Are you "skinny fat"?

Why "skinny" is a scam ... the sneaky way your body could be holding onto excess fat.

First of all, just in case you're new around here, fat is IMPORTANT. The fat we eat. The fat we have on our body. Important! Helpful. Needed. Nothing I share is EVER about denying this fact or any kind of shaming. My goal is always to help you feel your best and optimize your health while achieving your body composition goals.

So ... have you ever been told you're "skinny fat"?

Ever feel like your body is playing an elaborate prank on you? You’re not technically overweight, but you also don’t feel strong, energized, or remotely like the thriving human you’re trying to be. Maybe your arms feel kind of squishy, your waistline isn’t where you’d like it, and despite eating what should be healthy and exercising, your body is just… not cooperating.

Welcome to the frustrating-but-fixable world of skinny fat -- where your body is holding onto fat while quietly ditching all the good stuff like muscle, bone density, and metabolic efficiency. And spoiler: this isn’t just about looks. It’s a major metabolic red flag.

What Exactly is “skinny fat”?

Skinny fat, or metabolically obese normal weight (MONW) (yes, science is just as rude as the internet), happens when you’re at a normal weight but have a higher body fat percentage than what's considered healthy — paired with lower muscle mass.

And here’s where it gets interesting -- people who store fat easily actually have a protective advantage. Their bodies make new fat cells to store excess energy safely. But if your body doesn’t do that well, fat has to go somewhere -- and that somewhere is inside your organs, muscles, and liver, where it wreaks absolute havoc. This is called ectopic fat storage, and it’s like stuffing a storage unit past capacity until the doors burst open. Only instead of an avalanche of Amazon impulse buys, it’s inflammation, insulin resistance, and metabolic dysfunction.

People with this type of fat storage tend to “look” fine longer -- but they get sicker faster. They don’t have the visual warning signs of weight gain, so by the time blood sugar, cholesterol, and hormone levels wave the red flag, metabolic damage is already well underway.

Signs this might be happening:

• You feel soft instead of strong, even though you work out.

• Your clothes fit weird -- somehow tight and loose at the same time.

• You don’t weigh much, but you struggle with stubborn fat.

• Your energy fluctuates wildly, and sugar cravings own you.

• You’ve been told you have blood sugar issues, high cholesterol, or inflammation, even though you’re “not overweight.”

"Ok, but what causes it?"

It’s not just about eating too much or skipping the gym -- this is a metabolic issue. Your body is constantly making decisions about what to store, burn, or break down based on input from food, movement, stress, the environment, sleep, temperature variability, etc. And if the wrong signals are being sent? Muscle loss and fat storage become your body’s default settings.

*Chronic dieting & undereating: If you’ve ever aggressively cut calories, your body may have responded by burning muscle instead of fat. Muscle is expensive to maintain, and if your body thinks famine is coming, it hoards fat instead while burning more of the "other stuff".

*Skipping strength training: Your body needs a reason to keep muscle otherwise it won't. If your workouts are mostly cardio, you’re not giving it that reason -- so it prioritizes fat storage instead.

*Low protein intake: Protein is the raw material for muscle. If you’re not eating enough, your body doesn’t have the building blocks to maintain or grow it.

*Blood sugar rollercoasters: If your meals spike and crash your blood sugar all day, insulin gets thrown off, fat storage gets prioritized, and your metabolism slows down.

*Chronic stress + poor sleep: High cortisol (hello, life) drives fat storage and muscle breakdown, especially in the belly area. If you’re constantly stressed and underslept, your metabolism is not thriving.

Let me introduce you to past-me: a person who exercised daily, ate "clean" (whatever that means!), and was somehow still dealing with a body that felt out of sync. I was exhausted, moody, and despite doing 'all the right things', I was very unwell!

Turns out, I had a VIP pass to metabolic dysfunction. PCOS, insulin resistance, prediabetes, and hypothyroidism -- a delightful cocktail of conditions making my body resistant to fat loss, prone to muscle loss, and perpetually tired.

I wasn’t just dealing with body composition issues, I was experiencing real metabolic dysfunction. And nobody had ever explained this to me. 

The shift happened when I stopped focusing on restriction and started focusing on metabolic health. I prioritized muscle, blood sugar balance, stress resilience, and supporting my metabolism instead of punishing it. And then? I became present me. :-) Much healthier in my 40s than I ever was in my 20s or 30s.

