The Lifted

"I would recommend Ash to anyone looking to improve their performance in the gym, from a new starter to someone with 20 years experience who wants to try something new."

- Dicko

If your dream body weighed 10kg heavier than you thought it would, would you not want it anymore?

If your dream body meant that you couldn't eat your favourite food anymore, would you still want it?

If your dream body meant eating out with your loved ones was stressful, would you still want it?

Too many of us fail to realise that our dream body is not a dream if it is a nightmare to maintain.

I say, f**k what the scales say.

Letting an arbitrary number dictate your life and your choices is madness.

Eating good foods, training hard, enjoying the process whilst also living your life is what really matters.

Don't get caught up in the bullsh*t.

Just some (of many) ways in which strength training has improved my life, and can do the same for you.

Whatever reasons get you INTO the gym, these are the ones that are likely to keep you going.

What's your reasons?

Just a gentle reminder to not play the comparison game.

A lot of people forget this fact.

They spend so much time and effort into the one hour a day spent at the gym, but don't bother as much with the other 23 hours a day.

The impact that good sleep, stress management, nutrition and mental wellbeing have on your physical health and performance cannot be understated!

So give them the respect they deserve as well.

Ayesha came to me wanting help with her olympic lifting technique.

First, we assessed her movement, and then, over 5 sessions together, worked on the parts of her lifts that would bring the biggest improvement - her positions.

She has great body awareness and soaked up the drills and cues like a sponge... All she needed was the proper guidance and feedback on how it should look and feel.

That's the benefit of having a 1:1 session for things like the olympic lifts; they are so increidbly technical and every person is so very different in their skills/abilities/experience that it is not a cookie cutter model to coach.

That is only half the picture though. Coaching the movements to look better is one thing. You also need to coach the person in a way that they will understand and learn what you are trying to teach them.

Not everyone will respond the same way to the same cues, or the same reinforcements and encouragement.

Learning what the athlete needs and wants is part of the 1:1 experience, and the one that I thoroughly enjoy figuring out.

If you're interested in getting coaching that suits YOUR individual needs, goals, personality and abilities, then hit me up and let's have a chat.

Despite what a lot of the media tries to tell you, there is no wrong way to have a body.

No wrong shape or size to start your fitness journey.

No wrong shape or size to take up space in the gym.

No wrong shape or size to eat 'healthily' or enjoy a burger every once in a while.

It's this moral value that we supposedly place on looking a certain way or being a certain size or weighing a certain amount that is actually the most unhelpful perspective to take.

You are allowed to want to change the way you look or feel, but make sure it's coming from a place of being 'enough' already.

Because you are.

Tempo is one of my favourite tools in the toolbox to manipulate. Why?

Because the benefits are SO HIGH.

Slowing things down increases the amount of time and work your muscles have to do (= you will get stronger).

Controlling weights for specified tempos means your positions and form will improve.

If you're getting bored of the same mundane ol' movements, then this is a way to add a bit of variety in and spice things up!

New to training or not, tempo is something that EVERYONE should use and understand in their training.

If you're not already then what are you waiting for?

Get counting boo!

The word motivation gets thrown around a lot in the health and fitness world.

It’s often portrayed as something that you either have or you don’t at any given point in time.

But then some people say that it doesn’t matter at all, because DISCIPLINE is more important (which is a word that I strongly dislike but that’s a story for another time…)

If you want my honest opinion… motivation and discipline are the SAME THING.

Every decision or action is driven by some form of motivation.

The act of staying consistent and ‘being disciplined’ comes down to being motivated do so.

But there is one type motivation that is better than the rest when it comes to sustaining health-seeking behaviours and habits, and that is INTRINSIC MOTIVATION.

As you can probably tell by the name, being intrinsically motivated means feeling compelled to do something because you enjoy it or because it satisfies you on an internal level. The way the activity or behaviour makes you feel *is* the reward in and of itself

This is what a lot of people lack when it comes to their training and nutrition.

They don’t do the things because *they* want to; they do it because someone or something else tells them to.

Unfortunately, a lot of the fitness industry and society in general can cause people to believe that they want or need to look a certain way in order to be happy/loved/respected/valued.

