Recovery Week!

Good morning followers!

Hope everyone is having a fun week after Thanksgiving.

So, I started my week (Monday-Tuesday) not able to workout because of flight delays and being sick; but, I sure made up for it last night. I went to the gym to practice RPM with a friend who is training to become an instructor, I told her I would be her practice class. It was super fun. I can't wait to start training to be an instructor myself. Luis and I have made a goal to start that process in February. I did spin for about 60 minutes last night (30 with Gretchen and 30 more with Luis) and then we lifted. I am amazed at my strength right now. I'm doing so many exercises I had the hardest time with in the beginning. I can tell progress is coming. You don't put the weight on overnight and you aren't going to lose it overnight either.

Have a big weekend ahead. This evening I am going to do spin again and workout with my friend Sheba, then tomorrow I have a morning workout and an evening training session, then, the best day of the year, MY BIRTHDAY! I will be turning 25, which is very eye opening. I keep getting older and it gets harder and harder to manage my weight. I'm glad I'm getting it under control now, before it gets crazy! I will be running a 5K the morning of my birthday and going out with co-worker to celebrate afterwards. I will be sipping on a few martinis; but, try to keep my calorie count low and back to the gym on Sunday. This is my new life! I never would have imagined running a 5K, let alone on my birthday! I'm super excited, and I need to finish the race in under 30 minutes. Wish me luck!

Until next time...

XOXO

Holiday Blog

Oh the holidays. Always a challenge, but approached a little different this time. Getting a workout in is key. Not consuming empty calories through alcohol and getting back on track was another area of focus. My eating was not amazing by any means, but I have learned how to control myself and pace every meal. I had a few good runs this holiday weekend, and will be back in the gym for my normal routine starting tomorrow. Plan of action this week: get down to my goal weight for the week, enjoy my birthday weekend, but not over indulge with alcohol. The older I get the harder this is going to continue to be. I'm in control, just need to stay in control and start to see some changes in my body.

Until next time....
XOXO

The Journey Continues... Day 8

I'm telling you what....a week without my trainer is hard! I have no idea how I did it for months. Oh that's right. I didn't! I gained weight, drank beer, and complained and had no motivation to do anything about it. 

The students at TCA are killing me with all this amazing food this week. The Pastry students are learning Culinary and making hamburgers, Reuben sandwiches, etc. The Culinary students are making sweet potatoes fries, chips, salmon, shrimp, pasta salad....geez! It just goes on and on. But, I'm overcoming!

You just have to learn to say no! Every thing that goes in your mouth takes "x" amount of time to burn it off. How about just working on what is already there and not adding anymore work to your process? That's the attitude you have to have to succeed with weight loss. It may taste good for the 3 minutes it takes you to eat it; but, man it sucks to be on that treadmill for an hour trying to burn HALF of it off. 

Today's workout was awesome. 45 minutes of spin class with Monica (the best) and then training Sheba. I love using what I know and having someone else benefit. I burnt 2037 calories while doing class and training. When I train with Sheba, I am also working out. Feels great! 

This weekend is going to be more cardio base focused. A few more miles to run daily and lifting sessions. Twilight comes out this weekend, might treat myself to some unbuttered popcorn and some water at the theater! No drinking! Got to get pushing! Let me know if I'm helping you or if this blog is just a ramble. I like to hear from everyone. It keeps me motivated. 

I have to lose 3-4 more pounds by Tuesday. Let's go! 

Until next time...

XOXO

Ashley 

Day Four-Six

Weekend, weekend--oh how I hate you!

The weekend was very fun filled which got me off track a little bit with the workouts/food. Friday wasn't horrible. I ate and worked out like usual. My friends and I went to PF Chang's in the evening. I didn't drink any alcohol; but, I didn't eat amazingly.

Saturday I worked from 8 am-2 pm and had a baby shower to attend at The Chef's Academy. You know what that means=cake! Just killing me! I couldn't say no.

Sunday wasn't nearly as bad. Minus spending time with my friends, who are amazing at cooking. They did a mini friends Thanksgiving. I didn't pig out.

I got pretty freaked out getting on the scale this morning. I was very, very worried; but, it was very nice to me. I didn't gain any weight, I actually lost a pound over this horrible weekend. So, I'm back in the gym tonight and looking to get a ton of cardio in.

Luis is on vacation this week. I am going to be running 2 miles every day (10 miles a week) from here on out. My goal is to drop about 4-6 lbs. this week while he is gone. I feel good and confident about it. Tonight will include a 2 mile run, leg circuit, boxing and spin circuit. About an hour and a half in the gym. We will see how many calories I burn. My eating today was very good, not too many screw ups! :) Time to get focused. Today is a new day!

