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/ TOTAL HEALTH MAKEOVER /	THM FAQs / Is the Total Health Makeover® for me?

is thm® for me? Check here if you have food allergies, are pregnant or nursing, have lots of weight to lose, are vegetarian or vegan, live on a budget, etc.

I’m over 40, never exercise, and have yo-yo dieted all my life. Is it too late for me? I’m excited about the program, but there are a few foods that I dislike. Do I have to eat them? Can children/teenagers follow THM? I’m nursing my baby. Can I follow THM? Can I drink alcohol on THM? I am more than 100 lbs overweight. Is THM for me? I have so much trouble sticking to diets. How am I going to stick with THM? I want to make healthy lifestyle changes, but this program is very different than the way I usually eat. Will THM still work if I don’t do everything at once, but do a little at a time instead? I have food allergies. Can I follow THM? Can I really undo all these years of poor eating habits? I don’t feel motivated and I’m worried that nothing will help me. The high-protein/low-carb diet seems to work for a lot of people. Will THM help me lose weight like that? Can I do THM on a budget? I don’t have a lot to spend on groceries.


I’m over 40, never exercise, and have yo-yo dieted all my life. Is it too late for me? It’s never too late to get healthy! We’ve seen THM work for all ages and stages of life. We always encourage you to take the program at your own pace. This healthy eating plan will make you feel so good, you’ll want to throw out your fad diet books! Let’s get you on track to being the healthy, vibrant animal you were meant to be. THM will have you feeling better then you have in years!(back to top)

I’m excited about the program, but there are a few foods that I dislike. Do I have to eat them? Most people who start THM are used to eating foods masked with sugar and salt. Give your taste buds a little time to adjust. You may be surprised how the salty/sugary foods you used to love start to taste overly salty/sugary, and how you begin to really crave the natural flavors in fresh, whole food. Try food with your newly cleansed palate, then feel free to make substitutions if you find you still do not like the taste. If, for instance, broccoli or cabbage makes you gag then feel free to substitute for a similar but more appealing, in-season vegetable in your produce department. Now, that doesn’t mean you can substitute a donut for your fruit in the morning, so use your good judgment! Have fun with the program and personalize it to suit you! (back to top)

Can children/teenagers follow THM? Yes, children and teenagers can follow along with you! THM concentrates on using nutritious whole foods, so it works for all ages. Children and teens who are trying to lose weight will do it in a holistic, healthy way. If they don’t need to lose weight, and are eating what you’re preparing, they will also benefit from THM. Keep in mind that portion sizes will vary depending on the age and size of your children. And, of course, sometimes it’s more important as a parent to get your child to eat any healthy food – so don’t sweat the details of THM when you’re feeding your children. Serving them healthy foods prepared in healthy, tasty ways is more important than, say, proper food combining. THM will help children and teens develop good eating habits, and they’ll have fun moving and transforming other parts of their lives, too. (back to top)

I’m nursing my baby. Can I follow THM? Congratulations! Nursing is a wonderful way to make sure your baby is getting the best nutrition possible – and following the THM during this very special time will help YOU get the most nutritious foods, so your baby will also benefit. You should never feel hungry on THM, so be sure to eat throughout the day. This is not the time to be limiting your calories or trying to lose weight. If you are following the 30-Day Total Health Makeover, you will probably need more calories than the program recommends for the first nine days. Follow the basic menus, but feel free to add an extra meal or extra servings, to make sure you’re getting what you need. (back to top)

Can I drink alcohol on THM? Yes! Although alcohol is not recommended during the first four days of the 30-Day Total Health Makeover (Countdown), you do not have to stop responsible drinking. What is responsible drinking? First, you should be of legal age. Then, no more than two drinks at a time (an event), no more than five drinks a week, and if you have a drinking problem, then one is too many. Remember that drinking lowers your willpower, so it’s hard to fight off the urge to eat what you know you really don’t want to be eating. Also, alcoholic beverages contain toxins and calories, so you’ll want to consider your own health. If there’s a special event in your life (A wedding? A promotion? A New Year’s Eve party?) enjoy an alcoholic beverage – just do it responsibly. (back to top)

