Gwen's Nest

Recipes, remedies, and reflections from my neck of the woods.

Trim Healthy Mama Book Review

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Enter to win your OWN e-book, in any version you choose: .pdf, kindle, nook, ipad, or sony reader.  You get 3 chances to win:
Chance 1: Leave a comment below either asking me a question about THM, *or* leave a comment with a shout out of your favorite thing about THM!
Chance 2: Post this Trim Healthy Mama book review on facebook on your profile page or in a group, and leave a comment below that you’ve shared it! (Please just use one comment, even if you share it several ways)
Chance 3: Blog about THM, and link back to my review…then come back and leave a comment here with a link to your blog post!

On Friday, March 1st, I will close the comments at 6:00 PM, and a winner will be chosen at random from a contest widget.

And the winner is…

Full Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Disclosure Page

Amy J, with comment #224,
“So far, I love actually reading this book. It is VERY easy to understand and even fun to read and learn from.”

Congrats, Amy!  You’ll be receiving an e-mail from me in a few minutes.

Thank you all for your great questions and comments!  Please feel free to keep leaving me questions, and let me know if you’d like to hear more about Trim Healthy Mama!

Comments

  1. Gwen, I am totally new to your blog and loving it! Found you completely by accident and am so glad I did!

    No, about the THM, do you cook/eat this way for your whole family or just yourself? I have 4 wonderful zoolets ( we have a zoo at our house) ages 7, almost 6, 4 & 1/2 and 2 & 1/2, and a wonderful hunting hubby. I would love to try this, but am not too sure about it. I have a hard time cooking seperate things for us as we have a CRAZY life sometimes.

    I’d love to hear how this might work for me! Thanks so much!!

    • Hi Angela!
      I have 4 as well!
      To answer your question: Yes and no. 🙂 Sometimes, my kids will eat things that are easy for me to make, but not on plan for things like breakfast or lunch. My b’fast or lunches are 5 minute quickies or leftovers. A lot of the breakfast/lunch ideas are VERY quick one serving type things.

      We all eat the same thing for dinner, but they can have things that I pass on like potatoes or rice, or cheese depending on what type of meal it is. I’ve found it very doable for a family! The quick start guide may give you a better idea of how I do it? 🙂

      With your hubby hunting, game meat is usually very lean, and will give you LOTS of versatility over store bought ground.

      • Angela,
        I do the same as Gwen and its been working great! most breakfasts and lunches are single and easy to make, while I make my kids something else, or leftovers (which I would eat if its from a THM meal). We always eat dinner together and I just make sure that I pass on the extras that my kids and husband might eat. Its very realistic and doable!

  2. My favorite thing about THM is I don’t feel like I’m deprived or doing without. It is a very doable plan.

  3. The thing I love most about THM is that we can still have a lot of our whole foods and recipes, but we just tweak them to fit the THM lifestyle. 🙂

  5. Been at it for about a week…down 3 lbs. What I have tried so far is good. It’s great to be able to go to the Facebook page for help and insperation.

  6. I have been trying to find out all i can about THM book. I am getting excited about it, that maybe it can work for me. Maybe i can win it too 😉

    • Hope I covered the things you may be wondering about! If not, there are so many great resources, and I’m happy to answer questions here too! 🙂

  7. Love this post Gwen and as you know love THM!!! Almost 2 mths in and 18lbs down!! Great review! I would love to share this blog post…OK?

  8. I love so much about THM. Mainly I feel it is so freeing from diets that make you count everything. LOVING THM.

  9. I’ve got to say that I am amazed at how well I am dealing with cravings with this thing! I love sorting through the book and picking out a recipe. I never knew how good almond milk could be in a big boy smoothie; actually, I never know almond milk existed!

  11. Shared it on two of my mommy groups on FB 🙂 Thanks for your testimony, Gwen! I love this book and how I never feel deprived! It took me a little while to learn how to do it, and I did fall off the bandwagon recently, but I can’t wait to jump back on. I know I was feeling so great before and want to get back to that feeling!

    • Mary, there are several ladies who have pcos, and the hormone imbalance does make their losses slower, but they do lose on the plan.

      After experiencing post-menopausal hormone levels, and maddening weight gain personally, I can tell you that this diet has helped SO much in my energy levels. It prevents me from having those dramatic sugar highs and lows, which were a HUGE stress to my body, and seriously hindering my body from healing.

      There is a group called the Trim Healthy Mama Turtles on facebook. 🙂 They’re in it for the long haul, and are plugging along at a slower pace, but STILL making progress! The ladies there are SO sweet and supportive, and this is where they share tips for ladies who struggle with losing or with hormone imbalance. I should have mentioned this in the review!

      Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/407690945990018/

      • I’ve lost 50 pounds this year (from Nov 2012 to June 2013), and have a hundred more to go (seems like insurmountable amount at times). I’ve been following a low glycemic diet, but have stalled after 50 pounds (haven’t dropped a pound in over 2 months now…). I’ve ordered my book, and am praying THM gets the weight moving again. I too (like almost every woman over 30) have hormone and thyroid issues that have gone undiagnosed and therefore unaddressed for more than a decade. Thank you for the article and the link to the FB group which I have requested to join. I’ve also joined the allergy THM FB group as I have a dairy allergy (and a few others). Again, thank you and God bless!

        • Enjoy the read, KJ! It’s such an amazing book. 🙂 I also hit stalls from 1-4 weeks on THM, but adding in some liver support herbs really helped me get past the stalling phase, and I began losing a lot more easily at around 4-5 months in, without stalling.

  14. Loved reading your review — I’m thinking about getting this book! I’ve hit a plateau in my weight loss and would love to try something to help get me over it.

    • I’ve found that the way I lose is to drop chunks, and then plateau for 2 weeks. So it is “normal” to plateau, but with THM, you have options that help you to keep dropping by bumping up the FP meals or snacks. I’m LOVING it, if you can’t tell! 😉

    • Me too! 🙂 But I also can eat “special” things and make them some regular muffins if I want to.

  18. Why I love THM? It has filled in the missing pieces in my own “health and nutrition” studies and I have lost 20 lbs in the last 12 weeks!

  20. I just shared on FB. My favorite thing about this plan are all of the recipes that make food I love into something healthy and usually tastes better than the orginial!

  21. Yep…I’m a TURTLE, I have PCOS and Post Menopausal. I have been on the plan about 7 weeks and have lost about 7lbs. I notice the weight loss more in my clothes than the scale. I love that my cravings for sugar/carnal have disappeared. I have learned so must much about the needs of my body and what role foods play in my health. Thank you THM!

    I shared your blob on my facebook and another group I am in.

  22. So far, I love actually reading this book. It is VERY easy to understand and even fun to read and learn from.

    • GREAT question!

      Yes and no. I’ve bombed a few baked goods, but we all love the puddings, the berry syrups/yogurt, skinny chocolate, the berry cheesecake crunch, the cheesecake, tummy tucking ice cream, etc. So no one is suffering. 🙂

      Using stevia to sweeten things has been a big learning curve for me, since you use such a small amount, and the sweetness is gentler than sugar…more of a hollow aftertaste of sweet. Adding a bit of salt helps really boost the flavor. I’m getting the hang of it! 😉

  24. I noticed you said you can choose foods from any of the food groups, but you talk about not eating bread. Are grains included in this diet?

    • Yes! If you’ll look back at the description of the E foods, you’ll see that low glycemic grains and breads are listed there…I love bread and grains, and would not last long on a food plan without some selection there. 🙂

      • Also…see the pizza crust, and the pancakes? YUM!
        The muffin swirl is grain free, but still fills a “bread” craving. 🙂

  25. My favorite thing about THM is that you don’t have to go out and buy a bunch of strange, expensive, or hard to find ingredients in order to follow the plan. As a farmer’s wife on a tight budget this is very important to me. 🙂

  26. I would like to read this book as I have been researching many different diets out there like paleo, primal, gluten free, etc. This sounds very sensible and balanced and I would like to read it.

  29. Oh I would love to win this!!! I have been wondering about the book after I saw it & I loved your extensive review! I have had to change my diet a lot since I’ve been reacting to some bread/pasta products & I’d really love some guidance in what is best to eat. Blessings
    Renata:)

  30. I have read so many good things about this book, I am so going to get my own copy. I am on a journey of eating better and this book makes it seem very doable.

  31. I can relate to having difficulty with losing my weight after having children and having a thyroid disorder. I am really interested in this book and would love to win this book. Thank you for reviewing this book! Your review has really made me what to give this lifestyle change a chance!

  33. I’ve really enjoyed THM’s Muffin in a Mug… Ask any of my family and they’ll tell you that I’m an expert at skipping breakfast, but it has been so much easier to eat in the morning, when I mix up a muffin. I love trying different flavors. My favorite has been Ginger-Chocolate! Yum!

  34. Thank you for this super-informative review! I appreciate you mentioning how it might compare to the whole-food approach to food (a la Nourishing Traditions). So, do I understand this right? No buttered bread?! ‘Cause frankly, I might just keel over and die right now at the thought of no buttered bread. 🙂 Also, does THM address soaking grains, fermenting, etc. like NT does?

    • Buttered bread is a crossover, which is fine for maintaining weight, or for weight gain (in kiddos). Sadly, it’s not weight loss friendly. BUT, there are some really yummy “S” style breads using low glycemic ingredients like almond flour/flax seed meal/coconut flour…and you can put butter on those and enjoy…and STILL lose weight! 🙂 See my cinnamon muffin with butter on it? LOVE.

