Healthy Eating, Fitness, and Mom Life (An Interview With Trainer Tamara)

Here at Wink Well, we have a favorite saying, “confidence is beauty.” And we can’t help but think about that as we talk to Trainer Tamara. 

Tamara is a certified personal trainer, mama, wife, and overall amazing human being. 

Tamara found fitness after a rough time in her life and it transformed into her passion. We caught up with her to hear more about how she juggles fitness, healthy eating, and mom life. 

1. Tell us about yourself, your family, and how you got into fitness.

Hi! I’m Tamara and I’m a mom to three kiddos, a wife to 1 ;), and a lover of literally all things health and fitness. Fitness has been a huge part of my life for the last 9 years. 

I originally got into it after a bad relationship to help me build my confidence and do something for myself. During that relationship, I found that I had lost myself and what I was made of. All the love and confidence I had in myself disappeared and I was looking for a way to get some emotions out in a healthy way. Fitness. 

Fitness was so much more than just appearance, it was me fighting to find what I was made of. It was as much about my physical strength as it was my mental health.

From there, I found my love for competing in NPC Bikini Competitions and personal training. I want to help other women change how they feel AND help them find their confidence and self-love through fitness. 

2. How does it help you as a mom?

You've seen those sayings that your kids don't need you to be a perfect mom, they need you to be a happy mom. To me, incorporating fitness and health into my life helps me be my best self and in turn be a better mom. 

Not only that, but it’s important for me to show my children how proper nutrition not only fuels your body but how staying active and eating healthy is important for your mental health too.  

3. How do you incorporate nutrition into your lifestyle?

Meal prepping is a huge key to maintaining proper nutrition especially being a mom where you're on-the-go constantly. If you don't have nutritious meals prepped beforehand, more than likely you'll find whatever is easiest, which let’s be honest, is usually fast food. 

4. Do you feel like exercising and eating healthy help with your energy?

I can’t tell you just how much I believe it helps with, not only energy but getting more quality sleep. It has actually been proven that exercising strengthens circulation in your heart which improves your energy. With eating healthy, it is so true when they say FOOD IS FUEL. What you put in your body dictates how you feel and your energy levels. Healthy whole foods are the best fuel.  

5. How do you juggle staying healthy with mom life?

Oh gosh, it is not easy. I think it’s a constant struggle of finding balance. I know it may sound repetitive, but making sure my food is prepped is huge. For my kids, I just add things to make it something they might like, like sauces or a yummy side dish. 

When it comes to finding time to work out it is so hard. You have to remember your why and stay as motivated as possible. If you miss a day, THAT IS OK, that’s mom life. Like I said, it’s about finding a balance for whatever stage of life you are in. 

6. What are your recommended go-to exercises for someone just starting out?

I don't know if there’s a specific go-to exercise I would recommend, but instead, I would say to stick to the basics of exercises. Basics that you recognize and movements you do in your everyday life. A few of those could be squats, push-ups, jumping jacks, and planks. Remember that there is nothing wrong with going back to basics. We all have to start somewhere. 

7. What do you do for self-care?

Self-care is so important for the reason that concentrating on recovery is just as important as how hard you work in the gym or what food you put in your body. It is rare for me but self-care (other than a spin class or other work out classes) looks like massages, manicures, pedicures, and girl’s nights (because who doesn't love a night out with your best friends to help your mental health)  :). 

8. How do you teach your kids about exercise/nutrition?

The absolute best way to teach our kids anything is by leading by example. It’s hard to teach them something that their biggest mentors aren't doing on their own. We try to show them how exercise and nutrition can help your body thrive and that it doesn't have to be boring! 

9. Favorite go-to meals that are healthy and convenient for busy moms?

There are two different meal preppers in this world. One that portions everything out, doesn't mind eating the same things every day and has it perfectly packaged. I am the second one.  

I do a big batch of protein, carb, and then vegetables. I find this way the easiest because I can use it, my husband can use it, and I can use it for dinner for my kids in minutes. 

So not only do I have my meals prepped, I have my kid’s meals prepped too if I need them.  

When it comes time to eat, I then choose what I want, and portion it out. 

For instance, for the week, I will prep a big batch of Crock-Pot chicken and lean ground turkey. I season those but keep them more on the plain side so I can use them on different things like tacos, salads, or just in a bowl style with rice and veggies. 

For breakfast, I absolutely love the idea of egg muffins. They are PERFECT for on-the-go eating in the mornings! Just heat them up, I like some hot sauce on them and off you go! Perfect for on-the-go moms! 

10. What does a standard day look like for you?

I wake up and get my kids ready. I make myself a healthy breakfast, usually an omelet, that has a good balance of protein, carb and lots of veggies!! With breakfast, I have my vitamins and always have my 40 oz water bottle ready. 

After I get my kids off to school, I take my 18-month-old and work out in my home gym! Sometimes it’s a good workout and sometimes I end up holding her while I work one arm at a time or while doing a lower body workout. (It’s all about balance ;).)

After that, I have a post-workout protein shake with my favorite whey protein. My daughter actually loves to share a little bit with me as well. By that time, if I’m lucky, I may have time to get dishes done, laundry done, or running some errands.

With my son in kindergarten, he gets home and I put my daughter down for a nap. I feed my son lunch, and head back down to try and get a little cardio in, or finish the workout if I wasn't able to before. 

After my daughter’s nap, my oldest usually comes home. We get their chores done and start any extracurricular activities that they may have. 

When my husband gets home we try to spend as much time together as a family as possible. 

I will make dinner or if we have been busy I will use a meal prepped protein to make the boys burritos or salads. 

Finally, it’s time for bed, there’s a funny video watched by the boys and good night kisses after that.

My husband is an early riser to get to the gym by 4:45 a.m. which means, my head hits the pillow by 930 most nights and I’m so glad he pushes me to keep that. It makes waking earlier that much easier. 

11. Any words of wisdom or anything else you want to share?

I just want to say, first and foremost, have patience with yourself. Starting anything new is difficult but have patience. It won’t take a day or even a week, but incorporating a healthy lifestyle will be worth it. 

Be kind to yourself and whether it’s health or self-care, it’s important to show yourself some love!  

If you are looking for tips on healthy eating, fitness, and overall wellness, check out Trainer Tamara’s IG.