The good news is this is totally reversible, and you don’t have to give up carbs, fun, or your will to live.

1️⃣ Eat more protein: Aim for 1g per pound of your ideal body weight. Protein tells your body to hold onto muscle instead of breaking it down.

2️⃣ Strength train 3-4x / week: Muscle is your metabolic insurance policy. Give your body a reason to keep it.

3️⃣ Balance blood sugar: No solo carbs. Eat protein, fat and fiber alongside your carb intake. This reduces glucose spikes and prevents fat storage.

4️⃣ Prioritize sleep + stress Management: Blah blah blah. Easier said than done, right? But really important! Poor sleep and chronic stress drive muscle loss and fat storage. Fix these, and your metabolism will thank you.

5️⃣ Stop dieting: If your maintenance calories are too low (think 1,200-1,500), that’s a red flag. That’s not just “how your body is” -- it’s a sign your metabolism needs support.

6️⃣ Move more (not just workouts): Walking, stretching, kitchen dance parties, 10 air squats after meals ... small movements throughout the day matter just as much as workouts for fat loss and metabolic health.

Being “skinny fat” isn’t just about aesthetics ... it’s about longevity, energy, and feeling strong in your own body. If you’ve been struggling, your metabolism likely needs more support, not more restriction.

Let me know -- which of these steps surprised you the most? Want me to break any of them down further?

XO,
Tara

P.S. Something new is coming soon -- something built just for women who are done feeling weak, tired, and stuck. No diets. No nonsense. Just real results, real strategies, and a real community to help you make it happen. Stay tuned. 😉

The future of health coaching (and why this model ain't cuttin' it)

What if the missing piece in your health journey isn’t you ... but the outdated system that expects you to piece it all together alone?

Health Coaching Needs a Glow-Up

(Or at least a version that actually works)

Most people trying to improve their health, lose fat, or feel like a functioning human again are left cobbling together a team like they’re assembling the Avengers:

• A trainer for workouts

• A dietitian for food

• A doctor for labs

• A holistic doctor for more labs ... and supplements

• A therapist for mindset

• A coach for accountability

And yet, none of these people are actually talking to each other.

Your trainer doesn’t know your labs.
Your doctor doesn’t know your meals.
Your dietitian doesn’t ask about your sleep.
Your therapist doesn’t connect your blood sugar swings to your stress.

It’s like a giant, broken game of telephone. And guess who’s stuck trying to make sense of it all? You.

This is why so many people spin their wheels, following mismatched advice that makes them more confused, more exhausted, and somehow less healthy than when they started.

I think the future we want will need to include one person, all the pieces.


But I didn't want to wait around for a degree like that to appear out of thin air. So I Venn Diagrammed my education and experience to be complete enough that the separate circles and the overlapping spaces together allowed me to see the big picture.


I didn’t just get a nutrition certification and start handing out meal plans.

I didn’t just get a personal training certification and start programming workouts.

I’ve spent a lot of time in school -- nursing, more nursing, grad school, health coaching, personal training, nutrition coaching, diabetes educator training, psychology, a year-long behavioral change fellowship. Listing a bunch of it "outloud" feels ridiculous, but every piece of it has shaped how I work. There’s still no single path or degree that truly equips someone to do what I do with my clients. And that’s why I don’t regret any of it. It takes pulling from all these areas plus self-education to build an approach that actually connects the dots and gets real, lasting results that spans both body composition AND health optimization.

I spent decades studying, practicing, and refining an approach that actually connects the dots. Because no single system in your body exists in a vacuum.

Here's what this looks like in real life:

• Metabolic strategy: Not just weight loss, but optimizing hormones, energy, and body composition in a way that is actually sustainable.

• Medical detective work: Reading labs, connecting dots, and catching what practitioners often miss (which, spoiler alert, is a lot).

• Performance coaching: Habit change, mindset shifts, and environmental tweaks so your results actually stick and take you to the next level.

• Deep life transformation: Because health is not just about food and exercise. It is about everything.

The old model is keeping us stuck!

Most professionals are still working in silos, meaning:

• Your doctor tells you your labs are “normal,” but you feel terrible.

• Your trainer tells you to eat more protein, but your digestion is a disaster.

• Your nutritionist hands you macros but doesn’t mention stress, sleep, or hormones.

• Your coach gives you mindset hacks but doesn’t factor in how blood sugar swings are tanking your mood.