Determination, dedication, and drive!

Let's go!

Until next time...

XOXO

Ashley

Day Three!

Good afternoon followers!

I hope everyone is having a very good day. I am stuck at work and going to miss my workouts tonight. I'm pretty bummed about it. I hope Luis doesn't hate me. Not much I can do at this point though. :(

Today has been a great day. I got 8 hours of sleep, I ate well last night and felt very energized this morning. I had a plan to train with Luis this evening at 6:00 pm; but, I don't think I am going to have enough time to make it to the gym for my scheduled appointment.

I am staying focused and going to get as much cardio and lifting in as possible. Just bums me out because he is going on vacation next week and I love the extra push. God willing, I can make it this evening to see him.

So, today I have ate very clean. I had Kashi Go Lean Crunch this morning with 1/2 cup of skim milk, a spring mix salad with goat cheese, dried cranberries, shaved almonds, and Ken's light dijon dressing. It was probably the best salad I have had in a long time. I also had a Go Lean Crunch Bar for snack. As always, drinking plenty of water. Everyone wants to go out tonight for dinner and drinks; it's my first weekend test and I'm going to pass it with flying colors!

I feel light and good today. My weight is staying pretty steady and consist and I feel really good. Pants don't feel too tight; which is always a good thing. I'm very excited about this journey. I really think I will make some great strides next week and the weight will finally fall off. Luis is out of town, so it will be a LONG week of cardio!

Everyone have a great weekend. I will be blogging tomorrow.

Until next time...

XOXO

Ashley

Day Two!

What a day!

My morning started out with a workout with Luis. What a crazy man he is sometimes. I woke up, not feeling too great (still getting over a cold) and he kicked my ass! Our routine was great though. Burnt 1243 calories in an hour and he wanted to keep going.

My first routine was all upper body. We did chest press with a leg "windmill" rotation and pull-ups. My second routine was curls, triceps, and abs. We finished the workout with leg press (side) and a band exercise and 15-20 minute of spin (cardio). It was WELL worth the pain.

Food wise, it has been a hard day. I didn't get started on the right foot because I didn't eat breakfast. Biggest mistake people! Get your food in before your workout. This gives you an extra boost and will power through your workout. Then, my co-workers wanted Qdoba for lunch. This was a huge test; but, I went and made smarter choices. The smartest choice would have been not to attend. I am drinking plenty of water today; but, I do feel a little bloated. And, to add to my control issues, the students at TCA are making pasta, breaded eggplant, hummus (which is ok) and vegetarian spring rolls (which is ok, as well). I'm going to stick with the healthy choices and keep saying NO. My thought process is it takes 1 minute to add 400+ calories to your body and 1-2 hours to take it off. Why waste all your hard work? Think about every food item/drink that goes into your mouth before you do it.

I started this journey at 234 pounds (refer to photos from "Day One" blog) and my lowest point was 208 pounds. I have had some ups and downs and I feel like I am on the right track. I have lost about 3 lbs. this week and I feel like I am toning a lot quicker than I have in the past. I need to up my cardio and will be attending more spin and RPM classes to get in an additional calorie burn on top of the training routine.

Off to the gym again after work. I will be helping Sheba workout and doing some minor lifting. I think a run is in my future.

Tonight's plan: Arm Routine (dumbbells)

30 minute treadmill workout (sprint intervals; 3.5- 1 min. and 7.5-1 min.) *increases heart rate, burning more fat!

Have a great night.

Until tomorrow....

XOXO

Ashley

Day One!

Good afternoon followers!

Today is day one of the "Fitness Perfection" journey!

This morning, I felt perfect. I ran a 5K in 30 minutes. My goal is to get under 28 minutes by December for a race my trainer and I have signed up.

My diet has been very protein filled today.

I have a 3 egg omelet this morning with sauteed spinach, onions, and an ounce of goat cheese.

I got a little busy at work and haven't drank as much water as I need to; but, I am catching up now.

For lunch, I have had a "smart one" and some carrots and hummus.

It's time for my protein bar for snack!

I am trying to eat every 2-3 hours which is VERY hard when you are working full-time and meeting with people; but, it is important. I need to focus on my water consumption and eating patterns.

I've got another workout planned for this evening. Today is a VERY cardio based day. I will be boxing and doing some stairs, trying to keep my heart rate above 170 to burn fat. That is going to be my main focus at this point. I feel like I am very strong for a female; but, I have some fat I really need to focus on shaving off my body.

