The Ber Month Project

The Ber Month Project

It's a silly name for a very exciting movement. 



It's the first week of September, then we have October, November and December to round out the year. These are the months most people start to slip up and feel they're "off the bandwagon" -- the holiday months filled with candy, pie, cookies alcohol, spending, seasonal affective disorder and clutter. But what if this year you did it WAY differently? What if you were intentional about going out with a bang? What if you kept it light and playful instead of rigid and boring ... something like, "I wonder who I can become in 4 months and how much fun it could be?"



This 'movement' was born out of my own selfish desire and since company is fun, I wanted to invite you to join me as well. There is nothing to sign up for, we're just going to be upleveling side-by-side and keeping the energy up by chatting about here in my newsletters and on instagram (likely in stories mostly). 



So to kick it off ....



How great can you make these 4 months?

How much fun can you have?

How much progress can you make on your goals?

How much can you change things up?

How much better can your attitude be?

How much radical acceptance can you get started on?



How much can you uplevel ... without stressing yourself out? (that's KEY)


This is not like: start a restrictive diet, workout 2 hours a day, start calling your mom everyday and organize your whole house in a week. You've tried that all-or-nothing thing before and it does.not.work!


This is more like, "Who can I become by the end of the year and how much fun can I have doing it?"



ARE YOU IN?! I hope so! I don't want to do it alone.



Some ideas:

1. Start romanticizing one meh part of your day .... like cooking / meal prep by making a playlist and lighting your favorite Fall essential oil candle.

2. No coffee until your bare feet have hit the grass and the sun kisses your face.

3. Give yourself a reward after checking off all your workouts for the month. Plan it out in advance and put it on your calendar.

4. Game-ify your decluttering: set a timer on Alexa for 5 or 10 minutes a day. Then race the clock. How much can you get done in that time?

5. Decide you're worth the investment -- join us for the September round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind if you have fat loss, muscle-building, or health optimization goals (like lowering BP, reversing disease, lowering blood sugar, improving lipids / cholesterol ratios, improving hormone imbalances, gut health, improving mood and energy, etc.) For most of you, just this one thing will give you a radically successful Ber Month Project ... you'll be unrecognizable and unstoppable.

6. Schedule weekly check-in meetings with your partner to talk about the upcoming week and all the things. Who will call that doctor? Who can buy that gift? Any financial or budgeting goals? When can you have a date night out or plan a creative date night in? If you're feeling like it all falls on you, this is a good way to feel empowered to make things more collaborative.

7. Commit to a "no complaining" day or week. Every time you notice yourself start to complain, stop yourself, say something you're grateful for and put a dollar in an envelope. That envelope is the start of a rainy day stash -- plan an adventure for yourself or the family.

8. Be SILLY. Playful. We don't do this nearly enough and yet our kids are so good at this! Take a page from their book. Why can't we randomly text our friend or partner a joke or funny meme? Why can't we dance in the aisle of the grocery store and embarrass our family when that catchy tune comes on? Why can't we jump up on the curb and pretend it's a balance beam too? When did we get so stuffy and BORING? Not you. Not during this Ber Month Project. ;-)

9. Think outside the box. 95% of the things we think we can't change we actually can. Our schedule. The way we do things. The order. Our reactions. Our attitude. Our daily routines and habits. Our social life and calendar. Our consumption (food, alcohol, social media accounts, books). Our spending / saving / investing habits.

Our individual evolution is only limited by our self-imposed limits. Be curious about who you could be. Then be creative about how you'll get there.



If you're ready and are the social media sharing type, feel free to use hashtag #TheBerMonthProject and please tag me too so I can see what you're up to and encourage you along the way.



Here we go,
Tara



P.S. How about some brand new PFF-balanced meals for Fall? This PFF Pressure Cooker Collection has 14 meals, all gluten free, some omnivore and some plant based. They are all balanced with protein, fat, fiber and with intentional carbs accounted for for optimal results with fat loss and muscle-building. I made it for you just as a Happy almost-Fall gift. I hope you enjoy!


P.P.S. Don't have a pressure cooker? Enjoy this PFF balanced Slow Cooker Collection for some set it and forget it options this upcoming season.

"How do I stop self-sabotaging?"

Someone submitted a question in the question box in The After Party last week and it went something like this ...

"I just got back from vacay. I was planning to keep the ball rolling while I was away (looked up restaurant menus, brought some food and even had access to a hotel gym) but somehow I let it all slide and didn't stick to the plan. Now I'm back and bloated and feel like crap. I was on such a roll. Why do I keep self-sabotaging like this?"


                                                                                                                                                                               And here's the general idea of what I answered in our live Q+A...



When there is a gap between how you want to show up and how you are actually showing up, it's typically related to self-identity -- who you believe you are at the core.



At some point in your life (probably as a child) you decided that you are someone who brushes their teeth. When your parents or caregivers stopped micromanaging that for you and you started doing it regularly anyway, it became just a part of who you are. "I'm someone who brushes my teeth twice a day." You likely don't remember thinking that thought as this can all be a sneaky process. But it's part of your self-identity. If you couldn't brush your teeth at the time you normally do for some reason, you would still manage to get it in, even if a little later rather than seeing it as an excuse to skip it. You don't fall off the bandwagon of brushing your teeth. It's a constant. It's just what you do.



Some people have a self-identity that they are someone who exercises regularly, eats PFF + intentional carb meals, gets enough sleep. It doesn't mean they're "perfect", but it does mean that they never stray too far from those things because it just feels ... wrong. Off. Not in alignment with who they are (like how you'd feel if you skipped a few days of brushing your teeth). This might be hard to imagine because it's definitely NOT the status quo.



Talk to any of your friends about dessert, for example. When offered dessert, most people will say things like, "Oh I shouldn't." "It looks so good but I'm trying to be good." "I'm on a diet right now." Or even just eat the thing but do so in a way that leaves them feeling guilty because that choice felt out of their control. Nothing wrong with having some dessert! I had some most of the days when we were just away on vacation. But because my self-identity is STRONG, it was always a choice I made with confidence, knowing I was in the driver's seat and that food can be delicious, enjoyable, but does not have power over me.




If there's a gap between who you are now and who you'd like to be, the best way to close that gap is by becoming the person you want to be and making decisions as THAT person. Our brains are plastic, meaning, changeable. We can rewire them ... and we must, when we want to step up to a new level not yet achieved.




"Ugh. I really should workout right now."


Vs.


"I'm going to get my workout in now."



Verrrrrry different self-identities behind those. Person A is likely struggling with consistency when life gets busy, hard, routines are off, vacations. Person B might have no such challenges with consistency. They believe working out X days a week is just part of who they are and what makes them them. They will skip workouts if it's healthier to skip than to complete (like, say, when they have the flu) and they might be flexible (swap a workout day and a rest day so the rest day lines up with their favorite holiday, for example) but they get it in just like you get teeth brushing in.




Here's the key: you can't BS this. You can't pretend to have a certain self-identity. You have to let the evidence inform your brain of who you are now until it piles up enough to rewire your neural pathways. 



Start here: Journal HARD about the 1-year-from-now version of you. Get as specific as possible. What time do you wake up. What's your mood like? What do you wear? What is your morning like? How does it feel to be in your body? What's your energy like? What do you eat for breakfast? Write out as much detail as you can and with lots of sensory description.



Then every time a decision pops up related to your health and / or body composition goals, notice the choice today's version of you is gravitating towards. Then picture that 1-year-from-now version and imagine what choice she (or he) would make. Is there a discrepancy? Great! This is a powerful rewiring moment and the more of these discrepancies you find, the more powerful your transformation will be. Now, go with the choice the 1-year-from-now version of you would go with. Boom! Little bit of evidence that you're more like her. And .... the more evidence like that you can pile up, the quicker you actually become her (or him).



Then what? Then you've closed the gap! You become that person. You no longer have any issues with consistency. 



So what choices will the 1-year-from-now version of you make? Would she (or he) eat differently? Have a different exercise routine? Maybe a new outlook and attitude? Is she the type of person who invests in her health + goals? What time does she go to bed? Does she wait to be motivated or does she do it anyway? Is she kind + nurturing in her self talk?



And has she finally achieved her body composition goals, feels stronger than ever, confident, vibrant, playful and hopeful with lab work that most 20-somethings would drool over? :-P




Self identity isn't a sexy topic but the results of putting in work here are nothing short of sexy.




