I don't like Hunger Games.

The movie never got me either (though in fairness, I don't think I ever gave it a chance). But I'm talking about the other hunger games. The thing we do when we leave the house with no plan and no food ... or maybe just some food for the kids and not enough for us? It can't be just me.



But I've smartened up in my old age ;-P and I bring or keep snacks stashed so that in a pinch, I can have a small snack or pair a few things together for a makeshift meal on the go, if need be.



I'm a bit needy in this department as I need:

• Gluten + dairy free

• No artificial dyes or flavors

• Ideally no industrial seed oils, though I do still eat these on occasion as I frown at the ingredient list

• Can't spike my blood sugar

• Needs to hold up well in my purse or car or beach bag or or or ....

Here are a few ideas that fit the bill. Try 'em out and we'll be snack stashing twinsies.






1) Protein bar. I like Raw Rev Glo bars in Creamy PB and Sea Salt. Yes, I like the taste but also that flavor of theirs has more protein and less sugar than their others. This one happens to have 15g protein, 11g fat, 14g fiber, and only 3g net carbs. Have it with a piece of fruit if you want the carbs too. There are some other good bars on the market, just depends on your needs. Unfortunately though, I'd give about 90% of them a failing grade for being full of cr*p or no more balanced than a candy bar. So be picky with these! Read the ingredient list. Check out the nutrition facts. It's not a protein bar if it has 25g carbs and 7g protein. As a protein bar, it should have at least 10-15g protein and that should be the predominant macronutrient. Unless you want a carb bar. That might have it's time and place too (like before a really intense workout). 


2) Chia or flax seeds and protein powder. I like these in smoothies best but in a pinch they can be thrown in some water or even your coffee with some fat like heavy cream, coconut oil, or MCT. These are fiber, fat, and a baby dose of protein. Better than grabbing Pringles at 7-11 and being hungry 20 minutes later.


3) Nut or a homemade trail mix. The best part about this is that you can save money by buying in bulk and customize to your likes and needs. Want the carbs? Add some dried fruit or dark chocolate chips. Just want the healthy fat, fiber, and little dose of protein? Throw some almonds, cashews, and walnuts in a bag and keep it pretty much WHEREVER as it's pretty darn potable.


4) Seaweed or kale chips. These double as a nice salt / crunch fix and can count as veggies / fiber / fat on the go. They won't fill you up much, so pair with the protein bar and you just bought yourself at least 2 hours of satiety so you can think more clearly about your next (hopefully bigger) meal options.


Hope these help during this soccer tournament, kids-have-the-busiest-calendars, work-is-keeping-me-on-my--toes time of year. ;-)



XO,
Tara

Takeout (GASP) tips + tricks ...

"I can order takeout and not feel gross the next day?"

Not only can you, but I encourage you to as a part of the process of healing your relationship with food and your body. Look, most of us get takeout at least occasionally. And it's not a problem ... unless we tell ourselves that it is.


You don't need to go all out. There will be other meals. There will be other takeout meals, too. So don't let your toddler brain tell you that if you're gonna order out, you might as well make it a double with a chocolate shake and enough leftover for tomorrow. It's just not that special.


Don't stress over calories. Sure, calories matter but when you turn your brain or phone into a calorie calculator, you'll find you start doing things like skipping the healthy fat or halving the protein -- all in the name of saving calories. But then what happens? You spike your blood sugar and never fully turn off your hunger. What goes up must come down, so your blood sugar crashes and you feel like absolute garbage (and hungry) as you comb through the pantry looking for more food after what feels like only minutes later. What I'm trying to say is, you'll likely end up consuming even more calories when you throw off your food balance to, ironically, save calories.


As per usual, you'll want to think about protein, fat, and fiber. And actually, probably just protein and fiber. There are little-to-no take out options that won't have more fat hidden than you realize. Fat and carbs are pretty much a guarantee with take out, even when it's not so obvious (sugar in all kinds of sauces and dressings, breading, oil-and-butter laden everything...).


Frequency matters. Do you get takeout once a year? Then just order whatever the heck you want and enjoy it! But if it's once a month or once a week, it's just another meal. Let's not sugarcoat it. No reason to see it as an all-out occasion worthy of tripping up how you feel or your goals.


Start with protein. Protein will help to fill you up and keep you satiated for longer. Be able to identify your protein source and build your meal around that. Vegans / vegetarian? If you're not ordering tofu or eggs, your protein source is probably actually a carb source that happens to have a decent amount of protein too (like lentils or beans). That's fine! But keep that in mind as you make your other choices. You already have a serving (or a few) of carbs right inside your protein source.


