Fiber guide and free meal plan

Everything is protein this and protein that lately.

And it's great! I'm finally able to post my protein recommendations without all the comments from some traditionally trained nutrition professionals I used to get on the socials up until a few months ago like, "That will ruin your kidneys" and "That's not what the government recommends". (Sufficient protein does not ruin kidney function. Some people with compromised kidney function already need to consume less protein. That's not the same. What I recommendisdifferent from what the government recommends because staying on top of the research on optimal health means there will be differences there.)



So keep getting that protein in!



But let's not forget we have essential fatty acid (fat) needs and fiber plays such a valuable role in nutrition as well! Let's talk about fiber today. Maybe we'll dive into fat in a future newsletter.



Fiber is one way to naturally raise GLP-1 in our bodies.More on that in this post. Fiber helps to make us feel satiated, helps us manage blood sugar, acts as prebiotics (food for our microbiome) and helps us then go on to produce postbiotics (example: butyrate -- these act as signaling molecules and play a big role in many different functions and systems in our body). 



I recommend 5-15g of fiber per meal for most people, most of the time. There are some people who seem to need to back off of fiber for a while as they heal their gut, though most people would do best aiming to build back up that fiber once they are healed enough to be able to tolerate it again. Now, three meals a day with 5g of fiber in each would still leave you under the amount recommended. Ideally most women are getting more than 25-30g per day and men are getting at least 35-40g per day.



Here are some high fiber food options:

 

1. Beans and Legumes:

   • Black beans (1/2 cup cooked): 7.5 grams of fiber

   • Lentils (1/2 cup cooked): 7.8 grams of fiber

   • Chickpeas (1/2 cup cooked): 6.2 grams of fiber

   • Split peas (1/2 cup cooked): 8.1 grams of fiber

2. Vegetables:

   • Artichokes (1 medium): 6.9 grams of fiber

   • Broccoli (1 cup cooked): 5.1 grams of fiber

   • Brussels sprouts (1 cup cooked): 4.1 grams of fiber

   • Sweet potatoes (1 medium, baked with skin): 3.8 grams of fiber

   • Carrots (1 medium): 1.7 grams of fiber

3. Fruits:

   • Raspberries (1/2 cup): 4 grams of fiber

   • Avocado (1 medium): 9.2 grams of fiber

   • Pear (1 medium): 5.5 grams of fiber

   • Apple (1 medium): 4.4 grams of fiber

   • Banana (1 medium): 3.1 grams of fiber

4. Whole Grains:

   • Quinoa (1/2 cup cooked): 2.6 grams of fiber

   • Oats (1/2 cup cooked): 2 grams of fiber

   • Brown rice (1/2 cup cooked): 1.8 grams of fiber

5. Nuts and Seeds:

   • Chia seeds (1 ounce, about 2 tablespoons): 10.6 grams of fiber

   • Flaxseeds (1 ounce, about 2 tablespoons): 7.6 grams of fiber

   • Almonds (1 ounce, about 23 almonds): 3.5 grams of fiber

   • Pumpkin seeds (1 ounce): 5.2 grams of fiber

6. Other:

   • Acacia fiber (1 tablespoon): 7 grams of fiber

   • Basil seeds (1 tablespoon): 7 grams of fiber

   • Lupini bean pasta (1 serving): 15g

Important to note that fiber content may vary slightly depending on factors such as ripeness, cooking method, and specific variety. Many of these high fiber foods check off other nutritional boxes too! Some are intentional carbs, some are fats, and a few have a least a little protein. Others, like the non-starchy veggies, I wouldn't give credit as intentional carbs, fat or protein.



I made this Spring 2024 Recipe Collection for you in case you want to see how to pull this all together in some real meals. There are omnivore recipes, vegan options, vegetarian options. There are breakfasts, lunches and dinners. And they all have 5-15g fiber, at least 30g protein, and fat and intentional carbs dialed in to help with health and body composition goals. I hope you love it!



XO,
Tara

Did you want a free recipe book?

…because I made you a gift and I'd like to give it to you now...

Low Glycemic Anti-Inflammatory Recipes in 30 minutes or Less



That link above, it's a recipe book. And it happens to be gluten free, dairy free, and completely plant-based. Do I think you need to eat that way? NOPE! But these are some of my favs and they work for most people. ;-)

And if you want even MORE plant-based, gluten-free, healthified recipes, you’re gonna want my (also free) 3-Day Meal Plan designed to help balance blood sugar, improve fat loss, and keep those hangry cravings at bay. ;-) I gotcha covered! Here’s that meal plan!