      The book does address NT a good bit. Serene is very “whole food/purist”, so her recipes include soaking/sourdough/fermenting. Totally do-able for food purists, since a food purist wrote the book. 🙂

      Though not *everything* is food purist…you won’t be drawn to every concept/ingredient/recipe, because the book is also written to be very do-able for those who are “Drive Through Sue” types as well. 🙂

      This is where I think the nasty book reviews stem from…purist Mamas who are appalled that the book “allows” Truvia and Dreamfields pasta. But the ability to choose what fits YOUR lifestyle and convictions make the plan infinitely versatile.

  35. Your book review makes me excited about the THM lifestyle. And even if I don’t win the book here… I think I’ll still buy it! 🙂

  37. So, I don’t own a THM book, but I’m following the group on Facebook and have picked up a few recipes that I’m already utilizing. The glucomannan chocolate pudding, skinny chocolate, and skinny peanutbutter chocolate are life-savers for a mom who enjoys a bit of chocolate! I would enjoy knowing, seeing, and implimenting the rest of the THM plan, if I had a book 🙂

    • The book is SO worth it! The e-books are only around $20, so you could save up for that even if you don’t win the giveaway…good luck! 🙂

  38. My sweet in laws ordered the book for me but it hasn’t arrived yet. I love the review. I am so glad the book is on the way! I am allergic to coconut and tree nuts. Do you think this is a do-able plan for me?

    • I do think it’s do-able for anyone with allergies. They do recommend almond or even coconut milk for recipes, and coconut oil a good bit, but you could probably sub skim milk and butter with a little tweaking. (To meet the FP guidelines, you can use part skim milk, part water).

      The recipes that call for part flax/part almond flour can be done with all flax seed. So I think you’ d be able to use a large number of the recipes even w/o coconut or almonds. 🙂

  40. Thank you for sharing- you have helped me feel like this is an attainable goal! I like that THM is a lifestyle and not a short term choice, so I’m praying it takes my family down a new road regarding eating!

  42. The chapter on hormones was a real eye opener for me. I have serious period issues and have been on birth control pills for years to help deal with them. I am now off of the pill and will wait a few cycles to have my hormone levels tested. It will be nice to know, finally, why my periods are so BAD! I am actually relieved to know there could be natural fixes out there for me!

    I also shared your link on my facebook page. Awesome review!

  43. I’m loving THM…I’m 22 weeks pregnant, and this lifestyle has helped me to gain a minimum amount of weight, and I’m feeling much better this pregnancy. I’d love to win a copy for my mom!

  44. very excited to have an eating style that works for our entire family

    .shared your detailed review on facebook

  46. Do you know id the stevia packets from NuNtaurals (which contain Maltodextrin) are safe to use? THANKS!

    • maltodexterin is not “plan approved”. I think erithratol is, which is what they use in Truvia. Some ladies are buying non-gmo erithratol and making their own blends.

      I just carry my shaker bottle in my purse, or grab a bottle of the Sweetleaf Stevia drops if I’m going out and would like to sweeten a drink or coffee.

  48. Thank you for this review. I love the way you make the plan seem so doable. I am looking forward to jumping in and living the THM lifestyle. I would love to win a copy of the book! Each review I read makes me want to read it more and more. Thanks again, and by the way you look great!

  49. I loved reading the book! Even more-so I’ve loved the recipe section.
    Great book review, Gwen. You’re blog has been a favorite of mine for years!

    • Lori, there are recipes for ladies who are not much into cooking…little 5 minute meal type deals, like muffin in a mug. If you just have rudimentary cooking skills, there are things here that you would be able to do.

      That being said, you can use very simple foods straight from the grocery store or market and still be totally on plan. Cooking is going to give you way more variety in your meals, though.

      I’m what I like to call a “lazy cook”, in that I want easy recipes that are fast to make. 🙂 Maybe some of the ones I post will be a good fit for you?

  52. I shared this review on my facebook page as well. Excellent review! Lots of effort went into that – I know you did it justice…you go girl 🙂

  54. I can’t wait to get the book so i can read it! I love that you don’t have to go all organic or give up sweets to be healthy and energetic. Looking forward to making a lifestyle change for better health.
    I shared your review on Facebook.

  55. I would love to win this for my family!!!!! My mom and I cook for our family and we struggle with what to make a family that needs to get healthy, but for the most part doesn’t want to!!! I think it would be super cool to have this as a helping guide!!!

  57. As I’ve been reading THM and adopting these recipes into my diet I’ve experienced a freedom in eating and enjoying real food without guilt or feeling rigid with my food choices. It’s exhilarating! ( and the rest of the household are reaping the benefits too!)

