Welcome to Simply Susan, where I write honestly about faith, marriage, motherhood and the everyday threads of God's grace.
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Articles
THM can be a framework, an educational tool. A template. Not a dietary restriction that one must abide by or ‘else’. Like most women, my life is busy, full, rich, too much of everything to be bound by more rules. Yet, without some sort of framework my health would deteriorate into something that leaves me with no functioning life. I need some sort of template in order to function and work towards health.
What is a Deep S meal? When should we eat them? Here is a brief rundown of what Deep S is and what it is good for.
The sisters often encourage us to do THM our way. What does that mean? This is THM your way. And THM, unlike most other eating philosophies, has room for ALL types of people! Your home looks different to mine and they both look different to someone else’s. As they should be.
THM Hack for Coconut Lemon Chicken Soup. (S)
Roasting pre packaged, cheap veggies to an already easy meal = more yumminess and more nutrition. A THM E meal.
For health AND weight loss, Ingredients Trump Numbers Every Time.
I’ve been on my quest. A quest to satisfy my daily habit. I have tried everything – almond, cashew, coconut, sunflower, flax, hemp and blends but none of them have been able to satisfy me. Until now. The inspiration came to me while making the instant cookie dough protein bars which are yummy and hit the spot. Low Carb Milk.
You know why I love this lifestyle more than any other eating plan I’ve done? Because it isn’t just trim. And it isn’t just healthy. And it isn’t just for me but the whole family. It is Trim *AND* Healthy. It is an eating plan for life that is affordable, sustainable and achievable in the long term.
I’m a creature of habit and convenience. I’m a Drive Thru Sue with Purist ideals. This is a typical week’s worth of meals in my home. I don’t like shakes or smoothies and I’m quite conservative with my drinks. I’ll try about 3 shakes or smoothies per year and gag every time. It’s just not my thing. Coffee is though. Hmm coffee. Coffee, chamomile tea, green tea and Good Girl Moonshine are regular drinks.
Regular readers and friends will know about my search for a dairy milk replacement that I can...
What is Green Matcha powder and why would anyone eat it?
Delicious Coconut Pancakes with Blueberries & Vanilla Cream is an S meal for those following THM.
I’ve tried juicing, green smoothies, lots of raw foods, coconut oil and more. I’ve read and tried BodyTrim, Jenny Craig, Dukan Diet, The Maker’s Diet, Nourishing Traditions, Eat Fat to Lose Fat, Changing Habits Changing Lives, and then some! So here’s how I’ve lost 10kgs without it being a burden.
After my successful attempt at making a latte from homemade almond milk I knew that I wanted to try and thicken it with natural ingredients. I considered using oat milk and that would certainly raise the protein amount per cup but it would also add a few more carbs – not what I want. And so my AhmoCoco was born!
Since being on THM my palette has changed and I can now have Almond Milk as my daily latte. I LOVED my daily coffee… and it is now just as good! Almond Milk Recipe included.
After much trial and error I have finally tweaked the Trim, Healthy Mama (THM) recipe to perfection! Based on the THM recipe but with a few minor adjustments.
Earlier this week, John and I celebrated our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. Like any married couple, we have had ups and downs, times of plenty and been in need. Also like every other couple, we have fought and cried together. Here are 25 things that I have learned and am still learning to do.
A few of our favourite, healthy, vegetable juices along with a juicing tip or two.
It’s not possible nor reasonable to train or teach every child every thing they need to learn. I don’t need to do it all. Just as God is perfecting in me His work, so He is with the children. I am not perfecting them – He is. God has begun a good work in me and He will continue it until the Day of Christ.
I’m not scared anymore. And it’s beautiful. Freeing. Relaxed. And joyful.Too often I tried to influence my little ones. Tried to control them. I micro-managed them. The lessons God has revealed to me have been the only thing that keep me going at times. It is not hopeless, but it isn’t just about homeschooling- it is so much bigger than that. God wants to reach you, to teach you, to blow your mind with Himself. But sometimes, like with me, He has to get some stuff out of the way so that we will listen. To parent out of freedom and grace is refreshing. It’s totally liberating!
