1 year…365 days…52 weeks…8760 hours…of no scale…no weigh in’s!
 
I have decided that I am not going to weight myself for the next year to prove the scale has no power over me. The last time I weighed in was June 30 2016…my goal June 30 2017! Do you think you would have the will power to do this with me?
 
I felt on a very big high before I left for Africa, I had pushed hard and had really started to see that dreaded belly fat go down. After eating a diet I was not use to while in Africa, which consisted of many carbohydrates, I felt very gross once I was home. It has taken over 2 weeks to get back to feeling like myself again. During those two weeks, I felt very down, as if I had dropped the ball, as if I had gained a gazillion pounds and really wanted to give up on this “stupid journey”. It took a melt down with Dan on the weekend and some motivation from him to realize that eating a different diet in Africa was not our choice, I have not gained a gazillion pounds and what I did gain was sitting in my body which I have not gotten rid of thanks to a boat load of salads and lastly that this is my lifestyle, “so let’s clam down and get back at it!” We killed it at the gym on the weekend and I feel like I can do this!
 
So with this goal in mind, I am going to continue to work hard, eat clean and watch my body change rather than hoping for a change on the sale.
 
So pointers which help me out on this journey have been…

• Write out your workouts. Get a journal and write out what you are going to do during that work out, how many reps and sets. Below are some pictures from my workout journal.
• Monthly Calendar. Focus on one week at a time, this will be less overwhelming. My goal for each week is to workout 4-5 times. I set my workout days first and then everything else around them. Then I know when my 2-3 days off are and can plan other events. I include at home workouts, gym days, bootcamps, and running.
• Pill Bottle. Getting that old person Pill Bottle has been very helpful in keeping track of my vitamin intake. In case you are unsure of what vitamins to take, here is what I take daily: 2 fish oil, vitamin B, vitamin D, 4 Spirulina and 3 CLA.
• Incorporate Super Foods into your diet such as goji, cinnamon, spinach (Read Dan’s blog “Nutrition and Ashmeades” for more super foods.)
• Protein in small containers for easy access.
• Emergency supply of nuts on hand. When I am feeling hungry between meals, I have a baggy of mixed nuts in my lunch bag. I take a handful of them and some water and it ties me over until my next meal.
• Water. Always carry a water bottle with you wherever you go and drink it! It’s so simple.
• Drink two green teas a day.
• Refuel Meal. (Or Cheat meal) Plan out your one refuel meal for the week and stick to your meal plan every other day.  
• Try not to eat after 8 PM.
• Goal Journal. Write out all of your goals by date. All the small things you want to see, like my Bench jacket fitting or wearing tall boots and your functional goals like squatting a certain amount or running a certain mile. All goals are tracked in one book, by date, tangible and functional.
• Focus on 90-day challenges. By cutting up your journey into 90-day chunks you will find it less overwhelming. (Read Dan’s Blog “90 Day Challenge) At the beginning of each 90 days, record in your “Goals Journal” your weight, measurements and of course set new goals.
• Use Bio Oil each night to help with skin marks and your skin adjusting as your trim down.
• Constant Education. Never stop learning about nutrition and fitness. This will build your confidence and give you competence.
• Join the Ashfit Food Log on Facebook and post what you eat daily for great accountability.

 
I hope you find these tips helpful. If you have any other helpful tips please post them below in the comments.
 
This is my goal…365 days…will you join me?
If you are interested please post below your last weigh in day and we will work away at that year together!
 
Tiffany Ashmeade

Another great blog from Dan that I have decided to repost...

I am so glad that our society has recognised the need for women to be fit and healthy. Not the old thinking that women have to be “thin” or “skinny” because that just promotes young girls to starve themselves, do too much cardio and become malnourished. Society has now shifted to the right way of thinking, which is, women need to be fit and lift weights just like men. This teaches a healthy lifestyle and encourages women to have functional goals that are more attainable, helps mobility and boost your self-confidence.

