You see, your metabolism is ALWAYS exactly what it needs to be. It's a survival thing. So if you don't require much fuel before you'd start to store it as excess fat, there's a reason for that.
CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO if you've ever believed that your metabolism was broken... or even a little disheveled.
Questions? Comments? Need some help or guidance? I'm a simple email reply away. ;-)
Happy day,
Tara
...and the 3 things you DO!
Check out my latest video all about this topic. I kept it short this time... 3 or 4 minutes. ;-) Let me know what you think about this format by commenting on this post. I appreciate any and all feedback!
Lots of love,
Tara
And let me add ... it doesn't have to be weight / fat loss. Sub any other health goal.
Oh, and one more thing ;-) .... when I say weight / fat loss, I am hardly EVER talking about looks here. Sometimes our brains do this thing where they make short-cuts (read: assumptions) because it's a conditioned response. So many people equate weight loss to looks exclusively and therefore you might mistake my information or videos for being 'one of them'. I'll tell you what ... our looks are the LEAST interesting thing about us, in my opinion. But that doesn't mean we can't talk about weight or fat loss. Some people seek out those goals to optimizer their health, feel vibrant, have more energy, etc. It's all about the way we FEEL so we can show up as the best version of ourselves.
So, I challenge you to notice where you might have these pre-judgments happening. Do you tune out weight loss because you're so sick of diet culture and assume it's all about a quest to "get skinny"? I hear ya! But that's N E V E R what you're going to get here with me, FYI. ;-)
Last week, I discussed some big lessons that were missing from my childhood education and how they are such important aspects of our humanness. Try to lose weight, optimize health, flourish inside your relationships, or achieve ANY goal without this knowledge and I bet it feels like an uphill battle.
The best news is that as adults, we get to learn about this stuff now ... and teach the next generation!
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO RIGHT HERE.
Any questions? Need to vent? Wanna chat? Email me: Tara@TaraAllenHealth.com
Happy day,
Coach Tara
P.S. Want to meet my small business team?
I have thought long and hard about whether I want to offer coaching that ‘allows’ me to hit pause for a client when they’re:
going on vacation,
overwhelmed at work,
pregnant, breastfeeding, or just after delivery,
injured, or
caring for an ailing family member
For a client, the thought process boils down to:
If I miss some workouts, eat the wrong things, skip the homework… I fail.
Aren’t I more likely to succeed if I take a break, just until I have the time to do it right?
Now, don’t get me wrong… I think it’s normal—even commendable—to want to do your best. I can understand wanting to take time to regroup and then resume (or start over) when life feels easier.
At the same time, this completely natural and well-meaning impulse is one of the fastest, surest, most reliable ways to sabotage your plans for improved nutrition, health, and fitness.
Here’s why—and what to do instead.
That’s probably why New Year’s resolutions are so popular, especially following the indulgence-fueled holiday season.
Give me that cheesecake. I’ll pick my diet back up on Monday!
In fact, I’ve learned in my experience with coaching that the idea of a do-over is so alluring you don’t even need a mess-up for the pause-button mentality to take over.
Let’s say I have a new client sign up with me in January. Very often, a few months later, clients will be ‘itching’ for a new beginning, even though they’re already making progress / changing their bodies and health.
If only you’d let me start over, I’d really nail it this time!
Whether it’s tomorrow, Monday, next week, or even next year, hitting that imaginary pause button gives you some sense of relief.
It allows you a little respite from what can be a really tough slog.
(And the middle is always a tough slog, it doesn’t matter what kind of project you’re working on.)
This perceived relief is compounded by the illusion that if we “start fresh” later we can find the magical “right time” to begin.
Listen, I get it.
It can feel absurd to try to improve your eating and exercise habits while you’re in the midst of chronic stress / looking for a job / starting a new job / going on vacation / caring for aging parents / raising small children.
That’s probably why there are so many 21-day this and 90-day that. What adult has more than 90 days to go after their fitness goals with an all-out effort?