Be generous with the fiber. Best bet? Eat lots of veggies! This can mean getting a side salad, steamed veggies, roasted veggies, or a stir fry. These also help you to feel satisfied and will blunt your blood sugar spike. Perfecto!


Assume there's plenty of fat. When you're home, make sure you're getting enough fat in each meal. Fat is important and without enough, our hormones will be imbalanced, our skin will look dull, we will feel hungry often, and our blood sugar will be victim to bigger spikes and crashes. But as I mentioned above, fat is hidden in nearly EVERYthing in takeout. So this is a good time to make sure you're not adding too much extra by loading up on sauces, dressings, or fried foods just b/c it's there.


Be weary of carbs. Just like fat, carbs are hidden out of sight in most takeout options. Flour as a thickening agent, sugar in various forms, breadcrumbs, etc. are added into dishes that you'd never even dream of. If you really want something carb-heavy, go for it, but consider making a trade off. Order your burger and have just half the bun. Or have the bun but no fries. Or get your burrito, but skip the rice. Have a slice of pizza, but pass on the garlic knots this time.... and the 3 extra slices. Get the salad with chickpeas, but ask for no croutons. Ya feel me? Moderation. Unless this is the one and only time you're getting take out for the whole year, it's not actually a special occasion no matter how much your fun partying self wants it to be.



But the most important thing to keep in mind is that NONE OF THIS should feel like deprivation. You're a grown a** person. No one is telling you that you can't have something. If you skip it, it's because YOU decided that something else was more important to you in that moment. Maybe you don't want feel like cr*p tomorrow or bloated during sexy time tonight. Maybe you get takeout once a week and you understand that at that frequency, not having a strategy will possibly prevent you from reaching your goals that you're working so hard towards.



Oh, and also ... whatever you decide today can change next time. How freeing, right? You can have half the bun and no fries this time and also get to have the whole bun AND fries at some point in the future if you want to. Sometimes, just knowing nothing is permanent and that you're not on a "diet" can be enough to remove the unreasonable allure around these types of food. Sure, they taste good. But they are not so damn special that you should be losing your sanity over them! (Except Mexican. Mexican is really that good).



Hope you find these helpful!



XO,
Tara



P.S. If you haven't yet registered for my free, no pitch webinar, Mend Your Metabolism, that I'll be hosting on May 11th at 8 PM Eastern, sign up now! Spots are limited (my software has a max capacity number) and at the time I'm writing this, we're already 2/3 full!


I'll be discussing the problem with dieting, cravings, the things you think are healthy but are actually derailing you, and my top (specific) tips for boosting your metabolism right now.


No calorie counting.
No list of foods to avoid.
No B.S.

It'll be fun + laid back, so come expecting 'a chat with a friend' language and not 'stiff speaker language' (aka put your kiddos to bed first 'cause my passionate words might come out).

If you can't make it live but would like to receive the replay, you still need to register. Those are the folks who will be receiving the replay.

I'll see you there?

Why diets always fail ... but you think it's YOU

I just turned away a potential new client.

She is sweet and desperate and while I absolutely hate not being able to help, she just isn't ready for my coaching. Why? Because she's still looking for a 'diet' and not a lifestyle change. I know lifestyle change is a trendy catch phrase these days, but it actually means something -- health and habits above outcomes. When aspects of our day-to-day, nutrition choices, fitness routine, sleep, stress management tools, and longevity practices are done for the sake of improving our health on a cellular level, our metabolism begins firing at a more optimal level. Our hormones begin to regulate. Our moods are elevated and more stable ... so we stop turning to our vices (like Pringles or complaining) and start having the bandwidth to keeping pushing forward.



And guess what happens? Those body composition changes you've been chasing for months or years or decades start to happen naturally. Not because you gave up peanut butter. Not because you swore off all alcohol. Not because you allow only 1 "cheat meal" per week (Have I ever told you how much I cannot STAND the term cheat meal? Ugh. I'll save it for another day). No ... your body composition changes because that's what bodies do ... they adapt in accordance to how we live our lives. When we balance hormones, sleep more, nourish ourselves well, have real ways of dealing with our stress, and move our bodies effectively (not too much or too little), they get a bit stronger and leaner. It's not an uphill battle because you changed your life BEFORE you changed your body. When you try to do it in the reverse order (like every diet ever), it won't work or last.