It can feel confusing, frustrating, impossible, not worth it for us as individuals.

Right now, if someone wants a truly integrated, personalized approach, they have to hope they stumble across someone who figured out how to piece it all together... and has all of the scopes of practice to be allowed to do so. Trainers aren't allowed to deep dive into nutrition with their clients in most regions. Doctors didn't get detailed nutrition, fitness or metabolism training in med school. Etc. Etc.

But this should be a degree path ... and the new standard! Because if you want real results, you don’t need six different specialists handing you conflicting advice or not taking one piece into consideration with the rest. You need one person who will think about how the whole machine works.

Not everyone can or wants to invest in 1:1 coaching (and my spots are very limited!). But that doesn’t mean you can’t start making big changes today.

1. Spot the missing links

Ask yourself:

• Are you dialed in on nutrition timing, balance and quality but ignoring stress?

• Only doing workouts but neglecting recovery?

• Managing blood sugar but not supporting digestion or gut health?

• Optimizing sleep but not hormones?

If your plan only focuses on one piece of the puzzle, you may very well be missing some things that could be game-changers.

2. Escape the generic health hamster wheel

Instead of:

• Eat less, move more → Try: Eating enough protein, fiber, healthy fats and knowing your intentional carb numbers to regulate blood sugar and hunger naturally.

• Just do more cardio → Try: Strength training and metabolic flexibility so your body burns more energy at rest.

• Follow this strict diet → Try: Learning how food actually works for your unique metabolism, hormones, and goals.

3. Fix the biggest thing holding you back

If you feel stuck, there is probably one major factor playing a bigger role than you think. A few common culprits:

• High stress – If your cortisol is chronically off, your metabolism is not happy.

• Poor sleep – You think you’re fine on six hours. Your hormones disagree.

• Protein imbalances – Eating too little or too much protein throws off satiety, blood sugar, and muscle retention.

• Mitochondrial dysfunction – You don’t have an energy problem. You have a cellular efficiency problem.

• Mineral deficiencies – Magnesium, potassium, iodine… low levels mean low energy, slow metabolism, and more cravings.

The bottom line:

You don’t need to chase extremes, and you don’t need to stay stuck! I built this method because it didn’t exist. But it needed to. It was the method I wish I had when i was dealing with 4+ chronic diseases at the same time ... before I reversed them naturally. And if you are looking for a smarter, more connected way to approach your health, I’d love to help.

What is the number one thing holding you back right now? Let’s talk!


XO,
Tara

You think you're getting enough protein, but are you?

Think You’re Getting Enough Protein? These Foods Might Be Tricking You.

If I asked you right now, "Are you eating enough protein?", you’d probably say yes (or at least think you're close).

But here’s the thing… a lot of foods we think are high in protein actually aren’t. 

• Peanut butter? Mostly fat

• Beans? Mostly carbs

• Most yogurts? More carbs than protein

• Cheese? Fat first, protein second

• Eggs? About equal amounts protein and fat

• Chickpea pasta? Mostly a carb

And if you’re building meals around these thinking they’re protein-packed, you’re likely falling short on the  protein needs of what your body actually needs without even realizing it. And, while we thrive with a balance that includes fat and carbs of course, you might bee accidentally overdoing those.  Example: you want to make yourself a big salad as a lunch. You have lots of greens and colorful veggies as your base. You use olive oil or avocado or dressing as your fat. You include some fruit for a carb source (like a delicious Summer salad with strawberries) and then you think, "I need to add protein" ... so you add some beans or chickpeas or nuts or seeds. But the first 2 are more carbs than protein. And the 2nd 2 are more fat than protein. So your salad ends up being too light in protein and possibly over in your carbs or fat needs for that meal. Is it a big deal? No! But could it increase hunger, throw off blood sugar and make it harder to reach fat loss goals over time? Yes!

"Tara, why does it even matter?"

Protein is essential for:

• Building muscle and supporting metabolism

• Keeping energy levels stable (bye, afternoon crashes)

• Managing hunger and cravings so you’re not snacking all day

• Optimizing fat loss, recovery, and overall body composition

And when you’re not getting enough, you might feel:

• Hungrier, even after meals

• Low-energy or sluggish

• Like you’re losing muscle instead of fat

The good news? You don’t have to guess your way through it.