But what do these intense fitness sprints teach you?
The skill of getting fit within a very short (and completely non-representative) period of your life.
What don’t they teach you?
The skill of getting fit (or staying fit) in the midst of a normal, complicated, “how it really is” sort of life.
This is why the yo-yo diet thing has become such a phenomenon.
In most fitness scenarios, you learn how to get fit under weird, tightly-controlled, white-knuckled life situations.
You build that one, solitary, non-transferrable skill—to slam the gas pedal down, drive the needle into the red, and squeal down the road for a little while, burning the rubber off your tires until you (quickly) run out of gas and crash.
What you don’t build is the ability to get fit under real-life conditions. The beautiful, messy, chaotic life that we live.
That’s why it doesn’t stick. Not because you suck. But because the natural and predictable consequence of having a limited skill set is short-term progress followed immediately by long-term frustration.
I remember catching up with an old friend over coffee once who swore that her uber low-carb diet plus daily runs were the secret to getting in shape.
I followed up with a sobering question: “Well, why would you say you aren’t actually in shape?”
After a long pause: “Uhh, I’ve had a hard time sticking with it. With the new baby. And the holidays. I’m thinking of changing jobs.” She trailed off…
“But, once everything settles down, I’ll get with the program and get in shape again! I guess I’m just on a little break.”
This story illustrates the point perfectly.
Here’s someone who’s built her fitness on a house of cards. She knows only one thing: How to get in shape by following a very challenging program when the conditions are perfect.
And whenever life isn’t perfect, which is most of the time, she hits the pause button. She waits for a better time. (All the while losing the health and fitness she previously worked so hard for.)
That’s why, when my clients ask to press pause, I usually ask them:
“What will be different when you come back?”
Nine times out of 10, the honest answer is nothing. Nothing will be different.
Life is just… happening. And it’ll happen again in January, or after the baby is born, or after Mom gets better, or at any other arbitrary point you pick.
And what then?
If you’ve ever felt like pressing pause, or you feel this way right now, it might help to know I’ve felt exactly the same way.
Many years ago, we had just had our 2nd baby. My husband was working out of state and commuting back and forth each day. We had just purchased a house across town that he was fixing up on weekends. There I was, alone with a 2 year old and a newborn nearly every minute of every day while running my business from home. I’ll tell ya what… there were plenty of moments that I wanted to hit the ‘pause’ buttons on my fitness and nutrition.
But after a couple of weeks (of feeling worse and worse) I realized that something was going to be better than nothing.
The renovations would continue. Running a business would only get more demanding. And newborns only get more demanding as they grow into toddlers! ;-)
I realized I couldn’t wait. I couldn’t press pause. Because if I didn’t continue, there’d never be that “perfect time” to hit play again.
I needed to find a way to squeeze in some kind of workout, however quick, easy, and unglamorous.
The key lesson here is that, like it or not, the game of life keeps going.
There is no timeout.
There’s never going to be a moment when things are magically easier.
You can’t escape work, personal, and family demands. Outside stressors and events you see on the news will always happen. And you cannot escape the need for health and fitness in your life.
Here’s a thought experiment:
What if you tried to hit pause in other areas of your life?
Imagine you’re up for a big promotion at work. For the next two weeks, all you want to do is focus on mastering an upcoming presentation, and winning over your boss.
Trouble is, you’ve got two young children at home who tend to grasp, koala-like, onto your legs and demand your full attention.
Honey, you say to your spouse, I’m just gonna press pause on being a parent for now. I’ll be staying at a hotel. Don’t contact me.
I don’t know about you, but that would NOT go over well in my family.
You can’t really press pause—and you definitely can’t hit reset—on being a parent. (You’ve thought about it, though. I know you have.)
Just like you can’t stop showing up for work and expect not to get fired. Or “take a break” from being married and not wind up divorced.
Generally, when it comes to life, we know we’re not always going to be on our A Game. Sometimes we’re superstars. Most of the time we just do our best.
We muddle through. We keep going.
