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

The world is reeling...

The world is reeling...

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. 

Why you can't stick to a plan

You *know* what to eat and how to move to make progress, right?

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

Fat Loss During Quarantine?

Fat Loss During a Quarantine?

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