Well heyyyyy,
As I write this, the kids are about to start school tomorrow. Mags is heading into 8th grade (in person), which is her last year of middle school, and Jags is heading into 5th grade (homeschooling), his last year of elementary school. How is that possible? As you read this, though, we’ll already be a little more than a week in.
We had one week less of summer this year since school ended at the same time it usually does, tail end of June, but started almost a week before Labor Day. That’s a first around here. They normally start a couple days after Labor Day. So I know we all say “summer flew by!” every year, but I actually feel validated this time because it really was shorter. 😂
I’m happy with what we packed into it, though. We did the beach more than usual, took a couple fun day trips to Montauk and a local water park, the kids saw their friends A TON, we went away for a week, some little summer-y adventures in between, and I’ve been doing a lot of prep for homeschooling — curriculum, materials, lessons, all the stuff that comes with getting ready. It was basically Camp Mommy around here while I worked from home with these guys (and always some extra friends or neighbors) in the house.
I also just soft-launched The Alive Club inside The Metabolic Edge (doors closed, but October waitlist is open), so if you see us doing things, trying things, making things, experiencing things, getting out of our comfort zone, you’ll know why. I’m really excited about it! What's the point in getting our health, body, and energy where we want it if we're not gonna allow those things to catapult us into living a big and fulfilled life?!
I’ve also been feeling very in the groove with my business lately. I love what I do, who I help, how I help, and I really love that people come to me in so many different ways — word of mouth, referrals from their doctors, social media, these newsletters. My client roster and brand work stay full, which is a pretty darn cool feeling, especially now that I’m homeschooling and pouring even more of my time and attention into my family, the kids, our home, etc.
Speaking of home, I have been on a serious decluttering kick. I wasn’t really bitten too hard by the Spring Cleaning Bug this year, but apparently she came back around for Fall. I’ve been scheduling one decluttering project a week, even if it’s tiny, and have been averaging a couple. You know when you get on a roll and suddenly you want to get rid of everything? Yeah. That.
I’ve taken this digital, too. Every day I type that day’s date without the year into my camera roll search — so today would be “August 31” — and go through all the pictures and videos from that date across the years. I’m deleting duplicates, blurry pictures, old screenshots, while also accidentally taking a little stroll through the past. I’ve sent quite a few random photos + videos to my husband, family and friends so we can all be reminded of something that happened seven years ago on August 31st. 😂 It’s been pretty cool.
Then I do my Duolingo lesson and feel ready to tackle the day.
Back-to-school time always gets me thinking about "cold and flu season", too, so next week I’m going to do an updated newsletter on exactly how I handle that for myself and my kiddos, because we do things quite differently.
I’ve been experimenting with a continuous ketone monitor lately. The company asked me to try it and give them some feedback, and of course I was interested because I love this kind of self-experimenting. It’s especially interesting for me because I’m not on a ketogenic diet, so I’ve been playing around with different things and watching what happens with my ketones in response to food, exercise, meal timing, sleep, etc. It’s fascinating to see the physiology you learn about in textbooks happening in your own body in real time.
All of this has me thinking about the beginning of a new season and how it’s the perfect chance to decide what you actually want to bring with you into it. Maybe it’s a new habit or slightly tweaked routine. Maybe it’s changing when you work out so your workouts finally have a permanent slot in your schedule and now you are really able to stay consistent. Or is there something you want to experiment with? Maybe it’s something you’re ready to let go of.
I’m curious if you’re changing anything up right now. Hit reply and tell me. I love hearing from you — I don’t write these just to hear myself think. Haha.
I hope you had a wonderful summer! And yes, I know it’s technically still summer, but we’re in that weird little overlap where we’re allowed to light pumpkin candles while still wearing bathing suits + cover-ups after coming home from the beach and waiting for our turn to shower.
I kind of love it. See you next week!
Stay wild + well,
Tara
The Mini Glow-Up I’m Doing
I haven’t fallen off. Workouts are very consistent, daily walks are happening, meals are balanced ... the basics are solid. Still… the spark felt a little dim. Energy not as bright, home a lil extra cluttered, outfits on autopilot. And since we get to reinvent ourselves whenever the heck we want, I decided it's time for a mini glow-up. Not a full overhaul, just a deliberate tune-up that raises my baseline (and NOT my stress).
Our body listens to signals. Morning light sets our clock. Protein + fiber + fat steadies appetite and mood. Strength training keeps muscle + insulin sensitivity high. A tidy corner tells your brain you’re safe. These aren’t trends… they’re levers. If you stack the right ones, everything gets easier (meals, sleep, patience, fat loss).
You do you, but I’m focusing on four lanes right now… energy, body, home, joy.
Energy means a sunrise walk and a couple of dance breaks to break up extended sitting. Body means 30 to 40 grams of protein at every meal, progressing in my strength workouts and being on top of my lymphedema management protocols. Home means one 5-minute declutter zone a few times a week so the environment supports focus. Joy means low-effort fun that brightens THIS week, not someday. It could be planning a fun outing, a date night or simply being ridiculous and silly and spontaneous in my day with my people. I’ve also been 'shopping my closet' lately and rotating jeans, skirts / dresses, non-jean pants, and comfy athleisure sets. Adding jewelry, hat, a quick hair styling, layers, whatever feels right for that day. No giant haul needed… just better outfits from what I already own. And sometimes worse outfits that are probably
"cringe" just for a change of pace. HAHA.
Run this with me for the next two weeks. Keep your training. Tighten the effort. Drop the extras that don’t move the needle. High standards are not pressure… they are clarity. Less decision fatigue, more follow-through. Confidence comes from reps.
