Ashley Johns: 2011

Here comes.....the Arnold.

Posted by Ashley Johns On 7:43 AM 1 comments

Less than a week away and I will be jet setting to Columbus, Ohio to meet amazing people and to work for Bodybuilding.com as a Representative of Team Bodybuilding.com.

Outfits have been picked out and will be handed out to us at our first Team Dinner on Thursday, March 3rd. My roommate for the 3 nights is going to be Aubrie Anne Richeson:)

For my diet, I have been carb cycling and upped my cardio majorly. I even started spinning class once a week, as I didn't want to introduce too many new things to my body at once.

The changes I have noticed by changing my way of diet and upping cardio are small, but significant.

There will be NO partying for this girl;) not!! Ok, I'm just going to be as involved as I can and meet as many people as I can and that is going to be a party for me, just being there!!!

For information on the Arnold, see link below.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2011-arnold-sports-festival.htm

Also, to view all of the Team Bodybuilding Athletes, click here. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/team.html

I will take tons of pics and videos so you all get a behind the scenes look at the experience of a lifetime! I'm super excited!!!

Glute Workout.

Posted by Ashley Johns On 7:32 AM 0 comments

Poof, another ad!

Posted by Ashley Johns On 7:29 AM 0 comments

Action

Posted by Ashley Johns On 12:38 PM 1 comments

"What we are today is the result of our own past actions;
Whatever we wish to be in the future depends on our present actions;
Decide how you have to act now.

We are responsible for what we are, whatever we wish ourselves to be.
We have the power to make ourselves."

When I think back to where I started from 2 years and 2 months ago (gosh, seems like longer than that!), I have forgotten one very important piece of the puzzle. Action. In many instances when people have asked for my advice, needed my support or I was telling someone about my story, I usually say what gave me success was having patience, commitment, dedication, persistence and drive. But then I read this quote my mom gave me today and I thought how I forgot to even consider that word, Action. That adjective is really monumental in progressing and moving forward, as a person and in anything you do.

You can say you want something, sure, we all know what we truly want and desire out of life. Most of us might say we would want to pursue our passions and quit our day jobs, that's what the question of, "what would you do if you had all the money to do whatever you wanted to do?" is there for. When I became unemployed, I decided, as I did with my body and my life previous to this, that I was going to live that question. Sure, it's probably easier for some people over others. I don't have kids, I don't have a downtown loft anymore or an Audi, but I still am the same as anyone else in regards to choosing what I want to pursue; in fact, I gave the latter two up to be in a better financial position and to move forward in other ways.

Still, you could argue that anyone has it better than another one in a number of different circumstances. I try to live each day and be grateful for what I DO have, not what I DON'T have. This is a challenge some days because I'm still human and no one is perfect to not think negatively sometimes.

So back to my original thought on Action...If you are trying to set a goal and have decided what you want, well, you have committed that you will do everything you can to make this happen; however, until you take "ACTION" to that promise, you will be at a standstill.

Looking back on my road with all these different paths going left, right, backwards, forward, I continued, time after time to choose the harder way to go, forwards. It is uncharted territory, it is uphill, not downhill, it is unfamiliar, but I did it. I did it because I knew that for so long I was just standing still letting other elements control me, not me controlling them.

Some might consider what I am about to share with you pretty private, but I figure I have already chosen to be somewhat of an open book about my story and my thoughts/decisions, because that is how I can help others.

This was from a while back, I read it and thought, I don't even know that person anymore and I'm so glad I decided to leave that girl behind.

"I'm out in the ocean now. It's a big ocean where the boat I swam from has sunk in the horizon. The boat I knew so well. There are lots of boats out here, but they're all speedboats not looking for extra passengers. The waves are wild and its up to me to swim with them and surrender to their force, otherwise I'll drown trying to resist them. I'm trying to look inward to find the strength to hold on and keep kicking."

I think we all go through a stage where we are in our darkest moments. This one lasted me a while and it wasn't pretty thought.

I just found this other one too from when I was going through my weight loss, pretty big difference, but then again, I was doing different things.

"This has been a process of learning to love myself, the hard work I have put in thus far, the accomplishment of losing 25 lbs and being PROUD of myself. Realizing I was given a body and to embrace, love and make this one the best I can!"

With exclamation marks and caps too. What a huge difference.

All I can say is this is proof of how much you can change when you DECIDE< COMMIT< and ACT to change.

