What we're eating in quarantine: our healthy food plan

What are we eating during our quarantine?

Last week, on Wednesday, I recorded this video to show you a little peak into some of the healthy meals and snacks we have been relying on during this time in which we're trying to avoid stores and aiming to have more shelf-stable items on hand.



This video was recorded from my bathroom because.... #momlife ;-)



In a time in which we need to band together, share our most creative ideas, and stay connected through technology as we keep our distance for the safety of ourselves and others, I am opening up my email to all of you. Please shoot me a note at Tara@TaraAllenHealth.com if you have a question, need to vent, want to share something, or simply want to see if we can make each other laugh today.



I have been very actively posting on my social media channels during our quarantine. If you'd like access to daily home workouts (in my stories), food prep and recipes, or 'suddenly homeschooling while working from home' life, let's connect on instagram and facebook! 



Stay well,
Tara



P.S. What's happened on social?



Note to Self
Toilet Paper Workout (yup, seriously)
Quarantine Lessons
Teaching you what I learned in Salsa Class: Step #1
Kids' Stool Workout

Another booty exercise from the couch...with guitars and nesting blocks?

"More booty exercises, more booty exercises…!!"

Alrighty, I heard your replies and I raise you…another home exercise you can add to the mix to target those glutes.  (Also, why does auto-correct want to change 'glutes' to 'flutes' every time??  I've never played the flute…or talked about playing the flute in my life). 


Watch this super-quick video of me doing this move using my couch.  If that's not a win-win, I don't know what is.  I also may bring a guitar and some nesting blocks into the mix.  You'll see.


Oh, and squeeze your butt cheeks together at the top. Happy booty-building!

In good health,

Tara

At-Home Booty Exercises

Ready to work your backside?

Well gee…that was really personal!  Sorry about that.  But not really ;-) because I hear from so many women about how they'd love to sneak in workouts at home and focus on toning up their boot-y!

So, I figured I'd share a few of my favorite moves in a super-duper-fast video demo (do you have 36 seconds?!).

Try these 2 exercises for your glutes.  Scale the reps and sets up or down depending on your current fitness level.  Add in a march-in-place warm-up and weave in a few sets of jumping jacks or stairs to turn up the heat.

In good health,

Tara

Fit As A Mother (the series) - A Doll

I'm back with another Fit As A Mother (time-lapsed) video for you guys.  These videos are meant to spark creativity and show that you can workout anywhere, anytime, with anything!

A big shout-out to Lucy, my daughter's well-loved purple doll in this video.  :-)

How do you like to workout?  What do you do to squeeze fitness in as a busy mom or working woman?  I'd love to hear about your routine or goals!

In good health,

Tara

Fit As A Mother (the series) - Board Books

Hey there,

Do you have a ton of board books laying around....well, pretty much EVERYwhere?! 

Yup!  Me too!

Besides reading them (duh!), I wondered what else I could do with these wonderful little collections of silly words and imagination.

Enter: The Fit As A Mother series.  :-)  

Try this workout!  Aim for 12 reps of each exercise; 3 circuits in total for a quick and effective full-body workout in the comfort of your home!

1. Side lunges
2. Reverse Lunges with a Front Slide
3. Mountain Climbers

In good health,

Tara

Fit As A Mother (the series) - MegaBlocks

No excuses, right?!

I know I'm in jeans here as I demonstrate some exercises, but that's just it.  Even if you don't have time to change clothes, you can sneak in a workout almost anytime and definitely anywhere!  Here are 3 exercises you can do with your kids' Megablocks.  :-)

How about you?  When are you getting your fitness in?

In good health,

Tara

Fit As A Mother - The Learning Tower

Hey there,

Thank you for your feedback on my latest video series, Fit As A Mother!  I've been getting facebook messages, instagram DMs, emails, and texts about them and the general consensus seems to be that they're funny, silly, and helping to make you think outside the box when it comes to your fitness.

That's all I could hope for!

Here's the latest one in which I use our Learning Tower - a sturdy bench thingy made for kids to help in the kitchen.  I'm having fun coming up with these ideas and they've sparked some new creativity for me in my own workouts as well.  Sometimes we get into a rut and just need a change!

Please keep the feedback coming.  You love 'em...you hate 'em....they make you laugh...? Regardless, I appreciate hearing all of what you have to say.

Hope you have a fabulous start to your week!

In good health,

Tara

Fit As a Mother (the series) - Toy Truck

Hey you,

Remember how I mentioned I workout sometimes with weird 'props'?!  Well....yup!  Check out these 4 exercises you can do with a toy truck.  This workout is low impact (read: quiet) and can be done while little ones are NAPPING.  Woo hoo!

