fit gal

Fit Gal Feature: Ashley Nordman “Passion2befit”

This post hits close to home. Ashley is one of the most motivational and inspiring women who I follow and met through Instagram. Who would have thought that social media would have such a big impact on my life! Ashley’s daily posts are one of the most influential things that pushed me to dig deeper into fitness and really find my passion. After a few emails back and forth, starting with questions I had for her about Cellucor (she is an affiliate), then leading to her giving me a complete meal plan, I could not be more grateful to know her. Not only beautiful on the outside, Ashley is so passionate about what she does and truly finds motivation in helping others with their goals. With that said, I had to get her on the blog for an interview, hoping she can have as much of an impact on you as she has me. So here she is: Fit Gal Ashley Nordman.

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1. Tell us a little about yourself and your fitness lifestyle.

My name is Ashley Nordman and I am a 21 year old women’s figure competitor. I was born and raised in a small town in Illinois, where I grew up in the country. I was constantly outside playing games, rollerblading, riding bikes, and playing sports. When I reached high school, I fell in love with running. I was the caption of our Cross Country team, and I always played an important role on the Track team as well. When college came around, I was burned out from 4 years of running, and I was also extremely lean. I was uncomfortable with my tiny physique, so I started researching some new types of exercise. I looked on Bodybuilding.com, fell in love with Jamie Eason’s body, and told myself that I was going to do whatever it took to look like her! I started weightlifting and focusing more on my nutrition, and I quickly fell in love. The weights were a new challenge for me, and they helped me put on some much-needed muscle! Throughout college, I grew even more passionate about this new lifestyle, and I was a huge advocate for healthy living. I joined a private gym during the summer of my Sophomore year of college, and this is where I fell into the sport of bodybuilding. I met a personal trainer who was a professional bodybuilder, and he recommended that I pursue it. I loved the idea of a new challenge, so I started working with him right away. In just 12 weeks, I prepped for my first competition, the OCB Midwest States in November of 2012, where I won 1st place and Overall in Women’s Figure Novice! From then on, I knew that bodybuilding was my new sport. Since then, I have competed just one more time, in the NPC USA Coastal in August of 2013, where I prepped by myself and won 1st place and Overall in Women’s Figure Open, which qualified me for Nationals! This year, I plan to compete in Nationals, as well as two other competitions, and I also plan to do my own prep. Along this journey, where my lifestyle involves eating healthy, weight training, and finding inner happiness, I am focusing on being as selfless as possible and to help others reach their health and wellness goals!

2. What are your goals and how are you working towards them?

My current goals are to compete in Nationals this year with the best physique I’ve ever had, to inspire others to work towards their own fitness goals, and to become an IFBB Pro. Each and every day I work towards these goals by being disciplined, putting others before myself, having patience, working as hard as I can, and staying positive!

3. What is your biggest accomplishment so far?

My biggest accomplishment is that I have been able to inspire women to change their lives for the better, and all through social media! I mainly use Instagram and I absolutely love each and every one of my followers!

4. What do your eating habits consist of? Walk us through your average day.

I eat ALL the time! I eat every three hours, and I eat 99% whole foods! Typically, I wake up, eat some egg whites and cream of wheat with a little fruit, and drink a small cup of coffee. A few hours later, I will have egg whites or a protein shake with a serving of almonds and vegetables. For lunch, I typically eat 4 oz grilled chicken with spinach and vegetables, and I also have a sweet potato with cinnamon on top! My afternoon snack is always a Cellucor protein shake (protein, ice, almond milk, and a banana!), and my dinner is usually 4oz ground turkey with oats or brown rice, and more vegetables! Before bed, I often have plain greek yogurt with almond butter.

5. What’s your favorite form of exercise?

My favorite form of exercise is weightlifting! I LOVE lifting heavy weights and really pushing myself out of my comfort zone!

6. What motivates you?

My Instagram followers motivate me, my next competition motivates me, and my friends and family motivate me as well.