My brother found this in the book, Law of Attraction. "When you are taking action in your now, and it is not action in joy, it is our absolute promise to you that it will not lead to a happy ending. It cannot; it defies the Law. Rather than being so ready to jump into action to get the things that you want, we say THINK them into being; SEE them, VISUALIZE them, and EXPECT them--and they will be. And you will be guided, inspired, or led to the perfect action that will bring about the process that will lead you to that which you seek."

I believe in this way of thought, because it really all begins in deciding and visualizing what you want. You have to decide to put forth effort and actually put it forth, but it has to also be something you already see as happening. You have to visualize what you want, so you know what it looks like.

One more thing,

"I WISH I'D KNOWN THAT I'D BEEN BORN TO TAKE ON THE WORLD; I WOULDN'T HAVE RUN FROM IT FOR SO LONG, BUT RUN TO IT WITH OPEN ARMS." -Something More

If you can relate that to a time when you are afraid of something, usually the reactions we have to fear are, withdrawal and not wanting to do it, but dreading it. Usually we worry and worry until it is over then realize, it wasn't as bad as we "THOUGHT" it was going to be. This is the same for above. If you try to just realize that there is nothing to be afraid of, well, then, you will be alot less afraid just by having those thoughts.

Being scared is totally natural but i think if you can challenge yourself to "be comfortable being uncomfortable" you will see a big difference in the outcome of the situation.

When I gave my first speech a month ago to a group of 25 employees, I was nervous. But then after I did it, I realized, there was nothing to be nervous about. But then they asked me to come back and talk to the other 2 groups of employees they had and I got nervous again thinking about it then I stopped myself and said, just be you and you're there to help others. We're all the same really, we're all just here to live and work on ourselves and to love.

So overall, I went off in a couple of different directions and made this more than I thought it was going to be, but ACTION is huge in attaining your goals. Don't forget that part. and when you are too tired to go to the gym, GO ANYWAYS. you'll feel so much better afterwards, I promise. You can tell someone you love them, but until you actually SHOW It, those words don't mean anything.

Tip on Writing Your Goals Down.

Posted by Ashley Johns On 8:47 AM 0 comments

My Grocery List, Dang it's $$$

Posted by Ashley Johns On 8:15 AM 0 comments

So I go to the store about once a week because I am trying better not to have food go to waste and when you are eating healthy, I prepare my food for the week and most of it is fresh food, nothing processed really.

This week my total was $140.15. Let me just tell you that eating healthy is EXPENSIVE. That is only one time per week. I did have Kitty Litter in there;) and some cool green eye shadow for the Arnold Expo ;)

Here is a pic of what I got. In case you can't see it all.

-I have Turkey Meat (I make patties and eat those for a meal with veggies-I recently read your body can get too used to eating the same protein all the time. For me, that's chicken or egg whites).

-I already had a bunch of egg whites so didn't need to get those this time.

-UNSWEETENED Almond Milk, Chocolate and Original Flavors. I love making my protein shakes with these, even at night.

-Sugar Free Cinnamon Gum, keeps my mind off sweets and cravings at night *little tip;) I have eaten a whole pack in a day so had to watch that. Those cravings!

-Miller's Chicken (it's better than other bad chicken)

-Zucchini, my fave!

-Cauliflower (I'm trying this with Unsweetened Almond Milk original flavor to make mashed California Potatoes, and no, there won't be any butter in them, but bet they'll still taste good to my refined taste buds!

- The new Shape Magazine that my Bodybuilding.com Lift Life Ad is in!

-I rarely boil eggs but I'm going to give it a shot because my snacks are being compromised with work being one client after another. Need a quick snack. I might even just do one yolk out of two eggs if I have two. Less fat. I get my fat from Raw Almonds mostly.

-Parchment paper for baking fish in.(Love Mahi Mahi!)

-And my new fave carb source for morning...Oat Bran. This is in the Cereal Aisle by the Unsweetened Almond Milk. I'm big on texture, it reminds me of grits. I will do 1/4 cup or 1/2 cup on my higher carb days then mix with 1 scoop Dessert, Cinnabon Flavored Protein Powder.

What I eat changes. I've had to really tighten up my food and I pretty much eat similar each day. I am EXPERIMENTING to see what works for my body best, to how my body responds to what I eat. I have the goal to get rid of this last bit on my stomach and get leaner. I am currently 18% body fat and have gained muscle in the past 6 months, on purpose of course;) and now am trying to lean out and STAY THAT WAY FOR GOOD.....as I am running towards Fitness Modeling.

