5 unusual tips for fat loss now

So you wanna lose some excess body fat?

(If you don't want to "lose weight" or "tone up" at all, then you might wanna skip this one and come party with us again next week.)




The planners tell me they are wishing their Summer weight loss plan worked better ... or that the results stayed and many others have just about decided to give up on their goals until the New Year. Problem is, every 1200 calorie diet, Optavia, diet pills, daily bootcamp classes or endless treadmill time are all risk factors that unfortunately can lead to chronic disease and / or autoimmunity years and decades in the future ... plus weight loss resistance which is the exact opposite of what the goal was.



Luckily, we know more now and we can evolve our strategies accordingly (even though most people will be continuing to use misinformed and outdated tactics for way longer than I'd like to even imagine).



Fat loss happens best when we work within what we know to be optimal fat loss conditions. This means we're aiming to lose excess body fat but not more (not muscle mass or bone...) so it requires a specific pace. Go too fast and you're losing weight for sure, but not the kinda weight you want to be losing. Here are some tips:




1) Eat more at mealtimes. I know if you want to lose weight, you think a 350 calorie meal is superior to a 600 calorie meal. I'm not a fan of counting calories but to more easily paint this picture, stay with me here. If you eat the 350-calorie meals, 1 of 2 things will happen -- 1, you'll end up being so hungry later that night, on the weekend, on holidays, or vacations that you'll feel yourself losing control around food and overeating. Or if you're so darn stubborn and manage not to ever overeat, your metabolic rate will drop in order to compensate. This means your thyroid will probably become sluggish, you might feel colder, weak, fatigued, low libido, and you will begin gaining weight with much less calories than you used to. Your goal here is to eat meals big enough and balanced enough that they keep you nice and satiated for at least 4 hours.



2) Be mindful of blood sugar. Yes, energy in energy out matters for weight loss. Also true ... not all weight lost is the same. If you want to maximize FAT loss, you need to make sure you are not riding the blood sugar rollercoaster all day everyday. This means you eat protein, fat and fiber at every single meal. It means you keep carb intake moderate. It means you understand that it's best to not eat carbs alone (no bananas or coffee with sugar on your way out the door). It also means that you understand we have an upper limit to what we can use before it gets stored away as fat. Keep carbohydrate-containing meals to 25-35g net carbs if you're a woman (35-50g net carbs for most men). More than that and you'll likely be storing the extra as fat. A "healthy" acai bowl or green juice can often contain 50-100+ grams of carbs / sugar! "Healthy" can be deceiving. 



3) Pick up weights. Weightlifting burns more calories than cardio. "What Tara? I always heard it's the opposite!" Well yes, if you're looking at it in a short-sighted way. Cardio tends to burn more calories in that one exercise session compared to a similar length session of weightlifting. However, the extra calorie burn stops when you stop moving with cardio. Yet when you increase your muscle mass by strength training, your metabolic rate for THE ENTIRE DAY, NIGHT, AND EVEN REST DAYS is elevated. Keep your cardio in because you love your lungs and heart and being alive. But it's not a great exercise focus for fat loss goals. Strength training is.



4) Move your body. Walking isn't your exercise (unless you're walking at a pace that makes it hard to carry out a conversation), but hopefully it's still a part of your days! Yes, even as our days get shorter and colder. We need our exercise (cardio, strength) and then we need our active lifestyle too (walking, gardening, dancing, yoga, playing tag with the kids or grandkids, standing while watching that live music or game, carrying groceries in.) By making the non-exercise parts of your day more active, you will notice a WAY bigger boost in your metabolic rate. 



5) Daily sunshine and grounding. When we have excess body fat stored up in an amount that's more than optimal health levels and want to do something about that, we need to be thinking about improving our energy usage. We lose fat when we use it up. We use it up when better and more quickly when the batteries of our cells -- our mitochondria -- are abundant and in great working order. Heat and cold exposure help with this, so there are bonus tips. ;-P But also getting your skin to come in contact with the Earth everyday. Ideally for nice chunks of time as we're really evolved to be outdoors mostly, but anything is better than nothing! If you're currently inside all day, you can start by committing to 5 minutes outdoors, standing in the grass barefoot and go up from there. This "charges" your cell's batteries in a way that allows them to utilize more energy / fuel / food. Meaning, this will improve your metabolic health and help with fat loss efforts. If it's in the budget, you could consider getting a grounding bedsheet or grounding mat for some grounding benefits in your home / while you're in bed at night. Here are the ones we have. (You can use code GWTARA for 10% off). I still prioritize getting my bare feet on the Earth often, but getting a bonus 7+ hours of grounding while in bed / asleep is wonderful. No EMFs. Just plugs into the grounding port only (bottom hole) of any 3-prong electrical outlet.



And a bonus one that didn't make the list because it's not unusual is .... SLEEP. It's arguably the most important as it will influence all the rest.



Which of these are you already doing? Which will you be focusing on? Hope you found this helpful! Please note ... this is 1 tiny sliver of the types of things we discuss in much greater detail in my 28-day metabolism-boosting course, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. The next round starts in January. If you're interested in learning more, check out the link and hop on the waitlist for any special offers and a discount code when the cart opens.



XO,
Tara



P.S. I've been working hard on something for you and it's almost ready! For those who are patiently waiting for the next round of TRANSFORM and want to get the ball rolling in the meantime or who have been looking for metabolic help on a smaller budget, stay tuned. I'll be sharing details soon! ;-)

Fat loss: a podcast series

Fat Loss: a podcast series

Just wrapped up another super-exciting course launch at Tara Allen Health. One thing I typically do when I'm in 'launch mode' for that one week, several times a year is I tend to do more live videos on social media. My goals with this are 1, to share more context about what I do in the course and why I do it so differently. 2, I'm more present for those who have questions. And 3, I want to make sure that even if you and I never get to work together, you still have lots of actionable tips to implement on your own. If you're a TRANSFORM alum, these lives might serve as good reminders for you as well. ;-)



But maybe you missed them? So I wanted to drop them here in a blog this week. Feel free to select just the topics that sound interesting to you or listen to them all in order as a learning series. You don't need to stare at my face! Haha. Pop in some headphones and take me along on a walk, while you're doing housework or even just listen on your commute.



Only thing is ... all the talk about enrollment for TRANSFORM: Body + Mind being open is no longer applicable. We actually began last week. The next round will be in January though so don't feel like you missed out. You can now hop on the waitlist for that round if you'd like. You mayyyy have the opportunity to join that round early. Stay tuned. ;-)



Ok, here we go ...


Episode 1. Sneaky signs of metabolic dysfunction

Episode 2. 8 tips for those looking to lose 10 lbs or less of excess body fat

Episode 3. 7 things to do for fat loss goals of 15 - 100+ lbs.

