Hello, Lovely!
Summer was the BEST because...
We bought e-bikes for Mother's Day and Father's day. I've always wanted a newer bike. We live on a lovely bike trail which I've been riding on for nine years and really enjoy it. We have a whole bike garage filled with garage sale bikes and half-broken bikes. My bike was 20 years old, so I decided to go bike shopping. I tried out three bikes at a bike store and decided that I would give the electronic assist bike a try and really liked it.
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I have only missed four days of riding in four months because I love my bike so much. My favorite ride is 30 miles on the bike trail through two ponds and around two beautiful Michigan lakes.
The benefits of riding:
Fresh air
Taking in God's creation
Time to relax my mind and pray
Listening to podcasts to grow in my Faith and Health
Exercise
Toned legs
What is an e-bike?
A bike that assists the rider's pedal power which makes your ride longer and much more enjoyable. You can tackle hills with confidence! You can enjoy a longer rider and go further. There are levels of assistance, so you pick how much the e-bike will assist you. Yes, you're pedaling the whole time... It's just much more pleasurable.
What e-bikes would I recommend?
My bike is a Como Specialized.
Find the link on the button below!
My husband and three sons have the Tero Specialized e-bike:
Have I experienced any downsides?
The downside of an e-bike from a year's experience and over 3,100 miles and 192 hours on a bike:
1. Bike parts are not always in stock
2. Two flat tires
I ended up getting puncture-proof tubes and tires with more of a grip, so I have more control. This was a game changer!
How long does the e-bike last on battery?
This depends on how much you weigh, your speed, and how much assistance you use on the bike.
We can go 30 miles on a full charge with full assistance.
What happens when you run out of battery?
You pedal like a normal bike, but it's even harder than a normal bike, so be prepared to get a major workout and it will remind you how much you love your e-bike!
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What extra things did I need to make bike riding more enjoyable?
A water bottle holder
A basket to hold my groceries
A kickstand is a must for me!
(Mine came with one, but the boy's bike did not)
Bike shorts
Here is a link to the bike shorts I have:
One of my favorite things to do is to ride my bike to the Farmer's Market to get fresh fruits and veggies! I have a whole blog about that here.
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What do I do for my arms?
I don't want to leave my arms out eight months of the year while I'm riding my bike for exercise, so I have found my FAVORITE youtube workout videos to do around 15 minutes in the morning. I love them because they are choreographed to my favorite Christian songs, have a verse and the lady is dressed modestly, which is important to me when I have four guys in the house with me. I encourage you to check her out here. I love her playlists of workouts that are 3-6 minutes long and choregraphed to Christian music.
There you have it! This is all the information you need to get out there and get pedaling!
Remember, diet and exercise are two of the most important pillars of a healthy life. I honestly believe that you should find an exercise that YOU ENJOY, and focus on that!
For help with your diet, please take a look at my Firm Foundation! In this course, we will learn about the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle. This lifestyle is not a diet or a fad, but a set of principles to live by that will give you energy, and vitality and take you from just surviving to THRIVING!
Happy cycling!!!
Blessings,
Charity
Hello, Lovely!
You've heard me say many times before, I'm here to help you succeed on your THM journey!
A key to staying faithful is accountability and tracking your meals and the time you ate them.
Here are two apps for meal tracking, accountability, progress tracking, and food pics:
THM Journey App
The THM Journey App is available to track your meals and you can see what other people are eating on their journey. My favorite part is you can choose your meal type, so you can document how many S, E, FP and XO meals you're eating.
You can download the Journey App for one low, lifetime price, follow others in similar circumstances, post meals for accountability, and track your progress. You can follow me at Faith, Hope & Charity. Here is a screenshot of how my profile on my app looks:
As you can see you can track your progress, set your goals, keep a selfie journal and track your progress through comparison shots.
You can download it for Android or Apple and the cost is $7.99
If you're in my coaching program, I encourage the THM Journey app over the Ate App because it's the one I use, but I still wanted to let you know of the one I used before THM came out with theirs.
The Ate App:
The Ate App is really great because it shows the timestamp of when you ate.
This app used to be free, but I am pretty sure there is now a charge to download it on Apple and Android.
Using an App to track my meals, goals, and achievements has been life-changing!
It really is the key to helping you be successful on your journey. I hope you will consider getting it!
Have you heard about my Firm Foundation Course? We do a book study on the THM Plan Book and I am available to help and answer your questions every step of the way! Check it out here:
Let me know if you have any follow-up questions.
Remember, I am here to help.
Blessings,
Charity
Hello Lovely
Did you know that Vitamin D is SO GOOD for you?
Vitamin D is both a nutrient we eat and a hormone our bodies make.
Vitamin D is a nutrient your body needs for building and maintaining healthy bones.
I'm from not-so-sunny Michigan, so I have to find all kinds of creative ways to get my vitamin D in. In the Wintertime, I have to supplement with vitamin D and I eat tuna, fatty fish, egg yolks, and spinach quite often to get some vitamin D into my diet.
Fun fact!
Did you know that if you leave your mushrooms out in the sun for a few hours before cooking, they will soak up Vitamin D?
If you cook them straight out of the fridge, they will have a Vitamin D count of 0.
But if you leave them out in the sun for a while that count can go up to 800 - 1000.
Mushrooms were not a favorite of mine, but when I heard about their benefits, I knew I needed to give them a try! I started out with just a little in spaghetti sauce, omelets, on top of salads, and the veggie hack recipe (see below!)
