Ever lose + regain the same 20 lbs?

Losing and regaining the same 5, 10, 20, 50 lbs over and over isn't fun.

But ya know what's worse? Realizing that the weight you lose and the weight you regain aren't actually equal. Most weight loss efforts are done in a way that includes lots of muscle lost alongside any fat. Oftentimes organs shrink during this unhealthy kind of weight loss too. Yikes! Yet when that weight is regained, it's typically almost entirely excess body fat gained. Rinse + repeat and you can see how you end up with a higher body fat percentage over time, even if the weight yoyos within a certain range. This can be a big problem for metabolic health and body goals. But there's also a way around this problem so you never have to deal with that again!



It's a big topic, so I recorded a video just for you for this week. You can listen like a podcast if that's easier ... no need to see my mug the whole time. ;-) Check it out right here.



As I mention at the end of the video, if you'd like to get help / support / guidance and an actual freaking plan that aligns with your goals thankyouveerymuch, feel free to check out more about my 28-daya metabolism-boosting course, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind and 1:1 coaching.



XO,
Tara

Underactive thyroid?

I used to have hypothyroidism.

... alongside PCOS, insulin resistance and prediabetes. Basically, I was a metabolic wreck and my doctor let me know he expected me to have an unhealthy body composition for life because of all of this. Thankfully, I believed in my own body's ability to heal + evolve and said, "Hold my beer." as I got to work. P.S. I no longer have any of those conditions and he was quite shocked and wanted to know how I did it all without meds. He meant well but just wasn't even aware of our potential!



I'm actually not writing this newsletter to tell you about my backstory, but I did want to let you know I've had some experience here. Someone on instagram recently asked me if I had 'regular' hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's -- the auto-immune kind. I told her I wasn't entirely sure because I didn't know enough to advocate for myself back then and my thyroid antibodies weren't tested at the time of my diagnosis. But the cool thing is that it didn't matter a whole lot. I did the same things to aim to get to the bottom of it, regardless of what was causing the hypothyroidism. Namely, 1, I aimed to increase my metabolic rate and health (this directly influences thyroid output) and 2, aimed to decrease inflammation and oxidative stress (which would be incredibly important when there's any kind of autoimmunity).



Last week I created a highlight just for thyroid health -- a series of posts and reels -- in response to the increase in questions I've been getting (mostly from new followers who are hearing about my story for the first time). In that highlight, I discuss what I did and why, lab work to consider requesting, nutritional additions that have helped, protocols and things most docs don't know about yet and therefore aren't sharing yet. Since subclinical thyroid function is incredibly common at this time, I wanted to share with you too! Click that link above and you may have to scroll my highlight bubbles, but it'll be there! It's labeled "thyroid".




Whether or not you have an under-active thyroid, I think this reminder is always helpful: our body tends to do SO WELL when we give it what it needs and then get the heck out of its way. If you're on some kind of a healing journey, you're doing incredibly important work! Keep going. <3



XO,
Tara



P.S. If you'd like some help, here are a couple of ways we can work together:



1. My 28-day metabolism-boosting course, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. We work on boosting metabolism (helping to rev up that thyroid) as well as aim to bring down inflammation + oxidative stress (potentially helping auto-immunity). Best part is that while I guide you on what to do and how, I also teach you about your body, metabolism and health optimization so that you can make informed choices for yourself going forward. The next round isn't starting until January, but there will be an opportunity to get early access around Black Friday if you're on this waitlist. ;-)



2. I do work with some clients 1:1. This is much more in depth with tons of customization and accountability. Spots are limited, but clients are often graduating out of the program, opening up spots so hop on the interested list if you'd like to chat more about this option.

Steal my breakfast idea!

If it ain't broke, why fix it?

Many moons ago, I was an oatmeal-for-breakfast kinda gal. I'd add some coconut oil, cinnamon, walnuts and blueberries. It was delicious! And unfortunately, it wasn't balanced well enough so when I found out I was unwell and had some work to do, I switched up my breakfast.



I share about my daily breakfast often up in my stories on instagram, posts, or with my clients who ask for ideas. A bunch of my clients now have the same breakfast and even lovingly refer to it as "The Tara Breakfast". Ha! But I don't think I've ever shared about it in a blog post?!



Ready for it?



I typically have 1 full egg plus 1 cup of egg whites scrambled in (olive) oil and topped with: spinach, sometimes other greens or microgreens / sprouts, real sauerkraut, sriracha and salsa.



