...that also happen to be free of gluten + dairy!
SHARING TODAY a few of the snacks the kids have been having at school so far this year. They help fill them up without making their blood sugar spike and crash... so these are some good ideas for adults too. ;-)
Are you a snacker or prefer to stick to your 3 meals?
Happy Tuesday,
Tara
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
Did you know that we are wired to seek out pleasure and avoid pain? That means some interesting things happen in the presence of either. IN THIS VIDEO I explain why this matters to anyone interested in optimizing their health and habits. More importantly, I tell you exactly how to start using this to your benefit!
Do you plan to start utilizing this strategy? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
XO,
Tara
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
I know. I don't wanna make that choice either! Luckily there are ways that science tells us we can achieve both, even though these goals can be considered at odds with one another, traditionally.
IN THIS VIDEO I chat about why they are at odds with one another and what I'm currently doing to chase both goals. I hope you'll learn something, but more importantly, I hope you'll find excitement in all the cutting edge research that's being done telling us -- in greater detail -- how we can take our health into our own hands.
The video happened live last week, but the offer still stands. Any questions? Anything you'd like to chat about? I'm a quick email away. Tara@TaraAllenHealth.com
Happy Monday!
XO,
Tara
At least that's what she was afraid of when she asked me whether or not she's lose her shape as her fat loss journey continued.
Is there some truth to that? Yup! But there is also a bit that's in your control. CHECK OUT THIS QUICK (6 min.) VIDEO for all the curves + fat loss details.
Is this something you're concerned about as well? Let's chat about it so you feel more confident about your strategy. Shoot me an email - tara@taraallenhealth.com - to get right into my inbox. :-)
Happy day,
Tara
...with a delicious recipe. If you want to catch up with the workouts and health and fat loss tips of the week, come visit me on instagram. Be sure to check stories ... I post there everyday!
Ingredients:
1 cup Plain Yogurt (coconut, Greek... whatever you'd like)
1/2 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
2 tbsps Raw Honey
1 tbsp Chia Seeds
1/3 cup Strawberries (sliced into small pieces)
1 Peach (sliced into small pieces)
1/3 cup Pineapple (sliced into small pieces)
1/2 cup Granola (buy, make... your call)
Directions:
In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, almond milk, honey, and chia seeds. Mix well.
Fill popsicle moulds about 1/4 of the way with the yogurt mixture then drop in the fruit. Spoon more of the yogurt mixture in to cover the fruit. To burst any air-pockets in your popsicles, press down on the mixture with a spoon.
Sprinkle the granola into the moulds to cover the yogurt and fruit, and press down with a spoon so that it gets incorporated with the yogurt mixture.
Freeze for at least 5 hours. When you're ready to eat, leave on the counter for 10 minutes before removing from moulds, so they will slide out effortlessly. Enjoy!
XO,
Tara
Twenty twenty has been off to an interesting start, to say the least. And as we're pushed beyond the sharp edges of our comfort levels in what seems like ALL areas, we must choose to learn and grow from it all. Without that very deliberate and often tricky decision, we will merely wallow in self-pity and sorrow for others. Rather than wallow, let's let it in, feel it, and move through it.
Let's move to awareness.
Listening.
Action.
Hope.
Help.
Community.
Momentum.
Resilience.
Strength.
In all areas. In all we've been experiencing.
And if you know anything about me, you know I'm the biggest believer that everything starts with us. If we are taking care of our physical and mental health, we are able to focus on our needs and the needs of our family, friends, and community.
If we are energetic and vibrant and confident, our voices get a little louder. Our hobbies creep back in. Our family sees more smiles out of us. We stand up for what we believe in. If we are healthy and glowing, we can be better leaders, more productive, calm and kind. We can volunteer. We can take an extra few minutes to give the better answer to our kids' complicated questions. With greater health comes greater capacity - we can love all over others.
Today, I want to remind you of this one thing: taking care of your physical and mental health so you can be that elevated version of yourself is something you get to have power over right now.
So while some will say this is not the time to focus on you, I offer the opposite perspective. This is not the time to take the focus OFF of you as you are needed now more than ever, regardless of how that is showing up in your life. This year has rocked our worlds - every single one of us. I know you're needed. Whatever your role, do it with magic. And how can you be magic when you don't feel magical?
Upgrade your habits one by one.
