Photo Credit Courtesy of Flickr, vastateparkstaff
Some seasons in life just take it all out of us, don’t they? Some seasons require so much of our brain power and energy that even one more area in need of mental stamina is just too much. I am sure you know just what I am talking about…I mean, who hasn’t experienced times when life just seems to get flipped on its head?
Well, this is what my life has felt like for the better part of a month now. Things have been seemingly completely chaotic and upside down! We have in the past month been in the season of putting our house on the market and moving out of it, which means getting it as close to perfect as possible to make it the most sell-worthy. So, for nearly two weeks solid, I got about 4 hours of sleep a night! Yes, life has been crazy.
But, now things are settling down and I’m settling into our new situation, again. And, that means that it is time to zero back in on my eating. Honestly, I am definitely looking forward to the regularity and predictability of such good food again!
Maybe you are like me and had a summersault come into your life and turn everything on its head, or maybe you just simply fell away from your THM plans because you lost focus, or maybe you just decided to stop and now you want to give it another go. Well, I’m here to encourage you in your journey and decision! Come along with me and let’s jump back on the bandwagon! I’m ready…are you?
Ten Steps to Get Back on the THM Bandwagon
Step One: After a time away from a nutrition plan, in this case Trim Healthy Mama, give yourself a lot of grace! It is going to take a little while to sink back into the new routine and pull away from the habits that reinvaded your thinking. No more snacking on chips at night. No more chocolate candy at the gas station. Now it is time to remind yourself of your renewed goals. These are our why and they are necessary to help keep us motivated to succeed!
Step Two: Figure out some planned substitutions for your craving (weak spot) of choice. For me? Chocolate peanut butter ANYTHING! So, I’m whipping up some Skinny Chocolate loaded with peanut buttery goodness that I can guiltlessly enjoy whenever S delights are on the menu. If you crave more of a salty snack, then try making a batch of zucchini chips, kale chips, sweet potato chips, etc. I also have seen Serene put out some new chia cracker recipes on her blog. I am also sure Pinterest has some great idea.
Step Three: CLEAR OUT THE HOUSE! Get ALLLLL the tempting foods that pull you away from your goals OUT. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200…just get it out of the house! Freecycle may come in handy with some of this…or a willing child with increased metabolism =0)
Step Four: Devise your plan of attack…i.e. sit down and make a list of meals you are going to make for the day/week/month/whatever and make sure you list all the ingredients you need to have on hand. Restock your pantry with these staples so you know that when you go to make your new meal you will have what you need.
Step Five: Seek out support! Whether through Facebook THM groups, or personal friends, support is such a great addition to any nutrition plan. Most of us are creatures of fellowship, and fellowship brings us to a greater focus on our plans. And, having other people in our process helps to keep us accountable for our choices. Feel free to share your journey with me, too! I’d love some partners in this process, too! =0)
Step Six: Follow the plan. Now that you have planned out your food choices and gotten your pantry re-stocked, it is time to follow the plan. Prepare and eat the foods you have planned out. Enjoy them!!!! This is a critical element of success. If your plan is drudgery you are that much more likely to resort back to the habits that kept you unhappy before. If you are not enjoying it, change the plan! This is FOR YOU, not someone else, so make it work the way your life works (see next step).
Step Seven: Review the plan. See how the plan is working for you so far. Are you feeling happy with your results? Do you have enough energy, or should you switch something up? Do you need more S or E meals? Do you need more FPs? Are your clothes fitting better? Adjust your plan as needed to ensure you are making progress. *If you are not sure how to do this, ask. I am happy to offer help, and the Facebook groups are also another great place for people of various experiences with THM.*
Step Eight: Give yourself some grace. If you have slipped up here or there in this new process, give yourself some grace and move on. Right now you can wash away the previous choice that was not in alignment with your goals and move forward with better choices next time. Hanging in the pits of self-hatred surely will do nothing for moving us toward our goals!
Step Nine: Be a support person. If you are the only one you know doing the program, seek out others doing it too and then be their support person, too. Ask how they are doing with the program. Offer suggestions or solutions you have learned along the way. It is very helpful for us to be in the role of advisor from time to time, as it reinforces our own learning along the way.
Step Ten: Stick with it! Don’t give up, no matter how tricky the days become. Even if you slip up, just jump back on the wagon! Life is all about perseverance, and this journey is surely no different. The one who keeps getting back up, even after falling time after time, will be the one to eventually cross the finish line! Hang in there and just keep working at it.
What about you?
Have you had a season recently like mine? Or, are you trying THM for the first time? If so, I would love to hear how these tips help/have helped you with getting (back) on the THM wagon! I would love to hear your feedback =0)
Tonya Smith says
I needed this today after my cookie overload. I tend to bog myself down with guilt and think “why even try”. It’s nice to see others struggle as well and I am not alone 🙂
JulieFilter says
I am so glad, Tonya =0). Nope, definitely not alone! Life surely has it’s ups and downs for all of us =0)
Rebekah says
My body likes me better on THM. I’m in maintenance mode right now, eating mostly crossovers. The biggest reason I have a hard time staying on plan? I can’t find anyone who is at this point, even on the FB groups which are devoted to women trying to lose weight or gain healthy pregnancy weight. Do you have any tips for that?
JulieFilter says
First, have you tried to reach out specifically to anyone else who is on maintenance with the plan? The groups may be a great place to find such people. Second, see if there is a Facebook group started for maintenance people. If not, start one =0). I’m sure there are other people in you our boat too, jut gotta find ’em =0) congrats on hitting your goal though!!!! That’s fantastic!
Melissa says
Julie, will you be my accountability partner? I want to give this a try again. I haven’t done it in months and want to see if this will help with my headaches. I have them all day long, every single day. Maybe my diet (even though I pretty much eat healthy-75%) has something to do with it.
JulieFilter says
Sure thing! First question: are you a coffee drinker? I know caffeine withdrawal can cause headaches.
JulieFilter says
Absolutely! Facebook is likely he best place for connecting =0). I’m all in! Shriner is even in my mug right now =0). Let’s do this!