The main reason I got into strength training/body building was to see how strong I could become and control the way my body worked. I wanted to look and feel like a super hero (The Hulk to be specific) and that has always been my “strive for greatness”. Now that I am going to compete in my first powerlifting competition, I will be able to test my potential and see just how strong I am. I feel everyone including women, should be focused on building muscle and gaining strength. With this is a focus of building muscle mass all of us will see a huge positive change in performance and aesthetics. You will notice you dance a little better, swim a little stronger and run a little faster.

With the idea that all woman need to be lifting weights and gaining muscle mass I have listed some reasons as to why I feel “Ladies need to Lift”

1. Being strong is the new skinny! When I’m at the gym and I see a girl picking up more than 50lbs or squatting more than a plate, I become their #1 fan! Being strong really shows a lot of hard work. It’s easy to starve yourself to get into that little dress but “do you even lift girl?”

 

1. The more you lift, the more you can eat. This is my favourite part because I love food! Muscle requires more calories than fat. Muscle is living and grows therefore is “hungrier” than fat. The more muscle you build means the more you have to feed it. But feed it “the good healthy stuff” please.

 

1. Muscle makes everyday activities easier. The more fit you are and the more muscle mass and strength you have then daily errands are easier and things feel lighter. Then you can show off to your family and bring in all the groceries in one trip!

 

1. Muscle pays off in the long run because it stays. The worst part about just dieting to loose fat is that it always comes back unless you build muscle to change your homeostasis. When you build muscle it changes your body and increase your metabolism which burns more body fat while at rest. Once you build that muscle it will stay and continue to work for you long after you are done at the gym.

 

1. Muscle shapes your body and fat takes up space. Ladies if you want that hour glass shape, those nice arms, shoulders and back, or nice toned legs and tush….LIFT SOME WEIGHTS! The more you build your muscles you will notice your body will become tight and toned. There is a common myth, which states that woman who lift weights will get big and bulky which is a myth for a reason. You will NOT get big and bulky unless you eat way too much or use steroids. Lifting weights will reduce your body fat and you will see your body get tighter and more toned.

 

1. Muscle will protect you against injuries. In life accidents happen and I can’t tell you how many times my injuries have been reduced or minimized because I have a large muscle mass. I have heard this same story from many clients and fellow gym rats. Lifting will strengthen weak areas so that you can play sports or participate in activities that you may never have thought possible.

 

1. Lastly, strength training also strengthens your bones to help prevent osteoporosis. Slips and falls are a major factor to life threatening injuries, depression, and the need for long term care facilities. The best way to deal with this is prevention, start lifting now.

 
Those are just a few reasons why Ladies need to lift and I hope you have learned how important it is to incorporate weight lifting into your gym routine. 

Tiffany's Max Deadlift! 245LBS

Tiff and Stef killing a deadlife day!

Like most life changes, it isn’t so easy at first and I can honestly say by setting short and long-term goals, you are able to maximise your success. This works for beginner’s right up to experts and professionals. The 90-day challenge is a great way to get some reasonable and tangible results showing your efforts are paying off.
Three months gives your body time to adapt to the lifestyle changes and you can begin to form new habits.
You also give yourself time for mistakes and setbacks, as we are human and they happen, thus it makes sense to factor them in to best prepare yourself for success. Fitness, like most challenging things is very mental and psychological. Thinking a year or more down the road can be overwhelming and intimidating, even thinking about sticking to a program or regime for six months can feel like a lot, especially for first timers. This overwhelming feeling can lead to failure and is the main reason most people quit.
90 days is that “ideal” time period that most people can commit to and through that period they will see results to feel accomplished and motivated to continue!
So give yourself a 90 day challenge to; gain, lose, get stronger, trim inches, get faster, jump higher, swim strong or run further….whatever it is, just keep challenging yourself and pushing yourself to your fullest potential. At the end of it, you can say you did your best and gave it your all! If you are interested in starting a 90-day challenge, email me and I would be happy to help you get started. 

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