So why do we expect it to be any different with fitness?
In my case, above, I came up with a simple workout program that met these criteria:
No more than 3x a week.
No more than 10 minutes per session.
Had to be done in the house, before I showered.
Required just the minimal equipment we already had.
I did that for a few months. When the stars aligned and I could get to the gym, I did. Otherwise, this was my plan. Was it the Best Workout Ever? No! Did I end up, after a few months, fitter than ever? Heck no!
But was it better than hitting the pause button and doing nothing? You bet!
See, perfectionism is not the point.
“Completing” a program like my coaching or any other, is not the point.
Being the “best” for a tiny window of time is not the point.
The point is to keep going. Sometimes awkwardly, sometimes incompetently, sometimes downright half-assed. But to keep going nonetheless.
As I often teach my new clients:
The “all or nothing” mentality rarely gets us “all”. It usually gets us “nothing”.
That’s when I propose a new mantra:
“Always something”.
Nowadays I like to think of my fitness and nutrition efforts as a dial.
There are times when I want to dial my efforts up, and times when I want to dial them down. But I never want to turn the dial off completely.
Here’s how this plays out in the context of my life.
Sometimes, say when I’m training for a particular goal, my fitness dial might be tuned to a 9 out of 10.
Channel 10 would mean I work out every day. Every meal is planned and carefully considered. I think a lot about fitness. And not much about anything else. Channel 10 just isn’t for me. But 9 is, sometimes.
Work, family, hobbies… they would all in maintenance mode (with the permission of the people this affects, of course).
However, as I write this, my life involves the following:
Dealing with a pandemic.
2 young children and no childcare.
Running a growing business from my home (did I mention no childcare?).
Taking care of a house, bills, cleaning, etc.
So these days, the dial rarely goes past 5 or 6. I work out 6 days a week. And most of my meals are balanced for nourishment, with about 20% room for that dessert or an occasional drink if I’d like one.
(For the record, I’m totally cool with wherever it is. There is no guilt about having my dial set a little lower sometimes. What’s most important is that the dial is still set to “on”.)
The important lesson: There’s a big difference between tuning your dial to 3, 2, or even a 1, and turning the whole thing off.
And when you realize how doable—and effective—channels 3 and 2 and 1 can be, you see that there’s never a good reason to hit “pause”.
I get it. It’s easy to discount the lower channels. Especially when you’ve done more in the past. But remember your new mantra…
One of my clients, Sarah, was dealing with a family crisis during our coaching time: Her mom became ill and eventually passed away.
Sarah could have given up when her mom was sick. Asked for a pause. And no one would have blamed her.
Instead, she challenged herself to embrace imperfection and do something every day:
Each day, I asked myself: If I can’t do what was asked of me, what CAN I do? What can I manage (physically, emotionally, mentally) now?
Then I went and did it.
Meanwhile, I also tried to add spontaneous activity into my days. I paced the hospital halls, parked at a distance and walked to the hospital door. I went for evening walks.
Anything to stay active.
Sarah’s takeaway:
Perfection never happens in real life.
We’re always going to be doing the best we can with what we have.
And that’s okay.
We can still make progress toward our goals and still improve our health and our fitness—whatever’s going on in our lives.
That progress doesn’t happen if you “press pause” and wait for a better time.
It doesn’t happen if you say “I’ll squat again once the Mom situation resolves itself”. Or if you ask for a re-do next week, next month, next year.
That’s one of my mottos here at Tara Allen Health.
It’s what I think I’m really good at doing: helping clients be healthy and fit in the context of their real lives.
Not while pretending to be someone they’re not. Not by signing up for a 12-week boot camp with daily workouts and restrictive diets.
But by living their own lives and practicing “always something”.
In my opinion, pressing pause is buying into an imaginary ideal: a “perfect” time when everything will fall into place; a beautiful, linear trajectory from total suckiness to an apex of awesomeness.
Asking for a restart because you don’t want to mess that line up is deluding yourself that somehow, next time will be easier. Next time will be perfect. No interruptions, no distractions… no… life.