The problem with diets -- as I hear from my clients, social media followers, friends, and family -- is that they are set up to work (mayyyyybe) Monday - Friday, 9 - 4 PM. But not during the week before or during your period. And not on vacations. And not on days when Margaret brought in munchkins for Pat's birthday at work. And not when you haven't had time to prep lunches for the week.



THEY. ARE. NOT. REAL. LIFE.



And yet, people continue to try and try because you need to do something, right?



What if that something is that you need to learn more about how your body metabolizes, uses, and stores food? What if you truly understood how each meal choice and exercise choice affected how you feel in the moment and in the hours to come, how your body responds, and whether or not it allows you to use up excess body fat or store excess body fat instead?



I think then you'd never need another diet again. Truly. There would be no need to eliminate foods or food groups (unless you're allergic or for another medical reason). And there would be no deprivation ... just you in the driver's seat with the music turned up and the windows rolled down making intentional choices that sometimes include having the thing and something include not having the thing. But YOUR brain makes that call now knowing full well the pros and cons of each, not just abiding by some list you took a screen shot of from the diet-of-the-week's handbook.




Diets fail because they are designed to work against our biology, not with it. Against our neuroscience, not with it. And what's worse is that for every diet you've tried, you've told yourself YOU are the failure, right? At least that's what most of my clients tell me. Think about that. Most women are 5, 10, 20 diets deep by the time they hit their 30s and 40s. That's 5, 10, 20 times that you told yourself that you "can't commit to anything", that you're "broken and hopeless", that you "will always be like this, I guess". Ugh! That's heart-breaking.



Let's turn this around. You know I'm not gonna leave you down in the dumps! YOU didn't fail any of those attempts. You simply tried things that were never meant to work anyway. Do some people find lasting success with this approach of eating less and less and exercising more and more? Yes ... about 5% of people. Though there is no data that I'm aware of that tell us how their hormones, stress levels, or quality of life is.



The answer is not another diet. Not even a diet masquerading as a lifestyle change (think: Noom). The answer is a TRUE lifestyle change where you understand that it will take a little time to unlearn all the B.S. you've been taught from the diet industry and society and while your body begins to repair itself from any metabolic damage that has occurred. If you want to lose 5 pounds in the first week, I can never and will never be able to help you. Not with a clear conscience, anyway. But if your goal is to optimize your health, body, mind, and life ... and allow science to do its thing over time (stronger, leaner, better digestion, better sleep, better sex drive...), then I hope you will join me live on Wednesday, May 11th at 8 PM, Eastern where I will be sharing my top strategies for mending your metabolism that you can implement right away to start feeling and looking your best WITHOUT a diet.



Sign Up Here -- it's free. :-)



Can't wait to see you there!



XO,
Tara

Is it really a fat loss plateau?

"I want to lose more body fat, but I've hit a plateau!"

Ahhhh ... those darn plateaus! Let's chat about it ...



Very often I hear from clients and regular ol' folks alike that they have hit a plateau and think they need to decrease their food intake in some way. While that is possible, it's certainly not probable. And that's good news b/c who the heck wants to cut out more food??



Before you start whittling down your portions and getting cranky, cold, and tired, run through this checklist. If the answer to any of these questions is "no", then THAT is where you need to be focusing in order to breakthrough your current plateau.



1) Are you sleeping 7-9 hours a night (at least 90% of the time)?

2) Are you eating 1g of protein for every lb of bodyweight where you feel the best? (In other words, if you weigh 250 pounds but feel your best at 150, you can aim to consume 150 grams of protein per day).

3) Are you strength training 3-5 days a week with the last few reps feeling hard to complete? And are you adding reps, weight, and / or sets week over week? (In other words, progressively overloading).

4) Are you walking daily and / or getting at least 5,000 - 6,000 steps everyday in total?

5) Are you taking 1-2 rest days a week? Ok to be adventurous / active those days, but no strength training, HIIT, or vigorous steady state cardio.



If you didn't answer yes to all of the above, that's your place to start. Stop reading the rest of this blog post so you're not tempted to move on to the rest. ;-)



But if you said yes to all of the above, let's move on. Here are a few things you can try next:



1) Get real with yourself. Have you really been sticking to the metabolic way of eating? Clients, this is your customized portion recommendations I gave you. Non-clients, the guidelines I suggest as a starting place are: 20-40g protein, 10-30g fat, and 5-15g fiber with each meal. Fruit or starchy carbs with 1-2 meals a day. (While this won't be everyone's best formula, it works like aa charm for most women, most of the time). Maybe there have been some extra snacks, unbalanced meals, more than just an occasional drink, handfuls of chocolate chips before bed (or is that just me)? Maybe you're forgetting to count that EVOO you roasted or stir-fried your veggies in as a fat? Maybe you're having fruit or starchy carbs with every meal or many portions in a meal? You might just need to dial the extras back a bit rather than think your actual meal guidelines need to shrink.


