I like rollercoasters but not THIS kind

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

• weight loss resistance

• cravings

• energy crashes

• moodiness

• frequent illness / infections

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

• elevated Hgb A1c

• elevated blood pressure

• elevated blood sugar / insulin

• elevated triglycerides, Apo B, and / or LDL

• PCOS

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


"Great! WTH does that mean?"


I gotchu ;-)


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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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


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


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



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


XO,
Tara

You know all the right things to do but ...

"Tara, I know what to do. I'm just not doing it."

Ahh, yes. This is pretty common. Sometimes we truly know what to do but can't seem to stay consistent enough in order to make progress on our goals.



Is this you?



Here are some tips if you often find yourself "on track" only to be "off track" a few days later:



1)Why do you want to do any of this, anyway?


It helps a lot to stay mindful of your deeper why and reconnect to it as often as necessary. And pssst ... it's never about the weight loss or how you want to look in a bathing suit and if you think it is, you'll be much more likely to have trouble with consistency. Change is a big deal and takes up a bit of space in our brain. If your goals are registering as being an aesthetic-only kinda thing, your brain won't think that's important enough to go through all of the effort.


So go deeper. Do you want feel like you look better in a bathing suit  ... because it will make you feel more confident in your skin ... and you think you'll show up in a better mood to your relationship with your partner with that confidence?


Do you want to lose the 20 lbs ... because you want to model for your kids the importance of goal setting and sticking to your word to yourself?


Keep asking yourself why. "I want to lose 20 l bs." Why? "Because ......" Why? "Because ..." Get at least 4 - 5 whys deep and you might be pretty astonished by what comes out of your mouth. THAT is what you need to stay connected to. Write it down on post-its, journal about it, envision it every morning as if you're already there. Don't lose sight of it.


2) Are you making the process enjoyable?



Our brains are wired to seek pleasure and avoid pain wherever possible. What this means is that if you are making your health journey feel extra painful and / or it's lacking pleasure, you will likely have a ton of trouble with consistency.



Do you view exercise as punishment or a way to earn food? Do you tell yourself you need to hit a certain amount of calories burned on the treadmill before you can stop? Do you have strict timelines around when you expect to micromanage changes to occur in your body (like, "I need to be down 10 lbs by that trip or her wedding!")?



Do you ever tell yourself you were "good" or "bad" today? Are certain foods "good" or "healthy" and other foods are "bad"? Are you restricting yourself to a certain amount of calories per day or tracking every morsel of food by weighing or logging into a macro tracker? Are you weighing yourself and then getting disappointed anytime the scale doesn't move or goes up as if that means you're not making progress? Do you lose patience quickly?



These all register as being painful to our brains and they will significantly reduce the chances of you staying consistent.



Are you telling yourself you can't enjoy certain foods even if you eat them -- as if enjoying a cupcake is worse than just eating the cupcake and loving every bite of it? Are you telling yourself, "I really have to workout now" rather than feeling privileged to be able to move your body and build strength + a robust metabolism? Are you obsessively tracking your step count when you're out for a walk rather than enjoy the fresh air, views, and sounds of nature or your favorite playlist / podcast?



These all add up to a lack of pleasure and will also significantly reduce the chances of you staying consistent.



Instead, start to shift that. Reduce the "pain" of change by eliminating the restrictive, obsessive, weight-focused thoughts and patterns. And increase the pleasure by coupling things like exercise, walking, and meal prep with fun things like music you love and gratitude that you get to focus on building a healthier you at any moment.


The hard truth: the more negative, controlling, or impatient you are, the less likely you are to reach your goals. Maybe your pants aren't looser yet but your energy is up or you're having less cravings? If you're the one who says, "Ugh, my pants aren't looser yet.", don't expect to reach your goals yet. But when you have the skills to say "Yay! I have more energy and less cravings already!", you're more primed for success from a neurological standpoint. This is something we can all acquire. You don't have to be born with a certain personality type to celebrate all the wins and see mostly the good in your progress.