Episode 4. 13 reasons you’re giving yourself cravings and what to do about it

Episode 5. Mitochondrial biogenesis and why it matters for your goals



Hope this helps!


XO,
Tara

Protein is magical

It's pretty hard not to think so when you know about even SOME of the things it does:

• Most satiating macronutrient ... meaning, helps us feel full + satisfied between meals when we've had enough

• Helps reduce cravings

• Contributes to muscle growth and maintenance which is incredibly important for blood sugar control and metabolic rate.

• Requires more energy (calories) to digest than any other macronutrient -- meaning, you eat protein and you burn more calories simply by digesting said protein

• Helps us heal faster

• Improves skin, nails and hair

• Used as building blocks for many different biological "parts" and processes

So yeah ... pretty darn magical! Also pretty darn difficult to get in enough overall for the day or in each meal in this current day + age. Here are a few of my favorite tips and tricks that can help bridge the gaps and get you enough protein:

1. Get 30-40g protein with breakfast everyday, non-negotiable. This ensures you're off to a great start and can help manage hunger + cravings all day.

2. Bring a high quality protein bar with you in your bag or purse for an afternoon snack or a 'just in case' addition to an otherwise lower protein meal. I like Raw Rev Glo bars in creamy peanut butter and sea salt. I like the flavor but also that flavor has more protein and less sugar than their other flavors. I like that it has protein, fat and fiber but is pretty low in carbs (so I can always add whatever carb I want alongside). I am also impressed by their higher quality and short list of ingredients. Another bar I like: Aloha.

3. Consider grabbing an unflavored protein powder (like Truvani) to add to savory meals like soups, stews, dips, etc. This can turn a low protein vegetarian meal into one that now covers all bases.

4. Protein smoothies ... have another (maybe flavored this time?) protein powder like Truvani or your favorite whey protein to use in smoothies for a meal on-the-go. Make sure you have plenty of fat, fiber, add some fruit for intentional carbs, that protein and liquid and you've got the equivalent of a full meal in minutes. My suggestion: use more than 1 scoop! Most protein powders have about 20g per scoop. This is why I use 1.5 - 2 scoops usually. Such an easy way to get in 30-40g.

5. Bring a packet of collagen peptides in your bag or purse to add to your coffee at the office.

6. Grab a meat stick to have alongside a meal to up the protein intake.

7. Add a cup of egg whites to your 1 scrambled egg to take that meal from 6g of protein to 32g.

8. Grab canned tuna, chicken, sardines for super-quick sources of protein.

9. If you're a vegan, consider that most plant protein is higher in carbs than protein (like beans, legumes). In order to get enough protein without overdoing the carbs and robbing from your metabolic health, you'll likely need to get some of your protein each day from something like (organic, sprouted) tofu and / or supplement using protein powders.

Here's a delicious soup recipe that has 20g protein as is with the bone broth. Feel free to add another source such as meat, seafood, tofu. If you don't eat bone broth (vegetarian), use veggie broth instead and definitely add another source of protein -- like unflavored protein powder.



Hope this helps you hit your protein needs for the day, you healthy rockstar, you!



XO,
Tara



P.S. If you're confused about how to balance your meals altogether or find that you're having trouble reaching or maintaining your goals on your own, enrollment for TRANSFORM: Body + Mind -- my 28-day metabolism-boosting course -- is starting tomorrow for the final round of 2024! Stay tuned. I'll shoot you a note when sign ups begin.

"How do I stop self-sabotaging?"

Someone submitted a question in the question box in The After Party last week and it went something like this ...

"I just got back from vacay. I was planning to keep the ball rolling while I was away (looked up restaurant menus, brought some food and even had access to a hotel gym) but somehow I let it all slide and didn't stick to the plan. Now I'm back and bloated and feel like crap. I was on such a roll. Why do I keep self-sabotaging like this?"


                                                                                                                                                                               And here's the general idea of what I answered in our live Q+A...



When there is a gap between how you want to show up and how you are actually showing up, it's typically related to self-identity -- who you believe you are at the core.



At some point in your life (probably as a child) you decided that you are someone who brushes their teeth. When your parents or caregivers stopped micromanaging that for you and you started doing it regularly anyway, it became just a part of who you are. "I'm someone who brushes my teeth twice a day." You likely don't remember thinking that thought as this can all be a sneaky process. But it's part of your self-identity. If you couldn't brush your teeth at the time you normally do for some reason, you would still manage to get it in, even if a little later rather than seeing it as an excuse to skip it. You don't fall off the bandwagon of brushing your teeth. It's a constant. It's just what you do.



Some people have a self-identity that they are someone who exercises regularly, eats PFF + intentional carb meals, gets enough sleep. It doesn't mean they're "perfect", but it does mean that they never stray too far from those things because it just feels ... wrong. Off. Not in alignment with who they are (like how you'd feel if you skipped a few days of brushing your teeth). This might be hard to imagine because it's definitely NOT the status quo.



Talk to any of your friends about dessert, for example. When offered dessert, most people will say things like, "Oh I shouldn't." "It looks so good but I'm trying to be good." "I'm on a diet right now." Or even just eat the thing but do so in a way that leaves them feeling guilty because that choice felt out of their control. Nothing wrong with having some dessert! I had some most of the days when we were just away on vacation. But because my self-identity is STRONG, it was always a choice I made with confidence, knowing I was in the driver's seat and that food can be delicious, enjoyable, but does not have power over me.




If there's a gap between who you are now and who you'd like to be, the best way to close that gap is by becoming the person you want to be and making decisions as THAT person. Our brains are plastic, meaning, changeable. We can rewire them ... and we must, when we want to step up to a new level not yet achieved.




"Ugh. I really should workout right now."


Vs.


"I'm going to get my workout in now."



Verrrrrry different self-identities behind those. Person A is likely struggling with consistency when life gets busy, hard, routines are off, vacations. Person B might have no such challenges with consistency. They believe working out X days a week is just part of who they are and what makes them them. They will skip workouts if it's healthier to skip than to complete (like, say, when they have the flu) and they might be flexible (swap a workout day and a rest day so the rest day lines up with their favorite holiday, for example) but they get it in just like you get teeth brushing in.




Here's the key: you can't BS this. You can't pretend to have a certain self-identity. You have to let the evidence inform your brain of who you are now until it piles up enough to rewire your neural pathways. 



Start here: Journal HARD about the 1-year-from-now version of you. Get as specific as possible. What time do you wake up. What's your mood like? What do you wear? What is your morning like? How does it feel to be in your body? What's your energy like? What do you eat for breakfast? Write out as much detail as you can and with lots of sensory description.



