Confidence as Currency

True Nutrition is proud to present the first episode of our True Stories docuseries. This episode is dedicated to all the busy moms out there. "Confidence as Currency" is Tamra's story of her busy life as a wife and mom of four young kids, and how health and fitness help her find order in the chaos. So much of parenting involves constant, day-to-day energy and confidence withdrawals. It's counterintuitive, in the most selfless of roles, to make time for yourself. But the result of finding time to workout, time for good nutrition, time for beauty routines and self care, all add up to deposits in her energy and confidence bank to actually be that best version of herself on whom her loved ones depend.

Parenting is a thankless job, so it becomes important to find gratification in the process itself.

Name: Tamra
Age: 37

A lot boils down to prep. You know the old saying, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” That said, I know that the more I get done, the less I have on my plate the following day. This puts me in more control of my day and helps lessen the chaos. 

MORNING: 

• I wake up at 6:30am 
• My husband has left for work already, so it’s time to prep the kids— dressed and ready for school
• 7am: I head into the kitchen to prep healthy meals for all 4 of my kids with various dietary restrictions. 
• 7:15am: Kids are in the kitchen eating breakfast. 
• While kids are eating breakfast, I shoot over to my room to get ready for the day 
• 7:45-8am: Kids are loaded in the car and we leave for school 
• 8:30-9am: If it’s a work day, I’ll head over to the office—otherwise, I’ll determine my workout based on time or how I feel. 

MOVEMENT: 

9-10am: I listen to my body, so workouts will vary. If I need an extra push, I will fit in a group exercise class. If I feel like I need to be more grounded, a solo workout at the gym makes for a perfect therapeutic session. Headphones on, music up. If I have very little to no time, I hop on my stationary bike at home. Sometimes, I just need to listen to my body and take a rest day (and that’s OK). 

AFTERNOON: 

• 11am-3pm: If it’s not a work day, I use this time to tie any loose ends on the agenda—i.e. grocery shopping, meal prepping, cleaning up, pet care—whatever the day throws at me.
• A few times per week, I’m running my kids around to various extracurricular activities (i.e. sports, music, or appointments).
  
  

EVENING WIND-DOWN: 

• 5-6:30pm: I’m cooking a nutritious meal for the whole family to enjoy together 
• 6:30-8pm: Prepping for the following day—backpacks, breakfast, lunches, and making sure the kitchen is cleaned up.
• 8pm: I get the kids in the bath, while I shift to complete my own evening self-care routine—skincare, etc. 
• It’s important to set the tone for the evening—dim lights, low-energy mood, so everyone starts to get in the mindset that it’s almost time for bed. 
• 9pm: Final call for lights out / bedtime

Q&A

What are your favorite True Nutrition products, and why?  

• Custom Oats: Oats can get boring every day! Customization offers a flexible variety of flavors and combinations without all of the extra sugary additives. My favorite blend consists of Gluten-Free Rolled Oats with Flax Seeds—boosted with Mushroom Blend and Health Boost and sweetened with Monk Fruit. I love the Vermont Maple, and Vanilla flavor, but Blueberry Muffin is my favorite! (Shop my mix here.)
• Custom Protein: I've been using Egg White protein in TrueFlavor™ Cookies & Cream. I like the consistency of Egg White, and it's much more gentle for my stomach. (Shop my blend here.)
• Custom Greens: My greens blend includes Barley Grass, Spinach, Kale, Spirulina, Pineapple, Coconut Water, and Hemp Protein. My days can be stressful, so I boost my mix with adaptogens Rosehips and Ashwagandha. Finally, I'll add probiotics and flavor my greens in TrueFlavor™ Toasted Coconut. (Shop my greens here.)
• Vitamin C: Great antioxidant.
• Zinc-Mag: I take this at night to help me sleep better, and for more restful recovery. 
• EAA+: I use EAA+ to recovering from workouts. It helps with energy and building a strong foundation so I don't deplete myself. I drink this post-workout, and my favorite flavor is Cherry Pineapple.  

Do you ever get overwhelmed?  

I’ve learned to trust the process; knowing my prep and choices are helping me to be more in control. I set the tone for what needs to be done through things like music and creating the right environment—sometimes blasting Paula Abdul and vacuuming the house just works! 

How do you prioritize the relationship with your husband?

We try to fit in a date night at least once a month, genuine connection — fun, laughter, and not glued to our phones over dinner. You have to date to stay connected and keep it fresh and interesting. 

What does your social life look like?

Connecting with friends is also a form of self-care. When we’re laughing, being silly and goofy, it gives me more in my own cup to pour from. Scheduling a monthly get-together with my friends to catch up and check in helps hit the reset button and helps build my energy and confidence. 

What does your diet look like? 

Over the years, I’ve realized which foods help my body thrive to perform or which foods trigger negative effects. I try to eat more of the good and less of the bad. For me, reducing alcohol intake and red meat, while limiting dairy, sugar, and processed foods has worked best.

What foods help you perform the best? 

I realize when I really make it a point to keep the timing of my meals more consistent I’m able to perform my best. This also helps me prevent unnecessary snacking through the day. My go-to foods are egg whites, oats, ground turkey, and chicken. I love peanut and almond butter, and oftentimes use bananas in recipes to bake or sweeten. 

Is there anything in your day-to-day that you struggle with? 

Sugar is a weakness—it can be hard to get through a day without consuming something sweet. I do my best to prepare for this and give myself alternatives that can satisfy my sweet tooth before turning straight to something processed. Everyone has moments of weakness, but here’s what I do to curb the cravings:

• Add dates to protein shakes for a little sweetness
• Add dark chocolate chips into almonds for a sweet treat 
• I’m mindful of when I have a protein shake—for example, if I’m more vulnerable to a sweet tooth craving around 3-4pm, I will save my shake for that timeframe.
• For cakey, carb, and sugar cravings, I like to experiment in the kitchen with different recipes. I’ll whip up a batch of protein muffins with mashed banana, flour, egg, etc. 

How do you instill the importance of confidence in your kids? 

By being a role model and teaching them to listen to and honor their bodies. I create analogies through their own unique interests to get the point across, for example, if one of my kids doesn’t like to eat as much, I might tell them, “Your car needs gas to go; your body needs nutrients.” 

I encourage them to be authentic, to do things for themselves, and not be afraid of judgment. I often tap into my silly, goofy inner child to show them to have fun with self-expression.