This puts me right in the sweet spot of a balanced PFF meal with 38g or so of protein, fat (from oil and egg yolk), fiber (veggies), probiotic food (sauerkraut) and then the sriracha and salsa is really just for taste. Sometimes I'll add some leftover roasted veggies in too if I have that on hand or grab kale from the garden on the rare occasions that we run out of other greens.



This breakfast fuels me well with steady energy, keeps me full until lunch, and is low carb which means I typically eat my starchy carbs at other meals / snacks throughout the day to ensure I'm getting in a moderate amount there. The savory start to the day vs. sweet start to the day also plays a role in staving off sugar cravings.



If you want to make breakfast one of your intentional carb meals, you could always add some fruit or potatoes on the side or a slice of your favorite toast.



Oh, and this meal come together much faster than going to a drive thru. No one has time to be gourmet on a Wednesday morning, amiright?



So go on ... steal my weird but oh-so-good breakfast and tell me whatcha think!



Here's a recent reel during which I was making said breakfast in case you're a visual person.



XO,
Tara



P.S. Here are a couple of ways we can work together, if you need some help with your health + body composition goals:


1) Join the waitlist for the next round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind -- my 28-day metabolism-boosting course. The next round will be in January but stay tuned for an opportunity for early access like ... ahem ... a Black Friday deal or something. ;-)


2) TRANSFORM: 1:1 coaching is great for those who want a deeper dive, customization, who have unique situations or just know they need that accountability and hand-holding. Learn more here.

One pan PFF meals

It's officially the Fall! My FAVORITE.

I love the weather. I love the leaves changing. I love the scents and flavors (but, like, not the fake ones). I love that we're still outside a ton and that the holidays are approaching but I'm not scrambling to buy gifts and send cards yet. I dunno ... it's a vibe.



But it's also a hectic time of year with back to school, school events, sports, the return of bigger house projects (do you put them on pause for Summer too?), and it's a very packed time of year in my business. 



We want to cook, but a lot of times also not really. Right? And we *certainly* don't want a big clean-up. So I made you something! Here's a One Pan PFF-balanced meal collection. There are options for omnivores, plant based peeps, and everything happens to be free of gluten and dairy. Feel free to add your own gluten or dairy if you desire. ;-) 



These meals are balanced to help with metabolism-boosting, fat loss, "toning up", muscle-building, blood sugar balancing, craving-busting, and satiety-between-meals goals.



Which one are you going to try first??




Hope you enjoy,
Tara



P.S. Why was the robot couple's anniversary in the Fall?
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They were autumn mated.

Fat loss: A learning series

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

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



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



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



Ok, here we go ...


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

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

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

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

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

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


Hope this helps!


XO,
Tara

Sick Season, 2023

Back to school time is usually the marker of the beginning of "sick season" or "cold and flu" season.

To some extent it's normal, all the sickness. We're humans. I believe there's likely also still a bit of catch-up happening too as a result of some of the protocols and practices that have been in place the past few years as well. So if you, your kids, or everyone seems to start 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.


The beautiful thing is the "plan" I follow to keep my immune system boosted overlaps a whole lot with what I do for metabolic health. When we dive DEEP into how to achieve your fat loss or "toning up" goals in TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, the approach is through improving our health all around ... including immunity! Isn't that so awesome? The protocols that will get you your "body goals" will be the same protocols as a "longevity" or "health" plan, if you know what you're doing. ;-) If you're signed up for TRANSFORM this round (cart closes tomorrow!), you will absolutely know what you're doing.



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. Also, consider whether you're causing excess physical stress with fasts that are longer than your body can healthfully handle, overexercising, too much coffee, or under-eating. These things will all jack up cortisol and lower your immune response.

• 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, it's probably ok.

• Sunshine and fresh air. Being out in the sun used to be our default, now it's something we have to consciously seek out. Sun and fresh air each speak to our body in multiple and specific ways, influencing hormones, fertility, moods, bone health, blood sugar management, metabolic rate, heart health, immunity and more. It evens helps remove stains from clothing! Is there anything the sun can't do?? We make outdoor time a part of every single day, even on the yucky weather days (we still get the benefits of the sun through the clouds).

• 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 everything or supplement my way out of that immune response. 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

Is it soup season yet?

It's meteorological Fall!

That means we put on jeans and a flannel to go to the pumpkin farm ... but it's still 90 degrees out for awhile and we regret every bit of our wardrobe choices.



But whether you love the Fall like me or not, it's coming. So I created a little something special to celebrate the occasion with you. This PFF Soup Collection features 9 different recipes that are all well-balanced for fat loss, muscle-building, "toning up", blood sugar, energy, mood, gut health, hormone and / or longevity goals.



