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Have you been following the Trim Healthy Mama plan for awhile but find yourself to be a very slow loser? Maybe your body needs a change. Here are some common ruts I’ve fallen into myself:
- extravagant portions
- too much rich food
- dessert at lunch and supper every day
- eating late at night
- not enough E meals
- nonexistent Fuel Pulls
- an overload of cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, and peanut butter
Don’t get me wrong – on Trim Healthy Mama you don’t have to skimp on portions. You can eat rich foods. You can have cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, and peanut butter. We don’t count calories (what kind of life is that??), but as Pearl and Serene mention in their plan books, being calorie conscious is a good thing! If you have a voracious appetite, load up on the veggies…not on three helpings of cream-cheesy dessert. Focus on foundation fats like butter, coconut oil, and the fats from meat (bacon, anyone?) instead of fats that aren’t as efficient for your body to process (cream cheese and peanut butter being some of the most commonly over-used). As you can see in this sample menu, I’ve included both cream cheese and peanut butter because you can totally have them! However, I’ve scaled them back to moderate portions. Here are some of the things I focused on when making this sample menu:
- Easy foods
- Plenty of E meals
- Fuel Pulls scattered throughout
- Moderate portions of heavy foods such as cream cheese and peanut butter
- Fewer side dishes
- More salads and “foundation foods”
- Moderate portions
As I’ve covered in my old post on food freedom versus gluttony, some people need to be told to eat more. You don’t have to be afraid of your food! However, some of us have never had an eating disorder, an unhealthy fear of food, or a propensity to diet. Nope – I have always loved and consumed food in generous quantities. Therefore, I’m one of those people that needs to learn how to be content with less (because often I don’t necessarily eat because I’m hungry but because I’m bored/happy/sad/just plain enjoy the food). This menu reflects that with its portion sizes and fewer side dishes (PS-fewer side dishes means less cooking and less dishes). If you decide to use this menu as a guide at some point, please feel free to adjust it to meet your own needs. I’m no nutritionist, and this is only a general guide to help people like me who tend to eat too much get some ideas about where they could cut back.
You’ll notice that there are no evening snacks included in this menu. I tend to eat too much late at night (partly because I tend to go to bed too late), so I’ve really been trying to cut back on that lately. If you feel that you need a late night snack, try something light. This Raspberry Italian Cream Soda is a great option because it’s light but gives you something to consume. Some Strawberry Lemonade with a scoop of collagen or this Instant Frozen Coffee Pudding would also be great options.
Other posts/pages you might enjoy:
- Not sure what this whole “Trim Healthy Mama” thing is? Check out this page to find out more about this healthy eating lifestyle.
- Does this post hit home with you? Check out this post on “Food Freedom vs. Gluttony” or this post covering “Dos and Don’ts From a THM Veteran“.
- Click here to check out all my sample menus.
- Click here to browse my picture recipe index.
Optional prep for this menu:
- Hard-boiled eggs (6)
- Trim Healthy Pancakes from the original THM book (make the large batch; they reheat well)
- Uncle Bubba Bars (chocolate chip cookie dough cream cheese bars)
- Banana Bars
- consider thinning down your Ranch dressing with a little water to cut back on some needless calories (the dressing coats your salad better when it’s thinner, anyway)
- consider making some peanut butter using defatted peanut flour, salt, sweetener, and water to cut back on needless calories as well
(Menu follows the form Breakfast, Lunch, Snack, Supper)
Monday:
- B – (S) Cinnamon Roll scrambled eggs (lotsa coconut oil!)
