Redefining the Dad Bod With WAG Member Justin Holt

Q: Why did you decide to join Team WAG?

A: There was a moment I realized that I couldn't get to my body composition goals alone. I spent years doing the "unrestricted paleo" diet and started CrossFit in 2006. However, every year I saw my body composition get worse. I was working out more than ever, eating "paleo" but to no prevail. Over the past year or two I had been following WAG on social media and seeing the testimonials and results inspired me to finally give my nutrition a much needed evolution.

Q: Was there anything about the program that surprised you?

A: I initially was surprised by how loose the structure of the program was. I think people sign onto this program thinking there would be more of a militant mindset to the process. In my opinion WAG approaches its program in a more sustainable way because it forces the client to discover truths about their lifestyles, habits and flaws in a way that cannot be learned by anybody but the person walking the journey themselves. It is not for everybody, as some people need more boundaries and rules to their nutrition. However, I believe that the programs that do not place accountability on the client are doing their clients a disservice because they are not preparing them for lifelong sustainability to their nutritional goals. The same thing happens to professional athletes who retire, many of them quickly gain weight, lose their fitness and ultimately their health. Why? Because for years they were being told what to do, not why they were doing it. WAG gives you the what and the why in a way that forces you to be truly accountable to yourself. This is the magic of WAG.

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: By taking it day by day. This journey is not a sprint, this journey is not a game of checkers. This journey is a game of chess and for life. As long as I remember that my progress is not linear, and as long as I am mindful of my decisions, goals and expectations, then I can maintain a positive mindset when I trip or fall. This is not an easy road to walk, nothing worth having is. But it is the concept of "balance" that keeps me moving forward. Balancing my career, family life (I have an 18 month old baby boy), relationships and fitness requires ebbs and flows. Finding that goldilocks balance requires a commitment to flexibility and change. WAG and the community it has built has helped me tremendously with my discovery of balance in my life.

Q: How has your performance in the gym been affected by tracking, if at all?

A: My work capacity has gone through the roof since starting WAG. I shaved 14 seconds off my Fran time (3:43) a few months ago, which was a complete shocker. I have found that I can hang out in that pain cave of suck much longer these days and push through walls I previously would have quit at. My strength numbers have remained the same even with the drop in body weight, which has been an added bonus as that is not one of my goals currently. Overall I am the fittest I have ever been right now and am loving every minute of it.

Q: What has been the biggest change you've made in your lifestyle since joining?

A: My commitment to my accountability has been my biggest change. I hold myself accountable for my nutritional choices far more than I ever had. And surprisingly by having more control over my food choices, I have gained a deeper sense of freedom in my lifestyle than I had when I was eating "paleo." It has been utterly liberating.

Q: What advice do you have for other people considering hiring a nutrition coach?

A: I highly recommend you discuss your commitment to nutrition with your loved ones, the people who will be inadvertently taking this journey with you. Explain to them what is required to be successful in this journey and make sure you have their support because this journey is not an easy one, but at the end of the day, your health is your most important wealth.

It is never too late to take control over your life and there is a community of people who are walking the same journey you are. It is difficult to get anywhere in life without the support of the people around you. Outside of your family, WAG is that support system that will set you up for the best level of success you can have. The greatest rewards in life are always on the other side of fear. So be fearless!