Speaking of which ... those are just some of the topics we'll be covering in the September round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind -- my 28-day metabolism-boosting course. If you have any of the above goals and want to learn how to make sustainable progress towards them in a HEALTHY way that feels great, you should probably know that enrollment will be opening TOMORROW. If you have not yet taken the course, come back tomorrow and use this link to enroll.


XO,
Tara

Self Care or Self Indulgence?

We need to put our oxygen mask on first (like on a plane). I know I know but ...

How come it often feels self indulgent (not in a good way) to take care of ourselves?




I just started reading a new parenting book in my ongoing quest to feel like I have even a little bit of a clue about how to perform the most important role I have in this life. :-P I had a lightbulb moment in the introduction when the author was talking about the importance of self care as a parent.



She said, "Imagine this: You're rafting down a river with your family, when a section of whitewater rapids throws you into the water. There's no time for panic -- you've got to hustle. Your kids need you in the boat; besides, it's cold and dangerous in the water! The sooner you get back onto the raft, the better. You reach out your hand so the rafting guide can pull you back on board. Or do you? As parents, when something throws us off balance, we have a strange tendency to resist help that gets us back on track. It's as if we're so concerned about our kids staying on the boat that we don't take the hand that's offered to us. Instead we stay in the river, barely treading water behind the raft, which will do nothing to help our kids dodge the next set of rapids downstream."



Brilliant description, isn't it? We're so concerned that THEY (kids, partner, whoever) have enough to eat, but then think nothing of skipping meals earlier in the day and wonder why we're so cranky and ravenous at night. We think doing our best means doing the most and vow to "start over next week" with the goals we have for ourselves. We spend money like water on things we decide will make their lives easier / better, but feel guilty investing in something that will make us an entirely better person with confidence, health, and energy. Or heck, even the free stuff (walks, morning sun, exercise, cooking food we already have) gets moved to the back-burner (pun intended) because if it isn't "I don't have the money" then it becomes "I don't have the time".



We're really good at keeping the kids on the raft but somehow seem to think that we don't need to be on the raft alongside them.



Problem is, if we raise our children this way they will become adults who one day think they don't have the right to allow the guide to help them back onto the raft alongside their loved ones. Our JOB as caregivers -- if you are a caregiver -- is to coach them through being a kid but also being an adult as that's where they will be spending most of their years.



It's not self-indulgent to give yourself the same care + attention you would like to see your children (or any loved ones) give to themselves one day.



Suggestion. Pick ONE thing off the list below and schedule it into your week THIS week. Pick whatever stands out and think of this email as your sign to make it happen.

• Schedule that doctor appointment, lab work, chiropractor consult

• Set aside a little time to get in a workout. Maybe it's strength. Maybe it's some zone 2 cardio. Maybe it's been awhile since you've done any kind of HIIT. Whatcha need most? Do it.

• Has sleep gotten away from you? It's easy (but oh so hard) to burn the candle at both ends in the Summer when days are longer. Set a bedtime and wake time and make sure the math works out for you to get enough zzzzs this week.

• Take 5 minutes to stand outside in the sun, bare feet on the Earth for a quick recharge.

• If you're feeling hopeless about some kind of goal you have, set aside some time to learn more about it and plan a small action step. Financials overwhelming? Book an appt. with a financial advisor. Parenting feeling extra hard? You might like the new book I just started -- The Essential Guide to Raising Complex Kids by Elaine Taylor-Klaus. Fat loss or health goals feeling impossible? Head over to my instagram page for some more free resources or hop on the waitlist for the September round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind (less than 6 days left to get on the waitlist!). Or, find out more about 1:1 coaching here. In each option, I gotcha covered in the fat loss / body / health departments. ;-)

• Mind feeling chaotic? My favorite 1-2 punch for that is 1) declutter something (even just a drawer helps) and 2) spend 10 minutes on a hobby or planning something. Chaos can be from a cluttered environment or even feeling there's so much of life's hard stuff present in your life without enough of life's fun. Adding in that fun (hobbies, social plans, plan a trip, date night).

• No idea which to pick? Just do a few rounds of 4-7-8 breathing right now. Breathe in for a count of 4, hold for a count of 7 and exhale for a count of 8. Repeat a few times. It's a calm-inducing breath pattern and excellent for reducing stress, anxiety, and helping with sleep.

