting from meal to meal.
There is much enjoyment in just using a great olive oil and vinegar salad dressing on a salad with some grilled chicken breast…this is an example of a “light S” meal. It’s fine to indulge in a good fried chicken or cheeseburger casserole from time to time, but don’t camp out in calorie rich land too consistently. (Do be aware of all the nummy recipes out there made with almond or nut meal/flour…it’s easy to forget that you’re indulging in almonds when it looks like a muffin). - and the final trap is the worst: not fully coming off of sugar and complex carbs, so your addictive bonds are never severed, and you suffer through your ‘diet food’ until you can get your hands on the next doughnut or bag of chips. These ladies fall off the wagon in a big way for weeks at a time, and really never feel the effects of THM or fall in love with the health giving foods. IMO, there are often emotional and sometimes even physical issues or vitamin and mineral deficiencies that drive these behaviors. Worst of all, they feel the intense guilt associated with the cycle of eating binges and weight gain/body image that THM offers freedom from.
Stuck on Sugar
Believe me…I NEVER thought I’d be free of desiring sugar. I loved sweets. I fought hard emotional battles against the idea of Weight Watchers and diets, because no Twix bars…no Dr. Pepper, and no Krispy Kreme donuts until after I had lost the weight. Life without sugar just wasn’t even on my radar. I was SHOCKED beyond words when I was taken through the drive through of a Krispy Kreme on week 3 or 4 of Trim Healthy Mama, and I didn’t even have one tiny desire to eat one…and I wasn’t even mildly annoyed by ‘missing out’. In fact, I didn’t feel like I WAS missing out…it felt so weird, and so freeing!
Some of my friends really struggle with not losing the cravings even after weeks of willpower and sticking to plan. For those ladies who are having trouble kicking nagging sugar and/or carb cravings, the books The Truth About Beauty, and the Diet Cure are great reads and resources that are helping a friend of mine overcome her health issues and return to healthy weight loss patterns. She is using Trim Healthy Mama
“If THM isn’t working for you, don’t give up!! Just keep looking and paying attention to yourself to figure out what it is that you are personally missing. [The Diet Cure]diet is almost exactly THM, and there are 8 sections to figure out why it is you don’t feel good or aren’t losing weight. This book has quickly moved up on my list of all time favorite books! Doing the questionnaire in the book I just read ruled out some key things I thought I might have, and left me to focus on deficiencies were obvious I did have! My top 3 categories were brain imbalance (hoping to heal with amino acids) sometimes low cal dieting (healing with THM) and blood sugar imbalance (on the road to healing that with supplements [from the Truth about Beauty] and already noticed a huge difference!)”
For hormone help and testing, see your doctor. For help with mood disorders, anxiety, and other ‘odd’ and ‘random’ issues, check out The Mood Cure
So there you have it, my friends! Go forth and fight for your trim and healthy best!
Here’s a pin the board where I stash my best healthy recipes for you!
Follow me on Pinterest and never miss a recipe!
Follow Gwen’s Nest’s board Gwen’s Nest Healthy Recipes on Pinterest.
great article! You truly have a gift of encouragement and instruction Gwen! Congrats on the victories… continued prayers for your areas of struggle.
Thank you!
This is great information Gwen. When I stalled a couple weeks ago, I realized I was eating too many nuts and at the wrong times. When I started THM, I started with a more restrictive diet trying to eliminate some yeast issues and most nuts were allowed on that diet. I was able to get a good start on weight lose, but then I gained some back and had to figure out what I might be doing wrong. By going back to the THM book, I was able to find out what I was doing wrong and have been incorporating more fuel pull snacks into my diet.
Yay! Yes, sometimes ‘minor’ tweaks like that make a big difference! Great job tracking down your solution!
Truly appreciate your article. It’s just what I needed! I’ve been at a stand still for almost 2 months now. I basically only need 3 meals a day and don’t get hungry in between hardly ever. I thought this was a good thing, but I see that I need to include healthy food every 3 hours to keep my metabolism going. With 8 pounds to go I have been a bit frustrated, so thank you. Also excited to look into the book recommendations. Thanks for your inspiration!
You’re so VERY welcome! So glad this was a help to you!
Gwen, yup that’s me…stuck on counting carbs and nervous about those E meals. 🙂 It seems like I gotta just take the plunge! E foods sure sound, look, and smell good. Ok. Here I go…
Thanks for the helpful information!
