My top holiday party tips

There's a reason we spend a whole week on "the sweet life" in TRANSFORM.

We need to eat to live. We WANT to eat, too. But many have a less-than-stellar relationship with food and their body. And it's not like other vices (like alcohol or gambling) where people are advised to avoid the vice altogether.



YOU CAN'T ABSTAIN FROM FOOD!



So you mix these sketchy thought patterns and behaviors (ever eat in secret?) with sketchy physiology (blood sugar spikes and crashes, undereating at mealtimes) and you've got yourself a situation where it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to fight the urge to overeat at special occasions like holiday parties.



The goal -- at least let me assume for a second -- is to achieve your goals, feel incredible, improve your health, and keep some indulgences in.



Did I get that right?



Let's start with a few holiday party tips. Pick one tip to use, stack a few on top of each other, up to you! We'll be covering soooo much more in January's round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. Make sure you're on the waitlist if you're ready for a lifelong change.

• Do NOT save calories. Eat full, nourishing, PFF (protein, fat, fiber) meals at normal intervals leading up to your party. 

• It's ok to reserve your intentional carbs for the party. That's just a matter of preference and if that day you want your carbs to come in fruit cocktail and gingerbread cookie form, do it!

• Be extra mindful of protein the day of and the day after your party. Rather than just 20g of protein in some meals, bump them all up to 30g+.

• Stay hydrated and do your best to get a decent amount of sleep ... even if it's the night before and night after and not the night of.

• Use the 'this or that' strategy. Have the bun or fries, but not both. The appetizer or dessert. A piece of bread or the side of pasta.

• If you are partaking in alcohol, opt for liquor (not liqueur), a mixer like water or club soda, and super low sugar flavorings like lemon juice, lime juice, muddled mint, cinnamon, etc. Beer and wine fall in between liquor and liqueur, but usually have a lot more cr*p in in than just the alcohol for your body to have to process. Double trouble. So have it if it's your fav., but understand it's impact and maybe just really savor + enjoy it.

• Bring something you're gonna want to eat! You control what it is. You control the ingredients. You can make or buy ... whatever you want.

Wishing you and your loved ones a holiday week full of sweet memories, laughter, and the feeling that it's all enough. You're enough. You're doing enough. You did enough. They are lucky to have you.



XO,
Tara

Your health journey starts right here

Mid-December isn't really when most people start a new routine.

But it IS when many people notice their current routine isn't working well for them. Stress seems amplified above what you'd like to be able to tolerate and physical health can get pushed way down on the list as shopping, wrapping, sending cards, decorating, traditions, hosting, finishing work projects, and moving elves or baking crowds out everything else.



If that's you, start here:



1) Eat PFF at mealtimes, Protein, fat, fiber. Some meals have some intentional carbs, some might not. That's ok. But all (or almost all, anyway) should have PFF. This will help to nourish you well and keep you going longer.


2) Consider tweaking your fitness plan. No time for strength training? Can you cut back on the cardio to make some room? Can you keep the momentum by doing 5-10 minute workouts so you don't feel "off the wagon" totally?


3) Sleep like a boss. And when you don't, make it because you're making memories or laughing your a*s off with people you adore and not dusting baseboards or something.


4) Manage your stress. Did you know that just 2 minutes of purposeful breathing in the morning and again at night can have significant effects on your stress tolerance? Try this: breathe in and out through your nose in this pattern -- 4 seconds in, 7 second hold, 8 seconds out. Repeat for a a few cycles in the AM + PM.


5) Love on your gut. Our gut microbiome affects our metabolism, moods, sleep, etc. It's kind of a big deal. Consider including more fiber in your day, eating fermented foods (like sauerkraut, kimchi, or yogurt), and aim for less alcohol and / or sugar this holiday season than last. Make it a game you play with yourself; a challenge. 



If you found these tips helpful, but want more help in the new year, make sure you're on the waitlist for TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, my 28-day metabolism-boosting course. The cart opens on January 4th and we officially begin on January 16. Details about the course and waitlist sign up right here.



XO,
Tara



P.S. If you need a new leg day workout, check out this one.

How much protein do you really need?

Protein is a controversial subject.

If you've ever watched some of those documentaries scaring people away from eating meat, you might be thinking that animal protein -- or protein in general -- should be avoided. There are rumors that protein is damaging to our kidneys, yet the research supports a higher protein intake to support things like better muscle gain and maintenance, immune function, faster healing times, and better blood sugar management.



As with all things in science, there is always more research to be done and we certainly get to tweak things as we find out more. For good and for bad because of the rigors of clinical practice, it takes an average of 17 years for medical and governmental advice to match the quality research.