Unfortunately, there is no perfect time.
We may have magical moments, of course. Short periods of time when things seem to “click” and come together. That can be called, ‘the flow state.’
But then the dog poops on the rug. Or the kid throws up on the couch. Or both… and then one or the other tracks it all through the house.
You keep pressing pause, and what do you think your progress would look like?
Or, worse yet, you end up flatlining, stuck on a never-ending (maybe eternal) pause.
Fitness in the context of real human life is just like the rest of life.
We’re all just doing the best we can in challenging, complicated circumstances. We are all living messy, imperfect lives. We are all human.
If we can just keep moving forward, no matter what happens, no pause buttons, no do-overs, we win the game.
Here are a few strategies for getting out of the pause-button mentality and into a more realistic, effective, sustainable way of thinking.
Think of your fitness like a dial that goes from 1 – 10.
If you were to dial it up to “10”…
What would your workouts look like?
What would your nutrition look like?
What other actions/habits would you practice in that scenario?
If you were to dial it down to “1”…
What would your workouts look like?
What would your nutrition look like?
What other actions/habits would you practice in that scenario?
Giving thought to your life right now, where is your dial set?
Would you like to make any adjustments?
Could you move the dial up a channel, or even half a channel?
If so, what would that look like?
On the other hand…
Should you move the dial down a channel so you can stick with health and fitness even during a difficult time?
An all-or-nothing approach usually doesn’t get us “all”. It usually gets us “nothing”.
You know what actually works?
Small improvements done consistently over time work— I have seen this time and time again with my clients.
You might be trying to make a meal out of hospital cafeteria, gas station, or airport food. You might be spending hours awake with a newborn in the middle of the night, or stuck in yet another full-day meeting.
These aren’t ideal scenarios, but they’re not necessarily hopeless either.
Look around. Get creative. See if you can find some small—maybe minuscule—improvements.
Since we already know that stuff is going to go wrong, the best thing we can do is anticipate and make plans for how to deal when they do.
A simple way to do this is by answering two questions:
What’s likely to get in the way of what I hope to accomplish?
What is something I can do today to help me keep going when I face those obstacles?
For some people, that might be a Sunday routine where they prep food for the week so they won’t be scrambling for healthy meals on busy weeknights. For others, it might mean having a healthy meal-delivery service on speed dial.
Don’t be surprised and dismayed when things go haywire. They will at some point. Just arm yourself with the best tools and strategies so you can stay in the game when you’re thrown a curveball.
Of course if I can be of any help in any way, let me know! Your goals, your (unpaused) self and I would make a great team!
Lots of love,
Tara
I have a new client who recently asked this question. She loved the sound of my program and my coaching style, but was concerned that because she has a longer journey ahead of her than most (not really - it's a lifelong process for all of us, but it feels longer to her), that maybe my approach / lifestyle change just won't do the trick.
There's ONLY ONE way to lose weight / body fat. That's it. We name it different things, but it's actually incredibly simple (not easy). Let me explain in this video.
Whether you or I ever work together or not, if weight / fat loss is a goal of yours, please make sure you keep in mind that it always boils down to the same science. And that science can only be adhered to when all of the obstacles to change are removed and our brains are rewired to be on our team this time around. This is why my coaching is SO much more than the customized nutrition portions and customized fitness routine that I give each client. That's the simple stuff. But we dive deep into the rest.
If you know anyone looking to lose some body fat as a part of their plan to uplevel their health and lives, please share this with them. We can all overcome obstacles with the right tools and the right attitude. It's 2021 ... time we step up and take back the control to better our lives in whatever ways we'd like.
And if YOU are interested in securing a spot in my 1-on-1 coaching program, hit 'reply' to this email and I'll discuss next steps with you. Spots are always limited, as I'm very hands-on with my clients and would never overbook myself and interfere with that type of service. However, I have clients graduating often, so maybe you'll be next!?!
