Fitness Friday: Ashley R.

I hope you have enjoyed your week. I was really hoping Old Man Winter was going to politely skip the Cleveland area when he decided to make his presence known in the western midwest this week, but he hasn’t. He’s here. It’s snowing. I’m not ready.

What is your favorite fitness day/activity? 

Running is my favorite thing to do. To me, running is the
best total body workout. Personally, I don’t feel like I’ve had a good workout
unless I am drenched in sweat and running always does that to me. It doesn’t
matter whether I run 2 miles or 6 miles, hitting the pavement always makes me
feel like I got the best workout in.

 

What is your favorite fitness routine? 

Lifting weights 3-4 times a week has made the biggest
difference in my body. I notice that I am more lean and toned. I’m a big fan of
strength training because it’s important to remember that we all need strong
muscles to help burn calories at rest. My normal strength routine consists of 3
exercises that do 12-15 reps of 3 times. I typically follow the same outline of
exercises of doing 1 leg exercise, 1 arm and 1 ab. My favorite exercises are
one legged raised split squats, tricep pulldowns and I always do the same ab
exercises that focus on the following areas: low abs, obliques and crunches.
I’ve found that doing all 3 separate ab areas really helps to tone your abs
overall and give you a great, sculpted mid-section.

Why do you choose to stay fit? 

I choose to stay fit because it makes me feel good about
myself. Having a figure that I’m proud of and worked hard to get makes me feel
confident in myself. I also like staying fit because working out is my “me
time.” I don’t have to report to anybody or answer to anyone but myself.
It’s my time in the gym or outside and to me that’s relaxing and also a stress
reliever.

Aside from physical exercise, what other ways
do you incorporate healthy choices into your life? 

I count my calories each day to make myself accountable. I
have a major sweet tooth so it’s a good reminder to myself that I can’t always
eat unhealthy. For my meals, I try to incorporate a fruit/veggie, a healthy
carb and a protein for each meal. This combination helps me to stay full and
therefore I’m not reaching for snacks all the time.

How have you dealt with any setbacks that have prevented you from working out, staying in
shape, or eating healthily? 

When I’m training to run a half marathon or marathon, I
sometimes get leg or back injuries from running too much. If this happens, it’s
important to remind myself that rest is a good thing. While I wish I would work
out everyday, I know that rest is the most important thing my body needs in
order to get back to normal.

What advice do you have for someone just
beginning their journey into healthy living and/or exercising? 

Start out slowly, it’s about the journey not the race. If
you’re looking to get into running, find a couch to 5k app that will help you
ease into running. Whether you want to run a 5k, lose some weight through
strength training or start practicing yoga, take the time to work on the
basics. Otherwise you may end up injuring yourself and setting yourself further
back than you started.

Want to follow Ashley? Check her out on Facebook and Twitter!

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Have a great weekend, y’all! Who’s got a race coming up?

xo