How come it's so easy???

I was so excited for this update for the past week but when I sat down to write it, BAM writer's block!

Why is it so easy to be negative, focus on the wrongs or could of, would have, should have? It is a sad reality that we are so wired to notice the negative and completely ignore all the POSITIVE!




I am happy to report I have turned a corner and been rejuvenated. For the past 3 weeks I have been adjusting my eating habits for the better. I know I have mentioned this before but this time I am practicing what I preach and actually being honest with myself. Instead doing a designer diet and focusing on drastic changes that I will be unable to sustain, I am taking the knowledge I do know and educating myself on the words of advice from people (my sister, 4 Hour Body and Body Rock) I  believe in. 
A small recap of the changes I promised to make and am sticking to after coming out of my personal denial:
BREAKFAST NO SUGAR, LOTS OF PROTEIN
SUPER FOODS NUTRIENT RICH FOOD FILLS MY PLATE
NO WHITE NO PROCESSED OR REFINED ANYTHING
EATING REGULAR EATING 3-5 MEALS A DAY, NO HUNGER NO SNACKING
I began following a very basic diet that seems very strict but figured out how to feed myself by focusing on health over taste, lean protein, veggies and lentils and that was it. I learned to be creative with spices and combination. From there I realized I was adding a lot of unnecessary snacking, cheese and oils, I wasn't previously holding myself accountable for. I feel satisfied, healthy and happy. I feel strong and encouraged that I have finally gained control of my perception vs. the reality. 

I LOVE MY WORKOUTS! 
They are a part of my daily life and I enjoy them more then sitting down and watching a favorite TV show or drinking a beer. If you are having a hard time getting motivated or staying motivated, these are some things that help me keep going...
#1 I have a workout partner. Even on days we don't workout together, I am so competitive that I  will workout alone to either encourage her or to rub it in her face (that's just me)
#2 Find what works for you, classes, running alone, home vs. gym, training for a event. Variety is awesome and trying enough things you are bound to find one that sticks.
#3 I love buying a new pair of shoes, workout pants, etc. when the other ones are feeling broken down.
I am getting excited to find a new bikini for this summer I have earned it! On that note...

PRAY FOR SUMMER! These "surprise" it snowed 3 feet storms are 
over rated!
 

 

 Happy 3 Month Anniversary!

Yes for anyone who is counting I am officially 29 and 1/4 and if you are reading this you probably haven't glorified or announced a 1/4 birthday since you were 5... Thankfully I am HAPPY and SATISFIED with the progress I have made and where I am headed, 3 month after beginning this journey. Thank you all for your words of encouragement! I love hearing from all of you who are following, it truly helps keep me motivated and driven. I hope I am giving you some encouragement in return! I have been slacking on any hard data or photos but I am hoping to catch up with those soon.

Nutritional Bite for the Week...

In honor of my diet insanity this week I am trying to reel myself back to reality. I can't seem to feed myself anything remotely healthy or green, therefore I am highlighting Super Foods! No I am not talking about Odwalla's "Super Food" that packs 600 calories into a bottle by disguising thick pulpy fruit juice  in a murky green to make you think it is good for you. Nor I am I suggesting you contribute to robbing Brazil of it's precious Acai berry for $7 per serving. No gimmicks just healthy foods that will provide great benefits, they will fit into any budget and can be found in any store. Super Food should be included in every meal and snack. These food are nutrient rich and help satisfy hunger and sustain you longer, that is just the beginning...


Protein – lean red meat, salmon, eggs, low fat plain yogurt (some Greek brands have 20+ grams of protein), black beans, tofu/tempeh , kidney beans, low fat cottage cheese, chicken breasts, turkey breasts, protein supplements (check for sugars)
Veggies and Fruits – spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, oranges, mixed berries, lettuce, bananas, grapefruits, cucumbers, kale, collards,
Carbs and Fiber – mixed beans, quinoa, whole oats, amaranth
Good Fats* – mixed nuts, avocados, extra virgin olive oil, fish oil, flax seeds (ground), coconut milk
* watch your portion control here, these foods are very dense in calories and easy to over do it

Drinks – green tea, coffee, H2O
I am not educated enough to promote any other drinks however drinks can be a diet sabotage so check your labels avoid high sugar content (fructose, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, agave nectar, honey, can juice) they are additives that tack on extra calories.