Sleep, seriously. Please sleep.
Eat well, balanced, and not more than your body needs. Most of our chronic disease comes from excess.
Move your beautiful body.
And learn some tricks for dealing with stress. You might be 'Type A' like me or easily wound-up, but you can teach yourself to become much less reactive through mindfulness and breathing protocols. It's a change worth making. I promise.
If you need help with the specifics of any of this, let me know. I'm here to help YOU.
Peace + love,
Tara
P.S. Come say "hi" on Instagram. I was muted & listening for a week to stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter as I shared resources and many beautiful voices and perspectives of people of color. And now I'm back doing what I do best - focusing on healthy bodies and minds for everyone. I share my workouts, tips, recipes, and answer every single (appropriate) DM. I'd love to connect with you over there.
Some people need help with the information, of course, but most people know enough to get them to their goals. So how come the plan you create in the morning falls by the wayside at 8 PM when you're overwhelmed and need a break? How come you can't seem to stick to an exercise routine for more than a week at a time?
It's your VCR.
Let me explain. You have been trying to take valuable information and plans (nutrition, fitness) that are on a DVD ... and play them inside your VCR. (For you young folks, VCRs are the machines that played videotapes and became extinct around the time the dinosaurs say goodbye).
You have an old operating system and simply need an upgrade. It's a brain thing and it's been going on for years, if not decades! Once you make that upgrade to a DVD player, whichever DVD you choose to run will work.
(Yes, I totally get the fact that DVDs are a bit outdated as well, but I think it's an analogy that you guys will get.)
IN MY LATEST VIDEO, I got into the old operating system you have, the new one you need, and how to make the upgrade.
If your transformation starts with nutrition or fitness or both without addressing old patterns, habits, thoughts, connections... it won't stick. Band-aids only help when there's healing going on underneath.
Hit 'reply' to this email and let me know if you'd like to learn more about how to upgrade your operating system so you'll be able to stick to the changes you make going forward. :-)
Stay well,
Tara
Well, I took an extra long shower this morning. Can I skip brushing my teeth?
It's a joke, of course, but maybe sheds a little light into how different cardio and strength training can be. Just like showers and oral hygiene, they are both beneficial and have their place. However, one does not replace the other.
CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO I recorded live last week to learn about 11 big benefits of strength training...and what the heck 'strength training' really means, anyway.
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We are all in the same storm, but inside of very different boats.
I heard someone mention this recently and it's a beautiful way to sum up what's going on. There are lots of similarities to what we're all going through -- collectively -- right now. Very similar worries and hardships. Very similar silver linings, even, But not for everyone. We are not all in the same boat. And as such, we will be weathering the storm differently. It's our responsibility to look after our own boat, and lend a helping hand to fellow boaters when we can.
It also means we need to be relentless in the amount of grace we give each other and ourselves. Some people are doing all they can to just keep their boat afloat right now. Others might have some more emotional reserve to be able to tackle projects and goals (like starting a new fitness routine or reducing body fat once and for all). But please don't think you don't measure up if you do not have the bandwidth to take on anything extra these days.
Take a few deep breaths, go to bed a half hour earlier tonight, or sneak away to your car or bathroom for 5 minutes today. Take care of your most basic needs - your mental health and emotional resilience.
And if you do feel ready to tackle your health / body goals and are unsure of where to start, email me and I'll share a bunch of FREE resources I have put together. I run a business, yes, but building robust communities full of resources available to anyone in need is a BIG part of my mission.
Hit me up.
Tara@TaraAllenHealth
XO,
Tara
Let's just get that disappointing fact out of the way. You can do everything according to plan and wake up to a higher number. You can go off the rails and wake up to a lower number. There will always be fluctuations that are very much out of our control - water retention, sodium levels, hormones, bathroom habits... there are many outside factors!
So, when we focus on something that is not exactly in our control, we get frustrated. We try to control it more only to realize that no matter what, weight loss goals OR weight gain goals will never be a linear process. The frustration and feeling of being out of control messes with our head and ultimately leads to us throwing in the towel. Why strive for something we're not able to control anyway, right? Ugh!
But there is a better way. ;-)
We DO have control over our consistency. We should be tracking our consistency with precision and laser-focus. Here's how it works: you have ONE nutrition and fitness goal for each day. They need to be things you can easily say you either did or did not do at the end of the day. Then, you track whether or not you did those things each day.