Health + peace,
Tara
2021 is here. Finally, right? But of course we won't get anything different by having the same habits.
If you're a list person like I am, you might already have a list of goals written down. Or maybe it's simply a word of the year. Maybe it's a certain feeling you're after ... gratitude / contentment. Regardless, if we take these intentions one step further we can set ourselves up for much better odds at accomplishing what we've set out to accomplish!
WATCH THIS 49-second video for more. :-)
Wishing you and your loved ones a very happy and healthy new year!
XO,
Tara
P.S. If you need help with your health / nutrition / fitness / healthy lifestyle goals, I'm here. It's exactly what I do and if you're willing to trust the process, I'm excited to help you finally get those lasting results you've been seeking for what seems like forever. No quick fixes. No 'diets'. No ridiculous restrictions, detox teas, or meal plans you must follow. Just a ridiculous amount of support, guidance, accountability... and a customized nutrition + fitness plan just for you.
Sound good? Are you willing and able to invest time and money into your health optimization? I can't imagine investing into anything better!! Our health, energy, moods, and productivity gained will help us achieve and enjoy every other aspect of life. But without health, it's tricky to find a work-around. Let's start where it matters MOST.
Here's some information about my 1-on-1, virtual coaching program (including before and afters and pricing).
IF you've read that and it all looks good, schedule your free call right here so we can chat and make sure it's the right fit.
2021 is the year you gain control back and feel vibrant and sexy! I mean, why not?!
Oh hey there!
As we get ready to say goodbye to 2020 (wowza!) and hello to 2021, I wanted to make sure you were up-to-date on all the free resources I have available right now.
The New Year is usually when we have lofty plans. We collect resources. We vow to make every meal from scratch for the whole year. ;-P So I'd like to hook you up, of course. But please keep this in mind... slow and steady really does win the race. You may have experience trying to change everything up in a day only to be back in the same exact spot a year later. Does that sound familiar? I've done that too.
But this year it can be different. This year you can decide that you'll take a better approach. Maybe you'll hire a coach to walk you through and support your whole journey. Or maybe you'll do it by yourself! But either way, there are NO detoxes, cleanses, diets, workout programs, etc. that will be it.
Working on your habits, emotional / stress eating, confidence, keeping your word to yourself (yup, this is a skill to be practiced), motivation, expectations, and discipline is the foundation from which you build a new lifestyle. Skip this step and the 'new lifestyle' simply won't last or stick around, unfortunately. It's all about our brains and there's just no human way around that. ;-) If you need help, email me and let's chat. No strings attached EVER. Not my style. (Tara@TaraAllenHealth.com)
Ok, back to the free gifts!
Healthy Holiday Apps and Sides
20 Quarantine Recipes
Product Recommendations (This is a work-in-progress. I keep adding here so come back often.)
Low Glycemic Recipe E-Book
My instagram page (FULL of complete strength training workouts you can do from home)
My Facebook Group (so many extras in here -- weekly challenges, exclusive recipes, etc.)
And if you have read about my coaching program HERE and are interested, then you need to sign up for a FREE CALL RIGHT HERE so we can chat all about where you're headed.
Lots of love to you and your friends / family during this unique time.
XO,
Tara
As soon as I received this question last week, I knew I needed to address it in a video as it's a big topic.
What's in our power? And what, exactly, can we do?
What's not in our power? And how do we make peace with that?
CHECK OUT MY ANSWER HERE.
XO,
Tara
P.S. I can't believe it's December 22nd already! If you haven't grabbed my copy of Smart Cookie: Healthified Holiday Desserts e-cookbook and would like to do some gluten-free, dairy-free baking and dessert-making between now and the New Year, GRAB IT NOW. It's only available for just over a week longer! Makes for a great last-minute gift idea, too. ;-)
Ahhhh..... the holiday season is in full effect. Remember when you thought you put on 10 pounds every holiday season because of all the parties and travel? Remember when you said your blood sugar and blood pressure fell victim to the hustle + bustle and lack of time at home?