  58. Sorry, I also wondered if whole wheat sourdough is acceptable for THM? If so, how/when/how much? Thanks! 🙂

    • Yes! Even my easy bread dough (if done with mostly whole wheat flour) is on plan for E meals. The book gives lots more details about when and how much…it’s more than I can get into here.

  59. I’ve read the book and in just over one month have finally hit the 10# mark for weight lost!

  61. My favorite thing about THM is losing weight but not feeling deprived, I have a thyroid problem but still have lost weight on the plan. Life changing in how I view some foods, we have been so programmed in wrong thinking about butter, fats and more.Thanks for a great review on the book!

  62. Harumph – my original comments seem to have been eaten.

    I’m anxious to read the book, so I’m really hoping to win since we can’t afford to purchase it and my library doesn’t have it yet.

    We buy raw milk currently.
    Does the plan allow milk when you switch from weight loss to maintenance?

    • You can use milk products (cream, strained yogurt, etc.) while on the weight loss version of the plan. Drinking milk is a great way to put on weight, or to maintain, but you’d have to be careful not to overindulge there. It’s liquid carbs and fats…and it does a great job of fattening up milk lovers. Look what it does to babies! 🙂

      • P.S. We buy “real” milk too! It’s part of my kids diet, and an occasional splurge in mine. 🙂

  65. Could you share the recipe for the Black Cherry Sauce you have listed? It looks amazing! I own the THM book, but couldn’t find it in the book. Thank you!

    • Hi Emily! I will be happy to share it! I used frozen cherries…about 2 cups total. If you don’t have an immersion blender, just rough chop them to whatever size you want. Put them in a saucepan, and added enough water to cover them. Maybe 2 cups of water? Add a dash of salt and your sweetener of choice. Heat on medium and add 1/2 t. of gluccomannan. I buzzed mine with the immersion blender to get the gluccomannan mixed in, and to break up a lot of the whole cherries. Just heat and stir until thickened a bit, and then pour into a jar in the fridge.

  66. Favourite thing…hmm, it’s hard to pin-point just one…maybe that I get to enjoy both fats AND carbs and my blood sugar stays nice and stable all day long!!

  67. Hi, Gwen – I posted your review on one of my exercise groups! You have outdone yourself with putting together all this info!! Thank you sooo much!! I love the quick start guide and weightloss tracker you made!! I love that THM is so easy and doesn’t take long at all to get the hang of! I’m hooked! 🙂

    • Courtney, I think I found that one on the facebook group. 🙂 I’ll post my version of it at some point!

  73. Gwen, your review of the book is great. I am sure I will have plenty of questions for you after I read it. Did you get a hard copy first or PDF that you printed? I don’t enjoy referencetype books on the computer. I prefer to be able to flip through. Have you found that to be a problem with your PDF version?

    • Donnah, I prefer a hard copy to read, because I like to highlight, make notes, etc. in my books. But once I read through the book, I really wanted the PDF so that I could print out the recipes and add them to my recipe binders. I LOVE the search feature on the PDF too…SO much easier to find things with that. 🙂

  74. Thanks so much! This is awesome! I will be referring people to this site when they ask what I’m doing because you explain THM so well. Thanks! I only want to add that I am living in the Middle East and have still been able to start implementing this lifestyle. No excuses!!! Though I am looking forward to ordering my Glucomannan and having some Legal Puddings. 😉

  75. You’ve sold me! I can’t wait to read this book. Question: did you read through the whole book or is there a “quick start” chapter that can be used to get started while reading the rest of the book??

    • Hi Chelsea!
      I read up to the recipes, and just jumped in with both feet. So I was reading and trying the recipes as I went along.

      I thought a “quick start guide” would be really helpful, so I wrote one that is linked at the bottom of the book review.

      I thought about including a menu, but then, people’s tastes and food preferences are so varied, that I just made mention of the recipes that I really enjoyed, and an overall grocery list, etc. So you can choose your favorites. 🙂

  76. A question….Besides the glucommona powder, are the ingredients something we would have in our pantries? I have been so back and forth about this book! I see your post and I am sold because I appreciate your writings and love to glean off of your knowledge, but then I will read other reviews and fear it will be another boring “diet” book that I can’t stick with, or recipes I can’t do…..

    • Hi Rachel,
      I think I mentioned that the only 2 things I bought online were the gluccomannan and the stevia extract. Aside from that, I used things I can get at the grocery store, or already had in my cabinet.

      Admittedly, I am a health-foodish type of person, so I had “collected” some of the superfoods, but wasn’t really incorporating them into my diet until THM. So I’ve been able to use my chia seeds and organic berries much more often. 🙂

      I think this way of eating is really accessible for most people. It’s TOTALLY stick-with-able, and if you can put together simple recipes, you can do this.

