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Why You Should Add Butter to Your Coffee

Week one we increased our water intake.

Week two we cut out sugar.

Are you feeling better already?

No more Sugar crashes or highs? We want to keep our blood sugar smooth and stable.

This next tip will help not only keep your sugar cravings at bay, but will also help you burn more fat, fuel your body and help you focus…

Want to know the secret??

Adapted from: http://glutendoctors.blogspot.com/2010/10/why-i-allow-butter-on-diary-free-diet.html

This week we are going to focus on Healthy Fats!  

Fats from animal and vegetables are so vital to our health. They are a “concentrated source of energy.” (Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon). Using fats as an energy source is also understood in Trim Healthy Mama‘s satisfying or S meals. read more

4 Reasons to Cut out the Sugar

4 Reasons to Cut the Sugar
4 Reasons to Cut the Sugar

 

We are going to focus on Cutting out the Sugar! 

This is not a new idea. Lots of popular diets have come to the conclusion that our sugar is out of balance in our Modern diet and this is the cause of our expanding waistbands.

 

Management of your Sugar and Carbohydrates is crucial for weight loss and your general health.

 

We know sugar is so important to get under control.

 

A low glycemic diet in general is healthier than a diet focused on lots of carbs. When our system gets overloaded with too many sugar and carbs, our cells start storing extra carbs as fat in our cells.

 

Our cells love to store carbs, so they are very eager and ready when we over eat our carbs. If we eat a moderate or low carb diet, then we can burn those carbs before they get the chance to be stored as extra fat. read more

Trim Healthy Mama Review

Trim Healthy Mama Book Giveaway At Grassfed Mama

Trim Healthy Mama Review

Trim Healthy Mama is the latest “diet” book craze. It seems like every where I turned there was something about Trim Healthy Mama. I was curious at first, and skeptical.

I had to find out for myself what all the fuss was about! 

What was so new and different about this plan? 

I heard about Trim Healthy Mama first from my sister. She and her family were starting to implement the plan… and seeing results.

Then, I joined the free Facebook group to learn as much as I could before buying the book. I was simply AMAZED at the transformations I saw in the Trim Healthy Mama Facebook group. I could not get enough of the life changing stories from these women (and some men too!). Joining the Facebook group is a must for starting out. There are amazing moderators to help with answers to any questions and also getting advice and encouragement. I would highly recommend joining the group to help you with your Trim Healthy Lifestyle. 

After about a week of being in the Facebook Group, I knew I had to buy the book and see for myself what this was all about. I can say after reading the book and following the Trim Healthy Mama plan for about 2 months is…

I Love it! 

You can even eat chocolate everyday! I’m sold!! 

Some history: I had been eating more Paleo based recipes, Grain free, Gluten free… and I love this plan so much better than anything I have been doing for quite a while. 

I think what I like about it is how balanced it is. 

There are NO food groups that are eliminated like Paleo based diets which eliminate dairy, grains, and beans. 

You can enjoy carbs, fats, and protein 

The bottom line is keep fat and carbs separate and eat protein at each meal or snack.

You can enjoy both types of meals: Energizing and Satisfying just keep them apart. So you can eat a low fat/moderate carb (or E-nergizing) breakfast with bowl of oatmeal or a pumpkin muffin with nonfat greek yogurt OR you can have a heavy fat/low carb (S-atisfying) 3 egg omelet with cheese and sausage…. Just keep the two different kinds of meals (E and S meals) separated by 3 hours.

I think what I love most is that is works for anyone! It works for someone who wants to eat whole foods and it works for someone who needs more convenience foods in their life. Both women may approach Trim Healthy Mama from different angles initially, but there is a plan for both of them. 

 

Trim Healthy Mama In a day:

Breakfast: bowl of oatmeal with stevia sweetened Greek yogurt (E)

Snack 2.5-3 hour later: Rye wasa crackers with peanut butter (S) or a Muffin in a Mug with Stevia Sweetened Greek yogurt on top (my favorite!)