Go get 'em,
Tara




P.S. Enrollment starts in TWO weeks for the very last round of my metabolism-boosting course, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind of the year. We focus on health optimization, fat loss, muscle-building and because we work to get to the root of the issues (mitochondrial / metabolic dysfunction, oxidative stress and chronic inflammation), most people find all kinds of things improve that they weren't even focused on (skin, hair, moods, periods, menopause symptoms, blood pressure, lab work, thyroid function, PCOS ... ). It's quite a unique, comprehensive and holistic approach. You can learn more about it here and hop on the waitlist if you like things like discount codes. ;-) 

What you don't (yet) know about fiber and fat loss

"I already know fiber is good for us, Tara!"

You know some (lots?) of the benefits of fiber but did you know it also helps to protect your brain and keep toxins out and improve fat burning potential?



Here's the long story boiled down to 6 bullet-pointed steps....

1. Fiber Intake:

• Soluble Fiber: When you consume fiber-rich foods, particularly soluble fiber found in foods like oats, legumes, fruits, and vegetables, this fiber travels through your digestive system largely undigested until it reaches the colon.

2. Microbiome Interaction:

• Fermentation: In the colon, the soluble fiber becomes food for the beneficial bacteria in your gut. These bacteria ferment the fiber, breaking it down and producing SCFAs (like butyrate, acetate and propionate)

3. Production of Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs):

• Role of SCFAs: SCFAs have several important roles:

  • Gut Health: Butyrate, for example, is a major energy source for the cells lining your colon and helps maintain a healthy gut barrier, preventing "leaky gut."

  • Anti-inflammatory Effects: SCFAs have been shown to reduce inflammation in the gut and throughout the body by modulating the immune system and inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

  • Appetite Regulation: SCFAs also influence the release of hormones that help regulate appetite, like GLP-1 and PYY, which signal fullness and help reduce overall calorie intake.

4. Blood-Brain Barrier Protection:

• SCFAs and the Brain: Some SCFAs, particularly butyrate, can cross the blood-brain barrier, a protective shield that controls what substances can enter the brain from the bloodstream. Once in the brain, SCFAs help to reduce neuroinflammation (think: depression, anxiety, mood + behavioral disorders -- in adults and kids) by suppressing the activity of microglia (the brain’s immune cells), which can become overactive in response to toxins and inflammation.

• Strengthening the Barrier: By supporting a healthy blood-brain barrier, SCFAs help to keep harmful substances out of the brain, reducing the risk of neuroinflammatory conditions that can contribute to cognitive decline and mood disorders.

5. Reduced Toxins and Inflammation:

• Detoxification: A healthy gut lining supported by SCFAs prevents toxins from leaking into the bloodstream ("leaky gut"). This helps to reduce systemic inflammation—a common driver of many chronic diseases, including weight loss resistance and insulin resistance.

• Inflammation Control: By modulating the immune response and reducing the production of pro-inflammatory molecules, SCFAs play a crucial role in lowering overall body inflammation, which is closely linked to metabolic health.

6. Easier Fat Loss:

• Improved Metabolism: Reduced inflammation and a well-regulated immune system contribute to better insulin sensitivity and metabolic function, making it easier for the body to burn fat and use glucose efficiently.

• Appetite Control: With hormones like GLP-1 and PYY being regulated, you experience better appetite control, reducing the likelihood of overeating, which supports fat loss efforts.

• Energy Balance: SCFAs help to balance energy expenditure by influencing metabolic pathways, further promoting a healthy weight.

TL,DR: the pathway from fiber intake to fat loss involves a complex interaction between your diet, gut health, and overall metabolic function. By feeding your microbiome with the right fibers, you can boost the production of SCFAs, protect your brain, reduce toxins and inflammation, and ultimately make fat loss easier. It’s a holistic approach that ties together nutrition, gut health, and metabolic health in a way that’s supported by the latest science. This is PART of the reason we focus on balancing our meals / days with enough fiber here at Tara Allen Health. It's not just because of appetite regulation or being regular in the bathroom ... there's a whole lot more to the story when you consider our microbiome and what they produce, blood brain barrier and gut health and how those things impact metabolic health and fat loss potential.



A few of my favorite ways to ensure I'm getting at least 30g of fiber a day (women need at least 25g daily but even that is too low in my opinion):


1. Every meal must include 5-15g fiber (and not all meals can be 5, lol)
2. I think of protein + fiber as 2 main characters in my meals
3. 2 T basil seeds get me HALF (15g) of my fiber needs. I sneak them into all kinds of things (yogurt, cottage cheese bowls, basil seed pudding, smoothies, homemade jam...)
4. Lots of fruit, veggies, legumes, nuts, seeds
5. Smoothies always get fiber added: besides produce, something like chia, flax, hemp, acacia
6. When eating pasta, I make varieties that are high in both protein and fiber like this one -- which has 15g per serving
7. Ditto ... for rice (15g of fiber per serving)
7. Protein bars sometimes as snacks as long as they have ingredients I'm ok with, truly have a decent amount of protein and fiber (these are a fav. lately - with 10g of fiber per bar)



Go feed that microbiome!



XO,
Tara



P.S. The cart opens for the September round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind --  my 28-day metabolism-boosting course -- in 3 weeks! If you're already on the waitlist, you'll be getting notified first about being able to join AND I'll be sending you a discount code at that time. Woo hoo! This will be the last round of 2024 and for those of you who will be participating, I cannot wait to hear all about how your life changes when you feel incredible, strong, vibrant and sexy as you achieve your health + body composition goals. We do things in a WILDLY different way than what's out there. We focus on getting to the root of mitochondrial / metabolic health, inflammation and oxidative stress. By doing this, we can improve the function of all of our cells / organs and increase daily fat-burning (rather than dieting down to rabbit portions). Get ready for WILDLY different results too. ;-)  Not on the waitlist yet? What are you waiting for?!?! 

Camping Recipes

Any camping plans coming up?

Or maybe you just need a few new, fun outdoor grill options. These are not all PFF + intentional carb balanced and they include plenty of indulgences, but they're an upgrade to the usual camping fare. Use a recipe or two or enjoy the whole sample weekend menu as I've laid it out!



Check these out:


Weekend Camping Menu


Plant-based Weekend Camping Menu



Hope you enjoy,
Tara

Regaining the same 20 lbs? Or 5 or 50?

Ever feel like you try something for weight loss, lose a few lbs (or 20 or 50), but inevitably gain it back?

Losing and regaining the same 5, 10, 30, 50 lbs over and over isn't fun. But ya know what's worse? Realizing that the weight you lose and the weight you regain aren't actually equal.


Most weight loss efforts are done in a way that includes lots of muscle lost alongside any fat. Oftentimes organs shrink during this unhealthy kind of weight loss too. Yikes! Yet when that weight is regained, it's typically almost entirely excess body fat gained. Rinse + repeat and you can see how you end up with a higher body fat percentage over time, even if the weight yoyos and remains within a certain range. This can be a big problem for metabolic health and body goals. But there's a way around this problem so you never have to deal with that again!



It's a big topic, so I'm bringing this video I recorded just for you on this topic out of the archives today. You can listen like a podcast if that's easier ... no need to see my mug the whole time. ;-) Check it out right here.



As I mention at the end of the video, if you'd like to get help / support / guidance and an actual freaking plan that aligns with your goals thankyouverymuch, feel free to check out more about my 28-day metabolism-boosting course, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind and 1:1 coaching.



XO,
Tara

Microplastics are ... where??

Microplastics are everywhere.

Including ... in our bodies and cells. YUCK!

But there's good news: we can make a few changes that can have a big impact.



These tiny plastic particles are everywhere—our food, water, and even the air we breathe. Microplastics can wreak havoc on our health, contributing to inflammation, oxidative stress, and hormonal imbalances, which can ultimately lead to chronic diseases and even excess body fat.

Microplastics have been found to interfere with our body's metabolism, leading to weight loss resistance. These tiny plastic particles can act as endocrine disruptors, mimicking or blocking hormones that regulate various bodily functions, including metabolism. When microplastics interfere with the hormonal signals that control hunger, satiety, and energy storage, it can lead to increased fat accumulation and difficulty in losing weight.

Additionally, microplastics can induce inflammation and oxidative stress, two conditions closely linked to metabolic dysfunction. Inflammation can impair insulin signaling, which is crucial for regulating blood sugar and fat storage. This disruption can lead to insulin resistance, a condition where the body's cells become less responsive to insulin, resulting in higher blood sugar levels and increased fat storage. Oxidative stress, caused by an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants in the body, can damage cells and tissues, further exacerbating metabolic issues and contributing to weight gain and resistance to weight loss​.