2) Fitness check. Are your workouts truly as effective as they should be? For strength training, this has nothing to do with how much you sweat or lose your breath and everything to do with how much you are pushing your muscles. When you finished that set of 10 squats, did you have maybe 1 or 2 left 'in the tank' that you could've cranked out if you had to? Or was it more like 10-20 more reps left in the tank? The former will get you incredible results via strength and muscle gain (and therefore, metabolism boosting all day, e'ryday). The latter isn't technically strength training. It's movement, but that's all. So add reps, weight, or sets to get to that near failure point.


3) Could you be overdoing the exercise? This can blow up in our face when it causes inflammation, cortisol spikes, thyroid and sex hormone imbalances, and lack of energy throughout the rest of your day. Besides your 3-5 strength sessions per week, you can add 1-3 QUICK HIIT sessions (about 5 minutes each) and a few steady state cardio sessions per week. But if you're the one who is lifting weights, doing a 60-minute spin class, and then running on the treadmill for 30 minutes and wondering why you feel like sh*t, this is your sign to cut back.



The suggestions about will help 98% of you continue making progress or breakthrough a plateau without letting your brain tell you the meal guidelines aren't working for you and trying to cut back to minuscule portions. But if they don't work and / or you'd like to be supported fully through the process, my 1-on-1 coaching program might be an excellent fit for you.



And if coaching just isn't in the cards right not, here's a meal plan you can start with that takes all the guesswork out for you. It's already balanced to the meal guidelines I outlined above and will help you feel better and notice some results as you work on making these changes a more permanent part of your lifestyle.



I can't wait to hear about how much you blow your own damn mind when you troubleshoot your way through your next plateau. ;-)



Until we meet again,
Tara

High Protein Lunches + Dinners

Wrapping up the high protein blog series today with 30g+ LUNCHES and DINNERS.


DOWNLOAD THAT HERE.




In case you missed the other parts ...

30g+ protein breakfasts

High Protein Snacks

And simultaneously on social media I've been posting high protein throw together or grab n go options ...

Breakfasts

Snacks

Lunches + Dinners



Why is protein so important? It's very common for people to come up short on protein and overdo the carbs and / or fat. While all 3 macros have their purpose and their place, our food supply and food culture is not an accurate representation of our needs in terms of a balanced and optimal way of eating. Look, while 400g carbohydrates and 50g of protein in one day might TASTE a lot better and light up our dopamine receptors, that imbalance sure as heck won't be allowing people to reach their health and body goals.



Protein helps us repair damaged cells, build muscle, keep our hormones and gut healthy and working for us, boosts metabolic rate, and helps us feel satisfied between meals so we're not crashing and snacking on whatever comes into sight.



If you've liked this series and are ready for customized nutrition, fitness, and health coaching to achieve your goals, CHECK OUT MY 1:1 COACHING PROGRAM here.



If you're not yet ready for 1:1 coaching (I know ... it's a commitment!) but would like a more targeted approach than these recipe collections, GRAB MY SPRING FAT LOSS MEAL PLAN. This plan isn't just high enough in protein, but I balanced the heck out of the entire thing (all the macros from meal to meal AND day to day) to provide you with the optimal amount of carbs - to fiber - to fat - to protein ratio for most people when boosting metabolism, losing excess body fat, and building muscle is the goal. You'll actually get 2 plans -- one plant-based and one omnivore -- and they both happen to be free of gluten and dairy.



This meal plan is the closest thing to group coaching that I'm offering this month as I have some big + exciting projects underway (that I think you're gonna LOVE!) and could not add a group coaching session to this month's calendar. So if you have summer body goals, screw that! ;-) How about forever body / health goals instead? GRAB THE PLAN and enjoy what happens when your blood sugar, hunger hormones, and metabolism begin to synch up the way they so desperately want to.



Until next time ....



XO,
Tara

High Protein Snack Ideas

Ya hungry?

I'm the person who tells you that you shouldn't be snacking too much. And I'm also the person who thinks a nicely placed and chosen snack can be the perfect way to keep hunger and cravings at bay and add a little extra nutrition.



