Trim Healthy Mama Plan: The Easy-Does-It Approach to Vibrant Health and a Slim Waistline

by Pearl Barrett, Serene Allison

Forget the Fad Diets, Join the Food Freedom Movement

Counting calories is out.  All the food groups are in.  Becoming trim and healthy doesn't have to be difficult or painstaking anymore.  After trying almost every fad diet out there, Serene Allison and Pearl Barrett, creators of the Trim Healthy Mama movement, took matters into their own hands. Through trial and error and much research, they created the TRIM HEALTHY MAMA PLAN, the breakthrough lifestyle program to help readers of all ages and stages get healthy, slim down and keep off the weight once and for all.  

Based on the authors’ successful self-published book, this simplified, improved, practical plan shows readers a unique way to lose weight and get healthy by eliminating sugar, and still eating hearty, delicious food. The biblically-sound and highly effective eating approach centers on Satisfying meals (which include more fats and protein) and Energizing meals (which include more carbs and protein), as they are the key to success.  Scrumptious whole, unprocessed foods, including fats, blood sugar friendly grains, proteins, fruits, and vegetables, are eaten in a way that boosts metabolism, yet still fits into anyone’s hectic lifestyle.  It’s family friendly and effective for pregnant and nursing mothers, pre or post- menopausal women, and also those without weight or health issues—even men and growing children.

The book includes menu plans, a list of key super foods to eat on plan, time-saving tips, and pantry stocking and lifestyle advice to help readers successfully reach their goals.

Join the Trim Healthy Mama movement and along with thousands of others, discover the groundbreaking, easy-does-it, and delicious way to eat for health and weight loss.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Reference, Self Help

336 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2015

About the author

Two sisters, Serene Allison and Pearl Barrett, are self -published and owners of their own publishing company. They are best selling authors for health & wellness, former Christian recording artists, mothers & entrepreneurs.

Reviews

[Margo Mandrillo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope. Their "Do the Doonk" YouTube video completely discredited any shrapnel of actual sound dietary advice. In the first couple chapters they admitted to being freed from vegan views because of scripture, but don't eat pork because scripture. I taken issue with claiming to be freed and enslaved over the same topic. Leave God out of your crazy. Eat some bacon and stop consuming so much stevia. Also, do your research on Weight Watchers before you slam them. I mean, they are actually backed by medical and nutritional professionals. Neither of which you are.
Egotistical.
Complicated.
Condescending. "Frankenfoods." Really? All of the THM products can be classified as inorganic.
Atkins did it first.
And, the editor (if there was one) should be fired. Way too many freaking exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Definitely not a book that can be easily embraced by the American West coast.

[Donna Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars because this book is thorough, enjoyable to read, and convincing. I think that covers all the bases for a life-changing book about diet and nutrition. I’ve been following the keto diet since I got a horrific triglyceride count last November (9 months). I’m ready to add some healthy foods back to my diet, and the information in this book is truly enlightening and well-documented. The plan is laid out clearly and the reasons are explained. I am
Impressed and excited to see if these concepts will give me more freedom while enabling me to use this knowledge to maintain my lower cholesterol counts.
2nd reading, six years after the first:
I reread this book because it is a five-star read. The plan worked then, and it still works now. These goofy ladies are geniuses. Lowered my weight and my triglycerides, as well as my A1c.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend of mine raves about this plan and has lost quite a bit of weight by doing this, and so has her family. I read this and found it interesting. The authors make it very clear that they are not medical professionals, so I wasn't ever clear on how they came up with this plan with no scientific background. Some of the info given are things that have been said many times before -- portion control, no sugar, balance, etc. And then some of it is completely new....like not mixing your fuel sources.

In the title it says, 'Keep it simple, Keep it sane.' And it is my best guess that they mean the food (keep it simple and sane--natural, whole, etc.), but this plan isn't all that simple. It takes some getting used to in order to construct the meals they suggest. And some of their suggestions and specific ingredients are available only online. I like that they direct you to their own website, as well as telling you what to "google" if you want to do some comparison shopping.