They have also been discovered in plaque in human arteries! 

Thankfully, there are steps we can take to reduce our exposure to microplastics.


Some examples:



1) Avoid plastic containers for food and drinks. Purchase glass 'tupperware' when you're in the market to replace yours or put it on a gift wish list. Bring water in a glass or stainless bottle instead of relying on plastic water bottles. Avoid using plastic wrap on anything that will touch food -- especially when food is hot in temperature or acidic (as this leeches more of the plastic out and into your food). Stasher bags can replace ziplocks for food on-the-go. And when possible, use a barrier of unbleached parchment paper between your food and plastic (example: wrap a sandwich in the parchment paper and then into a zip lock or plastic container if that's all you have available. Try to avoid buying TV dinners in plastic but if and when you do, try transferring the meal to a pot or another container to heat up there instead of cooking in the plastic.



2) Choose natural fiber clothing when possible. This has been further down on my list because ... well, we can't tackle all the things at once! Fabrics like cotton, linen, silk, wool, hemp are natural (as opposed to polyester, nylon, acrylic which contain plastics).



3) Start to swap out personal care products for ones free from plastics as possible. "Beat the Microbead" website and app can help you wade through the options on the market to look for these.



4) Investing in a good water filter can help reduce the amount of microplastics in your drinking water. We have and love this one with the glass carafe, though we'd eventually like to get the Berkey as well for a powerless option. Unfortunately, things like a Brita or our fridge filter wasn't cutting it for our needs.

5) Tea and coffee! I love drinking herbal tea, but I won't steep it in the tea bags. Instead, I buy loose leaf tea or break open the tea bags and pour the contents into this stainless steel strainer instead. And if you use a Keurig for coffee, consider skipping the K cups and instead buying a stainless refillable K cup that you can use to fill with your favorite coffee grinds and yet continue to make 1 cup at a time.



Look, some of these options still have some plastic (like the glass tupperware having a plastic lid), but every little bit we cut back on helps! Also, we are all at different places and have different priorities and budgets. It's important we each just do what we can, as we can and with what we have. <3 



As for detoxifying from an overload of microplastics already in your system, you must make choices you feel are right for you, of course, and I recommend running options by a trusted healthcare provider. Some ways people choose to assist their bodies in detoxifying the microplastics:



1) Increasing fiber intake
2) Exercise + movement
3) Increasing sweat
4) Hydration
5) Antioxidant-rich foods
6) Chlorella and spirulina
7) Milk thistle
8) NAC
9) Sleep
10) Minimizing ultra-processed food



Hope you found this helpful!




XO,
Tara



P.S. The work we do in my 28-day metabolism-boosting course, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, includes the nitty gritty like reducing microplastics and toxins because nutrition and fitness are important (and we cover those things in great detail!), but there are so many other important puzzle pieces most people are missing when on a fat loss journey. We put together all the pieces ... and it's why we get all the incredible results that we do! Hop on the waitlist to reserve your spot for the September round and to be sent a discount code when the cart opens.

Things I'm loving this Summer

These 7 things are on repeat for me this Summer.

1. Basil seeds. These tiny little black seeds look just like chia seeds and can be turned into a pudding just like chia seed pudding. They can also be sprinkled on everything from yogurt, to oatmeal, to fruit salad, to cottage cheese to desserts. What I love about them is that they have 15g of fiber per serving (which is 2 T), 5g of protein and are a good source of omega 3s. Yes please! With most people coming in way under the minimum recommendation of 25g of fiber daily for women, this helps me reach that goal very easily.


2. Lumebox. I love using this thing year-round but there are certain benefits specific to Summertime. For one, it helps prepare my skin to be out in the sun and reduces sunburns. Also, using it after sun exposure helps my skin to heal any damage. It's great to speed recovery and healing time on things like mosquito bites and because of the way it improves at the level of the mitochondria, it helps with things like blood sugar management and metabolic rate -- things I'm mindful of in all seasons, but Summer is no different. Also, if your daughter stubs here toe on a lounge chair by the pool and it's suspected broken, the lumebox can be used to speed up healing then, too. ;-) This link gets you a STEEP discount that will show up once you go to check out. Enjoy!


3. Vitamin C. I mix 1 tsp into 1 cup of filtered water and add to a spray bottle. We use on our skin after pool use but before showering to help neutralize the detrimental effects of the chlorine.


4. Active skin repair. My sweet sweet mama had brain surgery to remove a tumor exactly one week ago and I've been spending lots of time in the hospital. If you know me, you know I do not use hand sanitizer. Instead, I prefer to wash my hands with soap and water. Active skin repair is great to keep in my purse for cuts, scrapes, rashes, sunburn but I will also use in place of hand sanitizer when necessary as it can help kill germs without disrupting the skin microbiome.


5. Reusable water balloons. This isn't really a health thing unless having something on hand that might entertain your kids while they get their sunshine, grounding, sensory play and exercise and while you get some in work (or relaxation or play with them) counts. We purchased these for our kiddos' last day of school and surprised them with a celebratory water balloon fight. They've been used many times since!


6. I own this bathing suit in 3 colors / patterns and rotate. They are inexpensive, cute and stay in place (except for certain diving board shenanigans). Anytime I share a cold plunge video or something wearing one, I get DMs asking where I got it, so here it is. :-)


7. I own this hat in 4 colors / patterns and practically live in them in the Summer. Again, inexpensive, cute. I wear the heck out of them with intense workouts, beach, pool, bike rides, boating, top down on Jeep, etc. and they've all held up so far! I love that I get some sun protection on my face and that I can have a high or low ponytail or bun with it on.



These 7 things are each, in their own little way, making my Summer easier / healthier. Hope your Summer so far has been exactly what you are needing it to be. <3 



XO,
Tara



P.S. The waitlist for the September round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind is open. It's for those with fat loss, muscle-building, or "toning up" goals who want to achieve those goals without dieting and while focusing on cutting-edge health optimization at the same time. Hop on it if you want to stay in-the-know and receive a discount code when the cart opens. Get ready -- we do things in a wildly different way! 

Calorie deficit for weight loss?

It's the never-ending social media argument...

Someone says in order to lose weight, you just need to be in a calorie deficit. Then someone else says, actually it's blood sugar / insulin / inflammation that matters.



Who is right?



Kinda everyone, kinda no one.



If you take in less fuel than you use up ("calorie deficit"), you will lose weight. But here's why it's not actually that simple: most people don't want to lose weight. Most people want to lose fat. A calorie deficit typically does not bring the percentage of fat loss that people are actually after.



A calorie deficit will have us lose weight ... meaning, mass. Some will come from fat but much of it will come from muscle, bone, mitochondria, connective tissue (joint pain, anyone?), collagen (more wrinkles), organs will actually shrink (and dysfunction), brain mass decreases (brain fog). With the exception of some fat, these other losses are NOT FUN, even for people who want to "lose weight". 



Why?



Well these other losses worsen our health and longevity, increase risk of disease and autoimmunity, make us tired, weak, age more quickly, create blood sugar imbalances, mood issues and can actually increase body fat percentage. These losses also reduce metabolic rate and make it nearly impossible to keep the weight off. Overall, health, energy, mood, lab work, confidence and aesthetics end up farther away from their goal.



Calories determine mass -- gain or loss. They do not determine, all by themselves, body composition.



Rather, the portions of various foods you eat do.
The amount of protein.
Your sleep.
Stress levels.
Strength training intensity and frequency.
Movement you get outside of workouts.
Blood sugar management.
How well you respect the hormone cascade.
The quantity and quality of your mitochondria.
The quantity and quality of your muscle mass.
Inflammation.
Oxidative stress.
And then yes, whether or not your mass is increasing, decreasing or remaining the same (calories).



I'm hoping you can now see both 'sides' of this silly argument with a lot more clarity now. Neither side is wrong but also, neither side is right. To be clear, I do not recommend you become a keyboard warrior and stand up to anyone on either side of this argument. Protect your peace. ;-) 



XO,
Tara



P.S. If you want to learn all about how to rebuild your body into the strongest, healthiest version yet, that's what we dive deep into in my 28-day metabolism-boosting course, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. The next round will be in September. Make sure you're on the waitlist if you'd like to join (and want a discount code when the cart opens)!

"I eat clean and workout but am not getting results."

You eat clean. You workout. But you're not loving your results.

What gives?



Does this sound familiar? I hear it all the time. People email me, DM me and say this. Here's the deal ...