  77. Thank you fort this review! I have been following THM on Facebook for a while but still do not have my own book. I am interested about the low glycemic part for my dad who is struggling with high blood sugar as well as being able to stop craving carbs! I am definitely sharing this with my friends! 🙂

  79. I already have a copy of the book, so I don’t need to win a copy but I have to back you up and say, since starting the THM lifestyle in the first week of December, I have lost 20 pounds, down to a size 8 from a 14 and feeling SO much better in every way! I had always had trouble any time I wanted to lose weight, pretty much my whole life. I will not go into detail about my obsessive healthy eating and how nothing, absolutely NOTHING, worked for me to make my waist budge postpartum. This is literally the only thing I have ever found that has worked. I’m so glad you have found the same!

  80. Actually, changed my mind, en ebook version would be great. My favorite thing about THM is how delicious the food is, with no guilt attached!

    • I don’t remember if they address that specifically in the book. But lowering blood sugar spikes is SUPER helpful and health-ful for everyone!

  83. I am waiting for my book to get here! How quickly did you jump into it? Did you start with just one meal a day and work up?

    • Hi Emily! I just decided to jump in all the way on Jan. 1st. You can use the principles without any special ingredients, so I was able to stick with it while I waited on my stevia and gluccomannan to arrive, so I could try out some recipes. 🙂

      The quick start guide I’ve included may be helpful to you. It has a sample ‘getting started’ checklist by week, if you want or need to step in more slowly.

  85. I love how complete the book is in many areas besides just diet and food. The online help and openess of Pearl and Serene is so incredible. They make it so doable! And thank you for this review. God Bless!

  86. I would love to win this book to give to a family member. =) I have been eating this way for 3 days and so far my favorite things is that I have felt full and satisfied all day and have still lost 2lbs in 3 days. Can’t wait to see what is yet to come.

    • They do not directly address breastfeeding, but I shared in my review that my friend who introduced me to it was not only able to drop weight while breastfeeding, but eating THM style also *increased* her milk supply! So it’s a great choice for breastfeeding Mamas, and many of the ladies in the facebook group are breastfeeding as well and losing weight (with no loss of milk supply).

  89. I shared this link on FB! Can’t wait to check this put even if I don’t win your giveaway!

  90. I’ve known about THM for months now, and I guess I’m still skeptical about a few things THM reccommends, especially the nustevia/gluccie thing?
    However, losing weight is next to impossible for me, and I’d love to be able to lose weight without fad diets–because I refuse to “starve myself” just to be our society’s definition of fit. That being said, I think I’d be interested enough to try it out for myself!

    • I’ve been doing a bit of research on both gluccomannan and stevia. Initially, I was skeptical too, but the data is changing my mind. 🙂
      The gluccomannan research is based on *using it in capsules as a stomach filler*. The way the book utilizes gluccomannan in a completely different way. It’s *always* fully blended into foods, and pre-expanded prior to ingesting it. Gluccie has also been studied as a prebiotic, since it inhibits harmful bacteria, and enhances good bacteria. LOTS of good stuff on that one. 🙂
      The stevia, I’m finding, is being studied for its ability to enhance insulin response from type 2 diabetics, and is a natural way of helping to lower their blood sugar. There is speculation that it’s rehabilitating the beta cells.

      So far, I’ve not found any basis for the negative rumors. And I’ve been looking. 🙂

  92. I would LOVE to win this book. Is Amazon the only place to buy the hard copy of the book?

  93. I have taken greens (in 2oz of water) in the past in the morning. Do you think I still need to take them doing the plan?

    • There is a recipe in the book called “earth milk” that is done with greens, and many ladies love it! It’s a good nutritional boost, and is great for occasional cleansing or nutrition boosts. But they don’t recommend it daily.

      The plan also incorporates lots of superfoods, so depending on what foods you put together, you may not need additional supplementing of greens.

  94. This is so exciting, Gwen! I have been reading about your health journey and also this book review. This may be the diet I begin at this stage. I lost 80 pound before babies on low-carb, but with hormones and health issues, have been unable to go back to it. This sounds more balanced.

  96. Ok, I admit it, I really did not want to read about another diet book but I did anyway. I have to admit that I found it intriguing enough that I read your whole story. Well written by the way and I am posting on my Facebook right now! Ok and YES! I want the Kindle version please!

    • HA! I’m with you on not wanting to read any more diet books. 🙂 This will be the last one for me!

    • It works for all ages, Brenda! 🙂 I’m not so young myself, and my Mom is doing THM and succeeding at it. So YES!

