If I wanted to lose excess body fat before the end of the year, here are 4 things I'd start right now

No one waits around until January 1st to set goals anymore, right?

I really love that we're embracing the fact that we can upgrade anything we want about ourselves at any time. With the holidays getting kicked off a week from today with Halloween, it's the perfect time of year to begin to make a change. It's empowering to go off script a bit plus you can make progress on your goals while reducing cravings ... which comes in very handy around your kids' Halloween haul, during Thanksgiving dessert or that Wednesday night holiday party in December.



I have no current fat loss goals but if I did, here are 4 things I'd start doing right away:

1. I'd skip the calorie obsession because it leads to overeating. When we pick meals based on them having a lower calorie count, we are not getting enough of the nutrients that actually turn off our hunger. Therefore, whether later that afternoon or night or a handful of days later on the weekend, we will end up overeating. Instead, I'd be ensuring that I was getting enough -- protein, fat and fiber -- at each meal. I'd want this to be at least 20-30g protein, 10-20g fat and 5-15g fiber per meal (3 meals a day ... maybe with an afternoon snack too). This would make me feel nice + satiated and stop the food obsession, cravings, endless hunger and overeating episodes that feel like a willpower issue but are really just a biological issue.

2. I'd make sure my workouts weren't non-existent, mostly cardio, random, or being phoned in. The way muscle mass helps us have so much more flexibility with our nutrition isn't being talked about enough! More muscle means better blood sugar balance, extra fat burning 24/7 (yes, even when being a sloth on the cough or sleeping), and a higher carbohydrate tolerance. More muscle improves both health and body composition goals. I'd do this by strength training 3-4 days a week, following a comprehensive plan that gets all muscle groups, repeating that same suite of workouts each week for 8-16 weeks or so (not randomly switching it up) and making sure the last few reps of each set feels hard to complete. And then I'd progressively overload by increasing something (reps, sets, resistance) over time. Cardio is great for health, but I would not prioritize that for fat loss goals.

3. I would indulge with intention. I wouldn't swear off any foods for fear of messing up my progress, but I would also have a serious convo with myself about the truth about my indulgences. Am I saying I don't indulge often but when I go out to eat I have a burger with both buns, fries, and a drink? Or some bread from the bread basket, pasta with my entree and a little dessert? Hot cocoa season is coming up. And cookies. And pie. How much alcohol am I drinking on the weekends? And weekdays? Do I indulge at every party, date night, event, holiday...? Once I had that hard convo with myself about my indulgences, I'd then make sure I kept my favorites in while reining things in a bit. It's not deprivation if you're choosing what you want most over what you want right now. It's just a choice and you get to make whichever one you want in each situation.

4. Movement. Knowing 15% (sometimes more!) of our metabolic rate is based on how much we're moving outside of workout time, I'd get creative about how to start moving more. Can I ask my employer for a standing desk or just doctor one up myself by stacking my laptop on a bunch of books? Can I take that call or meeting on a walk? Can I sit on the floor and stretch while watching TV instead of sinking into the couch? Can I plan to walk each morning or lunch break? And if the weather is bad, what's my backup plan? Maybe one of those walking pads or under-desk bikes? Can I plan some family fun on weekends that involves being active ... like a hike, playground games, or after dinner walk or bike ride with whoever wants to join? If fat loss was a goal, I'd definitely not skip out on this and make my metabolic rate 15% slower as a result.

What else? Well if you need some more help, you might be interested to know I'll be briefly opening up early enrollment for the January round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind around Black Friday. This will come with early access so you will have the whole course and all the materials to be able to utilize all of it starting in November!



If you have some diagnoses you believe are making your fat loss goals trickier or could use some customization or extra accountability, 1:1 coaching might be more your flavor.



Oh and if fat loss isn't one of your goals, that list is still a great one if you "just" care about longevity and optimal health. ;-)



XO,
Tara

Fat loss: A learning series

You're a real catch... and I appreciate the heck out of you.

Just wrapped up another super-exciting launch at Tara Allen Health. One thing I typically do when I'm in 'launch mode' for that one week, several times a year is I tend to do more live videos on social media. My goals with this are 1, to share more context about what I do in the course and why I do it so differently. 2, I'm more present for those who have questions. And 3, I want to make sure that even if you and I never get to work together, you still have lots of actionable tips to implement on your own. If you're a TRANSFORM alum, these lives might serve as good reminders for you as well. ;-)



But maybe you missed them? So I wanted to drop them here in a blog this week. Feel free to select just the topics that sound interesting to you or listen to them all in order as a learning series. You don't need to stare at my face! Haha. Pop in some headphones and take me along on a walk, while you're doing housework or even just listen on your commute.



Only thing is ... all the talk about enrollment for TRANSFORM: Body + Mind being open is no longer applicable. Cart closed last week and we actually began yesterday. The next round will be in January though so don't feel like you missed out. You can now hop on the waitlist for that round if you'd like.



Ok, here we go ...


Episode 1. Is there more to the fat loss story than "eat less, exercise more"?

Episode 2. 6 things you're doing for weight loss that are backfiring

Episode 3. Fat loss goal of less than 10 lbs? Or want to “tone up”? Discussing 8 things specific to YOUR goals to keep in mind.

Episode 4. Fat loss goal of 10 lbs or more? Sharing 7 tips specific for you.

Episode 5. 7 reasons you’re giving yourself cravings and what to do about it.

Episode 6. The biggest mistake the weight loss industry is still making!


Hope this helps!


XO,
Tara

Tips for sneaking in extra protein

Protein is magical.

It's pretty hard not to think so when you know about even SOME of the things it does:

• Most satiating macronutrient ... meaning, helps us feel full + satisfied between meals when we've had enough

• Helps reduce cravings

• Contributes to muscle growth and maintenance which is incredibly important for blood sugar control and metabolic rate.

• Requires more energy (calories) to digest than any other macronutrient -- meaning, you eat protein and you burn more calories simply by digesting said protein

• Helps us heal

• Improves skin, nails and hair

• Used as building blocks for many different biological "parts" and processes

So yeah ... pretty darn magical! Also pretty darn difficult to get in enough overall for the day or in each meal in this current day + age. Here are a few of my favorite tips and tricks that can help bridge the gaps and get you enough protein:

1. Get 30-40g protein with breakfast everyday, non-negotiable. This ensures you're off to a great start and can help manage hunger + cravings all day.

2. Bring a high quality protein bar with you in your bag or purse for an afternoon snack or a 'just in case' addition to an otherwise lower protein meal. I like Raw Rev Glo bars in creamy peanut butter and sea salt. I like the flavor but also that flavor has more protein and less sugar than their other flavors. I like that it has protein, fat and fiber but is super low in carbs (so I can always add whatever carb I want alongside). I am also impressed by their higher quality and short list of ingredients.

3. Consider grabbing an unflavored protein powder (like Truvani) to add to savory meals like soups, stews, dips, etc. This can turn a low protein vegetarian meal into one that now covers all bases.

