This week I figured I’d switch things up and just talk to you on video instead of writing it all out. Maybe it's the push I need to actually start a youtube channel? LOL Who knows.
I’m walking through something I see a lot—how you can be losing fat but still feel kind of… off. I’ll break down what that actually looks like and why it matters, so you get the full picture, not just what the scale says.
WATCH HERE
If this resonated with you, just know there’s a place to get real, effective fat loss while actually supporting your body and health. Inside The Metabolic Edge, women see sustainable results—not just on the scale—but as part of a bigger picture that includes energy, strength, and resilience. Fat loss is one piece, and we focus on making sure it works with your body, not against it.
To great things ahead,
Tara
A day in my life ...
I posted a clip from homeschooling one day last week and got a few DMs about my schedule and how I structure my days to “fit it all in.” So as I’m sitting down to write this newsletter for you, I thought, “Maybe other people are curious too?!” Or maybe not. This might be very boring. Haha! But I’m nosy sometimes too, so let’s do this…
First of all, as a mother and an entrepreneur, every day is different. Truly. Sometimes by a little, sometimes by a lot. But this will give you a decent peek into how I structure and time block many of my weekdays.
My alarm is usually set for 5:52 or 6:00. Straight to the bathroom — floss, tongue scrape, brush. A quick 30-second skincare routine. Then right into workout clothes I laid out the night before (when pajamas go on, workout clothes get laid out).
Next, I pour a big glass of water with electrolytes (usually a low-sodium one) and make some coffee. I’ll often use the red light while I sit down, take inventory of the day, and handle a little admin.
The kids get up and get themselves ready. Breakfast for them. A little chat time. I typically go for a walk, but lately I’ve been subbing that for quick morning sun and an indoor bike session because of these negative temps we’ve been having. Then I get Magnolia off to school. But not today. She was up a bit overnight with some bellyaches, and while she’s much better now, we played it safe and kept her home. Thankfully we don’t get sick often in this house, so even if we were overcautious today, it’s no biggie.
Shortly after that, it’s time for homeschooling Jagger. We have dedicated “school” time and tasks, but I consider learning to be constant, so homeschooling is never really done, if you know what I mean. We take breaks between tasks, projects, or subjects for fresh air and movement, and I’ll usually eat my breakfast during one of those breaks. I often start laundry, answer emails, and reply to clients during those pockets too.
When lessons are done, it’s time for my workout. On Wednesdays, we have conditioning, core + HIIT in The Metabolic Edge, and I love that I can just show up and do it without thinking about it. Sometimes I’ll film a clip or two for IG stories, but admittedly not often enough lately. I’m working on it. I think those 2.5 years of posting every single bit of every single workout left me still needing a break. I’m getting back there — just not sharing every detail of every workout ever again. Haha. That was a lot!
Quick shower, get ready. Six-minute makeup routine. Today was supposed to be a hair wash day, but I pushed it back and used dry shampoo to save time.
At 12:00, I taught a workshop on red light therapy inside The Metabolic Edge. We covered who it’s for, what it can do, what it can’t do, who should use caution, protocols — and I admitted to using it for something I can’t officially recommend to anyone else. We have a good time on our live events. When I don’t have workshops or Q+As, I usually have calls with clients, potential clients, or business meetings (brands, software, etc.). I try to keep 1–2 days per week free of calls for deep work / backend stuff. As a solopreneur, I'm doing my own bookkeeping, website design, all the stuff you see and don't see so I carve out some time for that too.
The rest of this part of my day is mostly work — but with mom life woven in. I’m still making food, chatting with kids, doing a quick house reset, helping where needed, flipping laundry, eating my own lunch, taking my supplements. I try for a quick nervous system break here. It could be 2 min of sun and breathing. Or grounding. Or using the vagus nerve stimulator for a 4 min. sesh. Or reading something. Work-wise, I’m doing client programming and check-ins (onboarding someone new this week), communicating with guest experts for The Metabolic Edge, and writing this newsletter.
I also have brand work today — contracts to review, a few photos to take, emails to return. I’ll fit in a quick study session soon. I’m sitting for an exam in June that will expand my scope and practice, and I’m SO excited about it. I’m gonna put a few minutes into a pitch deck this afternoon for something I invented and planning some upgrades — that part excites me and terrifies me. Lots of imposter syndrome popping up there, which feels like a good opportunity to practice kicking its butt.
