1) Who is Amy Williams? (where are you from, what do you do, a bit about yourself (hobbies, etc)
I’m Amy & I’m an Olympic Weightlifter. I’m the current 53kg English Champion & two-time British Record Holder. I hold the record in my weight class for Clean & Jerk (95kg) & Total (168kg).
I train at CrossFit Spitfire in Norwich under the watchful eyes of Wisdom 4 Weightlifting! I know most of you won’t know where Norwich is, I like to refer to it as the hump of the UK! I work full time as an Underwriter at an Insurance Company so once I’ve finished work there is nothing that I enjoy more then losing myself at the gym.
In my spare time I love having coffee with friends or just chilling out at home with my partner & our crazy little cat. If you follow me on Instagram you will know that I am a crazy cat lady!
2) How many years have you been training?
I’ve been competing in Olympic Weightlifting for just over 2 years. I’m still fairly new to the sport & always learning!
3) Whats been the most challenging/hardest part of your journey so far? and how have you overcome them (set backs, rejections, injuries, basically anything difficult that you have had to overcome)
The hardest part of my journey has been training alone without any guidance. I soon realised I needed great coaches to take me to the next level. This is when I approached Wisdom 4 Weightlifting. Sarah Davies & Jack Oliver have taken me on board & the past six months have certainly confirmed it was the best decision I could have made.
4) What does your typical workout/diet routine look like?
I keep it simple. I train five times a week for around 90 minutes. I make the most of my time in the gym. It’s all about the quality of training.
For my diet, I have porridge in the morning - I’ll let you into a W4W secret, add lemon curd for the gains! Chicken, rice & veggies for lunch & dinner. I also like to snack on fruit, yoghurt & Bakewell Tart Nakd bars.
5) What new knowledge have you learned over this past year regarding training, lifestyle and nutrition?
Previously, I was following the RP templates. I cut from the 58kg to the 53kg class. During this time I got a bit obsessive with weight & food. Since then I’ve learnt to relax a lot. It’s essential that I fuel my body for training as well as taking the time to enjoy myself.
Training has become so much more goal focused & I love it! It’s great to know that I have two of the best coaches in the country behind me. It means I can just go to the gym, concentrate on my session & watch the progress. Having complete faith & trust in your coach is essential.
6) Whats your favourite cheat/Treat meal?
I love treating myself to a flat white & Reese’s. If I’m going all out it’s got to be pizza & ice cream. Give me Peanut Butter Cup B&Js or Salted Caramel Haagen-Dazs & I’ll be happy!
7) one supplement that you could not live without?
I’ve only recently been adding supplements into my diet as I believe it’s best to try get everything you need from food! I’ve started using the Multivitamins, Prom3ga & Informed Whey from BulkPowders. They are great basic products that I would recommend!
Coffee is a must for preworkout!
8) If you had to start out from scratch with your physique what would you do differently and why?
I’d have begun a lot earlier! It took me a while to find a sport that I’m good at but I’m so grateful that I can compete in something that I truly love doing.
9) Who do you look upto in the fitness industry and why?
I have the utmost respect for all strong, determined & fierce women. It’s great to watch the sport of Olympic Weightlifting grow, especially in women. I like to look at the people closest to me for inspiration; Coach Sarah Davies for showing me that anything is possible, my friend Becca Elmy for being such a great role model to her daughter & Jan Pope for showing everyone that age is just a number.
10) If you had to give one bit of advice to people starting out what would that be?
You are never alone & help is always there, you just have to reach out for it.
11) What new goals are on the horizon?
My focus for this year is to represent Great Britain at The Europeans & The World’s - Hopefully I’ll be breaking a few more British records along the way!
12) Where can people find you? (website, social media accounts)
You can find me on Instagram & Twitter as @_amylifts.