important to note: There are many people who think they know all the right things to do and are jut not doing them when what's actually happening is that they're trying to do things that do not help at all! So they are trying to cut back their calories and aren't sure why they end up binge-eating the Pringles at 9 PM or order too many drinks on Saturday night. They think they know the right things to do ... just don't eat the Pringles or order too many drinks next time. Whereas they actually had the wrong approach alllll week and it's their faulty biology that lead them to make those choices, not their lack of willpower. So be sure you actually know you have the right approach before thinking you're having trouble staying consistent. If it's the wrong approach, you will definitely struggle here. Everything we do in TRANSFORM: Body + Mind is focused on doing the actual right things. The things that help us thrive. The things that make achieving fat loss goals feel GREAT rather than crappy. Good rule of thumb: if it makes you feel crappy, it's the wrong approach. The March group just got kicked off yesterday and is off to a great start! I'll be running the course next in May.



Announcement: I am currently revamping my 1:1 coaching program. While I'm not taking any new clients currently, I will be opening up some spots when I'm done updating the program. If you are interested in being considered for this, please hop on the interested list. I'll be sure to reach out by early May at the latest to either tell you it's ready or that it's closer to being ready and share some more details with you at that time.



TLDR: If you are having trouble staying consistent with your health habits, start by connecting to a deeper (hint: it won't be aesthetic) why. Then, make sure you dial the "pain" associated with change way down and the "pleasure" way up. Finally, make sure you actually know all the right things to do. This won't be any kinds of diets or bootcamps or obsessive tracking.



XO,
Tara

Need some new progressively overloaded workouts?

Your future called ... and it's SO proud of how strong you are.

That's from all the progressively overloading workouts AND sleep / nourishment / rest you've been giving it. ;-)



Now maybe this is a reality for you right now. You know you're progressing with your workouts and have an awesome plan for the rest that you're implementing or starting to implement. Or maybe you're on the waitlist for TRANSFORM: Body + Mind and will have soooo much confidence and clarity around all of this very soon. But if you're not yet strength training or you've been kind of bopping around and counting group exercise or Peleton-with-weights classes as strength training, this email is for you in particular.



Progressive overloading is the way we strength train when we have fat loss, muscle-building, or "toning up" goals. Once we've reach all of the goals and just want to maintain our strength and body composition, we have more flexibility to be able to bop around to various workouts because it doesn't take as much of a stimulus to maintain as it does to achieve those goals. It takes consistency to maintain! But there is more flexibility to the approach.



I'm going to assume for the rest of this email that you have fat loss, muscle-building, or "toning up" goals. Here's how to approach the strength training part of the puzzle if that's the case:

• Have a solid, 1-week plan that targets all major muscle groups in the various ways they need to be targeted and in the various planes of motion and angles -- you'll likely need help with this, it's coming below ;-)

• Use a resistance, reps, and sets that make at least the last few reps of each exercise feel HARD to complete. That's important. Write that down. What exercise? How much weight? How many reps? How many sets?

• Repeat the same workouts week after week for 8-16 or so weeks before changing it up to a different set of workouts BUT, make it spicier over time. Meaning, add resistance as you can, reps, or even sets over time.
  

In case you need a week's worth of workouts to get you started, you can use some of mine! This is a 4-day a week plan and covers all the major muscle groups. Because someone will ask ;-) core is sneakily baked into ALL of my programming so I gotcha covered there too. Do them on any 4 days a week that you'd like, just avoid doing similar muscle groups on back-to-back days (like upper 1 today and upper 2 tomorrow. Not enough rest there for recovery + progress).


Upper Body 1

Lower Body 1

Upper Body 2

Lower Body 2


If you will be signing up for this March round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind (cart is open NOW!), keep in mind you'll have a full progressively overloading workout routine in there as well as optional meal plans, fun recipe collections, and other resources in case you hate cooking or are always on the run, cycle synching, menopause, pregnancy, postpartum, and breastfeeding considerations. Those are just some of the resources. It's really a whole COURSE and that's the real power of it. ;-) You can check out more details right here.

Hope you enjoy those workouts!!


XO,
Tara

Sluggish metabolism?

Our metabolic rate is largely in our control.

That's the good news. The bad news (but then good news again 'cause I'd never leave you off on bad news. I'm not a monster.) -- if you have a history of chronic or yoyo dieting, undereating, being sedentary and / or overexercising, there's a good chance your metabolism has taken a hit.