And then there’s content. I try to weave Instagram stories in throughout the day as I can (is there something specific you love when I share? I’m always trying to keep things fresh, helpful, and maybe a little entertaining for you). I usually create a new reel or post daily, but since the one I tried to upload last night wouldn’t go through, I’ll probably just recreate it and try again later.
Depending on the day, in the late afternoon / early evening there might be appointments, activities, music lessons, etc., so I’ll put work down to play chauffeur or oversee if it’s happening here at the house. Ninety-five percent of the time, we have extra kids here. Our house has become the neighborhood hangout, and while it’s loud and chaotic, I kind of love it. “Remember when you wished for what you have right now?”
Today we had a tutor scheduled, but I canceled since we have a kiddo home sick. So I’ll work and mom straight through until about 5-ish, when I transition into mostly-just-mom mode. Homework help, finish laundry, dishes, make dinner, hang with the kids, straighten up. My husband gets home and joins in. I usually spend a few minutes before bedtime setting up and time blocking for the next day, then it’s kiddo bedtime routines and family stuff.
Once the kids are asleep, it’s adult time. We hang out and actually catch up. Maybe watch a show. We’ve been watching Homeland lately — old, but I never saw it before and it’s so good. Oh, and dandelion tea with a little lemon is definitely happening tonight.
Then wind-down mode for me. Magnesium glycinate. Alarm set. Workout clothes laid out. Phone on airplane mode. Heat turned down. Mouth tape on. Ideally it's 9:00, but realistically we’re not usually done with kid stuff until 9 or after, so lately bedtime has been more like 10:15 / 10:30.
I have tons of energy all day but am EXHAUSTED by nighttime — and that feels good. Without sleep, nutrition, exercise, and circadian rhythm support, I think I’d be wiped by 3 PM. Taking care of my mental and physical health is the only way I can even attempt to keep all these hats balanced at once.
If you made it all the way down here, you’re a champ. HA! I didn’t link anything I mentioned, but feel free to hit “reply” if you want more details on anything.
XO,
Tara
Your metabolism has a bedtime (but also… a meal time, a movement time, and a chill time)
Your metabolism has a bedtime (but also… a meal time, a movement time, and a chill time)
You know how toddlers turn into tiny, unhinged monsters when they skip a nap?
Yeah… your metabolism kinda does the same thing when your circadian rhythm is off.
And no, this isn’t just about getting morning sun and turning off screens at night (though… do that). Your circadian rhythm controls way more than you think:
⏰ When your body burns fat most efficiently
⏰ When your metabolism is firing vs. half asleep
⏰ How your blood sugar reacts to the same meal at different times
⏰ Why you might feel wired at night but sluggish all day
⏰ How well your body recovers from workouts
⏰ Even your cravings, inflammation, and aging process
If you feel like you’re doing everything right but your body still isn’t cooperating ... circadian rhythm might be the missing piece.
Good news: You don’t have to go full cavewoman to fix it.
I put together a free Circadian Reset Guide that breaks it all down so you can reset your body without flipping your whole life upside down.
Your mitochondria will thank you.
XO,
Tara
P.S. The waitlist is open now for the May round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind.
P.P.S. You might be more of a 1:1 coaching fan than a group course fan, so if you need my help, here's how that works.
It's Election Day
So for today, let’s laugh together because we all need that!
What do you call a factory that makes good products?
A satisfactoryWhy did the scarecrow win an award?
Because he was outstanding in his fieldWhy don’t skeletons fight each other?
They don’t have the gutsWhat did one wall say to the other wall?
I’ll meet you at the cornerWhy can’t you give Elsa a balloon?
Because she will let it goWhy did the bicycle fall over?
It was two-tiredWhy did the math book look sad?
Because it had too many problemsWhat do you call a fish with no eyes?
FshHow do you organize a space party?
You planetWhat’s orange and sounds like a parrot?
A carrotWhy did the computer go to the doctor?
Because it had a virusWhat did the ocean say to the beach?
Nothing, it just wavedWhy was the math teacher suspicious of prime numbers?
Because they were acting oddWhat do you call an alligator in a vest?
An investigatorWhy did the stadium get hot after the game?