It means almost nothing to me when someone says they "eat clean" and / or that they "workout". The reason is that the nuance matters. A LOT.


What does "clean eating" mean to them? What types of things do they eat? What types of things are they avoiding? What times do they eat? How much food? Are they meeting their micronutrient needs? What's the balance of their meals like? Are they getting enough protein per meal? Across the whole day? Enough fiber? What kinds of fat are they getting? How many intentional carb servings per day? How much alcohol? What’s their blood sugar management like?



One can consider themselves a "clean eater" (most people are referring to eating minimally processed foods when they say this), yet still be eating in a way that tells our body to store excess body fat and / or keep the current amount of excess body fat. We’ll know that to be the case when we have fat loss resistance. Our body doesn’t do that by accident. If it’s happening, it’s happening for a reason.



The same can be said about those who say they "workout". I love it because any exercise is better than none, right? But also, chances are there are things we can do to optimize your routine to get a bigger bang for your buck if you’re not happy with where things are at.



What types of workouts are you doing? How often? What's the intensity like? What are rest / active rest days like? How sedentary are you between workouts? How much strength training are you doing? Is it a progressively overloading + comprehensive program? How much steady state cardio? What about sprint level cardio bursts like HIIT for VO2 max improvement? How much overall movement do you get each day? Do you have a plan that feels very manageable inside your full life and one that you’re able to be consistent with even during hard or busy weeks?



Nuance.



When I get emails or DMs saying, "I eat clean and workout and just can't get the results I want" it does NOT tell me your body is broken (even when people tell me that’s the conclusion they’ve drawn). It tells me we have some information to get through and tweaks to make so you can and will finally get those results you've been spinning your wheels for.



A few notes to keep in mind if this is resonating:

1) Eating too much "clean" food for your current metabolic rate will lead to fat gain or fat loss resistance.

2) Cutting back on food with a slow metabolism instead of boosting your metabolism first can be a dangerous choice. The goal shouldn't be to enter a calorie deficit no matter how low it needs to be. The goal (for health optimization PLUS body recomposition) should be to boost your metabolism to a healthy and robust rate so that when you do dial back slightly, you're still taking in a very nourishing and satiating amount of food.

3) Eating too little in general or too little of one or more components (like protein, for example) can actually interfere with your fat loss goals as well. Starvation mode isn't a thing, but metabolic adaptation is. This means your body will 'cut corners' so that it can learn to run itself off of the smaller intake amount without dying. Your heart will keep beating and you'll breathe but your thyroid might start to down-regulate, energy levels will decline, you may notice things like brain fog, muscle will start to waste away and healing won't be as efficient.



To start:

1) Make sure you're eating 30+g of protein in each of your 3 meals per day.
2) Strength train 2-4 days a week to maintain or add muscle (and increase metabolic rate and carb tolerance).
3) Go for a daily walk.
4) Work up to at least 25g of fiber daily.
5) Prioritize sleep quantity, quality and consistency (no big swings in bedtime from weekdays to weekends).



If you need more targeted help with your health and / or body composition goals, check out my 1:1 coaching program details. Spots are very limited as it's all customized and a very high touch program but I have clients graduating out of the program often, so spots do open up fairly often. :-) It's first come, first served. Fill out the interested form if you're ... interested (haha) and I'll get back to you shortly with more information and expected timeline.



XO,
Tara

What are you made of?

If you build a house with crumbly bricks, you'd expect it to fall.

If you put soda in your car's gas tank, you'd expect it to break down.




And with all the talk we do here about balancing meals for health and body composition goals (it's important to know how much protein, fat, fiber and intentional carbohydrates your body needs), it's just as important for us to think about the quality of the food we eat.



This is because every cell in your body turns itself over. You are an ENTIRELY different human, in a physical sense, than you were a few years ago. Each cell turns over and organs are rebuilt. What are we building ourselves out of with each version we create over our lifetime? Food! 



Inside a nation that consumes mostly ultra-processed food, most humans here are mostly made up of ultra-processed food. How much of our bodies is now constructed from corn syrup, soybean oil, preservatives and microplastics? And the bigger question becomes, why are we surprised when we experience depression, excess body fat storage, anxiety, brain fog, dementia, prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, arthritis, bipolar disorder, PCOS, hypothyroidism, autoimmunity or insulin resistance? We are constructing cells and body parts out of things that were never meant to be used to construct cells and body parts. Of course they won't work well over time!



So what can we do? Yes, PFF + intentional carb balancing matters. Yes fitness, sleep, stress management, purpose, relationships, grounding, sunshine, hydration and temperature variability matters. But so too does the make-up of our food. 



Some people, when they start a health or body composition journey, start to become more mindful of things like calories or even overall food balance (macros). And many fill find themselves looking at food labels for the calories or macros, but not yet paying attention to the ingredient list. And guess what? That's ok ... at first. We can't tackle everything at once. 



But if you have been aiming to get the balance right but aren't yet reading ingredients, you may want to start. There's a lot of nuance of course but as a general rule of thumb, long ingredient lists are typically a red flag. To me, any kind of artificial dyes or flavors are too. We avoid high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils completely as well. And we really limit things like seed oils and added sugars. This has been our way of thinking for our whole 10+ years of parenting so far but the cool thing is you get to shift your boundaries whenever you want to AND you get to set boundaries wherever it makes sense for your particular family or circumstances.



One simple way to start that won't overwhelm you or your budget? When one ultra-processed food item runs out in your home next, try to replace it with something less processed. Example: you eat the last of the Ritz crackers today and shop for Mary's Gone Crackers or Simple Mills crackers next. Unfortunately the less processed, higher quality food typically costs more so you could start to make some things on your own to offset the costs, buy the item less frequently if it's not a necessity in your home (like buy Mary's Gone Crackers every other week rather than Ritz every week). Thankfully, unprocessed or minimally processed real food tends to be much more affordable than the higher quality 'convenience' items. 



Ultimately, you have your own boundaries, goals, budgets, food access, etc. Do what you can with what you have and where you're at. <3 



Nutrition isn't everything but I will tell you, the more we get in a nourishing balance of food at each meal and with nourishing quality (more real food, minimally processed and far less ultra-processed food), the tendency is for us to start to feel better in ALL the ways and build momentum towards the other health pillars we've been wanting to address.



Your cells are turning over right this very minute. What are you made of today? What do you plan to be made of tomorrow, next month and next year? Unlimited opportunities to (literally) build a new body.



If you need help, my 28-day metabolism-boosting course, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind is for you. It it there for people with fat loss, "toning up" and health optimization goals who want to learn more about how their body and metabolism actually work and thrive. The next round isn't until September but there's a special going on right now for the 4th of July: join now and get early access so you can do all the workouts, have the optional meal plans, all of the resources, and have access to the whole course and all the materials ahead of time. Then, you'll be in the live September round with the rest of the group! CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO or to sign up. We do things in a wildly different way. And that's why you see wildly different results. Get ready! ;-)



XO,
Tara

Parasympathetic-y Things

I recently had some bloodwork done.

And if you hang out with me up in Instagram stories, you know I've been sharing my results with you little-by-little. A few of the results that are considered "normal" stood out to me. Unfortunately the references ranges aren't always complete enough to lead us towards optimal health. So while overall I was very happy with my lab results (and told by the doctor that everything was great), in typical Tara fashion, I'm putting together a plan with the goal to optimize even more. (For example, while my TSH and free T4 are optimal, my T3 is a bit low. Knowing how my body and metabolism work, I am able to understand more about the root causes of why this would be).



And if this sounds familiar, it's because I felt the same way last year about my results and shared that with you as well! But these are the June 2024 results I'm now taking into consideration.



You'll have to keep watching stories for more results but in general, a few things put together paint a picture that my stress hormones seem to be dysregulated and my nervous system could use some TLC. This is something I'm pretty familiar with. I was once told by my naturopath that my cortisol levels were higher than she's ever seen in ANYone. Yikes. I was able to get that down but with a whole lotta effort. I don't know my most recent cortisol levels yet -- blood tests are almost worthless for cortisol so I didn't request it from my GP. I still plan to get another DUTCH test one of these days. But I'm not planning on waiting to make changes.