The Cheese Made Me Do It!

Where to begin, this last week was like 3 weeks rolled into one!!! A week like this in Ashlee Pre29 would have completely derailed me in my efforts...

I continue to learn a lot about myself on this journey and amazingly as my muscles get stronger so does my courage, my communication and my love. It has been really interesting as I have focused so much energy into taking care of my self physically I was ignoring something that was actually reeking havoc on my daily person. I have been suffering from insomnia and restless nights of sleep since the beginning of January. I guess I have a big tolerance for annoying things because when it finally hit me that I can't sleep at night I was so frustrated and decided I need to get to the bottom of this ASAP...

Family stuff=everyone is supportive, HAPPY and healthy

Relationship=keeps getting better!

Friendships=so blessed to have these people in my life

Work=frustrating and torture

Ding ding ding!

I had let some work issues eat away at me and fester during my hours of rest. During the day I am so busy and I have just been feeling such positive energy I think I was able to ignore it. Now it was at the for front of my mind and Ashlee at 29 had to take care of herself. To give you some background my job offers me a lot of freedoms and I am not micro managed at all so it is traditional for me to take care of issues and go weeks without interacting with my boss. It is very nice but at times it becomes difficult to actually ask for help. So once I pin pointed the cause of my insomnia I requested a sit down with my boss for the next day. That night I slept like a baby, I knew what we need to talk about and I had the confidence that I would be able to handle the sensitive subject matter without rehearsing it in my head over and over again until 4 am!!! Hallelujah!!!

This felt amazing I was so at peace with the situation, I just had a moment of clarity that this would need to be a fight or a situation where I had to argue my point and I was able to just let go. The meeting the nest day went amazing all of my "issues" were heard and extremely well received. 

From that moment on Thursday I realized I had gone through just about every emotion available to me this week! Until Friday a misunderstanding was brought to my attention along with that I had unintentionally hurt someone I love more then anything. This with a very emotional and tearful conversation (that I will not discuss the details) however was a truly powerful conversation that was very healing and a great moment of growth in our relationship. It was a true blessing because that visit was spontaneous but God knew this situation needed to be resolved right then.

Now on to the Cheese...

 Again I am learning... So I learned this week that I am not Super Woman and stress does get to me. I was previously immune to the thing and I thank my father for that... This week I experience stress and frustration to the point where by the end of the day Wednesday I developed at giant knot in my neck and back. I was pissed because my dear friend and massage therapist Rachelle had spent a lot of TLC in those areas just a couple weeks ago, WTF??? So that day I come home for lunch with my healthy eating habits in mind. I choose some butternut squash soup and as I wait for it to heat I decide to have a slice of cheese... A slice of cheese... Well that slice of cheese would taste delicious on a salty cracker, appropriately named Saltines and I just happen to have a sleeve open. Well an hour later and I barely touched my soup I consumed a small block of sharp cheddar over a sleeve of Saltines. DELICIOUS!!!

Well that was my confession, the stress got to me and I didn't care. 

Well the only problem with that is it was a set back, this week my eating habits were not what I have strived for and it set in motion the excuse of "well it's not that big of a deal" for everything I ate. So as I have committed to my exercise I now need to commit to MYSELF that my diet will be better and my choices will be healthier. When I am faced with stress I will acknowledge and respect it because when I ignore it my conscious takes a nap. So this is my wake up call and this week is now behind me and I have learned... I hope next week... I mean, next week I WILL be able to reports that my choices we better!!!

My workouts continue without hesitation and I will update my log... I am pretty freaking proud of myself, they continue to kick my ass but I LOVE every drip of sweat and burning rep I do!