1) Who is Jodey Hughes? (where are you from, what do you do, a bit about yourself (hobbies, etc)
I’m a 58kg weightlifter from Scotland. I’ve been the Scottish Champion for the last three years in a row, and I’m the current British Silver medallist. I’m currently preparing for the Commonwealth Games (and I can’t believe I’m actually able to say that). My life feels a little bit like a dream at the moment, I really am lucky!
I train out of Crossfit East Kilbide (just outside of Glasgow). I started into weightlifting a little over three years ago after doing crossfit. I enjoyed the strengthy stuff more than the gassy stuff so it was a nice transition for me.
When I first started crossfit, I really felt uncomfortable doing big heavy weights as I didn’t want to get big muscles and look bulky as I’ve always been told that women shouldn’t look that way.
After doing crossfit for a little while, I realised I was pretty strong and I really loved working with a barbell. Training in a crossfit environment really encourages strength and muscles in women and it has given me the confidence to be comfortable with this and encourage other women that its okay to be strong, and to have muscles. I love that I have big legs and I’m proud of the work that I’ve done to get here.
2) How many years have you been training?
Although I have only been specifically doing weightlifting for a short period of time, I do have somewhat of an ‘athletic’ background. As a child, growing up in rural Canada, I was lucky enough to have the weather and surroundings where I could play outside all day, building forts, riding bicycles, swimming, snowboarding, you name it. I wasn’t really interested in organised sport until I was older, at the age of 12 when I started playing ice hockey in the winter and softball in the summer. I played both of these sports at quite a high level. In fact, I was scouted for the very first Women’s Olympic Ice Hockey team in Nagano, Japan. I didn’t quite make the cut though.
When I moved to the UK, I needed something to focus on as both of my sports didn't really have a huge presence here so to fill the void, I picked up running and I did the London marathon before finding Crossfit.
My weightlifting coach, Ken Holland, recommended that I stop doing crossfit to focus on weightlifting to see where that took me. I definitely didn’t think that it would lead me to qualifying for the Commonwealth Games!
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)
Growing up playing ice hockey and being a girl was particularly tough especially starting as late as I did as most of the guys on my team had been playing hockey since they learned to walk. I was a terrible player and I had to work really hard to be accepted on the team. Initially my mom didn’t want me to play primarily because it was expensive. So before she would agree to it, she made me prove to her that it was something I wouldn’t quit after a few weeks. I had to put on my cousins hockey gear and rollerblade around the neighbourhood for months before the season started. It was really embarrassing but I was determined to play.
Little did my mom know at the time, but she taught me one of the most valuable life lessons I could have learned. As she predicted, it was tough, the boys didn’t want me to play, I was terrible and I wanted to quit. I needed to prove to her that I wouldn’t quit so instead I channelled those feelings and put it into my training so I was out practicing on the frozen ponds for hours each day to get better. It wasn’t easy but I was determined to get better and be accepted.
Over time, I gradually improved so much so that I was considered for the Olympic Team. I think, my success both inside and outside the gym is a direct result of this experience. Weightlifting is a tough sport and my past experiences have really helped me along my journey.
4) What does your typical workout/diet routine look like?
I train 5 days a week with 2 active rest days. I have quite a demanding job so I usually align these rest days with my work so I’m able to attend meetings and travel around the country. I have to be really flexible with my training to ensure that I get the balance right. I also listen to my body and give my CNS a rest when I need it. Training for the Commonwealth Games is going really well and I’m on a weightcut at the moment so I’ve been having to increase my cardio to help burn some extra calories. Everyone knows how much I hate cardio and I’ve been known to cry to try and get our of it. It doesn’t work though, my husband Paul, gets up every morning with me to do fasted running with me. It’s super romantic!
In terms of my diet, I eat clean- 5 meals a day, mostly broccoli and chicken breast. I actually buy 15 heads of broccoli every week. I have carbs around my training to help with performance and have casein at night for recovery.