Wishing you some AMAZING E meals, and some clear results on feeling how they work for your own body. THAT is what will convince you! 🙂
Thanks for this article. I am really focusing on this and am getting the Diet Cure from the library just to read as a reference. One question…how do you know when you have eaten enough? I never know what a serving size is of certain things and really how much to eat. I think most days I don’t eat enough. I have had people make comments in the past that they think I eat too much (that was years ago and that is why they think I have weight issues) and now I just don’t know how much is too much and how much is enough. Thanks for any reply!
Hi Laura!
Wow…tough question. Sometimes listening to others makes you second guess yourself and you stop being able to really ‘hear’ what you own body is saying about what a healthy amount is. Also, not eating enough can cause you loose your hunger mechanism, and overeating can make you lose your satiation mechanism.
I can tell you this: I do about 4-6 oz. of protein, as many veggies as I want, and for things like yogurt or dairy, I stick to around a half cup if it’s with other foods, or a full cup if it’s as a meal or the main protein source.
Does that help?
Yes, that does help. Thanks so much! I really appreciate all the help and advice that you have given to us all on THM. You are a wonderful asset!
Aw…thank you so much!
Great article. How do you know which brand and strength of Silymarin to purchase?
Wow, you are an encouragement..I am a momma of four ..I was also born with a physical disability..it makes for a challege when trying to lose weight..I will not give up! It will happen for me ..someday!;)
What wonderful progress Gwen. Thanks so much for all of your support on the THM facebook page. I am really loving THM and now I want to order the other books you mentioned!
Where do you buy your Silymarin?
Silymarin
I have Vita Cost brand of Milk Thistle Extract (same thing as Silymarin).
This blog was very helpfull, thank you. What brand of silymwrin do you use? I am very interested in getting some. I have had bad indigestion, bloating and gassy stomach aches in the last two years and could never figure out why
I usually like the NOW brand products. I’m using their brand of milk thistle extract (same thing as silymarin)
What dosage of Milk Thistle do you recommend?
You know, I am usually a stickler for researching, but in this case, I just took the dosage on the bottle and it worked well for me. 🙂
Hi Gwen
love your article.
I’ve struggled with bloating & gassyness but the worst thing which has really got me down is my facial acne. It has worsened over last 2years& even since completely cutting out sugar & doing THM 10months now. I thought it’d get better. YOU talked about the Liver and how if its malfunctioning could be cause of acne. I also struggle to actually lose weight. The Acne tho is my biggest downer. You mentioned using Silymarin (milk thistle extract). Do u know if its safe to use in pregnancy?.
Many times I’ve thought what a bad advertisement for THM i am because my skin is not glowing and radiant like others talk of,& id so love to have clear skin.
Bless you for all your hard work
Thank you
Hi Alep,
I do think that liver support is a really great idea for you…check with your Dr. or Midwife on which herbs they feel comfortable with during pregnancy. I do know that a lot of the Mother’s Milk teas contain liver supporting herbs. Milk thistle and dandelion are both good ones to look at. 🙂
The liver does process and break down all of the lipids, so weight loss (when fat is pulled into the blood stream), and also pregnancy and all of the additional hormones-which are also lipids, put a burden on the liver and gall bladder. This is something that I should blog about as well.
My midwife and her herbalist apprentice okayed Milk Thistle for me during pregnancy. I just wanted to say too that I started using soft microfiber cloths to clean my face and immediately add some organic argon oil (from Apple Valley Soaps) on my face (two tiny squirts–the little bottle has lasted me six months). My face is FINALLY clear, soft, and happy! I’ve battled acne for my whole teen-adult life. I hope that is helpful.
My acne was a result of an imbalance in my gut. My skin is clear now that I drink homemade milk kefir for probiotics. It also cleared when I was taking a heavy-duty prescription probiotic (900 billion cfu’s). However, if I missed a day or two of the prescription the acne would pop up immediately. That doesn’t happen with the milk kefir. I can go longer periods of time without experiencing problems. It has also helped tremendously with my autoimmune problems and my IBS is gone!
Cultured foods are AMAZING…they have so much more good bacteria than the supplements do. I’m so happy that you’ve found a great option for healthy skin!