The good news again? While it may take some extra time for you to boost, your metabolic rate CAN be boosted. This differs from "weight loss". Let me explain...



The things you've likely tried in the past to lose weight or "tone up" were very short-sighted. Eating less and less calories. Exercising more and longer and harder. Fasting longer and longer. These things do often produce a temporary reduction in your scale weight of course. But they're hard to maintain because you feel like cr*p, right? But it's not just that. They are actually ruining your progress. 



Typical diets and 'eat less, exercise more' plans lower metabolic rate, reduce muscle mass, increase inflammation (think: disease / auto-immunity), down-regulate thyroid, increase cortisol, and mess with things like sleep, moods, decision-making, energy levels, libido, satiety, feelings of well-being ...



When you focus on optimizing health instead what you're actually doing is helping all of your body systems operate on a higher level. It takes a lot of fuel to up-level to a greater foundation of health!! This fuel demand = boosted metabolism.



So now you can achieve those fat loss or "toning up" goals WHILE feeling amazing and improving your health markers because you are well-nourished, even while losing excess body fat.



This is what we do in TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, my 28-day metabolism-boosting course. You can think of it like an education on how your body *really* works + how to help it thrive to crush your goals. You didn't learn this stuff in high school biology class and the media / healthcare field tends to be 17ish years behind the research. If you haven't taken it yet, this course (and it's optional monthly membership sequel, The After Party) is your next step if you have fat loss, muscle-building, "toning up", or longevity goals. Our next round starts in less than 3 weeks! HOP ON THE WAITLIST to reserve your spot and receive a discount code.



What can you do if you aren't able to join us or in the meantime while you wait for thee course to start??



Do this. Little by little, not all at once. And start with things that feel like they'll be easiest to incorporate into your routine or things that feel like they might be big needle-movers for you (current weak spots ... you'll often get most traction starting with those).

• Nutrition. We need to eat in a way that nourishes us really well to optimize all body systems and also helps us regulate hunger / fullness / cravings. Do this by eating at least 20g protein with EACH meal, 10-20g fat, and some fiber. As far as starchy carbs (or fruit, pasta, bread, sweets, potatoes, rice, beans ...), dial that into activity level. Not very active? Eating a 1/2 cup(ish) serving at 2 of your meals per day might be plenty. Very active or have an under-active thyroid or elevated cortisol? You probably need an intentional carb serving with 3 meals per day.

• Sleep. Our metabolic rate tanks with a lack of sleep. Not only that, but hunger and cravings and blood sugar regulation are dysregulated. If your sleep is broken, I'd start here. Get morning sun everyday without sunglasses on and even on cloudy days. Shut off overhead lights in your house around sunset. No screens close to bedtime or if you wake in the middle of the night. This will tank melatonin and good luck with quality sleep after that. Also, if at all possible, get to bed before 11:00. We have certain repair mechanisms that we miss if we go to bed too late, even if we still get 8 hours of sleep.

• Movement. If you crush your workouts but are sedentary the rest of the day, your metabolic rate will be upwards of 15% lower than it could be. I can't stress this enough .... walking, gardening, dance parties, active hobbies, stretching or yoga, sex, building snowmen or sand castles with your kids or grandkids, standing at your desk for half your workday ... these things MUST be a part of the equation if a boosted metabolism (and longevity) is part of your plan.

• Exercise. This is NOT the same as movement and needs to be strategic. Not too much that it inflames more than it helps, but enough that it's effective! Ideally this includes for most of you: a progressively overloading strength training program to build and keep muscle, some steady state cardio mixed in for health, and 1-3 SHORT (maybe 5 -10 minutes) high intensity interval training sessions like sprints on and off or something. 

There are lots of other things we can do to boost our metabolism (like consider gut health, hormone balancing, heat / cold exposure, tackle emotional eating, stress, the way we breathe, the cleaning and beauty products we use, etc.). While we will be covering all of that and more in TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, I didn't want to overwhelm you with a novel here today. The list above, I hope, will help you pull 1 or 2 actionable steps to start with right away.



Next week, I'll be sharing a progressively overloading workout routine that you can use and do from home or the gym. Can't wait to share it!



XO,
Tara

Alcohol ... friend or foe?