4. Protein smoothies ... have another (maybe flavored this time?) protein powder like Truvani or your favorite whey protein to use in smoothies for a meal on-the-go. Make sure you have plenty of fat, fiber, add some fruit for intentional carbs, that protein and liquid and you've got the equivalent of a full meal in minutes. My suggestion: use more than 1 scoop! Most protein powders have about 20g per scoop. This is why I use 1.5 - 2 scoops usually. Such an easy way to get in 30-40g.

5. Bring a packet of collagen in your bag or purse to add to your coffee at the office.

6. Grab a meat stick to have alongside a meal to up the protein intake.

7. Add a cup of egg whites to your 1 scrambled egg to take that meal from 6g of protein to 32g.

8. Grab canned tuna, chicken, sardines for super-quick sources of protein.

9. If you're a vegan, consider that most plant protein is higher in carbs than protein (like beans, legumes). In order to get enough protein without overdoing the carbs and robbing from your metabolic health, you'll likely need to get some of your protein each day from something like (organic, sprouted) tofu and / or supplement using protein powders.

Here's a delicious soup recipe that has 20g protein as is with the bone broth. Feel free to add another source such as meat, seafood, tofu. If you don't eat bone broth (vegetarian), use veggie broth instead and definitely add another source of protein -- like unflavored protein powder.



Hope this helps you hit your protein needs for the day, you healthy rockstar, you!



XO,
Tara



P.S. If you're confused about how to balance your meals altogether or find that you're having trouble reaching or maintaining your goals on your own, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind -- my 28-day metabolism-boosting course -- is starting up again next month! Make sure you're on the waitlist.

This ONE question changes everything!

Ever find it hard to know when to push forward vs. when to pull back with your health goals?

Some people are so determined to keep exercise in, they feel too guilty taking rest days or workout even when they have a fever or lung congestion.


Some people are all about feeling good in the moment that they seemingly choose whatever fits their mood. Don't feel like working out today? They don't. But then their moods aren't great on a whole and their goals are left unmet.


How do we take the best from each of these 2 opposites and allow it to propel us towards whatever health or body goals we have?


By continually asking ourselves ONE simple question.


Ready for it?


"What's ultimately best for me right now?"


That answer will never steer you wrong IF:
1) You understand enough about your physiology + metabolism to make that call and
2) You're honest with yourself


"What's ultimately best for me right now?" will be to rest when you have a fever or got 2 hours of broken sleep last night ...because the baby.


"What's ultimately best for me right now?" will mean you workout or at least go for a nice walk outside even when you're not in the mood or motivated because that choice will actually help with moods and motivation in the future.


"What's ultimately best for me right now?" will usually be that you eat in a way that's balanced and nourishing for your body but sometimes will be that you enjoy some soul food simply for the taste, nostalgia, memory or experience.


"What's ultimately best for me right now?" will tell you to go to bed at a decent time because one Netflix episode is better than 8 in a row as evidenced by the fact that less sleep makes you cranky, less patient with your kids, and dials up your cravings and hunger.


"What's ultimately best for me right now?" will not steer you wrong.


Try it on for size! I dare ya. ;-)


XO,
Tara


P.S. If you're ready for a change that you can't fail at and would like to work with me, here are a few options:


TRANSFORM: Body + Mind is my 28-day metabolism-boosting course. I recommend starting here for more people with fat loss, muscle-building or "toning up" goals. The next round (and last round of 2023) will be in September. Hop on the waitlist to reserve your spot as last September we filled up!


TRANSFORM: 1:1 is my newly revamped 1-on-1 coaching program and is best for those who have been through the 28-day course and are ready to take things up a notch or those who haven't completed the course but know themselves / their situation make it so 1-on-1 with lots of customization and accountability is really the better option. Spots are very limited but clients graduate out of their program fairly often, opening up new spots. Fill out the form and I'll be in touch to discuss if it's the right fit for you, how it works, and what future availability looks like.

So you want to work out from home?

Minimalist Home Gym?

We went from working out at the gym 3.5 years ago to it being shut down in the middle of March 2020. We had a few things at home -- I used to workout from home when my husband travelled for work and it was just the kids and I. But we did NOT have a lot and have purposely decided to keep things pretty light (no pun intended) even though we've been solely working out from home now for all this time. We could always head back to the gym and we certainly will one day (I miss the heck out of the barbells and heavier weights!) but for now we're in this nice routine and saving a bit of time with it. I've also come to really enjoy the kids hanging around as I workout. They used to just know I went super early to the gym and came home. Now they see me plan my workouts, challenge myself, and they like to join me too!




I'm asked fairly often on instagram (where I share my workouts often on my feed but even more up in stories) if I'm doing workouts at the gym and just showing home workout options for people. It seems that many people are surprised that one could accomplish what they need to without tons of equipment. But you can!  And of course this is one of the things we dive deep into in week 2 (fitness week) of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind -- my 28-day metabolism-boosting course. So if you've taken that course or you will be joining us in September, you'll know exactly how to make it work with even less equipment.




You could start with body weight, use things around the house, check out Craigslist or Facebook Marketeplace for people getting rid of exercise equipment for free or cheap. That being said, if you'd like to build a small, minimalist-type home gym like we have to reach your goals a bit better, here's what I recommend you consider getting:



1) A pair of adjustable dumbbells. While they are pricier than 1 standard pair of dumbbells, adjustable dumbbells are really many-in-one. Ours were a gift from a friend and have no brand name on them, but they seem very similar to these.



2) Straight, long resistance bands. These can be used for all kinds of exercises. These are the ones I have. Grab an empty toilet paper roll too so you can make your own 'cable machine' like I talk about in this post.



3) Thick, loop resistance bands for some spicy leg work! If you follow my workouts at all you'll see I use them ALLLLL the time. They stay in place well and don't flip or slide. The ones I use are from a brand that no longer exists but they're almost identical to these ones.



4) A yoga mat ... and a little corner of your home that you can dedicate to fitness, if possible. If not possible, then a place you can convert into a fitness area within a couple of minutes so it doesn't feel like a hurdle to gettin' 'er done. I have no specific yoga mat recommendations ... you should be able to find one pretty easily with a quick search.



That's a pretty awesome start! You can get a lot done and make a lot of progress on metabolism / muscle-building / "toning up" / fat loss goals with those items.



Happy August,
Tara

Healthify My Summer: A Guide

We're going away soon.

Have you been following along up in Instagram stories? I've been sharing some BTS of my crazy ordering / packing / planning for this road trip. And as I've been doing that -- and getting excited about some other Summer fun we have planned like concerts, beach days, baseball games, BBQs, outdoor movies -- I decided to make a guide in case you have some of those things on the calendar for the rest of this Summer too.



Check out THIS GUIDE and then make it YOURS. Follow the suggestions that work for you and ignore the ones that don't. Summer is meant to be fun and we don't need to feel like garbage or slip away from our goals on the other side of those memories.



Summer on,
Tara





P.S. If you would like targeted help with your goals, fill out this 1:1 coaching interest form. I'll get back to you shortly to make sure we're a great fit to work together, chat more about what to expect, and let you know when my next available start date is.

5 Unusual Tips for Fat Loss NOW

So you wanna lose some excess body fat?