My default personality is Type A. I wake up ready to take the day and have tons of energy until it's time to crash at night. I enjoy planning for the future. Basically, I am naturally a high energy kinda person. This means that if I'm not super intentional, I'll be in need of a little nervous system re-balancing. It's been particularly stressful for some time now -- much of which I don't share as it's not always my story to share. But an outsider, if given all the information, would likely say I have very stressful life circumstances. And while the things I need to be implementing are often so amazing (fun / relaxing), I actually find it hard to make sure I keep them in. I have a list (of course I do) -- a parasympathetic-y menu of options if you will and I figured I'd share with you in case you find it helpful. I am not going to do all of the following and this isn't a To Do list where everything needs to get checked off. That would be counter-productive here! Rather, I will be refocusing on spending at least 10 minutes a day to relax my nervous system and when I'm not sure what to do, I'll pick from this list.



Important to note: if you make your own list it will likely have different things on it as we won't think the same things are interesting / relaxing.

Parasympathetic Menu of Ideas

• bath and a book

• mess with the guitar

• listen to music / sing / hum

• yoga / stretch

• massage or self massage

• sauna

• calming breathwork

• meditation / guided meditation (calm app)

• read out in the sun

• ashwagandha, L-theanine if / when needed

• write poetry

• draw or paint

• nature walk

• lay on acupressure mat

• few extra minutes of sleep

• grounding

• change into comfy clothes

• slide fingertips over my lips (they have special parasympathetic fibers)

• visualization (typically do this nightly before falling asleep)

• limit caffeine (I'm quite strict with my caffeine boundaries)

• keep overnight fasts to no more than 14 hours most days

• cold exposure (temporarily sympathetic but overall favors mostly parasympathetic)

• enough rest days / active recovery days

• be mindful that carb intake isn't too low (or too high -- both can increase stress response)

• make plans with friends

It's all connected! Nervous system regulation will show up in various ways in our lab work, mental state, health and / or body goals. There's a reason we spend a whole week on stress, sleep, hormones, and longevity practices in TRANSFORM: Body + Mind! It really cannot be ignored if we care about our outcomes. And if we have a good understanding of our body and metabolism we pick up on when things need to be tweaked ... and we tweak! 



Do you need to include more time out of "fight, flight, freeze or fawn" (sympathetic) and in "rest and digest, safe and social" (parasympathetic)? Maybe you can make your own version of this parasympathetic menu of options and pull from it daily alongside me. :-) If you do, I'd love to hear about it!



XO,
Tara

Carb strategy for fat loss

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.


This allows us to get in enough of what we need but not too much all things considered (so the few carbs you're getting from the broccoli, cheese and nuts for example do add up and we WANT them to ... in addition to the intentional carb servings which will bring even more).


To avoid large 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. Or go for the fries and skip the bun instead. At least most of the time. ;-)


Need a new, fun, easy recipe to try out for Summer? This Peach & Jalapeno Guacamole is delicious and sure to be a crowd-pleaser! It has 15g fat per serving, 7g fiber and only 6g net carbs. Enjoy with a protein source (and intentional carbs if you'd like -- like your fav. crackers) and you have yourself a balanced meal!



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! Plus, waitlist peeps will be getting an email from me in the next week or 2 with a special offer. ;-)


P.P.S. If you need more targeted help, TRANSFORM: 1:1 might be a great option. It's for those who want max support, customization and / or who have health or body composition goals they're finding trickier to manage (chronic disease diagnosis, imbalances, lab work needs improvement, something just feels off, etc.) 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 clients continually kicking butt and graduating out of their program (woo hoo!). 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. :-)

Say it to slay it!

When was the last time you hyped yourself up?

We all need it. What we say to ourselves becomes our identity. Our identity determines our actions, inactions, vibe, etc. It attracts likeness and repels anything that doesn't fit the script.



It's THAT powerful.



So no, it's not harmless or inconsequential that you sometimes tell yourself you're lazy or broken or unworthy. Interestingly, if this is something that resonates, you might fit into a "people pleaser" or "internalized PDA" neurotype. For some people, the idea of setting a goal that might not come to fruition leaves them feeling so powerless that the negative self talk is a coping strategy. If you told yourself you're lazy and then skip a workout, well at least you had enough power and control that you predicted that outcome, right?!



WRONG!



But regardless of neurotypes, we do know that a feeling of safety and autonomy (and follow through!) often comes from pro-active and very intentional identity 'votes'. These are little things you can say, repeat and / or small actions that each cast a vote of who you are and who you are becoming. It's a slow crawl towards this new identity until it sets in and then it's just who you are -- you know it, you act it and others usually start to notice too.



Pick one or a few of the following to say in your head, out loud or even journal about. It's important that it feels true to you so use that as a filter. And then watch as you start to rise to the occasion.

• I have power over my behaviors, actions and reactions and that's enough.

• I am responsible for all of the cells in my body and care for them through my various lifestyle choices.

• I take care of myself the way I'd want my best friends to take care of themselves.

• Showing up for myself is the greatest gift I can share with my loved ones because of the role modeling and way it allows my best, happiest, most calm and present self to be there for them.

• "Getting" change requires making change. The ball is in my court.

• I have unconditional love for myself. I am not making changes only if and until I see physical results. I am committing to making lifelong shifts because it's best for my health ... regardless of what's "in it for me", aesthetically.

• Taking things to the next level can feel very uncomfortable and will likely show up as resistance, doubt, excuses and sometimes blame. I'm ready to face that for the sake of my own vibrancy, confidence and quality of life.

• The health and body composition goals I have are not commonly acquired in this modern world. I understand that means I will need to do things differently than the status quo and work harder than the average person. Let's do this!

• Not everyone was dealt the same topography in this life. If I have more mountains to climb than some others, I know I'll enjoy the view even more at the summit.

• My mindset is my responsibility. I am the thermostat not the thermometer.

• When I look for loses, I happen to have more loses but when I look solely for wins, I start to collect wins.

• The time will pass anyway, I might as well make progress no matter how slow the pace.

• I can do hard things.

Screen shot this. Print this. Use it however you'd like! But I do hope you try it on for size. <3




XO,
Tara



P.S. The May round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind just wrapped up on Sunday and WOWZA did they show up for themselves! Stay tuned ... if you're on the waitlist for the September round, you'll be getting an exciting update / offer in a couple of weeks. ;-)

Summa Summa Summa Time

Holy-June-is-already-here!

Even though our kiddos are usually the last in the country to wrap up their school year (end of June), we start to get bit by the Summer bug (literally and figuratively!) around June 1st. And if you're a weather nerd like me, meteorological Summer does actually start June 1st.



So let's welcome it with open arms!



Here's a popsicle recipe collection filled with easy, fun, delicious real food recipes that you can play around with if that's your thing.



And for those already wondering how to manage making progress on their goals with so much fun + socialization to be had, I hope you find this Healthify My Summer Guide helpful!



Enjoy,
Tara



P.S. 2 ways we can work together:



1. TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, my 28-day metabolic health course.


2. 1:1 coaching

Do you need a custom healing plan?

Our symptoms tend to be custom

Someone has PCOS, prediabetes, hypothyroidism and insulin resistance (like I used to).


Someone else is noticing her hair falling out and is having bloating after meals.


Yet another person is struggling with weight loss resistance, belly fat and elevated triglycerides.


There's brain fog, cravings and arthritis in someone else.


And elevated liver enzymes, blood pressure, fatigue and mood swings are happening in someone else.


The current medical system has us believing that these people should all be seeing separate specialists, likely being put on a range of medications and maybe procedures. The various doctors will never be in communication with each other and the body is seen as separate systems / organs, with no consideration given to the fact that there is cross-talk between EVERY system and cell in our body.


So most people see their custom signs and symptoms as a sign that they need a customized plan of care. And while there is some truth to that, it's typically more like these custom symptoms all require more or less the same plan, with just some small tweaks as needed.


You see, every single client or 'case study' I've listed above will benefit from the same basic principles. While there are no guarantees, the vast majority of people can reverse or greatly improve the damage that lead to those signs, symptoms and diagnoses with the right plan.


The right plan requires a bit of education and a lot more nuance, of course, than I can share in one email but I would like to at least give you the overview today in case you find it helpful. A few weeks back I posted this blog out talking about what I call The Big 10. Here's a bit more on my thoughts for each. What I'm sharing might be hard to hear as it tends to be quite far from how most of us are actually living our lives. I challenge you to notice if and where you feel agitated. Maybe it's something you want to explore more. Maybe it's something that feels entirely out of reach for whatever reason right now (time, finances, bandwidth). That's ok. In many ways this is a list of how we used to live as humans prior to about 100- 200 years ago, but with an updated twist. The cool thing about our health and body composition goals is that we can tend to make great progress with even 1 or 2 small changes that snowball over time. Our choices, thoughts, behaviors and habits really do matter SO much. 