I enjoyed the 'don't stress' message and the authors seemed very personable.

[Missy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am going to be honest, I didn't read most of this book (which is unusual for me), but I skimmed about 85% of it. I am the worst at reading books that are self-help, inspirational, or the like. I thought with all the hype it would be something to help me loose a little bit of weight, but to be honest it was all a little flat and confusing. There are those out there that swear by it, and it works for them, but I just don't want something I have to constantly go back and reference to make EVERY meal I eat. Am I eating this kind of meal today, I need to eat this kind because I am feeling sluggish, I can't eat this anymore, or whatnot, I just don't have the time, the effort, or the want to. But I am glad that the people this works for it works, I have found something else that works for me and it is non-restrictive, keeps me full, and I don't have to worry about not eating something because it has sugar, or whatnot in it. I did learn somethings and all were interesting, but they are not things I am willing to change from my diet now.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

If there was an editor for this book, he/she needs to find a new career

[Karen Walton · Rating 1 out of 5]

I may come back to this book at some point. Maybe the problem is me, but when I think of "simple", " sane", and "easy-does-it" I don't envision eliminating all sugar, buying food items I've never heard of and don't know how to use/get, and changing all my eating habits. Seriously, this plan is not simple. It is drastic. And the cutsie tone of the writing isn't endearing to me, its condescending. Some day I may be ready to give up every food I love. Someday I may be happy to cook with pressed peanut flour and stevia and integral collagen. But today is not that day.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased the giant, 600+ page Trim Healthy Mama book when it first came out. I love the information and recipes but it does take some muscles to lug it out when you want to look something up!

I guess that was a common complaint which is why Pearl Barrett and Serene Allison now separated the book into two parts...the actual plan Trim Healthy Mama Plan and then a corresponding cookbook. The plan book breaks down this lifestyle, which is not a diet. Unlike fad diets, this plan is not difficult. You will focus on refueling your body every three to four hours by focusing on one primary fuel at a time. Satisfying meals which include more fats and proteins and Energizing meals which contain more carbs and proteins.

The plan book includes a menu mock-up, affordable superfoods, what to eat when you are out and about or super busy, and so much more. It truly is a 300 page guide book.

While I have the huge book myself, I would totally recommend the two separate books for anyone looking to purchase them now as it makes reading about the plan, and then cooking the recipes, so much easier.

This book was sent to my Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

[Michelle Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book basically taught how to avoid spiking my blood sugar. I love that to practice this diet there is no elimination of any food groups and I have even found a way to stop drinking Dr. Pepper. It's only been about a couple weeks since I've started reading this book but I have already lost 3 pounds. Learning how to tweak your recipes and eliminate sugar has been awesome. I recommend reading this book and giving yourself some time with it because there is a learning curve to it.

[Julia]

Hate the name; love the concept, even with the pseudoscience and weird prooftexting.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good info, the cutesy writing style was not my thing.

[Lisa Faircloth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this plan! I’ve always been convicted that I didn’t want my kids to grow up and remember me, their mom, as always being on diets, sufferingly gnawing through something weird and restrictive at my place at the table while the rest of the family enjoyed a fulfilling meal I had slaved over and “couldn’t” share with them. Trim Healthy Mama is simply about strategic fuel stacking and cycling. That’s it. No weirdness. No cutting out whole macro-nutrients. Once this logic of stacking and cycling is learned, the concepts can be applied to the meals you are already used to preparing and to outings at restaurants and cover-dish meals; no one will even notice that you’re doing anything different. At times that it is less convenient to apply the strategies (such as dining as a guest in someone’s home), simply pick back up on the next meal in 3-4 hours. I gave this a fair shot simply because I was having 2 surgeries and didn’t want to put on weight during the recoveries if possible. I followed it LOOSELY because people were bringing me food, and I thoroughly enjoyed these generous blessings without restrictions. But the meals that I was responsible for, I executed the fuel cycling and stacking concepts and managed to lose 10 pounds during my first recovery alone! Needless to say, I am sold out to this plan. I didn’t even give up wine OR gin& tonics, phew! There is also a podcast and a Facebook group for this plan which is extremely supportive and motivating while you are figuring out how the plan works; it is a great community of women, but the plan works great for dudes too. For people who want more ideas, they have a cookbook of great recipes that implement the strategies, but there are loads of bloggers who have come up with good ones too. The book could be a little more organized and less silly (hence the 4 stars) but the plan itself is a solid 5 stars. Furthermore, the authors are very special, godly women, and I’m glad I can support what they are doing to help others be their best.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's essentially the same packaging as other healthy eating plans and fad diets, but they did a good enough job with that packaging that I'm willing to give it a go.