I feel very motivated and ready to accomplish something great. Being an athlete for so long, you want something to focus on and strive for. I couldn't be more excited to participate in a fitness competition and change my life.

I have added before photos and current photos to this blog post. Although, I am VERY embarrassed and where I started, I am very happy with where I am now and what my future holds.

Thanks for everyones support. Until tomorrow.... XOXO!

Ashley

January 2011

Today

January 2011

Today

January 2011

Today

Hey Followers!

I recently found this blog from Rachel Robinson, a celebrity fitness trainer and wanted to share it.


Thanks for following! A new blog will be posted shortly :)

Common Fitness Mistakes

Mistake No. 1: Skipping strength training
I see a lot of people ( women especially ) skip strength training and think that getting on a cardio machine will do it, this is not the case. You need to mix a healthy amount of strength training into your workouts, I recommend 3 to 4 times a week.


Mistake No. 2: Doing it alone
Being accountable is something you have to take pride in. Make an appointment with a gym buddy, sign up for a class, or work out with a trainer. Make sure you stay consistent and you enjoy what you are doing, you should eventually look forward to your workouts!


Mistake No. 3: Trying to ‘spot reduce’
This is the classic case of someone who points to one area on their body and says, “I want this to go away”. Getting into shape and becoming healthy is a lifestyle change with that change will come results. Stick with it- eat healthy and push yourself physically 3 to 5 times a week. You will start to feel and see the change in all areas of your life including that “spot” you focus on.


Mistake No. 4: Neglecting nutrition
They say nutrition is 80% and working out is 20% with this said, you can not expect results if you workout and don’t change your eating habits. It should also be stated that healthy eating will be necessary for a partnership with physical training. DO NOT starve yourself or cut back your food to an unhealthy dosage, just make smart choices and watch your portions!!!!

Update!

Good Afternoon Followers!

I hope you all are having a wonderful day.

I know I haven't posted a blog in a few weeks, so I wanted to update everyone.

First and foremost, I PASSED my NC driving test! I know you all were worried, lol, but I am fine! Once I receive the actual license in the mail, I will post a picture on Facebook.

Are you following me on Twitter? @AshNicHanslits

The Chef's Academy is coming along really well. If all things go as planned, we should start recruiting for students in 2 weeks.

I get to go home and visit everyone in a week for my BFF's wedding and Lisa's baby shower. It couldn't come at a better time. I am SO excited to see everyone and spend time with my family and friends.

Katie is moving out here in June, June 15th to be exact and Tina is moving sometime in April.

Things are coming along GREAT!

We should be moving into a bigger apartment in June.

WHEW! I'm pretty busy. (Surprising to myself, actually)

Chip and I are celebrating St. Patty's Day on Saturday with his Bulldog friends.

OH, and...I've lost -17 lbs. to date! :) Luis is kicking my butt and I love it. I have been doing a ton of kickboxing classes and I am now playing Basketball with some girls from the gym as well.

Life is going great, and I have NO complaints! :) :)

Thank you for being patient. I will continue to post as much as I can!

Love you all!

Happy Tuesday!

Good Afternoon Everyone!

I just wanted to stop in and say a quick "hello" to anyone who may/may not be following my blog! I hope everyone enjoyed the Superbowl weekend. I am very excited Green Bay won! Next year--COLTS! :)

Just wanted to update everyone who wants to know about my progress. I have now lost 9 lbs. I know it hasn't been a huge jump; but, I am focusing a lot on building muscle and I am sure the weight will continue to come off. My trainer said he can really see a difference in my body after 3 weeks, which is all I needed to hear so far. I feel good, I have energy and I'm working out like a crazy woman! Yesterday, I trained with him at 6:30 am, then went back for a Cardio Kickboxing class (AMAZING!) and finished up the night with a 45 minute spin class. WHEW! I slept well. :) My eat habits are getting under control. I haven't drank in a few weeks; I am completing following everything I need to. I want to lose these 50 lbs and want to be able to keep it off this time. 


Everything else is going really well. Tina came to visit about a week and a half ago which was so much fun. We got to check out some new places and kind of see the "night life" in Raleigh. It's nothing like Indianapolis; but, something I will start to grow into I'm sure. Doesn't help when you aren't drinking either... :)
My sister is super excited to move here. She is aiming for June once she is done with her B.S. degree at Hanover. We are going to be moving into a bigger apartment which I am dreading moving my stuff again; but, it will be worth it for her to be here! :) Hopefully Tina will be joining us soon as well, so it will be a big party.
My mom is trying to visit in Feb. which will be so much fun. I can show her around town.


