Some of the worst cortisol advice online sounds very convincing...

If you’ve been waking up between 2-4. AM lately feeling simultaneously exhausted and annoyingly alert while craving carbs and side-eyeing anyone who chews food near you… your physiology may be trying to tell you something.


There’s a weird thing happening online right now where cortisol has become the villain for basically everything.

And listen… cortisol is important! If you've been here a while, you know it's a big part of what I help women with. But the conversation around it has gotten SO flattened lately, and it drives me a bit nuts.

I keep seeing women being told to avoid anything remotely stressful. No fasting. No cold exposure. No HIIT. No intense exercise. No pushing themselves physically. No discomfort ever. The female body is being talked about online like it’s this fragile little thing that can’t adapt to challenge without immediately falling apart hormonally, and that’s just not true.

The problem with that messaging is women then miss out on the benefits of these things too. Better insulin sensitivity. Better mitochondrial function. Better metabolic flexibility. Better resilience. Better body composition. Better energy. Better aging outcomes. We deserve those benefits too, don't we?! (Of course we do!) We just need to understand that female physiology is different and the application may need to be different.

Cold exposure is a perfect example. A protocol built around a 24-year-old guy named Bryce who listens to OptimizeBiohackingMaxxing podcast clips while dry scooping pre-workout and sleeping 5 hours a night maybeeee shouldn’t automatically become the protocol for a 47-year-old perimenopausal woman juggling stress, blood sugar swings, poor sleep, and three kids. 😂 (Seriously ... we know we get solid adaptations at a higher temperature for cold exposure than men's equivalent, and that's just 1 variable).

This is where nuance matters, and unfortunately, nuance is dying on the internet lately.

Especially now that people can type a prompt into AI and suddenly sound wildly confident while giving incomplete, wrong, or outdated information that sounds scientific enough to convince people they know what they’re talking about.



Ugh.

Women’s physiology done well is very, “it depends.” Cycle phase matters. Recovery matters. Blood sugar. Sleep. Overall stress load and capacity. Perimenopause / menopause changes things. Nutrient status matters. Nervous system state matters. A woman doing intense exercise sprinkled into her week while sleeping 8 hours, eating enough protein, recovering well, and supporting blood sugar is very different physiologically than someone running on caffeine until 2 PM, under-eating calories and carbs, sleeping 5 hours, and watching the news 8 times a day.

Cortisol itself is not bad. Cortisol is a survival hormone. It helps regulate blood sugar, blood pressure, inflammation, energy production, wakefulness, circadian rhythm, and immune function. You actually WANT healthy cortisol. You want it elevated in the morning so you feel awake and functional and motivated to exist as a human being. Then ideally it gradually lowers throughout the day so the body feels safe enough to rest and recover later at night.

That daily rise-and-fall pattern is key.

When cortisol rhythm gets dysregulated for long enough, women often start noticing this cluster of symptoms that doesn’t always feel connected at first -- feeling exhausted but wired at the same time, waking up between 2-4 AM, crashing in the afternoons, anxiety that feels incredibly physical, feeling overstimulated by normal life, shallow breathing, poor stress tolerance, cravings, worsening PMS, belly fat that seem impossible to budge, brain fog, heart palpitations, feeling on edge constantly, workouts feeling harder to recover from, and this general sense of their body not responding the way it used to.

One of the biggest things women miss here is how connected cortisol is to blood sugar.

When blood sugar drops too low, cortisol helps bring it back up because your brain needs glucose to survive. So if someone is under-eating, skipping meals, overtraining, living on caffeine, chronically stressed, not sleeping enough, or constantly riding that adrenaline-wave energy, cortisol may stay elevated more often because the body perceives instability.

This is also part of why cortisol gets tied into insulin resistance, prediabetes, PCOS, and abdominal fat storage. The body becomes more likely to store energy centrally when it perceives stress, unpredictability, or resource instability over time.

Something else that gets missed a lot is how much cortisol impacts fluid balance + vascular function. This is a big reason women under chronic stress start feeling puffy, swollen, inflamed, or like their body composition changed overnight. Cortisol interacts with aldosterone (which regulates sodium + water retention), blood vessel tone, circulation, and endothelial permeability — basically how easily fluid shifts in and out of tissues. When stress is prolonged, you can end up with more fluid being pushed into tissues instead of staying properly regulated in the bloodstream, which shows up as morning face puffiness, tighter rings during walks, abdominal bloating, and that 'soft / inflamed' feeling after poor sleep, travel, intense training, or higher sodium meals. And a lot of women mistake that as fat gain — but physiologically, it’s often stress chemistry + inflammation + recovery debt showing up as temporary fluid redistribution. This is also where a lot of “detox” behaviors backfire (over-restricting food, dehydration, over-exercising, trying to sweat everything out), because the body responds better to stability and adequate recovery than more stress.

And cortisol sits pretty high up in the hormone cascade, meaning it influences a LOT downstream. Thyroid function. Sex hormones. Blood sugar regulation. Inflammation. Sleep quality. Appetite regulation. This is why women often feel like everything is suddenly off at once.



And hardly any healthcare professionals will actually connect all the dots across all systems holistically, because that's not how they were trained and that's not how the system is set up.

I had a functional doctor once tell me my cortisol was higher than she had ever seen in anyone before. Not exactly the achievement badge I was hoping to collect... EVER. 😂 Looking back though, it made complete sense. I was overtraining, under-recovering, running on adrenaline, living in chronic stress, working overnights in a clinical setting, blood sugar all over the place, constantly pushing, constantly “on,” constantly in go-mode.

At the time I was also dealing with PCOS (PMOS), insulin resistance, prediabetes, and hypothyroidism — all of which I’ve since naturally reversed to the point that I no longer meet diagnostic criteria for any of them.

But it required understanding physiology differently! And doing things counter to what the professionals said. It wasn't just eat less and move more. It wasn't just “reduce stress.” It wasn't a blanket, "balance your hormones" thing. 