That's it! Not bad, right? Grab a journal, notebook, wall calendar, or use your phone. Simply circle the days you hit both goals and mark an 'x' for the ones you. missed one or both of the goals. Looking back, you should have at least 80% consistency. If you are at least 80% consistent and patient (you wait at least 4-6 weeks), you will absolutely notice results if your plan is a good one.
Rinse and repeat. Tweak as necessary. Enjoy your newfound freedom and confidence from finally reaching those health + body goals. ;-)
Enjoy your week!
P.S. Do you need help with a customized plan so you know exactly what to be working on? Might you benefit from having accountability from a coach to help you stay on track and be consistent? That's what I do! I help clients (virtually) with health, nutrition, and fitness. It's an all-in-one program and is completely customized to your needs and your goals. I've had many new clients start with me since quarantine started because they tell me they are more conscious of their health and have no more excuses since they can workout at home and don't have the usual temptation of driving by the fast food places anymore. If you are ready to start feeling confident, fit, strong, and vibrant by summer, I'm ready to help! I've shifted things a bit and am opening up a handful of new 1-on-1 coaching opportunities for this month.
Learn more about the program here.
Then, schedule your (free) 15-minute consultation here.
Can't wait to speak with you and help you achieve those goals that you've had for so long!
XO,
Tara
It's true that we need comfort right now. In fact, without some comfort in our days, our brain will takeover and seek it out even against your will. Maybe you've seen this in action already? You had every intention to skip the pantry surfing after dark and workout, but instead you skipped the workout and devoured everything in the pantry in what seemed like a semi-conscious state.
Sound familiar? It's something you may be used to doing long before quarantine started. But certainly now it's heightened. Of course... we are worried, bored, stuck at home, not sure what lies ahead, stressed - it's a recipe for comfort-seeking.
But seeking comfort isn't as simple as that. Often, the way we choose to seek out comfort actually leads us to DIScomfort in the future. So, to find true comfort, we need a balance of some in-the-moment strategies that work in the here and now but don't deter from our future selves. AND, we need to do some things that might bring us a little discomfort right now for the sake of future comfort.
Let me explain in this live video I recorded last week on facebook.
Is this something you're dealing with? If so, I have tons of resources that I'd love to share with you. Hit 'reply' to this email and let's chat.
If you'd like to see a quick video sharing more of how I help people (including before and afters - even my own before & after!), check this out.
XO,
Tara
Here's what happened on social:
Dumbbell shoulder workout
Easter morning
Slow cooker lentil chili
Suitcase upper body workout
Salsa dancing - The Left Turn
Bodyweight legs + glutes
The weight of the world
Breathing + COVID-19
No jump HIIT workout
Quarantine Creativity
I'm excited to announce the launch of my Immune Support Meal Plan! I created this meal plan by focusing on balancing not just macros (protein, fats, and carbs), but also made sure that each day has plenty of zinc, selenium, and vitamins A, C, and E.
The plan happens to be gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian too. Oh, and I've worked leftovers in so you're not cooking 3 meals everyday.
You'll get 2 copies instantly - 1 regular one with all the mouth-watering pictures, and 1 text-only so you're not cursing me out as you run out of color ink. ;-)
What else do you get? The 7-day meal plan plus grocery list and all recipes.
So whether you're having trouble getting your hands on your usual immune-boosting supplements or just prefer to get the goods through tasty meals instead, this plan will have you covered.
Enjoy!
While there is so much still to learn about this particular coronavirus, we do seem to understand that individuals with underlying lifestyle health conditions are doing more poorly when infected.
And here's what I know for sure... it's never a bad time to start working on optimizing our health. As someone who used to have PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) and prediabetes, I fell into the bucket of having 'metabolic disorder' - a bucket that also houses those with high cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin resistance, excess belly fat, and blood glucose regulation issues.
The good news is that there are lifestyle choices we get to make to improve our condition at any time. Check out my latest live video in which I dive into this a bit more and share 3 things I've done to stay metabolically flexible.
If there's anything I can do to help you, please feel free to leave a comment and let me know what's on your mind.
XO,
Tara
What's happening on social?
Just one thought...
Chair workout
If it weren't for this quarantine...
