1) Who is Lily Salisbury? (where are you from, what do you do, a bit about yourself (hobbies, etc)
Hi! I'm Lily. I am a national level Olympic Style Weightlifter for Team Catalyst Athletics and coached my Greg Everett the founder of Catalyst Athletics.
A little about me, I was adopted from China when I was 8 months old by my mother. I grew up with just my mom and I, we lived in California until I was five when she decided to move us to Oregon for me to take part in a Chinese immersion program where I studied Chinese half day and English half day.
Growing up I was always an active kid, I was either running around climbing trees, finding bugs, or out on the grass trying to teach myself gymnastics. It wasn't until I was twelve where we were in a position where I could be placed in actual gymnastics classes and by then all my classmates had been doing gymnastics since they could walk but I didn't care because I finally got my dream doing gymnastics in a real gym. After I joined I moved up pretty quick and wasn't until my junior year of high school after Regional that I decided to pursue other things. At this point I was also a competitive wrestler for my high school's wrestling team, I had started Olympics weightlifting competitively, and crossfitting on the side. It was a lot so all my coaches told me I had to choose one sport, I chose Olympics Weightlifting. I didn't know at the time but choosing Olympic Weightlifting would my life forever.
I have no regrets. Since choosing weightlifting I have given up a full ride scholarship to college, moved to a place where I knew no one, met some of the best people I've ever known, and learned my value as a person, and how to love myself.
2) How many years have you been training? (Including how you got started, etc)
I got introduced to Olympic style Weightlifting when I was still in High School ( so about four years ago) by my mom, she worked with a woman who lifted for my former coach back home. I lifted for him for about two years before I decided it was time for a change and became one of Catalyst Athletics athletes where I now train. Becoming one of Catalyst's athletes is one of the biggest blessings I could have ever received.
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 athletic journey has been learning that I am worth more than what I can or can not lift and literally relearning the movement of the lifts.
When Greg decided to take me on as an athlete he had NO IDEA what he'd be getting himself into and I had no idea how broken and corrupt my mind had become.
Coming to Greg I had years of not ideal experiences with coaches. Ranging from getting cussed out because I placed third instead of first because I missed a lift, getting kicked out of the gym for crying because I was frustrated, being told I wasn't good enough or that I wasn't producing what he wanted me.. etc. Hearing that my efforts were never good enough and that i was always being a let down took a toll.
For the first year I trained under Greg's we couldn't get through a training session without me either crying, having a panic attack, and or mental break down, out of the fear that i wasn't good enough. I had it wired into my mind that if I missed a lift Greg would either get mad at me, hate me, be disappointment in me, fire me as an athlete, or not love me anymore; and yes I know that in hindsight that sounds crazy but since that's all I had been exposed to I assumed that that was normal. To my surprise NONE of those past reactions that I experienced ever became a reality with him. It took about year for me to realized that my past wasn't normal and that I am in a safe environment now.
It's okay to be vulnerable and I am more to Greg than a "golden ticket". I am his lifter but I am also a valued person as well.
With all that said, it is still a work in progress but to see where I was and who I was two year ago compared to now is insane, I am a completely different person. I could not have done it without Greg and Aimee. I am forever grateful.
4) What does your typical workout/diet routine look like? (With any particular protocols you rate).
My typical day looks looks like this:
wake up at 8:45am, weigh myself and then go into the kitchen and put water on the stove to boil. While I wait for the water to boil I sit down and do my morning journaling where I write: 3 things I'm grateful for, what I'm proud of myself for doing yesterday, and what my day is going to look like today. By the time I'm done doing that my water is ready to make my coffee. Once I make my coffee I sit back down and read the Bible for a little while, I feel it's very important to start my day by getting my mind right. After I'm done reading I will make my breakfast and go get ready to train. I train usually around 11:00am till about 2:30pm. After training I usually cool down for about 30 minutes and then go inside make food and eat. After i eat I usually go back outside and hot tub for a while and then foam roll and go take a shower. By this time it's like time for dinner and bed. I try to be in bed no later than about 9:00pm, 10:00pm at the latest.. I need a lot of sleep.
5) What new knowledge have you learned over this past year regarding training, lifestyle and nutrition? (And How has it changed your focus for the future).
A few things I learned this year is:
1) Regarding nutrition- Learn to view food as a fuel fro your body vs. a coping tool. Your body deserves to be fueled well. We as athletes put our bodies through a lot and we can't expect it to run to the best if it's abilities if we treat it like a trash can.
2) Regarding training- Take the small wins because if you always focus on the things you could have done better vs. what you actually did do better you'll feel extremely defeated and you'll burn yourself out. Learn to be proud of the small wins and the big wins.
Also it's okay to not be perfect, you're not Jesus. One day one, lift won't make or break you... never lose sight of your WHY. Weightlifting isn't a linear thing it's going to have it's ups and downs but you have to be okay with that. Be grateful and enjoy what you're doing!
3) Regarding Life and training- You matter too. You can't always being pouring out onto other people without taking time for yourself and "refilling you cup". Take time for yourself, it isn't being selfish it's being love and caring towards yourself.
4) Training and Life- is there is no balance when you are an athlete. If you try and balance social life with athlete life something will suffer. You have to prioritize your sleep, nutrition, recovery. There really is no "off day" because on that off day you need to be preparing for the next day to train. Being an athlete is extremely selfish and if you're really going to try and go for your goals you have to be okay with being selfish. I truly believe if you are an athlete and this is what you want you won't feel like you're sacrificing anything because is this what it means to be an athlete.
6) Whats your favorite cheat/Treat meal?
My favorite cheat meal is prolly... is like nuts and chocolate and a HUGE steak.. and also prolly some lots of trail mix.. I know, I'm weird.
7) Whats one supplement that you could not live without?
Earth Fed Muscle WATERMELON PREWORKOUT! It's so good.. drink it with ice and a straw, it makes it better, I swear!
8) If you had to start your Journey from scratch with both your health & physique what would you do differently and why?
I don't think I would change anything because everything I've gone through has played a part in shaping me into who I am today and because of the past I do have I am able to connect to other people in a way that I wouldn't be able to if I didn't have the past that I do.
9) Who do you look upto in the fitness industry and why?
I haven't ever really been someone who looked up to other people.. so no one I guess?
10) If you had to give one bit of advice to people starting out what would that be?
My best piece of advice for someone starting out would be just have fun with the sport, take the small wins and be proud of them. Stay humble, this sport is extremely humbling but also the best sport ever ( in my opinion) it doesn't just make you strong it tests of your character and if you let it you'll become a better stronger person because of it.
Make sure you're in a healthy environment with people you like being around and who are always pushing you to be a better, people who are always building you up not tearing you down!
Also remember, it's okay to miss a lift, we all do it! No matter what level of the sport you're in we are all running the same race!
11) What new goals do you have on the horizon?
My short term goal is to do well at the American Open, it's right around the corner!
My longer term goal right now is it continuing getting more confident in my lifting and stop thinking so much!
12) Where can people find you? (website, social media accounts)
I really only have an Instagram that I really don't use THAT much.. but it's @lilysalisbury but if you go to @catalystathletics you can find me and my teammates along with a ton of cool weightlifting stuff!