Then every time a decision pops up related to your health and / or body composition goals, notice the choice today's version of you is gravitating towards. Then picture that 1-year-from-now version and imagine what choice she (or he) would make. Is there a discrepancy? Great! This is a powerful rewiring moment and the more of these discrepancies you find, the more powerful your transformation will be. Now, go with the choice the 1-year-from-now version of you would go with. Boom! Little bit of evidence that you're more like her. And .... the more evidence like that you can pile up, the quicker you actually become her (or him).



Then what? Then you've closed the gap! You become that person. You no longer have any issues with consistency. 



So what choices will the 1-year-from-now version of you make? Would she (or he) eat differently? Have a different exercise routine? Maybe a new outlook and attitude? Is she the type of person who invests in her health + goals? What time does she go to bed? Does she wait to be motivated or does she do it anyway? Is she kind + nurturing in her self talk?



And has she finally achieved her body composition goals, feels stronger than ever, confident, vibrant, playful and hopeful with lab work that most 20-somethings would drool over? :-P




Self identity isn't a sexy topic but the results of putting in work here are nothing short of sexy.




Go get 'em,
Tara




P.S. Enrollment starts in TWO weeks for the very last round of my metabolism-boosting course, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind of the year. We focus on health optimization, fat loss, muscle-building and because we work to get to the root of the issues (mitochondrial / metabolic dysfunction, oxidative stress and chronic inflammation), most people find all kinds of things improve that they weren't even focused on (skin, hair, moods, periods, menopause symptoms, blood pressure, lab work, thyroid function, PCOS ... ). It's quite a unique, comprehensive and holistic approach. You can learn more about it here and hop on the waitlist if you like things like discount codes. ;-) 

Calorie deficit for weight loss?

It's the never-ending social media argument...

Someone says in order to lose weight, you just need to be in a calorie deficit. Then someone else says, actually it's blood sugar / insulin / inflammation that matters.



Who is right?



Kinda everyone, kinda no one.



If you take in less fuel than you use up ("calorie deficit"), you will lose weight. But here's why it's not actually that simple: most people don't want to lose weight. Most people want to lose fat. A calorie deficit typically does not bring the percentage of fat loss that people are actually after.



A calorie deficit will have us lose weight ... meaning, mass. Some will come from fat but much of it will come from muscle, bone, mitochondria, connective tissue (joint pain, anyone?), collagen (more wrinkles), organs will actually shrink (and dysfunction), brain mass decreases (brain fog). With the exception of some fat, these other losses are NOT FUN, even for people who want to "lose weight". 



Why?



Well these other losses worsen our health and longevity, increase risk of disease and autoimmunity, make us tired, weak, age more quickly, create blood sugar imbalances, mood issues and can actually increase body fat percentage. These losses also reduce metabolic rate and make it nearly impossible to keep the weight off. Overall, health, energy, mood, lab work, confidence and aesthetics end up farther away from their goal.



Calories determine mass -- gain or loss. They do not determine, all by themselves, body composition.



Rather, the portions of various foods you eat do.
The amount of protein.
Your sleep.
Stress levels.
Strength training intensity and frequency.
Movement you get outside of workouts.
Blood sugar management.
How well you respect the hormone cascade.
The quantity and quality of your mitochondria.
The quantity and quality of your muscle mass.
Inflammation.
Oxidative stress.
And then yes, whether or not your mass is increasing, decreasing or remaining the same (calories).



I'm hoping you can now see both 'sides' of this silly argument with a lot more clarity now. Neither side is wrong but also, neither side is right. To be clear, I do not recommend you become a keyboard warrior and stand up to anyone on either side of this argument. Protect your peace. ;-) 



XO,
Tara



P.S. If you want to learn all about how to rebuild your body into the strongest, healthiest version yet, that's what we dive deep into in my 28-day metabolism-boosting course, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. The next round will be in September. Make sure you're on the waitlist if you'd like to join (and want a discount code when the cart opens)!

Cancer, metabolic health and financial trade offs

We have lots to discuss today!

I'm not sure if you've been catching the headlines (I'm not much of a mainstream media fan, but browsing the headlines can help me keep a pulse on trends), but with Kate Middleton's recent cancer announcement plus the recent realization that 1/3 of colon cancer diagnoses are now in people under the age of 40, there have been daily articles talking about how cancer is now coming for younger and healthier people. Many such articles spoke to the 'mystery' of it all but is it really a mystery?




Look, we don't have FULL control of our environments, there are certain genetic mutations that increase risk, and we don't yet know all the things as it relates to cancer. And if you've been getting my newsletters for any length of time you know I'm never about doom and gloom. So let me set the stage as to why I think it's no mystery at all that cancer is on the rise amongst younger and 'healthier' people so that we can move forward and connect the dots with what it is we're always trying to do 'round here: improve metabolic health and longevity odds.




If someone were to ask me to do my best to create an environment that would increase cancer risk and rates, I'd tell them this:

• Make people afraid of the sun

• Keep humans indoors almost all the time

• Make them sedentary and even if they workout, make them sedentary outside of their workout times

• Have them skimp on sleep

• Ask them to have lots of artificial light ... especially in the evenings and night

• Spray their food with lots of synthetic pesticides

• Practice monocrop farming so the soil (and therefore produce) becomes depleted of micronutrients such as magnesium so that DNA repair is blunted

• Increase air + water pollution

• Have ultra-processed food be mainstream and more affordable / accessible than real food

• Sell cosmetic, hygiene and cleaning products that contain multiple toxins

• Stir up daily controversy and expose humans to more fear, terror and anger than they have evolved to process through any form of media possible

• Teach people to eat every couple of hours with plenty of processed carbs to help increase insulin resistance

• Make alcohol intake a frequent + common thing

• Limit lymphatic drainage with underwire bras and hardly any time sweating

• Create habits and vices that lead people to eating right before bed

• Increase consumption of plastics (like from melting To Go coffee cup liners and lids, tea bags, food storage, TV dinners)

• Increase EMFs

This would surely increase oncogenic (cancerous) growth PLUS take out many of the protective measures we have for our body to identify said oncogenic growth at the earliest of cell division and allow our immune system to take care of it. More cancer started, less cancer taken out. 



Obviously no one would want this but I write to prove a point ... we have created an environment that is sure to increase cancer potential, yet we (as a collective, maybe not you or I) are shocked that it's happening. The conditions I've listed out above are the unfortunate reality for the vast majority of us .. at least a significant portion of it is.




I promised not all doom + gloom and I'm about to deliver.




MOST of that is in control. MOST of that can be turned around at any age or stage. And get this! The same changes we'd make to increase the odds (that's all we can ask for) in our favor against cancer are the changes we'd make to improve metabolic health at the root, achieve sustainable fat loss, improve blood pressure, blood sugar, slow the aging process, etc.