So today I have another recipe collection for ya. These snack ideas all have at least 10g of protein per serving, less than 15g fat, less than 30g total carbs, and at least 5g fiber. They also all happen to be free of gluten and dairy. Some will satisfy my omnivore friends and some will make my plant-based peeps happy.

GIMME THE SNACK COLLECTION!!!!

Which will you try first? Oh, and if you're loving this high protein series I apparently started last week :-) you might also enjoy the Instagram version I'm doing simultaneously ... high protein grab n go or throw together options that don't require recipes. Check out the first of the IG series here: high protein snacks.

XO,
Tara

High Protein Breakfast Recipes

Do you get at least 20-30g of protein with each meal?

Many people have told me that breakfast (or their first meal of the day) seems to be the hardest to get in that amount. And yet, you could argue that it's the MOST important because it sets the tone for day, influences cravings or lack of cravings later in the day, and helps boost your metabolism and keep you satiated.



I put together this recipe collection in case you need some ideas. All of the recipes have at least 30g of protein (!) and are gluten-free. Some are omnivore and some are plant-based.



Hope you enjoy!



XO,
Tara

"But vacay and weekends always throw me off!"

You've spent so many years dieting on and off that by this point, weekends and vacays feel like a free-for-all or a miserable case of FOMO.

Ok, so maybe I'm exaggerating a little but I bet I'm not too far off, right?



But what would it feel like to never need to 'start over' again? How much would you be able to enjoy your company ... and your tacos ... if you weren't feeling guilty before you even got to the restaurant? What would you even think about afterwards if you weren't preoccupied with bloating and sluggishness?



With spring having just sprung here (YAY!), I know that usually means more social plans, getaways, or random Tuesday night take out on the deck will be going down. Here are 4 tips to help you feel like you have a plan going in that will keep you in the driver's seat, help you feel great, and make sure you never feel like you have to "start over" again.



Pick 1 tip and try it on for size. Or, mix n' match these depending on the plans. Food and drinks are meant to be enjoyed right alongside optimal health and don't-mind-if-I-do energy. ;-)



Which one are you gonna test drive first?



Happy Spring-ing,
Tara

Sample Workout Plans

"I know exercise is important for fat loss goals, but I don't know what kind or where to start!"

The cool (or uncool -- depending on how you look at it) thing about fat loss is that THE most important piece is the nutrition. It's dialing in the right balance, portions, and timing to manage blood sugar, cravings, hunger / satiety, balance hormones, help gut health, and be well-nourished enough to have plenty of energy. Yeah, it sounds like a lot but it is very possible ... even without counting calories or weighing yourself regularly, believe it or not.


But exercise IS an important piece, especially when we are looking to lose fat without damaging / lowering our metabolism.


CHECK OUT THIS VIDEOall about which kind of exercise is most important for fat loss goals and why.



THIS VIDEO gets into what HIIT is and why nearly everyone I speak to is going about it the wrong way.



AndTHIS LAST VIDEO answers a question that came up a lot on the socials last week about what types of group fitness classes -- if any -- "count" as strength training.


Now, what could it possibly look like if we were to pull it altogether? What if fat loss is a goal, but so is longevity and maybe there are some other types of activities or classes you want to include for fun while solo or with friends or your family? And I'm guessing you don't have all day to exercise, right? ;-)


Below are 3 SAMPLE Workout Schedules I put together to hopefully give you a few ideas. They are just samples, so make sure you take them with a grain of salt. If you're training for a race, you'll need more cardio time in here, of course. If you're currently sedentary but looking to change that, you'll want to start small ... maybe just some walks this week. This is not meant to overwhelm you or make you think you're doing it all wrong! We all have different needs and are at different places right now. But I do hope these help if you were wondering how a busy person with a demanding life who wants to also fit in the various types of exercise can start to pull it altogether.

If you feel like you've tried it all on your own and are ready to get some help with the nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle habits,HERE IS SOME INFORMATIONabout my 1-on-1 coaching program. Check it out and let me know if you'd like to chat more about it. You can hit 'reply' to this email and I will get back to you in a jiffy (is that still a thing people say?).

XO,
Tara

The Fasting Way

Fasting is all the rage right now.

In fact, it's been said that "intermittent fasting" is the most common dietary plan in the United States at this time. So, is that a good thing? A bad thing? HERE ARE MY THOUGHTS.