• In a rut? Shake something up! Cook a new meal this week. Or just serve lunch or snack to your kids in a muffin tray for funsies. Drink your seltzer out of a champagne glass. Keep the TV off tonight and the phone down -- find something else to do. Google a few jokes and text them to your besties. Start an unprovoked water balloon fight with your kids, partner or friend (I suggest making sure they're ok getting wet first ... unless you're more adventurous than me. Haha!)

September is around the corner. New month and new season (soon). Perfect chance to re-commit to taking action on the things that you KNOW will improve your life ... and spill out and onto the lives of your loved ones. Wrapping up the year feeling better and entering 2024 with newfound momentum just hits different.



XO,
Tara

Putting together balanced, healthy meals for fat loss

I put a "Whatcha wanna talk about today?" question box up in my instagram stories last week.

Did you catch it? I like to do that sometimes because 1) it helps when I'm having a block in creativity and 2) I don't have to read minds when you actually tell me what you need my help with! Win win.




While I answered the questions up in stories there, this one question I decided to reserve for this newsletter so that I could really pull back the curtain and help in a better way than a 60-second story.



"Can you help us put together PFF meals?"




That was the question. My answer: yes! Let's do this.



If I've been visiting your inbox weekly for a while now, you know all about PFF + intentional carbs. Basically, what I find works best for most people most of the time is when all meals have appropriate amounts of protein, fat and fiber. Starchy carbs require a slightly different approach as not everyone thrives with them at every single meal. A sedentary person, for example, might find they do best with one PFF meal and 2 PFF + intentional carb meals per day.



We dive into this MUCH deeper in TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. Enrollment for the next round starts in a couple of weeks! I teach the science and give all the tools and guidance and then you get to decide how you want to eat, what you want to eat, how you want to move your body, etc. So while it isn't custom -- it's a group course -- I do teach about the variables and who might need more carbs and why, for example.



So let's say you get the whole PFF + intentional carb premise but you don't know how to actually make meals out of the various components? The optional meal plans and recipe collections in TRANSFORM: Body + Mind will be great resources for you! But I want to give you some help NOW and FOR FREE in case the course is just not in the cards for you right now.



If you're creating a PFF meal, pick 1 thing from each the protein, fat and fiber categories below. If it's a PFF + intentional carb meal, add a carb on top of that.



Here are a bunch of ideas for each category:


Protein
(One portion is 20-40g or about 4-5 oz of meat or fish)

• Chicken

• Turkey

• Beef

• Greek yogurt

• Cottage cheese

• Eqqs (1 full egg plus 1 cup egg whites)

• Salmon

• Shrimp

• Tuna

• Pork

• Deli meat

• Protein powder

• Edamame

• Tofu

• Tempeh

• Other meat or seafood

• 4 T nutritional yeast

Fat
(One portion is about 10g fat. Aim for 1-3 portions per meal, depending on goals)

• 1 T olive oil / avocado oil / coconut oil / butter / ghee / mayo

• 1 oz cheese

• 8-10 olives

• 1/4 cup nuts

• 2 T nut or seed butter

• 2 T seeds (chia, flax, hemp, sesame, pumpkin)

• 1/2 cup coconut milk

• 1-2 T heavy cream

• 1/2 medium avocado

Fiber
(One portion is at least 5g fiber)

• Spinach

• Arugula

• Lettuce

• Celery

• Carrots

• Cabbage

• Asparagus

• Brussels

• Broccoli

• Sprouts / microgreens

• Cauliflower

• Tomatoes

• Zucchini

• Mushrooms

• Onions

• Kale

• Bok choy

• Swiss chard

• Collard greens

• Green beans

• Cucumbers

• Bell peppers

• Other non-starchy veggies

• Acacia fiber

• 2 T chia / flax

Carbs
(One portion is 25-35g net carbs ... or about 1/2 - 3/4 cup -- cooked, if applicable. These options have fiber too! But they also count as an "intentional carb".)

• All fruit

• Beans

• Lentils

• Chickpea or lentil pasta

• Quinoa

• Corn

• Oatmeal

• Rice

• Peas

• Potatoes

• Sweet potatoes

• Beets

• Pumpkin

• Butternut squash

• High fiber crackers (like Mary's Gone Crackers)

• High fiber bread (1 slice)

Use this to comb through recipes or even take out and restaurant meals to make tweaks or make it really easy and just build your plate with this method. Hope you LOVE how you feel with more balanced, PFF-friendly meals!



XO,
Tara

Tips for sneaking in extra protein

Protein is magical.

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

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

• Helps reduce cravings

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

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

• Helps us heal

• Improves skin, nails and hair

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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



XO,
Tara



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

This ONE question changes everything!

