Rachel P.

New Year New Me? What was I thinking?! I think everybody knows the mantra, "New Year, New Me." But this year has taken a turn that I don’t think I was expecting. I don’t think anybody had envisioned it would turn out this way!

I want to back track to January of 2020. The year was full of hope and I was thinking this year was going to be the best it could be. To give you a little background into my health, I really didn’t work out in high school or much of college. I was in nursing school, so classes and clinical took up most of my time. A few years later my husband and I both realized that we needed to make some changes to our health. Both our jobs required long hours and we knew that our health needed to be more important than it was. We both decided to follow a low carb diet. Yes we lost weight, but it wasn’t sustainable. After I gave birth to our daughter, I gained my pregnancy weight back. It slowly crept on. I knew that something had to give so that I could get back to feeling healthy. I would work out about once or twice a week, but it was cardio based (cycle classes or the elliptical). I just seemed a little lost as to what to do. I was losing weight, but I wasn’t taking great care of my nutrition. I truly didn’t know where to start or what to do.

Fast forward to January 2020 when I started Ashley’s Metabolic Reset program. I was truly surprised at the support I received from Ashley and her facebook group. We had the workouts for the week laid out for us, along with sample videos of how to complete the workout. I faithfully went to the gym at my work everyday to get my workouts it. The thing that really surprised me about theses workouts, are that they were fun! I enjoyed every workout I completed. They were 20 minutes long and I could fit that in with my busy schedule. I got to connect with other women who were in the same boat as me. Some were novices to working out with weights, some were more experienced, but we were all wanting to take better care of ourselves.

It was great that Ashley also encouraged us to message her if we needed help or advice with any workout. Now here is where things get to the New Year, New Me philosophy. When mid-March came, we realized how important it was to social distance and stay at home during a pandemic. We have a job to keep our friends and family safe. But what did that mean for me and my health? What does that mean for me psychologically? My friends were losing jobs and I was concerned about my job and risk exposure. I was worried about now having to homeschool two children, work full time, and still be a wife and mother. Gyms were closing, walking trails were closing. What was happening? This New Year, New Me was turning out to not be so great. Luckily, Ashley knew exactly what I needed and what her Fit By Design group needed. Ashley is a Mom and an entrepreneur.

She knows what it is like to experience the reality and feelings of this pandemic, along with raising children all while trying to stay healthy. She encourages me everyday and is always looking for ways to keep her group engaged. She is upfront about her struggles and the struggles we all face now. She knows that taking the time out for ourselves, even if we only give 50%, is better than giving nothing. She included new workouts to her workout app for all her Fit By Design users that could be COMPLETED AT HOME! How amazing! I could still get my workouts in while staying safe.

I can say that each day I complete my workout, I am taking time for myself. My kids see me enjoying my workouts and making my physical and mental health a priority. It is my little routine that keeps me grounded. Ashley recently posted a video in her Fit By Design group that really spoke to me. She mentioned that yes these at home workouts aren’t what anybody wants to do. We want to be back to our normal, but if we give what we can to our workouts or our health now, we can hit the ground running when things get back to our new normal. She gets it! Since my time with Ashley I have taken better care of myself, my nutrition, and my health. The New Year, New Me is now attainable.

I don’t have to let setbacks dictate the whole year. I truthfully haven’t kept track of my weight since starting Ashley’s program (I did weigh myself and take measurements, but I haven’t updated them), however my jeans and shirts fit better, I am happy, and I am taking care of myself. Any number on the scale or inches lost is nothing compared to the knowledge I have gained from Ashley and the support I receive from her. Working with Ashley has been a lifestyle change that is sustainable, that is real life, and something that I can use to make my health a priority. I am eating better, feeling better, and know that Ashley will continue to give me the tools I need to keep moving forward!