Lunch 3 hours later: Grilled salmon on a salad with light dressing and lots of low carb vegetables and a light soup (E) 

Snack 3 hours later: Apple and a few almonds (E) or a enjoy a great Trim Healthy Mama drink.

Dinner: Hamburger patty with cheese and avocado and grilled onions with homemade bun or eaten on a salad with high fat dressing (S) or a Salmon Cake on a Salad (S) or a Yummy Thai Curry (S) 

Dessert: Chocolate Brownie in a mug with peanut butter Greek yogurt (S) or some Skinny Chocolate! 

I seriously LOVE this eating plan!!!

I love the recipes and I love how I feel.

The Data:

I track what I eat on My Fitness Pal to know how many calories, carbs and sugar I’m eating regularly (not necessary, but I’m a data nerd!). Since I have implemented this Trim Healthy Mama plan, my carbs have been lower and my sugar intake has been lower. I’m so happy about both of those numbers!!

I also have effortlessly lost 5lbs! 

I was always ready to cheat on all the other “diets” I had tried… I couldn’t do without dairy… I also love beans and whole food carbs. Now, I really feel satisfied and love that I can eat when I’m hungry and snacking is encouraged. 

The authors, Pearl and Serene, have some really great tips in their book to help you stay trim and also getting the best nutrition you can to stay healthy. 

Hope you guys check out the book! It really could change your life!

I’ve been posting some of my recipes that are Trim Healthy Mama inspired. Check them out!

 

 

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Adapted from http://www.flickr.com/photos/kjgarbutt/5646262735/

Adapted from http://www.flickr.com/photos/kjgarbutt/5646262735/

Best Brownie in a Mug (S)

chocolate cheesecake balls Chocolate Cheesecake Balls (S)

Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins (E)

Stevia Sweetened Kettle Corn (E)

Waffle Iron Samon Cakes (S)

Turkey Thai Red Curry (S)

Butternut Squash Pumpkin Apple Soup (E)

Sugar Free read more

New You New Years!!!

newyou

New Years is next week! I know you are already thinking about what you are wanting for 2014. Some of you make the same resolutions every year and by February they are already a thing of the past.

This year will be different. This year you will make a change and stick to it!

How? You may ask. Because We are all going to be a part of New You New Years!!!

So lets talk about what New You New Years is going to look like. Every week, a new challenge will be presented to focus on the whole week. It may be to eat one vegetable at lunch and dinner. Or maybe it could be focusing on eliminating white sugar for the week. Maybe we could even focus on adding a 20 minute walk in or another exercise each day for a week. 

Every week, we will focus on one single step… and take this one bite at a time (wink, wink). 

This is YOUR time! This is THE time to choose to be the person you want to be in 2014. A healthier you, a better feeling you! 

Our first week’s challenge will be simple… We are going to be aware.

Awareness is the key to change a habit.

In speech therapy, when we would work with people who stutter, most of the time they wouldn’t even realize they had just stuttered in conversation. We would replay their speech, and help them identify the problem areas, then they could back and restate the phrase or sentence and fix the stutter. 

I want you to be aware about your food choices you are making each day. Read ingredients. Read nutrition labels. Figure out what you are actually putting in your mouth… You really ARE what you eat.

1) So look for the number of ingredients listed, and also can you pronounce or identify every item listed. 

2) How many grams of carbs and sugar are you eating in packaged items?

3) How many items have something with soy, the word hydrolyzed or hydrogenated, or corn? 

Now I want you to comment or write on my facebook wall and let me know how you are doing during the week.

What foods are you surprised to see sugar in or High Fructose Corn Syrup? How many carbs are in your favorite foods? Keep me posted! 

 

trim-healthy-tuesdays-banne

 

It’s all in how you start

coffee mornings day

I was thinking… The start of your morning sets the tone for the rest of your day.

If you start your day eating something healthy, then you are more likely to continue through lunch and dinner.