Plus, you can eat cheese on their plan, and that alone is a win.

[Twinkletoes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read plans. Most ingredients are stuff I buy on a normal basis. Will look forward to applying some of these to my lifestyle.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

These ladies are not dietitians, nutritionists, scientists or trained in the medical field. I do not think they even went to college. They are really good at selling and promoting their product! Why so many women were eating this diet I do not know but it caught the homeschool community by storm. This is a really thick book and to me much is very unnecessary. The way of eating their diet plan doesn't always make a great deal of sense and can be confusing. For instance diet pop is not allowed but you can have stevia pop. Stevia is not well thought of especially in Europe. While I was on this for awhile I made a small chocolate everyday made from coconut, cocoa and stevia...I got sores on my tongue. I could handle the stevia in my coffee but anymore and my body reacted.The on plan sweeteners at least when I bought them were a product of China. I didn't like that as I do not trust their food industry as being pure.The on plan sweeteners and the fibers that are added to the recipes are so unnatural. They wrecked havoc on my digestive system. The special ingredients are expensive and hard to find but online. They have a website and overcharge women to be mentors/consultants who overcharge women trying to lose weight. The website has many of these specialty products, at a high cost. There is no way a whole family could afford to eat this way.The super short plan is that there are different types of meals. S MEALS are your basic "low carb" meal. E meals are lowfat, moderate carb centered around a protein.You must have 3 hours between meals. Fuels Pull meals are basically low to moderate carb vegetables with some small amount of protein. I felt E meals which I believe had to be under 50 carbs well you just cannot eat much to be under that if you are eating low fat. This plan you are not supposed to have to count calories but you almost have to until you get the hang of it. Then there is heavy S and helpers. There are so many rules. .so many! . There are some ladies who follow this but are not getting in enough protein, especially when pregnant or nursing...so for some the occasional check of nutrition per day might be needed. This is an expensive diet, although you can do without the special ingredients and focus on whole foods mainly it will make for some boring food. Some of the fat free vegan books would have foods that fit the E meals. There are several THM although they cannot claim that name cooks, bloggers and bloggers who have a wider array of recipes to fit this diet, especially for families. For anyone who tries this diet try to stick close to whole foods and lightly pre plan the day.

[Musings of a Middle-aged Mum · Rating 2 out of 5]

Trim Healthy Mama Plan was recommended to me from a friend, and we read it simultaneously, but not together. Despite meeting up fortnightly to discuss the book, we've discovered that this method didn't really work for us, so we have now gone back to reading a set number of chapters each week of a book, and meeting up weekly rather than fortnightly.

From the blurb, we thought this eating plan would dovetail nicely with the 2B Mindset book, You Can Drop It! and the fact they were writing from a Christian point of view is an added bonus.

The essence of this book is that there are two types of meals (S meals which are fat-based, and E means which are carb-based) which your body digests and processes differently. To stop your body going into a rut or being overloads, you need to mix up these types of foods whilst ensuring a long enough gap between meals/snacks to that your body is being fuelled only by either S or E foods at that sitting.
It is worth noting at this point, that I only had the plan and not the accompanying cookbook. The book regularly says about recipes that are in the cookbook, or that they can easily be found online (such as on pinterest) for free. There are a few recipes written within this book, but it is more the theory side of things.