I had to understand circadian rhythm, actual recovery, blood sugar regulation, nervous system state, breathing patterns, muscle mass, stress adaptation, sleep quality, and how women’s physiology responds to different inputs on a cellular level.

One of the most interesting rabbit holes in all of this is breathing and CO2 tolerance.

Most people think oxygen issues are about oxygen. A lot of the time they’re actually about carbon dioxide tolerance. CO2 helps release oxygen from hemoglobin into tissues. When people chronically over-breathe — which is incredibly common in stress and anxiety states — they can blow off too much CO2, which may contribute to feelings of air hunger, anxiety, dizziness, panic sensations, poor exercise tolerance, and poor stress resilience.

This is where the BOLT test can help. It’s a simple and accessible way to look at CO2 tolerance and breathing efficiency. It's not used as a diagnosis, but as another window into nervous system patterns and stress physiology. I shared about how to do that here in this post.

Nervous system regulation is another thing that gets turned into vague internet fluff lately when it’s actually deeply physiological. It doesn't mean, "just be calm all the time." I mean, what?! Doesn't make sense and not possible anyway (have you seen .... things?!)

Nervous system regulation is breathing patterns. Blood sugar stability. Vagal tone. Sleep timing. Light exposure. Recovery. Safety signals. How the brain interprets stress. Whether the body feels like it’s constantly preparing for threat. And if your body responds appropriately -- fight or flight when someone nearly crashes into you on the highway, but back to calm within a few minutes. THAT is nervous system regulation. Appropriate and adaptive.

And interestingly enough, short intentional stressors can often LOWER baseline cortisol over time when appropriately dosed. This is the entire concept of hormesis and adaptation. Strategic stress with adequate recovery often makes the system more resilient, not less.

Strength training can improve stress resilience. Cold exposure can improve immune resilience. Intervals can improve insulin sensitivity and metabolic flexibility. And more.



(This was oversimplified b/c geez ... I can be so freaking long-winded!)



The goal isn’t removing all stress from life. The goal is improving adaptability. That’s a very different conversation.

Now… testing. This part gets complicated because cortisol fluctuates naturally throughout the day, so a single blood draw only captures one moment in time. Salivary testing can sometimes show rhythm patterns more clearly across the day, but results can still be influenced by sleep, illness, caffeine, medications, stress, cycle phase, timing, and lifestyle variables. Urine testing may add additional context in some cases, but none of these are perfect.

And unfortunately, some functional testing isn’t always covered by insurance because it exists outside standard conventional care models.

This is also why symptoms and patterns matter so much. I’ve seen women with so-called-normal cortisol labs who were very clearly physiologically struggling. And I’ve seen women improve massively not by removing every stressor from life, but by improving recovery, blood sugar regulation, sleep, nervous system flexibility, muscle mass, resilience, and overall metabolic health.

So what actually helps here is usually unsexy consistency. Make sure you’re actually eating enough overall — especially protein at most meals (roughly 30–40g is a helpful anchor for a lot of women). No steep calorie deficits. Don’t let the day turn into caffeine + adrenaline + “I forgot to eat until 3 PM” if you’re already waking at night or feeling wired / tired. Build muscle a few times per week so your body has a reason to improve glucose handling and stop behaving like it’s in scarcity mode. Walk daily, especially after meals if you can, because it’s one of the easiest ways to improve blood sugar without stressing your system more. Get morning light fairly early in the day to help anchor your circadian rhythm. And protect sleep like it’s the ginormous foundation it is — because under-recovered women just keep digging the hole deeper. The goal is reducing the constant physiological noise so your body can stop acting like it’s under threat all the time.


Some women also find a few well-chosen support tools helpful during higher-stress seasons — just as a buffer while the foundation improves. Things like magnesium glycinate for sleep and recovery, L-theanine for smoothing the caffeine/stress response, or ashwagandha to help modulate a chronically elevated stress load can be supportive in the background. The goal is never to rely on supplements instead of physiology — it’s to give the system a little more breathing room while the bigger pieces (food, sleep, muscle, stress, recovery) are getting back in place.

This whole space — women’s physiology, metabolism, cortisol, body composition, stress adaptation, hormones, behavior patterns, nervous system regulation — is basically my Roman Empire. I love this stuff so much because when women finally understand WHY their body has been responding the way it has, everything starts making more sense and there’s so much less fear around it. Plus, they start to trust that their body has actually been on their side the whole time and that allows the most beautiful progress.

Speaking of progress, I have a membership called The Metabolic Edge. I open it once a month only. Enrollment is officially open today and tomorrow, and this is exactly the kind of work we do inside.

The Metabolic Edge is my membership community for women who are tired of trying to piece together random health advice from 42 different people online and want one place where things actually connect. Workouts. Meals. Metabolism. Fat loss. Perimenopause. Cortisol. Nutrition. Blood sugar. Nervous system regulation. Mindset. Real-life consistency. It all works together because your body works together.

And one of the things women tell me over and over inside is that it finally feels manageable.

We're not doing overwhelm 'round here, ok? Ok! We're not obsessive. Indulgences are encouraged. So are real, healthy, VIBRANT results.

Most women inside are 35-60+ and they’re rebuilding trust with their bodies again. They want energy back. They want strength back. They want to stop feeling like they’re fighting themselves all day. They want workouts that build instead of deplete and can be done in 30-40 minutes. They want food to feel simpler. They want to understand what’s happening physiologically instead of blaming themselves constantly.

And they want support while they’re doing it.

That’s what this space is! You can join for $59 / month, no contract, cancel anytime, and start wherever feels most helpful for you. Doors close tomorrow night. Would love to have you inside! LEARN MORE AND JOIN HERE. <3



Stay wild + well,

Tara

P.S. In case you missed it:

My (maybe controversial?) take on how to improve the healthcare system


Update: I'll be taking my exam next month to become a Certified Menopause Practitioner through The Menopause Society and holy wow ... it's quite the monster of a vetting process to get this certification. I'm deep in studying daaaaaily and cannot WAIT to be able to serve the peri / menopause women even better. Fingers crossed!