Between work, homeschooling and life, I'm secretly juggling THREE massive projects behind your back ... so naturally, last week I chose to procrastinate a little and spent some time randomly putting together a free, simple guide for you. :-) It contains high-protein meals that are actually balanced and satisfying.

What’s inside?

• Meal ideas with 30+ grams of protein

• The best protein sources (that won’t trick you)

• Quick, real-life ways to hit your protein target without overcomplicating it

Grab it here

Try a few swaps this week and see how you feel -- your energy and progress might just take off.

XO,
Tara

P.S. I posted this reel about this on IG last week, if you're more of a visual learner.

Are you surviving a zombie apocalypse?

Your metabolic health might just be your greatest survival tool

Imagine this: the world as we know it has collapsed, WiFi is gone (RIP), and your only sources of fuel are whatever you can forage, hunt, or trade for in this dystopian wasteland. You have two choices:

1️⃣ Tap into your well-trained, efficient metabolism to burn stored fat for fuel, maintain stable energy, and think clearly under stress.

OR

2️⃣ Realize too late that you’ve been running on a carb-dependent, metabolically rigid system that now has you shaky, weak, and about to make some very bad decisions just to get your hands on a granola bar.

Most people have trained their bodies exactly wrong for survival ... not just for a zombie apocalypse but for modern life. If you need constant snacks, caffeine, or sheer willpower to function, your mitochondria are in a biochemical panic.

Mitochondria are not just the powerhouse of the cell (HS biology is back to haunt us). They are energy transformers, converting food and light into ATP, the actual currency of life. Without efficient mitochondria, your body starts hoarding energy (ahem ... fat gain or fat loss resistance) like a glitchy, outdated hard drive ... leading to sluggish metabolism, inflammation, and that why am I so tired all the time? feeling.

Here’s what actually builds metabolic resilience and trains your cells to be fuel-flexible under pressure (whether that’s outrunning zombies or making it through a brutal Monday without an IV of cold brew):

🔥 Zone 2 cardio This is the endurance-building, fat-burning, mitochondria-multiplying magic no one wants to do because it takes time and you probably need a shower after. But your cells are running a marathon every second, and they need this low-and-slow stimulus to stay efficient.

🔥 Sprinting (or HIIT, if you’re fancy) Because your metabolism should be able to switch gears fast, not just slog along like a Windows 95 reboot. And, we need to train explosiveness! Fast-twitch muscle activation improves mitochondrial density, insulin sensitivity, and fat oxidation.

🔥 Muscle mass = metabolic currency More muscle means more mitochondria, better glucose disposal (aka better carb tolerance), stronger bones, and protection against metabolic decline. It’s the ultimate insurance policy for aging well.

🔥 Smart fueling Protein first, fiber second, carbs and fat as energy sources, not a crutch. Your mitochondria do not appreciate a blood sugar rollercoaster, traffic jam of overindulgence OR being underfueled ... and stable energy means better cognitive function, hormone balance, and fat-burning potential.

🔥 Cold + heat exposure, grounding, and sunshine / light / darkness patterns in check Because mitochondria respond to way more than food. They are quantum sensors, taking in signals from their environment. Sunlight improves ATP production, cold + heat exposure enhances mitochondrial efficiency, and grounding allows free electrons from the Earth to neutralize oxidative stress. Yes, your metabolism is actually electric.

Most people are stuck in outdated metabolism thinking. But metabolic intelligence is about training your body to be adaptable, resilient, and able to handle whatever comes next. It’s not just about burning fat. It’s about optimizing your cells to function at their highest potential.

And because you guys are my inner TAH circle, I’ll tease this: I've applied for a trademark on something I know is going to change the game. You’re here early. Stay tuned.

XO,
Tara

P.S. Want to work together? My 1:1 coaching is designed to optimize your metabolism, energy, and body composition from every angle in a customized way ... nutrition, movement, stress, inflammation, lab work, bioenergetics, and more. If you're ready for full-scale transformation, apply here. If you prefer a powerful 28-day deep dive, join the waitlist for TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. The next round opens in May, and the waitlist gets a discount.

P.P.S. So… would you survive the zombie apocalypse? Or would you be the one strategically conserving energy, calculating your best escape route, and making sure your mitochondria are firing on all cylinders when it really counts? Either way, now you’ve got the tools to boost your metabolic intelligence ... because whether it’s zombies or just everyday life, resilience is the real superpower. 🧟‍♂️🔥

Free Cookie Collection Inside!