Ok, onto some more about The Big 10:


Food -- mostly real, whole, unprocessed or minimally processed food. This food should not have harmful pesticides / herbicides or added hormones. The plants should be grown in nutrient dense soil (rather than monocrop farming). Any animals or fish should be free range / wild caught and given access to their natural food source. We thrive when we eat nourishing, blood-sugar balancing meals and give ourselves plenty of time between meals. Our food is better absorbed and digested when we eat most meals slowly and socialize plenty with people we love who we feel safe around.

Sleep -- we're getting 7-9 hours in a cool and very dark room. We're breathing through our noses.

Light -- the first light we see is the sunrise. We're outside plenty throughout the day (increased time indoors is a risk factor for disease and metabolic dysfunction). No bright or overhead lights on or blue light devices in the few hours before bed. We limit processed, artificial light so our cells truly know when it's nighttime vs. daytime.

Stress -- we reduce it where we can and build resilience in the meantime. We do not allow ourselves to be available to the fear of the entire population at anytime (maybe we limit consumption of news and social media, turn off notifcations, etc.). We purposely infuse more joy into our lives and work towards radical acceptance.

Movement -- we are moving most of the day. This is not your workouts but in between workout times. Increased time sitting is a risk factor for disease and metabolic dysfunction independent of exercise.

Toxins -- we're mindful of the quality of our air, water, soil, hygiene products, cleaning products, etc. and choosing to filter and upgrade where necessary and possible. We're picky about using pharmaceuticals (of course using as necessary, but considering alternatives where possible). We're not smoking or drinking much, if any, alcohol.

Temperature -- we realize our genes have evolved to withstand and thrive under temperature variability. We have so many beneficial and protective mechanisms "built in" in response to heat and cold. Living at room temperature most of our lives in houses, cars, offices, etc. is a risk factor.

Muscle -- we appreciate the importance of muscle on metabolic health and health optimization. We understand we all lose muscle as we get older but do what we can to offset that and slow the decline by strength training regularly (really challenging our muscles!), nourishing ourselves well and eating 0.8 1g of protein per lb of a bodyweight we feel most comfortable at, per day.

Mindset -- we are realistic, but on the optimistic side. We have a solution for every problem rather than a problem for every solution. We are human and have the full spectrum of human emotions, yet have built up coping skills and strategies to accept and move past the muck rather than get stuck there. If we feel this area needs more attention at any point, we make it more of a focus and put in the reps.

Purpose, connection, awe -- we think / journal / meditate on our purpose. Who are we? How can we help this world, our friends, family, community or moment in time better than it would have been otherwise? We make time to connect with others ... sharing a meal, a laugh, an experience, story, ideas, challenges, adventure or some down time. We make time to feel awe.



If this inspires you to take inventory on even 1 tiny aspect of your life, my time writing this newsletter was totally worth it to me!


XO,
Tara


P.S. These 10 areas (plus subsets and many others) are what we dive into in great detail in my 28-day metabolism-boosting course. Metabolism isn't just for body composition changes (though it's that too). Metabolism is how our body is functioning. Metabolism is our health. Here's some more info. on TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. The next round isn't until September but hop on the waitlist if you're interested because I'll be sharing about a cool opportunity in a few weeks. ;-) 

Hair, skin and nails

Deviating from our 'normal' content today except....

One, there is no normal content. You voluntarily clicked on this blog and can therefore be subject to whatever random note I want to leave each week. Haha!



And two, the stuff we're getting into today isn't a real deviation from our health and metabolism topics at all since many of these are addressing cellular health and getting to the root of the issue.



I first shared about much of this about 14 months ago. In case you're new around here, want the reminder or wanted the updates to my products / routines, I figured I'd share today! Where possible, I'll be sharing links for you to check out. Some of the direct links get you a discount on your order (and bring me a very small commission), some require you to enter the code, and others are just regular ol' links to make things easier for you if you're in the market for anything we're chatting about. Much of today's newsletter is about our behaviors / habits, so there will be no links for those. ;-)



Please keep in mind we are all in different places with different incomes, goals, and priorities. My hope is only ever to supply knowledge and helpful tips without ever wanting to make you feel the need to buy something. Many of the things I'll be sharing today are free, but some are also quite pricey! If all you do is start to implement the free or super low cost stuff I share about here or in any of my other newsletters, there's so much potential in that. <3



Let's start with oral care, shall we?



Here's what I do for my mouth:

• Floss with Risewell (code: Allen10 for 10% off) hydroxyapatite floss. Their version doesn't contain any toxins (like the Teflon -- "forever chemicals" -- that are in most floss) and also contains hydroxyapatite to help remineralize between the teeth.

• Tongue scrape every morning with a stainless steel tongue scraper.

• Brush at least 2x a day with Risewell (code: Allen10) hydroxyapatite toothpaste. Again, no toxins and uses hydroxyapatite instead of fluoride to remineralize teeth. Fluoride is a neurotoxin that crosses the blood-brain barrier, isn't water soluble (so doesn't break down very well in our body), can calcify parts of our body like the pineal gland, is starting to look like it affects liver and kidney health, and can lower IQ. Even though it strengthens teeth, we now thankfully have a safer alternative.

• I skip all traditional mouthwash. Mouthwash is a disinfectant and unless we're talking about cleaning tools prior to surgery, we don't want disinfectants on or in our body. This kills beneficial bacteria and throws off our oral microbiome. One such effect is that we lose the ability to produce as much nitric oxide as we want to. This affects metabolism, blood pressure, blood sugar management, and a whole host of other things.

• Oil pulling. This I only do sometimes, when I remember. I take a tablespoon or 2 of coconut oil and swish it around in my mouth for a few minutes and then spit in the garbage (it can clog plumbing). This helps balance our oral microbiome in a favorable way and can even help whiten teeth.

• Occasionally, I'll add some activated charcoal to my toothpaste and brush with it. It helps remove stains and whitens teeth.

• Mouth tape. At night (when lip balm doesn't win the battle), I use mouth tape to help ensure nasal breathing. This has many health and metabolism benefits, improves sleep quality, and also helps prevent cavities and crooked teeth. You don't need a special product though. You can just use a small piece of medical grade tape instead.

Next up, hair stuff:

• I don't have a certain shampoo or conditioner I'm married to yet (I've tried so many), but I keep trying new ones. I currently have Rowe Casa's shampoo and conditioner bars and I like 'em! If you try any of their products and use code TARAALLEN you'll get 20% off your first order and 10% off any order after that.

• Protein intake is very important for hair health! Making sure I'm getting .8 - 1g of protein per lb of a body weight I feel most comfortable at, per day is a goal I keep top of mind.

• Collagen can be extra helpful as it's just a few certain amino acids (proteins) in a certain combination and even though our body breaks it down during digestion, the building blocks are all there so it can be reassembled post-digestion and help with hair (and skin, nails, connective tissue, and gut health). Collagen has also been shown to help boost our own production of collagen. Sweet!  These collagen peptides are a great option. Use code TARA_ALLEN_HEALTH for 20% off. A gelatinous bone broth (either store bought or homemade) is another great source. If you're plant based, you can try this one.

• When I get 30 seconds uninterrupted in the bathroom (so once a year or so), I brush my hair a little longer and focus on my scalp to increase blood circulation. Scalp massages help with this too -- you can do this yourself or trade off with a partner. Feels so great, too! Bonus.

• Another circulation trick is to include some inversions into your day or week. Handstands, headstands, or even just carefully hang upside down off the end of your couch for a minute or two gives your head / scalp area a nice little boost in circulation. Exercise does too. ;-)

• Once upon a time I used to wash my hair daily. This made my hair more brittle and even more oily as I was stripping away the natural oils too often so my body was compensating. Now, I'm down to washing my hair just 2-4 times per week and I've noticed some positive changes from this.

• I'm turning 41 next month and have definitely pulled out a few grays already. I don't recommend that strategy but I'm just being honest. Pretty soon I'll have to stop so I don't end up plucking out all of my hair! One thing I've found so interesting is the relationship between zinc, copper, and gray hair. When the ratios are off and we're taking in much more zinc than copper, our hair seems to gray even faster. Do with that as you may, but just be sure to run any supplementation changes by a trusted healthcare provider beforehand. Seriously. You can do a lot of damage if it's not the right thing for YOU, the right amount, the right balance, or from a trusted and 3rd party-tested brand.

• SLEEP. In general, we accumulate damage and "aging" during the day and can partially reverse damage and "aging" with enough high-quality sleep.

