Hydration Station

For the last couple days, I've made some really subtle changes to my diet and have actually been seeing some noticeable results. I haven't made any changes to my workout routine at all, which shows how changing diet alone can make a huge difference! My stomach seems flatter and my crazy appetite has been under control. One main thing I've done is started to drink a lot more water! I've been filling a gallon full of water at the start of each day and have been carrying that around with me or transferring some to a smaller bottle (when I'm out and about or at the gym). I absolutely LOVE measuring my H2O consumption this way. It let's me know how much I've drank and how much more I have to go.

Hydration is so important for your health and well-being. There are so many benefits of drinking water and our bodies definitely require more than the commonly believed 8 glass rule. The average adult human body is comprised of about 50-65% water. Water is necessary to keep our bodies running and is also what cleanses our system of undesirable toxins. It aids digestion and circulation, can increase energy, and suppresses hunger. I know I've been less inclined to snack or go for a second round at dinner the last few days!

People can often confuse thirst for hunger and will also fill themselves up on more food when dehydrated. Filling up on water keeps your appetite at bay and is 0 calories! So it's really the healthiest and most guilt-free beverage out there. :) I definitely recommend measuring your water intake this way -- I've been loving it! Drink a glass of water before and with each meal and then throughout the day and you'll be well on your way to hydration station.

The Coach Who Said I Couldn't

Have you ever had someone tell you you can't do something? That you're incapable of accomplishing something? That no matter how hard you try, your goal just isn't in the cards for you? I have.

During my freshman year of college, my Strength and Conditioning Coach told me that I wasn't physiologically capable of getting in shape. I wasn't physiologically capable. I don't know how many different ways you can interpret that, but to me, I took it as, "no matter how hard you try, no matter how hard you work, you'll never be in the shape you want to be and there's not much you can do to change that fact." Thanks for the pep talk, Coach. To give you some background, this was Fall of my freshman year. At the time, I definitely wasn't one of the most well-conditioned girls on the team (keep in mind that being well-conditioned and looking like you're in shape are two extremely different things). We had strength and conditioning testing every Fall and Winter and I went into my first quarter as a collegiate student athlete with the naive mindset that I wanted to enjoy my last Summer of freedom and so I didn't train nearly as hard as I should have. Huge huge mistake. I'm pretty sure I failed whatever test we were given during our first week of training. I still pitched well and was physically strong, but I wasn't able to run and endure the stamina we were expected to endure.

So after a few weeks on the field and in the weight room working hard and slowly making improvements, Coach...Pete we'll call him... Coach Pete calls me over one day and says that I'll just never be able to get in shape like the other girls. I'm just not physiologically capable of that. I couldn't believe he was telling me this. I was a little stunned when he first said that to me and I remember a range of emotions hitting me. I was sad because I felt like he was giving up on me. I was pissed because I felt like he didn't believe in me. I was confused because for a second I thought that perhaps he was right. I don't even remember how I responded to be honest. I think I just nodded diligently and went back to completing my assigned lift.

When I got back to my dorm later that day, I still couldn't get over what Coach Pete had said to me. The thought that something was so far out of my control and having someone tell me there was nothing I could do about it despite my biggest efforts was something I couldn't accept. I was always taught that if I want something badly enough and work hard enough for it, good things will follow. I was always taught that I was capable of ANYTHING. I continued to think about Coach Pete's lack of confidence in my ability and started to cry out of frustration -- yes, my female teenage emotions got the best of me and I cried. I took a minute to be upset and feel sorry for myself but then quickly snapped out of that and turned my frustration into motivation and fuel. His words and thoughts of my inability fed the fire that was already inside me to improve every aspect of my athletic ability. I wanted to show him that I was capable of not only passing his conditioning test, but CRUSHING the numbers he expected us to meet.

"The greatest pleasure in life is in doing what others say you cannot do."