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

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


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


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


By continually asking ourselves ONE simple question.


Ready for it?


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


XO,
Tara


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


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


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

So you want to work out from home?

Minimalist Home Gym?

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




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




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



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



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



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



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



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



Happy August,
Tara

Camping Menus

Any camping plans coming up?

Or maybe you just need a few new, fun outdoor grill options. These are not all PFF + intentional carb balanced and they include plenty of indulgences, but they're an upgrade to the usual camping fare. Use a recipe or two or enjoy the whole sample weekend menu as I've laid it out!



Check these out:


Weekend Camping Menu


Plant-based Weekend Camping Menu



Hope you enjoy,
Tara

Healthify My Summer: A Guide

We're going away soon.

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



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



Summer on,
Tara





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

5 Unusual Tips for Fat Loss NOW

So you wanna lose some excess body fat?

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




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



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



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




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



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



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



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



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



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



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



XO,
Tara

Healthy Summer Things

Summer time has me feeling all kinds of ways ....

Like I love it. But I hate mosquitos despite them loving me. And not a fan of ticks, either. And why is it so weird getting into a bathing suit for the first time every Summer?




I think often about how most of us grew up fearing the sun and yet one of the most beneficial things we can be doing for our health and body composition goals is ensuring that we're getting enough sun (but preventing harmful burns, of course).



Then there's the whole chlorine thing -- which I posted about recently right here.



And how can we leverage the fact that most of us are outdoors more often this time of year to help us build momentum on our goals? One way is by thinking about restructuring the water inside our body. Once again, for health AND body goals. Check this out.



Another great opportunity we have is to leverage temperature. Hot + humid outside? Go workout outside around sunrise or sunset and you've got your very own "infrared sauna" (we get natural infrared light through the sun around both sunrise and sunset). Then hop into a cold bath, shower, or baby pool filled with hose water and ice cubes. Boom. Contrast therapy!



I'm a big fan of the food that's in season now too! If you missed it, you can grab my 42-recipe Summer healthified dessert recipe e-cookbook, Sweet Surrender. 



Every season has its challenges. It's a regular showdown around here with those darn blood-sucking flying jerks. But each season also makes it a little easier to focus on our health and body goals in a slightly new way. What are you loving most about Summer?



XO,
Tara

Sweet Surrender: Summer Real Food Recipes

Summer calls for a little more sweetness, wouldn't ya say?

I mean just the vast amount of fruit in season and extended days are pretty darn sweet as it is!



Wanted to share these 5 fun, summer-y, sweet treats with you today.



If you enjoy those and want a collection of FORTY-TWO just like 'em, I'm excited to share the BRAND NEW Sweet Surrender: Summer Real Food Desserts e-cookbook with you. It's available for purchase now and for a limited time -- ya know ...seasonal things.  ;-) There is something for everyone in this collection. Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, not vegan, just sweet, sweet + tart / savory, 3-ingredient and 5-minute options, more traditional baking-type options, plenty to have outdoors on the grill or campfire too!



There are no ice pop recipes in that collection because I made a whole ice pop collection for you for free recently! If you missed it, here it is. And a printer-friendly version is here.



Keep in mind ... these are indulgences! They are not PFF-balanced. They are meant to be occasional, fun + nostalgic treats but made with more wholesome ingredients than most indulgences have.



Hope you're having a pretty SWEET week so far (see what I did there?)!



XO,
Tara

Cholesterol / lipid results are in!

My cholesterol (lipid) results came back and we have to talk.

Have you been following along on instagram stories? I've been sharing a ton about my latest bloodwork, what labs I asked the doctor to order and why, my results and what I'm making of it all. It's been a regular party! HAHA.



One thing I asked the doc for was an extended lipid panel. The standard lipid panel just doesn't tell much of a story. My total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides came back first and they were all great.


Then the "special" lipid panel results came in.


I really wanted to see my Apo B as that is a better indicator of risk of heart disease and atherosclerosis than LDL. My Apo B was good (65). But this is one of those things that can always be better, as far as I'm concerned. So I'd like to work on that even though it's "normal" and "very good".


LP(a) was one I was very curious about as it's the one that's not quite as modifiable with lifestyle and is more genetic. I have a very strong family history of hypercholesterolemia, so I wasn't sure what to expect here. Mine was very good at <10. If it wasn't, I'd really drill down on the other aspects of my lipids that I could improve to help offset this. Also, I would potentially consider medication if I believed it was the lesser of the evils here. But it's low. Great!