Last but certainly not least, some random skin things:

• I have been using Crunchi skin products and makeup for probably 5-7 years now and love the way they are non-toxic, hold up well, and smell nice but not strong as I'm very sensitive to scents. Of course there are no false fragrances either.

• No toxic sunscreens. My goal is to get enough sun but not too much. I think either extreme is a big risk. If I'll be out in the sun for a while or right in the middle of the day, I'll cover up or use mineral sunscreen. For my face, I like Crunchi brand. For my body, I like Beauty by Earth or Rowe Casa. Code: TARAALLEN

• Dry brushing helps with lymphatic drainage and detoxifying, can improve the sweat response (so I'll do it before a sauna or hot bath), and exfoliates the skin.

• Sunglasses. I skip 'em (most of the time). Our eyes are the only part of our brain that interface with the outside world. Our eyes have specialized cells that can tell when we are outdoors and when we are in bright sun. This is important for circadian rhythm setting. If we want our cells to be really good at the daytime tasks and really good at their nighttime tasks, having this strong circadian rhythm is important. But besides that, our eyes can tell our brain to increase skin protection and healing when it senses we are out in the mid-day sun. But not if we lie to our brain by wearing sunglasses all the time and tricking our brain into thinking it's in the shade. Of course this isn't advice. You do you. There would be risks to getting too much sun exposure to your eyes as well. But personally I skip sunglasses most of the time for these reasons. I have also found that I am MUCH more tolerant to the sun now. Back 8+ years ago when I didn't limit sunglass use, my eyes were very sensitive to the sun! That's no longer the case.

• Caffeine interferes with collagen production, so no coffee overload for me. Coffee, yes. Coffee overload, no.

• The amount of research that has been mounting about the benefits of red light and infrared light therapy is pretty astonishing. We have a personal, low-EMF infrared sauna that I use as well as the Lumebox which is a portable device and perfect for the face! Red light can help with many things (like pain and metabolism) but in terms of skin, it helps boost collagen, helping with wrinkles and improves skin conditions like acne, rosacea, and eczema. I love the Lumebox so much and even use it on the kids for certain things. The reason it "works" so well is that it helps at the level of the mitochondria. Everything is upstream of that.

• Hydration, electrolytes (I love Relyte and LMNT brands), and plenty of healthy fats in your diet are super important for skin health.

• Collagen ... this is a biggie for skin as we lose collagen -- just like muscle -- year after year as we age. We can't prevent that entirely at this time, but we can certainly slow the process.

• Frownies like this and this. Our son told me a while back that my "11" lines on my forehead looked like one crooked domino was about to knock down the other straight domino. I laughed my butt off ... and then ordered frownies the next day. Full disclosure: I've only worn them a handful of times. It's just not a part of my daily routine yet but I do like having the option. I, personally, am not into Botox or fillers so I really appreciate more natural and subtle solutions\

• If you see me out in the summer during the daytime, I'll probably have a hat on. I have this one in 3 colors / patterns because I love how it allows for a high ponytail for the beach, pool, and workouts. I try to ensure I get enough sun on my face in the morning and evening when possible, but do try to avoid a bunch of direct sun to my face in the middle of the day. That wasn't the case most of my life though, plus I'm very expressive ... hence the domino contraption situation.

• Anything that boosts circulation is a great idea for skin health (as well as health health). This includes exercise, non-exercise movement, laying on this acupressure mat, heat exposure and cold exposure contrast therapy (switching back and forth between the heat and cold).

• One of my favorite drinks is mixing some filtered water with electrolytes and Organifi Glow (code TARAALLEN gets you 15% off) ... which is full of collagen pre-cursors. It tastes great but it also helps to give your body more of what it needs to synthesize its own collagen. This is different than just taking collagen.

• Ice bucket. I haven't tried this one yet but it's on my list to experiment with. Fill a big bowl with water and ice and dunk your face in it for a few seconds, a few times in a row. This should wake you up but also minimize the appearance of pores or puffy skin.

• SLEEP. Of course it makes its way into pretty much everything because it's THAT important.

• Grounding. Standing barefoot on the grass / dirt / sand or gardening with bare hands, swimming in natural bodies of water ... these all help reduce inflammation by helping us accumulate electrons from the Earth that we pass down the electron transport chain to make cellular energy. This reduces inflammation and the effects are far-reaching and include improved skin (amongst everything else). One thing I've added to the arsenal more recently is a grounding mat and grounding sheet (code GWTARA for 10% off your order) for our bed. These plug into just the grounding port of an outlet (no nnEMFs to worry about) and can help increase time spent grounding by bringing it indoors when necessary. I don't plan for it to replace outdoor time at all! But just another tool to have. I can stand and work on the grounding mat or sleep on the sheet and be grounding all night long. Yes please!

Hope you found at least something here helpful!



Enjoy your week,
Tara



P.S. The next round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind starts in September. If you have fat loss, muscle-building, or "toning up" goals and want to achieve those goals while optimizing your health and feeling great day after day, make sure you hop on the waitlist now! Waitlist peeps reserve their spot and will get a discount code when the cart opens... plus they will find out about any special offers (hint hint).


P.P.S. If you need more targeted help for yourself or a loved one for health and / or body composition goals ... more accountability, customized nutrition, fitness and lifestyle plan, help navigating healthcare appointments and a 2nd pair of eyes assessing lab work, CGM data, put together the pieces of the puzzle, etc., 1:1 coaching might be a better fit. If interested, fill out the form and I'll get back to you shortly so we can discuss your goals, what it would look like to work together and when I will have availability next. 

To weigh yourself or not to weigh yourself

Do you weigh yourself?

Some people do it daily.
Some more occasionally.
And there are others who have determined that weighing themselves isn't a great idea for them and their goals.



I recorded this 10-minute video for you all about this decision. Hope you find it helpful!



XO,
Tara



P.S. Some ways we can work together:


1) The next round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind will be in September. It will be the last one I run this year. If you want to make sure you're included, make sure you hop on the waitlist.


2) I offer 1:1 coaching as well. Spots are limited and not always available, but clients are often graduating out of the program so spots do open up fairly often. Fill out the interested form if you'd like me to contact you about timing, availability, and more details.

The Big 10

"My metabolism hurts!"

What if we said that? It would certainly help us get to the root of the issue, wouldn't it? This kind of reminds me of this religious saying that I'm going to butcher here because I'm paraphrasing but let's try ...



A man gets caught in torrential rains. His house is flooding and things are looking grim. He prays to God to help him. A man in a rowboat comes by and yells for him to get in. "No thanks", he says, "God will help me." The rowboat continues on. A motorized boat comes by next. "Jump in. I can get you out of here right away." "No thanks. God will save me." The motorboat passes. Next, a helicopter flies by with a rope dangling, asking the man to hold on tight. "No thanks. I've prayed to God and I'm waiting." The man dies and goes to Heaven. He says, "God, I believed in you and you let me die. What happened?" God says, "I sent you a rowboat, a motorboat and even a helicopter. What more did you expect?!"



I share that story because it reminds me a bit about how many people feel about their bodies, as well. Typically, before we are diagnosed with chronic disease, there were signs and / or symptoms. And when we understand a bit about how our body works, we can recognize those signs and symptoms as being helpful messengers sent to save us and often turn things around.



We say our knee hurts when we've injured it.
We said our head hurts when we have a migraine.
But we never say our metabolism hurts. Yet, we can assume our metabolism IS hurting if we have any of the following....



Excess body fat
Elevated fasting blood sugar
Elevated HgBA1C
High blood pressure
PCOS
Elevated insulin
Elevated triglycerides
Low HDL
Large waist circumference
Elevated triglycerides-to-HDL ratio
Elevated CRP or uric acid
Cravings
Get "hangry"
Hunger and fullness signals out of whack (for some it's low hunger and for others it's excessive or insidious hunger)
Mood disorders and certain other brain metabolic issues (most behavioral / "psych" disorders have a link here)
Brain fog
Reduced muscle mass
Energy crashes



The most recent research tells us only 6.8% of American adults are considered metabolically healthy. And unfortunately, that's using pretty lenient ranges of what they consider normal. In other words, some of those 6.8% still have lab values that are concerning and will likely to lead to eventual disease if unchanged. If we looked at more optimal ranges, ranges that aren't concerning, I suspect that number to be closer to 1-2% of American adults.