All of the fans leftHow do you catch a squirrel?
Climb a tree and act like a nutWhat did the grape do when it got stepped on?
Nothing, it just let out a little wineWhy are elevator jokes so good?
They work on many levels
And just in case you were hoping for a little "regular" health stuff today too, here are a few recent topics we discussed on social media. Maybe you missed one or all?
I shared this post last week about outdated and updated health / fat loss protocols.
This one recently about lab work
And this guy about my unusual thinking around the cost of food
XO,
Tara
P.S. Ready to feel incredible about your health and body composition? I now, proudly, have 3 options for ya at all different price points:
1) Jumpstart
2) TRANSFORM: Body + Mind
3) 1:1 coaching
Sick season, 2024
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. Mouth-taping, tongue posture or even myofunctional therapy would be some things 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. Blood sugar management is important for a robust (yet not over-reactive) immune system.
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 or cold 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, NAC.
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. If you're joining us for this round of TRANSFORM -- the last of 2024 -- we'll be diving into all of this with the fat loss and longevity lens on. Immunity is just a welcomed side effect. ;-)
XO,
Tara
Cancer, metabolic health and financial trade offs
We have lots to discuss today!
I'm not sure if you've been catching the headlines (I'm not much of a mainstream media fan, but browsing the headlines can help me keep a pulse on trends), but with Kate Middleton's recent cancer announcement plus the recent realization that 1/3 of colon cancer diagnoses are now in people under the age of 40, there have been daily articles talking about how cancer is now coming for younger and healthier people. Many such articles spoke to the 'mystery' of it all but is it really a mystery?
Look, we don't have FULL control of our environments, there are certain genetic mutations that increase risk, and we don't yet know all the things as it relates to cancer. And if you've been getting my newsletters for any length of time you know I'm never about doom and gloom. So let me set the stage as to why I think it's no mystery at all that cancer is on the rise amongst younger and 'healthier' people so that we can move forward and connect the dots with what it is we're always trying to do 'round here: improve metabolic health and longevity odds.
If someone were to ask me to do my best to create an environment that would increase cancer risk and rates, I'd tell them this:
Make people afraid of the sun
Keep humans indoors almost all the time
Make them sedentary and even if they workout, make them sedentary outside of their workout times
Have them skimp on sleep
Ask them to have lots of artificial light ... especially in the evenings and night
Spray their food with lots of synthetic pesticides
Practice monocrop farming so the soil (and therefore produce) becomes depleted of micronutrients such as magnesium so that DNA repair is blunted
Increase air + water pollution
Have ultra-processed food be mainstream and more affordable / accessible than real food
Sell cosmetic, hygiene and cleaning products that contain multiple toxins
Stir up daily controversy and expose humans to more fear, terror and anger than they have evolved to process through any form of media possible
Teach people to eat every couple of hours with plenty of processed carbs to help increase insulin resistance
Make alcohol intake a frequent + common thing
Limit lymphatic drainage with underwire bras and hardly any time sweating
Create habits and vices that lead people to eating right before bed
Increase consumption of plastics (like from melting To Go coffee cup liners and lids, tea bags, food storage, TV dinners)
Increase EMFs
This would surely increase oncogenic (cancerous) growth PLUS take out many of the protective measures we have for our body to identify said oncogenic growth at the earliest of cell division and allow our immune system to take care of it. More cancer started, less cancer taken out.
Obviously no one would want this but I write to prove a point ... we have created an environment that is sure to increase cancer potential, yet we (as a collective, maybe not you or I) are shocked that it's happening. The conditions I've listed out above are the unfortunate reality for the vast majority of us .. at least a significant portion of it is.
I promised not all doom + gloom and I'm about to deliver.
MOST of that is in control. MOST of that can be turned around at any age or stage. And get this! The same changes we'd make to increase the odds (that's all we can ask for) in our favor against cancer are the changes we'd make to improve metabolic health at the root, achieve sustainable fat loss, improve blood pressure, blood sugar, slow the aging process, etc.
In case you haven't read it or it's been awhile, the action plan I have laid out in my Metabolism-Boosting Starter Pack would be excellent steps.
Now let's talk finances.
