Tara Garrison is a leading health optimization coach, founder of HIGHER Coaching —a coaching program focused on training, nutrition, mindset, and biohacking for high performers, including celebrities, professional athletes, and executives.
She is the author of Short-Term Keto, creator of the Coach Tara App and HIGHER Retreats, and a passionate advocate for metabolic flexibility and evidence-based wellness.
A mom of four, avid weightlifter, and Boston Marathon finisher, Tara empowers people to achieve peak physical and mental performance without burnout.
In this episode, Tara debunks common myths about cortisol, reframing it as an essential energy-mobilizing hormone rather than just a stress villain. She addresses fears around fasted HIIT training potentially causing fat gain, exhaustion, or hormonal disruption—especially in perimenopause—emphasizing that acute cortisol spikes are normal and issues often stem from broader factors like underfueling, poor recovery, and life stress.
Tara also covers misconceptions about breakfast timing, supplement use without testing, and assuming symptoms like burnout always mean high cortisol, advocating for proper testing and personalized approaches.
RESOURCES:
CHAPTERS:
00:00 – Intro: Addressing common cortisol myths and misconceptions circulating online
01:02 – Sponsorship mention (Peluva minimalist shoes)
02:54 – Overview of cortisol testing (DUTCH Plus and saliva tests vs. blood tests)
04:05 – Myth 1: Fasted training (like HIIT) causes dangerously high cortisol, leading to fat gain
12:05 – Myth 2: Fasted HIIT universally "wrecks" hormones (e.g., sex hormones).
20:28 – Myth 3: Symptoms like stress, burnout, and weight loss resistance always mean high cortisol.
26:22 – Myth 4: Using supplements to "balance" cortisol without testing.
31:38 – Myth 5: You must eat breakfast within the first hour of waking to prevent cortisol spikes.
42:30 – Nuance/avoiding oversimplified advice
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