Smart Cookies, Healthier Holidays: Your FREE recipe collection + 84 delicious holiday treats

I write these blogs in advance so for what it's worth, it's National Cookie Day right now, as I type. Perfect!



Let's see how many times can I say the word free? I made a FREE cookie recipe collection to share with you today with some baking options for that Cookie Exchange or hostess gift. It's made with real food and while still a treat, they're more nutrient-packed and lower glycemic yet tasty treats.



You can download that FREE collection right here.



If you're ready to dive deeper into healthy baking and no bake options, my Smart Cookie e-cookbook is your perfect companion. With 84 amazing dessert recipes, you'll discover new ways to enjoy seasonal favorites and year-round treats made with wholesome ingredients. They all happen to be free of gluten and dairy and there's something for everyone -- cookies, pie, no bake, stovetop, brownies, cupcakes, hot chocolate, keto, paleo, pumpkin, chocolate, hazelnut, apple, gingerbread, peanut butter, fudge. I mean, take your pick! This e-cookbook will only be available through the holidays, so a couple more weeks before it heads to the archives.



Get your copy of Smart Cookie now



May your holidays be bright and your cookies just right!



Your fav. wellness elf,
Tara



P.S. Need help reaching your fat loss, muscle building, and / or health optimization goals? Let’s team up!

• 1:1 Coaching for a highly tailored, deep dive approach that works for you.

• Transform: Body and Mind – A complete, holistic transformation for lasting results.

• Jumpstart – A budget-friendly, self-paced mini course to get you on the right track. Let’s make 2025 your healthiest year yet!

P.P.S. Five. If you include the title of this blog, I said "free" 5 times (now six).

"I eat clean and workout but am not getting results."

You eat clean. You workout. But you're not loving your results.

What gives?



Does this sound familiar? I hear it all the time. People email me, DM me and say this. Here's the deal ...



It means almost nothing to me when someone says they "eat clean" and / or that they "workout". The reason is that the nuance matters. A LOT.


What does "clean eating" mean to them? What types of things do they eat? What types of things are they avoiding? What times do they eat? How much food? Are they meeting their micronutrient needs? What's the balance of their meals like? Are they getting enough protein per meal? Across the whole day? Enough fiber? What kinds of fat are they getting? How many intentional carb servings per day? How much alcohol? What’s their blood sugar management like?



One can consider themselves a "clean eater" (most people are referring to eating minimally processed foods when they say this), yet still be eating in a way that tells our body to store excess body fat and / or keep the current amount of excess body fat. We’ll know that to be the case when we have fat loss resistance. Our body doesn’t do that by accident. If it’s happening, it’s happening for a reason.



The same can be said about those who say they "workout". I love it because any exercise is better than none, right? But also, chances are there are things we can do to optimize your routine to get a bigger bang for your buck if you’re not happy with where things are at.



What types of workouts are you doing? How often? What's the intensity like? What are rest / active rest days like? How sedentary are you between workouts? How much strength training are you doing? Is it a progressively overloading + comprehensive program? How much steady state cardio? What about sprint level cardio bursts like HIIT for VO2 max improvement? How much overall movement do you get each day? Do you have a plan that feels very manageable inside your full life and one that you’re able to be consistent with even during hard or busy weeks?



Nuance.



When I get emails or DMs saying, "I eat clean and workout and just can't get the results I want" it does NOT tell me your body is broken (even when people tell me that’s the conclusion they’ve drawn). It tells me we have some information to get through and tweaks to make so you can and will finally get those results you've been spinning your wheels for.



A few notes to keep in mind if this is resonating:

1) Eating too much "clean" food for your current metabolic rate will lead to fat gain or fat loss resistance.

2) Cutting back on food with a slow metabolism instead of boosting your metabolism first can be a dangerous choice. The goal shouldn't be to enter a calorie deficit no matter how low it needs to be. The goal (for health optimization PLUS body recomposition) should be to boost your metabolism to a healthy and robust rate so that when you do dial back slightly, you're still taking in a very nourishing and satiating amount of food.

3) Eating too little in general or too little of one or more components (like protein, for example) can actually interfere with your fat loss goals as well. Starvation mode isn't a thing, but metabolic adaptation is. This means your body will 'cut corners' so that it can learn to run itself off of the smaller intake amount without dying. Your heart will keep beating and you'll breathe but your thyroid might start to down-regulate, energy levels will decline, you may notice things like brain fog, muscle will start to waste away and healing won't be as efficient.