Try this: 3 sets of 12 reps for each exercise you see me do here (there are 4 in total).  You'll be done in a few minutes, but man oh man, you'll be feeling GOOD!  That's 'cause you're Fit As A Mother.

*high five*

In good health,

Tara

Introducing...Fit As A Mother (a new series)!

Hey guys,

I've been known to work out in some weird places with some weird things!  I'm a mama.  By definition, I'm good at coming up with weirdness at the drop of a hat.  You too, right?!

So I've been thinking about bringing forth this new idea for a series that you can find here or on facebook, instagram, and youtube by searching for #FitAsAMother.  It'll be me squeezing in my workouts in a realistic setting with realistic 'props' and possibly some laughs.  Sound cool?  Please drop a comment below or shoot me a quick note to let me know if you love this idea or....not so thrilled with it.  I want to make sure it's something that YOU will enjoy.

Thank you!  Without further ado, on Mothers' Day...Fit As A Mother. The Series, part 1:

In good health,

Tara

P.S. Happy Mothers' Day to all the beautiful mamas out there!

Caring for your body post-baby and beyond!

I couldn't bring you all to the Blossom Baby Expo this past weekend here on Long Island, so at the last-minute suggestion of my hubby, I recorded my presentation LIVE to bring to YOU!  ;-)

We spoke about nutrition, fitness, sleep, support, and stress - specifically targeted for postpartum women, but these tips will help anyone!  I stopped the video before the Q&A started, for the privacy of our awesome mamas.

Please share this with any of your pregnant or postpartum friends.  This time in your / their lives is simultaneously the most important and yet the most challenging time to turn inward and take care of your own body.  It can be done!  Watch to learn more.

In good health,

Tara

Baby (Jagger) Bicep Curl-Shoulder Press

Have you ever seen a woman in jeans and a sweater doing an arm workout with a 20-ish pound baby as her weight?  Can't say "no" to that anymore!  ;-)

When you work primarily from home with a toddler and baby in-tow, you learn to be ok with getting ready either in 30 seconds or spreading it out over the course of the whole day - dressed now, makeup later, hair…eh. 

So what does this mean?  WelI for one, I got out last night.  Woo hoo!  But, it also meant I was clad in my best sweater-over-tank-top-for-easy-breastfeeding and ripped jeans before we got to shoot this demo video.  And yes, it's totally "we", because let's face it…Magnolia and Jagger steal the show.  ;-)

This bicep curl-shoulder press is a great way to work your upper body in one exercise.  The babies enjoy it too!

*Note: Please look out for low ceilings!  Grab those babies tight and only do this move if your little kiddo has complete head and neck control.  Alternatively, use a gallon of milk, a water bottle, or a dumbbell to add resistance.

Do 3 sets of 10 and feel the burn!  Your muscles will thank you.

Pumpkin Workout

It's November 3rd.  You have pumpkins still out on the stoop in a Halloween-hangover of sorts.  You could throw them out (why?!?!), cook with them, donate them...

…But first, you should get a KILLER workout in (or 2 or 3) before you and your Orange Balls of Autumn-ness part ways.

In this 2.5 minute video (come on now, guys - you do have 2.5 minutes, right?), I show you 3 simple exercises you can do RIGHT NOW to get that blood pumping and endorphins bathing your brain and body.  Don't confuse simple with easy.  Do three sets of these 3 exercises for a QUICK and POWERFUL jolt of energy (and health and toned muscles…blah, blah).  ;-)

Ready?  3….2….1….press play!

Glute Bridges

Are you looking to strengthen your pelvic floor and core?  Have you had diastasis recti (that painless separation of abdominal muscles causing a belly bulge) from previous pregnancies?  Or, do you have some lower back pain that you're looking to rehab?

The Glute Bridge is a perfect, gentle-yet-effective exercise you can do in the comfort of your home with no equipment.  Watch me demonstrate it next to a very awake, Jagger-dude.  

As you lift your leg high into the air, concentrate on rolling your vertebrae off the floor one at a time as well as returning contact with the floor one vertebrae at a time.

If you find this helpful, please share with your friends and family!  And, if you'd like more of these videos, drop a comment or an email and tell me what you'd like to see more of.  I'm here to help you.  Yup - YOU!  ;-)

SnugBug Fitness - Side Plank into Lateral Leg Lifts

Check out our latest SnugBug Fitness demo video!  A good friend and SnugBug client lent me this beautiful woven wrap and it's true love!  Thank you, Ali.  Aquarious is in good hands this week.

This dynamic exercise gets to the core of the core.  Your obliques will be challenged as well as the outer portion of your glutes (target those hips).

Watch here:

How are these video demos going for you?  What would you like to see more of?  I'd love to hear from you!  In the meantime, enjoy your weekend!

In health,

Tara