Gwen, I just turned 50 and want to go to the doctor’s for a physical. I have had a full hysterectomy due to a family gene that greatly increases my chances for ovarian and breast cancer. Could you please give me a list of things that I should ask my doctor to check? I’m not supposed to have estrogen or anything that makes estrogen. I have replaced anything with flax for chia. Thanks in advance for your help and ideas!
Hi Nancy,
I wish I could help, but I think maybe your doctor would be able to help you decide with tests you’d want based on your medical history. ♥ Take care!
Great post!! I love it. I’m going to have to look into the Diet Cure book now!
I hope it blesses you!
Where do you purchase your Silymarin? Can it be taken while nursing?
Vitacost: milk thistle extract. And you’d want to double check with your Dr. or Midwife, but many nursing teas do contain milk thistle.
I was having chocolate cravings and my nutritionist suggested Vitamin D. That’s helped. Thanks for your article. I really appreciate the extra ideas. With my food sensitivities, I’m having a hard time finding what works for me. I know that I will eventually. Right now, I’m trying to find a sugar I can have. I’ve gone through every one of the low glycemic ones except Xylitol from birch. I love sweets so I’m hoping to find one sugar I can have. I can have honey and agave (which isn’t very good for a person, I know) but not on THM. I really want to stay on plan. My other hard one is dairy. We live in a small town so it’s hard finding goat yogurt. I buy mine 90 miles away. Apparently when we went at the end of January, I didn’t buy enough. Now I’m out. ;( Rats. Oh, the joys of living in a small town. Between my food sensitivities and now my THM, I think I’m becoming a real pain for my husband, who is the family cook. We all have them though. He has celiac but his is easy compared to mine. Even one of the dogs is allergic to something. God really has a sense of humor. 🙂 Thanks for listening.
Check out Just Like Sugar, which is a chickory based sweetener that works on THM. 🙂
What a great article! Thanks for the encouragement about the ‘E’ meals. That certainly has been helping my weight loss when I have started incorporating them more. I will continue to learn about them after reading your article.
I found this post so encouraging and informative. I work long shifts at my job and sometimes it is hard to away to eat every 3-4 hours. I didn’t realize that it could cause a stall in my weight loss. I’m going to be sure to make time to eat snacks/lunch every 3-4hrs from now on.
Gwen….I don’t know how I never saw this blog post until today…after doing THM since Jan. and frequently visiting your page! It is so eye opening…I have been through some of these stages myself and have friends entering or soon to be entering them now. I can’t wait to share your ALWAYS easy to understand explanations of things with them!!!
Hope you are doing well and enjoying your life returned to the things you most love and enjoy!! All the best to you!!!
I am guilty of not totally giving up sugar. Result is I still have the craving fo sweets I have lost on THM but I am at a stall losing the same 4 pounds over and over. I also am comfortable with my weight loss I am the lowest I have been in 25 years. I am 9 lbs. more than when I married at 21 , I am almost 68 fighting cancer and know that sugar is bad and for the most part I try to leave it alone. I like your article got me thinking.Thanks
Thank you so much for this very informative article, do you think you could expand a little more on the note of not eatting too much calorie rich food and how to avoid this, please!
Sure! I see ladies getting very very focused in on replacing treats with very rich options like almond flour and cream based treats. They are great and fun for every once in a while, but are definitely on the very calorie dense, heavy side. Even with separating carbs & fats, if you lean too heavily on the extremes with your S meals it can be very hard to lose.
For me, it’s more of a mindset of being aware of what ingredients are just very calorie rich and treating them more like occasional treats or using them in moderation. They add a little treat or flourish to the dish, but aren’t the constant main star of the show. That’s how you keep your focus on staying well balanced with fruits, veggies, and greens (which are sort of too easy to forget). I’ve had some health issues with my liver being overwhelmed from losing weight so quickly. I really wish I had gone lighter with my S foods, slowed down my losses just a bit to give my body an easier time of it, and done lots more greens and fresh foods. 🙂 Hope that helps!
Great points…. I did fabulously on THM during pregnancy, but gained weight afterwards. Definitely due to not enough E meals, and too many S meals. I’m giving THM another try, with a more balanced approach. Thanks for the tips! Do you have sources regarding the MTHFR and liver detox process? I have MTHFR, and the only info I’ve found (and that my doctor mentioned) is in regard to folic acid metabolism. I’m very interested… thanks again!