I thought I would share my start of this Monday morning. (Not perfect by all means)

I nurse the littlest one at 1:30 am, 4:00 am, and 6:30 am.

The big kid woke up at 7:30 am, knocking on her door – this is actually pretty early for her!

I change the littlest one’s diaper and clothes (because her cloth diaper leaked a little – should have put on a night time diaper before bed… Doh!)

Put in my contacts, so I can see what I’m actually doing and head downstairs.

Brew a cup of regular coffee in my Kuerig – my only one for the day. I put in stevia, bentonite clay, and almond milk.

Little one gets fussy – because she is tired, so I nurse her again and put her in the swing for a nap.

Big kid is asking to watch Ariel, so I put on a movie for her while I get breakfast going. You have to cheat somewhere!

I cook a 3 egg omelet in my “OrGreenic” pan in some coconut oil, a little cheese, salt and pepper.

Big kid asks for tomatoes for breakfast, so I fix her plate with some grape tomatoes, sliced cheese, and 1/2 a banana.

I give her some Green Pastures chocolate cream cod liver oil blend and her Animal Parade vitamins.

I take Green Pastures cod liver oil blend in a capsule and my Perfect Prenatal.

Finally, 8:00 am breakfast is ready for me! I get to sit down – but now Big kid wants to watch Barbie – so change the Roku to Barbie and eat my yummy tummy eggs and finish my coffee.

Next is my 10 minute workout.

What do your mornings look like?20130729-083329.jpg

Happy New Years!

It’s the start of a new year. The time to reflect on what has happened the last 365 days for better or for worse.

Happy new year

I am trying to slowly come out of the morning sickness fog and focus on growing a little person now.

So for that one goal this year: To have a healthy pregnancy and baby… I have a few sub goals that I will try to follow.

1) Take my Cod liver oil everyday.

41cc7jSpB9L._SL500_AA300_Pregnant women are supposed to have 1.5 teaspoons a day. I have been trying to down the chocolate gel that Aidalyn loves so much, but sadly it has come up far to many times. I just ordered capsules from Green Pastures that are butter blend/cod liver oil. That should help with Vitamins A and D.

2) Try to get Magnesium into my body.

Foot Onsen

Most people are deficient in magnesium. From our poor soil quality to overly processed foods, we are lacking this vital mineral. Magnesium is also difficult to absorb orally, so topically is the easiest way to get your requirements. Yesterday I used a foot soak of 1/2 cup Ancient Minerals Magnesium flakes. That was pretty easy after the 5-10 minute melt down from Aidalyn when we told her she couldn’t play in the water… Maybe next time will be smoother. I also have my homemade oil in a spray bottle, but I was not very good about using it once it got colder outside. Thirdly, I have calcium/magnesium supplements from my Chiropractor that are called Coral Legend Plus by Premier Research Labs (made with coral minerals).

3) Try to get 80 plus grams of protein a day. 

A Guernsey Cow

As recommended by the Bradley Method of natural childbirth (and also just common sense tells you that a baby needs protein to grow), I am trying to get at least 80 grams per day. Most days I don’t have much of an issue if I start my day with eggs and cheese, then have protein for lunch and dinner. The only days I have any issues is when I’m feeling sick or having some strong food aversions – hopefully those days will get less and less.

4) Try to stay as active as possible.

does that look like the ass of a woman who's 8...

I have an elliptical machine and have been able to go for about 60 minutes 3-4 times a week. I just want to continue that through the winter and hopefully will be able to move my exercise outside once it warms up – and I can enjoy my beautiful neighborhood.

5) Eat a green salad or green vegetables as often as possible.

A picture taken, of A Green Salad.

I really hate to put a number on it, because I don’t want to get discouraged. However, what I would like to accomplish is to eat through a big tub of spinach greens every week. I find this is harder in the winter, when I don’t want a salad because I’m cold… but I am going to try my best!

IMG_0029_edited-1

What are your goals for this year? How are you going to accomplish them?

Belly Picture for this week: 15 1/2 weeks along!