THRIVE COACHING PODCAST

This week on The Thrive Coaching Podcast, Tara and the Thrive Coaches are back for another packed Q&A episode.
Then we get into your questions, and this week's lineup is a good one. We're covering training around your cycle and managing appetite swings from hormones, how to know what's normal for weekly weight loss and handling a stall, plus keeping consistency solid over the weekends. We also get into travel — one of you is taking a 12-hour ferry trip to Ireland this weekend and wanted our take on staying on track without scales.
If you've been wondering whether your period should change your training, why the scale hasn't moved even though you're doing everything right, or how to survive a long-haul travel day without losing your mind about tracking — we've got you this week. Questions are open every Monday inside the Trainerize app — drop yours in and we might answer it on the next episode!
📲 Follow us:
Instagram — @taragfit
Instagram — @thrive.onlinecoaching
TikTok — @taragfitt
YouTube — @taragfit
💬 Work with us:
👉 Apply for 1-1 Coaching: https://thrivebytg.com/online-enquiry/
👉 Join the Thrive Method Waitlist: https://the-thrive-method.com
Questions Answered This Episode:
Hormones & Cycle
Should I be changing my food/workouts around the time of my period, or do I just drive on?
How do you manage appetite fluctuations from hormone changes while in a fat loss?
Training & Technique
If your body is sore, should you take a recovery day or continue with a planned session?
Does it make a difference to the workout if you can't superset each exercise?
One piece of advice for a long (16-week) Hyrox training block?
Should I be lifting heavier for upper body if I want my arms to look smaller?
Programme Structure
What's a normal amount of weight to lose every week in a deficit?
Is it common for weight to stay the same for a while even when in a deficit?
Can we continue after the 8-week challenge into maintenance or a further fat loss phase?
Nutrition & Tracking
What are your most preferred protein powders?
How can sleep affect weight loss?
How do I bulk out meals when moving from fat loss to maintenance calories?
Do you need digital scales, or is analogue fine?
Is there such a thing as drinking too much water?
Mindset/Motivation/Consistency
How do you cope with feeling insecure about not being as skinny as you'd like?
How do you make sure weekends don't pull you back into bad habits?
Travel/Holidays & Social Events
Top tips for a 12-hour travel day (steps, nutrition, tracking without scales) — plus should you bring a tape measure on holiday?

If you've been wondering whether you're overthinking your protein, your steps, or your rest days — we've got you this week.
📲 Follow us:
Instagram — @taragfit Instagram — @thrive.onlinecoaching TikTok — @taragfitt YouTube — @taragfit
💬 Work with us:
👉 Apply for 1-1 Coaching: https://thrivebytg.com/online-enquiry/
👉 Join the Thrive Method Waitlist: https://the-thrive-method.com
Questions Answered This Episode:
Steps, Recovery & Sleep
Best tips for hitting 12k steps as an office worker
Best way to deal with DOMS
How many hours of sleep should you aim for each night?
Nutrition & Tracking
Tips for eating before an early gym session when breakfast comes later — is it okay to calorie bank and skip a "double breakfast"?
Can protein be banked across the week like calories?
Should fruit and veg be tracked, or is it okay to skip logging them?
Best way to track intake when someone else is cooking for you
Does it matter if you go over protein by 10-20g while staying within calories — how much protein is too much?
Training & Technique
How to train to failure without risking injury
Any tips for hybrid training in a calorie deficit
Creatine in protein powder — fine, or better separate?
Advice for improving grip strength when hands hurt holding heavier weights
Does spacing workouts across the week vs. clustering them affect progress?
Mindset, Life & Consistency
Staying on track after 2 weeks away and a week off routine
Stopping food being used as an emotional outlet
Handling comments on your food/eating habits at work
Managing calorie intake on high-activity, ravenous days
Other
Favourite podcasts to listen to on walks

#ThriveCoachingPodcast #FatLossForWomen #StepCount #NutritionQandA #MacroTracking #ProteinTracking #GymMotivation #ConsistencyOverPerfection #EmotionalEating #BreakupRecovery #CreatineForWomen #GripStrength #WomenInFitness #TheThriveMethod #OnlineCoaching

We're covering everything from nutrition and tracking — how to portion cooked vs. uncooked carbs, whether it's ok to be under calories but over protein, and eating the same meals on repeat — through to navigating holidays, weddings and family visits without falling off track. We also get into the mindset side of things: how to stay consistent when motivation dips a few weeks in, and why your emotional side sometimes takes the wheel on your goals.
If you've been wondering whether you should "bank" calories before a big night out, how your cycle affects your training, or what actually counts as a step during a run — we've got you this week.
📲 Follow us:
Instagram — @taragfit
Instagram — @thrive.onlinecoaching
TikTok — @taragfitt
YouTube — @taragfit
💬 Work with us:
👉 Apply for 1-1 Coaching: https://thrivebytg.com/online-enquiry/