But I also asked to see particle size. My small, dense LDL particles are elevated. This isn't cholesterol itself but the little carrier molecules that transport cholesterol around. Cholesterol isn't water soluble, so it needs something that IS to carry it around our body. Lipoproteins it is! These are water soluble on the outside, so they can move around our bloodstream but they can hold cholesterol inside of it. Think of them like little Uber drivers for our cholesterol. LDL + HDL stand for low density lipoproteins and high density lipoproteins. They are lipoproteins and these actually seem to matter a lot more than the actual cholesterol contents inside of them when it comes to risk factors. So while I don't have a lot of LDL, I do have too many of the troublesome kind. Small, dense LDL particles are the ones that tend to lodge themselves into our blood vessel lining and cause trouble. 



As with everything, I plan to take in all the information, formulate a plan, carry it out and retest in a bunch of months to see how my plan is working. Here's my plan:

1. I am still having my typical breakfast of 1 full egg with the egg yolk plus a cup of egg whites and all my veggies and other stuff because I don't eat much cholesterol at all and this is pretty much my only source ... plus (and most importantly) when we test for cholesterol we're getting information about what our body is making and degrading, not what we took in through food. So lowering cholesterol through my food intake isn't part of the plan.

2. I just switched from cooking my breakfast eggs in coconut oil to cooking in another oil instead (olive, avocado). This is because coconut oil is one of the only plant sources of saturated fat and it has quite a lot per serving! I don't take in a lot of saturated fat otherwise, though I do believe some is important. High saturated fat intake does affect the amount / types of lipids we make. I won't avoid coconut oil altogether or anything, just removing it from my daily breakfast will be a great experiment.

3. I will continue to monitor my blood sugar. Blood sugar issues can actually cause 3 problems here. For one, elevated blood sugar will raise triglycerides, LDL and Apo B. It can interfere with us using up / degrading of the cholesterol we have already made. And then, it can cause damage to the blood vessel lining which then attracts these harmful lipid particles in order to use them as a bandaid of sorts and spackle up the damage. This is great to prevent bleeding out in the moment but eventually leads to build up, plaque, blockages, and things like heart attacks or strokes. My recent blood work showed my fasting insulin is very low (yay ... no insulin resistance currently) and my blood sugar was fine (not prediabetic) but higher than I've gotten it down to before and higher than I'd like it to be. Since there is no insulin resistance, I suspect stress to be the cause currently. So, I'll be doing all the things I mentioned in last week's newsletter for that. I will also make sure I don't drop my carbs too low as that can increase stress and potentially make my blood sugar worse in this case! This is why it's so important to get fasting insulin done so we can play detective here. Finally, I will monitor my blood sugar sporadically with finger pricks as I do but also plan to get another continuous glucose monitor soon and keep it on for a few weeks for more data.

Things I'm already doing that should help and I plan to continue to do:

• NO smoking

• Very little alcohol intake

• Sleep

• Sunshine

• Grounding

• Exercise

• Maintain healthy body composition

• Maintain healthy blood pressure (big deal with lipids as poor lipids plus high blood pressure encourages more plaque build up)

• Red light therapy

Some of the above helps us rebalance our lipids in a more healthful way. Some of the above is to help protect blood vessel lining. We don't just want healthy lipids, but also healthy blood vessel linings so as to not need to use the cholesterol to "spackle" up the damage and then be left with plaque. Sunshine and grounding, for example, each help us to restructure some of the water in our body into 4th phase water -- a gel-like substance that lays down like a protective layer over our blood vessels and takes some of the damage we accumulate through -- life. Getting enough sun and plenty of contact with the Earth (standing barefoot in the grass, sand, swimming in an ocean or lake, etc.) are 2 ways we can help our bodies create and maintain that protective layer. 



So, that's the plan! And I hope that by sharing this long and nerdy story with you, it might help you know what to ask your doctor to test for and / or formulate your own plan. Of course I'm happy to help you if you need it! TRANSFORM: Body + Mind is my 28-day metabolism-boosting and health optimization course and TRANSFORM: 1:1 is my 1-on-1 coaching program where we dive much deeper and also discuss your individual needs, including lab work.



XO,
Tara

Parasympathetic-y things

I recently had some bloodwork done.

And if you hang out with me up in Instagram stories, you know I've been sharing my results with you little-by-little. A few of the results that are considered "normal" stood out to me. Unfortunately the references ranges aren't always complete enough to lead us towards optimal health. So while overall I was very happy with my lab results (and told by the doctor that everything was great), in typical Tara fashion, I'm putting together a plan with the goal to optimize even more.



