THRIVE CLIENT Q&A - 16 Sept 2026

This week on The Thrive Coaching Podcast, Tara is joined by Niamh for another packed Q&A episode. They kick things off with a catch-up on meal prep hacks, swapping your carb source to make the same meal feel new, and why there's still 76% of the time before Christmas to stay consistent.

This week on The Thrive Coaching Podcast, Tara is joined by THE THRIVE COACHES for another packed Q&A episode. The girls kick things off with a nutrition round: weekend meals out, a very unplanned hangover, and why performance goals mean eating more food. Then we get into your questions, and this week’s lineup is a good one. We’re covering how to add protein to your soup without adding loads of calories, whether creatine makes you hold water, and how to cope when the gym is busy as anything. We also get into the big one: when to end a deficit, and why waiting until January to start again might be the reason you keep yo-yo dieting. If you’ve been wondering whether to push through or move into maintenance, how long to wait before stepping on the scales after a holiday, or why the number on the scales hits you so hard emotionally, we’ve got you this week. Questions are open every Monday inside the Trainerize app, so 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/thrive-method/ 👉 Join the Thrive Method Waitlist: https://the-thrive-method.com Questions Answered This Episode: Would it be better to try and maintain your deficit for another 2/4 weeks after this challenge or move to maintenance? Would love to start another programme then in January. It’s soup season! Love having soup for lunch but find there aren’t huge amounts of protein with just the soup. What are some ways to add more protein without adding too many calories? Would adding a sandwich work? I have been taking creatine supplements recently, but I’ve heard mixed reports! Is it beneficial or can it make you hold water weight? How to cope with overwhelm when the gym is busy af? I was on holiday at the weekend and really enjoyed myself but I definitely wasn’t on track. I’m afraid to step on the scales, how long should I wait so my mental health doesn’t take a big hit? How do you decide when it’s time to end the deficit?

This week on The Thrive Coaching Podcast, Tara is joined by the THRIVE COACHES for another packed Q&A episode. Then we get into your questions, and this week's lineup is a good one. We're covering how to use resistance bands when you're working towards your first pull-up, whether you should start heavy and work down or start light and build up, the best alcohol choices when you're in a fat loss phase, and how to keep your progress going once the 8 weeks are over. We also get into the one we all relate to: what to actually do when you're hungry and the urge hits. If you've been wondering which band colour you should be using, how to keep your results going after the programme, or how to make tofu taste good, 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!

This week on The Thrive Coaching Podcast, Tara is joined by THRIVE COACHES for another packed Q&A episode. Then we get into your questions, and this week's lineup is a good one. We're covering how to stay motivated when you're 12 weeks into tracking and starting to get sick of it, how to handle the mental side of the scales spiking mid-programme, whether you really need to track your veg and tomato-based sauces, and whether going over your protein target is something to worry about. We also get into the big one: how long you should wait before worrying that the scales aren't moving. If you've been wondering whether you can eat too much protein, why your weight jumped when you've been doing everything right, or what we actually order at Nando's in a deficit, 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!

Questions asked by THRIVE clients: I'm feeling a little lost on the structure of my workouts. I train at home with dumbbells and bands, and I enjoy live/video workouts to follow and keep me engaged. Any suggestions on programs or structure? How long should you do a gym programme for — 3 months, 6 months? And how do you know when you're ready to change it? For the gym sessions, does the order of exercises matter? Sometimes I pair exercises from different sets together because of equipment or space availability. When submitting weights in the app, do you submit your total weight or the weight of the dumbbells you're using? What is/are your favourite muscle group(s) to work on? Is it better to stick at loads of reps with a lighter weight, or a couple of reps with a heavier weight? How does progressive overload actually work? Does the weight in kg you lift make a big difference to how quickly you lose fat or tone up, or is it more about it getting harder each time? If you want to be lean but sculpted, should you keep the weight lower with more reps, versus lifting heavier if you want bigger muscles? How do I know I'm training for the body type I want? Progressive overload means I'm doing fewer reps — what does that mean? Motivation is low — how do I keep it moving? And what's your best advice for when you lose motivation to keep going? I struggle to plan my workouts because sometimes I wake up hit with absolute exhaustion — different from just "can't be bothered." On those days I listen to my body instead of pushing through. Would you recommend front-loading your week so you're safe to push sessions back if this happens? How do I deal with the lack of desire to get my steps in? I've tried podcasts, calling a friend, bringing my dog — none of it seems to help. Any tips for managing steps in winter with dark mornings and evenings, especially during the work week? Lunch walks aren't an option, and during my 9-to-5 I average 2-3k steps. I'm already getting up every hour for a few steps. Is it beneficial to know all three main macro goals for weight loss? I've got it roughly estimated in MyFitnessPal, with my protein goal set. Is it bad to have a Diet Coke in the evening instead of reaching for a sweet treat? I know ideally I should drink water, but is this okay for fat loss overall? My partner is constantly snacking on crisps and treats in the evening, which is really tempting even when I've had my own treat and I'm not hungry. I've spoken to him and he's totally supportive and understands, but I feel guilty that I'm controlling what he eats when he's not on a fat loss phase. How do I navigate this? How long do clients stay on Thriving? I'm loving it — my coach, the help, and I've seen massive changes in my weight but also my routine, habits and commitment to myself. The accountability is really pushing me. Is it usual to stick with it long-term, more than a year? Or is the goal for clients to become more independent and move on?