Hi Connie, Some of my favorite sites for learning about MTHFR are: MTHFR.net (and their FB page) and Dr. Amy Yasko’s site. There is also a website called Methyl Nation that is great. It’s quite a complex rabbit hole of research though with TONS of big terms that make my eyes glaze over. So I have to take it in small bites and make notes for myself. 🙂
Thank you for the references! I’ll check them out. I appreciate your help!
Hi Gwen (and Connie)! I have also gained weight during pregnancy and it’s really hard for me now to lose it 🙂 I’m at the point I don’t know what do anymore and it’s killing me. I just read about a adopting a low calorie diet on a site (http://wlzine.com/ways-how-to-lose-weight-fast/ ) but I’m unsure if this is the correct info and if it’s even safe to do? What do you think? It says you lose weight very fast.. Thank you 🙂
Maria, I find that lowering calories ultimately lowers your metabolism, so you gain the weight back in spades. Ultimately, no one feels fulfilled on a low calorie diet, so for that reason alone they pretty much always fail. The old model of ‘eat less and exercise more’ is so very old school, and ignores a lot of other underlying factors that affect how a person can gain and retain weight. I would not bother with a low calorie model, unless your issue is that you eat a lot of high calorie foods. If you eat fairly healthy already, I’d look elsewhere for ideas and underlying causes. Have you read my review on Trim Healthy Mama?
Hi Gwen, thank you for your quick response! No I haven’t read the review, where can I find it?
Here: https://gwens-nest.com/trim-healthy-mama-book-review/
There are lots of resources on the Trim Healthy Menu tab too. 🙂
Awesome info! Thank you! Figuring out this whole MTHFR thing is overwhelming!
So this makes me very cautious now- I’m glad I read this article. Most of those conditions above that you mentioned and being gentle to your liver- what categories of the plan are best for that? My family line is filled with those diseases etc and I want to know how to prevent it. I love THM and how I feel when I do it right. My body is healing majorly…I’m a slow loser. And I cheat too often:( Main question- how do I be gentle with certain/what foods to not harm my liver?
If you have a family history, I would suggest getting tested for MTHFR. Once you know your status, you can tailor a supplement routine to bypass the weakness. As far as diet, eating leafy greens each day (2 servings) and using fats that are easy for the body to break down like coconut oil, avocado, and olive oil are a good idea. Not going heavy S daily is also a good idea. and tailoring your losses to go more slowly. I also like to use Milk Thistle capsules when losing weight to support my liver function. ♥
Thanks for the post. I’ve not had much success with weight loss yet. I remember reading that an E meal ideally has somewhere around 40 g of carbs, but if I eat that many in one meal, even with what I think is plenty of protein, I usually feel like my blood sugar is skyrocketing. Is it possible that this is too many carbs for me, or am I just being over sensitive?
I know for some people, the type of carb affects how they handle it. Some people spike with oatmeal, and believe it or not, time of day can affect how your body handles carbs if you’re very carb sensitive. Pay attention to which carbs you’re reacting to and also time of day. See if you can see patterns or find carbs that your body handles really well. Hope that helps!
I wonder if you feel like it is skyrocketing, or it actually is? Do you check it with a meter? I am not able to do it well by feeling even though I’ve been checking my blood sugar for years.
Great information!
This is such a helpful article. I have been on THM since September 2014 and am at 35 pounds lost. I have had a few stalls, a few of those ‘gains’ and amazingly I am losing, though sometimes slowly.
I was just talking to my husband about the fact that I don’t usually do snacks etc, and that I thought I wasn’t eating enough to fire my metabolism. Your article confirmed this for me.
Thanks so very much!
Yay! Glad you’re connecting the dots. 🙂 It’s hard when our culture teaches “eat less and exercise more”…eating more is counter intuitive, but it WORKS!
I learned I also have MTHFR (after finally being tested when I lost my 5th baby to miscarriage–and I had to BEG to get them to test me) and I am still learningall the different ways this can affect my body. My THM journey started off with quick weight loss and now it has gone down to a slower pace. (I have lost 35 pounds in six months so I am not complaining one bit!) Very helpful info! Thanks, Gwen!