You'll have to keep watching stories for more results but in general, a few things put together paint a picture that my stress hormones seem to be dysregulated and my nervous system could use a little TLC. This is something I'm pretty familiar with. I was once told by my naturopath that my cortisol levels were higher than she's ever seen in ANYone. Yikes. I was able to get that down but with a whole lotta effort. I don't know my cortisol levels yet -- blood tests are almost worthless for cortisol so I didn't request it from my GP and decided instead to pay out of pocket for another DUTCH test soon. But I'm not planning on waiting to make changes.



My default personality is Type A. I consider myself a recovering people pleaser. I wake up ready to take the day and have tons of energy until it's time to crash at night. I enjoy planning for the future and find myself worrying too much. Basically, I am naturally a high energy kinda person. This means that if I'm not super intentional, I'll slip back there and be in need of a little nervous system re-balancing. It's been particularly stressful for some time now -- much of which I don't share as it's not always my story to share. And while the things I need to be implementing are often so amazing (fun / relaxing), I actually find it hard to make sure I keep them in. I'm making a list (of course I am) -- a parasympathetic-y menu of options if you will and I figured I'd share with you in case you find it helpful. I am not going to do all of the following and this isn't a To Do list where everything needs to get checked off. That would be counter-productive here! Rather, I will be spending at least 10 minutes a day to focus on relaxing my nervous system and when I'm not sure what to do, I'll pick from this list.



Important to note: if you make your own list it will likely have different things on it as we won't think the same things are interesting / relaxing.

Parasympathetic Menu of Ideas

• bath and a book

• mess with the guitar

• listen to music / sing / hum

• yoga / stretch

• massage or self massage

• sauna

• calming breathwork

• meditation / guided meditation (calm app)

• read out in the sun

• ashwagandha, L-theanine if / when needed

• write poetry

• draw or paint

• nature walk

• lay on acupressure mat

• few extra minutes of sleep

• grounding

• change into comfy clothes

• slide fingertips over my lips (they have special parasympathetic fibers)

• visualization (typically do this nightly before falling asleep)

• less caffeine (already started this a few days ago)

• keep overnight fasts to 12 -14 hours (not more) most days

• cold exposure (temporarily sympathetic but overall favors mostly parasympathetic)

• enough rest days / active recovery days (took 2 of these over the weekend!)

• be mindful that carb intake isn't too low (or too high -- both can increase stress response)

• make plans with friends

It's all connected! Nervous system regulation will show up in various ways in our lab work, mental state, health and / or body goals. There's a reason we spend a whole week on stress, sleep, hormones, and longevity practices in TRANSFORM: Body + Mind! It really cannot be ignored if we care about our outcomes. And if we have a good understanding of our body and metabolism we pick up on when things need to be tweaked ... and we tweak! 



Do you need to include more time out of "fight or flight" (sympathetic) and in "rest and digest" (parasympathetic)? Maybe you can make your own version of this parasympathetic menu of options and pull from it daily alongside me. :-) If you do, I'd love to hear about it!



XO,
Tara

Sliding into my 40s

I turn 40 in 4 days.

And while milestone birthdays seem to bring up a lot of 'shtuff' for a lot of people, I'm not bothered by it at all! I mean, maybe ask me next week? Haha.



But for real ... I think the reason is I don't see aging as a linear thing. I don't think we all put 365 days of mileage on our bodies every year. Some years its 1000 days-worth (IVF and new mama years come to mind there), but other years it might be negative 50 days' of mileage because we're taking great care of ourselves.



So yeah, I'm entering a new decade and it's kinda weird to think I'll never be 30-something again, but I get to be 40-something for the first time and that's pretty cool too -- like a new level is being unlocked for me.



So here are some random aging thoughts and things I figured I'd share with you in case you, too, are getting older. :-P



I recently went to a G.P. It's been a while(!) but I have been seeing other specialists at least in the meantime ... gyno, dermatologist for full body scans, naturopath and lab testing, and I check my own blood sugar and blood pressure often at home. I wanted to establish care and request a bunch of new lab work, so that was the main reason for the visit. He was going to order some labs, but not nearly as complete of a picture as I wanted so here is most of what I asked for (all I can think of off the top of my head):


CBC
CMP
Fasting insulin
Full thyroid panel (FULL ... I want the whole story and most thyroid testing doesn't cut it)
Inflammatory markers (like homocysteine, CRP, uric acid)
Full lipid panel (FULL ... same deal. I want the important stuff and most lipid testing doesn't include the most important stuff. I want particle information, ApoB, lp(a))
Vitamin D