Well this is likely the year with the LEAST amount of temptations. Less holiday parties. Less travel. More time at home. Less meals out. Less hosting.
So, what gives?
LET'S TALK ABOUT IT. The cool thing about us is that the more we learn and uncover about ourselves, the more power we have to make a change (if we want to).
Enjoy your Monday,
Tara
Why would I do that? Well, you're either a client of mine and I'm happy to share a little more insight into the inner workings of our work together... or you're not a client (yet?) and I think this one tip can help you make some great progress on your goals on your own!
CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO to find out more.
Questions? Hit 'reply' to this email and I will get back to you within a day or 2. :-)
Make it a great day,
Tara
You may have noticed that in last week's newsletter, I shared a link to a video I did about nitric oxide during which I also discuss it's effect on Covid-19. You may have also noticed that by the time the newsletter landed in your inbox, my video was removed from YouTube. Censored. Taken down because of its holistic nature. And look, I (sort of) get it. People are spreading some crazy information and it's all they can try to do to stay on top of it. Unfortunately, that means some very HELPFUL information is being blocked as was the case with my video.
BUT .... the nitric oxide video lives on on Instagram, so here it is.
And my LATEST video is about melatonin, what the latest research says about it's connection to Covid, and 11 ways to naturally boost and optimize your own production of melatonin. All safe stuff, you guys. All about healthy lifestyle first and foremost. ;-) Here's the Instagram link to that video.
Please note: You likely have to have an instagram account in order to view these.
For the health of it,
Tara
P.S. Thanksgiving is TWO days away here in the U.S. If you're scrambling for ideas and could use some gluten + dairy free options ... many EASY choices ... my e-cookbook, Smart Cookie: Healthified Holiday Desserts is available for purchase and is an INSTANT download. So you could go from not knowing what you want to make to drooling over your dessert decision in about 30 seconds. ;-)
If you're like me, you're still thinking about exactly what you want to make, bake, serve, or bring with you. If you would like LOTS of dessert options that are full of taste without any refined sugar, gluten, or dairy, GRAB MY E-COOKBOOK right now. It's an instant download which means all 42 of these mouth-watering recipes will be in your hands within a few seconds of purchase. There's a regular version and a printer-friendly version. While these recipes are designed to be devoured during the festive holiday season, I can promise you ... they are too good not to eat all year round.
Smart Cookie: Healthified Holiday Desserts is available for a limited time. Have your cake ... and eat it too. ;-)
XO,
Tara
Well, many reasons, actually. The reasons are that it helps prevent diabetes, insulin resistance, mood disorders, heart attacks, strokes, Alzheimers, and erectile dysfunction (yes, even in women -- that's really a thing).
And did I mention ... it's showing very promising results in clinical trials as an effective, low risk treatment option for Covid-19 (and other viruses like the flu).
The best news is that it's a molecule that our body already produces! Under the best conditions, we already have enough of it. But many people do not, and end up suffering the consequences.
IN THIS LIVE VIDEO I discussed 6 ways we can increase this miracle molecule (which is nitric oxide) through simple, healthy lifestyle upgrades. I know so many of us would LOVE to know there's something more we can do to be taking care of ourselves and our loved ones during this pandemic. PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION with anyone you think could benefit from it.
In summary:
1) Eat a balanced diet with plenty of protein. L-arginine is an amino acid we can get more of through our food and is used to convert nitric oxide.
2) Eat more vegetables with nitrates: celery, spinach, arugula, beets, lettuce. These nitrates are healthy, (unlike the nitrates in processed meat like hot dogs and bacon) and provide the raw materials needed to make nitric oxide.
3) Exercise! When we move, we increase blood flow through our body. This blood flow improves the endothelial function (the cells that line the blood vessels) ... and that's important because these are the cells that make nitric oxide!
4) Eat / supplement with antioxidants such as Vitamin E, C, polyphenols, and glutathione. Nitric oxide is a pretty unstable molecule and these antioxidants help stabilize it more so it sticks around longer.