The theory seems sound (to an uneducated person like me), however, when you look at the recipes, there seems to be much need to buy specialist foods. Rather than sugar, you need stevia, and not only one kind of stevia, but differing blends depending on whether the use it to be very sweet or medium sweet. Apparently these mixtures are detailed in the cookbook, or you can buy the premixed versions direct from https://trimhealthymama.com/. Not only sweeteners, they also recommend you buy specific flour blends, collagen, gelatin, glucomannam, whey powder, lecithin, dietary fibre, nutritional yeast, and a host of other oils and flavours to be used in your cooking. I do believe them when they say this is all natural and good for you, however, I'd rather eat whole foods that provide this or that (even if it's deemed as "less healthy") rather than have a kitchen that is stocked like a Chemistry lab.

So, this diet or eating lifestyle isn't for me. There are plenty of stories online about how this is amazing and it has worked for them, so if this review hasn't put you off, then it may be worth trying it.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not have a ton of weight to lose but I needed a new diet plan that would help me create easily-digestible meals with healthy and non-GMO ingredients, and this plan meets ALL my needs!! I have a lot of health issues and I already feel better after starting the plan a few weeks ago. These mamas have done a TON of research into not only weight loss for women but also how to find the healthiest ingredients at affordable prices. This book is better than their original one because it is shorter and easier to read when you don't have a lot of time. Yes, you may have to buy special, healthy ingredients like collagen and MCT oil to make the most of this food plan, but it is TOTALLY worth it if you are serious about bring healthy and thin and staying that way!

BOTTOM LINE: If you need a food plan that is delicious, healthy, and easy to stick with the rest of your life, look no further!! There is plenty of help out there on their website, Facebook groups, and on their podcast to help you get started and stay "on plan"!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it, living it! Have never followed a diet/eating plan before and never will follow another! Started this plan 3 years ago and am obsessed! My body has never felt better! I lost my spare tire, lost my morning aches and pains that I was always told were associated with age, and I stopped loosing my hair! My hair is amazingly healthy, I no longer have arthritis in my hands, and my knees are in much better shape. I went from weekly migraines to only a few seasonal migraines. I used this plan to help my special needs daughter gain weight! He doctors were very happy after years of trying to follow nutritionists advice, I followed the explanations expressed in this book, and she has been gaining steady weight over the last 3 years... finally! Our oldest daughter was developing early signs of Type 2 Diabetes, guiding her with this diet plan helped her to reverse and stop the progression. She no longer has symptoms, and feels better. Best of all, I have reduced several health concerns that have plagued me for years.

[J · Rating 1 out of 5]

Some things I like: no focus on calorie counting, emphasis on individual choices be it convenience food, etc, and stating the plan will look different for everyone.

On the other hand, I'm not convinced by the "science" in this book. There's no reason to avoid fats and carbs paired together. It's just another way to restrict calories and food choices. There's a huge emphasis on special ingredients (stevia, etc) rather than encouraging mindful quantities of cookies and other things containing *gasp* sugar and white flour. I know this diet works for some people, but restricting so much is not sustainable for most people, and will likely backfire in the long term.

Also, one teaspoon of peanut butter is not enough for anyone, and I'm going to enjoy my carby apple with as much fatty peanut butter as I like, thankyouverymuch. Defatted peanut powder is fine for some things, but really not a replacement for the real thing. /endrant

[Johanna Sawyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sane… simple… practical are not names I would associate with this book. I wish I’d of bought the larger book because now it’s double the price to also get the cookbook.

I gave it a star for the wisdom of MCT oil and Oolong tea but most of the information in this book was scattered and hard to follow. Yes the best way to lose weight is to not spike sugar but they said it best when they said they were not doctors.

I have a hard time also recommending a book that constantly refers to another book. It’s a weird thing to do since you will still need both books. I have met people who have tried this diet and it worked for them which gave the author a second star. Online though you have to pay for a membership or offer up your information to get any recipes. I’m still processing the huge amount of information underneath all the senseless chatter in the book. So far I’d just like some clear cut instructions.