To start:

1) Make sure you're eating 30+g of protein in each of your 3 meals per day.
2) Strength train 2-4 days a week to maintain or add muscle (and increase metabolic rate and carb tolerance).
3) Go for a daily walk.
4) Work up to at least 25g of fiber daily.
5) Prioritize sleep quantity, quality and consistency (no big swings in bedtime from weekdays to weekends).



If you need more targeted help with your health and / or body composition goals, check out my 1:1 coaching program details. Spots are very limited as it's all customized and a very high touch program but I have clients graduating out of the program often, so spots do open up fairly often. :-) It's first come, first served. Fill out the interested form if you're ... interested (haha) and I'll get back to you shortly with more information and expected timeline.



XO,
Tara

The Big 10

"My metabolism hurts!"

What if we said that? It would certainly help us get to the root of the issue, wouldn't it? This kind of reminds me of this religious saying that I'm going to butcher here because I'm paraphrasing but let's try ...



A man gets caught in torrential rains. His house is flooding and things are looking grim. He prays to God to help him. A man in a rowboat comes by and yells for him to get in. "No thanks", he says, "God will help me." The rowboat continues on. A motorized boat comes by next. "Jump in. I can get you out of here right away." "No thanks. God will save me." The motorboat passes. Next, a helicopter flies by with a rope dangling, asking the man to hold on tight. "No thanks. I've prayed to God and I'm waiting." The man dies and goes to Heaven. He says, "God, I believed in you and you let me die. What happened?" God says, "I sent you a rowboat, a motorboat and even a helicopter. What more did you expect?!"



I share that story because it reminds me a bit about how many people feel about their bodies, as well. Typically, before we are diagnosed with chronic disease, there were signs and / or symptoms. And when we understand a bit about how our body works, we can recognize those signs and symptoms as being helpful messengers sent to save us and often turn things around.



We say our knee hurts when we've injured it.
We said our head hurts when we have a migraine.
But we never say our metabolism hurts. Yet, we can assume our metabolism IS hurting if we have any of the following....



Excess body fat
Elevated fasting blood sugar
Elevated HgBA1C
High blood pressure
PCOS
Elevated insulin
Elevated triglycerides
Low HDL
Large waist circumference
Elevated triglycerides-to-HDL ratio
Elevated CRP or uric acid
Cravings
Get "hangry"
Hunger and fullness signals out of whack (for some it's low hunger and for others it's excessive or insidious hunger)
Mood disorders and certain other brain metabolic issues (most behavioral / "psych" disorders have a link here)
Brain fog
Reduced muscle mass
Energy crashes



The most recent research tells us only 6.8% of American adults are considered metabolically healthy. And unfortunately, that's using pretty lenient ranges of what they consider normal. In other words, some of those 6.8% still have lab values that are concerning and will likely to lead to eventual disease if unchanged. If we looked at more optimal ranges, ranges that aren't concerning, I suspect that number to be closer to 1-2% of American adults.



I never pour this much time and attention into things out of our control. That feels like a terrible waste of time. The reason I share about these topics so often is because it is largely in our control. Despite genetics and certain things we can't necessarily control like certain environmental toxins, the VAST majority of our metabolic health is on our own shoulders. It's our responsibility. It can worsen at any time. And it can improve -- usually by A LOT -- at any time. The choice is ours. But first we have to recognize if it's even a problem.



If you're in the 6.8% of American adults considered metabolically healthy (or an estimated 1-2% in the optimal ranges as I discussed more about the criteria here), amazing! My guess is you put considerable time and effort into your health. Optimal health doesn't just happen. Keep going!



But if you're part of the 93.2% (or more like 98 - 99% not yet in "optimal" ranges), you can take steps towards reversing metabolic damage right now, today!



It's everything we talk about each week in my newsletter and what I share about everyday on my feed and in stories on instagram. I will continue bringing you tools, resources, tips, tricks, recipes, workouts, mindset strategies and everything in between. And before this blog gets too long, let me share this list:



Food
Sleep
Movement
Stress / fear / joy / radical acceptance
Toxins
Temperature
Light
Muscle
Mindset
Purpose + connection



These are what I call, "The Big 10". The 10 buckets we can each dig through and uplevel, little-by-little. When we get these buckets mostly right most of the time (perfection isn't a thing, nor is it necessary), we get our metabolic health in order. When we have a lot off with these buckets over time, we usually notice one or many of the symptoms and signs of metabolic disease.