Someone responded to a story I posted last week on Instagram sharing about a waffle I sent in to school with our son. Short version: they were having a pancake party in his class. We always send in our own food with ingredients we feel more comfortable with. I had these pancakes in the freezer and we went with that. He loved it! Our kids are very aware of the choices we make and know SO much about their bodies, it's mind-blowing. No fear around food. Just knowledge.
So someone responded to that story and said something along the lines of, "Ya know not everyone can afford that." And she's right! It's a topic I speak on often on social, here on my newsletter, on blogs, etc. It's one reason why volunteering and giving back is a big part of my business and always will be. And it's something I wanted to talk about here today as well.
Those waffles are expensive. The high protein pasta we buy is expensive. The organic produce, free range eggs .... it's so darn expensive! Groceries in general have gone up considerably in the last couple of years as is and unfortunately in our society if you want items without extra pesticides or inflammatory ingredients, it costs more.
I can't stand that! I can't wait for that to change. Everyone deserves to eat real, healthy, nutritious food if they so desire. I've sent out the "How to save money on groceries newsletters" and made the posts and I plan to continue that kind of content weaved in. That being said, I wanted to point out a few things that we, personally, do to help.
I'm grateful that we can and do splurge on pricey waffles as occasional treats for the kids. I know not everyone can and that makes me sad. Also, we save money in other ways.
After being as sick as I used to be and seeing first-hand how important food quality was in me reversing all of my chronic conditions, we've decided to make health prevention (including groceries) a higher percentage of our budget.
I don't buy alcohol or coffee shop coffees (well, rarely).
I don't purchase expensive clothing, purses, jewelry, sunglasses.
I DIY when I can (make dry shampoo, dishwasher detergent, repair clothing, cook and bake -- often from scratch).
I started gardening on a larger scale last year.
Certain food items we simply never buy (jam is coming to mind ... I make it with organic fruit and chia seeds. I buy the organic fruit in bulk in the frozen section and chia seeds in bulk as well. I'm making this jam for pennies on the dollar compared to store-bought and it's quick, easy and delicious).
Also ... life is nice + full these days and I can't Susie Homemaker everything! So the above also exists alongside the more convenient health options like boxes of Simple Mills cupcake mix for the days when I need to whip up a fast dessert for last minute company and some done-for-me fermented sauerkraut that I just have to struggle to open but otherwise not put an ounce of work into and non-toxic deoderant that shows up at my doorstep after I just "add to cart". Healthy convenience is expensive.
Everyone's financial situation is different. I'm not implying that everyone has the same resources to even reallocate funds as much as I wish that situation was different. But in case any of the above helps shed some light on how one family on a budget incorporates both convenience and elbow grease into their overall plan for better health, I figured I'd share.
I'm asked fairly often on social media to share more: share the things we have on hand and buy, the things we use, the things we make and recipes, etc. So whether it's free, low cost or more of an investment, I'm happy to share. When we are being consumers of content (me too -- anyone's content), I think our job is is to take the things that apply to you and feel good and leave the things that don't. It's such an important skill for managing overall stress, too!
Leaving you off with my tried-and-true, so-easy-I-can-hardly-call-it-a-recipe, Chia Jam Recipe:
Add a bunch (1, 2, 3 cups) of frozen fruit of choice (strawberries have been the go-to lately) to a saucepan and heat on stovetop medium heat.
As the berries start to soften, use a potato masher to squish. It should become mostly liquid with just some chunkier pieces of the skins of the fruit. At this point, take off the heat and mash one last time.
Add chia seeds -- I eyeball it because you really can't mess this up but probably about 1-2 T per cup of fruit -- and stir. Let sit to cool down and jam will thicken too.
Once fully cool, place in a sealed container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Alternatively, you can freeze into ice cube trays and pop out and store cubes in freezer-safe bag so you can transfer just what you're going to use to the fridge a day or so in advance.
If you're a visual person, the second slide in my "Recipes" highlight on instagram shows me making blueberry chia jam. Not the Recipes 2 highlight, just "Recipes". You'll have to scroll over a bit to find it.
Hope you have an awesome week!
XO,
Tara
P.S. If you need some help with your health and / or body composition goals, there are 2 ways we can work together:
1. The next round of my 28-day metabolism-boosting course, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, will be starting next month! Make sure you're on the waitlist to be kept in the know and to receive the special discount code when enrollment begins.