Fasting it over-utilized as a fat loss tool, in my opinion, but underutilized as a health tool. While fat loss can occur if restricting the feeding window leads to less eating overall, many people who do not heal the relationship they have with food, understand how much and what kinds of food their body requires for their goals, and deal with things like emotional eating, etc. will not find much success until they address those things.


Do you purposely extend your natural overnight fasts by tacking on a few extra hours up front and on the back end too?


XO,
Tara


P.S. Ignore the fact that I got a haircut mid-video but edited the clips together like no time had passed. :-P Ya gotta fit things in when you can, right??

Calories go WHERE???

If only we knew what parts of our day required the most energy / fuel / calories, maybe we could double down on the right areas to boost our metabolism!

Guess what? We do! Take a look ...

While calories (energy in vs. energy out) matter for body composition and health, it does not mean that calories need to be counted. By understanding how our body and metabolism work, you will be able to make more informed choices.


The calories that you take in from food and drinks are used to fuel these different parts of our metabolism as depicted in the chart above.


BMR takes the biggest slice and stands for Basal Metabolic Rate. This is the amount of energy you burn at rest, just keeping yourself alive.


NEAT means Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis and includes all movement you do that isn't your actual workouts. Things like standing, walking, cleaning, gardening, chasing after your kids, grandkids, or fur babies, etc.


EAT is Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, or the amount of calories you burn during workouts.


TEF stands for the Thermic Effect of Food and includes the amount of calories your body requires to eat, digest and assimilate your nutrients. Yup, eating burns calories.



What can you DO with this information? Double down on the most important parts!



You'll notice BMR and NEAT have the biggest influence over your metabolism. Here are some ways to focus your energy there:

• Strength train at least 3 days a week. While you will be requiring calories during your actual workout (EAT), adding muscle will increase your BMR because just having more muscle is calorically-demanding -- even at rest!

• Aim for at least 20-30g of protein with each meal. This does increase TEF, but also gives you the building blocks needed to put on muscle from your workouts, thereby hiking up your BMR.

• Take on some (more?) active hobbies. Go for walking meetings or phone calls when possible, stand up instead of sitting down, fidget, change positions often, basically, be more like a toddler. :-)

• Get cold! Shoot for a couple of minutes of being uncomfortably (but safely) cold, a couple times a week. Ideally you're shivering for much of this. The way our muscles contract all at once while we shiver adds quite a bit to our NEAT, and also ... stimulates a process by which our white adipose tissue (regular fat) becomes the more metabolically active brown adipose tissue. This brown adipose tissue (also known as BAT) burns significantly more calories at rest than "regular fat", increasing your BMR.

Bottom line, if fat loss is a goal, you will need to be taking in less energy via food and drinks than you are using up in order to achieve that goal. If you would like to be able to eat more calories and still be in this deficit, working on increasing your metabolism is the way to go!



***If you'd like to get the ball rolling on your health + body goals, join us inside the 7-Day Kickstart. We start Monday, January 24th, but enrollment ends THIS THURSDAY, the 20th. It's not a quick fix, just us spending the first week of the rest of your life together. MORE INFO HERE.***


XO,
Tara

It's October ... let's save money on supplements and all the (healthy) things!

Welcome to October....

...this month, I've decided to dedicate to money-saving, lower cost, and free tips, tricks, ideas, and practices that are most influential for those on a health or body transformation journey. Sometimes we can get caught up drooling over the latest gadgets, holistic clinics, treatments, and docs, and expensive technology and lose sight of how much we DO have available to use for free or low cost. In addition, for those who already spend a significant portion of their budget on healthy groceries or supplements, I will be sharing some ways that I know of -- and use -- to help shave some money off. Every little bit helps, right?!



CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO where I share 7 (really 8) tips to save money on supplements. Whether you’re a supplement freak or a vitamin newbie, these tips should help you form a plan around shaving a lil cash-eesh 💰off your bill.


Of course, supplementation is highly individualized and we all have various goals, priorities, starting places, conditions, deficiencies, incomes, and situations. So ... you do you. And run it by a trusted healthcare provider first. 😉





And while we're at it, let's talk about 3 FREE (or superrrrrrr low-cost) ways to turn back the clocks on our cells. I'm sharing 3 powerful ways here in THIS VIDEO.





Happy saving and happy living,
Tara

How much CO2 can you tolerate?

How well can you tolerate carbon dioxide (CO2)?

