A Glimpse Into My Trim Healthy Life : My Current Go-To Meals and Daily Exercise Routines

I am overwhelmed by the response to My One Year Trim Healthy Mama Update. Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement! I love our THM community!

A few people have asked about my daily meal plans and workout routines. Being a Stay-At-Home-Mom I normally freestyle my meals and fuels. However I find that I mainly stick to the same foods for a few weeks and then change it up to something different. In the beginning I made Choco Pudding and Chocolate MIMs all the time! I still have "Martha Stewart" dreams of beautifully organized weekly meal plans and full course family dinners, complete with beautiful desserts, but for now reality requires something a little different. :)

Please remember, every body is different and I have been (and still am) Breastfeeding a beautiful chubby baby boy during my journey on THM. Now that we are beginning to wean I am adjusting my caloric intake as not to over eat since I am not automatically burning an extra 500+ calories a day.

My current daily routine looks something like this:

(6:00am) Breakfast: Old Fashioned Oats (microwaved and un-soaked, because I can never remember to soak them, even though I eat oats every morning) with a scoop of unflavored protein powder (or liquid egg whites) and Polaner Strawberry Fruit Spread {E} - I also have my cup (16oz) of coffee with 1 Tablespoon of Beef Gelatin and 1 Tablespoon Half-n-Half

On the weekends I like to change it up with Strawberry Shortcake made with a Vanilla Coconut MIM, frozen strawberries and cream {S}

(9ish)Mid Morning Snack (one of the following):

• Plain Greek Yogurt with Stevia and Berries {FP} 

• 2 Slices of Ezekiel 4:9 (or Easy {E}) Toast with 1 Light Laughing Cow Wedge and Polaners Fruit Spread {E} 

• Muffin In a Mug {S} ( if it has been a full 3 hours since breakfast)

(11:30-12pm)Lunch (one of the following):

• Sweet Potato (microwaved) topped with a can of tuna, Greek Yogurt (or cottage cheese) and Mrs Dash Fiesta Lime Seasoning and occasionally a sprinkle of skim mozzarella cheese. {E}

• Brown Rice Bowl - Brown rice, black beans, steamed (or canned) veggies, canned tuna/salmon/chicken, greek yogurt and seasonings of choice {E}

•  2 Hot Dogs (Premium Nitrate Free Turkey Franks) smothered in cheese wrapped in a Joseph's pita with a side of raw veggies and Ranch dip. {S}

•  Just Like Campbell's Tomato Soup (page 292) with Grilled Cheese made on Bread In a Mug (page 265) {S}

(3pm-4pm)Afternoon Snack (one of the following):

• Mixed Nuts and Oolong Tea {S}- usually thrown into a cup and eaten on the way to get my older two from school :-)

• Apple Slices w/ 1 tsp Peanut Butter {E}

Dinner: A note about dinner time: Four nights a week my husband and I go to the gym, however our local gym does not provide childcare so we have to take turns after he gets home from work. So our week night dinners look a little different than the weekends. I also have four extremely picky eaters so most of the time I will fix the boys something and then use that time to clean my kitchen and then I will have a Whey Protein Smoothie after the gym.


(6:00pm) On non-gym nights:

• Family Spaghetti Night (about once a week) made with Dreamfield's pasta, ground venison (cooked in bacon grease) and homemade sauce. {S}

• Bacon & Cheesy Scrambled Eggs (or fried eggs on a bed of greens) {S}

• Joseph's Pita Pizzas

Desserts:

• Skinny Chocolate{S} (page 371)
• Cake in Mug {S} (page 379)
• Cheesecake Berry Crunch {S}  (page 373)
• Frozen Berries with Cream {S} or Almond Milk {FP} poured over, let sit covered in the fridge for a few minutes and it starts to thaw the berries and freeze the cream... yum!

That is normally what my week looks like. I know I need to eat more greens and veggies but most times I am lucky just to have time to sit down and eat while my food is still hot! Sometimes I fill in the gaps with Earth Milk (Chapter 27) which is surprisingly really yummy.  I rarely eat {E} dinners because when I do I wake up starving in the middle of the night. Now that Spring is upon us our meals will probably change as we will be grilling out a lot more and the produce selection at the store increases in quality.

Exercise:

 As I mentioned above, my husband and I take turns going to the gym in the evenings. We tried for a few years to do the "home gym" thing but with four small children it just never worked out for us. As a one-income family of six, I debated for a long time about paying for a gym membership but as I began to seek God about it He opened the door and now I use that hour in the gym to be by myself (a miracle in itself) and recharge. It also is a reward of sorts for staying On Plan and continuing to pursue healthy living.

Since THM I have learned that it really isn't so much about calories in - calories out. It's about restoring your metabolism and fueling your body at the right times. So I don't worry so much about cardio-specific exercises. We go on hikes and walks as a family, so when I am at the gym I want to dedicate my time to strength training. So I lift weights. The real ones, where the guys normally work out. Because I want to be strong and have curves in the right places.

When I first started strength training (about 6 months after starting THM, when the bulk of my weight was off and I had tons more energy) I used this total body routine and really enjoyed it, however after 6 weeks I started to get bored and wanted to change it up. Since my husband is an avid body builder, he helped me plan out my current routine. I always make sure to research proper form and not lift too heavy. 

My Current Lifting Routine:

MONDAY:
Back - 4 Sets of 12-15 Reps - 30 second rest between sets

• Lat Pull Down
• Upright Row
• Seated Row - Narrow Grip
• Back Extension

Biceps - 4 Sets of 12-15 Reps - 30 second rest between sets

• Barbell Curl
• Alternating Dumbbell Curl
• Reverse Curl
• Hammer Curl - Drop Sets

TUESDAY:
Chest/Shoulders: 4 Sets of 12-15 Reps - 30 second rest between sets

• Flat Dumbbell Bench Press
• Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
• Cable Flys
• Shoulder Press - Drop sets
• Lateral Raises - Drop sets

Triceps: 4 Sets of 12-15 Reps - 30 second rest between sets

• Cable Machine Rope Pressdowns
• Cable Machine Overhead Extensions with Bar
• Bench Dips to Failure

THURSDAY:
Legs & Butt: 3 Sets of 12-15 reps - 30 second rest between sets

• Deep Squats
• Sumo Squats
• Stiff Leg Dead Lift
• Glute Bridge
• Leg Press
• Sideways Leg Press
• Walking Lunges (20)
• Leg Extensions
• Leg Curls 

FRIDAY:
Calves : 3 Sets of 12-15 Reps - 30 second rest between sets (one set toes pointed straight, one set toes pointed out, one set toes pointed in)

• Seated Calf Raise
• Standing Calf Raise (on Smith Machine, use step)
• Leg Press Calf Raise

Abs: I currently am in the process of healing my Diastasis Recti - I am down to a 2.5 finger gap and am able to do more advanced core workouts.  I am currently using this one.

So that basically sums up my week! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. However, don't copy me, find what works best for you and your life on this healthy journey. Your Trim Healthy Mama (affiliate) Book is your best resource. Email the staff at THM or visit one of the Facebook group pages because I know from personal experience, the THM community is always there to help with questions.

Until Next Time, Enjoy Finding Your TRIM!

Sonja