7. What piece of advice can you give others who are looking to get fit?

I have two important pieces of advice. The first is to learn and research as much as you can when it comes to healthy eating, working out, and the lifestyle changes that are involved. Read blogs, see what fitness icons do to reach their goals, read forums on Bodybuilding.com, or even ask a friend or personal trainer in the area. Secondly, be patient and persistent! NEVER give up on your goals, and realize that the changes you want are going to take some time. We live in a society where we want things to happen now! But with fitness, that’s not the way it works. We must work for what we want, and we must be patient and let our body slowly get into the shape we want. 🙂

Ashley, thank you so much for all your help and constant support! I seriously can’t thank you enough. 

You can find Ashley on Instagram: Passion2befit

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FIT GAL Feature: Kathia of Fit In My Red Sole Shoes

Hey there! It’s been awhile since I’ve done one of these. For those of you who just joined us, one of my fav sections of the blog is called “Fit Gals”. This is where I feature some amazing women who demonstrate positivity and inspiration in the fitness world. It gives a chance for you to read about their fit lifestyles and show how we can all relate.

I’ve been following Kathia from Fit In My Red Sole Shoes for quite some time now, and love seeing her uplifting posts on IG and Facebook. Then I found out she has a blog, and knew we had to get her on Fitness & the City. She is extremely dedicated, loves what she does and I of course we have the “red sole shoes” part in common. 😉 So here she is:

FIT GAL: Kathia of Fit In My Red Sole Shoes

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Q: Tell us about yourself and your fitness lifestyle.

A: I am a bodybuilder and I love the iron.  For me lifting weights and pushing or pulling weight around, including resistance are the most valuable ways to test my strength and I have found that going to the gym and learning about bodybuilding are the coolest things that have happened to me in a long time.I also work full-time as a senior paralegal and have a young adult son at home with whom I share my passion for health and fitness.

Q: What are you fitness goals and how are you working towards them?

A: My fitness goal is to continue improving my knowledge on bodybuilding and to attain my ultimate physique. Going into competition and even modeling are also things that I am considering but mostly continue improving myself and become a certified personal trainer, obtain a degree in Sports and Health to compete at the bikini fitness level and to create an online training program for women who are seeking to improve their lifestyle by becoming healthy and fit.

Q: Do you eat clean? Can you describe your typical meal plan?

A: My meal plan is about eating whole foods and foods that assist in my growth as an athlete and my daily requirements to continue building a healthy body and mostly to nourish my body.  Typically, I go for lean meats, veggies, fruits and legume.  Chicken breast, half of a sweet potato, a cup of spinach or half a cup of asparagus, lots of water and some strawberries or blueberries for the kick.  Bananas, almonds, avocados and beans are some of my favorites, too

Q: In what ways do you stay active and how often?

A: I go to the gym six days a week and work different muscle parts each one of these days.  While lifting, I drop the weights and do quick cardio moves by dancing (like a maniac) to salsa, merengue and reggae ton beats. On colder days, I go to a school stadium and do sprints, run the bleachers and run the track with bursts of jumping jacks or knee to the chest moves.

Q:Where do you find most of your inspiration?

A: I look for inspiration daily and I do follow other athletes like me who are pursuing their dreams and becoming stronger as they push themselves harder each day.  Slowly I have built some followers audience on social media and that has definitely improved my motivation and inspiration since I get constant feedback from my followers and they show me how eager they are to start making changes in their lives to get better.

Q: What lessons have you learned along the way?

A: I am glad to say that I believe in how resilient women are and how strong we can become once we get around the obstacles.  That there is no better drive than a girl with a purpose and that once we find what works for us, we will not stop until we get it.  I also found that I love banana pancakes and that I can live off of them forever.  LOL!

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Thanks so much Kathia!! ps- loving those hot pink shorts in the photos 🙂

Be sure to check out Fit In My Red Sole Shoes on:

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest

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Fit Gal: Jessica!

Periodically featuring amazing women on a quest for health and fitness is my favorite part of Fitness & the City. I have met some amazing gals through blogging, and Jessica is one of them. She is an excellent writer, is absolutely hilarious, and just so happens to be a health and fitness enthusiast as well. All of which can be found on her blog: Wonder Whats Next. So allow me to introduce her to you, Fit Gal Jessica.