I am more than 100 lbs overweight. Is THM for me? The Total Health Makeover is for everyone, no matter how much weight you have to lose (or even if you are at your ideal weight, or need to gain weight). THM will teach you how to eat for a lifetime. You can choose to follow the Ten Steps of the Total Health Makeover, incorporating them at your own pace. Or you can follow the 30-Day Total Health Makeover, which provides you with nutritious and tasty menus for a month. Discuss your changes in eating and exercising with your doctor – and keep her informed of what you are doing. Request periodic testing, so you can see results that may not be visible in the mirror. Health is measured in many ways, and you can be healthy as your body sheds excess weight. Remember that you did not gain the weight in one month, and you will not lose it all in one month – but you will be on the road to greater health and weight-loss from the moment you take action! (back to top)

I have so much trouble sticking to diets. How am I going to stick with THM? THM works because it’s not a diet – it’s a way of life, a total picture of health. On this program, you don’t measure, weigh and count the points of the same old food. You’re going to form a new relationship with food, and you’ll retrain your taste buds to enjoy fresh, clean, wholesome foods – maybe some that you’ve never tasted before, and probably many that have never tasted so good before! THM also teaches you about portion control and it helps you understand and control your cravings. Best of all, you can’t make a mistake on this program. If you slip up one day, that’s ok. It’s about progress, not perfection! And on the Marilu.com Members Only website, there are message boards and chat rooms where you can meet people with years of experience on this program as well as other people who are following the plan right now. There’s nothing like having a support buddy to help you stay motivated! (back to top)

I want to make healthy lifestyle changes, but this program is very different than the way I usually eat. Will THM still work if I don’t do everything at once, but do a little at a time instead? Yes! Even one step of this program will help improve the way you look and feel. If this way of eating is totally new to you, take it at your own pace. Try one step - for example, don’t eat dairy products for a week, or give up your soda for a week - and then see how you feel. Once you start to see the results – like weight loss, or more energy, or even less gas, bloating and heartburn – then kick it up a notch and do more! THM is a flexible program. Make it work for you! (back to top)

I have food allergies. Can I follow THM? You can absolutely follow THM! This program is flexible and you can modify it to fit your special dietary needs, whether you are allergic to strawberries, wheat, peanuts, gluten, yeast, or just about anything! Make appropriate substitutions in the recipes you try. Be creative and always eat tasty, fresh, clean whole fruits, vegetables and grains! Get extra support on our Message Boards, and on our Members Only website! Our coaches can help you modify and substitute ingredients.(back to top)

Can I really undo all these years of poor eating habits? I don’t feel motivated and I’m worried that nothing will help me. It’s never too late to start feeling healthier! Most diets just make you eat less of the same old food, and that can set up a vicious cycle – you eat poor quality food, which doesn’t give you enough energy to exercise, so you don’t lose weight, and you end up eating more food. It’s no wonder you feel this way. Take a THM "baby step" and break the cycle – for example, start reading food labels, or cut back on red meat. Even if you only start with one step in the Total Health Makeover, you will make a positive change in your life and feel better. The Total Health Makeover book will help you work on small steps toward a bigger change, and the coaches in our Members Area will encourage and support you while you're baby-stepping your way to health. Over the long run, we’ve found that people who follow this program not only lose weight, but they look like they never had a weight problem. Talk about a reversal of fortune! (back to top)

The high-protein/low-carb diet seems to work for a lot of people. Will THM help me lose weight like that? THM works differently from the high-protein/low-carb diets. THM is a way to eat for a lifetime – no more dieting! It’s a nutritionally balanced way to get the protein your body needs, along with the large variety of other nutrients present in healthy carbs like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. On THM, you’ll be eating one protein meal each day, of fish, chicken, turkey, or eggs – preferably organic fed, cage-free so you don’t take in any extra chemicals or hormones. Everyone loses weight at different rates, and THM will help you lose weight while you are eating tasty, nutritious, healthy whole foods. (back to top)

Can I do THM on a budget? I don’t have a lot to spend on groceries. Yes! THM uses many simple and inexpensive foods, especially if you purchase produce in season, and buy grains, dried legumes, herbs & spices in bulk. There are some new ingredients that you will want to purchase, but they are staples and should last a long time. Other ingredients can be substituted as you run out of what you have, for example, use up the ketchup you have now, and buy fruit-sweetened ketchup the next time you need it. The most expensive groceries are the fish, and it’s acceptable to substitute less expensive types of fish when you need to (for example, buy tilapia instead of sea bass). Stay away from the junk foods (even health food stores sell them!) – you don’t need them anyway! Even if you’re spending a bit more on organic healthy foods, you’ll be making up the difference with fewer doctor bills and missed days of work. (back to top)


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