Name | Jaclyn Alberts-Long |
Location | Richmond, Virginia |
Goal | Become a National Champion in Olympic Weightlifting |
Weight lost/gained to date: | Lost 16.2 lbs since starting WAG in January |
Sport | Olympic Weightlifting |
Q: Why did you decide to join Team WAG?
A: I decided to join Team WAG after not having much success with other nutrition programs. I needed to make weight for Nationals in May and had steadily gained since Nationals the year before. I wanted to find a program that worked for me, didn't make me crazy, and could last passed Nationals was over.
Q: Was there anything about the program that surprised you?
A: I found it fairly easy to follow, versus some other programs. I liked that it was up to me how I wanted to "spend" my macros that day. It allowed for more flexibility and less stress.
Q: As an athlete, your training schedule is intense and varied. How have you managed to stay on track while balancing all of your commitments?
A: This is the key to success for sure. Being organized and disciplined is the only way I could balance work, training, and making sure I was eating well and sleeping a full 8 hours. I did all my lunch and snack meal prep on Sundays for the coming week but enjoyed cooking dinner at night, so I would do that post-training. I'd often work from 8-4, go to the gym, cook dinner, and finish up any leftover work I had in the evening. Luckily, I'm able to make it work!
Q: How has your performance in the gym been affected by tracking, if at all?
A: To my surprise, my strength actually went up while losing weight. I've hit several all-time PRs during the time I've been on WAG, including my Olympic lifts, as well as my squats.
Q: What has been the biggest change you've made in your lifestyle since joining?
A: The biggest lifestyle change was weighing myself every day and measuring myself (which I had never done before in my life). I'm used to tracking and weighing my food, so that wasn't a huge change in my life.
Q: What advice do you have for other people considering hiring a nutrition coach?
A: To trust them and stick with it. I never once cheated during the few months prior to nationals, because I was only cheating myself out of hitting my goals. Knowing that, kept me from caving to cravings. And if I really wanted something, I made sure I could fit it into my macros for that day so I never felt deprived. Chris (my WAG coach) was super motivating and wanted me to hit my goals as much as I did, which kept me going even during the few weeks I saw no change on the scale.