Personal

Tara grew up in the Milwaukee suburb of Cedarburg, Wisconsin and graduated from Cedarburg High School in 1992. Tara has always been into fitness and was a rhythmic gymnast for many years until she entered high school. While in high school she continued her athletic and dance pursuits on the pom pon squad, the track team, and a brief time on the diving team.

Tara’s parents, Don and Jean Timpel, raised her and her brother, Troy, to enjoy gardening from a young age. Tara always insisted on planting three rows of spinach every year, and she would cut it, steam it, and freeze it to last all winter. Growing up in America’s Dairyland also insured Tara’s love for milk and cheese, especially cheese curds.

Tara had a strong interest in nutrition and exercise, so she decided on Purdue University and a double major in Dietetics and Nutrition, Fitness, and Health. She graduated with honors and decided to stay at Purdue and earned a Master’s Degree in Health Promotion. During her years at Purdue, Tara became passionate about HIV/AIDS and started a food pantry and monthly delivery service for HIV infected individuals in the community. Her Master’s Thesis was on preventing wasting syndrome in HIV infected individuals.

Upon graduation from Purdue, Tara moved to Orlando, Florida, where she spent five years as the Director of Nutrition and Metabolism at an executive health physical program. She also headed up numerous lifestyle and weight loss research projects.

In 2004, she started Tara Gidus Nutrition Consulting. She started out providing medical nutrition therapy to individuals but eventually her company grew to add consulting services to numerous companies such as Walt Disney World, Tupperware, Rosen Hotels, Welnia, Canyon Ranch, Human Performance Institute, and others.

Tara is an avid runner and has completed seven marathons. She has qualified for Boston at every marathon she has run, including at the Boston Marathon in 2004 when it was 86 degrees at race start. She is taking a break from the rigors of marathon training to learn the art of balancing a “normal” fitness routine and motherhood.

Tara is married to Stephen Gidus, owner of PSG Construction. PSG builds and remodels custom homes in Central Florida. They have two sons, Basil, who was born in June of 2007 and Levi who was born in August of 2009.