I'm working my way to enjoying something I couldn't stand before.
Take a look at these amazing benefits of mushrooms!
Biking is my favorite thing to do this Summer and the timing of high gas prices has stepped up my biking to a whole new level. I ride my bike to do my errands and my favorite spot to bike is the farmer's market by the lake where they have fresh mushrooms. Can I just say the dose of vitamin D I get from riding in the sun, buying local mushrooms, and sunning them in my bike basket while listening to the Trim Healthy Mama poddy on the way home has brought me to a whole new level of feeling accomplished, joyful and healthy! Yes, I tell my family all the time now, do you know I rode my bike to get this dinner? It makes the food taste so much better!
I'm saving money on gas.
I'm soaking up the sun's rays.
I'm buying healthy, local fresh fruits and veggies.
I'm getting fresh air.
I'm taking in nature.
I'm getting exercise.
I'm spending time with my family (when they ride with me)
I'm learning from podcasts!
It's been a fantastic addition to my lifestyle and it's something I would highly recommend!
If you dislike mushrooms, here is a mushroom hack recipe and video for you:
Do you like mushrooms? How do you use them in your cooking? I do hope you find this information helpful!
Remember to sun your mushrooms before cooking!
Do you have any questions or need help on your THM journey?
Please feel free to reach out and contact me.
I'd love to help you become the very best version of yourself!
Blessings,
Charity
Hello, Lovely!
Ketchup is a firm family favorite out of all the condiments, so it's important to find an on-plan alternative!
Ketchup has some natural sugar from the tomatoes and that’s fine to use.
What we’re avoiding is the ADDED sugar many brands contain.
Here are some great examples of on-plan ketchup:
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Primal Kitchen | Yo Mama's |
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Heinz | Heinz, with Stevia | Simple Truth Organic | Hellmann's |
If ketchup is sweetened with honey (like the Heinz above), it's not ideal for weight loss.
But, if you stick to a small amount and keep it infrequent, it's a better choice than ketchup sweetened with regular sugar.
The Heinz No Sugar Added ketchup has 2 options. One with stevia (on plan) and one with Sucralose (not on plan).
Our Walmarts have both in store, so it could be easy to grab the wrong one.
Look for the green circle that says "Sweetness from plants" and grab that one!
Most kinds of ketchup are laden with sugar. We don’t get too worried if you order a lettuce-wrapped burger with ketchup at a drive-thru here and there, but it’s a great idea to keep a healthier ketchup on hand at home.
THM Homemade Ketchup FP
THM homemade ketchup is awesome, easy and quick to make, and tastes even better!
Click on this link for the recipe:
You can also find this recipe on page 411 of the Original Trim Healthy Mama book and page 482 of the Trim Healthy Cookbook!
Will you be trying this great recipe? Or are you more of a store-bought kind of person? I'd love to know what you think!
Please remember that I am always available if you have any questions or concerns.
My goal is to help you succeed on your THM journey!
Blessings,
Charity
Hello, Lovely!
Staying on the THM eating plan can sometimes be challenging, especially if you don’t have the time to make everything from scratch.
Bread is a particularly difficult pitfall for most because it’s so easy to grab and make a quick sandwich.
Have no fear though, I am always here to help!
When it comes to bread, you need to look for Sprouted or Soured bread, as it’s easier on the digestive system.
Sprouted bread:
With sprouted bread, it has to meet two requirements:
Sourdough:
The requirements for Sourdough are slightly different:
For sprouted the first ingredient needs to be sprouted flour of whatever the bread is made of.
For sourdough, the first ingredient needs to be whole wheat, or any flour in the whole form, and they cannot use yeast in the ingredients as most of the time when they do it’s not soured properly. Sourdough needs to ferment at room temp for at least 7 hours or fridge ferment for at least 24 hours!
An on-plan sourdough needs to be made primarily from whole grain flour, such as whole wheat flour.
While yeast is not off-plan, we use it as a "clue" in sourdough bread. To fit plan guidelines, a sourdough needs to ferment at room temperature for a minimum of 7 hours. So when we find yeast in store-bought sourdough, it's typically used to speed up the fermenting process. Abbreviating the fermenting process makes it fall outside of the 7-hour minimum guideline.
A couple of times, we have encountered true sourdoughs that have a small amount of yeast added to a loaf for the extra rise and better crumb. In these rare cases, yeast is one of the last ingredients because it's such a tiny amount.
When in doubt, it's a good idea to send the bread manufacturer an email to inquire how long they ferment their sourdough.
To summarize, take note of the requirements for each:
Where Can I buy this bread?
There are a number of options to choose from when it comes to store-bought bread, you just need to know which brands to look for.
I’ve compiled a list of On-Plan bread below.
Click on each picture for the link to purchase.
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How to Eat (& Like) Sprouted Bread
If you have not eaten sprouted bread before, it does take a little adjusting to.
Especially if you are coming from a super soft white bread.
So what is the key to liking sprouted bread?
Try toasting the bread!
Let's make a sandwich together HERE!
Use code fhc to view.
If you DO want to bake your own bread, you can’t go wrong with THM’s Fuel Pull No Carb Easy Bread.
I do hope you found this blog helpful!
Remember I am here to empower you to make healthy, on-plan, choices that will boost your overall health and help you reach your THM goals!
Please feel free to reach out and contact me if you need any extra help and support!
Blessings,
Charity