P.P.S. Things I'm loving lately:

I love that a 6-minute session with my Pulsetto (discounted affiliate link) improves my vagal tone and helps bring me back to a parasympathetic state. It's not a necessity! There are lots of ways to do this for free (humming / singing / chanting and more), but having this device is very much appreciated and utilized. As someone who leans very sympathetically-dominant, I'll take all the help I can get!



Hear me out, this is very specific: 5 minutes of grounding and sunshine in a dress. Being barefoot on my grass, getting some vitamin D, a little sun on my legs, and not having to choose a top AND bottom to wear... sometimes it really is the little things, ya know?



L-theanine. I like taking this with coffee for a less jittery experience. It can help with nervous system regulation, cortisol, and sleep too. Just a heads up: some people develop WILD dreams or nightmares while taking this and if it's so vivid that it's troubling, you may want to consider stopping. Also, I'm loving it but that doesn't mean it's great for you. Check with your provider first.

The BINGE isn't the start. It's the end of a sequence.

I know this pattern really well!


There have been plenty of nights where I felt a little fried, a little disconnected, a lot overwhelmed, and food felt like the only thing that would actually bring me back into my body.


You sit down, start eating, and within minutes you feel more here. More settled. Like your system finally drops its shoulders.


And then the other side of it hits. That uncomfortable “why did I do that again” feeling. Too full, slightly irritated, and confused because...  part of it actually worked?!?


That’s the annoying truth about emotional eating. It works.  That’s why it keeps happening! When you eat — especially a larger, more continuous amount of food — your stomach physically stretches. That stretch activates mechanoreceptors in the stomach wall. Those receptors send signals up through the vagus nerve to your brain.


The vagus nerve is basically your body’s internal group chat between your gut and your brain. It’s constantly helping regulate heart rate, digestion, inflammation, and overall state.


So when those stretch signals fire, your brain receives a very clear message ... "Things are okay down here."



Here are a few of the ways I work with this with clients AT THE MOMENT of the binge:



Long-exhale breathing (2–5 minutes). Inhale through your nose, then extend your exhale slowly through your mouth. The longer exhale shifts vagal activity and moves your system out of that wired, activated state. Most people notice their shoulders drop or their jaw soften before they even realize anything changed.


Humming or low tone vocalization. A steady hum creates vibration through your throat and chest, which sits directly along vagus nerve pathways. It sounds simple, almost too simple, but it feeds sensory input back into the nervous system that supports regulation.


Cold water on the face (30–60 seconds). This triggers what’s called the dive reflex. Cold exposure around the face sends a signal to slow heart rate and shift toward parasympathetic activity. It’s one of the fastest ways to interrupt that “I need something right now” feeling before it escalates.


Short walk (5–10 minutes). Movement plus changing visual input helps your brain process and discharge built-up cognitive load. It’s not about burning anything off. It’s about giving your system a different sensory pattern so it can exit the loop it was stuck in.


Firm pressure or containment. This could be a weighted blanket, leaning your back into a wall, or even hugging something firm. Pressure gives your body proprioceptive input — basically a “held” signal — which is often what people are unconsciously looking for with food.


A structured earlier meal. A real meal with protein, carbs, and enough volume changes the baseline your system is running on. If your body isn’t starting the day with enough input, it will look for it later in less predictable ways.


All of these work because they give your body another route into the same thing it was already trying to do: shift its state.



Everything I just walked through is most effective right before the urge becomes fully formed. That moment where you feel off, slightly disconnected, and your brain starts narrowing into “I need something.”  That window is where you still have flexibility.


Once the pattern fully takes over, you’re basically just trying to interrupt a system already in motion.  So the real leverage point is earlier than that. How your day is structured—your meals, your stress load, your transitions, your recovery moments—sets the conditions for whether that urge builds in the first place.

I recorded a full breakdown (6 minutes) that pulls all of this together for you — what’s happening in your body before the urge, why food works so reliably, and how to actually start shifting it earlier in the sequence instead of reacting at the end of it.

Watch it here

🧠 IF YOU WANT DEEPER SUPPORT

A few messages I’ve gotten from 1:1 clients while we were working through this:



“I literally just stopped mid-pizza roll and was like… wait, I’m not even hungry, I’m just overstimulated 😭 I sat on the floor for 3 minutes instead of eating and that alone has changed my entire evenings."  — A.M.


“I don’t know how to explain this without sounding coo coo but I stopped blaming myself for all the night eating because I can literally SEE what’s happening in my day now. I mean, I can predict it coming a mile away now. That has to be part of why the weight is dropping faster this time. I’m just pissed it took me this long, lol.” — L.S.

If you want help mapping your version of this and actually understanding what’s happening in your system (not just generic advice), you can apply for coaching here. I’ll reach out soon to discuss fit and next availability.


Stay wild + well,
Tara



P.S. In case you missed it:


This post on lab work

This post on midlife crises (kind of)

This post on plantar fasciitis



P.P.S. Things I'm loving lately (emotional eating-specific tools):


Pulsetto (vagus nerve stimulation tool that can replace using excess food for that same signal)


Cold face plunge (just grab a big ol' bowl and fill with ice / cold water


Adjustable dumbbells (natural dopamine training)


Spring weather making the outside more enticing

Your plan won't work ... unless your learn THIS skill first

I'm just gonna cut to the chase ...


If you’re consistent and not getting results, your plan is wrong (for you, your goals...).

If you’re inconsistent… you’ll never even know if your plan is right or wrong, because you don't have enough data yet to judge.

Most people jump straight to “just follow the plan, stick to it,” if someone is inconsistent and that’s ... WHACK. (Do we say that anymore? I'm saying it b/c it's the perfect fit here!) It's skipping the part nobody teaches ... the skill of change.



Yup, change is a skill.

It’s not about discipline or motivation. It’s about gathering evidence about yourself.

Examples ...


No one can tell me I’m not a mother. I birthed these kids, they exist, they scream, they interrupt me constantly (haha). That’s proof.


No one can tell me I’m not a lifter. I’ve lifted weights for most of my life, several times a week, rain or shine.
That’s proof.


