Scheduled Free Style Menu #2

Well as of a week ago I'm back on the band wagon for scheduling my days by fuel type(week #1 menu). 

Though I haven't lost additional pounds, I'm still maintaining my 2 pound loss from doing this "tweek" of the Trim Healthy Mama plan. 

Last week wasn't a complete week for me because Joshua's birthday was Thursday so I might have had a couple of crossovers that night.(wink).  The menu below was my plan but hey I chucked the plan Thursday night. 

Day 1--Focus on Low Carb meals   

**I drink GGMS & Shrinker off and on all day

• Breakfast--Scrambled eggs, bacon, Light Bulletproof Tea
• Snack--Skinny Chocolate & Hormel lunch meat "sandwiched" in cucumber slices
• Lunch--Leafy green salad, Tuna Salad, Lemon Cake in Mug(pg. 379)
• Snack--Snickers Shake
• Supper--Grilled T-bone steaks, leafy green salad, steamed broccoli & cauliflower, olive oil
• Dessert--Skinny chocolate

Day 2--Focus on Low Carb meals

• Breakfast--Sausage patty, Cake in Mug(pg. 379) in a waffle maker, substitute protein powder for cocoa.  Add 1/2 tsp cinnamon to batter. You can sprinkle it with powdered homemade truvia
• Snack--Skinny chocolate & Hormel lunch meat wrapped in leafy lettuce
• Lunch--Crabby Patties(p. 338), green peppers, leafy green salad & olive oil
• Snack--Choco Pudding(p. 366)
• Supper--Egg Roll in a Bowl
• Dessert--Skinny chocolate

Day 3--Focus on Protein--light day

• Breakfast--Zucchini Fritter(just egg whites p. 217), egg white scramble, berries
• Snack--Berry Whey Smoothie with Spinach(p. 243)
• Lunch--Loaded Fotato Soup(p. 294), Joseph's Lavash bread with deli meat, lettuce & tomato
• Snack--Muffin in a Bowl (p 258)
• Supper--FP Salad p 301,  cottage cheese with Berry Syrup
• Dessert--Chia Tapioca Pudding(p. 234)

Day 4--Focus on Protein--light day

• Breakfast--Berry Smoothie(p. 243) with egg white scramble & turkey bacon
• Snack--Hormel lunch meat wrapped in leafy lettuce
• Lunch--Joseph's FP Pizza(p. 280) & leafy green salad
• Snack--cottage cheese with Berry Syrup
• Supper--Citrus Fish Bake(p. 286), Cauli Rice(p. 358) & carrots & a leafy green salad
• Dessert--Light Bulletproof Tea

Day 5 Focus on low-glycemic Carbs & Protein

(CARBS are SO important to loosing weight.  But be sure to choose low-glycemic ones!)

• Breakfast--THM Pancakes with Greek yogurt & berries
• Snack--Muffin in a Mug(E version) & piece of fruit
• Lunch--Mozzarella Turkey Toast p 239, green leafy salad & cottage cheese
• Snack--Orange and low fat cheese stick
• Supper--Chicken Stir Fry & rice
• Dessert--Light Bullet proof Tea, Josheph's Lavash with Laughing Cow cheese(aldi brand)

Weekends are crazy around here and I find it easier to just free style and switch it up.  Make sure to have AT LEAST one low-glycemic carb meal or snack each day!  As you can see I used recipes from the THM book and just basic foods.  Nothing crazy or special.

Many of these recipes are on my pinterest boards.

The recipes with page numbers are from the THM book.

Follow Day to Day Adventures Facebook page or sign up for email updates(sidebar) containing more scheduled free styling menus.

More THM help

Traveling with the Trim Healthy Mama Plan

Welcome to Day to Day Adventures! Be sure to check out the most popular posts while you're here. If you like what you see, subscribe here for free updates and access to the members only free printable library, or you can "like" the D2D Facebook page and receive new posts in your news stream. Thanks for visiting!