I never pour this much time and attention into things out of our control. That feels like a terrible waste of time. The reason I share about these topics so often is because it is largely in our control. Despite genetics and certain things we can't necessarily control like certain environmental toxins, the VAST majority of our metabolic health is on our own shoulders. It's our responsibility. It can worsen at any time. And it can improve -- usually by A LOT -- at any time. The choice is ours. But first we have to recognize if it's even a problem.



If you're in the 6.8% of American adults considered metabolically healthy (or an estimated 1-2% in the optimal ranges as I discussed more about the criteria here), amazing! My guess is you put considerable time and effort into your health. Optimal health doesn't just happen. Keep going!



But if you're part of the 93.2% (or more like 98 - 99% not yet in "optimal" ranges), you can take steps towards reversing metabolic damage right now, today!



It's everything we talk about each week in my newsletter and what I share about everyday on my feed and in stories on instagram. I will continue bringing you tools, resources, tips, tricks, recipes, workouts, mindset strategies and everything in between. And before this blog gets too long, let me share this list:



Food
Sleep
Movement
Stress / fear / joy / radical acceptance
Toxins
Temperature
Light
Muscle
Mindset
Purpose + connection



These are what I call, "The Big 10". The 10 buckets we can each dig through and uplevel, little-by-little. When we get these buckets mostly right most of the time (perfection isn't a thing, nor is it necessary), we get our metabolic health in order. When we have a lot off with these buckets over time, we usually notice one or many of the symptoms and signs of metabolic disease.



What if you need help? You don't know where to start? Or you feel like you're trying things and doing things and not getting the results you want? This is common! The information that's 'out there' and being shared by most healthcare practitioners, blogs and social media accounts is terribly outdated and problematic. If you can, I hope you'll join us for this May round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. It's my 28-day metabolism course. We're getting to the root of metabolic dysfunction to improve health and achieve fat loss goals by tackling all of the buckets above in great detail and with a doable plan and all the help + guidance you need. Tomorrow is the last day to join. You get access Thursday. We start Monday. I'd love to help you. <3



If you can't join us for this round, stay with me here. My goal is to help as many people as I can regardless of whether we ever get to officially work together or not. I will keep the help coming via free avenues as well. Your metabolic health will shape the quality of your life. It's that important! 



XO,
Tara



P.S. Below -- people hardly ever notice "just" fat loss. There are typically improvements in energy, lab work, diseases, health markers and / or symptoms too. All of those signs and symptoms tell us something is off within the way the cell is powered up. This is metabolic dysfunction. When we get to the root of the metabolic dysfunction, all kinds of seemingly 'random' things start to improve. No promises ever because everyone is different, but if you decide to join us, I can't wait to hear what you notice in your own body!

No Recipe Needed PFF Meal Collection

Recipes can be so helpful, when we know they're balanced in a way that will help us reach our goals.

Aaaaand when we have the time and desire to cook. And that's why I've been known to send out MANY recipes, free meal plans and recipe collections here in my newsletter from time to time. ;-)



But sometimes we are in a rush. We haven't meal prepped. We don't feel like cooking. Or some combination of that. Enter: throw together meals. These meals are balanced with protein, fat, fiber and some have intentional carbs. They are designed to nourish us, satiate us and help us make progress on goals like fat loss, muscle-building, blood sugar balance and / or health optimization.



I've recently updated this NO RECIPE NEEDED PFF MEAL IDEAS resource. There are omnivore options, lacto-ovo vegetarian options and vegan options. Regardless if you're new around here and missed getting it last time OR we've been partying together here on my blog for years already, I hope you enjoy! 


If you're a 1:1 client, on the waitlist for TRANSFORM: Body + Mind or currently in The After Party, you already have this new version in your resource section and of course you know that tweaking things a little to YOUR unique needs can make a big difference!



Speaking of ... are you getting excited about the May round of TRANSFORM yet? Me too! Enrollment opens tomorrow. It's my 28-day metabolism-boosting course. I'll send you a couple of extra emails this coming week while the cart is open to share more about the course, who it's for and what our process is. We do things in a WILDLY different way and I love sharing why it has been so successful for so many people. <3 Once enrollment closes in a week, we'll get right back to our regularly scheduled programming of weekly emails crafted to help you on your journey, for free! ;-)



Just FYI -- there will only be 1 more round of TRANSFORM this year after this May round ... and it won't be until Fall. Today is the last chance to hop on the waitlist and get a discount code sent to you when enrollment begins tomorrow.



XO,
Tara


P.S. In case you missed it on the socials, here are some recent posts:



We talked about senescent cells here

Metabolic dysfunction in our 20s and 30s vs. 40s and beyond

Outdated vs. updated ways to view "dieting"

Metrics I completely ignore in order to get in excellent strength workouts

Indulgence frequency (this might blow your mind)

How to prevent weight regain

4th phase water and why it matters

Fiber guide and free meal plan

Everything is protein this and protein that lately.

And it's great! I'm finally able to post my protein recommendations without all the comments from some traditionally trained nutrition professionals I used to get on the socials up until a few months ago like, "That will ruin your kidneys" and "That's not what the government recommends". (Sufficient protein does not ruin kidney function. Some people with compromised kidney function already need to consume less protein. That's not the same. What I recommendisdifferent from what the government recommends because staying on top of the research on optimal health means there will be differences there.)



So keep getting that protein in!



But let's not forget we have essential fatty acid (fat) needs and fiber plays such a valuable role in nutrition as well! Let's talk about fiber today. Maybe we'll dive into fat in a future newsletter.



Fiber is one way to naturally raise GLP-1 in our bodies.More on that in this post. Fiber helps to make us feel satiated, helps us manage blood sugar, acts as prebiotics (food for our microbiome) and helps us then go on to produce postbiotics (example: butyrate -- these act as signaling molecules and play a big role in many different functions and systems in our body). 



I recommend 5-15g of fiber per meal for most people, most of the time. There are some people who seem to need to back off of fiber for a while as they heal their gut, though most people would do best aiming to build back up that fiber once they are healed enough to be able to tolerate it again. Now, three meals a day with 5g of fiber in each would still leave you under the amount recommended. Ideally most women are getting more than 25-30g per day and men are getting at least 35-40g per day.



Here are some high fiber food options:

 

1. Beans and Legumes:

   • Black beans (1/2 cup cooked): 7.5 grams of fiber

   • Lentils (1/2 cup cooked): 7.8 grams of fiber

   • Chickpeas (1/2 cup cooked): 6.2 grams of fiber

   • Split peas (1/2 cup cooked): 8.1 grams of fiber

2. Vegetables:

   • Artichokes (1 medium): 6.9 grams of fiber

   • Broccoli (1 cup cooked): 5.1 grams of fiber

   • Brussels sprouts (1 cup cooked): 4.1 grams of fiber

   • Sweet potatoes (1 medium, baked with skin): 3.8 grams of fiber

   • Carrots (1 medium): 1.7 grams of fiber

3. Fruits:

   • Raspberries (1/2 cup): 4 grams of fiber

   • Avocado (1 medium): 9.2 grams of fiber

   • Pear (1 medium): 5.5 grams of fiber

   • Apple (1 medium): 4.4 grams of fiber

   • Banana (1 medium): 3.1 grams of fiber

4. Whole Grains:

   • Quinoa (1/2 cup cooked): 2.6 grams of fiber

   • Oats (1/2 cup cooked): 2 grams of fiber

   • Brown rice (1/2 cup cooked): 1.8 grams of fiber

5. Nuts and Seeds:

   • Chia seeds (1 ounce, about 2 tablespoons): 10.6 grams of fiber

   • Flaxseeds (1 ounce, about 2 tablespoons): 7.6 grams of fiber

   • Almonds (1 ounce, about 23 almonds): 3.5 grams of fiber

   • Pumpkin seeds (1 ounce): 5.2 grams of fiber

6. Other:

   • Acacia fiber (1 tablespoon): 7 grams of fiber

   • Basil seeds (1 tablespoon): 7 grams of fiber

   • Lupini bean pasta (1 serving): 15g

Important to note that fiber content may vary slightly depending on factors such as ripeness, cooking method, and specific variety. Many of these high fiber foods check off other nutritional boxes too! Some are intentional carbs, some are fats, and a few have a least a little protein. Others, like the non-starchy veggies, I wouldn't give credit as intentional carbs, fat or protein.



I made this Spring 2024 Recipe Collection for you in case you want to see how to pull this all together in some real meals. There are omnivore recipes, vegan options, vegetarian options. There are breakfasts, lunches and dinners. And they all have 5-15g fiber, at least 30g protein, and fat and intentional carbs dialed in to help with health and body composition goals. I hope you love it!



XO,
Tara