(If you don't want to "lose weight" or "tone up" at all, then you might wanna skip this one and come party with us again next week.)




Summer seems to be the time when the planners are wishing their weight loss plan worked better ... or that the results stayed and the procrastinators are ready to do some crazy sh*t just to feel a little more confident this season in their shorts. As such, Summer happens to be a time when a lot of metabolic damage is done. Every 1200 calorie diet, Optavia, diet pills, daily bootcamp classes or running are all risk factors that unfortunately can lead to chronic disease and / or autoimmunity years and decades in the future ... plus weight loss resistance which is the exact opposite of what the goal was.



Luckily, we know more now and we can evolve our strategies accordingly (even though most people will be continuing to use misinformed and outdated tactics for way longer than I'd like to even imagine).



Fat loss happens best when we work within what we know to be optimal fat loss conditions. This means we're aiming to lose excess body fat but not more (not muscle mass or bone...) so it requires a specific pace. Go too fast and you're losing weight for sure, but not the kinda weight you want to be losing. Here are some tips:




1) Eat more at mealtimes. I know if you want to lose weight, you think a 350 calorie meal is superior to a 600 calorie meal. I'm not a fan of counting calories but to more easily paint this picture, stay with me here. If you eat the 350-calorie meals, 1 of 2 things will happen -- 1, you'll end up being so hungry later that night, on the weekend, on holidays, or vacations that you'll feel yourself losing control around food and overeating. Or if you're so darn stubborn and manage not to ever overeat, your metabolic rate will drop in order to compensate. This means your thyroid will probably become sluggish, you might feel colder, weak, fatigued, low libido, and you will begin gaining weight with much less calories than you used to. Your goal here is to eat meals big enough and balanced enough that they keep you nice and satiated for at least 4 hours.



2) Be mindful of blood sugar. Yes, energy in energy out matters for weight loss. Also true ... not all weight lost is the same. If you want to maximize FAT loss, you need to make sure you are not riding the blood sugar rollercoaster all day everyday. This means you eat fat, fiber and protein at every single meal. It means you keep carb intake moderate. It means you understand that it's best to not eat carbs alone (no bananas or coffee with sugar on your way out the door). It also means that you understand we have an upper limit to what we can use before it gets stored away as fat. Keep carbohydrate-containing meals to 25-35g net carbs if you're a woman (35-50g net carbs for most men). More than that and you'll likely be storing the extra as fat. A "healthy" acai bowl or green juice can often contain 50-100+ grams of carbs / sugar! "Healthy" can be deceiving. 



3) Pick up weights. Weightlifting burns more calories than cardio. "What Tara? I always heard it's the opposite!" Well yes, if you're looking at it in a short-sighted way. Cardio tends to burn more calories in that one exercise session compared to a similar length session of weightlifting. However, the extra calorie burn stops when you stop moving with cardio. Yet when you increase your muscle mass by strength training, your metabolic rate for THE ENTIRE DAY, NIGHT, AND EVEN REST DAYS is elevated. Keep your cardio in because you love your lungs and heart and being alive. But it's not a great exercise focus for fat loss goals. Strength training is.



4) Move your body. Walking isn't your exercise, but hopefully it's a different part of your days! We need our exercise (cardio, strength) and then we need our active lifestyle too (walking, gardening, dancing, yoga, playing tag with the kids or grandkids, standing while watching that live music or game, carrying groceries in..) By making the non-exercise parts of your day more active, you will notice a WAY bigger boost in your metabolic rate. 



5) Daily sunshine and grounding. When we have excess body fat stored up in an amount that's more than optimal health levels and want to do something about that, we need to be thinking about improving our energy usage. We lose fat when we use it up. We use it up when better and more quickly when the batteries of our cells -- our mitochondria -- are abundant and in great working order. Heat and cold exposure help with this, so there's a bonus tip. ;-P But also getting your skin to come in contact with the Earth everyday. Ideally for nice chunks of time as we're really evolved to be outdoors mostly, but anything is better than nothing! If you're currently inside all day, you can start by committing to 5 minutes outdoors, standing in the grass barefoot and go up from there. This "charges" your cell's batteries in a way that allows them to utilize more energy / fuel / food. Meaning, this will improve your metabolic health and help with fat loss efforts.



And a bonus bonus one that didn't make the list because it's not unusual is .... SLEEP. It's arguably the mosts important as it will influence all the rest.



Which of these are you already doing? Which will you be focusing on? Hope you found this helpful! Please note ... this is 1 tiny sliver of the types of things we discuss in much greater detail in my 28-day metabolism-boosting course, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. The next round starts in September. If you're interested in learning more, check out this link and hop on the waitlist for any special offers and a discount code when the cart opens.



XO,
Tara

How many carbs for weight loss / fat loss goals?

Carbs are controversial.

"Cut them out to lose weight. But then that messes with your thyroid and doesn't that affect weight loss?"



Let's chat ...



Carbohydrates are 1 of the 3 macronutrients we eat (the other 2 being protein and fat). They are ALL important and all behave a bit differently in our body. 



Carbohydrates and fat are predominantly used up as fuel for energy. Whatever extra we take in that's not used up will be stored as fat. This is a GREAT thing as it allows us to then use up some of our storage to be able to sleep without having to wake up to eat, to go several hours between meals, and allowed our ancestors to go long periods of time without eating during a famine.



Protein can be used as fuel if absolutely necessary, but isn't what our body prefers to do and isn't what happens for the most part. Protein is mostly used as building blocks to MAKE things (like muscle, collagen in our skin, etc.).



So back to carbs. We don't have much storage capacity for carbs but nearly limitless storage capacity for fat (our fat cells can both multiply as well as increase in size, individually). When we take in carbs, it appears in our bloodstream as it makes its way to the places that need it. If we have adequate muscle mass and challenge our muscles frequently through something like strength training, we would have depleted some of the glycogen (carb storage) in them so some of the carbs we just onboarded will go there so our muscles are topped off and ready for our next workout. Our brain uses some 'carbs' for fuel. Fun fact: our brain actually uses up quite a lot of our total energy every day! Our liver can store some glycogen (stored carbs) too. If those places were already full -- maybe because we're sedentary or eat too many carbs for our needs -- or if we onboarded more than we had available storage space for, the rest will be stored as fat.



So, if fat loss is a goal, getting your carb strategy dialed in IS really important. You'll also want to make sure you have your fat and protein strategy dialed in. I believe this shouldn't come with obsessive macro or calorie tracking. I'm always thinking about mental health and lifestyle enjoyment as well as physical health and I hope you are too!



But today's note is about carbs so let's get back to it.



Since too many carbs is definitely not a good idea for someone with fat loss goals, then should you just cut out ALL carbs to super-charge results?



NO! Not if you ask me. And since you did ask me :-P ....


Cutting out all carbs might be a great idea for some people sometimes as it can be an important part of their medical treatment plan (epilepsy, brain injury, etc.), but even then it's often not a permanent solution. For MOST people MOST of the time, cutting out all carbs will move you further away from your goals in the long run.



Carbohydrate-rich foods are often full of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients ... many we know about but others that are sure to come out in the future. Meaning, there are probably lots of important nutrients we're getting through carb-rich foods that we aren't even aware of yet (so couldn't even think about just trying to replace in a supplement or something). Think: fruit, veggies, beans, certain fermented foods ...


Carbs taste great and most people who cut them out entirely end up feeling deprived and / or end up fearing them or losing control around them from time-to-time. We want a healthy relationship with food and our body.


Many carbohydrate foods are high in fiber, and that helps us to blunt the blood sugar spike, help us feel satiated, feed our microbiome, and aid in detoxification by keeping us more regular in the bathroom.


Going too low carb can inhibit thyroid function (making it harder to lose excess body fat), impact mood and interfere with sleep, due to the role it plays in certain neurotransmitter production.


If we don't consume carbs through our food, our body will convert some energy over to a form of carbs. So basically, no one ever actually goes without carbs. You either eat 'em or you make 'em.


And plus ... avocado toast is too tasty to be off the table!


So, how much is enough but not too much if your goal is fat loss (or "toning up")?


I recommend a baseline of 2 intentional carb servings per day for everyone. That means that's the floor. Start there. If you're very active, have a lot of muscle, are a man, are a tall woman, have hypothryoidism or elevated cortisol ... you will likely need to add at least another intentional carb serving. Maybe even more. Please note this is *highly* individualized! We're talking about fuel here. Some of you are 4-cylinder cars parked in your driveway all day. Some of you are gas-guzzlers drag racing almost all day. Wildly different gas budgets, right?? Similarly, carb intake needs will vary A LOT depending on your specific situation.



"What the heck is an intentional carb serving?"



I call them intentional carbs, well, intentionally. The reason is with this macro aware approach (rather than macro tracking), we're not thinking about your side of broccoli with dinner that had a couple of grams of carbs or your piece of cheese or handful of nuts that did too. When I say intentional carb serving, I mean you're sitting down to an actual serving of carbs. You're having a piece of bread, a piece of fruit, some beans and corn, a potato, a half a cup of pasta, etc. You can think of this as being about 25-35 grams of net carbohydrates at a sitting. Net carbs = total carbs minus fiber.


To avoid blood sugar spikes (which is something to be mindful of if you have fat loss goals or even just health optimization goals), you're going to want to have these servings of intentional carbs inside of a meal that also has plenty of protein, fat and fiber. 


So in summary ... have the bun with the burger and veggies. But maybe save the fries to have with another meal. At least most of the time. ;-)



XO,
Tara



P.S. If you haven't yet signed up for a previous round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, make sure you hop on the waitlist for the September round. We cover nutrition balance and fat loss in so much detail! 


P.P.S. I told you I'd update you on TRANSFORM: 1:1, so here goes: it's ready and the first group will be onboarding the rest of THIS week! Spots are always super limited with 1-on-1 coaching as it is customized to your unique needs, goals, injuries, health history, and a very high touch program with tons of accountability baked in, but the good news is I have current clients who were already working with me who are continually graduating out of their program. So if you are interested in 1-on-1 coaching, hop on the interested list! I'll reach out and provide some insight about availability and potential timing as well as answer any questions you may have. :-)

I like rollercoasters but not THIS kind

Could blood sugar imbalances be the reason for your ...

• weight loss resistance

• cravings

• energy crashes

• moodiness

• frequent illness / infections

I'd argue that it's very likely if you're experiencing one or more of the above. It's even more likely if you also have ...

• elevated Hgb A1c

• elevated blood pressure

• elevated blood sugar / insulin

• elevated triglycerides, Apo B, and / or LDL

• PCOS

Since the connection between poor blood sugar management and health / disease risk is a bit more known, I'm focusing on the connection with weight / fat gain and weight loss / fat loss resistance today.


In order to do that, I'd like to share a little more about the hormone called insulin and its important role in our body.


Insulin can be thought of like Uber drivers for your carbs / sugar intake. The more carbs / sugar around, the more drivers (insulin) get released from the pancreas to deal with it. Insulin picks up the carbs / sugar and drives it to a few places. First, it'll go to our muscles. But if our muscles are full of glycogen already (we haven't strength trained recently or don't have much muscle mass), it'll be driven to our liver. Our liver can hold a small amount of carb / sugar storage (glycogen). If it's full already (happens when you take in more than you use up), then whatever is leftover will be stored as fat.


Insulin is a GOOD thing as it allows us to avoid letting too much sugar hang out in our blood and cause damage and rather gives us the chance to use it up as fuel. The (VERY common) problem has become that we weren't educated on how to fuel ourselves properly and so most people are way overdoing the carbohydrates. Overdoing carbs over time means insulin is working overtime and becomes a bit less effective.


For a while -- and this is the sometimes decades long period in time where people are getting sick but don't yet know it -- insulin just gets cranked out more. More insulin keeps your blood sugar in check. Because your blood sugar may be in check, doctors may tell you your bloodwork is fine. What's often happening though is insulin resistance. Eventually, your insulin doing double and triple duty tires out and can't keep up with your blood sugar. THIS is when you might start to see changes in your bloodwork. It can show up as prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, cholesterol issues, non-alcohol fatty liver disease, frequent illness / infections.


But let's step back a minute. During all of those years or decades spent overusing insulin, our body usually still gives us some red flags. Excess body fat or fat loss resistance is often one of the first signs. Others include energy and mood dips, cravings, getting hangry ... ever, and hunger / fullness cues that are very out of whack.


Now you might say, "Tara, if it's really important not to overdue the carbs / sugar, maybe I should cut it all out?" And to that I'd say, "Don't!" Here's why. Our body uses "carbs" whether we eat them or not. If you go keto and stop eating them, your body will just manufacture its own through a process called gluconeogenesis. Doing that all the time can be pretty taxing on your body, dial up inflammation, down-regulate your thyroid (making fat loss harder eventually), and interfere with certain neuromodulators that assist with sleep and happy moods.


So when it comes to carbs, a moderate approach is really pretty darn important. Get enough, but not too much. 


"Great! WTH does that mean?"


I gotchu ;-)


Here are some things to start to implement so you can get to a happy place with your blood sugar and insulin:

1. Eat PFF at every meal. Protein, fat, fiber. These help to blunt blood sugar response and keep you nice and satisfied between meals -- which is important because we need some downtime between meals to allow insulin to come back down AND allow us to enter fat-burning mode most effectively.

2. Eat intentional carbs according to your needs. This won't be 10g carbs per day, but it's likely also not 300g carbs per day. You don't need to track every morsel of food, but plan to have a serving of carbs, on purpose, at 2-3 meals and not all day everyday,

3. Strength train 3-4 x per week. Muscles are like dry sponges that soak up some additional sugar out of our blood. Basically, the more muscle you have, the more storage room you have for carbs without it being stored as fat.

4. Movement. This isn't exercise, but rather how much you move your body outside of exercise and can have a big impact on helping to manage blood sugar. Move around more in general or be more targeted by taking a little walk or having a dance party after meals.

5. Sleep. When we're not sleeping enough, our blood sugar balance is thrown off even if all other things stay equal.

Of course there's more ... and we cover it all in detail in TRANSFORM: Body + Mind ... but these are some of the biggest needle-movers to get started with.



Before I let you go, I have to address the, "Isn't fat loss just a matter of being in a calorie deficit?" people out there. ;-) Kinda yes but kinda no.


Taking in slightly less energy than you're using up is how our body turns to our stored body fat to use it up as fuel (that's how it's "lost"). However, getting that equation to be in our favor for fat loss requires some blood sugar stability (otherwise your hunger and cravings alone will make it nearly impossible to be in a deficit for any real progress).


But also (and this is not as well-known), we can kinda lose excess body fat or really lose body fat. The most effective way to lose body fat also requires we get a handle on our blood sugar and insulin. Insulin is a storage hormone. If it's always elevated, body fat loss isn't being maximized ... even in a deficit. What this means is less weight will be lost or the same amount of weight will be lost, but less of it will be from body fat and more of it can come from things we don't want to lose, like muscle.



Leaving you off with an example of eating in this blood sugar balancing way. Read the caption of this instagram post for a few ideas.


XO,
Tara

Alcohol ... friend or foe?

What is "heavy drinking" to you? Do you have boundaries around alcohol?

Maybe you don't drink at all. Or maybe you drink a maximum amount of drinks per week / month. Or mayyyybe you never considered setting boundaries around alcohol (yet).



I shared THIS REEL on Instagram last week about what I consider "heavy drinking" for myself and so many reasons it can be messing up our health and body goals. Psst ... none of the reasons was "calories" because there are so many bigger things happening that deserve our attention.

The most current research might make you wanna avoid alcohol entirely or at least consider indulging a lot less often + with less drinks per sesh.


That being said, what if you want to still drink occasionally? Anything to do that can help?


Kinda no — your body still has to process and remove the poison itself over time, and kinda yes — you can support your body so it’s in a slightly better position to do so.


Consider these:


1️⃣Eat protein, fat, and fiber-rich meals. Keep your blood sugar as steady as possible. Avoid alcohol and sugar or processed carbs at the same time. I know, right?? But just sharing the info.

2️⃣Discuss with a trusted healthcare provider whether or not NAC, milk thistle, and / or dandelion root tea would be good for you. And avoid Tylenol!! These are liver + methylation things.

3️⃣Sleep! If you will be short on sleep the night of the ‘event’, make it your job to sleep well the night before and the night after.

4️⃣Hydration + electrolytes

5️⃣Try to avoid additional toxins in that drink to avoid an even bigger blow. Choose organic wine or liquor + water or club soda + low sugar mix-ins like lemon, lime, mint, cinnamon sticks.

6️⃣Expect all the signs + symptoms of blood sugar imbalance for at least 24 hours or so: hunger + fullness cues off, cravings up, energy dips.

7️⃣Exercise, walk, dance, sauna or hot bath, dry brush … think about supporting healthy lymphatic circulation.

Some things I do in case it helps you:

🍷 Drink of choice: gin + club soda + muddled lemon. When the bartenders don’t wanna muddle a lemon for me 😆, I just get A BUNCH of lemons.

🍷I am ok not finishing a drink. I can order one and drink half. It’s a waste whether I make my body deal with it or leave it, so no guilt.

🍷I’m a 1 drink MAX person these days. Smart? Boring? Probably both. If I DO want a drink that night, I’ll decide if it’s 1 with dinner or 1 at the concert or whatever, but not both.

🍷I am perfectly fine being the only one not drinking. It’s an intentional choice and one I make often.

🍷I want a really FULL + FUN life. I also wanna feel great. This means drinking at every social event isn’t a good idea for me.

I figured now might be a fun time to share a couple of mocktail recipes with ya. Hope you enjoyyyy!



XO,
Tara



P.S. We dive much deeper into alcohol and all things indulgences in TRANSFORM: Body + Mind so you can make informed choices regardless and not feel as though the social or fun times are derailing your progress at all. The next round starts in March. Are you on the waitlist yet??

Breakfast, Lunch + Dinner Ideas

Recipes are cool and all, but sometimes I need to just throw something balanced together as I put out life's dumpster fires and just call it a day.

You too? Here are some meal ideas for you -- both plant-based and omnivore -- that include at least 30g protein. I've included some high protein snacks below, too.  And no, you don't have to eat breakfast foods for breakfast or dinner foods for dinner, so feel free to mix it up, you rebel you.



Breakfasts:

• Protein box dupe -- 2 hard-boiled eggs, 3 ounces organic deli turkey, apple

• 1/2 cup oats with 1 scoop protein powder, 1 T nut butter, cinnamon, and a small handful of blueberries

• 1 serving low sugar Greek yogurt or dairy-free high protein yogurt with 1 T nut butter + 1 T pumpkin seeds

• Smoothie with 1.5 - 2 scoops protein powder, water, pumpkin puree, 1/3 cup coconut milk, cinnamon, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and 1 T flaxseeds

• 1 full egg + 1 cup egg whites scrambled in coconut oil or butter and topped with greens. salsa, and sauerkraut. Bonus: Add sriracha if you like it spicy like me. :-)

• Dinner leftovers including 4-5 ounces meat or seafood, veggies, and a fat source like oil or avocado.

Lunches + Dinners:

• Smoothie with 1.5 - 2 scoops protein powder, water, spinach, 1/2 cup berries, and chia seeds

• A 20g protein veggie burger salad (cook, break up, and add to greens, veggies, beans, and olive oil)

• 4-5 ounces of meat / seafood alongside some veggies and additional fat, if needed

• Travel -- 2 hard-boiled eggs. packet of pistachios, apple with almond butter, raw + cut veggies

• 1/5 cups tofu stir fried with colorful veggie mix and a Thai peanut sauce (mix together 1 T PB, 1 TB coconut aminos, 2 T lemon juice, garlic powder, and add water to desired consistency)

• Chickpea pasta (like Banza) with peas and tomato sauce

High protein snacks:

• Fruit w/ cottage cheese or Greek yogurt

• Egg / tuna / chicken salad with high-fiber crackers (like Mary's Gone Crackers)

• Organic deli meat roll-ups with matchbook veggies

• Mini smoothie -- 1 scoop protein, water, 1/2 banana, 1 T chia seeds

• Less processed protein bar like Raw Rev Glo in Creamy Peanut Butter + Sea Salt or PaleoValley

• Raw veggies with an edamame hummus dip (blend steamed edamame with your favorite humus)

• 2 hard-boiled eggs + a piece of fruit or veggie

• "Granola" made by tossing nuts + seeds in coconut oil and some flavorings (like cinnamon and vanilla) and roasting. 

• Organic meat stick and an orange

Feel free to screen shot these lists for future reference!



Reminder: Tomorrow is the LAST day to sign up for this January round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, my 28-day metabolism-boosting course. We have a group of people who are about to change their lives (it's a really big deal when we start to feel better in all kinds of ways) and if you're ready to be a part of that group, CHECK IT OUT HERE.



XO,
Tara

6 pack abs: busting all the myths

How do you "get a 6-pack"? Is that even a worthwhile goal?

Watch or listen to this 13-minute video to find out:

• Is it a smart goal?

• How do people reach this goal?

• What role does nutrition play?

• If crunches aren't the best way to challenge your abs (they're not!), how DO you work 'em?

• Why your fat loss efforts are actually increasing your belly fat.

I spilled the beans in my instagram stories last week that I mayyyy be scheming on a way to give you access to the TRANSFORM: Body + Mind 28-day metabolism-boosting course before the next official round in January. Make sure you join the waitlist if you haven't yet to be in the loop.


That's it for today!


XO,
Tara



P.S. Do you have fat loss, muscle-building, "toning up", or longevity goals? If so, you need to start getting my weekly newsletter. You can do that right here.

Choosing a protein bar

It sure would be nice to be able to throw a bar into your purse for on-the-go, wouldn't it?

But how do you know you're picking one that isn't full of cr*p? And what if you want to make sure it's truly a protein bar that will help you reach your goals rather than a glorified candy bar?



Here are some of the biggies to think about when choosing a bar ...



1) Check the ingredients. If the list is longer than a CVS receipt or full of ingredients you've never heard of, put it back. Thankfully there are better options out there.


2) Does it really have enough protein? I'd argue that a bar with 5 or 6g of protein doesn't cut it for an adult-sized person. While this is a snack and not a whole meal, it should have at least 10g of protein, but preferably 12-15+.


3) Since blood sugar balance and satiety is important, making sure there's at least a little bit of fat in the bar is a good idea too. One with 5-10g would be ideal. In a perfect world, this fat isn't coming from industrial seed oils like sunflower, safflower, canola, etc., but just know with processed food it's pretty ubiquitous. I'd suggest trying to find one without but not beating yourself up if you end up consuming it every once in a while. What's most important is that you're eating mostly food you prepare at home so you know what ingredients are being used there. I have hope that more and more 'healthy' processed food companies will be swapping out those harmful oils for better versions (like coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil) soon.


4) Is this really a candy bar? I dunno. Have many carbs are in it? The best way to determine this is by figuring out the net carbs. Take the total carbs and subtract out the fiber. What's left? Is this higher than the actual protein content of the bar? Then you, my friend, are holding a glorified candy bar. It might be delicious! And in a pinch, it might be needed. But it's not ideal for your health or body goals to be consuming that on a regular basis.


Here are some bars that stand out amongst its peers (I have no affiliation with any of these brands)...

• Rav Rev Glo Bar in Creamy PB Sea Salt (that flavor is yummy, but I mention it more b/c their other flavors are higher in sugar and lower in protein). This is one I almost always have on hand!

• Kirkland

• IQbar

Hope this helps!


XO,
Tara

10 healthy things I'm keeping up with this summer ... and 3 I'm not

Summer Lovin' sometimes ends up becoming Summer Everything-fell-by-the-wayside.

With the kids home from school all summer, it can be a lot more challenging to stick to a routine. Today I'm sharing 10 things that I'm proud to say kept their presence in my days and weeks this summer ... and 3 that I was hoping would but definitely did NOT.



1. Morning sun. Most days I've been getting outside even before my early morning workout but on the days I haven't, I've been out shortly thereafter. This is perfect because anything that helps boost mood, energy, improve sleep quality, balance blood sugar, rev up metabolism -- and is FREE -- I wanna be taking advantage of!


2. Grounding. This involves touching nature. I know that sounds weird, but gardening, walking on the grass or sand and getting caught in the rain all count. This has cardio-protective benefits and boosts our feel food neuromodulators (helps with mood and energy as well). Since I'm almost always barefoot around my house, this has been really easy to sneak in with the morning sun. I just step outside without putting on shoes.


3. Strength training. This is one of the most potent anti-aging and metabolism-boosting tools we have at our disposal. I have kept up with my workouts even when it's meant moving them around or shuffling the schedule as needed.


4. Sleep. Every night I've gotten at least some sleep. Do I get a trophy? HAHA j/k. But the truth is even when I've gotten off track because I was up late working a bunch, we got home at 1 AM from a Billy Joel concert, we watched 2 episodes of Severance instead of the 1 we had planned, or the kids were up and in our bed a bazillion times, I have been on top of making sure sleep rises higher on the priority list again within a reasonable amount of time.


5. PFF meals. Even when I've had to pack grab-and-go options this summer (we're constantly on the go!), I have been sure to include protein, fat, and fiber in probably 95% or so of my meals and in the por that my body needs. This has been such an important staple as I've reversed my PCOS, prediabetes, and hypothyroidism and has helped me feel my best + strongest now at 39 than ever before.


6. Hydration. Ok, so this used to always be a weakness for me but this summer I feel like a hydrated Queen ... or at least just not like I'm a walking dessert surrounded by skin anymore. :-P


7. Electrolytes. So it may be cheating that I'm giving this one it's own spot on the list because it's technically part of the hydration bit, but I feel so much better when I'm replacing some electrolytes each day. We can get this through our food if we're intentional about it or make it ourselves, but I've been using a pre-made version called ReLyte (not an ad) and I just tailor the amount I use to what I need for that day.


8. Oral hygiene. I'm not even sure I should be giving myself credit for this but I always tell you guys to celebrate every little victory so I'm gonna walk the talk here. It's floss-then tongue scrape- then brush with a nano-hydroxyapatite toothpaste and even though it only takes a few minutes, I never skip it ... even if I'm away. (Oh ... what's it like to be away? It's been SO LONG for me! LOL)


9. Supplements. There's a reason I share some of what I take and not "a day of supplements" or anything. It's because I take different things based on my unique needs and it switches up depending on things like where I'm at in my cycle, when I want to take a 'supplement holiday' from certain things at certain times, or I may run out of something. Haha. But I have this habit of kicking off my breakfast-making by taking my morning supplements. It's automatic now and as such, it shows up even when I'm a chicken with my head cut off.


10. Positive self talk. It's still, "I'm juicier now" rather than "I'm gross + bloated now". It's "that was more food than what feels comfortable in my body" rather than, "I can't believe I overate again." The cool thing about this is that while it takes lots of practice, it doesn't require any additional time.



Ok, so now onto what has fallen by the wayside a bit this summer ....


1. The sauna. I was getting 2-3+ sessions per week in when the kids were in school, but have only gotten in 2-3 sessions this whole summer so far. It's cool. I'll get back into it when they return to school as I have a good rhythm of fitting it in after my workout and after I get them off to school but before my shower. I start my work day from the sauna to save time (more habit stacking!).



2. Daily walks. See above. I've been very active (mostly cleaning up and chasing after the kids), but there haven't been official daily or even near daily walks. I'm not upset about this though as I tend to need the walks a lot more when they are in school and I could otherwise find myself sitting and working for long stretches. So ... September is the walking comeback!



3. Unwinding. Ok, so this is the only one of the 3 that I am actually not too thrilled with myself about. Back in the day I used to have VERY high cortisol levels. I am someone that needs even just 10-20 minutes of unwinding each day (read, bath, meditate, journal, etc.) and it's been barely there this summer. The excuse is that I was creating and taking a pre-launch group through a brand new course that I created AND a brand new monthly membership app I created while still running all other aspects of my business and being mama-without-childcare. And that's all true and understandable! But I'm no good to anyone if I burn out, so this one needs to improve ASAP. I'm gonna start with a mandatory 5 minutes of unwinding before bed. If I can't fit in 5 minutes, what am I even doing?!



Maybe this email included more details than you ever wanted to know about me. HAHA. Or maybe you find it helpful to see what I prioritize and how I plan to get back on track with some things.



Oh, and speaking of that course I created (shameless plug incoming), the cart will open in LESS THAN 24 HOURS to sign up for it! It's called TRANSFORM: Body + Mind and is a 28-day metabolism-boosting course for those with fat loss, muscle-building, and / or "toning up" goals who also want to improve their relationship with food + their body. We do all of this while optimizing health because I don't believe any other way makes sense. If you're not yet on the waitlist, hop on now .... quickly! I'll be pulling the waitlist down later today but if you get on there before, you'll get a discount code when the cart opens tomorrow.



XO,
Tara

You're "doing everything right", right?

Sometimes it's not a lack of discipline that's derailing our progress, but misguided advice instead! Today I'm sharing 5 of the most common "healthy habits" I see people -- mostly women -- using for fat loss while getting no (or the exact opposite) results.

Next week — on Wednesday — the cart will be opening for the very first public launch of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, my 28-day metabolism-boosting course. HOP ON THE WAITLIST NOW to reserve your spot and get a discount code when it's go time. ;-) 

XO,
Tara

The body trash-talk antithesis

When you watched the ball drop on January 1st (or fell asleep on the couch just beforehand like me), I bet you had at least a few ideas about how you wanted this year to go. Now that we're halfway through 2022, how's it going so far? What are you most proud of? What might you need some help with in the second half of the year?



I want to take you through a VERY quick, but VERY powerful exercise if you'll indulge me. Grab a piece of paper and pen. Yeah yeah, the notes section in your phone is fine too.



I want you to write down 5-10 things your body did for you within the last 24 hours. 

• Did you carry all the groceries into your house in one trip (b/c what kind of a psychopath takes more than 1 trip, anyway??)?

• Did you pick up your kids or grandkids?

• Did you go for a walk or exercise?

• Did you have a long commute on a standing-room-only train?

• Did you simply sleep while your immune "army" came through and saved the day by helping you heal + repair?

• Maybe you felt the beat of your fav. song when it came on Alexa and you realized that, in fact, your hips DON'T lie.

Write down the first 5-10 things that come to mind. If they're flowing, keep going! If you're stuck, think outside the box. But you're not done until there's at least 5 things written down. Because I said so. ;-)


The point of this exercise is simple: when we feel gratitude for our body -- even just a tiny bit -- it becomes harder to trash talk it. Less trash talk = less disrespectful behavior like over-restriction or over-indulgence.


LMK how it goes!


If you've been feeling lately like something needs to change, you're not alone. So many women have been telling me lately that they're tired of the same patterns repeating. Tired of being confused AF about what to eat, when, how much. Tired of not having the energy to workout. Tired of feeling like their health is slipping. And tired of spending their days not feeling sexy + vibrant as they know, deep-down, is possible.



If you're nodding your head, THIS IS YOUR SIGN to learn how to finally stop doing weird things related to food and your body. When you know how you use and store different kinds of food, how to balance your plate, how to exercise without spinning your wheels, and how to tap into other practices that no diet has ever taught you about, you'll realize there's not that much that you can't accomplish with the right combo.



In September, I'll be taking another group through my 28-day course -- TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. I'd like to help you blow your own damn mind then. Whaddya think? Get more details and join the waitlist here. (Waitlist peeps will be getting a discount code when the cart opens.)



You can unlearn and learn SO much about your body in 28 days. It's enough to change your entire trajectory. Go make yourself a PFF breakfast (protein, fat, and fiber), think about it, and click the button below to join the waitlist if you're ready to put yourself first, finally.



XO,
Tara



P.S. Did you know that I send out a weekly newsletter with my top tips and resources around nutrition, exercise, metabolism, fat loss, mindset, longevity, and how to just feeling freaking amazing?? You can join the inbox party too —  right here.

Period Tawk / Cycle Synching

Let's talk about menstrual things ...

And if you are post-menopausal or someone who doesn't have a menstrual cycle, I'm getting to you guys too.



I've been chatting a lot on instagram lately about menstrual cycles and cycle synching because I decided to add a last-minute resource to TRANSFORM: Body + Mind all about it and since I'm trying to stay hip and share BTS (what the cool kids say for behind-the-scenes), I've been discussing it in my stories.



I also shared that I practice cycle synching related to fitness, nutrition, and some other lifestyle things too. That resource ended up being SIX PAGES because we women really are complicated, beautiful creatures! But I wanted to share a recap here with you in case you find it helpful.



HERE IS A QUICK RUN-DOWN of the 4 phases of our menstrual cycle. It's a bit more nuanced than that, actually. Technically speaking, we have 2 phases: follicular and luteal with our period and ovulation occurring within and overlapping with those 2 main phases. But it's much easier to think about it as 4 distinct phases when it comes to cycle synching, so that's how I'll be referring to it here.



During our period, it's often most natural to reduce workout intensity in the first few days but dial it back up towards the tail end as hormones and energy levels start to climb. Think about using slightly lower resistance but adding a few more reps to strength training workouts, reducing cardio pace, and incorporating longer rest intervals in a HIIT sesh. 


In the follicular phase, we are usually feeling stronger and can push the weights and pace a bit more. We tend to have more manageable hunger levels and can tolerate carbs and caffeine a bit more (more insulin sensitive).


During ovulation and the few days surrounding it, while we may notice PMS-like symptoms (such as mood changes and water retention), the surge in testosterone means we're usually at peak strength. This is a great time to lift heavier and maybe even go for a PR (personal record) if you're into that sorta thing. 


In the luteal phase, you'll likely notice a gradual drop off in energy and desire to be social. The same amount of tasks that you handled like a pro during your follicular phase might now seem extra overwhelming. As your energy dips, you can slightly decrease resistance and / or pace and / or increase rest time between sets as needed. We are slightly more insulin resistant in this phase and caffeine can trigger worsening PMS symptoms, so consider being extra intentional about eating enough carbs but NOT too much and cutting back on coffee or weaning to decaf during this phase. Metabolic rate is slightly elevated, so go ahead and nourish yourself well with PFF (protein, fat, and fiber) at every meal and carbs at 2ish meals per day. Most people need an afternoon snack as well.



What if you are post-menopausal or a man? Well, you have some more wiggle room! You can use some of these same strategies to cycle around just regular life. Feeling like pushing yourself more today? Go for it! Having a little less energy? Show up and be proud of just doing what you can and listening to your body.



That's it for now! Hope it helps you stay consistent but flexible as you act like a best friend to your body rather than a mean girl.


XO,
Tara


P.S. If you could use a meal plan that's already balanced with adequate amounts of protein, fat, and fiber in each meal plus carbs at 2 meals (a moderate carb approach), GRAB IT HERE. You'll get two, actually: a plant-based version and an omnivore version. Use the one you want or both if you'd like! Hope you enjoy.

Is it bedtime yet??

Sleep is boring.

I mean, most people enjoy sleep I think. They certainly enjoy the way they feel after they've gotten a a decent amount of shut eye. But the whole topic is so UNsexy.  It's not the new, promising tip we've never heard before that we crave. 



But it works. Annoyingly so.



How many less car accidents, fights with spouses, and "mom brain" moments would there be if everyone just got enough sleep every night? I'd argue a lot. 



But also ... sleep helps us make better choices, gives us energy to do things like exercise, cook, or even just take a nice walk during a work call. Quality sleep helps to balance our blood sugar, hormones, hunger, satiety, AND ramps up fat burning and muscle-building (which boosts metabolic rate).



Super annoying, right? Because that means in order to be the type of human you want to be in this world and make the type of progress you're after, you can't ignore your sleep habits.



So let's talk about a few of the biggest needle-movers:

1. Morning sun. Getting outside at close to sunrise as possible for about 10 minutes on a bright, sunny day and closer to 30 minutes on a cloudy day (without sunglasses!) is so powerful. Besides doing all kinds of other metabolism and mood magic, it shuts down melatonin production during the day (so you'll be more energized) and tells melatonin to start creeping back up closer to a reasonable bedtime. Not 2 AM when you finish episode 6 of the series, but the sleepiness will start to set in at a more natural time like 9 or 10.

2. Turn off bright, overhead lights a couple of hours before bed. Again, the bright light stop melatonin and asks it to return much later. So when you do this in the early part of the day, it's perfect. When you do this close to bedtime, you're shooting yourself in the foot.

3. No electronics before bed. Blah blah... you've heard this but it's worth repeating.

4. Sleep in a cool room.

5. No coffee within 8 hours of bedtime. I don't make the rules. I'm just a little messenger sent by your future self who really doesn't want to have trouble asleep or get lower quality sleep later tonight.

This week, I want you to focus most on number 1 as it's usually the most impactful and almost no one is doing this consistently. Will you do me a favor? Take a pic of your early morning view and tag me in it so I can see. It will help you stay on track and besides, I think everyone should know how important morning sun is even if we need to use a little FOMO to get there. ;-)



Most of you won't do this morning sun thing -- at least not consistently -- but for those who do, will you let me know how it goes after a week or two???



If fat loss, metabolism-boosting, and / or muscle-gaining is your thang, I cannot WAIT to share with you some details on what I've been working on! Check out TRANSFORM: Body + Mind deets and hop on the waitlist if it sounds like something you're interested in for the future.



Happy sunrise-chasing,
Tara

P.S. P.S. Last week I created a new, 3-day sample meal plan. It's balanced the PFF way ... with adequate protein, fat, and fiber at every meal and intentional carbs at some but not all meals. HERE IT IS. Enjoy!

Popsicle Recipes 2022

Since we're on a roll with the Summer recipes...

HERE are a few fun, popsicles to try. No, they're not loaded with protein but they are made with just a few ingredients and an awesome swap for many other indulgent treats when it's extra hot + sweaty out there. 


I have an exciting announcement to make. If you follow me on social media and watch my stories, you may already know ... I've been busy creating a COURSE. This 28-day course is perfect for those who want to boost their metabolism, lose fat and / or put on muscle, and do so in a HEALTHY and sustainable way. I'm about to take a small pre-launch group through but this course will be available for its first public launch in September (with signs ups likely starting in August). If you want to know alllll the details -- including cost and what to expect -- check out THIS LINK and be sure to join the waitlist if you are interested. Trust me. ;-)


Happy Tuesday,
Tara

Your Ideal Body Weight

You'll lose more body fat eating 1800 calories than you will trying to eat 1200 calories.

Now, I hate calorie tracking (as you probably already know), so this is just to paint a picture here. SOOOOO many people I speak with are trying to eat an unreasonably low amount of calories and it backfires. Willpower is never a match for our biology. Biology. Always. Wins. What that means is that on your quest to eat 1200 calories, the nighttime snacks and weekend 'special occasions' get the best of you because you're HUNGRY and eventually will have to give in. And when you give in, you don't eat the same types of foods that you would (nourishing foods) if you just ate more of those at your meals instead.




Let's talk about your ideal body weight, because it's a topic that comes up a lot.



What IS it for you?
How do you know you're there?
How do you stay there?



Your ideal body weight happens when you are fueling yourself well throughout the day. Your cravings are in check (or more likely -- you don't have them anymore) so any indulgences are intentional, enjoyed, and never with a feeling of being out of control. 



Your ideal body weight happens when you are lifting weights 3-4x a week and walking daily.



Your ideal body weight is NOT AT ALL the weight you achieved once when you did a juice cleanse for a week before Cabo or after you had a lingering stomach virus.



Your ideal body weight was never achieved by cutting out entire food groups because an influencer told you to or dehydrating yourself for an event.



And your ideal body weight is not the weight you're at when you are using food and alcohol as a frequent vice because you're not sleeping enough, not resting enough, not setting boundaries, not taking some time for yourself, and / or not actively working on your emotional health. Food will very easily replace any of those things for many reasons (namely, hormones and neuromodulators) so skip any of the above and you might notice a bit of a struggle here.



So, if you want to reveal your "ideal body weight" to yourself (and no need to weigh yourself ... you'll just SEE and FEEL the shifts), do this stuff consistently:



1) Eat PFF (protein, fat, and fiber) at every meal. Carbs at some, but not all meals.
2) Strength train 3-4x per week.
3) Walk daily.
4) Sleep 7-9 hours.
5) Take rest days from intense exercise and rest time for your brain.
6) Set boundaries with others. Speak your mind in a respectful, but firm way. (Ahhhh ... feels like this could be its own blog topic, right???)
7) Take time for the things that relax you and bring you joy. Even just a little to start.
8) Work on your emotional health! Mindset, gratitude, self talk, internal healing, etc.



Your 'ideal body weight' is whatever it is when you're living what you consider to be your ideal life. It doesn't happen the other way around. And you will maintain that -- with some normal fluctuations -- by continuing to do the same things you did to get there in the first place. By this point, it should be a huge RED FLAG when you start thinking about doing something you cannot maintain. If you cannot maintain the process, you won't ever maintain the results.




If you need help with numero uno, I've created this Fat Loss / Muscle Building Meal Plan that takes all of the guess work out of your meals. Meal plans aren't forever, but if you want to focus on one of these other pillars and still nail the nutrition part all the while, this will be very helpful! (And, I can't wait to hear about the results you notice. I've had some pretty cool messages / emails from others who are feeling amazing after eating this way even after just a few days!!!)



If you need help with numero dos, I share my workouts everyday for free over on instagram. Let's workout together!



And if you're like, "Tara, I need help with ALL of it and then some!", then my 1-on-1 coaching might be the perfect next step for you. Leave a comment below and let's chat.




XO,
Tara