But the reality is, you won’t stick to something unless you really want to.

So instead of looking for outside motivation to make a change, turn it around and ask yourself, what is it that you really want? Why do you want it? How will the actions needed to get you there make you feel? Because they are what you have to do in order to achieve whatever it is you really want.

I first started my fitness journey in 2013, following the Bikini Body guide off of a PDF on my phone.

Fastforward to now, and there has been a lot of growth, mentally and physically, during that time.

Here are some of the biggest things that, in hindsight, would have fast-tracked me to where I am today.

While the journey to health and fitness is lifelong, there are lessons thast can be learnt from someone who has gone through the hard yards, especially when it comes to body image and balancing mental and physical health...

I want to emphasise that this transformation (whether inside or out) is always somehting that is better done at your own pace, in your own time.

There is no and shouldn't be any rush or comparison to how far along someone else is.

Pay attention to your own progress, and run your own race.

The biggest transformations aren't always visible.

It's not just the person who has lost a drastic amount of weight, or built a sh*t-tonne of muscle...

It's the person who's confident enough to feel like they now belong in the gym.

It's the person who stopped damaging cycles and thought patterns when it comes to their health.

It's the person who is now lifting more weight than they ever thought possible.

It's the person who is now viewing exercise and nutrition as a positive in their life.

Growth comes in many ways, shapes and forms.

I might be a little biased... 🤫

But I truly cannot emphasise enough how focusing on strength and your performance in the gym adds more to your life than a number on the scale ever will.

Just sayin'...

TRAINING IS NOT ALWAYS BLACK OR WHITE.

Perfect training splits, perfect rep schemes, perfect exercises, perfect times to train...

DO NOT EXIST.

Your muscles don't know what time it is.

Your muscles don't know what weight you're lifting.

Your muscles don't know what movement they are doing.

All it knows is the work it is doing.

The intensity it is being put under.

The energy it is using.

Don't let perfect be the enemy of good when it comes to your training.

Because most of your sessions won't be great... they won't even be good.

They are going to be average.

And if you keep chasing the expectation that things are always going to be perfect.

That you always have to working as hard as you possibly can.

Then you're going to be a fairweather athlete...

And that is not the foundation of developing consistency.

The BEST shoes for lifting in are ones with FLAT soles.

This is because being stable during your lift is of the UTMOST IMPORTANCE to produce force.

Imagine trying to find your balance standing on a cloud or a bosu ball or something...

It would be wobbly, right?

And NOW imagine trying to do a squat or an overhead press while you're there.

Not going to be very strong or stable now, is it?

That's usually how it feels when lifting in most running shoes, because they are designed to have cushioning in those shoes... for RUNNING.

NOT for lifting.

So if you're still wearing your running shoes in the gym for lifting sessions... please stop.

Try either going barefoot, or chuck in a pair of vans or converse you already have and see how much different your lifts feel.

Thank me later.

People love to complicate things these days.

Fancy meals, complex programs, disciplined morning or evening routines, a pharmaceutical amount of supplements...

But the reality is - nothing can beat the basics.

My meals and my grocery list looks incredibly underwhelming, but you know what?

I like it.

Tracking your calories can be a helpful tool when learning about nutrition.

BUT it can also become problematic, especially when:
➡️ we get so rigid in our thinking that we are scared to eat anything 'off track'.
➡️ we spend too much time obsessing over hitting targets.
➡️ we pay more attention to the numbers than the actual quality of food.

It's a fine balance between being structured and accountable to tracking...
..whilst still having flexibility and compassion with yourself when things don't go 'according to plan'.

Becuase that is inevitable. And your ability to adapt when things aren't 'perfect' will be a more successful long-term strategy.

Regardless of whether you count your macros/calories or not, being able to read nutrition labels is a valuable skill in and of itself.

Here are the top 4 things I look out for when scanning the back of the food packaging:

➡️ How many grams protein, carbs and fats are there in general?
This will help you understand what you are going to get out of the food (i.e. energy, fullness, satiety, etc).