5) Consider ditching the mouthwash. Using mouthwash is associated with an increase in diabetes, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular disease. Why? Well just like commercials say, it kills 99.99% of bacteria. But just like the commercials DON'T say, that's not necessarily a good thing! Not all bacteria is bad and the ones that are 'good' have very important jobs in our body. Our mouths happen to house a very important bacteria that helps up produce nitric oxide. If you're killing that off with mouthwash, you're at quite the disadvantage. I can't tell you what to do, of course! Chat with your doctors, your dentist.... do your own research. But I am telling you that you may want to look into this.
6) Nasal breathing! Breathing in and out through your nose brings nitric oxide into your body. Breathing in and out through your mouth does not. Think about how you breathe during the day when you're awake and also at night while you sleep... are you a mouth-breather? What might you be able to do about that?
Hope these help! If you've read all the way here and are still more interested in your body composition goals, let me tell you this: nitric oxide helps with metabolism. An insufficiency causes insulin resistance and excess fat storage. So it's a win-win to consider the above strategies. If you want to see the video, here's the link again.
Check out this video from last week where I talk about exactly how much protein most of us need as a threshold to help build muscle, keep hunger and cravings at bay, and have sustained energy throughout the day.
This video was done live on Instagram the morning after the election here in the U.S., hence the pep talk up front. Regardless of where things are at when this email lands in your inbox (I pre-schedule these), please understand it's a principle that applies all of life. When we feel empowered by focusing on that which we CAN do, the things we don't have control over don't have strangle-hold. Do these other things (like an election) matter? OF COURSE they do! That's not what this is about. This is about moving forward with your life, your love, your purpose... no matter what.
XO,
Tara
P.S. Did you grab your copy of Smart Cookie: Healthified Holiday Dessert cookbook yet? It just came out on Friday and people are already making and loving the recipes! In case this is the first you're hearing about it, it's an e-cookbook (instant download) filled with 42 holiday dessert recipes ... all free of gluten, dairy, and refined sugar. Want to hear a little more about it? COME CHECK IT OUT.
2 cups of strawberries
1 T raw honey
2 T chia seeds
Trim the stems from the strawberries and cut in half. Place strawberries, honey and chia seeds in a blender or food processor and pulse until it reaches your preferred jam-consistency.
Transfer jam into a saucepan and place on the stove over medium heat. Stir until it begins to bubble. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until jam begins to thicken.
Remove from heat and pour into a mason jar. Let cool and then store in the fridge for up to 7 days. Freeze if using down the road. Enjoy!
My healthy holiday dessert e-cookbook, Smart Cookie, will be released and I am sooooo excited to fill your homes with the smells and tastes and beauty of these festive treats!
What's unique about my cookbook?
It is FULL of only dessert recipes (42 in total)
All recipes are free of: gluten, dairy, and refined sugar
It's an instant download which means within minutes of when you purchase it, you can pick which dessert you want to try first -- no waiting for shipping!
You'll get 2 versions -- a pretty, picture-filled one and a more printer-friendly version with no pictures. Either one will print well, but you choose whether you wanna tear through your color ink for this book or not. ;-)
You'll find ALL the festive tastes in this one book: chocolate, hazelnut, gingerbread, apple, pumpkin, cranberry, etc.
Plenty of items to bake, but also stovetop, slow cooker, and no bake options!
What to do now? Hop on my email list and get excited. When this e-cookbook is available (on Friday), you'll receive another email from me with the direct link to purchase.
What's your favorite holiday dessert? Leave a comment here to let me know and I'll enter you into my drawing to win a free copy. Email responses will be pooled with social media responses and I will announce a winner on Friday (and contact you via email if you win)!
XO,
Tara
P.S. This HIIT and Core workout I shared recently on instagram ended up being my most 'popular' post to date. I figured I'd share it with you here in case you missed it. Make sure you read the caption about breath work while you're there.