Dumbbell workout
Salsa dancing - step 3
Scooter workout
Metabolic Flexibility
Legs / glutes workout
Abs at home workout
Beginner Arm Chair Workout
Turmeric Hummus Recipe + Immunity
Ok, so we're stuck at home for some time...and some time seems to be expanding. Some of us will cave to our fears and frustrations, others of us will feel them anyway (because we're human), but will start to look at how we can make the best of what we have. Build resilience. Get stronger in body + mind....
...and use it as an opportunity to lose some body fat?!
Wait. Stop please. I'd love to share with you my opinion about fat loss during this time. There are a few extra things to consider when talking about fat loss during an extra stressful time. Check out this video I did last week all about it.
Oh, and I created a (free) recipe book: 20 Healthy Quarantine Recipes for you guys. It's full of meals + snacks that require mostly non-perishable ingredients. Grab your copy (instant download) now!
XO,
Tara
Phew....It was a busy week on social media! (instagram):
Resistance Band Workout
Sock Workout
Blueberry Chia Jam Recipe
Banded Glute Workout
I don't like feeling helpless
Amazon Box Workout
Laundry Detergent Workout
A Poem from My Kids' Eyes
Couch Cushion Workout
Quarantine Nutrition
Body Weight Workout
Newsday: How we are making the best of our quarantine
Workshop Wednesday video - maintaining a calorie deficit for fat loss WITHOUT actually counting calories.
My PCOS story
A cool way to get kids to eat their veggies
Working out with toys (again)
Fresh Air and Sunshine more important than ever
Home Glute Workout
P.S. One of the most important things for us to do right now is to understand that social distancing doesn't have to mean social isolation. We are social creatures! And thankfully, we have the use of technology to help bring us together in a safe way during the next few weeks or months. Come join my Facebook community of over 800 awesome people from around the country (and world!) as we continue to share healthy recipes, weekly challenges, workouts, tips....and as we introduce discussions on relevant topics such how to stock up our pantry and fridge during these times, and easy, cheap, and healthy meals to feed the family.
Healthy, Fit, & Strong with Tara Allen Health
....I can no longer be diagnosed with either. How in the world?!?
In this video, I'm sharing a little of my backstory and the big ticket items that has allowed me to heal my body naturally - without medications or targeted supplements.
If you know anyone with PCOS, please forward this email to them. I would love to spread the word that there is a lot more in our power than the conventional medicine would have us believe.
And if you don't have PCOS? Please take this as the sign you need that what you do or don't do on a daily basis has a lot more influence over your health and body than you might have been lead to believe.
Questions? Going through infertility and wanna chat? I'm here! Just leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you!
XO,
Tara
P.S. New private + virtual client availability is coming soon - health, nutrition, and fitness coaching! Let me know if you'd like to chat about getting your name on one of the upcoming spots.
Who doesn’t need a delicious, balanced, warming side dish or entree in the heart of winter?
The kids are off for winter break next week. While this brings a different level of (beautiful) chaos, it also means we can do a little more cooking and baking as after-school activities are cancelled and homework is pretty much non-existent. This chili-stuffed sweet potato recipe really hits the spot! It also happens to be gluten-free and dairy-free. Perfect for our family! Do you plan on trying this? Let me know what you think!
XO,
Tara
Black Bean Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
4 Sweet Potato (medium size)
1 tbsp Organic Vegetable Broth
1 Yellow Onion (chopped)
1 Yellow Bell Pepper (chopped)
2 Garlic (clove, minced)
1 1/2 tbsps Chili Powder
1 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Cumin
1 3/4 cups Black Beans (cooked, drained, rinsed)
3/4 cup Tomato Sauce
1/3 cup Water
1/4 cup Cilantro (chopped)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400ºF (204ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Poke a few fork holes in the sweet potatoes and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until cooked through.
While the potatoes cook, in a medium-sized pot over medium heat, add the vegetable broth. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, or until cooked through. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Then add the chili powder, oregano and cumin. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low, and add the black beans, tomato sauce and water and cook for 6 to 8 minutes.
Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven. Slice each one down the centre and stuff with the black bean chili. Top with cilantro. Serve and enjoy!
Let me share the 6 most common reasons for them ... and, because that would be no fun to end it there... tips for dealing with each one.
Cool?
Check out my latest Workshop Wednesday video where I get into all the details on my instagram or facebook page. Couldn't upload the video this week...tech issues. But it's still hanging out on social if you prefer to watch and/or want more details.
