Trim Healthy Mama Plan (9 page)
Read Trim Healthy Mama Plan Online
Authors: Pearl Barrett
⢠All fruits in moderate quantities, for example, 1 apple, 1 orange, 1 peach, 1 generous slice of canteloupe (very high glycemic fruits like bananas and watermelon are best not overdone; best to stick to 1 cup of watermelon or half of a large banana, or one small)
⢠All berries in liberal quantities
⢠1 tablespoon all-fruit jelly for use with Greek yogurt or on Trim Healthy Pancakes found in the “Pancakes, Donuts, Crepes, and Waffles” chapter of the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
(This type of jelly usually does contain some fruit juice concentrate but it is minimal. Please stay away from drinking fruit juice.)
E-FRIENDLY
BEANS AND
LEGUMES
⢠All beans and legumes, including lentils and split peas (stick to 1 cup densely packed cooked, but more can be eaten when liquid is involved, as in chili, or lentil or chana dal soup)
E-FRIENDLY VEGGIES
⢠All veggies except potatoes (save potatoes for occasional Crossover meals)
⢠Sweet potatoesâ1 medium sweet potato
⢠Carrots, both raw and cooked
E-FRIENDLY OILS
⢠1 teaspoon oil (exception of 2 teaspoons MCT oil on occasion, explained on
this page
)
E-FRIENDLY
NUTS
⢠Limit nuts to garnish amounts or 1 teaspoon nut butters (you can use 1 to 2 tablespoons of Pressed Peanut Flour in an E setting)
E-FRIENDLY
CONDIMENTS
⢠Mustard
⢠Horseradish sauce
⢠Hot sauce (prepared without sugar)
⢠Low-fat dressings (homemade or store-bought)
⢠Mayoâup to 1 teaspoon or just a smear (you can mix 1 teaspoon with Greek yogurt for a nice sandwich spread)
⢠Soy sauce/tamari/Bragg Liquid Aminos/Coconut Aminos
⢠All vinegars
⢠All spices prepared without sugar or needless fillers
⢠Unsweetened cocoa powder
⢠Nutritional yeast
⢠All skimmed stock and broth prepared without sugar
E-FRIENDLY HEALTHY SPECIALTY ITEMS
⢠Pristine Whey Protein Powder (
www.trimhealthymama.com
)
⢠Integral Collagen (
www.trimhealthymama.com
)
⢠Just Gelatin (
www.trimhealthymama.com
)
⢠Glucomannan “Gluccie” Organic Fiber Supplement (
www.trimhealthymama.com
); nonorganic also available
⢠Plan-approved natural sweeteners: see
this page
for guidelines (
www.trimhealthymama.com
)
⢠Trim Healthy Mama Baking Blend (
www.trimhealthymama.com
)
⢠Pressed Peanut Flour (
www.trimhealthymama.com
)
⢠Not-Naughty-Noodles and Not-Naughty-Rice (
www.trimhealthymama.com
)
⢠Unsweetened nut milks, such as almond, cashew, or flaxseed (canned coconut milk is not
E-friendly)
⢠Check out
Chapter 18
, “Specialty Food Stars,” in which we give descriptions and benefits of many of the above products and tell you what to look for in other brands or how to seek locally if you don't want to purchase online.
E-FRIENDLY “PERSONAL CHOICE” ITEMS
⢠Joseph's low-carb pita or lavash bread (these are not a significant carb source; add beans or fruit for an E meal)
⢠Low-carb tortillas (these are not a significant carb source; add beans or fruit in an E meal)
⢠Fat-free Reddi-wipâdon't overdo (avoid light or fat-free Cool Whip due to the inclusion of high-fructose corn syrup)
⢠Laughing Cow Creamy Light Swiss cheese wedges
⢠Dreamfields pasta (Limit to once a week, and assess your own reaction to this pasta. Although current nutritional information displays this as a significant carb source, the resistant starch may not amount to enough glucose for an E meal. Add beans or fruit if desiring E.)