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

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



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

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


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


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


Consider these:


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

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

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

4️⃣Hydration + electrolytes

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

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

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

Some things I do in case it helps you:

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

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

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

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

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

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



XO,
Tara



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

Meal prepping tips + tricks

Meal prepping tips + tricks

Whether you're a block-off-every-Sunday-for-kitchen-time kinda person or of the can't-stand-meal-prepping-because-who-even-knows-what-you're-gonna-want-to-eat-tomorrow-night-nevermind-Thursday variety, I'm hoping some of these tips / tricks will help you make the whole feeding yourself and your family process go more smoothly.


Even though we talk about being able to eat out or order through Door Dash sometimes, the key to success in any health goal is that most of the food you eat is prepared by you or someone who loves you and knows how to balance meals for us to thrive. Batching your time in the kitchen can be a great way to actually spend less time cooking.


1) How's your storage container situation? Grab some more - preferably glass - if you'll need them. 

2) Plan to plan. Yeah, it's kinda like making a list of lists but it works. Pick a day and time each week that you'll write out your plan. It's a good habit to get into planning out your meals for the week, scheduling when you'll go grocery shopping or place an online order, and setting aside a couple of hours to pre-cook or chop whatever you can when possible. But first you need to actually sit down and do that. So, plan THAT!

3) Pair the kitchen time with something enjoyable. Save your fav. podcast for cooking time, cook with your family or a friend, or ask Alexa to turn up the 90s alternative or rap or pop or jazz ... whatever makes the time pass for you with a smile on your face. I know it's not always a Hallmark movie moment when you cook with your family, but you're building their skills and one day they will cook for you and you can sit on your butt. Maybe. Let's just pretend. :-P

4) Think about utilizing multiple appliances at once to be most efficient. Example: Protein muffins in the oven, soup on the stovetop, chicken or chili in your instant pot / slow cooker, and raw veggies and fruit to chop on the countertop.

5) When it makes sense, keep different meal components separate until serving. This allows you to mix n' match. Example: roasted veggies can be served with protein and rice for dinner one night, on a big salad for lunch the next day, and then inside an omelette for breakfast another day.

6) If it's a tried and true recipe (the whole fam loves it!), never make just 1 batch. Make 3 or 4 batches so you have leftovers PLUS extra to freeze for quick meals over the next couple of weeks.

7) Every little bit helps. As with everything, the all-or-nothing mentality does us no favors. So what, you don't have 2-3 hours to prep today? (Pshhhh! Who does???) Can you spend 10 minutes chopping up
some carrots to take with hummus for your afternoon snacks? Do it!

8) Wash / soak your produce in a mix of 90% water, 10% vinegar ... or a water + salt mix. Just doing that step will save you time while cooking during the week. Just save more mold-prone items (like berries) to be washed closer to consumption.

9) While you have the salt handy, soak apple slices in water + salt to keep from browning in your lunches or your kids' lunchboxes.


If you need a couple of recipes to prep this weekend, try these:


Protein-packed deviled eggs

Mushroom + Edamame Stir Fry



And if you are looking into meal delivery options, just know I'm constantly looking for ones that are PFF + intentional carb friendly but have yet to find any. Maybe you and I can partner up and make that happen?? Haha. But seriously ... there are a bunch of options that seem to use high quality ingredients (yay), but I haven't found ANY yet that are balanced in a way that'll make us feel amazing and crush our health, body, and longevity goals. HOWEVER, there are some ways around it. Example: I checked out a meal for a client this week from a company called Redefine. It was Take Out Chicken and Broccoli. If she removes half the rice (save for the next day) and adds a drizzle of olive oil or a few slices of avocado, it would be a great PFF + intentional carb meal. 



If you're super overwhelmed with where to even start with balancing meals, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind would be perfect for you. The next round starts in March and waitlist people will be getting a discount code.



Happy Tuesday,
Tara

Get your first pullup: progressions

Are pull-ups one of your fitness goals?

I posted a reel on instagram last week detailing what steps to take to work your way up to your first pull-up. I had over 100 people save this reel just within a half hour or so, which is A LOT for my little slice of social media real estate. That -- and the comments -- tell me this is a BIG goal for many of you.



So, I decided I wanted to share it with you here too in case you missed it -- but with more detail I wasn't able to share on that reel. How often should you do these practice exercises? Which days? How much rest? Any other considerations? How long will it take before you're showing off your new skills on every playground, horizontal bar or ledge you come across?