- L – (E) Trim Healthy Pancakes with low fat Greek yogurt, blueberries, and sugar free syrup
- S – (S) 2 slices cheddar cheese with some deli meat, wrapped in lettuce
- S – (S) Mommy’s Meatloaf, salad with Ranch, Uncle Bubba Bar
Tuesday:
- B – (E) My Fave Overnight Oatmeal
- L – (S) Large salad with 2 hard-boiled eggs, cucumbers, sliced bell pepper, sliced mushrooms, sliced strawberries, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and Italian seasoning
- S – (E) Ice Cold Fruit Smoothie
- S – (E) Rice and Beans, green peas, Banana Bar
Wednesday:
- B – (S) 2 eggs fried in coconut oil with diced turkey bacon (feel free to add sliced onions, mushrooms, and peppers for added veggies)
- L – (E) Leftover Rice and Beans, sliced carrots, low fat cottage cheese with Sweet Blend and cocoa powder
- S – (FP) Mock Arby’s Jamocha Shake (feel free to add spinach for an extra veggie boost; replace the cream with half and half or more almond milk to make this a FP, or leave the cream in and enjoy as an S)
- S – (S) leftover Mommy’s Meatloaf, salad with Ranch, Uncle Bubba Bar
Thursday:
- B – (E) Trim Healthy Pancakes with cottage cheese, Sweet Blend, peanut butter made with defatted peanut flour, and sliced strawberries
- L – (FP) 2 Light Rye Wasa crackers with Buffalo Chicken Salad, dill pickles and crudités, sliced strawberries
- S – (S) Pork rinds
- S – (S) Parmesan Chicken Tenders, roasted green beans, Uncle Bubba Bar
Friday:
- B – (S) Peanut Butter Milkshake (feel free to add spinach)
- L – (S) Large salad with 2 hard-boiled eggs, a little shredded cheese, cucumbers, Ranch, and hot sauce
- S – (FP) a few slices of lean deli meat wrapped in lettuce and some dill pickles
- S – (E) Grilled Chicken, baked sweet potato with a teaspoon of butter/salt/Sweet Blend/cinnamon, Banana Bar
Saturday:
- B – (E) Trim Healthy Pancakes with low fat Greek yogurt, blueberries, and sugar free syrup
- L – (FP) 2 Light Rye Wasa crackers with Buffalo Chicken Salad, dill pickles and crudités, sliced strawberries
- S – (S) 2 hard-boiled eggs and celery sticks with a moderate amount of peanut butter (if you’re using peanut butter made with defatted peanut flour, it doesn’t hurt to be more liberal with your servings)
- S – (E) leftover Grilled Chicken, baked sweet potato with a teaspoon of butter/salt/Sweet Blend/cinnamon, Banana Bar
Sunday: (main meal is at lunch instead of supper)
- B – (S) Detox Porridge with a side of turkey or pork bacon for protein
- L – (S) cabbage sautéed in butter or coconut oil and garlic salt with kielbasa, Uncle Bubba Bar
- S – (S) Instant PB&J Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
- S – (FP) Mock Frosted Lemonade with added spinach for some veggies
Sally Dasto says
Thank you for sharing this! It seems delicious and so easy to follow!
Brunella D Brunet says
love the back to basic’s menu.
Elizabeth Pietrzak says
Thank you so much Briana! This is the life saver I’ve been needing! I’ve been fairly successful at eating THM style for a couple of years, but I’m always scrambling to make meals, since planning isn’t a gift of mine, lol. I went shopping yesterday and am food prepping today. You are so generous to share your cooking and planning skills with people like me. 🙂
Lisa says
is it possible to make this printer friendly? I just printed it and it was 12 pages long!
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
Hi Lisa! I’m afraid I don’t have a printable form available right now, but if you just copy and paste the parts that matter to you into a Word doc and print it would probably take about 2 pages, depending on your font size. 🙂
Helen Braun says
I would like to see this with a button to print! So much easier to have a visual in front of me as compared to the screen – getting older! Lol!
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
That’s a good idea! I haven’t figured out how to do downloadable printables and such yet, but maybe I can in the future. You can always use your mouse to highlight what you want to print, then paste it into a Word document and print from there. 🙂
Sandy says
My downfall is eating late at night…..I don’t know why, I get SO hungry then! And always for fatty, hi-cal foods!
Glenda says
Briana I believe you will help so many with info like this. People do get discouraged on THM when they don’t lose and then they think the plan isn’t working for them – but they just need to learn how to juggle the foods like you’ve shown here. Calories do matter and you’ve shown a good way to manage that fact. Thanks for all you do for all of us!
Ingrid says
Hi,
I’ve never commented to a blog before but I just wanted to thank you for all your hard work. Your cookbook is lovely and a pleasure to read.
Thank you as well for the menus, if possible could you include a shopping list? Due to possible laziness or just too busy; I often abandon these great recipes before starting because of the unusual ingredients.
That would help me so much. Thank you.
Briana Thomas says
Hi Ingrid! I’m glad you enjoy the recipes! I’ll keep your shopping list in mind for the future. I generally just try to use ingredients that we keep on hand. Here’s a basic shopping list that may be helpful: https://www.briana-thomas.com/brianas-list-of-thm-staples/
We do a big shopping trip every couple of weeks to keep us supplied for awhile. 🙂
Katie says
I too would LOVE to have shopping lists included!!! My issue isn’t with the unusual ingredients, just with making time to sit down and open each recipe to determine the necessary ingredients for the week as a whole. I end up just trying to wing it each night, which is isn’t good in the long run for my body or our budget. I know it is an excuse and comes down to shifting priorities, but it’s hard to get started.
Barbara Pettit says
Hi Brianna, I also enjoy your writings and recipes. I am looking for a white cake THM recipe. Do you have one?
Thank you, Barbara
Briana Thomas says
Hi Barbara! I have a full size white cake recipe here: https://www.briana-thomas.com/basic-white-cake/
Here’s a 5 ingredient single serve white cake: https://www.briana-thomas.com/5-ingredient-white-cake/
jen b says
I noticed you said to water down ranch dressing with water- have you tried “pickle juice”? I used to add dill in my ranch recipe, but discovered I get a thinner dressing with loads of dill taste if I just pour a little of the dill flavored vinegar from the dill pickle jar into my homemade ranch dressing!