⢠Light Progresso soups (excluding “cream of” versions; add sprouted or soured bread on the side if desiring E)
FUEL PULLS (FP FOR SHORT)
T
hese are the wonderful, lighter foods that round out your plate and make your S and EÂ meals complete. A quick recap from
Chapter 1
: Fuel Pulls are lower in
calories and, as their name suggests, they have insufficient amounts of either fats or carbs to swing a meal one way or the otherâto either S or E.
We'll soon explain how Fuel Pulls make excellent snacks and desserts; but sometimes they are also used as full meals. Huh? “Isn't the whole premise of Trim Healthy Mama focused on having your main meals contain the nourishing primary fuels our bodies need to thrive?” you wisely ask. Yes, but some of us can actually benefit from some complete Fuel Pull meals thrown into the S and E juggle.
Changing up your fuels on plan helps to keep your
metabolism revving, but another weight-loss trick is to also change up caloric loads in meals. SÂ meals are usually the highest-calorie meals on the plan. Don't let that scare you: Despite being higher in calories, they are weight-loss friendly. EÂ meals often have a somewhat lighter calorie count than SÂ meals, so that is a nice changeup; but Fuel Pulls take the count way, way down. Smattering these meals into the plan can cause faster weight loss, so they are a benefit to some people carrying stubborn weight, such as postmenopausal pounds. Other issues, such as severely imbalanced sex and thyroid hormones, can sometimes make the best of weight-loss plans impossible. Healthy caloric loads that most of us can burn through with ease become too hard a task for women afflicted with these issues.
Including some Fuel Pull meals within the healthy environment of lots of S and EÂ meals will allow your body to also get a benefit from these lighter calorie loads, without lowering the metabolism. When created smartly, Fuel Pulls can be ultra-filling. Even though the calorie count might be low, your tummy won't know it. But WARNING: If overdone,
they will backfire on you. Take your calories down too low, too often, and your very smart body will catch on and turn down its metabolic fire. It will think you are starving it. Also,
Fuel Pulls are not as nourishing as your parent S and EÂ meals are, so they MUST NOT be your constant.
Some of us (not pregnant or nursing women) throw in a couple to a few of these Fuel Pull meals each week. For instance, our Fat-Stripping Frappa recipe (in the “Shakes, Smoothies, Frappas, and Thin Thicks” chapter of the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) is a popular Fuel Pull recipe. It is a gigantic, full quart of chocolaty, creamy yumminess despite a very low calorie count. It can be a full breakfast or even lunch if desired, or it can be used as an afternoon snack. Full Fuel Pull meals are not necessary for all people on the plan. Some people on plan only ever use FP foods to round out their plates and as snacks and desserts. We're all different and your own THM journey will not look the same as someone else's. Some with stubborn weight may want to try up to one Fuel Pull meal per day if they cannot lose on S and EÂ meals alone. Check out
Chapter 24
, “Heads Up: Turtle Losers!,” to find out how much is too much when it comes to these Fuel Pull meals and how they can help you rather than harm you.
There will be many more examples of FP meals as you keep reading through the book, but here is a quick description of what a FP evening meal might be:
A generous amount of stir-fried veggies with slices of lean chicken breast tossed in a sweet-and-spicy Asian sauce
Not-Naughty-Noodles (optional; to really beef up the quantity on your plate)
Here's what an FP meal looks like on a seesaw:
BUILD YOUR FIRST FP MEAL
This can be done in three easy steps:
1.
Choose your protein. It must be lean and this is the only time we restrict you to 3 to 4 ounces of lean meat due to caloric load (or choose from Integral Collagen, Just Gelatin, or Pristine Whey Protein).
2.
Add minimal fat (roughly 1 teaspoonâthe same as EÂ meals). Coconut and MCT oils are preferred due to their metabolism revving abilities, but are not mandatory.
3.
Add other
Fuel Pull foods to your plate: GENEROUS amounts of non-starchy veggies, moderate amounts of berries, and optional lean dairy (check out the
Fuel Pull Food List
).