It's all here in this 3-minute video. 



I've been pretty obsessed with pull-ups since an elementary school gym teacher told me "Most girls and women can't do pull-ups" after I wanted to have a go at it and he just wanted to give zeros to all the girls across the board. :-/ And if you have that fire in you too, I hope this helps!



If pull-ups are not something you ever care about trying or are doing lots of already, maybe you'll enjoy this one about how to determine whether your strength workout is 'effective' or not.



XO,
Tara



P.S. The cart opens in 4 weeks for the next round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, my 28-day metabolism-boosting course. This course teaches you about deep health and how your metabolism works so you can incorporate more choices into your lifestyle that allow you to achieve your goals without dieting or feeling confused. This approach is not really out there yet (which is CRAZY to me!), but is such a powerful approach as it allows us to chase our health goals and body goals at the same time and without obsessively tracking a freaking thing. Just learning. Your only job is to learn. Anyway, it's been pretty life-changing for those who have done the previous rounds. That's not easy for me to say b/c it feels weird, but that's what THEY are saying.


If you're not happy with where things are at and feel like there's got to be a better way, it's because there IS. I'd love to teach it to you. Hop on the waitlist now so you'll be notified when the cart opens and get a discount code.

Extra Kid-Friendly Balanced Meals

What if the kids' menu at the diner met a super balanced, PFF-friendly bougie meal plan and had a baby?

You'd probably get something like THIS RECIPE COLLECTION I made for you this week. ;-)

Some of these meals have slightly less protein than I'd suggest for adults, but all have at least 10g. The also have fat + fiber. What makes this collection different is that most of these are 'fun' in some way or resemble more typical 'kid menu' items like chicken nuggets and pizza, but with a healthy twist.


All recipes happen to be gluten-free. All but 1 are dairy free (the pizza -- you can easily make it dairy-free by using a different 'cheese'). Some are plant-based and many include meat. Some include protein powder and you'll have to decide if you're comfortable with that. I, personally, am comfortable with my kiddos having protein powder if I approve of the ingredients and actually think it's soooooo much better than most of the rest of the junk that people try to feed kids all the time. But we all draw the line in different places! Some of the recipes have nuts and some don't. Oh, and they're perfectly safe for adults. You won't turn into a kid if you eat these. HAHA!


Point is, pick and choose what might work for you and enjoyyyyyy!

XO,
Tara



P.S. If you'd like some more help improving health and reaching body composition goals (like fat loss, muscle-building, and "toning up"), hop on the waitlist for the March round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind! The January group is kicking some butt already in week 2 and I'd love for you to have this kind of clarity + confidence too.

2023 Ripple Habits

2023 Ripple Habits ... here we come!

Last week in The After Party (the sequel to TRANSFORM: Body + Mind), we had Kathryn Lattimer as a guest speaker talking about Non-Toxic Living. You might know her as Earth Minded Mama. Anyway, she mentioned something towards the beginning of the workout that gave me pause. Each swap we make for better quality / less toxic products we use on or around us is like a stone thrown in a lake. The first ripple is small, but then it gets bigger and bigger as time goes on. How true ... and genius!



It got me thinking, while everyone seems to be vowing to revamp everything about their nutrition, fitness, and identity right now b/c it's a new year (and WHY do we start a new year a few weeks into winter, anyway? Isn't that bizarre?), you might want to focus on smaller, more manageable habits that each start with a small ripple but gain momentum over time.


If you're having trouble sticking to big resolutions, just know mid-winter isn't really when most people feel ready for big change. This season tends to be more of a reflective time with spring bringing about more of that energy needed for bigger change. So you're not lazy ... you're just really in tune with the seasons. ;-)



Here are some 2023 'ripple habits' for you to consider. Pick 1 or 2 at a time so as to not overwhelm you:

1. Commit to at least 5 minutes of morning sun each day. Sure, longer is great but before we can dial up a habit we need to make it a habit first. Morning sun influences mood, energy, sleep quality later that night, stress levels, metabolism, immunity, and more. Kind of a big deal.

