The Biggest Loser!

Sometimes I wish I was bigger were I could be on this show (ok maybe that is a huge stretch, I take it back). I know that sounds horrible but I get pumped just by watching it. I just wonder what it would feel like to be there. I would love someone to push me as hard as the Jillian and Bob push the people on that show. That's what I want to do when I grow up. I want to be that person that is going to say something horrible true that you have been denying for years and deep down in your hear you know its right and it makes you want to change. Deep down, I think that I just want to reclaim that little bit of athleticism that I have left in me and teach people at the same time.

Okay, so today I did my workout in the morning and I actually had a partner today. I am a little disappointed in myself, I really thought I could move up in weights today and it didn't really happen. I think the biggest thing I need to remember is rather than keeping the same in weight or dropping it down, to rather ask for help. I just need to keep thinking about the bigger picture and become more focused. It is time to get serious!

So I am sure you are wondering if the diet is in place. I got the official plan today and for the most part today was a successful day. I realized that I don't mind brown rice as much as I thought I did and cooking everything wasn't hard at all and was very easy. We'll see how tomorrow goes!

Diet is in full swing... TOMORROW!

Hello everyone! I know I skipped out on another day of writing. However yesterday I did work out and I completed my first week of the training. Tonight however, I wasn't so lucky. It just has been a long day and I am completely exhausted so I decided to take today as one of my days off and assign the rest of the weeks workouts to a day. It will at least hold me accountable.

As for the diet, I have everything I need now to get me started. I had one last piece of pizza left in the refrigerator so I finished that up for dinner. Now I have nothing left in my refrigerator that I can't eat so I am all set for tomorrow for a day of cooking so I have food for the rest of the week!

Let me tell ya: this is definitely not for the light hearted! I am trying to find time for one workout a day when later down the road I will have 3? This is insane! But I keep thinking I really just want to have that body. I want to have it to prove that I can do it and then inspire people to do the same. I'm not talking about striving to have a figure competitor's body, but having a body that is healthy, that makes you happy, and that you respect. People don't understand you must truly respect something in order for you to truly make a change. And you know what? I want to make this change, and I am more than confident that I deserve it. I know that I have the knowledge of what people should do when working out, now I just want to look like have have the knowledge. There is nothing worse than not practicing what you preach and I don't want to be that person ever again.

Sore!

Hello everyone! Just taking a quick second to write today since my parents and little sister are coming by for a visit and a belated birthday celebration :o) With that being said I think everyone knows this will not be a workout day Or dieting day! haha. Yesterday was back and abs and the only thing that hurts is my calves?! Hopefully my back and abs are sore tomorrow so I at least know I did it right with the right amount of weight! I am starting to think more than ever that I really need someone there to let me know what I should and shouldn't be doing as far as weight goes. I have one more day to complete the 5 day training and then I start it all over again on Monday. Hopefully this time I will be able to pick it up more. Sorry this is such a short one guys! Check back tomorrow!

I almost forgot about you tonight!

Sorry about that! As you probably noticed I did not write yesterday. I ended up not working out because I was so extremely sore. I am convinced I have a bump in my biceps because of them being so inflamed. However I would love to call it a muscle! haha. I figured since there is only 5 days in the workout plan I could take the day off and follow what my body was telling me. I picked it up today though and did shoulders and calves. I think I did it way too light but it at least tells me I should go harder next time.

That's all I have to say for now, but check in tomorrow. I think I will be working out in the morning then laying out in the afternoon. Ahhh, the good life. :o)

Good morning!

There is no greater feeling than feeling accomplished before the clock even strikes 10:00 in the morning. This morning I set my alarm for 7:00 but to my surprise I woke up at 6:58... thinking I was going to "really" get up at 7:30 I hit the snooze and laid there for a little bit. My mind was racing so I ended up just getting started with my day at 7:15. Got to the gym at 7:45, spoke to Dana (she works at the front desk) then hit cardio for 30 mins, I'm really starting to love it. All it is is a 15% incline at a speed of 3.5. Its perfect for me cause I really work up a good sweat and get to read at the same time (ok so not really reading... more like catching up with the latest gossip in the trashy magazines that I love so much).

By the time I was done, my Coach got to work so I was able to ask him questions on some of the lifts I had for the day.Today was legs, which I love. I have always took pride in my legs and if there was one thing that made me think I could do this was how great my legs looked when I was in shape. The workout went fast which was perfect cause I was planning to get out of there by 10 (10 was my target cause I just have to turn right back around at 2 to work til close and I did not want to workout and have to work start after. At least this gives me some time to come home and shower and chill for a little bit before going it.) All in all it was a great work out!