Just because we don’t HAVE to think about breathing doesn’t mean we shouldn’t. It doesn’t mean our breathing depth, cadence, or method (nasal / oral) is optimal on autopilot, either.


Our breath is one of the most beautiful things about us as we can take it over at any point when we’re conscious and utilize it to tap into other areas in our body that we don’t otherwise have access to (like our heart rate and variability, blood pressure, mood, immune response, nitric oxide production, feeling of calm and well-being, levels of arousal and alertness, microbiome constituents, recovery time, sleep quality, hormone balance, jaw development, sinus health, etc. Check out this quick video to learn a new tool ... how to test and challenge your CO2 tolerance.


Pretty freaking amazing, if you ask me!


That video was up in my instagram stories a few weeks ago as a reply to a question I was asked. Thought it would be helpful to share it with you here as well, in case you missed it over there.


Training our diaphragm, ventilations, and respirations is such an important piece of the puzzle that is optimizing. For endurance and adventure, for mood stability, for cardiovascular health, for respiratory illnesses — for every facet of life — I want to breathe well. 😤💪🏼.


Do you plan on testing and tracking your CO2 tolerance over time as a marker of health?



XO,
Tara



P.S. How are you doing with those peach recipes from last week? Hope you're loving them! Today I wanted to continue the summer recipe party with some CHERRY favorites. Mmmmm. Feel free to let me know what you think of these. Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated. :-)

Ever feel deprived?

Have you ever felt deprived around food?

HERE'S THE REASON ... and how to start to move away from feeling that way so you can get on with your merry self and goals. :-)



As always, if you are in need of some help, simply hit "reply" to this email and let me know where you're struggling.



Happy day,
Tara

Are you a longevity nerd like me??

Do you geek out on all things health?

Me too! But... sometimes it feels like a never-ending mountain to climb with all of the recommendations and goals we have, right?



Where to begin? I discuss this in my latest (3 min.) video.



We’re never too advanced for the foundations! And the foundations (like nutrition, exercise, sleep, mindset ...) will be your biggest needle-movers! It’s why these things come first in my 1-on-1 coaching program ... with the Longevity Phase of the program at the end. 😉



But what if you’re already doing the foundations well and CONSISTENTLY? You’ve conquered healthy body composition goals, you move your body daily, you have a great relationship with food and your body, you’re sleeping well, and you have noticed a shift in your mindset / emotional resilience ....?



What’s next??


Well, the foundations forever! Seriously. 😜 And then some fun, more detail-oriented longevity-focused habits, tweaks, and experiences.



I talk up on my stories on Instagram a lot about breathwork, meditation, supplements, hot / cold, fasting, dry brushing, oil pulling, homemade charcoal toothpaste, natural products, mTOR, AMPK, mitochondrial health, grounding, 4th phase water, autophagy, apoptosis, circadian rhythm setting, etc. If that’s your jam too, set aside an hour or two each day to watch my stories. (Kidding! But they CAN get long sometimes. 😂😂)



And while I will be sticking to a lot of the foundations on my social media pages and right here in my newsletter because I believe strongly that it’s what is most helpful and most necessary, if you want me to include some more of this content here as well, let me know with a quick reply!



Please note: I do not represent any other brand but my own at this time. None of my posts or stories are sponsored. Could that change in the future? Maybe! But it will have to feel just right as a partnership for me to agree to it and so far, I haven’t had that feeling with any of the offers. 🤷‍♀️



So ... foundations first and most. Then room for the cherries on top. ;-). That's my take. What's yours?



XO,
Tara

"Do you eat before you workout?"

"Tara, do you eat before you workout?"

I got this excellent question recently on instagram. Here's my 1-minute video response. :-)



Everyone is different! Play around with meal timing around your workouts — or just in general — to find out what you feel best with.



For me, I used to feel awful working out while fasted. I also used to have PCOS, insulin resistance, and prediabetes. I was a metabolic mess!! So, feeling cr*ppy while working out fasted was one of the things that tipped me off to being “off”.



As I became healthier, more metabolically flexible, and more fat-adapted (no, I’m not keto), I started noticing I could do more and more intense exercise without fueling up first. Truth is, we all have sooooooo much fuel already on our bodies as stored body fat. Even if I’m lean, there’s no reason to “need” to eat before a workout.



Now, if tip top performance was the goal (a race, game, or competition), filling up my glycogen stores before said activity would give me a little bit of an edge. But in my daily strength training sessions, bike rides, runs, hikes, or HIIT ... it’s just not necessary.