No one can tell me I'm a world class ski jumper. I've never ski jumped a day in my life and if I gave it a go right now, I'd be taking up residence in the nearest trauma center for quite some time. No evidence to say I'm a great ski jumper.

We behave according to our identity.

If you want to be the kind of woman who:

• Actually prioritizes her bedtime

• Feels confident in her clothes without obsessing over every bite

• Has energy for workouts and life
  
  

…you can’t just decide it one day and make it happen. You have to collect the evidence first.

Pick one thing -- maybe sleep, maybe movement, maybe how you fuel yourself -- and stick with a baby version of it for a set period (2–4 weeks). This could mean going to bed 5 minutes earlier each day. Or taking a 5 minute walk. Or adding 10g of protein to your breakfast. Make it so small that you will do it whether you're motivated or not. Track your choices. That’s your proof starting to build.

Slowly, your brain starts whispering, “Oh…this is who I am.” You become the woman who sleeps, moves, or eats in a way that actually works for her. Soon, it will feel weird if you don't make those choices. Once that’s real, consistency stops being a struggle. You just do it. And if your plan is a solid one with the strategy and nuance you need, results show up like clockwork. And actually, it's guaranteed.

This is just one piece of the puzzle, but it’s huge. If you want more of these practical, counterintuitive, science-backed pieces of the skill of change, check out The Replay Lounge in The Metabolic Edge. Think Netflix for women’s health ... metabolism, hormones, longevity, body composition. Even this one piece alone is worth the price of admission.

Ok, you're up! Pick one thing this week and start gathering your evidence. And if you want, comment and tell me what you'll be gathering evidence about. I'd love to cheer you on.

Stay wild and welll,
Tara

I added carbs to my breakfast and couldn't believe what happened next

I wasn't NOT eating carbs. But I was having them later in the day, like for lunch and dinner.



Hydration. Morning coffee, homeschool, workout, a lil work and a late PFF breakfast. That was what i did for a while. And actually, it was WAY better than a decade earlier when I was eating almost entirely carbs only for breakfast. So ... improvement, right??

But then I noticed a pattern ... my blood sugar seemed higher than it should’ve been. Not spiking, just quietly elevated. The kind of pattern that makes you wonder what’s going on under the surface.

So I tested the opposite. I started adding intentional morning carbs again, but balanced ones.


Something simple like oatmeal with 1.5 scoops protein powder and 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds.
Protein, fat, fiber AND intentional carbs.

Now my numbers rise gently after breakfast, then come back down beautifully. And the average for the first half of my day is lower than when I was skipping carbs until lunch.

Here’s what’s happening:

• The dawn effect. Cortisol rises early to wake you up—and that pushes your liver to release glucose.

• Liver overdrive. When you don’t eat carbs, the liver compensates by converting stored glycogen (or even amino acids) into glucose. Your body’s just trying to help—but it can overshoot.

• Morning sensitivity. Most people are more insulin-sensitive earlier in the day -- especially when they get morning sunlight and exercise and / or walk early (like I do). A balanced breakfast signals that fuel is coming, so the liver doesn’t have to overdeliver.

• Muscle priming. A moderate carb meal refills glycogen and helps your muscles “soak up” glucose, improving stability later on.
  
  

So for some people, skipping carbs isn’t discipline, it’s a stress signal. This is particularly potent in people who tend to be "high strung", Type A or are sympathetic-dominant. Often the best thing you can do for your metabolism is feed it early, not starve it longer. And if you want an extended overnight fast, stop eating earlier rather than starting to eat later.

If your mornings feel wired-but-tired, try this:
Add 25–35 g protein and 25–40 g smart carbs with fiber within two hours of waking.
Something steady though, not sugary. Then take a short walk, stretch or get your workout on.

You might be surprised by how much calmer your energy—and your blood sugar—feel by noon!


Let me know if you plan to experiment with this! I'd love to hear.


XO,
Tara

What's in my fridge this week + meal ideas

September grocery hauls just hit different. It’s still technically summer, but I can feel fall creeping in when I spot delicata squash at the store or start craving soup in the evening. My cart (and my freezer + garden) are basically doing a mashup of both seasons right now.

Here’s what I’ve been loading up on lately:

🥩 Protein power: Applegate Farms GF chicken nuggets (kid approved), cottage cheese, eggs + egg whites, Truvani protein powder, Greek yogurt or Skyr, lupini bean pasta, Unbun bread, Chomps meat sticks, sprouted tofu, Three Wishes cereal (for snacks or dessert), and alllll the organic burgers + hot dogs that never got used at our cancelled BBQ (they’re frozen and waiting for action). I don't eat meat but it sure would make it easier to balance my meals with less effort if I did! But my family does. Hence the big variety.

🥦 Veggies: spinach, salad mix, peppers, onions, garlic, cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, spaghetti squash, and frozen staples like peas + riced cauliflower. I grab delicata squash and jicama anytime I can find them. Plus, my garden is still coming through with cucumbers, green beans, carrots, rainbow chard, radishes, lots of herbs, and cherry tomatoes (late bloomers, still green).

🍎 Carb crew: bananas, apples, frozen berries, seasonal grapes, watermelon, rice, oats, rice cakes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, blue potatoes from the garden will be ready to harvest soon. I hope! My first time growing them so I'm a newb. Summer fruit is still hanging on, but I’m starting to think more cozy bowls and baked stuff.

🥑 Fats: avocados, cheese, brazil nuts (thyroid health!), cashews, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, nut butter, NuCo wraps, olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, butter.

✨ Fun extras: Mary’s Gone Crackers, hummus, broth + canned coconut milk (for last-minute soup nights), FlavCity electrolytes -- low in sodium and higher in magnesium + potassium (this is my fav. flavor), Daily Elements powdered microgreens (tossed into yogurt, muffins, or smoothies -- code TaraAllen15 for 15% off).

🌱 Fiber check: basil seeds, lentils, chickpeas, beans.