Despite eating clean, my weight sits quite a few kilos over competition weight. Closer to competition, I cut my calories, introduce cardio (ugh) and normally do a water weight cut involving hot yoga, saunas and baths.
5) What new knowledge have you learned over this past year regarding training, lifestyle and nutrition?
Until recently I hadn’t fully appreciated the mental element of weightlifting. My coach, Ken Holland, has introduced this to me to this very gradually over the last three years, probably in an effort not to scare me away. It’s a fun sport, but it’s really tough. I’m lucky to have such an experienced coach who has helped me with mental preparation and he knows how to push me to get the best out of me.
Every cycle Ken puts me on, I learn a little bit more about myself, get a little bit more stronger (both mentally and physically).
Routinely, I reflect on my journey and I love that I’ve learned so much about myself and what my body is capable of and what I’m able to do or haven’t done is solely dictated by what my mind tells me. If I approach a heavy bar and my mindset isnt 100% there, the doubt creeps in and I would likely fail it. Having the practice of approaching the bar confidently, strongly and the ability to switch on the aggression at a moments’ notice has been instrumental to how far I’ve come over the past year. I’m not naturally an aggressive person, so this was quite challenging for me.
6) Whats your favourite cheat/Treat meal
Rice is my favourite thing in the whole world. I wish I could have so much of it I can’t move. Having to weigh out 88 grams of rice makes me sad, so being able to eat as much as I want would be the best thing ever. I have to carefully measure out my carbs and get my macros right.
I also enjoy icecream.. a lot and snaaaacks. Anything with carbs really.
7) Whats one supplement that you could not live without?
Glucosamine and Chondroitin.. it keeps me pain free and my joints feel amazing! With the volume of work that I do and the pressure my joints are under, this stuff is incredible. I spend fortunes on it. I t takes about a month or so to start to feel a difference but it really is a game changer.
I also really enjoy Creatine. I absolutely buzz off it.
8) If you had to start your Journey from scratch with your health & physique what would you do differently and why?
I wish I would’ve started weightlifting earlier in life and I wish I would have had strong female role models around showing how beautiful it is to be strong and be a woman. Saying that, because I am older, I have been able to dedicate the time to training without having it impact on my social life, university, school or my career.
Building on my experience, I’m doing a lot of work right now encouraging young girls to get into strengthy sports and what it can do for their health, confidence and build really strong life skills.
Also, I wouldn’t worry about body weight. I think I was trying to cut weight too early to qualify for different competitions and I really think it has had an impact on my strength building phase. So really the focus should be on getting strong and see which weight classes chooses you.
9) Who do you look upto in the fitness industry and why?
Alison Crawford, she’s an incredible crossfit athlete from my local crossfit gym, Crossfit East Kilbride. She’s a masters athlete and she just missed out on gaining a place to the Crossfit games by one place last year. I’m really looking forward to seeing her perform this year. She’s just recently won the Rainhill trials competition this past weekend, so she’s in a really good place to qualify. She’s the most friendly, encouraging and down to earth person out there. She’s so inspiring.
My favourite weightlifters are Rebekah Koha, Mattie Rogers, and my wee pal Evangelina Veli. Eva trained with me at MSC Performance in Birmingham when I work there. She’s super tiny and can throw around ridiculous weights!
10) If you had to give one bit of advice to people starting out what would that be?
Don’t be afraid to fail. What makes you strong is how you recover from your setbacks. You will learn more about yourself and it will make you stronger person for it.
With weightlifting, you’re in for the long haul. It’s not a quick process. To get really good at weightlifting, you need to be patient. You need to listen to your body. You need to condition your body to receive a heavy load.
11) What new goals do you have on the horizon?
Smash some Scottish records on the gold coast and keep pushing the weightlifting. I’m hopeful to gain a medal at British again this year. There are some pretty strong girls in my weight category, so it will be tough!
12) Where can people find you? (website, social media accounts)
Instagram @jjodey