In case you haven't read it or it's been awhile, the action plan I have laid out in my Metabolism-Boosting Starter Pack would be excellent steps.




Now let's talk finances.




Someone responded to a story I posted last week on Instagram sharing about a waffle I sent in to school with our son. Short version: they were having a pancake party in his class. We always send in our own food with ingredients we feel more comfortable with. I had these pancakes in the freezer and we went with that. He loved it! Our kids are very aware of the choices we make and know SO much about their bodies, it's mind-blowing. No fear around food. Just knowledge. 



So someone responded to that story and said something along the lines of, "Ya know not everyone can afford that." And she's right! It's a topic I speak on often on social, here on my newsletter, on blogs, etc. It's one reason why volunteering and giving back is a big part of my business and always will be. And it's something I wanted to talk about here today as well.



Those waffles are expensive. The high protein pasta we buy is expensive. The organic produce, free range eggs .... it's so darn expensive! Groceries in general have gone up considerably in the last couple of years as is and unfortunately in our society if you want items without extra pesticides or inflammatory ingredients, it costs more.



I can't stand that! I can't wait for that to change. Everyone deserves to eat real, healthy, nutritious food if they so desire. I've sent out the "How to save money on groceries newsletters" and made the posts and I plan to continue that kind of content weaved in. That being said, I wanted to point out a few things that we, personally, do to help.



I'm grateful that we can and do splurge on pricey waffles as occasional treats for the kids. I know not everyone can and that makes me sad. Also, we save money in other ways.



After being as sick as I used to be and seeing first-hand how important food quality was in me reversing all of my chronic conditions, we've decided to make health prevention (including groceries) a higher percentage of our budget. 


I don't buy alcohol or coffee shop coffees (well, rarely).
I don't purchase expensive clothing, purses, jewelry, sunglasses.
I DIY when I can (make dry shampoo, dishwasher detergent, repair clothing, cook and bake -- often from scratch).
I started gardening on a larger scale last year.
Certain food items we simply never buy (jam is coming to mind ... I make it with organic fruit and chia seeds. I buy the organic fruit in bulk in the frozen section and chia seeds in bulk as well. I'm making this jam for pennies on the dollar compared to store-bought and it's quick, easy and delicious).



Also ... life is nice + full these days and I can't Susie Homemaker everything! So the above also exists alongside the more convenient health options like boxes of Simple Mills cupcake mix for the days when I need to whip up a fast dessert for last minute company and some done-for-me fermented sauerkraut that I just have to struggle to open but otherwise not put an ounce of work into and non-toxic deoderant that shows up at my doorstep after I just "add to cart". Healthy convenience is expensive.



Everyone's financial situation is different. I'm not implying that everyone has the same resources to even reallocate funds as much as I wish that situation was different. But in case any of the above helps shed some light on how one family on a budget incorporates both convenience and elbow grease into their overall plan for better health, I figured I'd share.



I'm asked fairly often on social media to share more: share the things we have on hand and buy, the things we use, the things we make and recipes, etc. So whether it's free, low cost or more of an investment, I'm happy to share. When we are being consumers of content (me too -- anyone's content), I think our job is is to take the things that apply to you and feel good and leave the things that don't. It's such an important skill for managing overall stress, too!




Leaving you off with my tried-and-true, so-easy-I-can-hardly-call-it-a-recipe, Chia Jam Recipe:

1. Add a bunch (1, 2, 3 cups) of frozen fruit of choice (strawberries have been the go-to lately) to a saucepan and heat on stovetop medium heat.

2. As the berries start to soften, use a potato masher to squish. It should become mostly liquid with just some chunkier pieces of the skins of the fruit. At this point, take off the heat and mash one last time.

3. Add chia seeds -- I eyeball it because you really can't mess this up but probably about 1-2 T per cup of fruit -- and stir. Let sit to cool down and jam will thicken too.

4. Once fully cool, place in a sealed container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Alternatively, you can freeze into ice cube trays and pop out and store cubes in freezer-safe bag so you can transfer just what you're going to use to the fridge a day or so in advance.

If you're a visual person, the second slide in my "Recipes" highlight on instagram shows me making blueberry chia jam. Not the Recipes 2 highlight, just "Recipes". You'll have to scroll over a bit to find it.




Hope you have an awesome week!



XO,
Tara



P.S. If you need some help with your health and / or body composition goals, there are 2 ways we can work together:



1. The next round of my 28-day metabolism-boosting course, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, will be starting next month! Make sure you're on the waitlist to be kept in the know and to receive the special discount code when enrollment begins.

2. I offer 1-on-1 coaching as well. It's a very high touch point kind of coaching program (we're diving into your labs, custom workouts, custom nutrition, tons of accountability -aka I'm bothering you pretty often. LOL). So, spots are limited. I do have people graduating out of the program often. Fill out the interested list if, well, you're interested. We'll chat more and I can give you an idea on when a spot will be available for you.

How much body fat can you lose in 1 day?

Daily fat loss has an upper limit.

So what happens, then, if your caloric deficit is greater than the amount of fat you can lose in a day?



Are you sure you wanna know? It's not good.



Last chance to close this email and be none-the-wiser.



Ok, you got it ....



What happens is you lose lean (non-fat) tissue. You lose muscle, bone density, mitochondria. Your organs shrink. You lose brain mass. Say goodbye to some of your collagen.



The law of thermodynamics is strong with us. Eat less than you use up and you'll lose. Eat more than you use up and you'll gain. But that used to be where it ended. Now we know there's nuance. WHAT, exactly, are you losing? WHAT, exactly, are you gaining? 



Most people lose a mixed bag (some fat but lots of muscle and other lean tissue) but when they gain some or all of it back, it's almost entirely fat. This is usually NOT the desired intent or even something they were aware of!



So how much fat can you actually lose each day???



It depends. It depends on your size and current body composition / body fat percentage. It depends also on whether or not you're maximizing fat loss potential through all the things I talk about here in my weekly newsletters and over on instagram. For example, someone who has better blood sugar balance will be able to maximize daily fat loss potential, moreso than someone whose blood sugar is riddled with spikes and crashes. They are more of a "fat burner". Similarly, someone who is barely getting any sleep and not working on stress management will be more of a "sugar / carb burner" and will tend to lose a greater percentage of their weight as lean mass rather than excess body fat.



But I can tell you this ... it's not a lot and probably less than you'd like. That means the process should be slow. If it's fast, you're likely losing lots of precious lean mass (like muscle) and will be actually priming your body for a greater body fat percentage over time. 


So, fast weight loss isn't just not advised. It's not the fat loss that most people think they're getting! And it sets our body up for MORE fat gain and worsened metabolic health (chronic diseases) down the line.