And since life is full throttle this time of year, here’s a September Mix + Match PFF Guide straight from my cart + garden:

➡️ Protein: eggs, cottage cheese, lupini pasta, burger patty, chicken nuggets, Chomps stick, Greek yogurt, protein powder
➡️ Fiber (carbs): grapes, apples, watermelon, blue potatoes, delicata squash, spaghetti squash, oats, lentils, cucumber, rainbow chard
➡️ Fat: avocado, nut butter, cheese, olive oil, pumpkin seeds

Pick one from each category and boom ... instant meal.


Examples:

• Greek yogurt + frozen berries + basil seeds + walnuts

• Burger patty + roasted delicata squash + avocado

• Egg scramble with rainbow chard + blue potatoes + olive oil drizzle

• Lupini pasta + sautéed garden veggies + cashew parm

• Chomps + apple + handful of almonds for an on-the-go mini meal
  
  

This season is about simple, balanced, and doable, not perfect.


This season is about simple, balanced, and doable, not perfect.


Said it twice so we can both get that in our heads. I'm 42 years old and still need these reminders and I know I'm not the only one.


And don’t forget: if TRANSFORM: Body + Mind has been on your radar (the place for fat loss + health optimization all at once), the waitlist is where you need to be. Waitlist folks are the only ones who get the discount code when doors open this Friday. 2 days left to get on it before I pull it down!

Tell me ... what’s one thing you always throw in your cart this time of year without fail?

XO,
Tara

Soccer Tournament Survival

Hola!

Last weekend was a whirlwind — two events in two states in two days, with the miniest of mini fridges I've ever seen. Every single meal was eaten out, so snacks and meal reinforcers became non-negotiable. Totally different from our Ocean City vacation last month where we had a full fridge, stovetop, toaster, and coffee maker.

Right after I shared a bit about what I packed and was eating up in my instagram stories, someone DMd me: “What would you bring for a soccer tournament weekend with kids?”

Here’s how I’d think through it...

Carbs and fats will find you easily when traveling. Protein and fiber won’t. The key is building meals and snacks with protein, fat, and fiber, and then layering in carbs intentionally for energy.

Option 1: Meals eaten out
Breakfast ideas: omelet with veggies and extra egg whites; Greek yogurt parfait with fruit; Starbucks egg white bites plus a protein box.
Lunch/Dinner ideas: Chipotle or burrito bowl with double chicken, fajita veg, salsa, lettuce; sub shop bowl or wrap with double turkey and extra veggies; diner grilled chicken salad with fruit or veg instead of fries; Asian stir fry with protein and vegetables, light on rice or noodles.
Add-ons: cottage cheese, edamame, hard-boiled eggs if available.
Strategy: think “protein first, veg second, carbs adjusted based on activity.”

Option 2: Meals from a cooler
Proteins: cheese sticks, Greek yogurt cups, Aloha or Raw Rev Glo bars, meat sticks, hard-boiled eggs, single-serve tuna or salmon packs, protein shakes.
Fiber + veggies: cucumbers, carrots, celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, hummus cups, guac cups, seaweed snacks, edamame, basil seed pudding (basil seeds = MVP with 15g fiber per 2 tbsp).
Intentional carbs: rice cakes (maybe with nut butter packets), grapes, berries, apples, bananas, Mary’s Gone Crackers, homemade trail mix with nuts, seeds, unsweetened coconut and a lil dried fruit or chocolate chips.

Tournament day of ideas

• Pack double the protein you think you’ll need.

• Always pair carbs with protein or fiber.

• Use meal reinforcers (yogurt cups, meat sticks, edamame) alongside team pizza or sandwiches.

• Hydrate with water, electrolytes, or coconut water.

• Rotate snacks to avoid burnout (kids get bored fast … adults too).
  
  

Quick grab lists
Gas station: jerky, cheese sticks, protein shakes, fruit cups, boiled eggs.
Grocery store: rotisserie chicken, veggie trays, hummus cups, cottage cheese singles.
Hotel room: protein oatmeal cups, rice cakes, nut butter, yogurt cups, tuna or salmon packs.

Tournament weekends don’t have to mean fast food overload. Carbs + fats will always be around, whether it's obvious or hidden. Protein and fiber require effort, but once you know your go-tos it becomes simple to rinse and repeat.

My family’s MVP list: basil seeds, seaweed, Aloha or Raw Rev Glo bars, Mary’s Gone Crackers, crunchy edamame, homemade trail mix, hummus with cucumbers and carrots, hard-boiled eggs, meat sticks, cheese sticks, yogurt cups, and guac cups. Pair those with whatever meals you’re grabbing out, and you’ll have steady energy, better blood sugar, and fuel that lasts through long days on the field.


It's chauffeur season, moms! Peace be with you. 



XO,
Tara

P.S. If you’re a woman 30–60+ looking to lose body fat, improve blood sugar, or optimize health, the final round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind (my 28-day course + group coaching experience) is starting soon. We do things in a wildly unique way (and hence people's wildly unique success). This is your last chance of the year to join. Make sure you’re on the waitlist before I pull it down next week — not only will it reserve your spot, but you’ll also get an exclusive discount code. Mark your calendar ... enrollment is September 5th.

If I wanted to lose fat before Summer ....

Lately, I’ve been hearing a version of the same thing from a lot of women: “I’m not doing any more fad diets. I’m done.” Then immediately, “But also... it’s almost Summer and I kind of want to panic-cut everything.”

I get it. You want to feel leaner, tighter, and a little more like yourself when you're pulling clothes out of storage or thinking about swimsuits and photos and all the warm-weather things. You want RESULTS. But you also don’t want to be starving, stressed, or doing something that backfires as soon as real life kicks in again.


You've been there. You've done that.

So here’s what I’d do right now if I wanted to lose fat before summer ... quickly, but without tracking, without drugs, and without turning into a shell of a person.

First, I’d eat three actual, robust meals a day. Not six baby snacks. Not random bites. Just three meals, spaced about four to five hours apart, that are big enough to hold me over until the next one. Each meal would have a solid 35 to 45 grams of protein, some fat (10-20g), and a good amount of fiber (7-10g). Enough to keep blood sugar stable and my brain quiet between meals. I'd make sure the meals were colorful for a wide variety of micronutrients and have some fermented foods in there too. And for added satiety, I'd make sure the meal had enough VOLUME. So let's say I got my protein, fat and fiber in with 1 sandwich, I'd add a bunch of volume on the side with some additional raw or steamed veggies.