Traveling when you are trying diet or to eat a specific way can be challenging. 

How do you do it & not get off track while you are away from home?  Here are some tips & hints that are specifically for the Trim Healthy Mama plan but could help anyone to keep on track with diet guidelines while traveling.

* If you would be so kind, you can click on my THM affiliate to purchase your THM goodies!  It doesn’t cost you a penny and it helps a tiny bit with my blogging costs.  You can click this THM link or the button on the right side of the blog. *

1.  Plan out your menu if you can. 

We recently went on a 6 day trip with our kids.  I had NO control over what we ate but I was able to find out before we left what the meal coordinator was planning.  With that information in mind I was able to bring things that would help me stay on plan. 

EXAMPLE   We were stopping at fast food for lunch.  I knew I could have a chicken salad or burger.  So I brought along Zevia soda & a Joseph's pita to make the burger doable for me.  Then I got a side salad with ranch dressing.  Not perfect but better than a soda, burger with a bun & fries.

Free Menu Planner(download)

2.  Plan snacks too. 

I made sure I had apples, strawberries, cake in a mug(premade), cheesesticks, & nuts.  Prepackage them in little snack size Ziplock bags so you can just grab one from the cooler & go.

Pin this to remember for later! 

3.  Pack a cooler. 

Check to see if there is a refrigerator &/or a microwave in your room.  If there isn't a refrigerator then just keep ice in gallon size Ziplock bags in your cooler.  Ice is usually free at a hotel.

For our trip we were packing food for Elizabeth, who has Celiac disease, soit was no big deal to add the things that I wanted as well. 

Cooler list: 

• Fruit
• veggies
• baked oatmeal
• cheese
• small container of cream for my tea
• triple zero yogurt
• almond milk
• egg cups
• prebaked MIM
• Joseph's pitas.

4.  Make a stash.  

HonestlyI didn't know what to call this.  Here's a picture of what I mean.

What's in my stash: 

• Defatted pb flour to add to yogurt
• Stevia extract, cayenne to make Shrinker
• Truvia packets, apple cider vinegar & caramel flavoring to make caramel apple GGMS
• My favorite Bigelow French Vanilla tea, protein powder & MCT oil for bulletproof tea(& fav mug)
• olive oil for salads
• Individual serving peanut butter to go on apples or top a chocolate MIM
• Measuring spoons
• Doonk for measuring cayenne & Stevia extract

All those nested nicely within my cold drink cup & hot tea mug.  All packed together in a toiletries bag.    **I found all the little containers at Dollar General & the Dollar Tree.

Was it extra work?  Yes.  Was it worth it?  YES!  I maintained my weight while on our trip and now I'm right back in to doing my scheduled free style menu. 

How do you pack for trips and what helps you keep "on plan?"  I would love some new tips for my next trip out-of-town!

Related Posts

Scheduled Free Styling Menu #1

**revised**  This is not a true fuel cycle--so I changed the name of the post.  Don't be confused! 

As I communicated with a wonderful admin on the FB group page, I realized that this is what the THM book calls the scheduled "Free Styling" method. Chapter 11 talks about using full fuel days as a way of Free Styling.  I've also adjusted the menu to not have dairy or sugar-free peanut butter on the low carb(S) days.  I did allow myself a very small amount of these when I followed this version of the THM plan for 3 weeks.

---

In the past few months, I've been frustrated with my weight loss on the Trim Healthy Mama plan. 

Healing takes time & rest.   

I LOVE the Trim Healthy Mama plan.  It works but my circumstances worked against weight loss.  The scheduled free styling menu below plus increasing my activity level is how I have managed to get the scale moving in the right direction again and I'm slowly loosing weight once more.  Go back and read how I have gained since August for the whole story.

Below is Week #1's menu.  I did 3 weeks of the scheduled free styling and now I'm taking 2 weeks off.  

It was time. Being so strict it made me want to cheat more.  Not a good place to be.

