So You Wanna Be A Trim Healthy Mama...

I'm not going to lie - it's pretty great being a Trim Healthy Mama (and, no, I don't get paid to say that). I don't have to count calories or feel deprived. I can still eat bread, fruit, butter, and cheese. Best of all, my body feels good from the inside out.

As a former "newbie," I know the plan and lifestyle can feel daunting, or even confusing, at first. So, I'm here to give you my best tips for starting (or restarting) the Trim Healthy Mama Plan.

• Organize. I love my THM ingredients - gluten free flours, Pyure, extracts, collagen, whey isolate, gelatin, xanthan gum, and chocolate! I gotta have my chocolate. I'm also spatially challenged when it comes to my kitchen. Small cabinets, no pantry, and next to zero counter space. I got creative, painted and re-purposed some Costco-sized plastic containers for most of my ingredients. It's especially helpful since I buy a lot of ingredients in bulk. You can also use clear plastic bins for extracts, spices, or the like in your pantry. They also double as excellent refrigerator organizers. Check out Pinterest for more organizing ideas.
• Look beyond the menu. If it's one thing I've found out as a THMer on the go, it's that you have more options than you know about. Options, that might not even be on a menu! You can still stay on plan at places like Jimmy John's, Chik Fil A, Starbuck's, Chipotle, Olive Garden, and even your favorite neighborhood Mexican/Tex-Mex joint. Jimmy John's has the unwich (lettuce wrap). You can order breakfast wraps at Chik Fil A minus the wrap. Breve lattes at Starbuck's, and bring your own sweetener. Burrito bowls at Chipotle minus the rice, beans, and corn. You can even have any pasta dish at Olive Garden served over steamed broccoli - who knew! My family and I love to hit our neighborhood Mexican restaurants, and I'll usually partake in fajitas, minus the tortillas, or chilaquiles with grilled meat and veggies, minus the chips. All of this to say, just ask for what you need! Most restaurants are happy to oblige.
• Step away from the scale. It's easy to be motivated by the number on the scale moving downward. It's even easier to become obsessed with it. THM isn't just about getting the scale number moving. In fact, you may not even see that number move much at first. Which is why you need to turn your focus inward - energy levels, blood sugar levels, fatigue, bloating, headaches. You'll feel differences in these areas first, possibly before the number on the scale moves too drastically.

And last, but certainly not least, remember who you're doing this for - you. Be kind to yourself. Celebrate your victories (not with cheat meals). And remember this is not a short-term deal. You're in it for you, and you're in it for the long haul.