2. Coffee happens after you've been awake for 90 minutes, with or after breakfast. Check of at least one of those boxes but if you can check off both, great. This helps keep your circadian rhythm in check and your adrenals will thank you.

3. Make movement a priority. No more "go big or go home" vibes. Have a little cold? No energy? You can still get out for a walk or do some dancing or stretching at home.

4. Consider adding minerals to your hydration plan. Water is great, but it's even better when we can get it into our cells more effectively. No affiliation, but I love LMNT and Relyte brand. You could also save money and add a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon into your water. It's not quite as complete, but it's something.

5. Identify patterns that aren't serving you and mix it up. Journal about it. Do you keep fighting with your kids during homework time b/c they're bored and you've had it? Try mixing it up ... do homework with them in a different room or in a fort. Do you keep binging at nighttime and you feel cr*ppy afterwards? What needs to be in place to help you prevent this next time? If you're currently in this round of TRANSFORM, we will be diving deep into this. But if you aren't, make sure you're well-fueled during meal times and not riding the blood sugar rollercoaster all day. Then when you want to binge, understand you're looking for something. What is that something? A break? A few minutes to yourself? Joy that you aren't giving yourself enough of throughout the rest of your day? Shake things up.

6. Create a food acquisition system. Meaning, have a plan. Your plan could mean you meal plan every Saturday and grocery shop every Sunday and spend 30 minutes in the kitchen prepping 1 protein source for the week. It could mean you go with a food delivery service you've been meaning to set up to save some time. It could mean you find 5 take out meals that are pretty nicely balanced so you can rely on them in a pinch. Maybe you get Thrive Market deliveries once a month, Misfits or a CSA for produce weekly, and you hit Costco biweekly for the rest. All that matters is ... do you have a system? Is it working for you?

7. Get 7-8 hour sleep opportunities nearly every night. "Sleep opportunities" b/c you can't always control when you fall asleep or get woken up. But you do know you'll never get enough if you're not even in bed for long enough. If you're a monkey brain person like me, a pen-and-paper brain dump can be so helpful. Get all the thoughts, follow ups, To Dos down in writing so there's less swirling around up there. Oh, and your blue blockers are cool and all but are you turning off your overhead lights around or just after sunset? If not, don't be surprised if you have trouble sleeping. Melatonin production won't be sufficient with house lights on in the few hours before bed or if they're turned on at all in the middle of the night ... like during a bathroom trip.

Little ripples, big momentum!


XO,
Tara

Breakfast, Lunch + Dinner Ideas

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

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



Breakfasts:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lunches + Dinners:

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

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

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

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

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

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

High protein snacks:

• Fruit w/ cottage cheese or Greek yogurt

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

• Organic deli meat roll-ups with matchbook veggies

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

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

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

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

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

• Organic meat stick and an orange

Feel free to screen shot these lists for future reference!



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



XO,
Tara

Craving-busting meal plan

The holidays are great at ramping up cravings, huh?

It's fine. It's usually worth it, right? But it can be hard to undue swiftly unless we get to the root.



The root of cravings is often an unstable blood sugar, so balancing blood sugar well, getting enough sleep, and staying hydrated (consider adding electrolytes) are all important.



I made a quick 1-day meal plan to help with the blood sugar balancing part. Day 1 is an omnivore day and Day 2 is a plant-based day. Use either or both if it'll help! GRAB IT HERE.



Get ready ... the doors for the January round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind open tomorrow and will only be open for a week. Today is the last possible day to get on the waitlist and receive a discount code.



XO,
Tara

The 2023 version of YOU

It's mid-holiday week time and I'm gonna keep it short + sweet so you can get back to your fam....

Whether you're a New Year Resolutions person or not, all of us can at least appreciate the opportunity to reinvent ourselves anytime and what better time than the end / beginning of a new year?



THIS WORKSHOP is one I did a few months ago in The After Party (my monthly membership), but it's such a powerful exercise that I wanted to share it here with you now as well.



Wishing you a healthy + fulfilling year ahead ... one where you break whatever patterns aren't working for you and build yourself anew whenever you feel like it. <3




Happy New Year!




XO,
Tara



P.S. The cart for the next round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind opens on January 4th. Have you reserved your spot on the waitlist yet? If so, you'll also be getting a discount code. ;-) 

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. :-)