This week the Stronger U Member Spotlight is shining down on Alyssa Fucci, who has been working with Coach Maggie Watson. Congrats, Alyssa!
What’s your name? (First and last names, pretty please)
Alyssa Fucci
Who was your Coach?
Maggie Watson
If there was one thing you could say to your Coach, what would it be?
She is a true inspiration and always keeps me motivated!
Tell us a little about you. Where are you from? Are you a parent? What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I am from Massachusetts, newly married, and have a 14-month-old daughter. I am also a dog and cat mom! In my free time I enjoy outdoor activities, the beach, hanging with my friends, and most recently I started working on obtaining my nutrition certification.
What was the moment that made you decide to join Stronger U?
When I knew I had to fit into my wedding dress 6 months after having my daughter.
Is there anyone from the SU community you would like to shout out?
Lenore Long!!! She introduced me to this program and Maggie!
What dieting experience did you have previous to Stronger U?
Keto, crash diets, 21-day-fix, the military diet
What were your eating habits like before joining Stronger U? Did you prep your meals? Did you eat out regularly? Did you think you were already eating healthy and in moderation?
I was doing keto and thought 12g of carbs a day was great! I only tracked when I felt like it and I thought I had a somewhat good understanding of nutrition. Looking back I clearly had no idea what I was doing.
Why do you think Stronger U worked so well for you compared to other programs or diets?
You have a coach that helps keep you accountable. I had serious goals I wanted to reach and make my daughter proud. I don’t fail at my goals I do everything I can to make them happen. The slow progress I saw mentally and physically kept me hooked. I did not have the same feelings about other diets.
What was the biggest challenge or change when you first started with Stronger U?
Realizing how important nutrition labels were and the actual serving sizes of food was mind-blowing. Meal prepping and bringing food with me if I was going to be out all day or going somewhere that didn’t have macro-friendly options.
What was something you regularly ate while on Stronger U that people wouldn’t expect you to eat on a diet?
Bread. Pizza. Wraps. Desserts.
What does your typical week of eating look like? How many days a week do you meal prep? Do you have certain meals you make most often?
My typical week of eating usually consists of breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner. Depending on the day I eat from 12p-6p. I always log minimally a day in advance but when I first started I did a week at a time. I tend to log the things I want to eat that day first and dinner. Then I work around that. I mostly meal prep dinner. I work every weekend so I meal prep all my meals for both days on Friday.
If you exercise or train for a sport, did Stronger U have any impact on your training? Or did Stronger U have an impact on your decision to start exercising or training for a sport?
Stronger U impacted my decision to start exercising again. I went into the mindset that this will help me more mentally. Before I thought I had to work out to lose weight so it was more of a chore. I didn’t work out often my first session and lost a decent amount of weight. Then I realized weight loss happens in the kitchen and fitness happens at the gym.
How much weight did you lose with Stronger U?
So far I have lost 70 lbs.
How did your waist measurements change with Stronger U?
I have lost about 13 inches around my waist.
What were 3 major non-scale victories you experienced with Stronger U?
Fitting into my wedding dress, ordering size small clothes and they were still a little big, seeing my c-section scar without having to lift my baby belly pooch up cause it was gone!
Outside of the scale, inches, and previously mentioned NSV’s, how has your life improved thanks to your time with Stronger U?
I have been able to come off of the medication I was taking for a high heart rate. I have more energy. I am more aware of the food that goes into my mouth. Food is fuel for my body.
What are 3 tips, based on your experience, that you’d give to new members of Stronger U to help them see success early on?
Plan plan plan ahead, don’t let the scale affect you mentally, read the nutrition labels and triple check serving sizes match!
If someone is thinking about joining Stronger U, what advice would you give them before beginning their journey?
Make sure you are ready to commit to yourself. You have to be ready to put yourself first. It can be overwhelming at first but once you get the hang of it, it’s so easy! It was hard for me at first with a newborn to tell myself it was ok to put the baby down for a little and get myself something to eat. If I was not fueled with food how could I be the best mom I could be for her. On the days prior that I only had like one meal after she finally fell asleep I was irritable and tired often!