Tell us about yourself and your fitness lifestyle.
I’m a 20-something post-grad trying to figure out how to be a “grown up” and everything that comes along with that. I grew up being very active. I was part of the “go play outside” generation, so I did! I also played sports and cheered in high school. I ate whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. Pizza at midnight? You bet. After going to college I was no longer obligated to stay in shape and I let that fall by the wayside. However, I continued eating whatever I wanted whenever I wanted! One day it just clicked with me that my weight and my health had gotten completely out of hand and it was time to take control of it. I slowly began working toward living a healthier lifestyle and I haven’t looked back.

What are your fitness goals and how are you working towards them?
Originally, my goal was to lose about 20 pounds. Well, I did that and then some and now I’m working to maintain that by setting new goals. I want to lean out and someday I want abs! I’m a sucker for cardio, but I’ve recently began to incorporate more weight training. Because of that I haven’t seen the number on the scale go down very much, but I have noticed areas of my body looking more toned and my clothes fitting a little looser. 🙂

Do you “eat clean”?
I eat as clean as I can. I’m a girl on a budget, so sometimes that’s tough. I try to keep the processed stuff out of my diet and always read my labels. If I’m not sure what it’s my food it, I won’t eat it or I’ll put in the research to find out what it is. I incorporate as many fruits and vegetables and lean proteins as I can! I’m also a distributor for a health and fitness supplement company, so I have a lot of shakes and things of that nature to keep me on track when life gets busy.

In what ways do you stay active?
I love group fitness! Turbo Kick, R.I.P.P.E.D., Body Pump, I love it all! There’s something about having a room full of people that silently motivates me and always pushes me to do better. I always find myself competing with the person next to me. One of my goals is to run a half marathon, so I’m trying to incorporate more running to help me reach that goal.

What inspires you to live this lifestyle?
My family! There have been a lot of health related changes over recent years and that was a wake-up call for me. This is the only body I’m ever going to have and I need to take care of it so I can be around for my family now and the family of my own I will (hopefully!) have someday. Aside from my family as a whole, my mom is a huge inspiration for me. We have taken this journey together for the most part and we are always motivating each other to do better. I’m also doing this for myself. By losing weight and getting stronger I gained so much confidence. I don’t ever want to lose that, so every day I get out there and bust my butt and try to be better than I was the day before.

Thank you Jessica for your inspiration!

Be sure to head over to her blog: wonderwhatsnextblog.blogspot.com

Lots of love to you all, Jenna

Fit Gal: Tiffany!

 Tiffany and I frequently see each other at the gym and she is such an inspiration that I had to get her on the blog! She just got Zumba certified and is working to become a personal trainer! Ah, I love this girl! Here she is….

1. Tell us about yourself and your “fitness lifestyle and journey”

I grew up in San Diego which is a very fit and active city.  I tried many sports in elementary & middle school but running was always my favorite.  In high school I ran track, Cross Country and played Soccer for the school and a competitive Soccer team.  I went on to play College Soccer for Sonoma State University.  After I graduated college I continued to play soccer for Club Soccer teams and started to compete in half marathons.  I currently play for the SF nighthawks (a women’s Soccer team in the city) and I am hoping to sign up for a couple of new races starting in the New Year.  Staying fit is very important to me and I always make time to incorporate some fitness into my schedule.

2. What are your goals and how are you working for them?

I have a lot of fitness goals that I am hoping to accomplish by this year.  I just signed up for my first full marathon in March so I am hoping to get less than 4 hours for my time.  Physically, I would like to be a little bit leaner and not have so much mass.  I have always had a really athletic build because I felt I needed it for soccer.  I feel like I could be just as strong without having so much mass.   I am going to start taking Pilate’s classes and I am trying to be more disciplined with my eating regimen. My ultimate goal is to become a Personal Trainer by the end of 2013.

3. Do you “eat clean”?

I am lucky that I grew up in a home with a very health conscious family.  I grew up always eating fresh fruit and vegetables and we were not big “meat eaters.” About 7 years ago I decided to become a vegetarian and I have noticed a big change since that time.  I try not to eat any junk food and very careful of what I am putting into my body.  I don’t drink soda and rarely eat fast food.  I make sure to take certain vitamins to make up for the lack of dairy & protein in my diet.  I feel better when I eat healthy and I definitely see the difference.