To give some more context, if you're losing 5 lbs in a week or something, you're almost definitely blowing wayyyy past your maximum daily fat loss and burning through precious lean mass. Even less (2, 3, 4 lbs a week) can be problematic. Too fast and that's where damage is done.



Little caveat ... sometimes, especially in the beginning of some lifestyle changes, inflammatory water retention starts to go away. In this case the pounds might come off faster as a result of that process. That's not a problem and will be temporary.



Example: Person A has fast weight loss. Person B has slow weight loss (with attention to detail like strength training, protein, sleep, blood sugar control). Person B is almost always losing MORE fat than Person A, even though society will tell you otherwise. *Eye roll*


If fat loss is a goal of yours, keep this in mind!



XO,
Tara




P.S. This Friday will start the Early Black Friday deal for TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, my 28-day metabolism-boosting course. We cover all the bases (nutrition, fitness, lifestyle) that will help you maximize your daily fat loss potential as well as focus on health optimization so you feel incredible all the while. <3  Enrollment will be open for just a few days because on actual Black Friday I will be decorating my house with the fam and making our traditional Christmas loops. So, I'm closing the cart before Thanksgiving. ;-) Here's how it'll work: if you enroll between 11/17 and 11/21, you'll be in for the upcoming January round. But not only that, you'll get early access to the whole course and all the materials on 11/22. You can check it out or even start early if you'd like! Make sure you're on the waitlist if you're interested. Waitlist people will get a discount code sent to them when the cart opens.

New some new workout ideas?

Your future called ... and it's SO proud of how strong you are.

That's from all the progressively overloading workouts AND sleep / nourishment / rest you've been giving it. ;-)



Now maybe this is a reality for you right now. You know you're progressing with your workouts and have an awesome plan for the rest that you're implementing or starting to implement. Or maybe you're on the waitlist for TRANSFORM: Body + Mind and will have soooo much confidence and clarity around all of this very soon. But if you're not yet strength training or you've been kind of bopping around and counting group exercise or Peleton-with-weights classes as strength training, this email is for you in particular.



Progressive overloading is the way we strength train when we have fat loss, muscle-building, or "toning up" goals. Once we've reached all of the goals and just want to maintain our strength and body composition, we have more flexibility to be able to bop around to various workouts because it doesn't take as much of a stimulus to maintain as it does to achieve those goals. It takes consistency to maintain! But there is more flexibility to the approach.



I'm going to assume for the rest of this email that you have fat loss, muscle-building, or "toning up" goals. Here's how to approach the strength training part of the puzzle if that's the case:

• Have a solid, 1-week plan that targets all major muscle groups in the various ways they need to be targeted and in the various planes of motion and angles -- you'll likely need help with this, it's coming below ;-)

• Use a resistance, reps, and sets that make at least the last few reps of each exercise feel HARD to complete. That's important. Write that down. What exercise? How much weight? How many reps? How many sets?

• Repeat the same workouts week after week for 8-16 or so weeks before changing it up to a different set of workouts BUT, make it spicier over time. Meaning, add resistance as you can, reps, or even sets over time.

In case you need a week's worth of workouts to get you started, you can use some of mine! This is a 4-day a week plan and covers all the major muscle groups. Because someone will ask ;-) core is sneakily baked into ALL of my programming so I gotcha covered there too. Do them on any 4 days a week that you'd like, just avoid doing similar muscle groups on back-to-back days (like don't do upper 1 today and upper 2 tomorrow. Not enough rest there for recovery + progress).


Upper Body 1

Lower Body 1

Upper Body 2

Lower Body 2


If you plan to sign up for the January round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, keep an eye out. I will be offering an EARLY Black Friday deal -- early access to the whole course! Enrollment will open and close before Black Friday (I don't want to be in launch mode on actual Black Friday -- I'll be decorating the house with the fam and making our traditional Christmas loops). You will then have a full progressively overloading workout routine in there as well as optional meal plans, fun recipe collections, and other resources in case you hate cooking or are always on the run, cycle synching, menopause, pregnancy, postpartum, men / andropause, and breastfeeding considerations. Those are just some of the resources. It's really a whole COURSE and that's the true magic of it. ;-) You can check out more details right here.

Hope you enjoy those workouts!!


XO,
Tara

If I wanted to lose excess body fat before the end of the year, here are 4 things I'd start right now

No one waits around until January 1st to set goals anymore, right?

I really love that we're embracing the fact that we can upgrade anything we want about ourselves at any time. With the holidays getting kicked off a week from today with Halloween, it's the perfect time of year to begin to make a change. It's empowering to go off script a bit plus you can make progress on your goals while reducing cravings ... which comes in very handy around your kids' Halloween haul, during Thanksgiving dessert or that Wednesday night holiday party in December.



I have no current fat loss goals but if I did, here are 4 things I'd start doing right away:

1. I'd skip the calorie obsession because it leads to overeating. When we pick meals based on them having a lower calorie count, we are not getting enough of the nutrients that actually turn off our hunger. Therefore, whether later that afternoon or night or a handful of days later on the weekend, we will end up overeating. Instead, I'd be ensuring that I was getting enough -- protein, fat and fiber -- at each meal. I'd want this to be at least 20-30g protein, 10-20g fat and 5-15g fiber per meal (3 meals a day ... maybe with an afternoon snack too). This would make me feel nice + satiated and stop the food obsession, cravings, endless hunger and overeating episodes that feel like a willpower issue but are really just a biological issue.

2. I'd make sure my workouts weren't non-existent, mostly cardio, random, or being phoned in. The way muscle mass helps us have so much more flexibility with our nutrition isn't being talked about enough! More muscle means better blood sugar balance, extra fat burning 24/7 (yes, even when being a sloth on the cough or sleeping), and a higher carbohydrate tolerance. More muscle improves both health and body composition goals. I'd do this by strength training 3-4 days a week, following a comprehensive plan that gets all muscle groups, repeating that same suite of workouts each week for 8-16 weeks or so (not randomly switching it up) and making sure the last few reps of each set feels hard to complete. And then I'd progressively overload by increasing something (reps, sets, resistance) over time. Cardio is great for health, but I would not prioritize that for fat loss goals.

3. I would indulge with intention. I wouldn't swear off any foods for fear of messing up my progress, but I would also have a serious convo with myself about the truth about my indulgences. Am I saying I don't indulge often but when I go out to eat I have a burger with both buns, fries, and a drink? Or some bread from the bread basket, pasta with my entree and a little dessert? Hot cocoa season is coming up. And cookies. And pie. How much alcohol am I drinking on the weekends? And weekdays? Do I indulge at every party, date night, event, holiday...? Once I had that hard convo with myself about my indulgences, I'd then make sure I kept my favorites in while reining things in a bit. It's not deprivation if you're choosing what you want most over what you want right now. It's just a choice and you get to make whichever one you want in each situation.