What if you need help? You don't know where to start? Or you feel like you're trying things and doing things and not getting the results you want? This is common! The information that's 'out there' and being shared by most healthcare practitioners, blogs and social media accounts is terribly outdated and problematic. If you can, I hope you'll join us for this May round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. It's my 28-day metabolism course. We're getting to the root of metabolic dysfunction to improve health and achieve fat loss goals by tackling all of the buckets above in great detail and with a doable plan and all the help + guidance you need. Tomorrow is the last day to join. You get access Thursday. We start Monday. I'd love to help you. <3



If you can't join us for this round, stay with me here. My goal is to help as many people as I can regardless of whether we ever get to officially work together or not. I will keep the help coming via free avenues as well. Your metabolic health will shape the quality of your life. It's that important! 



XO,
Tara



P.S. Below -- people hardly ever notice "just" fat loss. There are typically improvements in energy, lab work, diseases, health markers and / or symptoms too. All of those signs and symptoms tell us something is off within the way the cell is powered up. This is metabolic dysfunction. When we get to the root of the metabolic dysfunction, all kinds of seemingly 'random' things start to improve. No promises ever because everyone is different, but if you decide to join us, I can't wait to hear what you notice in your own body!

Is it really a fat loss plateau?

"I want to lose more body fat, but I've hit a plateau!"

Ahhhh ... those darn plateaus! Let's chat about it ...



Very often I hear from clients and regular ol' folks alike that they have hit a plateau and think they need to decrease their food intake in some way. While that is possible, it's certainly not probable. And that's good news b/c who the heck wants to cut out more food??



Before you start whittling down your portions and getting cranky, cold, and tired, run through this checklist. If the answer to any of these questions is "no", then THAT is where you need to be focusing in order to breakthrough your current plateau.



1) Are you sleeping 7-9 hours a night (at least 90% of the time)?

2) Are you eating 1g of protein for every lb of bodyweight where you feel the best? (In other words, if you weigh 250 pounds but feel your best at 150, you can aim to consume 150 grams of protein per day).

3) Are you strength training 3-5 days a week with the last few reps feeling hard to complete? And are you adding reps, weight, and / or sets week over week? (In other words, progressively overloading).

4) Are you walking daily and / or getting at least 5,000 - 6,000 steps everyday in total?

5) Are you taking 1-2 rest days a week? Ok to be adventurous / active those days, but no strength training, HIIT, or vigorous steady state cardio.



If you didn't answer yes to all of the above, that's your place to start. Stop reading the rest of this blog post so you're not tempted to move on to the rest. ;-)



But if you said yes to all of the above, let's move on. Here are a few things you can try next:



1) Get real with yourself. Have you really been sticking to the metabolic way of eating? Clients, this is your customized portion recommendations I gave you. Non-clients, the guidelines I suggest as a starting place are: 20-40g protein, 10-30g fat, and 5-15g fiber with each meal. Fruit or starchy carbs with 1-2 meals a day. (While this won't be everyone's best formula, it works like aa charm for most women, most of the time). Maybe there have been some extra snacks, unbalanced meals, more than just an occasional drink, handfuls of chocolate chips before bed (or is that just me)? Maybe you're forgetting to count that EVOO you roasted or stir-fried your veggies in as a fat? Maybe you're having fruit or starchy carbs with every meal or many portions in a meal? You might just need to dial the extras back a bit rather than think your actual meal guidelines need to shrink.


2) Fitness check. Are your workouts truly as effective as they should be? For strength training, this has nothing to do with how much you sweat or lose your breath and everything to do with how much you are pushing your muscles. When you finished that set of 10 squats, did you have maybe 1 or 2 left 'in the tank' that you could've cranked out if you had to? Or was it more like 10-20 more reps left in the tank? The former will get you incredible results via strength and muscle gain (and therefore, metabolism boosting all day, e'ryday). The latter isn't technically strength training. It's movement, but that's all. So add reps, weight, or sets to get to that near failure point.


3) Could you be overdoing the exercise? This can blow up in our face when it causes inflammation, cortisol spikes, thyroid and sex hormone imbalances, and lack of energy throughout the rest of your day. Besides your 3-5 strength sessions per week, you can add 1-3 QUICK HIIT sessions (about 5 minutes each) and a few steady state cardio sessions per week. But if you're the one who is lifting weights, doing a 60-minute spin class, and then running on the treadmill for 30 minutes and wondering why you feel like sh*t, this is your sign to cut back.