Next, I’d dial in my up carbs without cutting them too much. I’d focus on whole-food carbs that digest slowly and actually give me something back ... things like squash, root vegetables, lentils, and fruit. I’d eat those in at least 2 of my meals, maybe all 3 if I were really active or trying to heal my hypothryoidism or high cortisol. But I'd be sure to stick with what my body can use in each sitting without needing to store. So around 25-35g net carbs for me (and most women).


I’d stop eating after dinner, with 3 hours of fasting before bedtime and aim for a 12 to 14 hour overnight fast. Nothing extreme — just a simple rhythm that gives your body time to reset. It’s great for digestion, blood sugar, inflammation, and it supports longevity too. 

Then I’d lift 3 -4 times a week. Real strength training—two upper, two lower, or a few full-body sessions depending on frequency. The goal would be to challenge my muscles, protect my lean mass, and remind my metabolism that I’m here to build, not break down.

I’d also move more every day besides formal exercise. Walks. Errands. Extra flights of stairs. Pacing while I pretend to fold laundry. Dancing in the kitchen or between strength training sets. It all adds up. I wouldn’t obsess over a step number, but I’d be aware that daily movement is one of the quiet forces behind sustainable fat loss.

On the cravings front, I’d make sure I was actually eating enough at meals. Most cravings aren’t mysterious. They’re a sign that something earlier in the day didn’t quite hit the mark—blood sugar crash, under-eating, poor sleep, stress. When you give your body what it actually needs, it stops sending you emergency signals at 4 PM or 10 PM.

And, I’d protect my sleep like it mattered. In bed by 10. Cool, dark, boring room. No scrolling. Phone on airplane mode. Maybe some magnesium. Mouthtape. Done. Nothing will derail your energy, cravings, or hormones faster than poor sleep. Nothing will help you bounce back faster than fixing it.

None of this is fancy. It’s not sexy. But the results are! It works ... without the crash. When you give your body consistency, clarity, and enough fuel to feel safe, it responds. You can absolutely lose fat in the next several weeks this way and still feel like a functioning human while you do it.

This type of no BS strategy is exactly what me and the women inside The Metabolic Edge are focused on right now. No gimmicks. Just structure that works and support that actually helps you stick with it. If that’s what you need too, come join us! Even if you just try it out for a month -- I double dog dare you to dedicate the next full month (May 19th - June 19th) towards your goals so you walk into the new season feeling at home in your body.


XO,
Tara


P.S. Got this message from a member a few days ago. I definitely suggest taking some baseline pics now and again after 4-5 weeks inside The Metabolic Edge! You can even hide them in a hidden folder on your phone. No one needs to see them but you ... but the you in a month is going to be SO happy to have them.

Overheard at my daughter's gymnastics meet

Two weeks ago, I was at my daughter’s gymnastics meet. Sitting on one of those painfully tiny bleachers, you know, the ones that make your hips go numb after five minutes. I was alternating b/w sipping on my coffee and smoothie, trying to keep one eye on the floor routine and the other casually eavesdropping on the group of moms behind me.

And wow, the spring diet chatter was in full bloom.

I’m talking:

"I just signed up for that new fasting app. It says I can’t eat past 6 PM, but honestly, I sneak a little peanut butter at night because, like, I’m not a robot."

"I’m back to keto for swimsuit season but I’m still having wine. So basically keto-ish?"

"I lost 12 pounds on Ozempic, but now I’m stuck, so I’m thinking of adding Orange Theory 4 or 5 days a week. I hate running, but I gotta speed up this weight loss."

I mean… I’ve heard versions of this every single year since I can remember. It hits 70 and sunny here in New York, and suddenly everyone’s panicking and trying to outsmart their metabolism.

And listen, once upon a time, I too was desperate to make my body (cells) respond. I wanted results that didn’t feel like pulling teeth. I wanted to feel strong, energized, like my body was actually working with me not against me.

But sitting there in the bleachers, all I could think was:
One, Magnolia is crushing it!
And two, no one ever told them what’s really going on under the hood.

So, I’m going to tell you.

Here’s what your body does when you start another diet.

Not what your calorie tracker says.
Not what Instagram influencers tell you.
What your biology actually does:

Your thyroid dials down, slowing energy output like your body’s trying to conserve battery life.

Leptin, your "burn fat" hormone, drops like a bad habit, telling your brain to pump the brakes on fat loss and start hoarding.

Your muscle breaks down first because muscle is expensive for your body to maintain while fat hangs around like an uninvited guest.

Your mitochondria, the little energy factories in your cells, go into low-power mode. They’re underfed, underpowered, and not exactly firing on all cylinders.

It’s not sabotage.
It’s survival.
Your body is trying to keep you alive.

And whether it’s Ozempic, Noom, Weight Watchers, or macro tracking (which is basically cutting calories with a fancier calculator), it’s the same plan with different packaging: eat less, burn more.

The problem? Your body adapts. Every single time.
It gets smarter. It gets stingier with energy.
And eventually, what used to work doesn’t (especially in perimenopause and menopause!)

Here’s what no one is telling you and why so many women feel stuck:

Your body’s leptin sensitivity needs to be rebuilt so fat loss can even happen again.
Your metabolic adaptations need to be reversed, not ignored, so your body feels safe to lose weight.
Your mitochondria need to be trained to make more energy, burn more fat, and actually keep you feeling good while doing it.

This is why fat loss feels harder the more you try. The diets and coaches are not helping you with the above. So that'll look like very little progress or just temporary progress.

And this right here is why I built TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, my 28-day metabolism course. Not to hand you another list of what to eat and how to move (let’s be honest, you could Google or ChatGPT that). But to guide you through a full and COMPREHENSIVE metabolic reset that fits within your full and busy life. The stuff no app or one-size-fits-all plan is covering.