In other words, our doctors are still mostly telling us to follow the FDA guidelines for protein intake which is set to have us survive, but not thrive.



Protein is the most satiating macronutrient (keeps us full), helps us build muscle and boost our metabolism, has only a minor effect on blood sugar, makes enzymes, peptides, steroids, and hormones that help with digestion, energy production, blood clotting, sleep, immunity, and metabolism, and requires the greatest amount of energy to digest out of all 3 macronutrients. They also help balance our pH, fluids, transport and store nutrients.



Yeah, it's pretty important.



We know individuals with a greater amount of muscle than the average person have a lower all-cause mortality as they get older. Protein (along with strength training) is vital to allow muscle to be built and / or maintained.



Bottom-line: if we want to age well, reduce disease risk, and be more mobile in our later years than what we see as the status quo, we need to be taking in enough protein.



Unless there are contraindications (some people with existing disease, for example, can't tolerate higher amounts of protein), here's what I find works really well for most people, most of the time:



.8 - 1 g of protein per lb. of bodyweight you feel most comfortable at, per day. Why that weird explanation? Excess body fat isn't very metabolically active and doesn't require much in terms of protein intake, so you can choose a number you feel your best at and use that weight to figure out protein intake instead.



If you're 150 lbs and feel good there, this would mean you're taking in 120 - 150 g protein per day. That can be daunting, but keep in mind progress is progress. If you're currently taking in about 60g a day, nudging that up to 80g over the next week or 2 would be AMAZING.



Since most of you are finding out (or already knew) that you need more protein at each meal to hit your targets, I put together a new recipe collection for you. These meals are all at least 30g of protein PLUS have at least 5g fiber, 10-20 g fat, and no more than 35g net carbs. There are some omnivore options and a couple of plant-based options. A few breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Hope you enjoyyyyy!



XO,
Tara




P.S. The other important piece to this is strength training, of course. THIS is a time efficient yet comprehensive full body circuit you could do from home or the gym.


P.P.S. 2023 is right around the corner and I am excited to continue serving you all through my free content (newsletters, blogs, social media), and services like custom meal planning, 1-on-1 coaching, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, my 28 day metabolism-boosting course and The After Party, my monthly membership available to anyone who completes TRANSFORM. I have some cool things planned for the business next year and am really enjoying sharing more with you as it all evolves. :-) Hope you are taking some time this holiday season to just BE a bit and not always DO. That's a weakness of mine and it's particularly tricky this time of year, so I'm reminding myself of that as much as I'm reminding you.

Holiday Cookies

It's almost Cookie Month! That's what we're calling December these days, right???

My FAVORITE holiday cookie and everything sweet recipes are inside my e-cookbook, Smart Cookie. There are 84 recipes in there this year, to be exact. It has something for EVERYone like pumpkin, gingerbread, cranberry, apple, so much chocolate, hazelnut, mint ...



Pies, cake, fat bombs / freezer fudge, no bake, bake, stovetop, slow cooker ... and of course lots of cookies.



But just in case it's not in the cards for you to grab that cookbook this year, I wanted to share these 3 cookie recipes that didn't make it into my book. Hope you enjoyyyyy!



Cookie Recipes



XO,
Tara

5 ingredients + 30 minutes (or less!) PFF recipes

It's Thanksgiving week (here in the U.S.)

And you might be finding yourself frustrated that you and your family still has to eat everyday leading up to the holiday when all you want to do is get the holiday prep taken care of. LOL



Not only that but with the extra indulgences coming, it's pretty important to take care of your blood sugar and cravings in the days before and after. This means exercise and movement (dance while you cook?) but also adequate protein, healthy fats, and fiber with each meal.



I put together a little recipe collection of meal ideas that are all 5 ingredients or less and take 30 minutes or less to help you out this week. Best part is they are all at least 20 grams of protein, have healthy fat, and at least 5 g of fiber. There are some omnivore options and some plant-based. Hope you enjoy!



HERE IS THE COLLECTION



I am SUPER grateful that you allow me to pop into your inbox every week with my top tips and resources for health, fitness, nutrition, longevity, women's health, and metabolism. And it just seems like the perfect week to let you know: I'm thankful that you're here. For one it's so much more fun than just talking to myself. But also, I know that the more we can fill the world with people who care for themselves and feel incredible in body + mind, the more of a light we can be to others. It's the coolest kind of pay-it-forward strategy we can choose to champion. Our energy (and knowledge) is so darn contagious.



So anyway, THANK YOU. I'm so happy you're here! And I hope you have a wonderful week filled with whatever combination of food, family, friends, alone time, projects and / or traditions that bring you peace.



XO,
Tara

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.