Chip is doing really well. He found an "unleash" park off of Millbrook Rd and has gone the last 2 Sundays to meet other dogs and play. He is still my little demon; but, is growing up fast. He will be 4 on May 13th. Time flys! Haha, he is like my little child. It is too cute.


Work is going well. We hired another Admissions Representative to join our team. His name is Shane. He is from Ohio and will be moving his family here soon to start work. He is going through some training at our Indianapolis campus and then will come here. I am excited to show him the ropes and get started with changing people's lives. Our accreditation goes to the board on Feb. 11th and is looking good! 25 days until our first ad is featured on local TV here. Then, ball is rolling. I am visiting several High Schools in both North Carolina and South Carolina in the next few weeks to promote the school and speak to some of their Culinary classes. I am very ready to get the school started and be able to meet with the new, great, excited students we will have here.


I am coming home March 16th-21st and have a packed schedule; but, I am planning to visit as many people as possible during that time. Rachel and Alan are getting married that weekend and I am in the wedding. I am so, so, so excited for them and I can't wait to see little Kayden too! He is too cute. Hopefully I will be able to go out with the girls on Thursday like old times.


Well, that's all I got today! I thought this would be short; but, I'm Italian and go on and on :) :) No offense Mom, Aunt Nickey, etc.


Love you all! Will post again soon :)

8 lbs down....

Hey ya'll.
I'm sorry, I haven't been blogging much because I have been doing A TON of other things; which is nice!


I have been working my BUTT off, literally, in the gym with my trainer, "The Surgeon", Luis Guzman.He is kicking my butt, I worked out with him twice already this week and thought I was going to cry when I woke up this morning. But, I am 8 lbs down, according to my scale @ home :) , and I got plenty more to go. I believe I can hit roughly 50 lbs by next year, and that is my goal.


I started studying this weekend for the Driver's Test... a lot more to come on that...but that is it for now.


I believe I have narrowed my search down for the MBA program for next year. I am leaning towards NC State and Kaplan. I am not sure which one and I have plenty of time to decided; but, I'm a planner and want to get things done ASAP.


Work is going really well. I made some awesome connections at the Pro-Start competition in South Carolina on Monday. Roughly 20 connections to be exact. I will be e-mailing them and hopefully visiting their schools come March to speak with their students. We are in the hiring process for another Admissions Representative; very excited to get someone in here to train and learn the TCA Culture. Other than that, I am focusing on getting things ready for March when we can start speaking to students and getting them enrolled for August. I think it is going to be insane and already the interest is strong. SPREAD THE WORD about The Chef's Academy!


I was very SAD, MAD, FRUSTRATED, AND DISHEARTENED today to hear about the Taco Bell crisis. All I have to say is RIP Taco Bell. I probably won't be visiting you much any more. (Plus, Luis wouldn't like me to eat that stuff anyway). This also brought me to think this morning how much I need to stop eating meats, and focus on Fish and Chicken and maybe some Turkey meat. I am going to watch Food, Inc. soon and maybe I will just become a vegetarian. Lol. The Farmer's Markets around here are AMAZING and would be easy for me to do.


Tina is coming Friday-Sunday to visit. I am so excited to see her. I can't wait till her and Katie move here so we can tear up Raleigh. Hopefully this weekend we can go explore and find some more places. I am in the love with The Flying Saucer (beer menu is huge, check out their website). But, I want to try some new places. I found this place called The Cherry Bomb, which has a great selection of beers, food, etc. I also want to check out Lilly's (amazing Pizza...or so I hear), and maybe check out Durham this week. Lots to do, and I am enjoying myself very much.


Keep in touch, and I will be posting again sometime this week. XOXO

Going Back to School

Hello everyone!


How are we doing today?
I am getting more and more settled here in Raleigh. I haven't used my GPS in two days; which I think is a big deal for me. I am also cooking dinner myself, which is a HUGE step. Last night I made chicken breast on my George Foreman machine, sauteed mushrooms, brussel sprouts soaked in olive oil and lemon juice and small red potatoes baked with a little of salt and pepper. I have been eating so well and really seeing results. The gym has been my best friend and so has HEALTHY food. I have lost 1 lb. per day, so I am down 4 lbs as of today; which is very exciting. Workouts are going well. I am glad I am so focused on this now and I can't wait to see more results.


