This month we are highlighting Ashley in our ‘Instructor Spotlight’ series. Despite being one of the newest members of the team, she has already proven herself as a serious double threat in both R/DE and TRAIN. Catch ANY of her classes at ANY studio Oct 15 – 21 with a special $15 drop-in available HERE.
What is your favorite thing that a client has ever said to you?
How do you want all of your clients to feel after they take your class?
POWERFUL and PROUD – which is exactly how I feel when I teach! If you take my class, it’s my goal for you to leave feeling PROUD of your body for the work it put in, PROUD of your mind for committing to the workout, and PROUD of your heart and soul for providing the inspiration to carry you through class. Strength looks different on everyone, and I think that’s pretty darn beautiful.
How do you fuel your body pre and post workout?
I like to workout first thing in the morning so I usually keep it light. A small banana with peanut butter or almond butter does the trick along with a shot of VitalFit Nutrition’s “Source” for that extra energy boost. After my workout it’s all about repair. I toss a couple of teaspoons of VitalFit Nutrition’s “Adapted” in my Koia protein shake for muscle repair and maintenance. #NotSponsored, lol!
Tell us about how you became a vegan.
I try to be very aware of what I put into body and how food makes me feel. I also firmly believe that what works for one person might not work for another. Personally I knew from a young age that I didn’t care for meat or how it made me feel. As I got older I learned more about nutrition and how food can work for or against the body. As soon as I lived on my own and had more control over my food choices, I cut out all meat and dairy which left me feeling amazing. My running, endurance, and overall energy improved drastically — so I never turned back! 7 years later, I’m still living and loving a plant-based lifestyle.
What is a passion of yours outside of fitness?
Currently I’m finishing up my Health Coach Certification and I can’t wait to start working with clients. I also adore writing (I went to school for journalism) and motivational speaking. I am ten years recovered from anorexia and I am very passionate about eating disorder awareness. I thoroughly enjoy speaking to young women about body image and eating disorder recovery. As someone who has made it to the other side, I feel it’s my duty to give back to this special community.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
It’s so hard to pick just one, but I think I’ll go with “If not now, when?.” Life will never be perfect. YOU will never be perfect. Sometimes the scariest decisions end up being the best ones — the ones you had to make with the smallest amount of information or certainty that you’d succeed. When I quit my full-time corporate job to become a fitness instructor I was petrified that I had made the wrong choice. Turns out it was the best decision I’ve ever made!
What’s your go-to song to play in your classes at the moment?
I don’t know that I have a particular song I’m obsessing over at the moment. However, I am on a late 90’s/early 2000’s remix kick. TLC, Blackstreet, Blink 182, Third Eye Blind, and Whitney Houston just to name a few.
Who inspires you?
My Mom. Every. Single. Day. She has always been my superhero and my best friend, but in the past 2.5 years, she has taken it to a whole new level. I didn’t know what true strength was until witnessing her battle with Multiple Myeloma (a rare, incurable blood cancer). Watching her fight put my entire life into perspective. It changed my career path, my values, and my goals. It made me more present and grateful for every single moment. She wakes up every day and has to fight cancer. I wake up every day with NO reason to be ungrateful. She fights with determination, a positive attitude, a smile on her face, and so much love in her heart. It is the reason I am the person I am today. She makes me want to be a better human.