4. Movement. Knowing 15% (sometimes more!) of our metabolic rate is based on how much we're moving outside of workout time, I'd get creative about how to start moving more. Can I ask my employer for a standing desk or just doctor one up myself by stacking my laptop on a bunch of books? Can I take that call or meeting on a walk? Can I sit on the floor and stretch while watching TV instead of sinking into the couch? Can I plan to walk each morning or lunch break? And if the weather is bad, what's my backup plan? Maybe one of those walking pads or under-desk bikes? Can I plan some family fun on weekends that involves being active ... like a hike, playground games, or after dinner walk or bike ride with whoever wants to join? If fat loss was a goal, I'd definitely not skip out on this and make my metabolic rate 15% slower as a result.

What else? Well if you need some more help, you might be interested to know I'll be briefly opening up early enrollment for the January round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind around Black Friday. This will come with early access so you will have the whole course and all the materials to be able to utilize all of it starting in November!



If you have some diagnoses you believe are making your fat loss goals trickier or could use some customization or extra accountability, 1:1 coaching might be more your flavor.



Oh and if fat loss isn't one of your goals, that list is still a great one if you "just" care about longevity and optimal health. ;-)



XO,
Tara

5 Unusual Tips for Fat Loss NOW

So you wanna lose some excess body fat?

(If you don't want to "lose weight" or "tone up" at all, then you might wanna skip this one and come party with us again next week.)




Summer seems to be the time when the planners are wishing their weight loss plan worked better ... or that the results stayed and the procrastinators are ready to do some crazy sh*t just to feel a little more confident this season in their shorts. As such, Summer happens to be a time when a lot of metabolic damage is done. Every 1200 calorie diet, Optavia, diet pills, daily bootcamp classes or running are all risk factors that unfortunately can lead to chronic disease and / or autoimmunity years and decades in the future ... plus weight loss resistance which is the exact opposite of what the goal was.



Luckily, we know more now and we can evolve our strategies accordingly (even though most people will be continuing to use misinformed and outdated tactics for way longer than I'd like to even imagine).



Fat loss happens best when we work within what we know to be optimal fat loss conditions. This means we're aiming to lose excess body fat but not more (not muscle mass or bone...) so it requires a specific pace. Go too fast and you're losing weight for sure, but not the kinda weight you want to be losing. Here are some tips:




1) Eat more at mealtimes. I know if you want to lose weight, you think a 350 calorie meal is superior to a 600 calorie meal. I'm not a fan of counting calories but to more easily paint this picture, stay with me here. If you eat the 350-calorie meals, 1 of 2 things will happen -- 1, you'll end up being so hungry later that night, on the weekend, on holidays, or vacations that you'll feel yourself losing control around food and overeating. Or if you're so darn stubborn and manage not to ever overeat, your metabolic rate will drop in order to compensate. This means your thyroid will probably become sluggish, you might feel colder, weak, fatigued, low libido, and you will begin gaining weight with much less calories than you used to. Your goal here is to eat meals big enough and balanced enough that they keep you nice and satiated for at least 4 hours.



2) Be mindful of blood sugar. Yes, energy in energy out matters for weight loss. Also true ... not all weight lost is the same. If you want to maximize FAT loss, you need to make sure you are not riding the blood sugar rollercoaster all day everyday. This means you eat fat, fiber and protein at every single meal. It means you keep carb intake moderate. It means you understand that it's best to not eat carbs alone (no bananas or coffee with sugar on your way out the door). It also means that you understand we have an upper limit to what we can use before it gets stored away as fat. Keep carbohydrate-containing meals to 25-35g net carbs if you're a woman (35-50g net carbs for most men). More than that and you'll likely be storing the extra as fat. A "healthy" acai bowl or green juice can often contain 50-100+ grams of carbs / sugar! "Healthy" can be deceiving. 



3) Pick up weights. Weightlifting burns more calories than cardio. "What Tara? I always heard it's the opposite!" Well yes, if you're looking at it in a short-sighted way. Cardio tends to burn more calories in that one exercise session compared to a similar length session of weightlifting. However, the extra calorie burn stops when you stop moving with cardio. Yet when you increase your muscle mass by strength training, your metabolic rate for THE ENTIRE DAY, NIGHT, AND EVEN REST DAYS is elevated. Keep your cardio in because you love your lungs and heart and being alive. But it's not a great exercise focus for fat loss goals. Strength training is.



4) Move your body. Walking isn't your exercise, but hopefully it's a different part of your days! We need our exercise (cardio, strength) and then we need our active lifestyle too (walking, gardening, dancing, yoga, playing tag with the kids or grandkids, standing while watching that live music or game, carrying groceries in..) By making the non-exercise parts of your day more active, you will notice a WAY bigger boost in your metabolic rate. 



5) Daily sunshine and grounding. When we have excess body fat stored up in an amount that's more than optimal health levels and want to do something about that, we need to be thinking about improving our energy usage. We lose fat when we use it up. We use it up when better and more quickly when the batteries of our cells -- our mitochondria -- are abundant and in great working order. Heat and cold exposure help with this, so there's a bonus tip. ;-P But also getting your skin to come in contact with the Earth everyday. Ideally for nice chunks of time as we're really evolved to be outdoors mostly, but anything is better than nothing! If you're currently inside all day, you can start by committing to 5 minutes outdoors, standing in the grass barefoot and go up from there. This "charges" your cell's batteries in a way that allows them to utilize more energy / fuel / food. Meaning, this will improve your metabolic health and help with fat loss efforts.



And a bonus bonus one that didn't make the list because it's not unusual is .... SLEEP. It's arguably the mosts important as it will influence all the rest.



Which of these are you already doing? Which will you be focusing on? Hope you found this helpful! Please note ... this is 1 tiny sliver of the types of things we discuss in much greater detail in my 28-day metabolism-boosting course, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. The next round starts in September. If you're interested in learning more, check out this link and hop on the waitlist for any special offers and a discount code when the cart opens.



XO,
Tara

How many carbs for weight loss / fat loss goals?

Carbs are controversial.

"Cut them out to lose weight. But then that messes with your thyroid and doesn't that affect weight loss?"



Let's chat ...



Carbohydrates are 1 of the 3 macronutrients we eat (the other 2 being protein and fat). They are ALL important and all behave a bit differently in our body. 



Carbohydrates and fat are predominantly used up as fuel for energy. Whatever extra we take in that's not used up will be stored as fat. This is a GREAT thing as it allows us to then use up some of our storage to be able to sleep without having to wake up to eat, to go several hours between meals, and allowed our ancestors to go long periods of time without eating during a famine.