Day 1--Focus on Low Carb meals   

**I drink GGMS & Shrinker off and on all day

• Breakfast--Scrambled eggs, bacon, Light Bulletproof Tea
• Snack--Skinny Chocolate & Hormel lunch meat wrapped in leafy lettuce
• Lunch--Leafy green salad, Baked Salmon, Tangy & Sweet Vinaigrette, skinny chocolate(p. 371)
• Snack--Snickers Shake
• Supper--Meatloaf(p. 316), leafy green salad, steamed broccoli & cauliflower, olive oil, skinny chocolate

Day 2--Focus on Low Carb meals

• Breakfast--Broccoli & Ham Quiche
• Snack--Skinny chocolate & Hormel lunch meat wrapped in leafy lettuce
• Lunch--Panera Mediterranean Chicken Salad(Hidden Menu), olive oil,
• Snack--Cake in Mug(pg. 379)
• Supper--Crabbie Patties(p. 338), leafy green salad, olive oil
• Dessert--Skinny chocolate

Day 3--Focus on Protein--light day

• Breakfast--Yogurt, 1/2 scoop protein powder, berries
• Snack--Berry Whey Smoothie with Spinach(p. 243)
• Lunch--Loaded Fotato Soup(p. 294), Joseph's Lavash bread with deli meat, lettuce & tomato
• Snack--Cucumbers, turkey pepperoni
• Supper--Easy Chicken Yogurt Bake(p. 323), leafy green salad, steamed broccoli & cauliflower
• Dessert--Unfudgy No Bake Cookies

Day 4--Focus on Protein--light day

• Breakfast--Berry Smoothie(p. 243) with egg white scramble & turkey bacon
• Snack--Hormel lunch meat wrapped in leafy lettuce
• Lunch--Just like Campbell's Tomato soup(light p. 293), 1 wasa cracker(rye), cottage cheese & leafy green salad
• Snack--cottage cheese with Berry Syrup
• Supper--Citrus Fish Bake(p. 286), Cauli Rice(p. 358) & carrots & a leafy green salad
• Dessert--Light Bulletproof Tea

Day 5 Focus on low-glycemic Carbs & Protein

(CARBS are SO important to loosing weight.  But be sure to choose low-glycemic ones!)

• Breakfast--French Toast topped with Greek yogurt & 1/2 a banana(I LOVE bananas)
• Snack--cottage cheese with Berry syrup & piece of fruit
• Lunch--Hormel deli meat sandwich with sprouted wheat bread(Trader Joe's) , carrots, triple zero yogurt
• Snack--Orange and low fat cheese stick
• Supper--Chicken & Beans and Rice with Trader Joe's baked blue corn chips
• Dessert--Light Bullet proof Tea, Josheph's Lavash with Laughing Cow cheese(aldi brand)

Weekends are crazy around here and I find it easier to just free style and switch it up.  Make sure to have AT LEAST one low-glycemic carb meal or snack each day!  As you can see I used recipes from the THM book and just basic foods.  Nothing crazy or special.

Many of these recipes are on my pinterest boards. The recipes with page numbers are from the THM book.

  Week #2's menu are coming!  

Let me know if you decide to give this a try! 

Follow Day to Day Adventures Facebook page or sign up for email updates(sidebar) on my progress, more scheduled free styling menus & for the Traveling with THM post!

More THM help

Weight gain frustrations on THM

I've gained 10 pounds since August.  There I just laid it out there for you all to read.  Kinda gives me a pain to say it.  I'm struggling because I don't have a bunch of clothes that fit right now.  There is a reason.  Pain meds, healing, inactivity, healing, winter, healing. 

See the theme?

TRIM HEALTHY MAMA!!

Some where along the way as I was surfing the internet, I read about the Trim Healthy Mama eating plan. (affiliate) After ordering and reading the book in April 2013 I made some changes to the way our family eats.