4. In what ways do you stay active? 

I like to work out 6 days a week and rest on the 7th day.  I adapted this workout schedule from soccer practice schedule in College and it just works for me. I just got my Zumba certification and I am very excited to begin teaching some classes.  I try to switch up my workouts a lot so that I don’t get bored.  I alternate between running outside, yoga, classes at the gym and soccer practice/games.  When I am at the gym I usually do 45 minutes of cardio and 15 minutes of weights.  I can honestly say that I LOVE to work out and always make it a priority.

5. What inspires you to live this lifestyle? 

I love to live this lifestyle because it makes me happy.  After I get done with a workout my skin has a healthy glow and I just feel so much better!

Thank you so much for sharing your story Tiffany! I am positive you will inspire many by your active lifestyle. Good luck with your marathon, teaching, coaching and all of your goals! See ya at the gym. =)

If you are interested to be a Fit Gal along with Tiffany, feel free to contact me! I would love to have you.

xo,Jenna

Fit Gal: Brittany!

I have been DYING to introduce you to this amazing woman and fitness guru! She has come a long way and I am so impressed with her dedication and committment to fitness. So here she is…

 Fit Gal: Brittany!

1. Tell us about yourself and your fitness lifestyle.

Hi! my name is Brittany and I am a 23-year-old student studying Business Administration.  I made my lifestyle change almost 3 years ago now.  I had a free membership to the gym on campus and decided to take advantage of it.  Starting out, I had no idea what I was doing.  I would follow my boyfriend around in the gym and watch what he did.  I was very self-conscious because I had no clue what to do with any of the equipment – I felt like everyone was staring at me.  I started  to follow fitness pages on Facebook and read up on some articles online to get the basics.  One day I picked up a copy of Oxygen Magazine at the grocery store while I was waiting in line and thought wow, this girl looks amazing! I bought it, read it cover to cover and felt more motivated than ever.  Not long after I was giving my boyfriend tips in the gym! It’s been a great journey so far and I’m so proud of myself for making this lifestyle change. I am continuously learning and loving every minute of it!

2) What are your goals and how are you working towards them?

My original goal was to lose some weight and tone up.  In the beginning I did lose weight – but I pretty much gained it all back in MUSCLE.  This was kind of discouraging at first but looking back at where I was and to now, I definitely look and feel smaller, more toned, fit and have a lot more shape.  I think it’s important for women to realize that they shouldn’t be scared of lifting weights because all the muscle you build burns more calories and keeps your metabolism revved!!  My goal recently was to compete in a fitness competition. I am excited to say that I will be doing that in April 2013!! I joined a local team that does coaching for athletes and fitness competitors and am so excited and proud at the progress I’ve been making so far.

3) Do you “eat clean”?

Yes! I believe it’s impossible to make progress in the gym if you do not eat clean.  I did pretty well at eating clean before I joined my team but obviously still enjoyed treats..I have a terrible sweet tooth 🙂 Now that I have a deadline I’m kicking my butt into gear! Lots of protein – chicken, lean beef, salmon, haddock tuna etc, good nutritious veggies like kale, swiss chard, broccoli and good sources of carbs – sweet potato, oats, quinoa, & brown rice.  I still have an occasional treat but keep it small in moderation.

4) In what ways do you stay active?

I am in the gym 3 days on, one day off then repeat. I work all muscle groups twice a week.  Right now I am doing little cardio as I’m in the muscle building phase of my prep.  I’m also doing some group yoga classes when I can.

5) What inspires you to live this lifestyle?

Those moments when your mind is telling you to stop because it hurts but you keep going and push past that weakness..those are the most important moments because it means growth.  Seeing changes in myself no matter how small they may be makes the difference and keeps me inspired to work hard and stay motivated!

 Lots of love!
Brittany
“Fit Brit”

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Thank you so much Brittany for joining the Fitness and the City fam as a Fit Gal! You are so inspirational and I personally cannot wait to follow your journey to your first fitness competition!! Good luck girl!

Oh and by the way, she has an awesome fitness Facebook page as well, so be sure to go check it out!

—> www.facebook.com/fit.brit08

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