➡️ How much of each is there relative to each other?
For example, if I am looking for a lean protein source to add to my meal, I check to make sure there is more protein than fat or carbs.

➡️ What is a serving size and the calories for it?
This can be a decieving way to overeat on certain foods - because the serving size is actually not at all realistic!

➡️ The ingredients list:
This is a big one for people with allergens or digestive issues.

There are many more things to pay attention to when it comes to interpreting food labels, but if you're wanting to get the general gist of it, this is a great place to start!

The problem with today's diet culture is that it promises happiness through restriction, when the reality is it often leads to deprivation and dissatisfaction.

So many past experiences that would have enriched my life were limited because I was too concerned with how I looked, what I was going to eat, and what other people thought of me.

Dieting isn't inherently bad...
..but there are definitely bad ways to go about it.

Having come out the other side of disordered eating habits and yoyo-dieting, I can confidently say I have a much healthier relationship with it and myself now.

And that is the KEY to success with fat loss.

So if that sounds like something you want to achieve too then send me a message because I truly would love to help.

PSA to all the fellow perfectionists out there.

Don't let perfect be the enemy of good.

Let's play a game! 👇

THIS OR THAT!

Here's my answers:
🍝 Pasta for sure (but definitely both)
💪 Weights (as if that one's not obvious...)
📚 Books (a critical part of my wind-down routine).
☀️ Summer (but I do love winter too!)
🐶 Dogs (don't tell my cat though)
☕ Coffee (it's an addiction xo)

Comment your answers below, and feel free to add any more.

Do you apply the ‘lowest hanging fruit’ theory when it comes to your health, fitness and nutrition? 🤔

If not, then you should definitely start. Basically, it means going for the easiest but most effective thing first… or in the case of your health and wellbeing, habits and behaviours.

Instead of trying to overhaul your ENTIRE lifestyle and routine at once and become a gym-junkie health-freak overnight, focus on things like drinking more water, adding more vegetables or increasing your activity.

Look for changes that will give you the quickest ROI. Things like swapping full sugar soft drink for low or no sugar, or going to bed that little bit earlier and reducing screen time before sleep.

Once you start to get these small (but effective) wins under your belt and see/feel the results, you will build momentum and capability to tackle the bigger (but more challenging) changes - things like starting a gym routine and increasing your protein intake.

They might not seem like much to start with, but trust me, the gains come when you make the easy changes last and then progress from there. First comes action, then results and then your motivation to do the tougher things will grow.

I get asked questions like this A LOT as a coach… “what’s the best exercise/set/rep/rest/workout, etc. for x, y or z?”

The truth is there is no perfect anything when it comes to your health and fitness.

Sure, there are certain things that are better for certain outcomes, but they might not be the best option for everyone. Personal preferences, lifestyle, goals, accessibility and experience all come into play.

At the end of the day, what matters the MOST for ANY result is your ability to stick to a plan and be consistent.

You will get stronger if you do 12 or more reps, and you will get stronger if you do 5 or less reps (as long as you’re hitting the right intensity to cause the muscles to adapt).

My personal opinion, and how I program for all my clients, is to apply enough consistency to see progress, but also enough variety to keep it ✨spicy✨ for the brain and the body.

A body shape won’t make you confident.

A dress size won’t make you confident.

A number on the scale won’t make you confident.

Validation from a partner/boss/parent won’t make you confident.

…but do you know what will?

Answering that call in your heart and the voice in your head that tells you what to do.

Doing things you say you’re going to do because you trust yourself and know you can.

Figuring out what it is you actually want, why you want it, and then going after it with everything you have.

Knowing that it’s about the journey and not the destination, and celebrating all of the ups whilst also being kind to yourself on the downs.

Being confident in yourself will come when you give yourself evidence of all of the above to prove that it’s true.

How many times have you beaten yourself up over a crappy workout, or skipped the gym altogether cos you didn’t have time to do the whole session that day??

I’m definitely guilty of having perfectionist tendencies in the gym… but lately I’ve been actively trying to prove them wrong.

A crappy workout is still a workout. You still showed up and did your best and that’s okay. Actually, it’s more than okay… it’s great. That’s where you learn and grow and adapt.