Holiday apps + sides

Thanksgiving is in 21 days.

But who's counting?!



Whether you're hosting or visiting or just ready to make some holiday-inspired dishes for a regular day, I wanted to share my holiday apps + sides collection with you. If we were inbox buddies last year around this time, you might already have this collection. But just in case you've joined me recently or possibly misplaced this, I figured I'd shoot it over to you again.



While these recipes aren't all balanced the PFF + intentional carb way, they are all better-for-you versions of many of our holiday staples and traditional dishes. And since they're free of gluten, dairy, refined sugar, artificial dye, and all happen to be plant-based, they are sure to please a wide variety of your family and friends.



DOWNLOAD THE COLLECTION HERE



Stay tuned for more info coming soon when I'll be sharing details about my release of this year's version of Smart Cookie: Healthified Holiday Desserts e-cookbook. If you like better-for-you versions of indulgent + nostalgic holiday treats, you're not gonna want to miss this one. ;-)


XO,
Tara

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.

Are you strength training effectively?

Strength training is important.

The end.




Just kidding. But not really. Strength training really IS important for every single person. It helps with fat loss, muscle-building, and "toning up". It helps boost metabolism so we can take in an appropriate amount of food and fully nourish ourselves. It helps make us more insulin sensitive so we can (hopefully) prevent type 2 diabetes and other diseases with blood sugar causes (like atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's, etc.). Strength training also helps us ... build strength. ;-) This is super important b/c we can expect to lose muscle mass and strength year after year as we age. Having the right proactive plan (with strength training at the top of that plan), is important to delay and slow down those changes. We also know that muscle is an endocrine organ because of the way it sends out molecules that "talk to" other cells and tissues. It's our greatest longevity and anti-aging defense.




So how can you make sure you're utilizing this tool effectively and checking all the boxes?

• Strength train 2-5 (with 3-4 being a great target) times per week

• Length of time doesn't matter, nor does heart rate, breathlessness, how much you're sweating, or whether or not you're sore afterwards. Read that again. Most people think these metrics matter at least a little. They do not. Not for strength training.

• Make sure you're targeting all major muscle groups at least twice each week. So you can do 2 full body day sessions per week. Or an upper body push, an upper body pull, a lower body, and a full body session. Or 2 lower body days and 2 upper body days per week. Split it up however you'd like ideally with at least 1 day of rest for certain muscle groups in between (example, not doing 2 lower body days in a row).

• A good rule of thumb is to complete 8-12 reps of an exercise per set (2-4 sets work well in most cases). Use a resistance that feels HARD to complete the last few reps of each set or at least of the last set. If you do your 8-12 reps and feel like it was "too easy", you need to use more resistance next time.

• If you don't have access to heavier weights right now, change something else up so that the last few reps feels hard. This could mean adding extra reps, sets, or both. OR, you could slow down each individual rep a lot more (like you're in slow mo) so you're increasing TUT (Time Under Tension).

• Utilize progressive overloading. This means you are gradually increasing the challenge over time so your muscles adapt and strengthen. Repeat the same exercises / workouts for a while (blocks of 8-16 weeks of repeating the same workouts from week-to-week before changing them up are great!) Have a way to track what you're doing so you can slowly step it up in the weeks to come. Did bicep curls with 10 lbs weights, 3 sets of 8? In a couple of weeks, do 3 sets of 10. Then a couple of weeks later, increase to 12 lbs if you can.

• If you are a menstruating person, you can feel confident scaling workouts back as needed during luteal / menstrual phases and dialing them back up for follicular and ovulatory phases. Do this by tracking workouts from month to month so you can compare last month's follicular phase workouts to this month's follicular phase workouts, etc.

If you need help with program design (making sure each workout targets the right muscles in the right ways), here are a few options:



1) Join the TRANSFORM: Body + Mind waitlist for January. This is my 28-day metabolism-boosting course. You will learn all about nutrition for your goals, lifestyle factors you hadn't considered yet, how to keep indulgences in and still reach your goals, but also all about FITNESS. You will also get optional meal plans balanced for your goals and specific workouts to follow. PLUS, you'll get a free month inside The After Party afterwards ... my monthly membership / sequel to the course with more meal plans, workshops, and a complete strength training program for you.


2) Utilize my free workouts on Instagram. I post some on my feed like this one, but also share lots more about fitness in my stories and have several highlights with hundreds of complete workouts saved for you by type (lower body, arms + shoulders, full body, etc.).


3) Work with me 1:1 where I will give you customized nutrition and fitness guidance.


4) Hire another coach who will ensure your programming is complete and effective. There are lots of really qualified, smart, effective coaches out there and you should make sure you find one you resonate with!