I continued to work hard on the field and in the weight room and for the next three and a half years, I was always one of the top performers on our conditioning tests. Oh look, I am physiologically capable! I'll be honest, I'm no runner! I was a pitcher and definitely wouldn't even put myself in the same category as some of our outfielders when it comes to sprints. They were BEASTS and would give a lottt of wide receivers and running backs a run for their money on a 40-yard dash. Now I'm not saying I wouldn't try, but I'm pretty confident I know how a race with me and our outfielders would end. ...and that's not in my favor. Ha! Anyways! We had 300-yard shuttles and beep tests twice a year as our conditioning tests and after that terrible Fall of freshman year, I consistently set times that exceded my own expectations and that I was really proud of. I stayed drive, put in work and the results followed. I wasn't running non-stop. I didn't spend countless hours on the track or in the weight room. I was honestly never a fan of cardio (I still hate it) and didn't spend any more than 40 minutes conditioning per day. Most days were probably around 20 minutes and some days were as short as 10. I did this 4-5 times a week to prepare for our tests. Did I dread it each time? Absolutely. But I dreaded the alternative even more. Disappointing my coaches, my teammates, and myself simply wasn't an option. I wanted to be the best athlete I could be for them and for myself. 

It's funny because as a young freshman, a part of me believed Coach Pete. I thought, what if he was right? I questioned my ability for a second but had to shake the possibility of a limit from my mind. I didn't choose to post about this story to toot my own horn -- I think this is actually the first time I've told anyone this -- but I want to show that there are going to be people who don't believe in you and tell you you CAN'T do something but don't let that deter you from trying and working hard. You're capable of achieving anything you put your mind to! I know that's cliche, but people make amazing transformations and positive changes every day. Why not you?? Our bodies are capable of so many things, and with discipline, knowledge, motivation, and confidence, anything is possible.

Don't listen to people who tell you you aren't capable of achieving something. Even yourself. Your mind is the only thing that can put limitations on your ability, and you don't have to listen to it. <3

Satisfying That Sweet Tooth

If there's one thing that's tough for me to give up, it's SWEETS! Cookies, cupcakes, brownies, pies, cakes, etc... love them all. Geez, I get hungry just thinking about the combination of chocolate and peanut butter. :X (*droooool*) So I guess it's a good thing that I've found PLENTY of healthy recipes as alternatives to my favorite unhealthy treats. Chocolate chip cookies, chocolate fudge, muffins, brownies... I've recently come across a number of recipes for these goodies that are CLEAN and GUILT-FREE! I made black bean brownies, pancakes, and cinnamon apple muffins the other day (I was in a baking mood) and they all turned out amazing. I found the recipes on Instagram and online and made a couple of minor tweaks to make it my own but they were all extremely delicious, moist, and satisfying. Even my brother, who hates healthy desserts, approved. :)

I took pictures of my own and will post the recipes shortly. Finding healthy alternatives and substitutes has been key in my health journey. I still want to enjoy my life and my meals! This girl loves to eat. I just use ingredients that are natural and do my body gooddd. There's so much information on the Internet about healthy substitutions to all our favorite not-so-healthy foods. Knowledge is power! If you're curious about something, research it! You'd be fascinated by what you find out and, if you're anything like me, you'll soon be on a tangent search learning all kinds of new and interesting facts about healthy and nutrition. 

Eat Clean, Train Dirty. <3

Happy Monday, y'all! I hope you're having a good one. Today I wanted to discuss females and weight lifting again. I know this is something I've posted about before but I'm a huge advocate of weight lifting to help you achieve great results on the outside but also from a visceral perspective. Building strong muscles from weight lifting will help support your bones and body more and can help prevent a number of issues that may come with aging. 

Every time I'm in the gym, I can't help but notice that the majority of the cardio machines are being used by women and the majority of the free weights are being used by men. I still use cardio machines every now and then but I make it a point to lift at least 4 times a week (I go crazy if I don't.) I know it can be really intimidating for people to step into the gym and into the free weights section for the first time. It's often the section occupied by some bigger, bulkier, wannabe bodybuilding males and you don't even know where to begin! You're afraid of making a mistake and doing something incorrectly. Is this right? If so, I completely understand! I know it can be difficult to break out of your comfort zone. But the hardest step is always the first!