If you've been hanging with me here for at least a year, than you might remember that last year I created a holiday-themed e-recipe book filled with DESSERTS. It's called Smart Cookie and contains 42 recipes that are free of gluten, dairy, and refined sugar. Some are baked goods, some are easy peasy no bake, and others use the crockpot or stove top. EVERY kind of nostalgic holiday flavor your heart (and mouth) desires like pumpkin, chocolate, cranberry, apple, gingerbread, cinnamon, hazelnut, etc.
This e-recipe book is an instant download. This means as soon as you purchase it, you get your very own link to download TWO copies -- the pretty one with all the mouth-watering pictures and the printer-friendly one in case you don't wanna use up all your printer's ink. ;-)
It'll be $17 and available in a week and a half!! (Friday, November 6th). Mark your calendars and get ready to satisfy both your pull towards eating more real food.... aaaaaand your sweet tooth!
I'll send out an email with the link when it's available for purchase (so make sure you’re on the list!), and you can also grab that link on social and my website starting November 6th.
XO,
Tara
Well, it depends on how you define better.
I define better as something that is sustainable and allows you to live the lifestyle that makes you happy and makes you SHINE at the same time.
And if that's the case, then THIS VIDEO tells you exactly how I do it with my clients and why.
They each have their place, but by in large, nutrition plans that teach you to honor your body, your health, and a flexible / delicious lifestyle is the one I stand by.
Questions? Ready to learn more? Email me and let’s chat! Tara@TaraAllenHealth.com
XO,
Tara
If you've skipped some of the headlines lately, you might think that's the case.
But wait! There's more! ;-)
CHECK OUT MY LATEST VIDEO BELOW where I talk about the study that has been referenced in every newspaper and magazine recently and what it tells us. I also share why intermittent fasting CAN be a tool for weight loss and why sometimes it's completely ineffective.
And if you're interested in more than weight loss / fat loss... if health + longevity is your jam (like it is mine), make sure you stay 'til the end where I talk about IF in the context of overall health and wellness.
Happy Fasting!
XO,
Tara
Some of us say we have certain goals, but don't actually know what it might entail to achieve said goals.
Some of us want what we want... while being comfortable the whole time and having an otherwise 'easy' life.
And others.... others do it differently. People who are successful at reaching their goals understand what it will take and they're willing to put in the work, even when no one is watching.
CHECK OUT THIS WEEK'S VIDEO for more about how most people end up inadvertently running away from their goals and how you can do exactly the opposite to finally make progress on yours.
XO,
Tara
P.S. Have you decided to end 2020 with some positivity? Maybe you are looking to get a bit leaner and healthier? Maybe you'd like to stop feeling so out of control around food and cravings? Maybe you want to finally commit to a home-based exercise program customized just for YOU.
And maybe you want ALL OF THE ABOVE (yeah....dream big!)
Did you know this is what I do for a living? I help all different kinds of people get from where they are right now to where they want to go. How? Through very targeted nutrition (never restrictive and always with room for FUN foods + drinks), a customized workout routine that can be followed from anywhere, and lots and lots of COACHING to get through the obstacles that derail most people -- time management, meal prep ideas, motivation, emotional eating, and lack of confidence that can make us feel less-than. If you've ever been curious about my 1-on-1 coaching program or would like to see details like the cost and some client before + afters, check it out!
If you're having some guilt thinking about investing into your health, consider this: My top priorities are family, health, and career. When I do a quick audit of my calendar and finances, these 3 priorities are VERY much reflected as such. Is health a priority of yours as well? Does your calendar and budgeting reflect this yet? If not, it may be time to reconsider whether or not it's a true priority.
Whether you and I ever end up working together or not, I look forward to the day when you email me back and tell me you've moved your health to a top 3 priority spot. I know you deserve it. And I know you're here to love others for a long time and do great things ... that deserves your health as well!
If you'd like to chat about how you can be well on your way towards your goals long before we pop the bubbly and say au revoir to 2020, you can sign up for a free call so we can make sure it's the right fit before moving forward. :-)