1) Sugar rollercoaster. This is you if you have any blood sugar regulation issues such as PCOS, prediabetes, insulin resistance, or you just find yourself getting hangry often and not able to last too long between meals.
Tips: Reduce sugar and refined carbs (like most bread, crackers, chips, pastries, etc.). Make sure your meals are balanced with plenty of protein, healthy fat, fiber, and vegetables. This will help elongate your blood sugar curve and prevent so many spikes and crashes. Also, don't forget to incorporate regular resistance / strength training into your days. Challenging your muscles turns them into sponges to soak up sugar out of the blood (preventing the spikes) and utilize them as fuel. You are making more room for the sugar and carbs, essentially. You can use weights, resistance bands, machines, or simply your own body weight to exercise.
2) Lack of sleep. This interferes with hormones and hunger / cravings.
Tip: Prioritize both the amount AND the quality of your sleep. If you have young children at home that wake up in the middle of the night, make sure you are doing what you can...such as getting to bed earlier. More broken sleep is better than less.
3) Calories are too low. This could be your average being way too low and causing your body to scream for food by turning up your hunger and cravings...or, you're too low during the week and binging on the weekend. This is you if you think you 'hardly eat anything' but are not actually losing body fat. If you're not losing body fat, you are NOT in an energy deficit when days are averaged out.
Tip: You do not need to count calories, but you do need to know that calories count. If fat loss is a goal, you need a low-moderate energy deficit. Not enough of a deficit? You won't make progress. Too much of a deficit? You body's survival skills (including increasing your appetite and cravings) will kick in and take over.
4) Hormonal. Where are my menstruating women at? Have you ever craved sugar before that time of the month? I certainly have!
Tip: Allow yourself a smaller portion of a higher-quality treat, such as chocolate, if you'd like. Aim for no refined sugar or lower sugar options (such as very dark chocolate).
5) Habit. This is you if you want something sweet every night after dinner or every time you go to the movies, etc.
Tips: Swap the food for something else. Distract yourself. And delay your gratification by waiting at least 10 minutes between when your brain requests the treat and when you 'give in'. This will slowly start to train your brain that it won't always get what it wants, when it wants it. Sugar cravings begin to decrease over time as a result.
6) Mindset. You deserve a treat. You have been 'good'. You had a bad day. Does this language sound familiar?
Tip: It's all about perspective. Listen up. I think you DESERVE to reach your goals. I think you HAVE been good and you DO have bad days sometimes. Which is precisely why I think you owe it to yourself to go for your longer-term goals. Kind parenting isn't about giving into all of our kids' whims, right? We're looking out for their greater good. Same goes for YOU. Being kind to yourself includes certain discipline. Not severe restriction. Not obsessive thoughts. But discipline. Flip the script here.
I'd love to hear from you if you have sugar cravings....will you leave a comment below and let me know which of these 6 categories you fall under? I'm happy to help!
XO,
Tara
Ready for a new dessert recipe?
🎉🙌This recipe sounds weird but it is so delicious – you would never guess that it is made from chickpeas!
🍪😋 This cookie dough is safe to eat raw because it doesn’t contain eggs.
🥣🥄 You can eat this straight from the bowl with a spoon, or make cookie dough balls from it, and store in the fridge.
👩🍳🥜One of the things that’s awesome about this recipe (besides the fact it’s healthier and delicious) is that you can experiment with it to make it your own.
Try swapping out the nut butter, adding some oats or flaxseed (start with ⅛ cup (12 g) and add more until you get the desired consistency) and using honey or coconut sugar instead of maple syrup. It’s so good!
🍪Chocolate Chip-Chickpea Cookie Dough
(makes 4 servings)
Ingredients:
1 15-oz. (400 g) can of low sodium chickpeas, rinsed well and patted very dry
⅓ cup (80 g) natural almond or peanut butter (smooth, not crunchy)
¼ cup (60 ml) organic maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt
⅓ cup (60 g) vegan chocolate chips
Directions:
Place the first 5 ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender and blend until well-mixed. Scrape into a bowl, and stir in the chocolate chips (option: melt the chips and stir in).
This will keep 3-4 days in the refrigerator, if it lasts that long!
Hope this finds its way into your life reeeeeally soon! ;-)
XO,
Tara