Everyone's goals are different, and just because your food doesn't look like this doesn't mean you can't get results. The process is slow. You never want to starve yourself. I am an eater, I love food and I love that it gives me energy. I know my body very well now...and continue to learn more about it-what it likes, what it doesn't. IE, my body does not do well with a lot of fats, aka, a piece of cheesecake (darn, my fave!!). But I know that I have a sensitive system and it tells me. Therefore, I stay away from those heavy fats and tons of carbs too, because I bloat easily and hold water very well. You have to find what works for YOU and if you keep trying and nothing's happening, well....keep trying. :)
Ash

Falling in Love with Exercise

Posted by Ashley Johns On 9:14 AM 2 comments

I have gotten a lot of messages lately where people have said, "Cardio is the worst." "I can't stand doing cardio." "I just can't get into it." "I get bored on the treadmill."

So as I was doing my morning 4 mile run on the treadmill, listening to my jams (on empty stomach), I was thinking how I could explain how I love it and how you can find that within yourself too. That's just it too, you have to find it within yourself to CHOOSE to love it.

There are days where I have to SEARCH for motivation. I'm just like everyone else! Battling with that initial, complaining voice in my head telling me to skip the gym and eat something pleasing instead. Right there! They go hand in hand and as soon as I hear that voice and then one negative begins attracting another, like, not eating clean, I say, no! I'm taking my pre-workout powder (Jack'd) and getting my butt to the gym! At that moment, I pull the scale out in my mind and visualize the "old" version of myself vs. the "what I want version of myself," and then that's all it takes for me to push that weak voice to the back of my mind and say, nope, not going to happen. You can't let that voice control you. It's EASIER to let it, because you're not making a strong choice, you're giving in and taking the easier way out. That's when you have to think to yourself about all the gains you get from going to the gym: a sweat, confidence, empowerment for making the harder choice, perhaps runner's high;) or a pump!, resulting in healthier eating choices for the day, because you just worked your butt off and you know you can negate all that by eating poorly.

So I was warming up for 10 minutes, moderate pace walking, and then I started jogging and runner's high came on and listening to my favorite tunes (my music motivates me!), I thought, I am so glad I came today and today's going to be a great day and I chose this! I rock! You begin to see things, to see yourself a lot differently than you would if you chose to do nothing that day. I'm telling you, the key is to find it within yourself to CHOOSE to fall in love with that which you may hate or despise. Just as they say, keep your enemies closer...if someone does me wrong or is rude to me (analogy), I do my best to do the harder thing and think of that person as struggling within themselves, and choose not to take it personally. I may choose not to necessarily trust that person with my life or my thoughts/feelings or be a great friend, but I certainly try to understand where they are coming from and find what I do like about them. It is harder. But it's worth it when you feel better about the situation.

It's an attitude; It's a mind-set.

When I think about all that I have accomplished so far in these short (but seemingly long for all the work I've done--but love that work!) 2 years....I think about how it's the journey, not the end point you should be in love with. When you accomplish anything, small or large, it creates a good feeling within yourself. That's where it starts, within and that's where it ends.

I believe I have created success for myself. I am doing a Motivational Talk to a company called Interlogic Outsourcing Inc. (a Payroll Company) about Motivation. 2 weeks ago, I spoke to their Sales group, now it's the rest of the employees, who are burnt out at work, being the first part of the year, with goals, etc. I had to really think about what my presentation was going to be about, what I would talk about, where I would be coming from, where they are coming from, how to relate the two, on and on and in the process of this, I thought about how far I've come in 2 years and what I contribute that to, as I will be telling them this tomorrow.

When telling my story about 2 years ago, where I was and how I felt, these were the things that were a part of my life.

stressful job
debt
no good friends
I began pushing my friends/family away from me
solitude
a lot of crying
panic attacks
a bad attitude
regret, despite, hate
worry, anxiety
gained tons of weight
ate a lot
not active at all
lost sight of who I was
didn't think I fit in on this earth, was too weak
didn't love myself

Now, 2 years later, after all the pushing past that little voice that told me to take the easy way out and just be lazy and doing the work!! Diet, exercise, diet, exercise, doing it again, everyday, every 2 hours, making choices, the right ones.....this is what I am:

a positive person
a great, strong attitude
goal setter (big goal setter, huge goals! Why not!)
amazing relationships in my life
an amazing job where I'm helping people
opportunities!
I'm happy
hardly any tears anymore, usually because I'm happy about something or inspired
a great body
an amazing mind set I have created for myself
accomplishments
dreams coming true
a positive ATTITUDE
eat healthy
very active, always pushing myself

The difference is astounding. I just came across this as I was preparing for my Motivational Talk, sometimes you miss the most obvious things....