I bought a second hand copy of this book.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this from the library because I had heard good things, and I am trying to be more conscious on what I consume during this pregnancy compared to my first…but this did seem similar to some other plans I have come across. I did like the practical advice and menu suggestions, and overall, the plan seems to be based on alternating meals with carbohydrates.

What I didn’t like is that the writing was a little too hokey for my tastes, and the fact that the book was interspersed with ads for their own products (which I get, but it was a lot).

I am glad I looked over this book, but I am equally glad I got it from the library.

[Amanda Richards · Rating 1 out of 5]

I felt like I was being lectured for the entirety of the book. The style of "humor" was off-putting. It honestly reminded me of a 50's housewife handing out backhanded compliments.
The diet itself has little, if any, scientific basis. They also promote their own products constantly. I'm always hesitant of any nutrition book that reads more like an ad for "special" products.
Lastly, I simply couldn't fathom giving these women any additional money once I found several articles concerning their history of strongly suspected child abuse.

[Mary Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

Totally confusing

Thoroughly confusing, even for an intelligent person with two college degrees. S, E, crossover, Fuel Pull, what the heck? It's a surefire way to be so confused about what to eat when you're hungry that you just give up and eat whatever's handy. They look pretty and the packaging is great but it's just another moneymaking scheme. Stay away and save your money like I didn't.




horoughly confusing

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I put reading this book off because the original THM book was a bit bigger and harder to read. This one is more user friendly and gets to the point much better than the original THM book. It’s a great way to start on healthy living using the Trim Healthy Mama plan which works well for me as long as I stick with it.

[Helena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting ideas, but in the end I'm just not sure I can get behind an eating plan that's based on "biblical foods" rather than scientific research. (Not sure that it matters, but I am Christian--this just doesn't seem like a sound approach to food to me.) I think I'll just stick with Michael Pollan's advice: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

[Abby Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't read the whole thing the second time through, just reviewed a few things.


I had to get over their goofy, silly, fluffiness...and a little bad theology...but very helpful. I'm so excited to be using this plan and eating actual food again.

[wanderer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What?! I read this--a diet book-- in two settings.

[Emmie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second time reading this book and it was just as good this time around as it was the first!

It's been about two years since I first blazed through this book to learn a healthier way of eating and living and I enjoyed it as much if not more the second time around. The tagline of the book is "Keep it simple, Keep it sane" and that is exactly what this book on the Trim Healthy Mama Plan does. Having to relearn so much of what is true in the nutrition world is already challenging, but Serene and Pearl keep it simple and to the point in their shorter book. I have not read the original book so I cannot compare the two but I highly recommend this one for understanding the basics of their eating plan.

Why do I recommend this book? As a healthcare professional I have learned so many different ideologies about what nutrition is supposed to be. As a Christian I have heard a lot of theories about how the Bible says we should eat. This book is the first time I have seen people explain eating in a way that makes sense to me as both a Christian and a healthcare professional! This is such a breath of fresh air in a world that has so many mixed messages about food, dieting, and what healthy living looks like. It just makes sense with the Bible and how we understand the body to work.

I also recommend this book because they have done a thorough job of researching what is out there and presenting it in a way that is easy for anyone to read. They are not afraid of agreeing to disagree which is incredible! I love that these two sisters have completely different approaches to the same eating plan. That tells me that it is adaptable to anyone. Having learned to eat on their plan in the last two years I can attest that, yes, anyone can eat on this plan! The whole basis of the plan is to eat what your body needs in order to nourish it well. This book gives you a foundation and then tells you to take what you've learned and figure out how to use it best for you.

This book is written by women to women, but as I already mentioned, anyone can eat on this plan no matter age, stage or gender. In fact they point out if your diet cannot be used in every phase of life, how are you supposed to live on it? I've eaten on this plan pregnant, breastfeeding and in between. My kids love the way we eat and Jim is well nourished as a Trim Healthy Man. It's a winner for the whole family.

Some may not like the sister banter in this book, but I personally appreciate how it shows the difference between them and brings out the diversity of their approach.

I give this book 5 stars hands down!