In health + gratitude,

Tara

Choco-PB Yogurt

Hey there,

So….I know you have a sweet tooth! I do, too. ;-)

Here's my latest low-glycemic / low-carb CONCOCTION - basically just a recipe without any measurements. I'm calling this one:

Choco-PB yogurt

Ingredients:

Unsweetened coconut yogurt (I used So Delicious brand)
Powdered peanut butter (use any protein powder you like)
Peanut butter (or any nut / seed butter)
Raw cacao powder

Toppings pictured: frozen blueberries and hemp seeds


Directions:

1) Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and add toppings as desired. 

2) Enjoy it as a healthy snack, side dish, or delicious dessert!



In good health,
Tara



P.S. If you are ready to make your health a priority once and for all and would like a coach to take you through your transformation, you're welcome to sign up for a (free) 15-min. call so we can chat about your goals and whether or not we're the right fit to work together. 

Easy Apple Dippers

Hey guys,

Ready for a fun & tasty new snack or dessert idea?

These are great for parties and perfect if you need something that doubles as an activity AND food source for your kiddos. :-)

Easy Apple Dippers

(serves 2) 

Ingredients: 


💚1 apple 

💚Dips (such as peanut butter, almond butter, melted dark chocolate, coconut yogurt, mejool date "caramel" 

💚Toppings (such as crushed nuts, seeds, dark chocolate chips, coconut) 


Directions: 

1. Using a melon baller, scoop out "balls" of the apple until you reach the core. 

2. Pierce each apple "ball" with a popsicle stick. 

3. Coat each apple ball with dip of choice and then into topping(s) of choice and place on wax paper. 

4. Place in freezer for at least 30 minutes. 

5. Enjoy!! 



In good health,
Tara

P.S. If you are always looking for new and fun (+ healthy) recipes for yourself and your family, grab my FREE 3-Day Meal Plan for Losing Body Fat. This thing is not only an awesome tool to spark momentum and results, but its’s chock full of delicious new meals and snacks to try! Grab your copy right here, right now. Hope you enjoy!

FAT LOSS and Meal Timing

Fat loss - when the heck should I eat?

It's a common misconception that we need to be eating a million times a day in order to increase our metabolism and burn more fat.


First of all, let's talk about who is looking to burn more fat? If you are looking to lose weight or even just "tone up"…you're looking to decrease the excess fat you have on your body. 


Watch my latest live video (or just listen - you don't need to see my face) as I get into how to tap into your fat stores to use them up as energy. We're discussing meal timing (when and how often) and we nerd out on what insulin is and the role it plays in fat storage and fat loss. It's a pretty unknown concept to most. Definitely worth the 35 minutes if fat loss is on your agenda!


Here's a quick summary:


1) Insulin is a fat-storage hormone that helps us carry sugar into our cells to use as energy. Whatever we don't use gets stored as fat to use at a later time.


2) If insulin remains elevated, our bodies remain in fat storage mode and do not switch over to fat burning mode.


3) Lowering insulin is what allows us to switch over to fat burning mode. We can lower our insulin by focusing on nutrition upgrades and timing our meals properly (hint: eating every 2 hours will not allow your insulin levels to come down for you to enter fat-burning mode).



Watch or listen to the video for lots more details and for the 3 tips I share at the end so you can get going on your fat loss goals right away!!

In good health,

Tara

P.S. If you’d like a (FREE) 3-day meal plan designed to help you with WHAT to eat and WHEN to eat for healthy fat loss, you can grab that right here! Enjoy!

3 NEW things to consider when meal planning

Hey guys,

In my latest live Workshop Wednesday video, I mentioned 3 important things I see so many of my clients skipping when they go about planning their meals out for the week. While almost everyone considers what they have in the kitchen, their budget, what they enjoy eating, and when they’ll be going shopping, these 3 things are often overlooked.

1. Goals - are you putting together your meals with your ultimate goals in mind? Does the meal plan reflect the types of food your body needs, the amount, the meal timing…?

2. Schedule - are you a bit overzealous in trying to cook too many new recipes in one single week? What days are busiest? Are you utilizing your leftovers in the best possible way? Leftovers save sooooo much time, money, and stress if done right. ;-)

3. Other people - who will you be cooking for? Are you making side dishes work for you so that everyone can enjoy the same meal and still be eating according to their body’s needs?

Check out the video for my tips and let me know in the comments…do you meal plan?

In good health,

Tara

P.S. Would you like a FREE meal plan to get you started? I’ve created “The Hangry Women’s 3-Day, Plant Based Meal Plan for Losing Body Fat” and would love to get you your copy!

Meal Plan Sign-Up: