Holiday Indulgences

Holiday indulgences should exist without guilt or interference with health / body goals, if you ask me.

But it can be a slippery slope!



One thing I have never heard anyone else talking about that really blows my mind is that we tend to align our indulgence frequency with our social calendar. In other words, you might use other strategies like "this or that" (more on that HERE) to cut back on the total amount of sweets or alcohol, but most people are still having at least 1 indulgence for every special occasion on their calendar (or doing the opposite and restricting all the time!). Every birthday for a partner, kid, sibling, parent, niece or nephew, coworker ... every day of vacation ... every holiday and holiday party ... maybe even everyday that starts with an "S"?



But what if the level of health you're after and / or your body goals require a different frequency of indulging? Wouldn't it make sense that those goals aren't always 100% in alignment with your social life? Isn't it kinda weird that most of us have just assumed that they would be all of these years? It can't just be me!



Watch (or listen like a podcast) to this 21-minute free workshop all about this topic. I think you'll come away with your jaw dropped and some extra empowerment and tips. We can achieve our goals, feel incredible, AND keep indulgences in.



XO,
Tara




P.S. Speaking of indulgences, have you grabbed your copy of Smart Cookie yet? It's my healthified holiday desserts e-cookbook with 84 better-for-you recipes full of taste and nostalgia. And if dessert isn't your thang, hope you're loving these free holiday apps + sides. ;-)



P.P.S. If you are frustrated and not feeling your best with fat loss, muscle-building, or "toning up" goals, make sure you're on the waitlist for TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. The next round is in January but I will be opening the cart briefly THIS month for those who want to have full access to the course and all the materials (optional meal plans, goal-focused recipes, workouts with demos, resources, and life-changing video lessons) ahead of time. You can start before the rest of the group or simply take the extra time to just check it all out and be better prepared for January. Waitlist peeps will have their spot reserved and get a discount code as well.

Freebies!

There's a link for that. ;-)

November is here and that usually means there are millions of people who are simultaneously giving up on their bodies and health for the rest of the year and also on the hunt for the new thing to try starting in January.


But this doesn't have to be you. With 2 months -- 1/6 -- left of the year, there's lots of opportunity still to make progress and feel great before we bid adieu to 2022. And also, when we have more of an understanding of our bodies and start to get comfortable with the fact that cravings are usually our own doing and willpower is NEVER the issue, we can enter the 'candy holiday followed by the pie holiday followed by the cookie month followed by the alcohol holiday' shenanigans feeling empowered rather than deprived or out of control.


So as I decided to chat with you about that today, I kept remembering all of these free resources I have 'out there' that you may not have seen or may have forgotten about. No better time than now to share some of these with you!


My backstory and a bunch of tips on this podcast I was interviewed on.

My PCOS diagnosis in this event I had the honor of co-speaking alongside an OBGYN with (mine is the second half).

Asthma, infertility, and my journey to accidentally discovering the power of breathwork in this interview.

This webinar I hosted about mending your metabolism.

This free 3-day fat loss meal plan.

This free holiday apps + sides collection -- from last week's newsletter, but worth sharing again ;-)

Break up with the restrict - binge - restrict cycle


Save this email, forward to a friend, and utilize whatever tools you need. The holidays are an interesting time for health goals, but they do not have to look like they have in the past.



Ok, and now a fun teaser ;-) ... For those of you who have been wanting to do the next round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, my 28-day metabolism-boosting course, you may already know that you have to wait until January for that. But what if you could get access to the whole course and all the materials in advance so you could get a head-start if you wanted to before the rest of the group joins us for the live course in January? There will be a way. It involves Black Friday. Stay tuned and make sure you are ON THE WAITLIST if you're interested!



Happy Tuesday,
Tara



P.S. Don't forget to grab your copy of Smart Cookie if you need 84 healthified holiday dessert recipes for this year. :-)

Sick season, 2022

Doesn't it seem like everyone's getting sick lately?

To some extent that's normal. We're humans. I believe there's also a bit of catch-up happening too as a result of some of the protocols and practices that have been in place the past couple of years as well. So if you, your kids, or everyone seems to be getting sick even more than usual, it makes a lot of sense.


Here's how viruses work ... you get sick, you build some immunity (an army of soldiers ready to fight that particular germ, as I tell our kids). In most cases, you will have repeated passing exposures to that germ that will remind your "army" to stay strong. This could be that you have Influenza A, get sick, get better, and then walk past someone in the grocery store a month later who is contagious with Influenza A and get a brief exposure. You don't get sick that time, but that brief exposure keeps that very specific germ-army on alert. However, if you get Influenza A, get sick, get better, and then never meet another Influenza germ again for years, you can bet that the next time you DO come in contact with it, you'll get sick again b/c each germ-specific army only stays strong for as long as it thinks it needs to before it dismantles. (A bit ... I'm simplifying this whole process a little so you're not reading a biology textbook when you just want tips on a healthy immune system).



Ok, so if you or your loved ones are getting sick more frequently than normal, it could be because most of us had less 'germ exposures' in general over the past couple of years than usual and most of of our armies are weaker than they'd normally be.


Or, it could be that your immune system is in need of a a little TLC. Or maybe both.



Regardless, remember that we are meant to get sick sometimes. It's a chance to reset and re-evaluate things. And even though it sucks or is at least inconvenient, our bodies usually fight the germs off without us even having to micromanage. Pretty freaking incredible.



Here are a few of my sick season staples:

• When feeling great or otherwise, we wash our hands with fragrance-free soap and water, no Purell or anti-bacterial soap. Rather than mess with our skin's barrier / microbiome and make our immune system weaker, I prefer to keep that intact. Soap acts to lift germs off of the skin and the friction of rubbing our hands under the water will wash them away without being too harsh.

• Nasal breathing. Our nose humidifies and filters germs out of the air we breathe before it gets to our lungs. Our mouth does no such thing. The more you breathe through your mouth, the more opportunity you give the germs to invade and take over. Many people are nasal breathers during the day but mouth breathers at night. This is where mouth-taping would be something to consider.

• Sleep! Our immune system function drops pretty dramatically even after 1 night of poor sleep. I know we can't get great sleep every single night, but most of us can do better in this category.

• Resilience. Heat + cold exposure throughout the year helps our body build up resilience. The cold of winter is less of a shock if we have been priming it for cold with intentional exposures a few times a week. Skip this when sleep is low, stress is high, or you're already under the weather.

• Stress. Cortisol is released when we are stressed and while it's not a bad thing, it does become problematic when it's elevated too high or too often. It will cause insulin resistance and lower your immunity. We have less control over how much stress we are exposed to (though definitely some control there!), and much more over how we train ourselves to deal with it. Just having a regular practice of journaling, meditating, gratitude, spiritual practice, and working on emotional management can be life-changing.

• Nutrition. If you're eating a bunch of processed food, lots more sugar / carbs than you need, and drinking alcohol, your immunity will be tanked. I'd never suggest skipping ALL of those things ALL the time, but most people need to be more realistic about what moderation looks like for their goals.

• I don't force food for myself or my kids when we're sick. I lean heavily on appetite. Hungry? Eat. Not hungry? Don't eat. Your body will let you know when it's ready for food.

• Hydrate! This I do much differently. Even if not thirsty, I will be mindful of staying hydrated. If not able to drink as much volume or if there is sweating (from fevers breaking), vomiting, or diarrhea, or an aversion to plain water, I add electrolytes. I love Redmond's Relyte brand and LMNT brand and will often use just partial servings spread out throughout the day.

• Exercise. If you have a fever, congested lungs, or are vomiting / diarrhea, definitely skip your workouts until those things have been gone at least a full day or so. If it's just a little cold or minor, lingering symptoms and you're making sure you're eating well, sleeping well, hydrating yourself, and you're feeling up to getting in a shorter, less intense workout, that's probably ok.

• Movement. Move everyday if at all possible! Even a little walk or some stretching every hour or so will help keep your lymph flowing so your body can get rid of those germs for you.

• Supplements. I maintain my normal supplements as long as I'm able to eat something b/c many (like fat-soluble vitamins) need food to be absorbed and I'd feel nauseous if I took my zinc, for example, on an empty stomach. Some that I take for immunity (you should only take what makes sense for your body, your deficiencies, etc.) are vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, quercetin, magnesium, omega 3s, turmeric.

• Mega-dosing. I typically avoid mega-dosing. My goal when I'm sick is a bit unusual ... I don't necessarily want to get better as fast as possible. I mean, I do in the moment of course lol, but ultimately since I'm already sick I want to make the most of it by mounting a potent immune response. Basically, I want a strong 'germ army' to form and don't want to interfere with this process by trying to micromanage germ inventory. Haha. TLC, yes. Overriding important cellular processes that would set me up better in the future? No.

• Warm liquids. There's something to be said for hot tea or chicken soup when you're sick. Not only can it be comforting and hydrating, but breathing in some of the warm steam into our nose can help kill off some of the germs that are still hanging out there and haven't affected you systemically, yet.

• Fevers. I LOVE good fever. I know that's a weird thing to say and I know it doesn't feel good, but it's such an intelligent thing our bodies do sometimes ... turning up the temperature to kill off the germs. While rare, fevers can occasionally become dangerously high (especially in children), so I just monitor but do not give fever reducers. Exceptions? Sure. It hasn't happened to us yet (knock on wood), but if one of our children was SO uncomfortable b/c of their fever and needed a little relief to relax their body or get some sleep, I'd consider temporarily reducing it (probably with non-pharmaceutical methods at first and pharmaceutical if we deem it to be necessary). Otherwise we just do lots of comfort in other ways, snuggles, etc.

• Important mindset piece: we're not "sick" or "not sick", we are constantly fighting off germs everyday, but sometimes our body wins the battle without us noticing and sometimes it requires a bigger fight and we can feel it.

• Another mindset piece: we can assume we and everyone we know will get sick several times a year. If it ends up being less, great! If it's more, it's a good opportunity to consider why. Maybe it's bound to happen now b/c of the less exposure to people / crowds we've had in recent years. Maybe it's that there's been too much sugar and alcohol and not enough sleep and we can tweak those things if we want to. But regular ol' viruses getting us from time-to-time is just real life. Even the healthiest people still get sick. In fact, some holistic docs say that there's a health benefit to getting sick at least occasionally.

So there ya have it. We all get sick sometimes. And this is a lot of what I do for myself and my family in general and when any of us are under-the-weather. Hope you found it helpful and hope you get through this "sick season" as smoothly as possible.



XO,
Tara

These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad ...

Some of you are too young to get that reference. ;-)



We're a little too far away from a holiday gift idea newsletter, though you can certainly use this to help you stir up the creative juices if you're like me and already thinking about shopping so December can have at least a few moments of stillness. Last year our stillness came courtesy of a COVID house-sweep. This year I'm hoping it'll look a little different. ;-)



None of the following links are affiliate links nor do I get paid to share at all ... just regular ol' links to help you save time, but feel free to look for them wherever your favorite places to shop are.



TOOTHPASTE: Loving this Boka mint one at the moment. It's minty, but not "too spicy" according to my kids. It has better-for-you ingredients, no flouride, and uses nano-hydroxyapatite instead. Woo hoo!

DRY SHAMPOO: I use Rowe Casa's in dark and even though I just added some blonde streaks last week (first time messing with my natural hair color in SIXTEEN years), my roots are still dark so I won't need to change up the shade. It's non-toxic and bonus: you'll enjoy a little chocolate scent as they include cacao powder in the ingredients.

BOOK: I'm dragging my way through Untamed right now, not b/c I don't love it but because I haven't been setting aside enough time to read lately. Plus, I have total book jumping issues and hardly eever read just 1 at a time. (Why am I like this???) Also really looking forward to the release of A Healthier Home in February. It's available for pre-order right now. There is NOTHING like it out there and I think it's going to be a beautiful reference guide.

PODCAST: To satisfy the science nerd in me, I'm a big fan of Huberman Lab and (more sporadic release) Found My Fitness by Dr. Rhonda Patrick. Also excited for a new one that just launched called I Dare You by Jen Gottlieb.

MAKEUP: Almost all of my makeup is from Crunchi. While not inexpensive, I love the quality, the ingredients, and performance. I don't tend to wear a ton of makeup, so I justify the cost in my mind that way. ;-)

WARM DRINKS: Temperature drops call for allllll the warm, cozy drinks. I enjoy Kion coffee, Organifi Harmony, Organifi Gold in Pumpkin Spice, and Pique Tea (no tea bags, so no microplastics). Some of these make perfect gift ideas! Delicious and winter-y, but health-focused and won't add to the clutter that I think we're all trying to down-size right now.

PROTEIN POWDER: I enjoy the convenience of a protein smoothie, adding protein powder to a yogurt base and turning it into a fruit dip, baking with it, or even using it in soups. My go-to lately is Truvani. Sometimes we'll switch it up because we ran out and need something easier to find or we find a better deal for a pretty comparable product. But I keep returning to this one because I don't mind the taste, the texture, my kids like it, I like the macros (and often use 1/5 or 2 scoops at a time), and the ingredients are pretty darn clean.


I enjoy getting a glimpse into others' favorite products so I hope that this was at least entertaining for you! Keep in mind that we all have different goals, priorities, budgets, and budgeting priorities.


Happy Thursday,
Tara



P.S. If you have fat loss, muscle-building, or "toning up" goals, my Fat Loss Meal Plan is available for purchase. It's designed to taste good, of course, but also balanced in a very intentional way to help with the above goals through satisfying and nourishing meals that decrease cravings and macronutrient balances that balance blood sugar and boost metabolic rate.

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

Willpower is NOT your issue

Imagine hearing that willpower was never an issue for you ... all of these years??

Well, that's what I'm about to tell you. I know we got into willpower a little a couple of weeks ago, but I want to tackle it head-on today and from a different angle.



Maybe you don't have an issue with willpower. Maybe you are super Type A / perfectionist or just really able to follow a plan and never deviate (but you're still not happy with your results and that's for entirely different reasons that I'll cover in a future newsletter).


But if you have ever found yourself feeling like you are just weak in the presence of your favorite foods, YOU HAVE TO WATCH THIS. Well, it's just my talking head so you can actually pop some headphones on and just listen to it like a 21-minute podcast during your morning sun walk. ;-)


It's not willpower, it's biology. But when your biology is out of whack and you add a ton of stress + heavy emotions or just a mindset that's been corrupted by diet culture, you get this perfect storm that feels a whollllllle lot like a lack of willpower.



If you're having trouble starting the day with the type of breakfast that I describe in the video, try one of these smoothies while we're still in the thick of summer. Before long it'll all be apple cinnamon this and pumpkin that -- which I, personally, don't mind. ;-)



If you'll be joining us for the September round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, write down these dates: August 31st is when the cart will be open to sign up. You'll get access to the course app + materials on September 8th. And September 12th is when we officially begin. Make sure you're on the waitlist if you're interested to reserve your spot and to get a discount code when the cart opens.



XO,
Tara

Meet you ... a year from now

I know you love recipes and fat loss / muscle-building tips.

And I'll be back with more of that stuff soon. But more than ever in the past week I've been hearing people tell me they feel like they need to get their mind right. I don't know about mercury or retrograde or if that can even be to blame here. Maybe it's the fact that we've had quite the few years lately ... like, as a collective. I dunno. But it's clear: many of you are feeling off. Frustrated. Disappointed with where you're at. Worried that it'll never change ...



So I want to take you through another exercise today. A visualization. Ya ready?



I want you to start out by writing down -- preferably on real, actual paper -- who you'd like to be one year from now. On August 2, 2023 ...



What time do you wake up?
How do you feel in your body when you open your eyes?
What kinds of things make you excited to get up?
What are you wearing?
What do you eat for breakfast?
What's in your glass / mug?
How do you feel about your choices? Clear + confident? At peace?
What are the priorities in your day?
Is it a rest day? A strength day? Cardio? Maybe just a nice, long walk?
What is your energy and mood like in the morning? After lunch? At dinnertime?
Do you do anything for self care? (I define this as something that relaxes you or brings you joy in the moment AND afterwards)
If so, what is it?
Have you picked up any new hobbies or resumed some old ones you were missing?
What are your weekends like?
How do you feel about your body?
Have you aged a year or does it feel like you've turned back your biological time instead?
What's your evening routine like?
Do you still have a power struggle with food / alcohol?
What time do you go to bed?
What does your family think about the new you?
How do your changes influence the way they might treat themselves in the future?




You get the idea. ;-) Answer all of those, some of them, or feel free to add your own. Answer it as if ANYTHING were possible. Be so BOLD in your responses that you might be incredibly embarrassed if anyone else were to stumble upon this.



And then -- this is the fun part -- I want you to record it. Video or audio ... that's your call. But read it as if you're sharing a day in the life of YOU in a year. 



It's August 2, 2023. I just got up at _______. I'm feeling _______. I cannot wait to ______. Etc. etc.



Are you game?? If you are a skeptic, I get it. But this isn't as woo woo as you might think. Visualizations that appeal to all the senses are powerful ways for us to 1) reveal to ourselves things we may not have realized we wanted, 2) allow for 'practice runs' in our brain so as we make changes that bring us closer to this reality, it doesn't feel so foreign and misaligned with our identity, and 3) interrupts the way our brain usually tells us we want a change by going from thinking about what we don't want to thinking about what we do.



Make it a whole thing if you can. Light a (clean) candle. Make some tea. Put on music. Or sit outside on the stoop while the morning sunlight pokes you in the eye. ;-) Or don't. If things are too crazy and you just have to squeeze it in, go for it. 



Hope you enjoy this one!



XO,
Tara



P.S. I just added some of the wins of those who went through the pre-launch group of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind to the info. page. Check it out if you enjoy reading about others' success stories too! As a reminder, the next group starts in September. If you're interested in joining us for that round, make sure you reserve a spot by joining the waitlist. Waitlist peeps will be getting a discount code when the cart opens, too. Woo hoo!!!

No willpower or motivation? No problem ...

When Will Power and Mo Tivation have left the building ...

... it can be tempting to point our fingers there and throw our hands up in frustration. "I guess I'll never reach these goals. I have no willpower. And if I could just get motivated ..."



But what if I told you willpower and motivation aren't necessary? Would you believe me?



We all have a finite amount of willpower. If it's being used all day long, you will cave eventually. Here's the work-a-round: Set up your environment and biology for success.


1) Ya know how you eat entire jars of peanut butter in a day or 2? Or maybe it's the ice cream that doesn't stand a chance? Whatever your particular foods are that you seem to have a lot of trouble with portion control around, don't keep them in the house! Keep almond butter instead. Or sorbet or something. Compromise with your loved ones on this and when you really want it, go out and get a single serving. One day, you will be more balanced and not have to worry about these trigger foods holding any power over you. But for now, this will help.


2) Balance your biology! Your cells are meant to scream for excess energy if you are under-nourishing them. This could be from skipping meals, trying extended fasts that are beyond what your adrenals can handle right now, or maybe you're eating too many empty calories and not enough real food. Also, if your hormones and blood sugar aren't balanced, you will find yourself trying to rely on willpower in situations where some others just don't seem to need it.


Now... motivation! She's sexy when she's here, isn't she? You almost feel superhuman when you're motivated to do something, right? But she's flakey and unpredictable. Thankfully, you don't need her. You can use discipline to do the thing anyway. That action builds momentum. And that momentum you create tends to attract motivation to swing by more often. But even if she doesn't? Who cares. You have discipline. And discipline is a bit more boring, but superrrrr loyal.


How do you tap into discipline? First, you set SMALL goals that you know are doable even when you don't want to do it. ASSUME you won't be motivated when the time comes. Is the thing you're promising to yourself small enough that you can get it done anyway? The answer should be a resounding YES.


So, you don't start drinking half your body weight in ounces of water today. You drink 1 glass of water before you let yourself have your coffee today.


You don't do a full Tara Allen Health workout from instagram or someone else's from youtube today. You do the first 5 minutes.


And you don't perfectly balance all of your meals today. You add a veggie to your lunch.


Aaaaaaand, you don't do ALL of that in 1 day. You pick 1 or 2 things and add more only when you can consistently rock those 1 or 2 things.


No willpower, no motivation, all the health and body goals. You are in the driver's seat. Always.



XO,
Tara



P.S. If you have said to yourself or anyone else in the past few days that you need help -- that you have fat loss, muscle-building, "toning", blood sugar balance issues, or a slow metabolism -- then I look forward too seeing you in September. TRANSFORM: Body + Mind is the 28-day course you need. Make sure you're on the waitlist as waitlist peeps will be getting a discount code.



P.P.S. If you want to start to feel the effects of balancing your meals BEFORE the September round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, grab my latest Fat Loss Meal Plan available for purchase.

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!

Booty Building Goals??

Do you want to build a strong booty?

Most women I talk to these days mention that this a current goal. The best part of this goal is that while you're trying to fill out your jeans, you'll also be helping to prevent knee pain, improving your insulin sensitivity and blood sugar regulation, and boosting your metabolism up, even at rest.



So let's go for these goals!!! Here's how:


1) Train your glutes 1-2 times per week. Your glutes ("booty muscles") are made up of 3 muscles: gluteus maximus, gluteus minimus, and gluteus medius. They all come together to give you a rounded, 3D shape. It's important to train them frequently enough that they stay under construction (in a good way). BUTT (pun intended), overtraining them is a terrible idea as they only actually repair, strengthen, and grow during rest. So stick with 1-2 challenging lower body sessions per week.


2) The right plan. Ideally, you are incorporating all the most important glute exercises into these lower body sessions and repeating them each time. The key is to dial up the intensity so that even if the workout is the same, you're increasing resistance, reps, or sets each time. 

Important to include:

• Hip hinges (like deadlifts)

• Hip thrusts / glute bridges

• Squats

• Lunges (particularly reverse lunges)

• Single leg step ups

• Abductions (like banded fire hydrants)

• Glute kickbacks (with a band or cable machine)

Check out my Lower Body 1 and Lower Body 2 highlights on instagram for complete and effective -- and FREE ;-) -- workout routines.


3) Eat to grow. The best and fastest booty building results will happen if you are eating in a calorie surplus. This means you'd be bringing in more calories than you are using up for a period of time (usually at least a few months) as you focus on growth. This approach will increase overall body size and usually increase body fat percentage a bit as well. So if that doesn't align with your goals, just plan on it taking longer to notice results. But it CAN be done in a calorie maintenance or slight calorie deficit. In other words, you CAN lose body fat all over and grow your glutes at the same time. It will just take a lot longer.



4) Protein. Regardless of whether you're in a calorie deficit, maintenance, surplus, or you have no idea which and don't care, you will need to be eating enough protein to give your body the building blocks it needs to create new muscle. Can't build a big, strong brick house without enough bricks, right?? Same idea. Shoot for .75g - 1g of protein per lb of body weight you feel most comfortable at per day.



5) Sleep. When you sleep long enough, well enough, and without a belly full of food, you will release a nice amount of growth hormone overnight. This growth hormone will help you heal, repair, and do some important immune surveillance. AND ALSO, it will help you rebuild your muscles stronger than before (but only if you're doing all of the above too).



So whaddya say? Are you growing a strong booty (and whole body, I hope!)???



Hope you find this helpful. Tag me in your workout and food pics on social so I can cheer you on.



XO,
Tara




P.S. If you need some help with eating to promote both fat loss AND muscle gain (the right balance, portions, etc.), THIS MEAL PLAN will take the guesswork out for you and give you a bunch of recipes to work through as you crush your goals. It's 2 meal plans, really, as I give you both the omnivore version and the plant-based version when you purchase. Hope you love it!

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

Why diets always fail ... but you think it's YOU

I just turned away a potential new client.

She is sweet and desperate and while I absolutely hate not being able to help, she just isn't ready for my coaching. Why? Because she's still looking for a 'diet' and not a lifestyle change. I know lifestyle change is a trendy catch phrase these days, but it actually means something -- health and habits above outcomes. When aspects of our day-to-day, nutrition choices, fitness routine, sleep, stress management tools, and longevity practices are done for the sake of improving our health on a cellular level, our metabolism begins firing at a more optimal level. Our hormones begin to regulate. Our moods are elevated and more stable ... so we stop turning to our vices (like Pringles or complaining) and start having the bandwidth to keeping pushing forward.