2. I offer 1-on-1 coaching as well. It's a very high touch point kind of coaching program (we're diving into your labs, custom workouts, custom nutrition, tons of accountability -aka I'm bothering you pretty often. LOL). So, spots are limited. I do have people graduating out of the program often. Fill out the interested list if, well, you're interested. We'll chat more and I can give you an idea on when a spot will be available for you.
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
The Fasting Way
Fasting is all the rage right now.
In fact, it's been said that "intermittent fasting" is the most common dietary plan in the United States at this time. So, is that a good thing? A bad thing? HERE ARE MY THOUGHTS.
Fasting it over-utilized as a fat loss tool, in my opinion, but underutilized as a health tool. While fat loss can occur if restricting the feeding window leads to less eating overall, many people who do not heal the relationship they have with food, understand how much and what kinds of food their body requires for their goals, and deal with things like emotional eating, etc. will not find much success until they address those things.
Do you purposely extend your natural overnight fasts by tacking on a few extra hours up front and on the back end too?
XO,
Tara
P.S. Ignore the fact that I got a haircut mid-video but edited the clips together like no time had passed. :-P Ya gotta fit things in when you can, right??
Ever feel deprived?
Have you ever felt deprived around food?
HERE'S THE REASON ... and how to start to move away from feeling that way so you can get on with your merry self and goals. :-)
As always, if you are in need of some help, simply hit "reply" to this email and let me know where you're struggling.
Happy day,
Tara
Are you a longevity nerd like me??
Do you geek out on all things health?
Me too! But... sometimes it feels like a never-ending mountain to climb with all of the recommendations and goals we have, right?
Where to begin? I discuss this in my latest (3 min.) video.
We’re never too advanced for the foundations! And the foundations (like nutrition, exercise, sleep, mindset ...) will be your biggest needle-movers! It’s why these things come first in my 1-on-1 coaching program ... with the Longevity Phase of the program at the end. 😉
But what if you’re already doing the foundations well and CONSISTENTLY? You’ve conquered healthy body composition goals, you move your body daily, you have a great relationship with food and your body, you’re sleeping well, and you have noticed a shift in your mindset / emotional resilience ....?
What’s next??
Well, the foundations forever! Seriously. 😜 And then some fun, more detail-oriented longevity-focused habits, tweaks, and experiences.
I talk up on my stories on Instagram a lot about breathwork, meditation, supplements, hot / cold, fasting, dry brushing, oil pulling, homemade charcoal toothpaste, natural products, mTOR, AMPK, mitochondrial health, grounding, 4th phase water, autophagy, apoptosis, circadian rhythm setting, etc. If that’s your jam too, set aside an hour or two each day to watch my stories. (Kidding! But they CAN get long sometimes. 😂😂)
And while I will be sticking to a lot of the foundations on my social media pages and right here in my newsletter because I believe strongly that it’s what is most helpful and most necessary, if you want me to include some more of this content here as well, let me know with a quick reply!
Please note: I do not represent any other brand but my own at this time. None of my posts or stories are sponsored. Could that change in the future? Maybe! But it will have to feel just right as a partnership for me to agree to it and so far, I haven’t had that feeling with any of the offers. 🤷♀️
So ... foundations first and most. Then room for the cherries on top. ;-). That's my take. What's yours?
XO,
Tara
An ENJOYABLE health journey? Yup. For real.
It doesn't have to suck.
The journey, that is.
We don't have to be miserable "until _____". You've heard this before, right? Maybe you've even said this before?
I'll be happy when _______.
When I lose 20 pounds.
When I get that job.
When I get married.
When I get divorced.
When I have a baby.
When I can do a pull-up.
When everything is perfect.
But nothing is ever perfect and because we are these amazingly complex individuals who always have new goals on the horizon, it's important that we learn how to be happy now. How to enjoy the riiiiiiiide.
CHECK OUT THIS QUICK VIDEO for 3 ways you can make your health transformation journey more enjoyable right NOW.
I'm just BETTER when I'm enjoying myself. You too?
Hope you're making it a great week!
XO,
Tara
Are you lying to yourself? (Self-integrity for the win)
The opposite of lying to yourself is self-integrity...
And I want to convince you today that that's exactly what you need more of in your life in order to accomplish your health and body goals. Cool?