I won't ramble on and on about the benefits of weight lifting because that can be a whole other post in and of itself but trust me that lifting is beneficial and will help you achieve any health and fitness goals you have. There are a ton of exercises and safety is undoubtedly the most important thing.

Start by having a personal trainer, experienced friend, or frequent weight lifter show you some exercises so you know how to do them correctly. Use less weight until you feel comfortable and are doing the exercise correctly. 

I think a lot of first timers can feel insecure about the way they look or about what other people might think of them...but that honestly shouldn't matter!! You're getting healthy for YOU and no one else. Everyone started somewhere. And by everyone, I mean all of those people who you think might judge you in the gym. If it helps, go with a partner. Get a workout buddy so you can keep each other motivated. Get a personal trainer to show you the ropes until you get into a good routine. I honestly love being one of the few females in the male-dominant weights section. :P It makes me feel more badass than I actually am. And I love seeing when other women workout in that area with me! There aren't too many so it's good to motivate and empower each other when we cross paths. :) I hope this helps some of you who have been curious about getting it on with free weights. You honestly won't regret it and will see amazing results if you keep at it. <3 Happy lifting!

Clean Eating

I had a colleague once say (and I couldn't agree more) that working out is the easy part of a healthy lifestyle. Anyone can incorporate exercise into their daily routine. Adding 30-60 minutes of exercise a day really isn't SOOO much to ask. Right?? :/ But the tough part of creating a healthy lifestyle is altering your diet and conditioning your brain to feed your body with things that are better for you. Once you get into a routine of eating certain bad foods, a certain amount, or at certain times, it can be really difficult to change those habits -- I struggle with this too!

After eating huge meals in college and eating all. the. time, I got accustomed to large portion sizes and the idea that my metabolism would burn off all of those calories. Oh, Ashley, how naive you are. The sad truth is that I'm not training as often or as rigorously as I was in college -- my body may have needed all that fuel at the time but it doesn't anymore. I used to be on the field for anywhere from 5-6 hours a day with an additional hour and a half for weights and/or conditioning. Six days a week! This combined with classes, meetings, etc... I was always active and on the move! Things definitely slowed down once I got into the "real world" and found myself at a desk for hours upon hours a day. Yuck. (I honestly hate desk jobs but what can you do?) So I learned to adjust my portion sizes to not be 3 plates/meal. I also have about 5-6 meals/day as opposed to the 3 meals/day I had in college. Believe it or not, I'm still just as hungry just as often as when I was in college. Ha! I guess the body liked operating that way! ...what can I say? This girl loves to eat.

So what did I do to break out of my old routine? I first had to realize that I couldn't eat whatever and whenever I wanted anymore. I was no longer on a strict and rigorous training schedule that required me to significantly increase my calorie consumption. Food is fuel for your body and I no longer needed as much as before. I started by taking baby steps and making small changes at a time.

If you're trying to break some bad habits, it's important to take baby steps so you don't get overwhelmed, give up, and fall right back into your old unhealthy ways. Alter a few things about your diet to begin with and then gradually add more and more until it becomes your new routine and you can't ever imagine going back to those unhealthy habits.

I like to find healthy substitutions for a lot of my favorite foods. Pizzas, cakes, cookies... those are all things I still love having and I didn't want to completely deprive myself of them. I'll allow myself some cheat meals every now and then but there are also PLENTY of healthy alternatives to these unhealthy staples. Healthy versions and recipes can be found by simply Googling them. I usually stay away from butter and try to use recipes without white flour. :)

Here is a list of adjustments you can make in addition to a grocery list of healthy options to replace anything unhealthy in your cupboards or refrigerator. :)

*Drink LOTS of water! -- Shoot for at least 10 large, full glasses a day
*Start your day with one glass of water before eating anything
*Stay away from sugary beverages
*Try to incorporate green tea into your diet -- it's a great metabolism booster!
*Strive to eat 5-6 small-medium sized meals a day instead of 3 big ones
*Cut out simple carbohydrates
*If you eat a lot of red meat, try to limit that consumption to only on the weekend, or a few times a week
*Stock your home with only healthy foods/snacks
*Substitute your current snacks with fruits, vegetables, nuts, yogurt, etc...
*Start your lunch and dinner with greens
*EAT A RAINBOW -- incorporate colorful fruits and veggies into your meals