[Jolene Underwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a much better version of the original book, which was painful to read. The first edition was hugee and included so much sister chatter that I wasn't able to get through it. Understanding the THM plan is really not that difficult, but I found it hard to grasp for quite some time due to the extra long conversations.

That being said, I have a friend who loves the chatter between the sisters. I want to get to the point. I want to understand the what, the why, and the how. Also, I've been looking for THM quick tips sheets that highlight foods by group for the different meal recommended in their plans. Primarily, E (Energizing), S (Satisyfing), and some FP (Fuel Pulls). I haven't found it so I had to create my own sheet based on several pages of information in this revised book.

I would love to see an edition of this book that includes easy to scan pages for tips on getting started and tips for E, S, FP foods. One of the key points, as I understand it, is the number of fats and carbs to include. As well as healthy amounts of protein. It would be nice to have a page that includes these numbers broken down simply. It's very hard to find this clear information even in the chapters that cover each meal type. It's hidden in the words somewhere, but I've had to google answers from other people.

Many friends of mine have had good success on THM. I believe it could be helpful for me as it addresses some of my downfalls in eating. However, I found it awfully hard to wrap my brain around what foods to eat with what and what's not OK to combine. Also, I would like to know more information about portions that are within healthy realms.

I hope they come out with a revised version in the future that includes more clear guidance. This version is much clearer than the first, but I need something with simple to read and easy to reference pages.

[Corey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciate the emphasis on Whole Foods and no sugar (though I'm not sure I can truly do that 100%). The theory is a lot like carb cycling but I'm a big fan of the Weston Price principles so I really appreciate the lean that direction: no recommendations for aspartame-laden (or even Splenda) foods or drinks and encouragement toward inclusion of naturally cultured probiotic foods, etc.
I also appreciate that this is a life-long style of eating, not a diet. You don't go back to the way you used to eat after you've lost the weight. And there are recommendations to allow everyone to eat "on plan" through any stage of life, including pregnancy and nursing.
They recommend some products that they sell on their website but also list alternatives if you don't care to purchase from them (and they say that they only began selling their own products after readers practically begged them to).
As for the writing, it's a little too cutesy for me but it's their book and they can write it however they want to. Same goes for the religion in the book- if you don't like it, skim it. Their faith is different from mine but I didn't find anything they wrote offensive and admire the fact that they aren't afraid to include religion for fear that it may hurt their book sales.
I also got the companion cookbook from my library and was planning to purchase that but saw that they have a newer version coming out this month. Now I'm not sure which to get. If the prices on used copies of the old one had gone down, I'd likely buy both but the prices are still relatively high. Anyone have a recommendation? I heard that they didn't include many recipes from the first one in the second and I expect they'll have mostly new recipes in this third version as well.

[Chloe (Always Booked) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. For what this is, I thought it was great. It’s a diet manual written in a funny, relatable way with lots of applicable examples for many different populations. The theory is that you have E and S meals- energizing and satisfying. Your body gets its fuel from carbs (E) is fats (S) but having both at each meal is more than our bodies can metabolize therefore we accumulate excess weight. There’s additional meal types, but these are the main 2. The authors walk through all types of people and how to apply (ex: drive through Sue, the crunchy mama, moms on a budget, nursing/ pregnant, maintenace, kids, men, etc.) including a week long sample meal plan. There’s lots of research included about hormones and diet, as well as a great explanation of different superfood ideas that aren’t the typical ones. The authors have a whole product line but they’re not pushy at all about buying them. Finally, this book is written from a Christian perspective which I really liked.
Personally I think that a diet plan and the focus on losing weight is not helpful and puts the emphasis on arbitrary numbers and superficiality, but this is a fundamental issue of mine and I knew what I was getting into with this book. This book does not push calorie counting or measuring and is more of a lifestyle idea, but the emphasis is just a little too strong on approved/ disapproved foods and the diet mentality. This book is also very heavily biased toward women and applies a lot of stereotypes. I definitely won’t be following this plan in full, but not because it’s a bad plan, just because I don’t believe in following a weight loss plan.
If you’re interested in losing weight or changing your way of eating, I would recommend this book.