How I survived and thrived homeschooling for 15 years even through surgery and illness.
Nutritious Broccoli and Lemon Soup with only 45 calories per serve
One week’s worth of Green Smoothies. Recipes I made this week.
Accepting caffeine addiction and doing something about it. Detox from caffeine. More green smoothies.
Homemade yogurt using the EasiYo maker and a delicious dressing.
Zucchini Pasta with Marinara Sauce and Zucchini Noodles with Parmesan Sauce
We have a family member who suffers with liver problems… including a fatty liver. There is...
Homeschooling is life and it is sometimes hard. But, it is the best.
Homeschooling is: strong family relationships, highly valued home and family life; happy children who love learning; happy adults who love learning
For my friends… who have experienced this as well. 🙂
I am a homeschool phony. At least that is how I felt when my child asked to go to school.
The amazing power of raw juices and details about my new juicer.
Just a quick plea for help… Has anyone had much success with the bread recipe in Cyndi...
I’m so glad that I’m not beginning the homeschool adventure now. When I started it was...
C’mon now ladies, tell me I’m not alone here. Can anyone relate to this? Last week I...
I love fresh starts… and I’m about to embark on yet another one. yet again, I struggle to find the ever-so elusive self discipline but again I will try.
April 29th 2009 was when I started my Fit n 40 quest. How did I go? Well, I gained strength and...
The Chief End of Homeschooling: there is an eternal reason for all this mess, untidiness, and constant training. That reason is that God wants ALL of us- our entire life. Our goal is to love God and glorify Him forever – in the midst of spilled Weetbix and poopie nappies and children that can’t spell.
There is something happening on Facebook at the moment. It involves posting a colour as your...
It’s all too easy for me to say ‘no’. No, no, no! I don’t want my children to remember me as a ‘no mum’. “No” closes doors whereas “yes” opens the door, giving loads of opportunity! Opening the door is like igniting a flame… we never know where it will lead or brightly it will burn. I desire to create an environment that is conducive to pursuing delights, to shape and develop the character traits necessary for a lifelong habit of learning and provide the fuel or rich ideas to stimulate an interest.
Think of the women in the Old Testament- could you keep up with them? Carrying full water jugs up and down the hill, catching and preparing chicken or goats…grinding the wheat and doing all the laundry by hand! Did you know that exercise, and in particular weight training, will decrease your risk of heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis, Alzheimer’s and many more nasties?
1. I get in and out of the car much easier. 2. My bigger size jeans are too baggy on me now. 3. I...
CLIMBING ………………the walls DRAGGING...
Just a quick post to let readers know that I updated my previous post ( the one with the piccies)....
Jacqui (a dear homeschooling/health buddy) has recently rejoined Weight Watchers Online so she...
I like to go to the gym early in the morning. Sometimes I have been before John goes to work but I...
A few days ago Jacqui mentioned that she’d love to see my daily food intake…so I did...
Well, I’ve been going quite good lately! I’ve been able to up my weights at the gym,...
Exercise Week 20 Rest Day Weights +20min Exercise Bike +Kathy Smith Core Workout DVD & Stretch...
As I wrote yesterday, I don’t eat much food…much real food. The quality of the food I...
Being a low energy homeschool mum is no fun. And I’m sure you’ve heard that saying,...
Last Monday marked my 19th week of exercising- minus about 4 weeks off during that time. Some...
Suggestions for using Organic Virgin Coconut Oil. 1. As Edible Oil To detox the body, takes 1 to 2...
Hmmm, it tastes nice, good for the body: inside and out. But, as with most oils, oils ain’t oils....
Hello, my name is Susan. I’ve been exercising since the 13th April (11 weeks) and I...