Today, I have been really focused on getting things done here at TCA 2, which is going great and I have been looking into some MBA programs. I am planning on going back to school in Jan. of 2012 or Aug. of 2012 and studying Business Administration. I have found some great programs, but also some very expensive programs. I need to suck it up and realize I will be taking out more loans and it will be all worth it in the long run; but, it isn't the best feeling thinking about getting yourself in more debt. But, I am ready to commit and actually really ready to begin classes. It makes me laugh. I remember my senior year of high school, I couldn't wait to be done with college and now I am itching to go back to school again. It is an exciting feeling and I know I will be making myself so much more marketable. I think it excites me so much when my students make a commitment to go to school because deep down inside I am ready to make that commitment again to make myself better in the long run. It is a great investment in my future and I couldn't be happier about starting these steps. With that said, I have to start studying for the GMAT test to get into the MBA programs. Lots of work to do!


I also need to start studying for the driving test here in NC. If you all know me, you know I am SCARED to do that because, I didn't have the best of luck in high school doing that before. But, I can do it!


Just wanted to blog real quick to keep in touch. I should be blogging again tomorrow. Thanks for those who are starting to follow me, I appreciate it. Hopefully more will follow soon. Have a great day! :)

Welcome to Blogger!

Welcome to Blogger!


I am so excited to finally be blogging. There is so much going on with The Chef's Academy in North Carolina and getting settled into things; I think it is nice to be able to write it all down and share it with those who can not be here with me. So, just for a preface to what my blog will be able; work, working out, work, working out, etc. Haha, get the point? Because that is pretty much all I do at this point. Oh and some good times with Chip.


So, I recently moved to Raleigh, North Carolina where it is currently 56 degrees, sunny, and beautiful. So much has happened already in the past week and a half I have been here. Where do I start?


Well, moving down here I had a few minor "bumps" in the road, you might say. I rented a container to take ALL my stuff to North Carolina and the container was a day late. Needless to say, I slept on an air mattress for an evening in my EMPTY apartment. But, the next morning, after getting my U-Verse installed at the apartment, my container finally came. So, we unpacked it and relaxed! My sister wanted to go to the Flying Saucer that evening and everyone was on board. The Flying Saucer is a GREAT place in North Carolina to get a beer; their menu is insane and so BIG! So, Mom, Dad, Tina, Katie and I went to the Flying Saucer, ate dinner, had a few drinks and were ready to go. Long story short, Katie, Tina and I walked out to find a lock on my left front tire. WTF! Well, we were parked in a "honor lot" and we put the money in the box; but, we put it in the wrong slot. So, after some cussing and shaking and talking to the cops; the parking men came around and unlocked our tire, after paying $50.00. Could anything else go wrong in my first few days?! YES! Tuesday was an ice storm here and they shut down the whole city as a "state of emergency". So, I got the day off of work, which I greatly enjoyed. But, on Wednesday it was still icy. So, I'm driving along on the way to work and all of a sudden I hit a HUGE "puddle" of black ice and fish tailed into the side wall of a bridge. So, I am shaking, freaking out, and didn't know what to do. I drove my car off the side of the road and noticed the ONLY damage I had done to the car was crack the rim. I was going 45 MPH and could have seriously gotten hurt and damaged the car. So, I bought a new rim today for $80.00 and I would say that's a good deal for how badly I hit that wall. So, that was my string of bad luck in NC so far; and I know it is over. :)


The Chef's Academy is going well so far. As of right now, I am just trying to get everything prepared for when I can start talking to students. So, I have been working pretty hard the last week contacting local county high schools to get the word out about what our school will be about and when we can start scheduling appointments. Response so far has been great. I have also been trying to check out the local restaurant scene and make stronger connections for jobs for future students and/or places to find people who might be looking into coming to school. Chef Bane and I are going to South Carolina next Monday to start making connections at the Pro-Start competition; which I think will be a great connection to make early in this process.


Chip is adjusting well. He was a little freaked out the first few days because he didn't know where he was; but, he is getting more and more adjusted to our new home. He is my little buddy, I am here by myself and I really do not know what I would do without him. I promise, I won't turn into that crazy dog lady; but, he is a good boy to have around.


I start personal training this week as well. I completely let myself go in Indianapolis, and I figured this is something I can focus on while I am here alone and getting settled. My trainer's name is Luis and he has been kicking my butt so far. My goal is to lose 35-40 lbs and I want to see some real improvements in time for Rachel's wedding in March. I really think I can do it this time; especially if I am sticking to what he is giving me. He has really showed me some good techniques and things I need to change about my diet, etc.


My Dad is in town and I have to take him to the airport. I hope you enjoy my first blog and I promise there will be more to come. So please keep up with me...let me know what you think. Miss you all! :)