A quick workout is still a workout. Sometimes life demands more of your time and that’s just the way it is. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater; readjust your expectations and just keep the ball rolling however you can.

I’m going to tell you what I tell myself when I’m being hard on myself about my sessions; the gym isn’t your whole life, and it doesn’t define your worth. No single session is going to change your life, but rather the accumulation of all the crappy, the decent and the great sessions, so remove the unrealistic standards from it and just get it done. ✅

Big ups to the gang who came along to the nutrition workshop on Saturday 👊

Classic me forgot to get a photo on the day but you can imagine my face looked like this pretty much the entire time. 😆

I love running these face-to-face workshops and seminars because a) helping people with their health and fitness really does give me a sense of fulfilment, b) it tickles my creativity planning and executing the best ways to get information across, and c) it gets people involved!! The group all had some awesome input into their own experiences with nutrition and I am forever grateful for that.

Hopefully everyone walked away feeling that bit more empowered about how to get the most out of their training with everything else that is NOT in the gym. 🍽️💤✌️🧠

I haven’t got any others planned just yet, but if you’ve got any topics you want me to cover chuck them in the comments below ⬇️

Save this for a reminder of what to eat before your next training session! ✍️

Making sure you have a bit of fuel in the tank before going into a workout is always a good idea. Food = energy, so if you haven’t even for a couple hours prior to training, you might find your workout is slower, harder and less rewarding. Here are some snack ideas that you can wolf down around 30-60 minutes prior to training to make sure you can perform your best.

All these snacks have something in common… they are **simple** and **easily-digestible** carbohydrate sources. These types of carbs are ideal before a workout because they turn into energy quicker than complex carbohydrates (i.e. grains, oats, rice, potatoes, etc). They are also on the lighter side with minimal fibre, and so won’t sit in your tummy while you train (no-one likes feeling like they are going to spew during a workout)…

If you want more knowledge about how to eat for your training performance, make sure you come along to my workshop on Saturday 24th Feb at 🙌

I’m fully in my plant mum era 🌱✨

There’s something incredibly satisfying about putting in the work each week and looking after something (be it a plant or your own health and fitness 😉).

Hey, you. Yeah, you…

…the person who has been counting macros for as long as they can remember.

…the person who is constantly body-checking themselves in any reflective surface.

…the person who monitors their watch to see how many calories they burn each day.

…the person who silently stresses any time someone suggests going out for a meal.

…the person who hides their insecurities behind their clothes.

…the person who feels like their worth is tied to their size.

…the person who is sick and tired of being so obsessed with their appearance.

…the person who sees the gym as nothing more than a punishment or a chore.

Why are you trying to be less?

Why do you need to make yourself smaller?

Why are you not enjoying the one life you get to lead?

Don’t you want more out of your health than what you are currently doing?

Trust me. You don’t have to (and honestly shouldn’t) keep going like this forever. There’s more to life than trying to be as small as possible.

If any of this sounds like you and you want to learn to take up space again, send me a DM and let’s chat.

(Technically, it’s less than…) TWO WEEKS TO GO!! 🤯

Until my sports nutrition workshop where we will learn:
➡️ The biggest factors of overall nutrition that will impact your performance in the gym for the better.
➡️ How to match your nutrition to your performance goals.
➡️ ‘Comp day’ protocols you should consider to perform your best!

Whether you’re prepping to do to the CF Open, planning to run a marathon, or just wanna get absolutely hench this year with your training… this one’s for you 🤙

🔗 Link is in my bio to reserve your ticket (and don’t forget to message me for that discount code).

People who are successful in their health, fitness and life endeavours are the kind of people that make sh*t happen.

They are the kind of people who focus their energy and attention on the things they CAN control, and leave the things that they can’t as alone as possible.

They are the kind of people who look at a challenge as a chance to grow and get through it, becoming a stronger person on the other side.

Things aren’t always easy. You won’t always be motivated. It will be scary. But the way I see it, you can just LET things happen TO you, or you can go out there and MAKE things happen FOR you.🤘

I know which I’d rather…