I pour so much into this course and my clients! As such, I only run it a few times a year.


Doors open in 3 days. The waitlist peeps get a discount code.

I’m not saying you need to be on the list. But if you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, "Maybe I just need to try harder," this is your sign that it’s time to try a different approach. Not the same one with a different name.

Every round of TRANSFORM, women walk away with results that feel mind blowing. Not just because the scale moves (though they typically love that), but because the cravings that ruled their day are gone. The constant hunger quiets down. They notice so much more energy and better sleep and moods. Their lab work shows them aging backwards. And most importantly, the results last. We’re not into circling back to square one over here!


We’re moving forward. Will you be there with us too? Click here for more info.


XO,
Tara


P.S. If it's not in the cards for you this round, that's ok! You can always join us the next round in the Fall.

If I wanted to lose excess body fat before the end of the year, here are 4 things I'd start right now

No one waits around until January 1st to set goals anymore, right?

I really love that we're embracing the fact that we can upgrade anything we want about ourselves at any time. With the holidays getting kicked off a week from today with Halloween, it's the perfect time of year to begin to make a change. It's empowering to go off script a bit plus you can make progress on your goals while reducing cravings ... which comes in very handy around your kids' Halloween haul, during Thanksgiving dessert or that Wednesday night holiday party in December.



I have no current fat loss goals but if I did, here are 4 things I'd start doing right away:

1. I'd skip the calorie obsession because it leads to overeating. When we pick meals based on them having a lower calorie count, we are not getting enough of the nutrients that actually turn off our hunger. Therefore, whether later that afternoon or night or a handful of days later on the weekend, we will end up overeating. Instead, I'd be ensuring that I was getting enough -- protein, fat and fiber -- at each meal. I'd want this to be at least 20-30g protein, 10-20g fat and 5-15g fiber per meal (3 meals a day ... maybe with an afternoon snack too). This would make me feel nice + satiated and stop the food obsession, cravings, endless hunger and overeating episodes that feel like a willpower issue but are really just a biological issue.

2. I'd make sure my workouts weren't non-existent, mostly cardio, random, or being phoned in. The way muscle mass helps us have so much more flexibility with our nutrition isn't being talked about enough! More muscle means better blood sugar balance, extra fat burning 24/7 (yes, even when being a sloth on the cough or sleeping), and a higher carbohydrate tolerance. More muscle improves both health and body composition goals. I'd do this by strength training 3-4 days a week, following a comprehensive plan that gets all muscle groups, repeating that same suite of workouts each week for 8-16 weeks or so (not randomly switching it up) and making sure the last few reps of each set feels hard to complete. And then I'd progressively overload by increasing something (reps, sets, resistance) over time. Cardio is great for health, but I would not prioritize that for fat loss goals.

3. I would indulge with intention. I wouldn't swear off any foods for fear of messing up my progress, but I would also have a serious convo with myself about the truth about my indulgences. Am I saying I don't indulge often but when I go out to eat I have a burger with both buns, fries, and a drink? Or some bread from the bread basket, pasta with my entree and a little dessert? Hot cocoa season is coming up. And cookies. And pie. How much alcohol am I drinking on the weekends? And weekdays? Do I indulge at every party, date night, event, holiday...? Once I had that hard convo with myself about my indulgences, I'd then make sure I kept my favorites in while reining things in a bit. It's not deprivation if you're choosing what you want most over what you want right now. It's just a choice and you get to make whichever one you want in each situation.

4. Movement. Knowing 15% (sometimes more!) of our metabolic rate is based on how much we're moving outside of workout time, I'd get creative about how to start moving more. Can I ask my employer for a standing desk or just doctor one up myself by stacking my laptop on a bunch of books? Can I take that call or meeting on a walk? Can I sit on the floor and stretch while watching TV instead of sinking into the couch? Can I plan to walk each morning or lunch break? And if the weather is bad, what's my backup plan? Maybe one of those walking pads or under-desk bikes? Can I plan some family fun on weekends that involves being active ... like a hike, playground games, or after dinner walk or bike ride with whoever wants to join? If fat loss was a goal, I'd definitely not skip out on this and make my metabolic rate 15% slower as a result.

What else? Well if you need some more help, you might be interested to know I'll be briefly opening up early enrollment for the January round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind around Black Friday. This will come with early access so you will have the whole course and all the materials to be able to utilize all of it starting in November!



If you have some diagnoses you believe are making your fat loss goals trickier or could use some customization or extra accountability, 1:1 coaching might be more your flavor.



Oh and if fat loss isn't one of your goals, that list is still a great one if you "just" care about longevity and optimal health. ;-)



XO,
Tara

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

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

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

How many carbs for weight loss / fat loss goals?

Carbs are controversial.

"Cut them out to lose weight. But then that messes with your thyroid and doesn't that affect weight loss?"



Let's chat ...



Carbohydrates are 1 of the 3 macronutrients we eat (the other 2 being protein and fat). They are ALL important and all behave a bit differently in our body. 



Carbohydrates and fat are predominantly used up as fuel for energy. Whatever extra we take in that's not used up will be stored as fat. This is a GREAT thing as it allows us to then use up some of our storage to be able to sleep without having to wake up to eat, to go several hours between meals, and allowed our ancestors to go long periods of time without eating during a famine.



Protein can be used as fuel if absolutely necessary, but isn't what our body prefers to do and isn't what happens for the most part. Protein is mostly used as building blocks to MAKE things (like muscle, collagen in our skin, etc.).



So back to carbs. We don't have much storage capacity for carbs but nearly limitless storage capacity for fat (our fat cells can both multiply as well as increase in size, individually). When we take in carbs, it appears in our bloodstream as it makes its way to the places that need it. If we have adequate muscle mass and challenge our muscles frequently through something like strength training, we would have depleted some of the glycogen (carb storage) in them so some of the carbs we just onboarded will go there so our muscles are topped off and ready for our next workout. Our brain uses some 'carbs' for fuel. Fun fact: our brain actually uses up quite a lot of our total energy every day! Our liver can store some glycogen (stored carbs) too. If those places were already full -- maybe because we're sedentary or eat too many carbs for our needs -- or if we onboarded more than we had available storage space for, the rest will be stored as fat.



