It all started with one shelf

A 1:1 client of mine (we’ll call her Erin because, well that's her name LOL) came to me a few months ago feeling tired, inflamed, and totally overwhelmed. She was eating “healthy,” working out a few times a week, doing all the right things... but still felt stuck. Puffy. Off.

One day shortly into our time together, she sent me a message that just said: “I opened my pantry today and wanted to cry. I didn’t even know where to start.”

Not because it was empty. But because it was full of stuff that didn’t support her anymore. Old diet snacks from past attempts. Protein bars that had 7g of protein, 28g of carbs and 23 ingredients. Things that made her bloated. A weird granola she bought because some influencer said it was clean. Crackers for her kids that she always ended up stress-eating. A graveyard of powders, teas, and expired intentions.

Here’s what we realized: the pantry wasn’t just a mess. It was a reflection of how long she’d been trying to “fix” her body instead of fuel it.

So we started with one shelf. She tossed what was expired or didn’t feel good. Then we added back a few simple things that did — like a protein source she actually liked, electrolytes to help her feel more energized and less snacky, high-fiber carbs that didn’t spike her blood sugar so dramatically, and one treat that felt fun, not forbidden.

That one shift changed how she started her mornings. It changed her blood sugar. Her cravings. Her mindset. Because your pantry isn’t just storage. It’s a system. And your metabolism is listening to what you stock on autopilot.

If you want a place to start today: pick one shelf. Remove anything that is expired. Put a sticker on anything you'd like to replace with a different choice once it's empty. Then add one thing to the panty or your grocery list that makes your future self proud. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to support where you’re going.

And if you want a go-to combo when time and patience are running low, here's one I love: lupini bean pasta (we have this one - 20g protein, 15g fiber and 6g net carbs per serving ... taste + texture is just like Banza to me), a simple jarred tomato sauce, and a bag of frozen veggies. Throw it all together in 10 minutes with some salt or spices + herbs, and maybe a sprinkle of cheese and you’ve got a balanced, metabolism-friendly meal that saves you from another night of DoorDash regret.

Tomorrow night inside The Metabolic Edge, I’m teaching a live workshop on exactly this. We’re doing a full pantry and kitchen spring clean-out together and building a metabolism-boosting setup from the inside out.

We’ll cover what to actually keep and what to toss, the why behind ingredients that mess with energy, hormones, and cravings, what I always keep stocked and what’s not worth the hype, and how to lower food decision fatigue so your habits can run themselves.

If you’re already inside, I’ll see you there! If not and this hit, you’re always welcome to come hang out. It's $59 / month, cancel anytime. More details + apply here.



Happy Spring declutter + refresh mode!



XO,
Tara

Perimenopause and menopause is chaos -- but you’re not crazy

Don’t worry, I'm saving the April Fools jokes for Instagram and my family. I’d never prank you about peri or menopause. That stuff’s already chaotic enough.

Hormones going rogue? That’s real.
Waking up at 3am wondering if your metabolism ghosted you? Also real.
So today, no jokes ... just gold.

Let’s break down what’s actually happening in your body (and what you can do to take your power back). Perimenopause and menopause isn’t the problem. But it is revealing everything your hormones used to hide.

Let’s talk about the midlife health mystery no one prepared us for:
You wake up puffy.
You feel more anxious than usual.
Your jeans fit weird.
You’re snappy for no reason.
You can’t remember why you walked into a room, but you can remember that you’ve already had it with everyone.
So you go to the doctor.
You get bloodwork.
They tell you, “Your labs are normal. Maybe try meditation or weight loss?”
Cue internal screaming.



Perimenopause / menopause (the former I have personal experience with myself!) can feel like chaos. Perimenopause is that in-between hormonal zone where your body is shifting ... but not consistently. Estrogen is erratic. Progesterone is MIA. Some days you feel great. Other days you're crying into your sleepy time tea.


Meanwhile, your mitochondria are like: “Ma’am, are we doing cardio or collapsing?”
And the medical world? It’s kind of collectively like: “Huh. That’s weird.”


What’s actually happening with your hormones? (skip if it starts feeling like biology class)


Perimenopause = hormone chaos. Estrogen and progesterone don’t just drop ... they fluctuate wildly. You can go from normal levels to postmenopausal lows and back again… in the same week. That’s why some days you feel amazing, and others you feel like a puffy rage monster in a brain fog.


Progesterone drops first. It’s your calming, balancing hormone -- and when it goes, anxiety, irritability, sleep issues, and PMS-like symptoms take the wheel. This is often the first sign of perimenopause.


Estrogen becomes unpredictable. Sometimes too low (cue hot flashes, dryness, mood swings), sometimes too high (hello bloating, heavy periods, breast tenderness). The rollercoaster makes your brain and body feel very confused.


Testosterone quietly declines. It doesn’t crash like estrogen or progesterone,  but it steadily drops, which impacts muscle mass, libido, confidence, motivation, and strength. You may not notice it right away, but over time you feel… flatter. Less drive. Less “you.”


Menopause = hormone flatline. Once you’ve gone 12 months without a period, estrogen and progesterone reach consistently low levels. Your body can function without them,  but not optimally unless you support your system.


Post-menopause, your adrenal glands and fat tissue take over. They produce small amounts of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. But if you're stressed, inflamed, or depleted? That backup system gets overwhelmed fast. (This is one reason managing stress and building resilience becomes non-negotiable.)