  101. I love THM! It has completely changed my life! I am eating way better than I ever have and I feel great! I love your review, Gwen! It’s so very motivating! 🙂

  102. I LOVE that THM is compatible with pregnancy, which is where I’m at. Great review, Gwen!

  105. Hi Gwen, I have read the Trim Healty Mama book. Then I found your blog on their regular facebook page. Your book review is so helpful to reference people to when trying to explain this eating lifestyle. And your quick start guide is great! After reading your quick start guide I tried to join the facebook group so I could print thevarious lists you suggested printing. Because I am technologically challenged I couldn’t figure out how to join the group. Could you please tell me how? Thank you!

    • Ann, are you on a desktop or regular computer? If so, go to the page from the link above, and look to the far right of the menu bar…there’s a little button that says “Join Group”…and that’s all you have to do! 🙂

  109. I attended a Above Rubies retreat about 3 years ago and they were talking about this book, I’m so glad it’s finally out both ladies have such a passion for God, their families and keeping everyone healthy!

    • Definitely! There are lots of nursing Mamas on the Trim Healthy Mama group, who are losing weight in a healthy slow way. There are even pregnant Mamas who are doing THM and gaining in a much more healthy pattern than with prior pregnancies. Exciting!

  114. I haven’t heard of this until a friend shared your review on her FB page today. I’m a huge proponent for moderation and not eliminating entire food groups for a ‘diet’ as they rarely have long lasting effects. I’m definitely entrigued about this title having read your review and the pictures sure look yummy.

  115. It sounds very difficult to cut out carbs and fats together – that sounds like it would wipe out the best stuff, but I have been intrigued by this book. I too have balked at the price, but I can see that it is probably a worthwhile investment. I would just hate to invest in it and find it too hard to stick with. I do see many of our friends raving about it though. Was it difficult to get the rest of your family on board?

    • My husband was wanting for us to both cut sugar after the holidays, so he was definitely in support of it. My kids are not separating carbs & fats, because they are all thin and growing. But as I’ve tweaked our food choices, they are even eating healthier, as I’m just not buying the snacky stuff, and they’re getting a lot more veggie options. 🙂

      I’ve found it very do-able!

    • We are in the 3rd month of THM at our house. I jumped in head first! I took everything in our cabinets that wasn’t THM approved and got rid of it. Went to our local health food stores and got the NuNaturals and Truvia at Wal-Mart, as well as Joseph’s (a staple at our house!!) My family balked at first but when my oldest went from a size 10 dress to a size 4 in 3 weeks, she decided that it wasn’t all that bad! My hubby, 2nd oldest daughter and son have very high metabolisms, so they eat more of the crossovers than the rest of us. I have yet to buy gluccie, I use xanthan gum, because it was at the local health food store, and I bought enough that I haven’t had to order gluccie yet, but I will be soon!
      I have lost 21.2 lbs in 10 weeks which is about 9% of my body weight. I have a goal of 52 lbs this year… My first 3 weeks the weight dropped quickly! But, bigger gals drop weight faster! I regret not taking b4 pictures and measurements, it would be nice to know what I’ve lost in inches, but I had done that too many times in the past and didn’t even want to have another picture of my failure!
      I’m not going to lie, it was hard the first few weeks, but determination overrides that struggle! I was at my highest weight, getting ready to have to start buying size 20/2X clothing and I wasn’t having it! My last 2 years blood work from the dr had “issues” and my children are all still young and I want to see my grandchildren! I have an appointment scheduled for next week to have my yearly physical, I’m actually excited to see the results this year instead of being worried about what may possibly be wrong with me this year.
      I suggest you follow Gwen’s quick start plan. I wish she had written that before I started! It is a great guideline and will make the transition soooo much smoother!
      Good Luck!
      Jessi

    • Kaira,

      I only started THM a week or two ago, and I have found that it is not difficult at all. What is very helpful is that Serene and Pearl give thorough lists of foods that can be eaten with both/either S or E meals. It takes the guesswork out of it and it is very do-able. They also give examples of whole meals, so you start out with plenty of ideas. I’ve never been this excited about food!

  118. As a fellow THM, you have written a wonder post about the ins and outs of the THM lifestyle. great job!

    also, do you really have a schnitzel house near you? was a military brat who loved schnitzel when stationed in Germany.. Definitely not THM, but like you said, jump back on afterwards!

    Best wishes!