Check out my latest Workshop Wednesday video where I'm discussing smoking, addictions, food, fitness, self-integrity, and how you can make a simple (but not necessarily easy) change RIGHT NOW that will put you right back on the path towards your goals.
Does that sound like it's worth the 10-minute video? ;-)
Enjoy your day,
Tara
P.S. Only 2-ish more weeks left to purchase my healthy holiday desserts e-cookbook before it goes into the vault until next year. It contains 42 delicious, gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free recipes that will become staples in your house for years to come! Yes, I'm that confident about these. ;-) There's something for everyone with a variety of flavors and types. Plenty of baked goods like cookies and brownies, but also stovetop, slow cooker, and NO bake options for when you're in a rush to get 'er done.
What you should know about the current medical system
*Disclaimer: Under NO circumstances am I saying you *should not* see your doctor.
Now that that's out of the way, let's have an important discussion about the current medical model - what it's really awesome at…and what it isn't so great at.
If you believe that you have a large role in your own health and believe in root causes, holistic care, and preventative medicine, you're going to want to be a part of this conversation.
Check it out here.
The current medical model is a bit like a fixed mindset - you have this set of genes, that family history, the other disease process that will only get progressively worse…
Stop the madness!
If you're more of a growth mindset kinda person (me too!), then getting to the root causes and feeling EMPOWERED that you have a bit of control over the behaviors that improve your health is right up your alley.
Watch / listen to the video right here.
Health + Happiness,
Tara
P.S. Have you started taking your health into your own hands? Maybe you upgraded your fitness routine or optimized your nutrition. Maybe you've been eating more green things. Maybe it's sleep or mindset shifts that you're starting with. Whatever it is, CONGRATULATIONS on being proactive. You signed up for my weekly newsletters and that alone tells me that your health is a big priority. Leave a comment below and let me know where you're at so I can offer some personal advice or support. :-)
If you've ever had a practitioner tell you there's "nothing you can do" to improve any aspect of your health, it should raise a red flag. That's like the fixed mindset in healthcare. The growth mindset, however, is holistic care / functional medicine / preventative self care.
Cut back your workout time!
Hey guys,
If we are friends on facebook, then you may already know that I do a weekly, live show on my business page on Wednesday mornings. In this “show”, I talk about something related to overall wellness, nutrition, and/or fitness…often talking about many somethings each week because sometimes I can’t shut up. It’s both a skill AND a flaw. ;-)
Anyway, in my latest live video, I talked about how you can cut your workout time by 2/3 and still get BETTER results. We get into time management and common excuses. We talk about fear how to gain momentum, and how to start working out at all if you haven’t started yet. I shared a rather, um, disturbing thing someone said to me that day in the gym locker room.
So, if you are either not working out at all (and want to be) OR feeling as though you have trouble fitting in your workouts or spinning your wheels in the gym, this video was made for you. :-)
Please tell a friend that may have told you recently that she wants to exercise, but can’t seem to find the time. You could be helping her in more ways than you might know.
Visit TaraAllenHealth.com to hop onto my email list and get videos like this one, plus recipes, workouts, article features, and more to help you on your health journey... weekly. :-) In this video I share about how to workout when you don't have time, how to improve your results, metabolism, anxiety.
In good health,
Tara
Bathroom Magic
Come on….come into the bathroom with me!
Weird? Sort of. Helpful? I hope so! In this short video (read: SHORT - have I mentioned I need A LOT more storage on my phone? I got 99 problems…and mobile storage is #1)...
…Anyway, in this short video I share 3 products I use daily that I swear by. These are not affiliates of mine, I'm just a believer in their health benefits! If you work with me, these may sound familiar to you already as I suggest only the best for my clients. ;-) Each of these items are under $10 or $15, last a while, and won't take more than 45 seconds (total) to implement.
Have I piqued your curiosity?
Ahh, guys…I see my viewership numbers growing here and I'm so excited! Please let me know what you'd like to see more of. Leave comments below so I can say hello. I'm a mama of an infant and toddler - you know that means I need more adult conversations in my day, right?
In health,
Tara
In this short video I take you guys into the bathroom with me. Whoa! I share 3 products/tools I use daily that I swear by. These keep me healthy so I can keep on keepin' on for you guys. ;-)