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Summary
On episode 518 of 40+ Fitness, Coach Allan sits down with Tara Garrison, a certified functional strength coach, neurotyping coach, and metabolic analytics practitioner who founded Hire, a luxury health coaching practice, and created the Keto In and Out System.
Tara argues keto is a powerful tool, not a permanent identity. She spent years as a keto coach before deciding it was not the right long-term fit for her own body composition and athletic performance.
The conversation covers who actually needs long-term keto, the signs it’s time to reintroduce carbs, how to do that reintroduction without a rough transition, and how keto affects mood through dopamine, serotonin, and GABA.
Links
- https://taragarrison.com
Key Takeaways
- Keto is a tool, not a lifestyle mandate. Tara argues most people don’t need to be in ketosis permanently. It’s a metabolic intervention suited to a specific starting point, not a one-size-fits-all identity.
- Modern sedentary life keeps most people out of ketosis by default. Constant access to food and low daily movement mean our bodies rarely get the chance to run on stored fat the way they would in a naturally food-scarce environment.
- Bio-individuality determines how long someone should stay on keto. People with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, obesity, or a genetic predisposition to poor glucose metabolism may need keto for years, while already metabolically flexible, fit people may not need it at all.
- There are clear signs it’s time to bring carbs back. A fasting blood sugar under 90 despite eating carbs the day before, weight regain on “lazy keto,” poor sleep, low mood, or chronic gut trouble are all signals worth acting on.
- Reintroducing carbs takes about a two week adjustment window. Insulin response is blunted right after keto, so early blood sugar spikes after eating carbs again are temporary, not proof carbs don’t work for you. The gut also needs time to rebuild enzyme production for digesting them.
- Carb quality matters more than the word “carb.” Tara’s reintroduction order is non-starchy vegetables first, then starchy vegetables and fruit, and she is not opposed to whole grains like oatmeal and quinoa if your gut tolerates them.
- Keto reshapes neurotransmitters in ways that explain why it helps some people and not others. A high fat, high protein diet favors dopamine over serotonin production, and ketone bodies raise GABA, the brain’s “brakes,” which is why some people feel amazing on keto while others feel anxious, sad, or manic.
- Watch adrenaline and sodium on long-term keto. Research from Jeff Volek and Steven Finney shows keto can drive up cortisol-related adrenaline over time unless sodium intake is adequate, so electrolyte management matters for anyone staying keto long-term.
- Tara’s three strategies to get and stay well: prioritize sleep above nearly everything else, build a consistent daily routine so decisions around food and training stop being a daily battle, and set boundaries that protect your time and relationships so you are nourishing more than just your body.
“Do keto, not forever.”
Tara Garrison
Another Episode You May Enjoy
Episode 568 – Is keto good for brain health? | Dr. Mary Newport