On another note, today is my birthday! Hasn't quite felt like it yet though. Not too many people know me yet here so haven't had anyone say anything. But the my friends on facebook are fantastic! Thanks for all the birthday wishes!

Today is also $0.55 ice coffee day at dunkin donuts ow much AND free cone day at Ben and Jerry's! No matter how much I would like to go to those places I just don't have the money plus I am really not following the diet yet so I don't want to go too far off track. Annnnd as an additional motivation, I ordered a bathing suit that I absolutely adore in a small that I am bound and determined to to wear in a couple of weeks. :o)

Urgh! But lovin it. :o)

I am exhausted! After spending 3 hours at the gym my arms are dead. It was so great to be in the gym though. I was just very proud of myself that I brought myself into the gym and did my full workout (even though I still had a meeting for work which really brought me to the gym, I am still excited anyway, hell, I could have just left right afterwards).

I have to say, I'm kind of afraid to do it all by myself. At least in college, I had 2 terrific teammates that I always lifted with. And I am a little bit worried that I won't be able to push myself hard enough or put enough weight on cause I'm afraid I'll drop it on myself haha. I think I might check around the gym and see if anyone is interested in working out with me. At least they could hold me accountable in getting to the gym.

So I guess you are wondering what the first day of training was like. Today was arms and abs. A ton of curls, a ton of abs, a ton of stuff I didn't like (not a big arms fan but the abs were ok, we'll see how I feel about it tomorrow haha). Some things I know I definitely need to push myself harder for, my coach definitely does but he will not always be there.

I can't wait to get the diet in full swing! I have to wait until I get paid to do more grocery shopping. Then my entire life will revolve around training. I can't wait to see my body start to change. Will post pictures soon with the body fat results (urgh!) but I just keep thinking, I won't be here for long. Until then I will post pictures of where I want to be so it gives you an idea.

Stay tune: so excited, legs tomorrow!

April 20, 2009

Hello everyone! My name is Ashley and I have finally made the decision to become a figure competitor. It has something that has always been in the back of my head but never really thought I had an avenue to do it, until now. I have recently moved to Charleston, SC to work for Gold's Gym where I met my boss and figure competition coach. He has been more than supportive in getting me started and I am really excited to begin this journey. Let me give you an idea of what got this crazy idea suck in my head:

When I was little I really struggled with my weight and it continued to bother me until about mid high school. Now, when I say struggle it wasn't like I was a tad over weight or "could stand to loose some pounds", I mean I was 160 lbs around a 12-14 pant size all before I reached the age 15. My parents just said I was "big boned" which I do believe I had a lot of muscle but a lot of fat in my tiny 5'2 frame. My sophomore year of high school I got the flu and lost my appetite and I slowly started loosing all that weight. I finally realized I could run and play soccer soooo much better than I could before. Soccer has always been apart of my life but no where near to the level that it was at that particular point. On the off season I decided I want to still keep in shape and I joined the track team. I thrived off of sports; they were my life. After finishing high school I went on to college and ran my first year gathering 5 school records. I continued to fuel my self esteem and my happiness through athletics. (My mom use to ask me what I was going to school for, and I would joke with her my saying that I was there to run track.) That was my life.

Unfortunately, the school that I was attending did not have the major that I wanted to go into so I decided to transfer to a school where I would major in Health and Physical Education with the hopes that I would still run for the track team. However, once I finally got to the school I was so far behind where I should have been in the major (adding a year to a year and a half onto when I should be graduating just by taking a regular class load), plus living off campus (no transfer housing) I made the decision to drop track. I finished out my last 3 years playing some intramural soccer, doing the occasional activity class, lame attempts at trying to workout but primarily working part time jobs. Needless to say, exercises was not a priority.

Over the last 3 years the weight has been slowly creeping back up. I haven't felt comfortable in a bathing suit for 2 years. I think it finally hit home was just a couple weeks ago when I scheduled my 3 mandatory personal training lessons and I finally had to check my BMI with a handheld body fat monitor. There is a question where it asks if you are "normal" or an "athlete" and my PT put me as normal. My heart sunk and I knew I just had to start doing something.

Today, I find myself fluctuating between 145-150 lbs, still 5'2, eating whatever I can afford on that particular day, and trying to sell other people gym memberships that I can't even sell myself. It is time for a change and I am hoping this blog will help. :o)

I chose tomorrow's date because tomorrow is the day I get serious (or my coach will seriously not train me). I know if I don't do something that involves my life 110% that I would not continue it. And, what's the worse that could happen? I get back in shape.