Fasting insulin is the only result that's back so far and it was 4.2. The reference range says 2.2 to 24.9 is "normal" but that's BOGUS as I'd be all over a fasting insulin level above 8 or 10 and would even make some tweaks if it was above 6. An elevated fasting insulin level is an earlier sign of insulin resistance while blood sugar changes (like glucose tolerance test, fasting glucose, or HgBA1c) are late signs. I like early signs! Especially because this is an achilles heel of mine. I used to have PCOS, prediabetes and insulin resistance. It takes EFFORT to have a low fasting insulin level but it's that important to me because of the way it impacts body composition, mood, energy levels, sleep, all chronic disease, cognitive decline, hormones, aging, and pretty much ev-er-y-thing.



I'll be ordering some others like cortisol and complete hormone testing through InsideTracker. Stay tuned. I will be sharing a discount code you can use if I'm happy with my experience with them.



I will be getting a breast sonogram in the coming months. It'll be my second. I have a very significant history of breast cancer in my family (and still believe lifestyle matters most, but genes do play a roll of course). I have dense breasts and like the greater visibility of sonograms. Thermography will likely be in my future too, but only in conjunction with something else like a sono. Thermography results in many false positives so I like a multifaceted approach. You do you. I'm just sharing what I'm doing. ;-)



I have no real risk factors for cardiovascular disease, but it's something I'm still mindful of. I plan on getting a Cleerly Scan by age 45 to check for soft plaques. Calcium scores can be 0 even as soft plaques are building, so I'd like to get a baseline within a handful of years. If my ApoB or lp(a) are elevated, I'll likely bump that up. It's not covered by insurance and is pretty pricey. Important aside: I'm also always thinking about radiation exposure across a year's time or so and keep that in mind when I make decisions, understanding that sometimes emergencies and urgent situations arise which may require radiation-emitting diagnostics.



Besides uber-medical things ...



For skin health, I'm dry brushing, sweating often, utilizing cold exposure, facial cupping, moisturizing and purchased Frownies but have still not used them. Maybe it'll be a nice way to ease into my 40s in a few days ... by scaring my husband as I climb into bed with those things on my face. HAHA. I'm getting some unblocked sun each day, but avoiding burns with mid-day shade, hats, clothes, or mineral-based sunscreen. And recently I started adding glycine (an amino acid) supplements into my routine. As a vegetarian, I'm not getting nearly enough of it and it's needed for so many important things like glutathione (our master anti-oxidant) production. Collagen is pretty late on its list of importance so if I'm not taking in enough, collagen will breakdown even faster than it does just from getting older. Hence, the new supplement for me. If you're an omnivore, there's a pretty good chance you don't need this.


I have not done anything cosmetic like fillers or Botox and while I always reserve the right to change my mind, it's not something I see myself doing anytime soon. Again, personal preference. No judgment. We're all out here just trying to keep curating our lives and priorities. 


When it comes to aging, I believe strongly that it's an inside-out situation. I prefer to focus on doing as little damage as I reasonably can to my cells (through nutrition, exercise, lifestyle choices), then reversing damage when possible (through sleep, sweating, having a 12+ hour overnight fast, etc.). 



And I tend to believe any kind of "graceful aging" we look up to is 90% mindset. If we think it's normal to be unhealthy, cranky, and lackluster at a certain age, we might miss those as being red flags and think there's nothing that can be done. Am I "middle-aged" or am I just getting started? No one can determine that for me except for me! 



I like to be playful, to learn, to laugh, travel, help others, hang with people I love, to try new hobbies and revisit old ones. Yet, those are the first things to get crossed off my list when I'm "too busy" and always have been. This decade, I plan to be more calculated about keeping those things on the list. If I have many, many more decades to go, it'll probably be because of THAT ... plus I'll appreciate the memories and my loved ones benefit from my vibe. If I'm not so lucky with time, that's how I want to live anyway. Win win.



If you're still reading, why? This was such a ramble! Haha. J/k j/k. I appreciate you sharing in my thoughts here today.


Coming to you next week from my 5th decade ;-) ...


XO,
Tara



P.S. All the things we work on in TRANSFORM: Body + Mind and in TRANSFORM: 1:1 coaching are the things I do for myself when I talk about "nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle choices". Boosting our metabolism, achieving body composition goals, optimizing health, and aging healthfully aren't separate things. They are the same and require the same kind of protocols. It's what I help guide you through and it's exactly the same as I do and work on for myself. ;-)