So, if fat loss is a goal, getting your carb strategy dialed in IS really important. You'll also want to make sure you have your fat and protein strategy dialed in. I believe this shouldn't come with obsessive macro or calorie tracking. I'm always thinking about mental health and lifestyle enjoyment as well as physical health and I hope you are too!



But today's note is about carbs so let's get back to it.



Since too many carbs is definitely not a good idea for someone with fat loss goals, then should you just cut out ALL carbs to super-charge results?



NO! Not if you ask me. And since you did ask me :-P ....


Cutting out all carbs might be a great idea for some people sometimes as it can be an important part of their medical treatment plan (epilepsy, brain injury, etc.), but even then it's often not a permanent solution. For MOST people MOST of the time, cutting out all carbs will move you further away from your goals in the long run.



Carbohydrate-rich foods are often full of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients ... many we know about but others that are sure to come out in the future. Meaning, there are probably lots of important nutrients we're getting through carb-rich foods that we aren't even aware of yet (so couldn't even think about just trying to replace in a supplement or something). Think: fruit, veggies, beans, certain fermented foods ...


Carbs taste great and most people who cut them out entirely end up feeling deprived and / or end up fearing them or losing control around them from time-to-time. We want a healthy relationship with food and our body.


Many carbohydrate foods are high in fiber, and that helps us to blunt the blood sugar spike, help us feel satiated, feed our microbiome, and aid in detoxification by keeping us more regular in the bathroom.


Going too low carb can inhibit thyroid function (making it harder to lose excess body fat), impact mood and interfere with sleep, due to the role it plays in certain neurotransmitter production.


If we don't consume carbs through our food, our body will convert some energy over to a form of carbs. So basically, no one ever actually goes without carbs. You either eat 'em or you make 'em.


And plus ... avocado toast is too tasty to be off the table!


So, how much is enough but not too much if your goal is fat loss (or "toning up")?


I recommend a baseline of 2 intentional carb servings per day for everyone. That means that's the floor. Start there. If you're very active, have a lot of muscle, are a man, are a tall woman, have hypothryoidism or elevated cortisol ... you will likely need to add at least another intentional carb serving. Maybe even more. Please note this is *highly* individualized! We're talking about fuel here. Some of you are 4-cylinder cars parked in your driveway all day. Some of you are gas-guzzlers drag racing almost all day. Wildly different gas budgets, right?? Similarly, carb intake needs will vary A LOT depending on your specific situation.



"What the heck is an intentional carb serving?"



I call them intentional carbs, well, intentionally. The reason is with this macro aware approach (rather than macro tracking), we're not thinking about your side of broccoli with dinner that had a couple of grams of carbs or your piece of cheese or handful of nuts that did too. When I say intentional carb serving, I mean you're sitting down to an actual serving of carbs. You're having a piece of bread, a piece of fruit, some beans and corn, a potato, a half a cup of pasta, etc. You can think of this as being about 25-35 grams of net carbohydrates at a sitting. Net carbs = total carbs minus fiber.


To avoid blood sugar spikes (which is something to be mindful of if you have fat loss goals or even just health optimization goals), you're going to want to have these servings of intentional carbs inside of a meal that also has plenty of protein, fat and fiber. 


So in summary ... have the bun with the burger and veggies. But maybe save the fries to have with another meal. At least most of the time. ;-)



XO,
Tara



P.S. If you haven't yet signed up for a previous round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, make sure you hop on the waitlist for the September round. We cover nutrition balance and fat loss in so much detail! 


P.P.S. I told you I'd update you on TRANSFORM: 1:1, so here goes: it's ready and the first group will be onboarding the rest of THIS week! Spots are always super limited with 1-on-1 coaching as it is customized to your unique needs, goals, injuries, health history, and a very high touch program with tons of accountability baked in, but the good news is I have current clients who were already working with me who are continually graduating out of their program. So if you are interested in 1-on-1 coaching, hop on the interested list! I'll reach out and provide some insight about availability and potential timing as well as answer any questions you may have. :-)

I like rollercoasters but not THIS kind

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

• weight loss resistance

• cravings

• energy crashes

• moodiness

• frequent illness / infections

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

• elevated Hgb A1c

• elevated blood pressure

• elevated blood sugar / insulin

• elevated triglycerides, Apo B, and / or LDL

• PCOS

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


"Great! WTH does that mean?"


I gotchu ;-)


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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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


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


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



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


XO,
Tara

Alcohol ... friend or foe?

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

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



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

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


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


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


Consider these:


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

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

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

4️⃣Hydration + electrolytes

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

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

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

Some things I do in case it helps you:

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

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

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

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

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

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



XO,
Tara



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

Breakfast, Lunch + Dinner Ideas

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

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



Breakfasts:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lunches + Dinners:

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

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

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

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

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

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

High protein snacks:

• Fruit w/ cottage cheese or Greek yogurt

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

• Organic deli meat roll-ups with matchbook veggies

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

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

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

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

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

• Organic meat stick and an orange

Feel free to screen shot these lists for future reference!



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



XO,
Tara

6 pack abs: busting all the myths

How do you "get a 6-pack"? Is that even a worthwhile goal?

Watch or listen to this 13-minute video to find out:

• Is it a smart goal?

• How do people reach this goal?

• What role does nutrition play?

• If crunches aren't the best way to challenge your abs (they're not!), how DO you work 'em?

• Why your fat loss efforts are actually increasing your belly fat.

I spilled the beans in my instagram stories last week that I mayyyy be scheming on a way to give you access to the TRANSFORM: Body + Mind 28-day metabolism-boosting course before the next official round in January. Make sure you join the waitlist if you haven't yet to be in the loop.


That's it for today!


XO,
Tara



P.S. Do you have fat loss, muscle-building, "toning up", or longevity goals? If so, you need to start getting my weekly newsletter. You can do that right here.