My trim Healthy Mama SCALE Victory So Far.

SO, I've posted about my NSV's (non scale victories) quite a bit. The reason I have not posted about my SCALE victories is because I have had the hardest time finding any before photos of myself at my heaviest. I look at the pictures from last year and it seems that any picture that I'm in, I'm either hiding behind something or someone and my camera angle is deceiving. Understandably, I'm guessing! I didn't want to be "seen".

These "before" pictures are not from when I was my heaviest, but they're "up" there, so they'll have to do.

My starting weight was around 245 lb 2015

My current weight is 192 lb

(Do note: I'm 5'8/ 171cm tall)

These photos were taken late August 2015

And now the photos from today...

Sorry for the extremely dirty mirror. Oh what joy is it to have little sticky hands, a.k.a CHILDREN!

I have a long way to go, but I'm midpoint! Another 20 to 50 lb, I'll take whatever :)

My top 10 THM products that I can't live without.

The link below is my affiliate link. If you choose to order through it, thank you a million! If you do not, no worries! However, I do encourage you to try the Trim Healthy Mama plan out, regardless of whether you can purchase the brand name products or not. There are many other brands at your local health food/Walmart even, that sell them.

1. Collagen. Integral Collagen is a pure protein powder for health and beauty as well as yummy food creations. From the grasslands of Argentina and Brazil, 
   bovine Integral Collagen is pork free and processed with integrity. It dissolves easily in liquid with no blending required and is completely tasteless. This makes it the perfect choice to swirl into Greek yogurt or pour into your hot tea for a nutritional overhaul.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar (Bragg's)
3. Gentle Sweet. Having trouble adjusting to the taste of Stevia? Sweeten those “hard to get right” treats with Gentle Sweet and you can bank on the “yum!”  word passing your lips. The Trim Healthy Mama community fell in love with our pure Stevia extract and Super Sweet Blend, but some of you kept begging us for a sweetener that popped like pure sugar itself. Gentle Sweet blend has a cotton candy taste but won’t mess with your blood sugar.
4. MCT Oil. This is the ultimate “trimmifying” oil, with 100% Medium Chain 
   Trglycerides that boost your metabolism life rocket fuel. MCT Oil has 
   become the delicious and multi-talented dietary BFF of Trim Healthy 
   Mamas all over the globe. Its succulent silky texture and neutral taste 
   make it perfect to whip into your morning coffees that we call 
   “Trimmies” and to drizzle over large leafy salads topped with protein. 
   It delivers a very fatty mouth feel but provides the fewest calories of 
   any oil!
5. Miracle Noodles. Not-Naughty-Noodles contains 6g fiber, which is known to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels as a part of a healthy diet. They are made from Japanese Konjac Root which is one of the most alkalizing foods found in nature (even higher than green super foods). Konjac Root fiber is known as Glucomannan and is both a powerful colon cleanser and detox aid. Glucomannan is a healthy alternative to processed flours. Unlike other noodles that explode the fat cells, Not-Naughty-Noodles make fat scram. So twirl them on your fork and indulge heartily.
6. Oolong Tea. Oolong tea is 100% natural, fat-free, calorie-free, gluten-free, sugar-free and preservative-free. So feel free to sip your way to increased vitality and better health. Keep on sipping for all the many benefits it offers. But above all… drink it because it’s delicious. Either in The Shrinker or just as an iced or hot tea. It harmonizes beautifully with a Doonk of Trim Healthy Mama Stevia Extract.
7. Sunflower Lecithin. Lecithin is not a weird defangled man made substance. It is a powerful 
   brain food. Did you know that approximately 1/3 of your brain is made 
   from lecithin? When you include lecithin in your diet, you are 
   nourishing your brain and helping to support your nervous system. 
   Lecithin is a historical superfood that is making a comeback from the 
   source of sunflower seeds. Trim Healthy Mama Sunflower Lecithin is pure,
   soy-free and does not contain any GMO’s.
8. Nutritional Yeast.
9. Baking Blend. You can totally make this from scratch, like I do, but when I can afford it, I buy it. Finally a gluten-free, low glycemic baking mix that isn’t excessively loaded with fuel. Our blend also contains disease-fighting lignans and satisfies any hungry tummy with large amounts of insoluble fiber.
10. Troodle, Noodle Maker. What on earth is a Troodle? It’s a magic little gadget that makes your 
    noodles trimming! Yup, this Mama toy can twist out trimming noodles in a
    couple of minutes. Waist whittling pasta can be twisted on your fork 
    tonight for dinner. Try it… it turns kitchen work into play. Say goodbye
    to fattening noodles and welcome Troodles into your life.

To order yours, go to Cathy's Affiliate Link.

Eating Trim Health Mama Way, Ethically. Possible?

The Trim Healthy Mama Plan is amazing! It's biblical, it caters for all individuals. It works. It's been a blessing to me for the past 6 months. I've had about 20 victories with the THM plan and I can't hype about it enough HERE and HERE. I love THM!

At first our dishes were loaded with dairy products. The THM book recommends to eat the "full fat cream" and "butter" and enjoy the "cheese" for they are approved foods. The book even quoted "Abraham's encounter with the angels: He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.

" and other scripture where it clearly reads that dairy was consumed etc. 

So, my conscience has been bugging me about the grain fed, GMO fed, caged and mistreated animals, which lead me onto a mission to buy more organic and trust that making these healthy egological changes, god would provide us the means. It happened, we've managed to buy organic grass fed beef, homestead organic eggs, and organic cheese etc. Great, right!? Well there is more. Sadly.

After stumbling across a short clip of how dairy cows are impregnated and separated from their babies right after birth, over and over again, just for our dairy "needs"?

This picture got to me. I have a baby. I know that we differ from the animals, and have been given "stewardship" over them, but I do not believe in exploiting them. 