I’ve recently finished reading Eat Fat, Lose Fat: The Healthy Alternative to Trans Fat, by...
Did you know that I’ve lost over 100kilograms? It’s such a pity that they keep finding...
Working too hard. Yup, that was me. I felt like I have been putting in so much hard work and...
Regular readers will know that I like the Body for Life program by Bill Phillips, as well as Burn...
Helpful tips for getting started with homeschooling
Just learned that weight lifting is the second lowest injury sport one can do. Walking is the...
We all make choices in life. We all live with the consequences of those choices. Exercise is one of those choices that have consequences.
Monday AM – Hard HIIT session on bike for 20 min PM – Upper Body workout with free...
I am buzzing! Monday morning I was feeling down after jumping on the scales. I know I don’t...
If you have read any of my Fitn40 posts you would have seen the acronym HIIT. You may have...
The sacred cows, or codes, of homeschooling… it’s often easier for us to strive toward a certain code than to live in grace.
Exercise Journal from4th – 9th May Exercise Mon: Attempted Billy Blanks Basic Bootcamp....
Exercise record from Tuesday 28th until Sunday 3rd April Tues 28th EXERCISE: 10 min HIIT on bike...
I don’t record anything on days that begin with S- so that’s Saturday and Sunday. (as...
My Mini Goal is to lose 4.5kg. I just get overwhelmed if I don’t set mini goals so...
I spent 15 weeks on the library waiting list. The library notified me that the book was in for me...
Just a quick post… John (DH) went back to the doctor yesterday. The doctor was really...
Why all this fuss about greens? Who cares? Why are they different to any other vegetable? Green...
Some may call it manipulation but I call it the art of gentle persuasion. 😉 Gentle encouragement,...
Seeing as how my few readers seem so keen to talk more about Green Smoothies I thought I’d post a few links, a recipe or two and a video. I’m so keen to share this so would like to offer as much help as I can.
These principles have hung on our fridge for many years. Our family guidelines have served our family well.
My Italian Pizza Soup. Yumminess the whole family will love.
I write about my experience with our toddlers and young ones while trying to homeschool. It was hard work! It was fantastic!! It was draining and monotonous!!! It was fun!!!!
Identity Directed home-based learning goes hand in hand with a Bible Based, Christ Centred approach. It simply means to teach the child with a view to his/her God given strengths, weaknesses, interest, passions, and talents… their natural bents.
We homeschool with a ‘discipleship method’ or a “Bible-Centred, Eclectic, Discipleship Based, Spirit-Led, Identity-Directed, Relational, Literature Based Learners-at-home” approach. This approach can look a lot like natural learning but in our home, has a few differences.
Cold Brew Coffee, Butter Blend to stretch your dollar, Bliss Balls and a Breakfast!
Health has always been an ongoing interest of mine. There are so many areas that affect our health from the air that we breathe, the water we wash in and the food that we eat.
Sharing about the how and why of our Sabbatical Year of homeschooling. Our Sabbath year.
The other day I received an email from a fellow Aussie homeschooler questioning why I seemed to...
We don’t use grade levels in our home…They are distracting and quite irrelevant. The labels of grade/year level can be of some use but I prefer to view things in stages of learning, rather than grades. Stages of learning is much more individual and personal, allowing for uniqueness to shine in the various subjects and topics of interest. While there is a transition that occurs when a child enters from a ‘Collecting Knowledge’ stage to the next stage, ‘Understanding’. The next stage (Wisdom) is very important and most enjoyable…and the one that we parents, need to recognise.
Nori Chips with Gomashi
Am I the only low-energy homeschooling mum around? Due to megaloblastic anemia, B12 deficiency,...
Where is my head? Well it isn’t in blogging, that’s for sure! I can’t write...
Bill Phillips talks about how we should strive to hit a ‘high point’ in our workouts....
We’re learning more about the Human Body through my latest interest than we ever could...