  119. If you want to feed your family better, if you want to get your kids off sugar and junk, if you want to feel better and more energetic, if you want to lose some weight in a healthful way, if you want to gain some weight in a healthful way, if you want/need to be gluten free, if you want to nourish your body, BUT YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START- read “Trim Healthy Mama”. Even if you are not a Mama. Read it if you want to read a good book that is easy to understand and makes a ton of sense. Read it if you want to really know how to make good, nutritious, easy choices and changes (not to mention delicious 🙂 Read it!!! Read it!!! READ IT!!! If you want to. 😉

  120. I am so interested in what this book has to learn!I’ve been looking for a whole different way of eating for my family so having a bok that’s figured everything out sounds. Plus I’ve been wanting to start using gluten free recipes and I’ve heard that switching over is really not that expensive, which you are also confirming. It’s exciting that there’s a lot of interest for this out there!

  121. Hi Gwen! Loving your blog! I’ve been at THM now for about 2 months… have lost about 13 lbs and have 50 more to go… Its weird but I keep waiting for my weight to stop coming off at some point and it hasn’t yet… just bad past experience, but I’m actually feeling so hopeful! My in-laws are excited about the plan, but they only speak spanish and live in Chile! So they have asked me to give them a simple, condensed version of the plan. If it is ok with you, I will use your info here to translate (I grew up in Chile as a missionary kid so can speak Spanish fluently). I just wanted to run it by you first. Blessings!!!!! ~ Ginny

    • Hi Ginny,
      You are welcome to translate this and the quick start guide for them. How very kind of you, and how exciting that you’re so successful with your weight loss! Isn’t it great!

  122. Thanks for these posts! I’ve had the book for months now, along with some ingredients, but have been a bit overwhelmed with it all. I also need to get past my low-carb thinking, which has always worked for me in the past. You have really inspired me to get started. Thanks again!

    • Hi Paula! For most people, low carb only works temporarily, but because it leaves out carbs, it will cause metabolic problems and major stalls and energy slumps if done exclusively.

  124. THANK YOU for your meticulous work/review!! Everything you wrote rings true!! I have my THM book and am on my way to a new food journey!! Appreciate ALL your helpful hints…it was like pre-reading the book and prepared me for when mine actually came in the mail…if that makes sense:) Blessings!!

  125. Hi Gwen! I followed Stacy’s link to read your post about THM. How would this resource be helpful to a family who does not want to lose weight? (I think having the word “Trim” first in the title makes me a little leery.)

    • Hi Holly,

      I’d say a majority of the ladies who are using the book are using it as a weight loss system initially, but after you’re at goal weight, you still use the same basic principles to maintain weight, but with more freedom to combine the two ‘fuels’ of fats and carbs into crossovers.

      Basically, the lifestyle of THM is slow carb, healthy blood sugar focus, so it’s really a great diet for anyone. My kids eat THM maintenance style now for the most part.

      If you’re interested in GF, sugar free living, their recipes are great, and they make it so easy to transition over from the blood sugar spiking counterparts.

  126. Great information. I am looking to purchase the book. Your review has really helped me. A friend recommended the book. Thanks for your insight.

  127. Thanks for sharing!!! I loved the review and bought some of the things I will need once my book gets here through your store. I will also be sharing your review on my blog in the next few days. 🙂

    • Thank you, Tiffany! Enjoy your THM journey!!! So glad to share mine with you. 🙂

  128. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I have been reading the book but I just wanted a “quick start guide.” Sort of a “Cliff Notes” version so I can continue reading and learning, but feel like I have enough knowledge to just start eating. And you are right, I’m feeling very overwhelmed at the moment at all the changes, but I know it will get easier. Here’s to JUMPING IN! 🙂 (And before I even opened the guide, I saw your book flags and my jaw literally dropped. Love it!)

    • Yay! You can do it! Just take it one change at a time and make it fit your life and tastes. Expect some of your tastes to change, and give your body the grace and support to change at its own pace. ♥

  129. If a book can change a life, then it’s definitely worth trying. I also write articles from time to time and if I see a person being helped by my article, it makes it worth all the effort.

  130. New to THM, love reading how everyone loses weight. Got my book about a month ago and didn’t know where to start. Thank God I stumbled across ur site. I wanted to get organized and was finding it hard to do. Thanks soo much! 🙂

  131. Really? Watermelon is one the lowest carb fruits. 5 carbs per 2 cup serving, same as raspberries and popcorn.

  132. Hi Gwen ~
    I just came across this and loved reading your review. I would like to link to your Quick Start Guide, but the link does not seem to work…is this still available?

  133. Thanks so much for this!!! I’m going to check our library to see if they have the book if not I’ll be purchasing it! <3 I did Dukan which is a lifestyle, too, from 7/2011 to 12/2011 and lost 35+ pounds. Then I got pregnant, fell off the eating right wagon…and here I am with 15 pounds to lose again. This looks great…and I really think it'll be good for the whole family!

  134. Gwen I just accidentally found your blog and am so glad I did. Your journey is quite inspiring! I was wondering if the book provides much support about how to make this work for a fully breastfeeding mother of an infant. My third child is 2.5 months and I have fifteen pounds to lose and work out five days a week and eat mostly whole foods. Scale is still not budging. Thing this could work and allow me to keep my milk supply up and start to lose the baby weight?