What else did I come across?

This... the milk, that have the "cow growth hormone" is not allowed for her, but taken -for us.

and...

this. Is this ethical?

I ended up doing my own research and contacting a few local organic farms to find the "ethical farm" that would not do such an inhumane thing as separating a baby calf from it's mother immediately after birth... surely?? 

Unfortunately, I have yet to find one :( 

What I did find, I am struggling with. It made me question my family's diet and where we buy our foods from. I have gone back and forth with scripture... "He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree"... what about the exploitation of dairy cows..what am I supposed to do.. now that I know. But now I know. Now, I know. How do I move forward with the information, conviction, guilt and trust the Word??

Just to dissect the scripture a little the lay man way, before I talk about my ideal way of raising dairy cows -

He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, -stop here! He brought these to ANGELS. Not, billy and Jane next door, but to divine angels. Angels! Did the cow just give birth to a calf that didn't make it? Was this an unfortunate birth that ended sadly, and nothing was wasted? Was the cow milked and the milk made into butter. Was this a special treat, a special "angelic treat"? I wonder if back then, dairy and cheese and butter was such a special food, that only happened once in a while? Was it reserved for guests of honour, weddings or such? It makes me think. Okay let's move on, .."and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree". He obviously didn't eat it himself. Interesting...? Any thoughts?


So what is my ideal dairy cow farming? I am not sure, I guess I am still thinking through it, but let's dream a little. :) (I know farm life, so I won't go into all the details of water expense, the labour etc) Firstly, I don't think we ought to be consuming so much dairy in the first place. (Then the second part, seems to be more realistic) Secondly, I think a neighborhood should share a cow. "Cowshare". Let's pretend I have a homestead, mostly "plant based" homestead. I got myself a dairy cow, her name is Bessie. Bessie is a sweet cow, she grazes all day and fertilizes the ground for the next years crop. She is expecting:) (naturally) yay! Our kids are super stoked to "baby" Bessie's calf. She is so adorable. She is nursing well and is playful. It's so lovely to see them bond! There is our window to milk Bessie in between her feeds with her baby. We get enough milk for homemade cheese and perhaps some fresh milk. Maybe we can make clotted cream for our homemade scones, and any other special dairy treat that we've been craving for :) buttermilk, kefir, etc? Lovely! Bessie's babe is growing well, everything is well at the homestead. It's just like "Little House On The Prairie" where these special foods are not taken for granted. they feed our tummies and our souls, oh how do we appreciate Bessie's dairy! One day, unfortunately Bessie for one or another reason has to be put down. She served us well, we appreciate her, we love her and "wish her well". Her meat nourishes us for quite some time, her bones are made into broth, her blood nourishes the land and her hide is put to good use. She is not wasted, and her beautiful creation, "baby Bessie" takes her place on our homestead. SO the cycle starts all over again.

Yes I know, that sounded like a fairy tale and that there is so much "more" to having a dairy cow... I know. But this is MY daydream. This dream is the "ethical" that is missing in my "organic". 

SO, how am I going to keep on following the THM plan according to my convictions?

• I am going to have to give up or eat very little dairy. I will have to hunt for dairy free options and be on a mission to eventually find my "ethical farm". I am sure He will provide. Until then, I hear great things about "goat's milk" and their "baby breaks". maybe I'll develop a taste for goat's yoghurt and cheese? (we haven't drank dairy milk in 7 years anyway)
• Increase protein and calcium rich plant based food in our diets.
• Keep moving forward with buying more organic vegetables, eggs and meat. (I have my "dealers" I know where my eggs and beef come from)
• Eat less meat.
• Grow our own urban vegetable garden, and teach my kids how to also.
• Keep doing the THM plan like normal. I mean, it's possible, there are a lot of people out there allergic to dairy! It can be done.

So, for those who also struggle with this, put it out there, God knows where you're at, He will meet you THERE. He loves to provide. LOVES. There is nothing wrong with going "ethical", but there is something wrong with going against YOUR convictions. Pray about it, ask Him to take them away if they're not from Him, or to give you options if they are.

Let me know what your thoughts are??

**I am not looking to debate, any negative comments will not be published**

Granola (Trim Healthy Mama Approved)

I have often cringed while my kids pour themselves a bowl full of cheerios in the mornings. My kids love cheerios and granola. Surely there is a THM approved granola recipe somewhere?? Well, good news! There is a great recipe, right here! Keep on scrolling :)

Turn on the oven to 300*F 

 Ingredients

• 10 C old fashioned oats, or any oats... I had 3 different types of oats, in they all went!
• 1 C wheat germ or psyllium husks
• 1/2 C golden flax seeds, ground
• 1 C shredded coconut (unsweetened)
• 1 C seeds, sunflower, pumpkin etc (or a mix)
• 2 C organic sprouted whole wheat flour
• 2 t himalayan/grey salt
• 1/2 xylitol

• 1 1/2 C coconut oil
• 1 C honey * (if this is for you and you're looking to lose weight, omit the honey!)
• 2 T coconut/vanilla (or both) extract

• 1-2 C dates, chopped
• 1-2 C raisins/sultanas/cranberries/dried fruits

1.  First mix all the "dry" ingredients
2. Then in a saucepan over medium heat, melt the "wet" ingredients
3. Combine the two, and mix well
4. Spread the granola onto baking pans, about 1" thick, and bake for about 45 to 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so.
5. After the granola has cooled down, add the dried berries/fruit.

Makes about 21-22 Cups :) That's about 28-32 servings! (well, at least in my house)

(serve over almond milk, helps bring down the greenhouse gas emissions...more on that later.)

* what does Trim Healthy Mama say about honey? Click here! 

To support my family by ordering your THM products through my blog, click HERE