In practical terms this might look like:
Breakfastâ
Large egg-white scramble or omelet loaded with veggies. Choose from non-starchies like mushrooms, grated summer squash or zucchini, onions, tomatoes, peppers, and spinach. Use coconut oil spray on a well-seasoned or nonstick skillet. Non-purists may enjoy extremely light cheeses, such as Laughing Cow Creamy Light Swiss cheese wedges, in the scramble or omelet.
Lunchâ
Sandwich or wrap made with one of our homemade Fuel Pull breads like Swiss Bread or Wonder Wraps (in the “Breads and Pizza Crusts” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) or a store-bought FP option such as a Joseph's pita. Fill the sandwich with lean meats or tuna and succulent non-starchies such as tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and onion. Smear with mustard, a hint of mayo combined with Greek yogurt if desired, or horseradish sauce, or spritz with extra-virgin olive oil and drizzle with vinegar.
Dinnerâ
Citrus-Baked Tilapia with wilted greens and tomatoes. Fill up further with a Salted Caramel Fat-Stripping Frappa (found in the “Shakes, Smoothies, Frappas, and Thin Thicks” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
).
AS SNACKS
Fuel Pulls really shine as slimming snacks and
desserts. Due to their limited fuel, they aren't likely to cause a tandem-fueling effect no matter the fuel of your next meal. They're like Switzerlandâcompletely neutral and friends with everyone.
Let's say it is four thirty in the afternoon. You've rushed home from errands and are in desperate need of a snack. Your next meal needs to be ready within two hours but you haven't decided yet whether it will be an S or an E. Eating a snack of 0% Greek yogurt (FP) with some raspberries (FP) will tide you over without messing with the fuel of your next meal. To explain further, you'll soon learn in
Chapter 8
, “Let's Get Started!,” that you need time (roughly three hours) between meals when switching up fuels. What if you'd grabbed an E snack of an apple for a quick late-afternoon snack but then chose to eat an SÂ meal of chicken and veggies in a cream-based sauce at six o'clock? You'd be tandem fuelingânot a horrible thing, but not very weight-loss friendly. Fuel Pull snacks can help you avoid having an accidental Crossover like that.
AS DESSERTS
While we all get to enjoy cheesecakes and whipped cream as desserts on plan, the lighter Fuel Pull desserts should not be left out. You've already fueled your body with a main meal. Continuously slapping more fuel on top of that can be a weight-loss hindrance. Tummy Tucking Ice Cream, Cottage Berry Whip, Butterfly Wings Cake, and puddingsâthese are just a few of the light and lovely Fuel Pull dessert recipes you can choose from “Sweet Treats” in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook.
And now it's quiz time:
Question:
What happens if you have a Fuel Pull dessert after an SÂ meal?
Answer:
A.
You break out in hives.
B.
Your body thanks you for not overloading it with excess fuel and continues chugging on the Trim Train.
C.
You do a crossword puzzle.
D.
You notice your floor needs mopping.
Okay, these quizzes are getting way ridiculous. The answer is B, but you knew that!
FOOD LIST
FUEL PULL FRIENDLY MEAT (SIMILAR TO E GUIDELINES EXCEPT EÂ MEALS DO NOT LIMIT MEAT PORTION)
⢠Keep lean meat portions to 3 to 4 ounces; avoid fatty meats.
⢠Chicken breast
⢠Tuna packed in water
⢠Salmon (both wild-caught and most pouch or canned forms are fine; farm-raised may have more fat, so look for less than 5 grams of fat)
⢠All other
fish (not fried)
⢠Venison
⢠Turkey breast
⢠Lean ground turkey or chicken (96% to 99% lean)
⢠Lean deli meats (natural brands are best)
⢠Ground meats with higher fat levels can be browned, drained, then rinsed well with hot water and used in FP meals in up to 4-ounce portions (see
this page
for further directions).
FUEL PULL FRIENDLY EGG SOURCES (SIMILAR TO E GUIDELINES)
⢠Egg whites (both carton egg whites and products like Egg Beaters are also acceptable)
⢠Note: It is best to leave whole
eggs to S settings.