From April 2013 to July 2014, I lost about 20-25 pounds following the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle.  In the past I'd tried every diet under the sun, exercised as much as I could and limited my calories. 

NOTHING worked.  I felt like I was banging my head against a wall. 

I lost & gained the same 5 pounds for years.  I wanted to feel healthier which meant not hauling around the extra weight. The weight loss when I was on the THM plan was slow but I was ok with that as long as I saw some progress.

What we changed

• For me to loose I had to fuel my body with just one main fuel per meal.  That meant pairing protein with carbs OR fat at each meal--not both.  My family would pair it any way they wanted.  They are all at healthy weights.
• Most carbs that we eat are low glycemic.  Brown rice, sprouted wheat, sweet potatoes.  Some cereal, bread, white potatoes for those who can handle the rise in blood sugar.
• LOTS of protein and good fats. 
• Our intake of veggies has gone way up. 
• My wonky up and down blood sugar issues were no longer giving me problems.
• With this lifestyle I’ve kicked the soda habit & the cravings are gone!!  I was hooked on Pepsi for YEARS!
• Elizabeth's Celiac limitations work well with the THM plan. 
• Steve & the other kids still get plenty of food and don't feel starved at all.  In short this works for us.

Pancreatic Cancer & Delusions

The past 2-3 years have been incredibly stressful for for us as a family.  My mom & dad's health problems created a situation where I was on edge and stressed ALL the time.  I found if I could follow the THM plan then I could cope.  However, if I indulged in sugar, wheat, or other off plan items I became unable to help my parents or my own family. 

Plus I felt LOUSY!!!!  After starting THM, my joints didn't hurt as much and I felt much less bloated.  The THM lifestyle was part of what saved my sanity during that season.  My friend, family & faith were the other factors that I leaned heavily on.

I slowly was building a smaller wardrobe & had gotten rid of my "fat" clothes.  I was even able to start a consistent workout plan.  Seemed like my new size was here to stay. Yeah!!!! 

Then at the end of July 2014 I got a fungal infection my right eye.  That's when I needed the pain meds.  I've learned a lot of things from the infection & cornea transplant that I had in December. 

Healing & Weight Loss

While I was hurt, I didn't change the way I ate.  But while my body worked on healing the "broken" part of me, it had to put loosing weight on pause.  Getting healthy meant something totally different. 

What really changed was that my body REQUIRED rest. 

I often think that my eye problems were God's way of saying "Ok you have worked REALLY hard for 2 years and now it is time to take a break and rest." 

That is NOT how I thought that stage of my life would look like but God was right.  I needed time to process it all and rest.  That plus some serious inactivity from the fatigue I experienced is what helped me put back on 10 pounds.

So what now?

It is incredibly frustrating to be eating in a healthy way that had worked so well and still gain. 

I'm still following the THM lifestyle.  However, I've had to change a few things again. 

The weight wasn't moving even though I inched my way toward more activity in Feb-March. So in April I've been trying scheduled freestyle days. For more details on the THM plan or the Trim Healthy store go to Trim Healthy Mama website.(affiliate link). Or if you are local--ask me--I have a book that you can borrow. Below is my weekly "plan."

Here's my menu for a week of scheduled free cycling.  It's VERY similar each week & this makes meal planning super simple for me!  I just recopy the week before on to my menu planner (free download). 

This help my brain not to explode.  I'm kidding--kind of.

How's it working?

Well the scale is moving again.  Again REALLY slowly.  I've done scheduled free cycling for 3 weeks and I'm holding steady at 2 pounds lost.  Honestly, I'm a little tired of the being so strict so next week is a week off for me.  We are traveling so that works out perfectly.  I'll still be on plan.  I'm planning to maintain the pounds that I have lost and come back ready to jump back in.

Let me know if you decide to give this a try! 

Follow the Day to Day Adventures Facebook page or sign up for email updates(sidebar) on my slow progress, scheduled free cycling menus & for the Traveling with THM post that is coming soon! 

More THM help!