So there it is....find Motivation within yourself, or an outside source, but ultimately this is up to you and it's a battle between you and you.....

As I was running, I thought, I'm a runner, and I'm a good runner. I can be fast if I want, I can bound, I can sprint, I can jog, I can think and run, I can run long, I can run hard. I'm a runner and I'm good at it. Then I thought, that's it! If I didn't think I was good at it, I wouldn't be good at it, my form would not be great, but I believe it is and feel it is and to me, it is.

Then when I set foot on the weight room floor, as I'm strapping my music to my arm and putting my gloves on, I look at myself in the mirror and look at my shoulders, my legs and think I'm a hot lifter. It's all your mind. It's what you tell yourself minute to minute, hour to hour, day to day, month to month.....it all adds up and gets you to where you are RIGHT NOW.

Next time you think how you don't like something....remember, if you believe you don't like it and have decided not to like, it, well, you know it's what you must do to reach your goals and be healthy, so you can choose to battle with that thought every day or you can choose to find what you DO LIKE about it........

First ever Team Bodybuilding.com!!!

Posted by Ashley Johns On 6:05 AM 0 comments

Over a month ago, I was asked to be a part of the first ever Team Bodybuilding.com. Without any hesitation, I said yes! Alot of you may remember all my posts, messages, emails to you in hopes of having a chance to run for the Bodybuilding.com Spokesmodel.

It was my dream for this year. I came in 6th place out of 225 women purely through votes, because of everyone who voted for me, friends, family and my support group. I found out a few days later I was not chosen as the top 5 women to move on to compete against one another in L.A.. I was ok with this as I realized how far ahead in their careers the top 5 women are. It only made me want it more and want to work harder towards similar goals and I was pumped!

See my video on Spokesmodel Entry under Videos to see what I believe a Spokesmodel is.

But also, a few days later, I got the request to be a part of Team Bodybuilding.com and later thought to myself ......I got what I wanted, I wanted to be a Spokesmodel for Bodybuilding.com and have the opportunity to reach a greater crowd and help others find what I found in myself.

I have worked 2 years on changing my attitude, my actions, my thoughts, my reactions; into healthy, strong ones. I have used the Law of Attraction and this really stopped me in my tracks when I received the contract that was labeled, "Spokesmodel and Model." I write all my goals down and put them up in my shower (above the ledge towards the ceiling) to look at them every morning. It's the one place I always am at most days, besides the gym....unless I'm having a bum day;) or feeling like a homebody, which happens!

What this means to be a part of Team Bodybuilding.com is I will be working some of the booths for Bodybuilding.com along with an amazing network of people, such as Jamie Eason, Mike Ohearn, Inspirational Nick Scott, Michelle Hanson & Kathleen Tesori (both have graced the Bodybuilding.com booths for years now and have been many other places in their careers) and Sean Sarantos & Kizzito Ejam (both of who I worked with on the Lift Life Campaign).

Jamie Eason on the Lift Life Set

Me watching Jamie get her hair/makeup done.

I want to thank Bodybuilding.com and all its employees who thought of me for this job. To be a Spokesmodel was the dream I was shooting for and now it's real. I believe in some degree of luck, or being in the right place at the right time, but I also believe in working hard for what you want in life and never giving up until you get what you want; being ready for opportunity when it knocks. My mom always told me, when they say no, it doesn't mean no, it means not now.

I can't wait to see what the future holds with Bodybuilding.com and to get to know everyone on this team better, as everyone that is a part of the Team has done and is doing great things with their lives, and the common theme I notice, most are trying to help others achieve what they have, a healthy and active lifestyle.

Come and see me at the Arnold (not sure what the schedule is yet and what expos we will be working), but I hope to be behind the booth there representing the coolest company that has given me so many amazing opportunities. Thank you Bodybuilding.com I am proud to be a part of your team.

The Beauty of Motivation

Posted by Ashley Johns On 12:52 PM 0 comments

The Beauty of Motivation

Click on the link above to watch the most motivational video you'll ever see.

One of the biggest challenges in living this lifestyle day after day is finding the motivation to continue moving forward. Let's face it, it is HARD. Life is HARD. I have found it is the most challenging experiences that are the most rewarding. Period.

So you want to know what motivates me? Words, other people working their butt off, this video. Watch it and listen to everything. It applies to anything in life, not just working out or preparing for a Bodybuilding contest.