In summary: strength training is important. You should do it. :-P



'Til next time,
Tara

Fall, Sweet Fall

Fall can be pretty SWEET, huh?

Want to make it sweeter? I created a little Fall-inspired dessert collection to share with you today. While these are "healthified" in that they use real ingredients that are less inflammatory than most of what we can buy out there, they are still indulgences! So rather than swap out your healthy PFF (protein, fat, and fiber) meal for one of these, you'll be better off having them in place of a typical store-bought indulgence on occasion.



A healthy lifestyle gets us our goals AND includes indulgences. Finding that balance is KEY. Hope THIS COLLECTION helps. ;-)



XO,
Tara

6 pack abs: busting all the myths

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

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

• Is it a smart goal?

• How do people reach this goal?

• What role does nutrition play?

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

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

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


That's it for today!


XO,
Tara



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

Choosing a protein bar

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

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



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



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


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


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


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


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

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

• Kirkland

• IQbar

Hope this helps!


XO,
Tara

Cyclical Self Care

Cycling women aren't just humans with a 24-hour circadian rhythm.

We are also dealing with the ebbs + flows of our 28(ish) day hormone cycles. Our cycle isn't just when we bleed. There's a whole unique fingerprint of fluctuations in our mood, energy, strengths, and nutritional / fitness needs day-by-day.



I created a few simple checklists in case you are new to this idea of cyclical self care. Save 'em. Screenshot 'em. Share 'em with a friend.


ANNOUNCEMENT: The Fall PFF Slow Cooker Recipe Collection is now available! It's an e-cookbook with recipes that can all be made in your Crockpot that are already balanced for fat loss + "toning up" goals in mind. CHECK IT OUT HERE.



XO,
Tara

Apple Vs. Pumpkin Fall Collection

I was gonna share a pumpkin-only recipe collection in celebration of the unofficial start to Fall, but some of you guys can't stand pumpkin (I know ... can you imagine?!?!) ;-)

So I decided to split it right down the middle with 4 pumpkin and 4 apple recipes. Hope you enjoy THIS recipe collection, even if it's still beach weather where you live too.   :-P



XO,
Tara

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

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

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



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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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



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


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



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



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



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



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



XO,
Tara

You're "doing everything right", right?

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

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

XO,
Tara

Healthy Snack Ideas

Back to School already?

I mean, a couple more weeks for us here in NY! I know many of you in the South or out West have already had your first day. Is it me or is this Summer actually going faster than previous years?



Anyway, someone recently sent me their kiddo's school's "suggested healthy snack idea" list. After the smoke coming from my ears dissipated, I decided to dedicate this week's newsletter to my own version.



It's not just that pretzels, animal crackers, and goldfish crackers are high in processed carbs, but they're low in the type of nutrition our little growing monsters thrive on. Not only that, but I'm pretty sure their teachers will be happier when they're eating more blood sugar balancing options. Those spikes and crashes are hard enough as a parent of 2 ... I cannot imagine a whole classroom full of it at once!



HERE ARE SOME IDEAS. Feel free to use for school snacks, home snacks, YOUR snacks, or even send into their schools as a passive-aggressive response when they send home their "healthy" snack list. J/K J/K. Show them, yes! But leave the passive-aggressiveness for the home. ;-)



The running theme with all of these is that while most have carbs, they all also have some combination of protein, fat, and / or fiber to help keep little bellies satiated, blunt blood sugar spikes (and crashes), and encourage better focus + learning. You'll notice that anyplace where I mention nuts or nut butter I also have seeds / seed butter as an option. I know many of your classrooms are nut-free even if your home is not.




Hope these help!!




XO,
Tara




P.S. In 1 week and 6 days, the cart will be open for you to sign up for TRANSFORM: Body + Mind -- my 28-day metabolism-boosting course. It's meant for those looking to lose body fat, build muscle, or "tone up" AND optimize health. It's a course in that you will be learning a ton about your body and what it really needs to thrive. And because I wanted to take the guesswork out for you while you're learning, there are complete workouts to follow a few times each week and (optional) meal plans for the entire 28 days too. And by the end, you will know how to do this without the meal plans! If you're not yet on the waitlist, hurry up and reserve your spot! When the cart opens I will email the waitlist a discount code too.


Recently got this message from someone who did the pre-launch round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. She learned + implemented in the course and started noticing results 2 weeks later. Sure, some people notice results during the course, but for others it might come a little later. If you're in a rush or want a quick fix, this course isn't for you. But if you want someone to finally teach you how your body + metabolism works so you can make the choices that will get you the lasting results you want, then I'll see you in September! ;-)

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