[Clare Barks]

Hi Tobi. My advice would be to try a lower volume approach and see how your body responds. You will likely find that you progress quicker and recover better and hopefully, in turn, this will alter your mindset. At the moment you feel like you need to do more and are probably worried about regressing if you pull back, so allow yourself time to give it a go and see if it works for you.

You may have excellent recovery, which is why you’re still able to progress somewhat at the moment, but this may not be sustainable long term, so strip everything right back and from there, you can play around with your volume and find the right spot for you.

Just remember that your muscles need time to recover in order to repair and grow, so be smart.

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[Clare Barks]

Yes. You can also switch up the rep ranges for variation.

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[Clare Barks]

I went on a long walk this morning at Lulworth Cove with a friend. It’s a beautiful place, with lots of hilly coastal paths and was lovely to spend some time catching up.

This afternoon I’ve been in the studio again with one to one posing clients. I absolutely love doing this and helping competitors prepare for the stage.

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[Clare Barks]

There’s no issue combining fats with carbs, this will simply slow the digestion of the meal down. It won’t magically make you gain more fat. A calorie surplus will do that.

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[Clare Barks]

I’ve had a lovely rest day today meeting old and new posing clients in the studio for some sessions, all preparing for shows later on in the year. Aside from that I did a run this morning and will be going out for a walk later on, once I’ve finished a few jobs around the house.

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[Clare Barks]

Don’t stress. You know that the situation could have been better, but I’m sure you had a lovely time with your girlfriend and her family, so it is what it is. Whether you lost any muscle in the process isn’t worth worrying over. You’re back now and able to knuckle down, hit your diet, steps, cardio and training, so focus on moving forward.

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[Clare Barks]

As a student on a budget, I would use a decent multi Vit & Min/Greens powder, OH Mega Pharma Pro, K2&D3 and Creatine as basics.

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[Clare Barks]

When I’ve done DC stretches in the past, I’ve done them straight after training that muscle group, but I may wait a minute or so after my last set. You can increase the duration of the stretch over time as they’re tough. Build up from 30 secs to 90 secs.

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[Clare Barks]

I was back in the gym today for a Leg session. Nothing crazy today until I know how hard I can push things, but it felt good to be training again 🙂

Lying Hamstring curl x 2
Adductor x 1
Hack squat x2
Banded Leg Press x2
Leg ext x 2
Abductor x2

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[Clare Barks]

Pre-planning, routine and discipline. Stick to a schedule, which means you can fit everything in, without sacrificing time with your family or reaching your own personal goals. Your work hours are non negotiable and you can dedicate time after work for your training, then either side of that you have time to fill. You’re not in the gym every day, so make sure you use that extra time wisely too.

I am married, with a husband who is away a lot. I have two children and have had to juggle my work, alongside looking after the house and bringing them up. I also made a decision that I wouldn’t let my own fitness and personal goals be pushed to the side, so I made it work.

Know what needs to be prioritised and when. At work, that is your focus, in the gym, that is your focus and at home, family is your focus. If you need to pre-prepare meals to keep you on track, get up earlier or do it when the children are in bed or at the weekend.

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[Clare Barks]

I would have an initial bump in calories of 300-500 and stick with that for a couple of weeks to see how your body responds. From there it will just be a case of monitoring the scale, alongside your body composition and performance in the gym and adjusting as necessary. You don’t want to prolong this phase by holding back too much, but equally you don’t want to pile on unnecessary bodyfat quickly, so aim for a steady 1-2lb increase a week after the inevitable initial scale weight jump.

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[Clare Barks]

Today is my last rest day before getting back to the gym tomorrow. I’ve had most of my test results back and so far everything is normal or clear, aside from the low white blood count, so this is still being investigated. In the mean time I just need to be cautious not to pick up any infection or illness. I can’t hide away forever though, so I’m getting back to training again from tomorrow.

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[Clare Barks]

Just go by how you feel after the two consecutive sessions. If you feel recovered enough to train again the next day, then go for it, if not, take it as a rest. Enjoy your time away!

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[Clare Barks]

I’d start with 30g Sustain sipped throughout your workout. This will cover your carbs and electrolytes. Then I would have one serving (in one hit) of either MPS Max or EAAs at a point during the session that is mid point between your pre and post meals. This will give you that extra protein serving.

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[Clare Barks]

This morning has been a busy work morning with online and in person clients. This afternoon I kept free to spend some time with my husband before he goes away again. We’ve just been out for a lovely walk and plan to have an early birthday meal tonight as he’ll be away for his birthday.

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