Another important note: for the average person (not a pro / competitive athlete), protein timing isn’t nearly as important as people will have you believe. I don’t rush to get it in post-workout. I just make sure I get the amount of protein my body needs (about 80-105g per day) throughout the day in a variety of ways.



Second half of the video I’m showing you a pretty typical meal I break my overnight fast with.



Questions about protein, meal timing, metabolic flexibility, or ... whatever? Leave ‘em below!



XO,
Tara



P.S. Yes my lip is bleeding in this video. They were dry that day and happened to crack right before I shot this. Allllllll good. 😝 (You’d be surprised. People notice — and comment about — everything on social media! 🤣🤣).

Intuitive eaters vs. "fit pros"

Intuition? Scientific research? Which *should* be dictating our nutrition?



Both sides are a little wrong ... and a little right, in my opinion. Intuitive eating and the body positivity movement is BEAUTIFUL. And there’s much that can learned from scientific research and professionals on the other side of the spectrum. But until we can blend the two, we’re going to have a society full of people debating their way in the opposite direction of the deep health and vitality they’re actually after.


We learn. We practice. We build skills. And then we allow it to just become part of who we are. It gets more intuitive over time! Naturally. When we go at it with the right intentions in the first place.


It’s not a certain look you’re after. It’s the way you believe that look will make you feel (full of energy and life, confident, capable, strong, sexy). It allllll boils down to love and acceptance, if ya wanna get deep here. 😉 So if we skip the obsession with looks and focus on that health + vibrancy, we have this new North Star that never steers us wrong.


MORE ON THAT HERE.


XO,
Tara




P.S. If you need some help navigating this middle ground approach as you strive for optimal health, leave a comment below and let's chat about where you're at and where you'd like to go. :-)

Brain "reps"

What are "brain reps"?

Most people understand that in order to getting stronger physically, they will need to put in some work. Or, do the reps. No one is walking around saying they were born with a certain amount of strength and they can't improve it. That's silly, right?! We *know* strength can be improved in proportion to the amount you are challenging your muscles.



So why is it that many people think their mindset is fixed? Many people believe they were born with a low tolerance to be able to handle stress or a glass-half-empty attitude. But that's simply an underworked mind. Our mental and emotional strength + resilience will improve with 'more reps' just like our muscles do.




CHECK OUT THE LATEST VIDEO here (and please excuse the mention of Monday as this was recorded and shared with social media prior).




Why is this incredibly important? Well without mental and emotional strength + resilience, you will find yourself falling victim to any and all excuses, giving up easily, waiting for. motivation to show up, annoyed by the littlest things, seeking out vices (like extra food, alcohol, staying up too late) in an attempt to self-soothe, etc. Powerful stuff, right? It's the reason I focus so much on the the mindset piece with my clients. It's simply not addressed out there with other programs or coaches and it's why other things don't 'stick'.




Questions? Comments? I'd love to hear 'em!




Happy day,
Tara

You are too comfortable!

Are you too comfortable?

Ever think, "I'm ALWAYS putting myself LAST!"?? I'd like to invite you to think of that in a different way. Now, I'll warn you, THIS VIDEO is a bit tough love (with an emphasis on love). So if you're already having a day, maybe watch this one later. ;-)



I'd love to hear your thoughts! Let me know if this resonates at all.



Happy day,
Tara

Anxiety + your breath

Anxiety + your breath.

What is the connection, if any? Recorded a quick video about this on a recent run. So, don't mind my own breathlessness ;-) and CHECK OUT THE VIDEO HERE.



Our breath signals things to our brain, and our state of mind alters our breath. We have “top down” feedback loops as well as “bottom up”. Pretty incredible, intricate systems that are constantly working to try to keep us in a state of homeostasis.



What this means is that not only can anxiety change our breathing, but the way we breathe can also INDUCE or REDUCE feelings of anxiety. 🤯



Generally speaking, we want to be
1️⃣ breathing more slowly (less breaths per minute),
2️⃣ more deeply (we are rewarded with better gas exchange due to increased blood perfusion towards the bottom of our lungs), and
3️⃣ nasally (in AND out through our nose).



Just because we can breathe continuously on autopilot (thank you, nervous system 🙏🏼), it doesn’t mean that’s optimal. Taking a minute or 2 (or 5 or 10) a day to practice breathing is all you need to start to be more intentional and feel confident in this powerful tool you’ll have at-the-ready in times of need.



Do you have a breathwork practice? If not, do you plan to start playing with ventilation and respiration?