And guess what happens? Those body composition changes you've been chasing for months or years or decades start to happen naturally. Not because you gave up peanut butter. Not because you swore off all alcohol. Not because you allow only 1 "cheat meal" per week (Have I ever told you how much I cannot STAND the term cheat meal? Ugh. I'll save it for another day). No ... your body composition changes because that's what bodies do ... they adapt in accordance to how we live our lives. When we balance hormones, sleep more, nourish ourselves well, have real ways of dealing with our stress, and move our bodies effectively (not too much or too little), they get a bit stronger and leaner. It's not an uphill battle because you changed your life BEFORE you changed your body. When you try to do it in the reverse order (like every diet ever), it won't work or last.



The problem with diets -- as I hear from my clients, social media followers, friends, and family -- is that they are set up to work (mayyyyybe) Monday - Friday, 9 - 4 PM. But not during the week before or during your period. And not on vacations. And not on days when Margaret brought in munchkins for Pat's birthday at work. And not when you haven't had time to prep lunches for the week.



THEY. ARE. NOT. REAL. LIFE.



And yet, people continue to try and try because you need to do something, right?



What if that something is that you need to learn more about how your body metabolizes, uses, and stores food? What if you truly understood how each meal choice and exercise choice affected how you feel in the moment and in the hours to come, how your body responds, and whether or not it allows you to use up excess body fat or store excess body fat instead?



I think then you'd never need another diet again. Truly. There would be no need to eliminate foods or food groups (unless you're allergic or for another medical reason). And there would be no deprivation ... just you in the driver's seat with the music turned up and the windows rolled down making intentional choices that sometimes include having the thing and something include not having the thing. But YOUR brain makes that call now knowing full well the pros and cons of each, not just abiding by some list you took a screen shot of from the diet-of-the-week's handbook.




Diets fail because they are designed to work against our biology, not with it. Against our neuroscience, not with it. And what's worse is that for every diet you've tried, you've told yourself YOU are the failure, right? At least that's what most of my clients tell me. Think about that. Most women are 5, 10, 20 diets deep by the time they hit their 30s and 40s. That's 5, 10, 20 times that you told yourself that you "can't commit to anything", that you're "broken and hopeless", that you "will always be like this, I guess". Ugh! That's heart-breaking.



Let's turn this around. You know I'm not gonna leave you down in the dumps! YOU didn't fail any of those attempts. You simply tried things that were never meant to work anyway. Do some people find lasting success with this approach of eating less and less and exercising more and more? Yes ... about 5% of people. Though there is no data that I'm aware of that tell us how their hormones, stress levels, or quality of life is.



The answer is not another diet. Not even a diet masquerading as a lifestyle change (think: Noom). The answer is a TRUE lifestyle change where you understand that it will take a little time to unlearn all the B.S. you've been taught from the diet industry and society and while your body begins to repair itself from any metabolic damage that has occurred. If you want to lose 5 pounds in the first week, I can never and will never be able to help you. Not with a clear conscience, anyway. But if your goal is to optimize your health, body, mind, and life ... and allow science to do its thing over time (stronger, leaner, better digestion, better sleep, better sex drive...), then I hope you will join me live on Wednesday, May 11th at 8 PM, Eastern where I will be sharing my top strategies for mending your metabolism that you can implement right away to start feeling and looking your best WITHOUT a diet.



Sign Up Here -- it's free. :-)



Can't wait to see you there!



XO,
Tara

Is it really a fat loss plateau?

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

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



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



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



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

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

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

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

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



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



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



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


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


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



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



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



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



Until we meet again,
Tara

Ever feel deprived?

Have you ever felt deprived around food?

HERE'S THE REASON ... and how to start to move away from feeling that way so you can get on with your merry self and goals. :-)



As always, if you are in need of some help, simply hit "reply" to this email and let me know where you're struggling.



Happy day,
Tara

Are you a longevity nerd like me??

Do you geek out on all things health?

Me too! But... sometimes it feels like a never-ending mountain to climb with all of the recommendations and goals we have, right?



Where to begin? I discuss this in my latest (3 min.) video.



