An important lesson I learned on my fitness journey

We cannot change genetics! We are born with a certain body type! Learn to embrace it and love your body! Learn how to properly work out your body to achieve your ideal physique! No you cannot get taller, longer legs, longer torso ect but yes you can perfect your beautiful body and be proud of every inch of it! I'm a hair stylist by trade and this applies to my line of work also! Often times women come in with a picture and say this is EXACTLY what I want my hair to look like and I say ok honey well you do not have the same face shape as this celebrity, you don't have the same hair type as this lady, you don't have the same, thickness, the same extensions ect ect but yes I can give you a version of this hair style! Tell me what you like most about the hair not the celebrity but the hair. They often change there mind completely and we decide on something suitable for there face shape and hair type! The same applies for your body and your fitness and diet routine! I am personally very short I am 5'1 so any weight I gain is extremely noticeable! I have a short torso and short legs so I really do not want to add any bulk to my physique I just want to tone and tighten to create an illusion of height! I do not use weights I do all of my exercise just using my own body weight. I do use a medicine ball for my Russian twists and for one of my squat circuits but other than that no weights at all. You need to figure out your body type set reasonable goals and make a plan of how to turn those goals into reality! We have to truly know and understand our bodies if we want to get accurate results! 

I have truly learned to love my body. I embrace being short! Good things come in small packages right! 😜 I have embraced my tiny boobs and learned to appreciate them! I've learnt that the best thing we can do for our mind body and spirit is truly love ourselves and take care of our selves! Life is beautiful start living it to the fullest! What is stopping you? Fear? Kick fear in the but and prove it wrong! You won't be sorry you may be sore! But you will never be sorry!! Xoxo 

 Ashylla

How I stay motivated

I have been asked a lot how I stay motivated. So this week I have been thinking about this question a lot and I decided to blog about it!

I am so very thankful for my body! My body has been through and done so many incredible things. The most amazing being carrying my son for 9 months and giving birth! What an amazing experience that was! We have to love our bodies and give ourselves credit for the amazing things our bodies do for us every single day! I can honestly tell you that I love my body! No it is not perfect, but it brought me my pretty close to perfect baby boy and for that I will always love my body!! We have to love our bodies and our selves through every stage of life! If we don't love ourselves how can we expect others to love us? I keep motivated by loving my body, pushing my body and seeing just how far I can go to reach my goals and live this beautiful life.

I stay motivated by challenging myself! Weather it's going an extra 5 min on our morning hike, pushing myself a little harder on my bowflex or adding an extra 5 minutes to my circuit workout! We have to push ourselves and challenge ourselves to keep motivated and from getting bored! The worst thing you can do is compare yourself to other women!! Just don't do it! It's so easy to get caught up in the "I'll never look like her" "my boobs will never look like that" "she's never had a kid" "she's so tall" ect ect ect you should only ever compare yourself to yesterday's self! Just try to improve your health and fitness one day at a time and the rest will come!

I motivate myself by setting goals! I usually set a goal for the day, the week and the month! It's s good way to keep yourself accountable. Star small, set reasonable goals it can be fun! Start challenges with your friends family! It helps to have a good support system! The girls and I in my family have our own personal fitness Facebook group to help motivate and challenge each other! It's a great way to stay motivated and brings a bit of a competitive edge to the group.

The biggest and I think most important way to stay motivated is to just MAKE exercise and healthy eating a part of your daily routine! You'll get so used to it that it won't even seem like work anymore! It will become easier and you will crave it and want to do it!

Did you know that almost every restaurant has a calorie wise part of there menu now! So you can still enjoy going out to eat and maintain your health lifestyle! That sure keeps me motivated!! Everyone likes to go out to eat once in a while! Now a days there really are NO excuses for not making the healthy choice! So if you really want it bad enough it is all yours!

You have to make healthy eating and working out a priority! If you have time for social media, watching tv, ect you have time to work out!! Even if its just getting out and going for a walk! Start small and you will work your way to a happy, healthy, and strong you, inside and out!

Only you, and you only can make the change you have to want it so bad that your not willing to let anything stand in the way! I cannot do it for you! That's what makes exercise and healthy eating so rewarding you have to work for it! Push yourself and never look back! Your body will do anything you have to get your mind in the game and believe in yourself! 

You can do it! Xoxo.      Ashylla

The 3 D's

    It has been a year of many hospital visits for us Smiths! I'm hoping we are good for a while now!! It started with Lane getting RSV, Matt's health scare and then a week ago I was hospitalised with a horrible kidney infection! We are all doing great now! I am so thankful for our amazing health care and more specifically Pincher Creeks hospital! They have always taken such good care of us and I am so very thankful for that!
    Because I was so sick I had to have lots of fluid and antibiotics intravenously, which resulted in A LOT of bloating and I was not supposed to work out. This was extremely hard for me! It was extremely discouraging looking in the mirror and all of my hard work had disappeared. I knew deep down that it would go away but it was still terrifying there was that shred of doubt in me that I could not seem to shake! after 2 nights in the hospital I was able to go home. I took it easy for the first couple of day just went for walks and listened to my body. It has been a week and half since this happened and I am so relieved to say I am back to where I was before and I am feeling happy healthy and strong!
   During this lifestyle change I have learnt a lot about my body, soul, and mind. I have learnt that your body will do pretty much anything you want or need it to do. Our bodies are simply amazing. I have learnt that feeding your body healthy food and cleansing your body helps it to work better and perform better! I have learnt that living a healthier lifestyle has made me so much more happy! It has helped me to destress, and to live my life to the fullest. It has helped me think clearer and see things I never did before! I am so happy and I am so proud of myself for truly making this transformation and working every single day to stay happy healthy and strong!
    I have been asked a lot what I am doing, eating, what work out plans I am doing etc. Here is the biggest piece of advice I can give anyone looking to change there life for the better. To be happy healthy and strong.
#1 discipline
     you have to be willing to discipline yourself and follow through! You HAVE to start small and work your way there! If you cannot discipline yourself and follow through than you will NOT see results its as simple as that. You have to want it, nobody is going to do it for you.
#2 dedication
     you have to be dedicated to your lifestyle change. You have to jump in with both feet and not look back! You have to push yourself to get results. If you are not willing to dedicate your time to working out regularly and dedicate yourself to eating healthy you will NOT see results!
   # drive
        you have to keep yourself motivated. Take before and after pictures, weigh yourself, drive yourself to your goal. You are the only person who can do it. You have to make a choice to be happy healthy and strong and you have to keep yourself motivated and continue to drive yourself to set and achieve goals!

    I am in no way perfect or a fitness coach I am just a stay at home mom who has fallen in love with fitness and health! It is so liberating to take control of your life and push yourself and see yourself exceed your expectations! We need to build each other up! Cheer each other on and help each other feel good! I am taking this day by day and it feels so great!! I am currently doing my third skinny mint tea tox and feeling amazing! Go get it! Be the best you and never say never!! xoxo
                                                                                                Ashylla