I love analogies -- Think of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone like a group of expert chefs running your body’s kitchen. In perimenopause, the chefs start showing up late, forgetting the recipes, and throwing cayenne into the pancake batter. In menopause, they retire ... and now the interns (your adrenals and fat cells) are trying to keep the restaurant open with half the ingredients and no supervision. It’s possible, but you’ll need better systems, smarter nutrition, and a lot more support.


Here’s the real plot twist:



Perimenopause and menopause are often blamed for too much (“It’s just your hormones. Good luck!”) AND not blamed for enough (“Your labs are fine. It’s probably stress or aging.”). But the truth is that yes, your hormones are shifting. But also… your youthful hormones were masking metabolic chaos for years:

Undereating.
Over-stressing.
Lack of muscle.
Blood sugar roller coasters.
Sleep deprivation.
Nutrient depletion.


And now? It’s all showing.


What’s actually happening to your mitochondria?


Estrogen drops → energy production drops
Estrogen helps your mitochondria function. With less of it, energy tanks and oxidative stress climbs.

Inflammation creeps in
Hormonal chaos = cellular inflammation = slow repair + slower metabolism

Insulin sensitivity tanks
Your cells stop responding well to carbs, and blood sugar management gets harder

You lose lean mass (and mitochondria with it)
Muscle = mitochondria. Muscle loss = lower metabolic capacity.

Cortisol spikes, but recovery lags
You’re more stressed, more easily depleted, and less resilient.

Sleep suffers → mitochondria suffer
Night wakings = poor recovery = higher inflammation

Your nutrient needs skyrocket
Your cells need more B vitamins, magnesium, antioxidants, protein, and co-factors ... just to function normally.



What actually helps (and what I teach + guide you through in The Metabolic Edge):

• Short, metabolism-supportive strength training

• Blood sugar balance with protein-forward, satisfying meals

• Nervous system regulation (real tools that work in mom-life and other life chaos)

• Strategic supplements that support mitochondrial + hormonal health

• Smarter recovery (because rest is now mandatory, not optional)

• Real-life strategies that work in 2025, not 1998

Cat's out of the bag. Coming soon: The Metabolic Edge



This is exactly why I created The Metabolic Edge -- my brand-new signature membership where we rebuild your metabolism, energy, and resilience from the root up.


It’s for women in. their 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond navigating perimenopause, menopause, body composition and / or health struggles who want real strength, better brain power, more joy, and less dreaming of naps


Doors open VERY SOON. Keep an eye out.
Because you’re not broken. You’re just out of cellular alignment ... and we can fix that.


Stay tuned. This is going to change everything.

XO,
Tara

Period Tawk / Cycle Synching

Let's talk about menstrual things ...

And if you are post-menopausal or someone who doesn't have a menstrual cycle, I'm getting to you guys too.



I've been chatting a lot on instagram lately about menstrual cycles and cycle synching because I decided to add a last-minute resource to TRANSFORM: Body + Mind all about it and since I'm trying to stay hip and share BTS (what the cool kids say for behind-the-scenes), I've been discussing it in my stories.



I also shared that I practice cycle synching related to fitness, nutrition, and some other lifestyle things too. That resource ended up being SIX PAGES because we women really are complicated, beautiful creatures! But I wanted to share a recap here with you in case you find it helpful.



HERE IS A QUICK RUN-DOWN of the 4 phases of our menstrual cycle. It's a bit more nuanced than that, actually. Technically speaking, we have 2 phases: follicular and luteal with our period and ovulation occurring within and overlapping with those 2 main phases. But it's much easier to think about it as 4 distinct phases when it comes to cycle synching, so that's how I'll be referring to it here.



During our period, it's often most natural to reduce workout intensity in the first few days but dial it back up towards the tail end as hormones and energy levels start to climb. Think about using slightly lower resistance but adding a few more reps to strength training workouts, reducing cardio pace, and incorporating longer rest intervals in a HIIT sesh. 


In the follicular phase, we are usually feeling stronger and can push the weights and pace a bit more. We tend to have more manageable hunger levels and can tolerate carbs and caffeine a bit more (more insulin sensitive).


During ovulation and the few days surrounding it, while we may notice PMS-like symptoms (such as mood changes and water retention), the surge in testosterone means we're usually at peak strength. This is a great time to lift heavier and maybe even go for a PR (personal record) if you're into that sorta thing. 


In the luteal phase, you'll likely notice a gradual drop off in energy and desire to be social. The same amount of tasks that you handled like a pro during your follicular phase might now seem extra overwhelming. As your energy dips, you can slightly decrease resistance and / or pace and / or increase rest time between sets as needed. We are slightly more insulin resistant in this phase and caffeine can trigger worsening PMS symptoms, so consider being extra intentional about eating enough carbs but NOT too much and cutting back on coffee or weaning to decaf during this phase. Metabolic rate is slightly elevated, so go ahead and nourish yourself well with PFF (protein, fat, and fiber) at every meal and carbs at 2ish meals per day. Most people need an afternoon snack as well.



What if you are post-menopausal or a man? Well, you have some more wiggle room! You can use some of these same strategies to cycle around just regular life. Feeling like pushing yourself more today? Go for it! Having a little less energy? Show up and be proud of just doing what you can and listening to your body.



That's it for now! Hope it helps you stay consistent but flexible as you act like a best friend to your body rather than a mean girl.


XO,
Tara


P.S. If you could use a meal plan that's already balanced with adequate amounts of protein, fat, and fiber in each meal plus carbs at 2 meals (a moderate carb approach), GRAB IT HERE. You'll get two, actually: a plant-based version and an omnivore version. Use the one you want or both if you'd like! Hope you enjoy.