    • I first learned about this plan from a friend who was a nursing Mama, and who was also really into healthy living/eating/exercise. When she shared that she was able to lose weight AND that her milk supply increased, my ears perked up. 🙂 I knew that THM was doing something right for her metabolism for that to happen!

  135. Gwen, can we have a link to the liquid Stevia that you buy? I want to make sure I get the right one! Thank you!

  136. Hey Gwen – Your quick start and organizational tips were a great resource to go with Trim Healthy Mama. I can’t believe it – I am having a BALL with the program and look forward to every meal. I am eating WAY better, building energy, losing body fat and weight and it’s only been a week and a half. Thought I would share this happy pic of me with my almost completed tabs thanks to your instruction!

  137. Thanks for the link in IBN! Great review, very thorough and intriguing. Definitely going to look at this when things slow down. I appreciate how much you’ve revealed here, because I seldom spend $10 on a book let alone $35. LOL God bless you for what you’re doing, and praise to Him for your success!

    • I got more out of this book than I got out of the many (much pricier) college textbooks I bought years ago. 🙂 Much more practical!

  138. I am totally confused about the sugar in the ingredients vs sugar in the nutritional list—I have found several bacons that have zero sugar in the nutritional info but sugar is listed in All of them as part of the “curing”. Is this ok? Same thing with Every reddi whip I have looked at. No sugar in the nutritional info but listed in the ingredients. Can you clarify

    • Sugar in the ingredients list means that they have added sugar to a product. Especially if it’s listed in the first 3 ingredients, it probably is not on plan for THM. BUT if there are no sugars listed in the nutrition info, and has less than 1 carb per serving, then it can be used on plan for THM, because the amount is negligible.

  139. I know this is an older post, but I just wanted to thank you for sharing all of your research and ideas. Your plan and encouragement are exactly what I need to get going on this. I’m about a third through the book and was feeling pretty overwhelmed. I’m still kind of iffy about the likelihood of successfully ditching sugar, but I’ll keep reading and I will give it a go! Seriously, though, thank you so much for your help!

    • I didn’t think I could do it either, but I proved myself wrong! 🙂 You can do it!

      I found that ABSOLUTELY going off sugar & carbs was essential for me. If I cheated, I awoke the craving monster early on. Also, getting enough E meals in really helps knock out the cravings, because you’re providing your body with plenty of healthy carbs. ♥

  140. Hi Gwen, not sure if you still check this? Just starting out and can’t find the document- S, E, or FP?, and when you suggest printing Breakfast list and Snack list- is it the E Breakfast and S Breakfast, etc? Thank you! I enjoy your blog- I think most because it feels cozy, homey, encouraging!

    • Hi Carol,
      I’m no longer on the Facebook groups, but I’m sure you could ask there and get assistance. I will work on updating the quick start guide. 🙂

  141. hi i was thinking on buying the book but cant seem to find it other than on Amazon im in canada and was wondering are all the ingredients or products to buy not available here before i buy no point getting the book if i cant buy the products here if you could let me know thank you 🙂

    • Hi Jen,
      Trim Healthy Mama has a website where you can order the book, and they have it in E-book format as well. The ingredients that are mentioned in the book are a bit harder to source in Canada, but I know that they have a Canadian THM group on Facebook that has loads of helpful info, and they can help you find what you’re looking for. 🙂

Trackbacks

  4. […] So I have really no idea how long it would last outside of that.  I switch up flavors every week, so we don’t get bored.  I’ve made black cherry, raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, peach…and this is blackberry strawberry.  I’ve even made peach, which is a bit higher carb, but delicious on my E pancakes (You can see a photo of that here in my Trim Healthy Mama book review) […]

  26. […] case you missed it in the past here is the link to Gwen’s Trim, Healthy Mama review which has some great printables at the end. And here is another great post I found this week on 10 […]

  33. […] I had only seen this blog post at Gwen’s Nest of  her Trim Healthy Mama Review when I first found the book — it is very […]

  35. […] and eating philosophy, and start implementing changes that will make me and my family healthier. Click here for a detailed overview of Trim Healthy Mama. If you’re curious about Trim Healthy Mama or My Fitness Pal, or if you have thoughts to share, […]

  52. […] Here is another blogger’s summary of the plan. I’m not going to waste time going over the whole thing when she has done a great job of doing it already. You basically just either eat a carb  meal with little fat or a fatty meal with little carb. You don’t combine both fuels into one meal – like eating meat and potatotes. There’s not too much crazy extra foods and its not about counting calories, which I haven’t done in years. […]