FUEL PULL FRIENDLY DAIRY (SIMILAR TO E GUIDELINES)
⢠0% plain Greek yogurt (Triple Zero stevia-sweetened Greek yogurt by Oikos is also on plan)
⢠1% cottage cheese (2% is fine for purists who cannot find 1% that fits their standards)
⢠Low-fat ricotta cheese
⢠Skim mozzarella cheese (garnish amounts only)
⢠Reduced-fat 2% hard cheeses (garnish amounts only)
⢠Laughing Cow Creamy Light Swiss cheese wedges (these are also on the list of
Fuel Pull Friendly “Personal Choice” Items
, since they are not a usual choice for purists)
FUEL PULL FRIENDLY VEGGIES (SIMILAR TO SÂ MEALS)
⢠Be liberal with all non-starchy veggies in Fuel Pull meals. Non-starchy vegetables include asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, eggplant, mushrooms, jicama, okra, tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, sugar snap peas, onions, green onions, leeks, parsley, all leafy greens, radishes, spaghetti squash, pumpkin, chest
nuts, and baby Chinese corn (there are many more). Limit butternut and acorn squash to ½-cup amounts in Fuel Pull meals.
⢠Note: Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and cooked carrots, should be avoided in Fuel Pull meals (small amounts of cooked carrots in stir-fry recipes should be okay).
FUEL PULL FRIENDLY
FRUIT (SIMILAR TO SÂ MEALS)
⢠Up to 1 cup of all kinds of
berries can be used in FP meals but keep blueberries to ½ cup, as they have more fruit sugars than other berries (Note: You don't have to always use a full cup; ¼- to ½-cup amounts of berries are just fine in FP meals and don't push carb limits as high.)
⢠Avoid other fruits except lemons and limes.
FUEL PULL GRAINS AND
BEANS (SLIGHTLY MORE LENIENT THAN SÂ MEALS SINCE FAT IS NOT A PLAYER)
⢠2 Light Rye Wasa or Ryvita crackers
⢠Up to ¼ cup beans or oats
FUEL PULL FRIENDLY OILS (SIMILAR TO EÂ MEALS)
⢠1 teaspoon oil (exception of 2 teaspoons MCT oil, explained on
this page
)
FUEL PULL FRIENDLY NUTS (SIMILAR TO EÂ MEALS)
⢠Limit nuts to garnish amounts or 1 teaspoon for nut butters.
FUEL PULL FRIENDLY
CONDIMENTS (SIMILAR TO EÂ MEALS)
⢠Mustard
⢠Horseradish sauce
⢠Hot sauce (prepared without sugar)
⢠Low-fat dressings (homemade or store-bought)
⢠Mayoâup to 1 teaspoon or just a smear
⢠Soy sauce/tamari/Bragg Liquid Aminos/Coconut Aminos
⢠All vinegars
⢠All spices prepared without sugar or needless fillers
⢠Unsweetened cocoa powder
FUEL PULL FRIENDLY HEALTHY SPECIALTY ITEMS (SIMILAR TO EÂ MEALS)
⢠Pristine Whey Protein Powder (
www.trimhealthymama.com
)
⢠Integral Collagen (
www.trimhealthymama.com
)
⢠Just Gelatin (
www.trimhealthymama.com
)
⢠Glucomannan “Gluccie” Organic Fiber Supplement (
www.trimhealthymama.com
); nonorganic version also available
⢠Plan-approved sweeteners; see
this page
for guidelines (
www.trimhealthymama.com
)
⢠Trim Healthy Mama Baking Blend (
www.trimhealthymama.com
)
⢠Pressed Peanut Flour (
www.trimhealthymama.com
)
⢠Not-Naughty-Noodles or Not-Naughty-Rice (
www.trimhealthymama.com
)
⢠Unsweetened nut milks, such as almond, cashew, or flaxseed (canned coconut milk is not Fuel Pull friendly unless small amounts of the light variety are used)