Briana Thomas says
That’s a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Rebecca Yoder says
So love your recipes and most excited about your cookbook!
Joanie says
Is there a certain time of night you quit eating? I see that you don’t have any desserts listed on your menu plan….and you have many yummy recipes for ice cream. Should I not be eating dessert with your plan? 🙁
Briana Thomas says
No, I don’t really have a hard and fast rule for night time eating; I’m just trying to cut back on that in general. Actually, there is dessert listed to go with each supper meal. 🙂 In this menu, I was just trying to cut back on eating dessert so much because I have personally been overdoing it lately. Just find out what works for you. 🙂 In this menu, I was just trying to give some ideas to people who, like me, are trying to shed some stubborn pounds and have found that their metabolisms can’t handle as much rich foods as some other people can.
Shannon Pace says
Thank you B! This is great! The one problem
I have is breakfast. I don’t eat eggs. At all. Doesn’t matter how I cook them I just can’t take the smell and texture. What would you recommend for breakfast instead of
Boiled eggs etc. also almond milk, can’t take it. I’ve tried and tried and every time I just want to throw up ???. I ❤️ Half and half though. Can I use it in place of almond milk in your recipes? Sorry to bug
You but thanks for the help!
Briana Thomas says
Hi Shannon! I have lots of breakfast recipes here that don’t include eggs, so feel free to pick and choose! https://www.briana-thomas.com/indexes/complete-pictorial-recipe-index/breakfast I recommend switching up between S and E for breakfast so your body doesn’t get stuck in a rut.
Recommendation: don’t drink almond milk plain…lol. Can you use it in shakes? Using half and half would work in some recipes, but in recipes that use larger quantities of almond milk, the half and half would give you quite a few more calories, and you’d have to watch your fat intake with E and FP meals. So in some cases, it would work but in others it wouldn’t be an ideal solution. Have you tried cashew milk? Maybe that would be more to your liking.
Kristina says
Thank you very much for you hard work and dedication. If a late night snack is needed after supper what are your suggestions? Thanks
Briana Thomas says
I have a few included in the post. 🙂
Natalie says
how do you make the mock Arby’s jamocha shake a FP?
Briana Thomas says
Oops, I forgot to mention that; thanks for catching that for me! To make the shake a FP, replace the cream with half and half or more almond milk (or just leave the cream and enjoy the shake as an S).
Natalie says
Thanks!!! Love your recipes!
Elizabeth says
Rice and beans: how much of each do you eat for a E meal?
Briana Thomas says
For me, I usually just eat a moderate-sized portion and don’t measure. If you want actual numbers, I believe you can have 1.5 cups cooked beans or 3/4 cup brown rice in an E meal as your carb source, so if you’re eating the two together, halve those amounts. 🙂 In my rice and beans recipe, the beans have other liquids and fillers added in with them, so you could have a little more than the recommended serving size I mentioned.
Julia Sands says
Brianna, I have been a fan of your recipes for about a year, but recently subscribed to your blog. I am very impressed with your writing skills. It is intelligent with a sprinkle of humor and easy to follow. You are blessed with many talents. Thank you for sharing them with us!
Briana Thomas says
Thank you for the sweet words, Julia!
Brenley says
After reading like the first two lines of this post, i was pretty sure you had written it to me! 🙂 I’m just a teenager but for quite a while by now I have been trying to eat “on plan” at home most of the time. But I’m seeing no results!! (which is a little sad). I think I tend to consume too many calories (hey, who doesn’t like whipped cream and cream cheese and cheese and all that good stuff?!?). And possibly my portions are too big. Hopefully this post gave me the encouragement that I need to get “strictly back on track”!!!!
Briana Thomas says
I’m so glad it was helpful! Thanks for stopping by, Brenley!
Chrisitna says
THanks so much for this wonderful article. It is much-needed in my THM journey. I am so thankful for your blog. Thanks for all your hard work 🙂
Sadi says
Hey Briana, I know you probably already said this before… but where do you buy your Wasa crackers? I haven’t been able to find them anywhere. Also about how much do they cost (and how many come in a package)? Thanks
Briana Thomas says
I can often find them at discount grocery stores for about a dollar a package. I can also get them at Ingles, a local grocery store, in the cracker aisle. I think they’re $2-$3. According to Wasa’s website, there are about 20 crackers in a package.
Savilla says
Check at Big Lots, most always I see them there.
LaRae says
In our local grocery store chain, they are never with the crackers. I asked why and was told they were in the “toasting isle” not sure what that means…other ‘fancy’ crackers were there too. So ask if you don’t see them in the regular cracker isle! They are usually on the very bottom shelf near the floor, too! Having a photo from online helps too, as some employees will remember seeing them but not necessarily the the name. Hope that helps!