Grocery List

Proteins:
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
Lean Ground Turkey
Salmon
Tilapia
Tofu
Garbanzo, Kidney, Black Beans
Greek Yogurt
Cottage Cheese

Vegetables:
Broccoli
Asparagus
Spinach
Kale
Cucumber
Brussels Sprouts
Peppers
Tomatoes

Complex Carbohydrates:
Brown Rice
Whole Wheat Bread
Sweet Potatoes
Yams
Oats
Quinoa (also very high in protein)

Healthy Fats:
Coconut Oil
Olive Oil
Nuts
Raw Almond Butter
Avocado

Drinks:
Water
Coconut Water
Almond Milk
Green Tea

Snacks:
Nuts
Fruits
Vegetables
Roasted Seaweed
Wheat Rice Cakes
Butter-free, salt-free, sugar-free popcorn

These are obviously just some of the basics. There are plenty more options for you to consider in each of these categories. And you can mix things up to create some more fun and flavorful healthy meal and snack options but this should give you a good idea of what your should fill that shopping cart with. :) If you can start with a small change like switching from simple to complex carbohydrates (i.e. White to Brown Rice) then that's getting you one step closer to adjusting that lifestyle!

Remember, you're body is the machine that needs to be fed. And it's worth the best type of fuel. <3

Pre-Exhaust Training

I came across a really cool article today on bodybuilding.com that I wanted to share. It talks about the effects of pre-exhaust training which combines isolated and compound training movements to maximize the efficiency of your workout and the building of your muscles. I'm a huge fan of supersetting exercises and this article provides some great examples of what to superset so you can really target the growth of your muscles. 

But before we get to those examples, what's the difference between isolated and compound movements, you say? Isolated Movements are those that primarily and specifically target one muscle area while Compound Movements are exercises that work several muscles groups at once in the process of attempting to target one. The article provides a great example... 

"Normally, say when you bench press, your triceps, deltoids and other assistance muscles will fail before your pecs. However, when you hit your pecs with an isolation movement like the flye, your pecs will then fail at the same time, or even before, those assistance muscles once you begin benching."

Mixing up your workouts to include pushing, pulling, horizontal, and vertical movements is a great way to work every part of your muscles as it tests your range of motion and the all-around strength of your muscles. For example, when working your core, doing a basic sit up is only targeting one region in one motion. For quicker and more complete results, you want to incorporate leg lifts, rotational work, planks, etc...

Check out the full article here for a weeks worth of pre-exhaust training!

Safety First!

As I was at the gym today, there was a serious and terrible injury that took place right by me. I don't know much about the guy who got injured as I've only seen him at the gym a few times, but this was just another reminder that safety should always be the first thing considered and prioritized when lifting.

I always have my headphones in at the gym (I just get in the zone and in my own world!) so I don't really hear or pay attention to much else that happens around me. ...I guess sometimes that can be a good or a bad thing. There was a guy bench pressing behind me doing just fine when I initially saw him and then the next time I turn around, his left arm looks completely dislocated, out of socket, and is dangling lifeless and perfectly perpendicular (and backwards) to the ground. I don't know what the exact diagnosis was, but the paramedics came and took him away on a stretcher. 

As I mentioned, I've seen this man in the gym before but it seems like he was lifting WAY more than he should have been. Correct form should never be sacrificed for increased speed or weight. It can be tough to find that balance between pushing yourself to your limits and still doing the exercise correctly but definitely keep the weights light and your motions controlled until you feel comfortable enough to increase the weight. 

You should never feel the need to push yourself for other people. It seems a lot of people strive to get in shape to impress other people but at the end of the day, and in the long run, being fit and healthy should be done for yourself! The journey should be followed and completed for YOU. All you can do is try to be better than the YOU you were yesterday. Every person is different, will lift differently, train differently, etc... just do YOU to the best of your ability.

Stay safe, y'all, and Happy Lifting <33