The suggestions about will help 98% of you continue making progress or breakthrough a plateau without letting your brain tell you the meal guidelines aren't working for you and trying to cut back to minuscule portions. But if they don't work and / or you'd like to be supported fully through the process, my 1-on-1 coaching program might be an excellent fit for you.



And if coaching just isn't in the cards right not, here's a meal plan you can start with that takes all the guesswork out for you. It's already balanced to the meal guidelines I outlined above and will help you feel better and notice some results as you work on making these changes a more permanent part of your lifestyle.



I can't wait to hear about how much you blow your own damn mind when you troubleshoot your way through your next plateau. ;-)



Until we meet again,
Tara

Meal timing / spacing for fat loss

Meal timing + spacing for fat loss...

With all the talk about intermittent fasting and time-restricted feeding (did you catch last week's email?), what about the timing between meals? Is that important for fat loss?

Turns out, it is. When we eat, we spike our insulin levels. Insulin is a fat-storage hormone. While that's not necessarily a bad thing, it certainly can become a problem if your insulin is spiked to high or for too long if fat loss is a goal.

Think about exercise. Most of us know that exercise is beneficial for us, but we couldn't workout 24 hours a day without expecting lots of problems. Eating is a similar idea. It's absolutely necessary to eat and nourish our bodies, but we also benefit from giving ourselves some space between meals to allow that rest and return to baseline that's so important.


Check out my latest Workshop Wednesday video for more about meal spacing.


Do you already pay attention to the spacing between your meals or is this new to you? Hit "reply" to this email and let me know!


XO,
Tara


P.S. Have you gotten your copy of Smart Cookie: Healthified Holiday Desserts e-cookbook yet? Some of you have been messaging me and tagging me in your pictures and it's making me drool! :-) The ebook contains 42 gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free treats that are upgraded versions of our favorites this time of year. You can grab a copy right here!

Weight LOSS and weight GAIN require 95% of the same strategies!

Most people think that their weight LOSS goals or their weight GAIN goals are on opposite sides of the spectrum.

And while it's slightly true, in a health-first approach, the strategies to achieve any body goals - and improved health - are 95% identical!

Why? Well optimization is optimization. Being able to change some aspect of your body (such as losing excess body fat) requires a certain level of nourishment, a certain baseline of the foundations like sleep, and a buzzing metabolism.

If you're curious about how I can help one person lose weight and another person gain weight using a nearly identical approach, check out my latest Workshop Wednesday video that I recorded last week. In the video, I cover lots of the topics we address in both cases. If you're a go-getter, you're going to want to use these topics as a framework to develop your own plan!

If going at it alone has not been working - or not been lasting - I have a few spots open for my private, fully customized virtual coaching program opening up in August. If you are someone that likes to save money and time and get results, you have to check it out.

Do you know there are people that spend SO MUCH MONEY and TIME and EFFORT and still do not get the results they want?! Maybe you have been doing this too…I certainly did in the past. I can tell you first-hand that doctor appointments add up, meds add up, supplements, books, "quick fixes", unused memberships, lost time at work…it all becomes so expensive when we are not optimizing our health!

If you've been feeling like you're ready to improve your health, love your body, and impress the socks off of yourself, then check out all the details (yup…including prices) for my private, virtual coaching program.

And if you are feeling EXCITED about the possibilities for your future and want to make sure we are the right fit to work together, sign up for a free 15-minute call right here. We'll talk about your goals and figure out if I'm the person to help you - once and forever. ;-)

In good health,

Tara

Apple Brussels Sprouts Salad

You have to try this new salad! The apple adds a sweet-tart taste to the this bitter vegetable. :-)

Apple Brussels Sprouts

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. avocado oil or coconut oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 9-oz. package of shredded Brussels sprouts (or shred about 3½ cups of whole sprouts)

1 organic apple, peeled

2 tbsp lemon juice

Sea salt

Pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the onion and saute until it starts to caramelize, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the brussels sprouts and continue cooking another 5 - 10 minutes..

2. Add the chopped apple to pan and saute for another 2-3 minutes, and then stir in the lemon juice. Cook for another minute or so before seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Serve and enjoy!

In good health,

Tara