Who is Ashley?

I'm Ashley, a full-time gymnastics coach, single mother, fitness lover & skincare consultant.

What made you want to start your fitness journey?

I was tired of being miserable in my own skin. Being an athlete my entire life, I knew how it felt to "feel good" and wanted to feel that way constantly. I was tired all the time & with working with athletes, I needed to be present and also felt like I should look the part and set a good example of what a healthy lifestyle looked like. I wanted my daughter to see what health looked like as well and lead a good example for her.

What inspires you most?

Growth inspires me. To see where I have come from in the past 5 years is incredible and gives me motivation. Growth and Change have been something that has been uncomfortable for me in the past. I never would have thought I would have made it this far in my fitness journey and I know it has only made me a better, happier person. I'm excited to see what growth happens in...

"I don't want to get BULKY or BIG, I put on muscle quickly"...this is a pretty big misconception when it comes to muscle building. If I had a dollar for every time I have heard someone say they put on muscle really fast, 1) I would be fairly rich 2) we would have WAY more bodybuilders walking around, lol real talk. 

The reality (for majority of the population), putting on lean mass takes a lot of time, and I hate to say it, but people who think they can be a bodybuilder or super muscular in under 6 months, is either delusional, or misinformed. 

So, let's break this down with some science and actual research. 

Building muscle is a slow process, relatively speaking, and with proper nutrition and smart training a natural athlete could put on between 8-15 pounds of muscle within 1 year, keep in mind every person is different and results may vary. That is a pretty realistic number. Since muscle growth will rarely exceed even 1/3 of a pound in one day and there are...