We’re never too advanced for the foundations! And the foundations (like nutrition, exercise, sleep, mindset ...) will be your biggest needle-movers! It’s why these things come first in my 1-on-1 coaching program ... with the Longevity Phase of the program at the end. 😉



But what if you’re already doing the foundations well and CONSISTENTLY? You’ve conquered healthy body composition goals, you move your body daily, you have a great relationship with food and your body, you’re sleeping well, and you have noticed a shift in your mindset / emotional resilience ....?



What’s next??


Well, the foundations forever! Seriously. 😜 And then some fun, more detail-oriented longevity-focused habits, tweaks, and experiences.



I talk up on my stories on Instagram a lot about breathwork, meditation, supplements, hot / cold, fasting, dry brushing, oil pulling, homemade charcoal toothpaste, natural products, mTOR, AMPK, mitochondrial health, grounding, 4th phase water, autophagy, apoptosis, circadian rhythm setting, etc. If that’s your jam too, set aside an hour or two each day to watch my stories. (Kidding! But they CAN get long sometimes. 😂😂)



And while I will be sticking to a lot of the foundations on my social media pages and right here in my newsletter because I believe strongly that it’s what is most helpful and most necessary, if you want me to include some more of this content here as well, let me know with a quick reply!



Please note: I do not represent any other brand but my own at this time. None of my posts or stories are sponsored. Could that change in the future? Maybe! But it will have to feel just right as a partnership for me to agree to it and so far, I haven’t had that feeling with any of the offers. 🤷‍♀️



So ... foundations first and most. Then room for the cherries on top. ;-). That's my take. What's yours?



XO,
Tara

Intuitive eaters vs. "fit pros"

Intuition? Scientific research? Which *should* be dictating our nutrition?



Both sides are a little wrong ... and a little right, in my opinion. Intuitive eating and the body positivity movement is BEAUTIFUL. And there’s much that can learned from scientific research and professionals on the other side of the spectrum. But until we can blend the two, we’re going to have a society full of people debating their way in the opposite direction of the deep health and vitality they’re actually after.


We learn. We practice. We build skills. And then we allow it to just become part of who we are. It gets more intuitive over time! Naturally. When we go at it with the right intentions in the first place.


It’s not a certain look you’re after. It’s the way you believe that look will make you feel (full of energy and life, confident, capable, strong, sexy). It allllll boils down to love and acceptance, if ya wanna get deep here. 😉 So if we skip the obsession with looks and focus on that health + vibrancy, we have this new North Star that never steers us wrong.


MORE ON THAT HERE.


XO,
Tara




P.S. If you need some help navigating this middle ground approach as you strive for optimal health, leave a comment below and let's chat about where you're at and where you'd like to go. :-)

Brain "reps"

What are "brain reps"?

Most people understand that in order to getting stronger physically, they will need to put in some work. Or, do the reps. No one is walking around saying they were born with a certain amount of strength and they can't improve it. That's silly, right?! We *know* strength can be improved in proportion to the amount you are challenging your muscles.



So why is it that many people think their mindset is fixed? Many people believe they were born with a low tolerance to be able to handle stress or a glass-half-empty attitude. But that's simply an underworked mind. Our mental and emotional strength + resilience will improve with 'more reps' just like our muscles do.




CHECK OUT THE LATEST VIDEO here (and please excuse the mention of Monday as this was recorded and shared with social media prior).




Why is this incredibly important? Well without mental and emotional strength + resilience, you will find yourself falling victim to any and all excuses, giving up easily, waiting for. motivation to show up, annoyed by the littlest things, seeking out vices (like extra food, alcohol, staying up too late) in an attempt to self-soothe, etc. Powerful stuff, right? It's the reason I focus so much on the the mindset piece with my clients. It's simply not addressed out there with other programs or coaches and it's why other things don't 'stick'.




Questions? Comments? I'd love to hear 'em!




Happy day,
Tara

You are too comfortable!

Are you too comfortable?

Ever think, "I'm ALWAYS putting myself LAST!"?? I'd like to invite you to think of that in a different way. Now, I'll warn you, THIS VIDEO is a bit tough love (with an emphasis on love). So if you're already having a day, maybe watch this one later. ;-)



I'd love to hear your thoughts! Let me know if this resonates at all.



Happy day,
Tara