Protein can be used as fuel if absolutely necessary, but isn't what our body prefers to do and isn't what happens for the most part. Protein is mostly used as building blocks to MAKE things (like muscle, collagen in our skin, etc.).



So back to carbs. We don't have much storage capacity for carbs but nearly limitless storage capacity for fat (our fat cells can both multiply as well as increase in size, individually). When we take in carbs, it appears in our bloodstream as it makes its way to the places that need it. If we have adequate muscle mass and challenge our muscles frequently through something like strength training, we would have depleted some of the glycogen (carb storage) in them so some of the carbs we just onboarded will go there so our muscles are topped off and ready for our next workout. Our brain uses some 'carbs' for fuel. Fun fact: our brain actually uses up quite a lot of our total energy every day! Our liver can store some glycogen (stored carbs) too. If those places were already full -- maybe because we're sedentary or eat too many carbs for our needs -- or if we onboarded more than we had available storage space for, the rest will be stored as fat.



So, if fat loss is a goal, getting your carb strategy dialed in IS really important. You'll also want to make sure you have your fat and protein strategy dialed in. I believe this shouldn't come with obsessive macro or calorie tracking. I'm always thinking about mental health and lifestyle enjoyment as well as physical health and I hope you are too!



But today's note is about carbs so let's get back to it.



Since too many carbs is definitely not a good idea for someone with fat loss goals, then should you just cut out ALL carbs to super-charge results?



NO! Not if you ask me. And since you did ask me :-P ....


Cutting out all carbs might be a great idea for some people sometimes as it can be an important part of their medical treatment plan (epilepsy, brain injury, etc.), but even then it's often not a permanent solution. For MOST people MOST of the time, cutting out all carbs will move you further away from your goals in the long run.



Carbohydrate-rich foods are often full of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients ... many we know about but others that are sure to come out in the future. Meaning, there are probably lots of important nutrients we're getting through carb-rich foods that we aren't even aware of yet (so couldn't even think about just trying to replace in a supplement or something). Think: fruit, veggies, beans, certain fermented foods ...


Carbs taste great and most people who cut them out entirely end up feeling deprived and / or end up fearing them or losing control around them from time-to-time. We want a healthy relationship with food and our body.


Many carbohydrate foods are high in fiber, and that helps us to blunt the blood sugar spike, help us feel satiated, feed our microbiome, and aid in detoxification by keeping us more regular in the bathroom.


Going too low carb can inhibit thyroid function (making it harder to lose excess body fat), impact mood and interfere with sleep, due to the role it plays in certain neurotransmitter production.


If we don't consume carbs through our food, our body will convert some energy over to a form of carbs. So basically, no one ever actually goes without carbs. You either eat 'em or you make 'em.


And plus ... avocado toast is too tasty to be off the table!


So, how much is enough but not too much if your goal is fat loss (or "toning up")?


I recommend a baseline of 2 intentional carb servings per day for everyone. That means that's the floor. Start there. If you're very active, have a lot of muscle, are a man, are a tall woman, have hypothryoidism or elevated cortisol ... you will likely need to add at least another intentional carb serving. Maybe even more. Please note this is *highly* individualized! We're talking about fuel here. Some of you are 4-cylinder cars parked in your driveway all day. Some of you are gas-guzzlers drag racing almost all day. Wildly different gas budgets, right?? Similarly, carb intake needs will vary A LOT depending on your specific situation.



"What the heck is an intentional carb serving?"



I call them intentional carbs, well, intentionally. The reason is with this macro aware approach (rather than macro tracking), we're not thinking about your side of broccoli with dinner that had a couple of grams of carbs or your piece of cheese or handful of nuts that did too. When I say intentional carb serving, I mean you're sitting down to an actual serving of carbs. You're having a piece of bread, a piece of fruit, some beans and corn, a potato, a half a cup of pasta, etc. You can think of this as being about 25-35 grams of net carbohydrates at a sitting. Net carbs = total carbs minus fiber.


To avoid blood sugar spikes (which is something to be mindful of if you have fat loss goals or even just health optimization goals), you're going to want to have these servings of intentional carbs inside of a meal that also has plenty of protein, fat and fiber. 


So in summary ... have the bun with the burger and veggies. But maybe save the fries to have with another meal. At least most of the time. ;-)



XO,
Tara



P.S. If you haven't yet signed up for a previous round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, make sure you hop on the waitlist for the September round. We cover nutrition balance and fat loss in so much detail! 


P.P.S. I told you I'd update you on TRANSFORM: 1:1, so here goes: it's ready and the first group will be onboarding the rest of THIS week! Spots are always super limited with 1-on-1 coaching as it is customized to your unique needs, goals, injuries, health history, and a very high touch program with tons of accountability baked in, but the good news is I have current clients who were already working with me who are continually graduating out of their program. So if you are interested in 1-on-1 coaching, hop on the interested list! I'll reach out and provide some insight about availability and potential timing as well as answer any questions you may have. :-)

Fat Loss MUST be slow. Here's why.

Fat loss HAS to happen slowly. Here's why...

I know we want it to happen quickly. I know we hear things like, "I lost 5 pounds the first week of doing keto." and assume those 5 pounds came from rapid FAT loss (it doesn't). But there's actually a limit to the amount of body fat we can lose per day per person (it varies from person to person).



Restrict your energy intake more than that point and you'll be eating away at your muscles instead.... which will lower your metabolic rate. YUCK!



Here are 3 reasons fat loss MUST happen slowly.



As always, if you have any questions you can hit 'reply' to this email. I'm happy to help!



XO,
Tara



P.S. Check out these awesome client success stories squished inside of 27 seconds. ;-)

Frustrated with weight loss?

Has your weight loss progress (or lack thereof) frustrated you?

And let me add ... it doesn't have to be weight / fat loss. Sub any other health goal.



Oh, and one more thing ;-) .... when I say weight / fat loss, I am hardly EVER talking about looks here. Sometimes our brains do this thing where they make short-cuts (read: assumptions) because it's a conditioned response. So many people equate weight loss to looks exclusively and therefore you might mistake my information or videos for being 'one of them'. I'll tell you what ... our looks are the LEAST interesting thing about us, in my opinion. But that doesn't mean we can't talk about weight or fat loss. Some people seek out those goals to optimizer their health, feel vibrant, have more energy, etc. It's all about the way we FEEL so we can show up as the best version of ourselves.



So, I challenge you to notice where you might have these pre-judgments happening. Do you tune out weight loss because you're so sick of diet culture and assume it's all about a quest to "get skinny"? I hear ya! But that's N E V E R what you're going to get here with me, FYI. ;-)



Last week, I discussed some big lessons that were missing from my childhood education and how they are such important aspects of our humanness. Try to lose weight, optimize health, flourish inside your relationships, or achieve ANY goal without this knowledge and I bet it feels like an uphill battle.