I’ll show the real-life version in Instagram stories … meals, walks, lifts, tiny home edits, outfits straight from my closet. Come watch and steal what helps.
If you want extra momentum, make a real decision with me this month. Stop being the person who just collects freebies and screenshots of lists and "hacks". Choose proximity on purpose. Put yourself in a room where the standard is higher and the plan is clear. That is how I move faster when I want change… I invest, I get coached, or I stand next to women who are moving in the same direction I'm going in.
Step inside The Metabolic Edge and get the whole thing… structured workouts you can follow, simple meal guides, coaching + live workshops, and a community of women who truly support one another. For November we’re also running the Cold Walk Club as a mini challenge inside the bigger program. It’s just one powerful layer that builds momentum fast. If you’re ready to stop dabbling and start to back yourself for real, you need decision. And action.
You’re not starting over. You’re sharpening what already works… and you’re going to feel the difference fast.
XO,
Tara
The healthiest thing I did this week...
The healthiest thing I did this week wasn’t a workout, a smoothie, or a 10K step day.
It was a decision.
A decision to return to me.
The last 12 months have been the hardest of my life. We gained clarity while losing the delusion we once held about the future of our family.
I became a full-time advocate. A full-time caregiver (not just full-time mama). And also, a homeschooling mama.
Things got... heavy. And that’s okay. That’s life.
But I won’t stay in heavy forever!
Because this is what I do: In every iteration of my life, I’ve noticed this pattern. When things hit the fan or life hands me a new role, I triage the heck out of it. I abandon pieces of myself to absorb what’s in front of me. I become what the situation demands. I carry what needs to be carried.
And then when the dust starts to settle, I start to miss myself.
Not the surface-level stuff. I’m talking about the funny, playful, LIGHT version who pokes my kids or husband in the ribs with a joke. The part of me that picks up a random hobby just to suck at something new for a while. The writer, the (terrible) dancer, the girl who sings out loud and laughs with her whole body.
And maybe it’s not about returning to her exactly. Maybe it’s more like calling her forward. Asking her to link arms with the version of me who’s now a little stronger, a little grittier and a lot more grounded.
Timing matters here. Six months ago, I was too deep in it. I couldn’t have forced this even if I tried. But now, I feel it. This lightness, this pull back into joy ... it’s moved closer. Like it’s waiting to be claimed.
And about five minutes before writing this, I made the decision: I’m ready for my next return.
To me.
To play.
To snorting at jokes.
To dancing in the kitchen while the kids half join and half tease me.
To breathing a little deeper even when nothing has technically “cleared up.”
I’m human. I carry a full plate. I understand that. And I’m not here to beat myself up on days when the weight feels heavier than the joy again. That would be weird if I didn’t feel that way with everything going on (not being vague to be annoying ... just protecting the privacy of people I love).
So yeah, this week I’m proud! I’ve prioritized protein. I haven’t missed a workout. I’ve been getting to bed at a decent time (B-minus if we’re being honest ... we’re watching The Night Of and it’s SO good, but the kids’ bedtime routines are a whole production so we're starting it after. Still, I’ve gone right to bed after the episode ends and that’s a win).
But the healthiest thing I did this week wasn't any of that. It was the decision I made to merge back up with the version of me who leans into joy much harder.
Sometimes, a decision to change -- a line drawn in the sand -- is the most pivotal choice we can make. Just saying, "That was then. And it served its purpose. But moving forward, I'm going to be the kind of person who feels _____ and does _____ and notices ______ and becomes _____."
I wonder—what was the healthiest thing you did this week? It might not be what you think of when you think “healthy habits.”
Oooooh! Maybe it's a decision you're about to make right this second!
Call it out. Own it. Be proud.
Maybe it will change everything.
XO,
Tara
P.S. Thanks for reading! My blogs are ridiculous because sometimes it's a workout, sometimes it's a new fat loss meal guide, metabolic labs to ask your doctor for, or products / books I've been loving. And then sometimes it's RAW + vulnerable and I have to pinch myself that you are still here, kinda sorta doing life with me even if we only intersect during 5-minute inbox meet-ups each week. But it means more to me than you'll ever know. <3
Raising Healthy Eaters: What about parties?
As a result of several conversations I've had with other mamas over the past week or so all about this topic, I decided it warranted a little 'air time' here.
Are you trying to raise healthy eaters? Wanting to teach your children about the connection between what they put in their bodies and how they feel, think, and behave? Or, maybe your kiddos have food allergies or sensitivities. Regardless of your individual journey, it seems we all share a similar contemplative tug-of-war between our health values and the desire for our children to "fit in" at birthday parties and social events.
As a mama to a 3-year old little girl and 1-year old little boy, I'm well-aware of the fact that we've juuuuuust scratched the surface with our experiences. We haven't had to deal with buying and sharing school lunches, parties every weekend, or trips to friends' houses without us. We have, however, had some sticky situations: unexpected snack times at toddler classes, lunch (and dessert) served at 9 AM birthday parties, and daily snack-time at nursery school that often comes served-up with significant doses of food dye, sugar, and hydrogenated oils.
This video was shot on a whim. It came after yet another conversation with a mama-friend of mine who was fed up with a recent and frustrating experience at birthday party which ended with her kids eating more candy in one sitting than they ever had before.
If you have 5 minutes, please watch this video and weigh in. I want to hear from all you mamas (and dads, caregivers) out there. What do you do? How do you FEEL? Is this frustrating to you? If so, how do you manage to bridge the gap between your kiddos' health and your childrens' requests and need to feel included? Do you BYOF (bring your own food)?
Leave your comments below…I'd love to hear from you!
In health,
Tara