Tia-Clair Toomey is the fittest woman on earth.
We know, we know; it’s a huge statement. But the 24-year-old Aussie athlete is completely deserving of the title, having come first in the international 2017 CrossFit Games.
Toomey possesses a level of fitness most men and women can only dream of.
When she represented Australia in weightlifting at the Rio Olympics last year, she successfully lifted 82kg in the snatch. No mean feat for a competitor in the 58kg league. (You’ll be floored by her career stats, which you can read here.) She came second at the 2015 and 2016 World CrossFit Games before finding ultimate glory in 2017.
In short, she’s an absolute powerhouse.
In addition to lifting heavy as shit objects, Toomey is a Reebok ambassador, and boasts a healthy 351K following on the ‘gram.
PEDESTRIAN.TV had a chat to her to get the low down on how she does what she does and what tips she might have for us everyday civilians looking to make gains.
What does a typical day of activity look like for you? What time do you wake up, how many training sessions do you do in a day, what time do you go to sleep etc?
I wake up at 7am then have breakfast and feed my babies (I have 2 dogs, Sammy & Rio).
Shane, my fiancé/coach, and I then go to the track or the pool or even a morning bike ride to get outside and enjoy the fresh air.
We then go and coach a couple of classes at our gym. Once the morning is done we then come home, I do some recovery and have some lunch; either stretching, massage or I use my NormaTec gear [recovery aids].
By that time it is around 3pm and then Shane and I head back into the gym. I then will train for around 2-3 hours and that involves a combination of weightlifting/strength exercises, gymnastic skills movements and metabolic conditioning workouts.
We finish our day at around 7:30pm and then go home, walk our dogs, have dinner then go to bed around 10pm.
What does a typical day of eating look like for you?
I don’t follow a certain diet but I do macronutrients which helps me keep my portion sizes controlled.
I have bacon, eggs and avocado for breakfast, I also make up a veggie smoothie in the morning so I ensure I am getting enough greens throughout the day.
I then don’t eat until lunch, I would either have leftovers from last night’s dinner, or I would make up a meal that consist of enough proteins, carbs and fats.
Before training I would also have a little snack either protein bar or some fruit.
After training I would have my post workout protein shake then, for dinner I would make up a meal with the right amounts of macros for myself to finish the day.
Are there certain things you wouldn’t eat or do in the name of training?
I always try and eat whole foods and ensure that I’m feeding my body the right foods to help with recovery.
PTV: Everyone knows a great way to build strength is to lift weights. Running is also known as a good way to shred. Could you tell us 5 other exercises that aren’t as obvious?
Air Squats also help to build both a solid strength foundation and balance in your lower body. They target your thighs, hamstrings, quadriceps, and glutes in particular, helping you to add muscle mass in these areas.
Lunges work very similar muscle groups to squats however, they are back-friendly, because of the need to keep your back straight and your chest lifted, so you have little risk of back strain.
Push-ups are a great exercise that not only works the upper body but also works the core and the lower body. It is also a great movement that can be scaled to suit anyone at any fitness level.
The rowing machine is a great cardio machine that is low impact on the body and can be a fantastic fitness challenge for all fitness levels.
I love skipping as it also adds variety to my training programs and another way to improve my fitness.
Where do you find the motivation to push your body day in day out? What inspires you to keep going?
I enjoy what I do so it is always enjoyable going into the gym and exercising to be a better version of myself. But whenever I feel flat I always think about the people that support me, Shane, my family, my friends, my fans.
It’s because of these people I get to do what I love doing and I will always be forever grateful.
So there you have it folks. Surround yourself with people you love and keep your exercise regime exciting, and you might see yourself getting a little stronger.