The best news is that as adults, we get to learn about this stuff now ... and teach the next generation!
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO RIGHT HERE.



Any questions? Need to vent? Wanna chat? Email me: Tara@TaraAllenHealth.com



Happy day,
Coach Tara

P.S. Want to meet my small business team?

Fat Loss and Instant Gratification

Instant gratification...

We all want it. Our brain SEEKS it out. And yet, we're barking up the wrong tree when it comes to fat loss.

The answer isn't NOT to look for instant gratification on your fat loss / health journey. The answer also is not to look for instant gratification where the science tells us it's simply not possible.

So where SHOULD we be seeking out instant gratification?

LET ME TELL YOU!

Any questions? I'm a comment away. ;-) Happy Monday, you guys!

XO,
Tara

Low insulin vs. calorie deficit for fat loss...

Low insulin vs. calorie deficit for fat loss...

Which one is actually more effective?



You might be surprised to learn that one does seem to matter a lot more than the other to achieve your fat loss goals. CHECK OUT THIS QUICK (3 min.) VIDEO to hear more.



What questions do you have about your goals? Leave a comment and I'll be happy to help. :-)


Happy Tuesday,
Tara

You're not stuck because you're UNDEReating

You're not in starvation mode.

Look, it sounds good, right? If we don't eat enough our body holds onto every last morsel of food and we go into starvation mode -- unable to lose anymore body fat.



But it's simply not true. 


Due to the society we live in, it's quite a blow to our ego to admit to ourselves that we are overeating. It feels much more gentle to say you're undereating and that's stopping your progress. But I think the bigger blow to our egos come when we are chasing the same goals year after year without seeing progress.


If I locked myself in the basement for a week with no food, I wouldn't weigh the same. I'd have lost quite a bit of weight! Some of it would be water weight, some fat, and some muscle due to the rapid nature of the weight loss.


You can certainly down-regulate your metabolism by undereating, but not enough to stop seeing progress. What's more likely is that your body requires less fuel than you think it does... or on average, you're overeating or eating to maintain your body just as it is now without reaching those fat loss goals. This is VERY common with 'weekday dieters'... the ones that hardly eat anything Monday through Friday and then overdue it on the weekends so much so that they have negated any kind of deficit they had been in.


CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO for more and then reach out to me if you have any questions. I'm here and I'd love to help. you. :-)



Happy Tuesday,
Tara

4 years to your dream body?!

Did you go to college or do you know someone who has?

You know that thing you - or they - did where they committed to 4 years or more knowing there would be no tangible results until graduation? 


There was no gradual payout system where you'd start making a little bit of your desired salary while still in school.


There was no money given back if you didn't succeed by your own hard work and consistency.


You were expected to show up and keep showing up.


Now let's think about your health and body goals...


Do you want to start seeing or feeling results shortly into a new program, diet, fitness routine? You'll only continue on if you are getting results on the timeline you want, right? So if you have to work hard for a month or two and are not getting immediate and rapid results....you, what... throw in the towel?


Image you did that in college? By month 1 or 2 you didn't have your degree yet, so you quit.



Our health and bodies are worth AT LEAST the amount of time, attention, money (all the things!) that you spent on college. Our health and bodies are worth showing up day after day even if the results aren't coming as fast as you want them to. Do you agree?


Come join me in my car as I discuss this a bit more. ;-)



XO,
Tara



P.S. You know what you get with me...and it's never a hard sell. I don't want to do that to you, but mostly, I don't want any clients who aren't motivated enough to seek me out. I don't want to convince anyone that they're ready for a change. If it takes convincing, it's not a good fit for my coaching style and program. Rather, someone who is ready to put in the work (EAGER even, albeit nervous) will soar in my program. Someone who has been thinking about working with me already, but keeps putting it off. Someone who is attracted to the slow and steady, work your butt off and feel like an absolute badass and role model at the same time vibe ... those are the ones that start coaching with me and optimize their entire lives, not just their health and bodies.


All that to say that I'm here. Even though I don't send you 42 sales emails a week. Even though I'm not tracking what pages on my website you visit so I can sneakily follow up by serving you an ad later on. ;-) If there's something about my emails, videos, or social media posts that resonate with you, it's probably because we feel similarly about how we want to rock this life of ours. I'll never be knocking on your door, but I will always leave mine open for you to walk through when you're ready. I'm UNBELIEVABLY passionate about helping you glow.


Here's more info on my 1-on-1 nutrition / fitness / health coaching program.


And book a free call right here if you've read through that and are ready to get started!

Calorie deficits... a misnomer?

Are calorie deficits a real thing?

Well, sort of. But also not really.




LET ME EXPLAIN.




Questions? Simply shoot an email to tara@taraallenhealth.com to get right into my personal inbox!




XO,
Tara

Track THIS!

Heyyyyy there! I know it's tempting to want to tally calories or macros. You might like to track all the details of your workouts. Or maybe it's points you're used to adding up?

Some of those things can be helpful for certain people, but I'd like to share what I believe is helpful for EVERYONE on a health / body transformation journey and why it should be the first thing (and maybe only thing?) you track.

CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO and get ready to implement this simple yet effective metric to track that has the potential to turn everything around for you!


XO,
Tara


P.S. Are we friends on social? If so, you may have seen me mention that I will be increasing my 1-on-1 coaching prices very soon. I've made lots of upgrades to the program and it's time to restructure the investment as well. That being said, I want to extend you the opportunity to jump on and be grandfathered (or grandmothered?) in at the lower rate as a thank you for hanging out with me here on my email list. 


Here are the details of the program.


For 2 more weeks I will be extending the lower rate if you simply mention this blog post. That's $30 off per month!


If you are ready to optimize your health, body, and finally feel amazing in your skin and in your life, let's do it! Schedule a free call so we can dive into details about your goals and set a start date. I can't wait to work with you!! :-)

Will your results be sticking by your side, or.....?

Believe it or not, there's a question you can ask yourself that will give you a really good idea of whether the results you're working on will end up sticking around or will be fleeting like times in the past.



<<< CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO to learn what the question is and why it's so eye-opening! >>>



Do you have an instagram account yet? I'm not exactly an early adopter with social media, but I have been loving instagram for the way in which I can share so many things for FREE with everyone. FULL, daily workouts, lots of recipes and food prep ideas, fat loss tips, muscle-building tips, motherhood shenanigans, etc. And did you know there's a 'save' feature? Lots of people use this to save certain workout posts that they know they'll want to come back to in the future. It's like having your own little folder tucked away! Do I sound like an instagram ad yet? HAHA! Just my favorite way to share stuff with you guys lately since I don't want to pop into your inbox everyday. If you come visit me, make sure you say hello!



XO,
Tara