I have recently learned that I have the MTHFR gene mutation and also high levels of lead and mercury in my body. I am wondering if I should wait until I detox those a bit before doing THM. Do you know if this will be too hard on my liver in my current state?I’m looking forward to getting healthy! 🙂
Hi Rebecca,
Are you working with a doctor or natural health practitioner? I’d go with their recommendations on diet. I felt like THM was a good fit for me while healing, but I leaned more toward the purist approach because I knew I was in a position to where I needed to do lots of healing. ♥
I have MTHFR as well. I am homozygous for C677T. What do you do about nutritional yeast? I mistakenly got some thinking I didn’t get one with folic acid. Do you use nutritional yeast? If so, have you found one that uses methylfolate?
Nutritional yeast is not something that I use a lot of. I’m not a big fan of the flavor, and I don’t love that many companies “fortify” it with extra B vitamins. If you get authentic B vitamins from foods, according to Dr. Lynch, you’re bypassing issues with MTHFR, so he recommends a lot of leafy greens. Rice bran may be another product that you would be interested in. It’s a nutritional powerhouse with good B vitamins as well.
If you do like nutritional yeast, this brand has only naturally occurring vitamins: (affiliate link) http://amzn.to/1F26sHA
Have been losing weight from the way I am eating. Would like to learn how to keep my sugar from going over 100, and if possible keeping it in the 70’s or 80’s.
I enjoy eating healthy.
For some reason, maybe it is my meat portions, my sugar is going higher than I want it to.
Sincerely,
Connie Young
Are you diabetic, Connie? SO many factors are at play with blood sugar control. You may have to test out different slow glycemic carbs and see if one of them is giving your trouble. And then test it at different times of the day. From hanging out with the smart women on the THM Diabetic group, it’s SUPER personal as to what works. One woman shared that her Dad can never eat oatmeal at breakfast or his sugars spike sky high, but can eat it in the afternoons with no spiking. So it’s very individualized.
May I ask what you had to do to help your liver recover from overwhelming it? I have been on plan since Feb 1 and I lost 24lbs relatively quickly (6 weeks) and then 5 lbs over 4 month period. I wasn’t too bothered until I got some blood results in prep for appointment with my endocrinologist coming up this Tuesday…my liver enzymes are high – AST 49 and ALT 43 (they were 19 and 13 in February when I started). Coincidently I have been doing a lot of research on MTHFR and was going to ask my endo to do testing and when I got the blood work results I am now VERY interested in getting tested. Thank you!!!!
I ended up seeing a naturally minded Dr. and he identified some other issues that were majorly stressing my liver, so I did a support protocol with rice protein fasting; very, very clean eating; and targeted supplements to help handle my liver issues.
I have had my gallbladder removed 3 months ago. I am wondering if I need to take a supplement for my liver because I have all the signs of acne, indigestion and gas pains especially after eating fatty meals. What is your advice? What is the best liver support?
Hi Gwen,
I am also MTHFR and trying to lose on THM for a year. I’ve gone off THM a few times because I was frustrated with not making any progress. I haven’t been losing though and I am so diligent. I may need to start methyl B12 shots or something. My doctors are not the biggest help with MTHFR. One even recommended me taking folic acid instead of methylfolate! Anyway, I would REALLY love and appreciate if you could share some of the supplements you take and any insight/references to this disease so I can be healthy and lose weight. I started trying to add more Es at lunch this week since I ate mostly S and now I’ve gained a pound. Ugh My thyroid numbers were normal so I just don’t know what to do anymore. I would greatly appreciate anything you can throw my way. Blessings, Nicole
Hi Nicole!
I don’t consider MTHFR to be a disease, but it is a definite challenge for your liver. I worked with a natural doctor who looked at my overall liver health. Methyl B12 as sublingual tablets was definitely part of my daily routine to support my liver in working efficiently. I also did a liver “cleanse” under his care that helped a lot of my issues.
If you’re gaining a little with E meals, that can actually be a good sign that your body is restoring healthy glycogen levels. I’d stick to the E meals and you will probably not see additional gains, but you may start seeing losses. The body will hold onto fats as energy source if you don’t have sufficient glycogen stored. Glycogen is an important healthy thing for brain health.
When I saw Dr. Rob, he was able to pinpoint other underlying health issues that were causing some of my problems, and it’s been a year and we’ve handled them. There were ups and downs, setbacks and challenges, lots of changes and it was not cheap…but it was VERY worth it for me. I highly recommend looking at the website http://www.functionalmedicine.org They have a provider directory to help you find doctors in your area. I’d ask them how much experience they have with MTHFR.
Oh, and if you start methylated B’s, I highly recommend starting with a lower dose and working up slowly to see how your body responds. There is a sweet spot of just right, but you won’t feel good if you under or overdose.