Questions Answered This Episode:
Nutrition & Tracking
When a recipe lists a carb source like rice or pasta, how do I know whether the weight given is for the cooked or uncooked amount?
When cooking rice or pasta for multiple servings weighed uncooked before the pot, how do I work out the correct portion size per serving?
Should I aim to hit my full calorie target even when I'm not hungry enough, or is it enough to hit protein without going over calories?
What's the best way to track calories for individual meals when batch cooking?
Is it okay to eat the same meals every day, or should I be adding more variety?
Is it okay if I'm under my calorie target but over my protein target?
Travel, Holidays & Social Events
Any tips for managing a holiday while in a fat loss phase?
I'm visiting family in Ireland after a long time away and want to enjoy drinks and traditional foods — how do I approach this while staying in a deficit?
I'll be travelling for the first couple of weeks, which will make it harder to hit my step count. How should I manage this?
I have a weekend event where I'll be out most of the day eating and drinking. Should I be banking calories in advance?
I have a holiday at the start of the plan followed by a wedding, with limited gym access and a delayed start. How can I stay on track?
Mindset, Motivation & Consistency
How can I find the motivation to go to the gym after sitting at a desk all day?
What's the biggest mindset difference between clients who succeed and those who don't?
Any book recommendations to help build confidence through the challenge?
What's your biggest tip for success in health and fitness?
What mantras or quotes do you use to stay motivated?
What's the psychology behind snacking, and why does the brain seek comfort in chocolate and sweets?
What music do you listen to when working out?
What's the biggest challenge in staying consistent while still enjoying a social life?
I tend to lose motivation a few weeks in once things get hard. How can I stay consistent for the full 8 weeks?
How do I stop my emotional side from taking control of my goals?
Training & Technique
What's a good snack to eat before an early morning gym session?
What snacks should I eat to have enough energy for activities like running?
Any tips for actually enjoying my time in the gym?
For plank up-downs, what counts as one rep? Is doing them from my knees just as effective?
What are your thoughts on taking creatine while trying to lose weight?
When tracking steps, does a run count toward my daily total, or should I track it separately?
Hormones & Cycle
How do you stay consistent while on your period?
Does the menstrual cycle significantly impact the ability to exercise and train?
Programme Structure
What's the biggest fitness myth you wish people would stop believing?
What's the maximum amount of time someone should stay in a fat loss phase?
#ThriveCoachingPodcast #FatLossForWomen #NutritionQandA #MacroTracking #HolidayNutrition #FatLossMindset #ConsistencyOverPerfection #CalorieDeficit #WomenInFitness #GymMotivation #CreatineForWomen #StepCount #MenstrualCycleTraining #OnlineCoaching #TheThriveMethod

Questions are open every Monday inside the Trainerize app — drop yours in and we might answer it on the next episode!

📲 Follow us:
⁠⁠Instagram — @taragfit⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram — @thrive.onlinecoaching
⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok — @taragfitt
⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube — @taragfit⁠⁠

💬 Work with us:👉 Apply for 1-1 Coaching:
https://thrivebytg.com/online-enquiry/

👉 Join the Thrive Method (29th June start):
thrivemethod-spacesopen.com

Questions Answered This Episode:
Is there anything you do that puts you in an instant good mood or that you do to shake out of the lows and get going?
I work as a clinical rep and don’t get a set lunch break every day. I usually have snacks in my bag that I can eat quickly between surgical cases or clinics. What snacks would you recommend to keep within calories? Thank yo
I play camogie and Gaelic football- 4 days training/ matches per week. I’m wondering how I can fit my gym work into this
How do you get past that motivational block when you’re tired or in a bad mood? I give in to a rest day too easily
Any tips for being in a fat loss phase while prepping for big activities? I have a plan to track calories as normal during the week of the activity but then carb loading the day before the big hike (6-8hrs). For the hike, I will just be getting all the calories I can but wondering what I should do leading up to and then after (to recover)? Should I even be in a deficit the week of the activity? What do people typically do for races and other things like this
To make the gym work for me I have to get up at 5:30am. What are your top tips for getting up and out of the house quickly
How do you balance hitting all your goals but also making sure you get enough sleep ?

Questions are open every Monday inside the Trainerize app — drop yours in and we might answer it on the next episode!

📲 Follow us:⁠⁠Instagram — @taragfit⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram — @thrive.onlinecoaching⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok — @taragfitt⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube — @taragfit⁠⁠

💬 Work with us:👉 Apply for 1-1 Coaching: ⁠⁠https://thrivebytg.com/thrive-method/⁠⁠👉

Join the Thrive Method Waitlist: ⁠⁠https://the-thrive-method.com⁠⁠

Questions Answered This Episode:
How do you stay focused on your own health and fitness goals when the people closest to you have very different and sometimes unhealthy or extreme attitudes towards food and exercise? I find myself getting frustrated by family members who either never follow through on healthy habits or take an all-or-nothing approach and judge others. How can I tune out that noise and build my own balanced mindset without letting it affect me?
High protein snack ideas. Always prioritise protein in my breakfast, lunch and dinner but wondering what kind of things are good for/you enjoy snacking on for those few extra grams of protein other than yogurts - as I’d bring these for lunch anyway!
With the change of weather here in Aus and the nights getting darker I’m finding it much hardier to motivate myself to get out and exercise etc after/before work , any tips? I don’t want to undo any of my progress but the motivation is super low
When doing Bulgarian split squats or other single leg movements is it ok to set the weights down before switching legs? Sometimes my grip gives out before my legs do!
What to do when you just can’t track, have no motivation to track + I keep forgetting!
Struggling with being tired
I’m struggling with how busy life is had my hen 2 weeks ago on the 8 week countdown to the wedding and there is just so much on. I’m exhausted, it’s so hard to keep going