Thanks for info. I am just reading THM book now and hope to find helpful info. I noticed a lot of the recipes have eggs…which I am allergic to with painful results if eaten as well as wheat/gluten and milk. Can tolerate some cheese. Paleo also relies on eggs for many recipes. I have to work at subs to have nice menus. I like the balancing of some starches mentioned here as I do get very tired on all low carb plans.
Hi Jillian! Food allergies can be a bear, but there is a very vibrant community over on FB called Allergen Free Trim Healthy Mama, and you can find great support there. 🙂
Wonderful article! Thank you for sharing. I actually bought and read the book you mentioned, The Diet Cure, right before I started THM. That’s what really got me energized about health, rather than just weight loss. So much awesome information in there! And if I hadn’t started on the amino acid L-Glutamine, I think the beginning of my THM journey would’ve been a lot harder with stronger sugar cravings.
I find it difficult to stay completly on plan and away from sugar (not necessarily because of cravings) because we have a lot of get togethers with friends and youth and it’s hard to always be turning people’s food down when everyone around is watching. When we get invited out for dinner to friends places and they serve white rice or pasta dish with bread and that is all it seems a bit rude to sit and not eat anything they have prepared. That’s where I find it hard! I have Abt 5-10 lbs I’d like to loose and when it’s just my husband and I and during a regular day we are on plan but can never seem to loose the last little pouch I have :s. In between these off plan eating event I typically stick to deep S, FP and the E meals (after a day of deep S) but I feel like I’m not eating much variety of foods when I am on plan so I’m not sure if that causes the stall too- maybe it’s just the 1 a week to 1 every 2 weeks of off plan eating that is the issue….any tips?
It seems to vary from one person to the next…some people cannot ever cheat, and others seem to get a little boost for their metabolism when they do. Maybe add in a little exercise, or mix up your routine with your on plan meals to jiggle your metabolism. I know the membership site has a diet outline for budging stubborn pounds that people are raving about. 🙂
Hello there! This article couldn’t be written any better!
Looking at this article reminds me of my previous roommate!
He constantly kept preaching about this. I’ll send this post to him.
Fairly certain he will have a very good read.
I appreciate you for sharing!
Thank you for this article. I have been on plan for about 10 weeks and have only lost 5 lbs. I had a few cheat meals in the beginning, and still lost, but I stopped cheating and stopped losing, which doesn’t make sense. I have a lot to lose- at least 35 lbs and am desperately trying to get some off because I want to try to get pregnant this year, and don’t want to go into it so fat. I am still nursing my 14 mo old, 3-4 times a day, but not increasing calories for that reason anymore. I am active 3-5 days a week (I know I could do better!!).
I am considering really restricting my calories and going to minimum fat, which isn’t THM, but I feel so stuck. I believe in this plan. I love how the food makes me feel. I LOVE being completely sugar-free. Depression has lifted and my mind is clearer. But, I really need to lose some weight. I am not one of those ladies who just needs to get used to this being my body. I am truly fat and have been for years. I don’t want to give up, so I appreciate your article steering me to cut back on my lunches. I hope it helps!
you are becoming my inspoiration!bless you!i had gastric bypass on 2006 and since then there have been problems after problems since then. My husband has left me due to these medical diagnoses and now I have been diagnosed with having brain plaque and with all the medications that I have to take i have gained so much weight I cant control it. I found your weightloss pages and they have really helped me. I just wish you had more free things on weightloss. I cant afford to buy much do to the insurance. But thank you so much for guiding and giving these printables away. its such a blessing to me
Hi Ms. Gwen!
I’m 16 and have been trying to lose weight for about 6 months and everything I tried before left me deprived and hungry. Until I found THM I was ready to give up. I’ve been on THM for about a month I lose anout 5 pounds the first week but now after the 3-4 hours between my meals come I’m not hungry and the scale has stopped dropping. Any Advice?! Thank you so much!
– Grace
Try mixing up your meal types, and DEFINITELY eat something, even if it’s a FP snack or something light every 4 hours to keep your metabolism firing and burning. Adding in some walking or activity can also help keep you moving forward. All my best!
183k member group now!!!
Silymarin link did not show up. Is there a reason? Can you make suggestion of what is a good supplement to take?
Thank you, Diane! I fixed the link, and recommend this great liver support blend