"Life is this game of inches, one half a step too lat eor too early and you don't quite make it. The inches we need are everywhere around us, in every minute and every second. We fight for that inch. We tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch, because we know when we add up all those inches, that's going to make the #Fin' difference between winnin' and losin'. Between livin' and dyin'. I'll tell you this, in any fight, it's the guy who's willin to die who's gonna win that inch." This is from a great movie with Al Pacino. Any Given Sunday.

I get goosebumps from these words and THIS, my friends, is what this is all about. This is what LIFE is all about. You want something? If you want it bad enough, you're going to find everything within yourself to go out and get it and do whatever it takes to get it. So ask yourself, what do you have to do to get what you want?

The Fighter

Posted by Ashley Johns On 12:30 PM 0 comments

This weekend, I went to see "The Fighter." What I loved most about this movie was that it was about a kid who had always been backseat in the family. He never shined growing up, but he had tons of heart.

For most of the movie, he was just an average fighter, winning here and there, but mostly losing until he finally got some amazing training and trained hard until he could train no more each day. He wanted so bad to earn his right by fighting a good fight. He finally got his opportunity after training for months. He had been training his entire life. He got beat on for most of the fight. Everyone knew he'd lose. I can't tell the rest in case anyone is wanting to see it, but I will say that I sat there thinking, you know, usually you want to watch a character who is at the top of his game and winning, but I sat there loving how they showed this "real" character working his way up through the journey of sweat and hard work. That is real life. There is always a progression of success. Usually people work hard and hard until they think that maybe something won't happen, but it is in this moment that true strength is shown when someone sticks with it. They later get an opportunity that changes the entire course of their life, because they decided in that moment to move forward, even though they may not have everything they thought they should have from working that hard up until that point. It is not about the destination, but about the journey. We all have to start somewhere. You look up to these superstars, whether it's in the fitness industry, a movie star, an athlete or your parents; these people all have been in the same shoes we have been in, they all started somewhere! It's what they did with the shoes they were in that got them to where they are now.

Go see this movie. It is beautiful acting and a true story of personal growth.

Ashley Johns, a new name

Posted by Ashley Johns On 2:05 PM 0 comments

I'm running towards Fitness Modeling. It's my passion, ever since I was standing in Idaho being photographed by legend Photographer, Andy Anderson. I had this feeling come over me that is sort of indescribable. I just knew this is where I was supposed to be, and this is what I'm supposed to go after, because I felt it in my bones that it was right and I loved every minute of it!

I decided to change my name because I think it's important to market yourself well. "Schutz," my former last name, has always been a pronunciation and spelling issue, all growing up. I want people to remember my name and I also believe in the philosophy of K.I.S.S. "Keep it simple stupid" minus the stupid. Never really understood why that was in there, just to spell out the word Kiss?.

I have signed up for Fitness Model International in April, 2011. I will fly into Scottsdale and attend the seminar for 2 days, which includes "How to become a Fitness Model"(or actor, anything in branding yourself as a name) seminar, do 2 photo shoots then head to Los Angeles to shoot with Photographer Laurent Weber. I will spend a week there as then I will shoot with Mike Byerly.

I am working on my body on a daily basis and realize that this all takes patience and time and tons of hard work and experimenting to find just the right combination of exercise and diet to shape your body up to where you really want it to be. Let me tell you, this has been the hardest part of my weight journey, to get super lean and maintain that. It's tough work and I immensely respect anyone with a 6 pack, that shows they don't eat sweets, they work their butts off in the gym and are always on the ball with their fitness and health. They take it seriously and WANT IT. You don't just have a 6 pack by eating sweets and exercising sometimes. It's a constant effort of work.

I realize genetics play a role in your body shape as well. The norm for beauty is a narrow waist, long legs, a beautiful face (that's a whole other definition of beauty)(but in the fitness industry, it's mostly about your body and your personality, the vibe you bring and what you leave behind with the industry---your personality!), being lean, a chest proportionate to your body, which means larger, not small and a narrow waist. Did I already say narrow waist? I have realized what my strengths are and what I need to work on, but sometimes you can only go so far and just have what you have. I don't have a narrow waist, my bones (hip bones and ribs are wider than narrow) so I have that against me, and with body fat loss, I have a small chest now. I have most of my muscle development in my legs that is easiest to build and maintain, but my upper body is a project on a daily basis. My mid section....it's tough to get it to little body fat. I notice if I ever get bloated or have a cheat meal once in a while, it shows up right in the middle.

So what have I decided based on these facts? I have decided to not let anything stand in my way, whether that be a small chest, a wider waist....I have to do everything I can do to enhance my strengths and build on my weaknesses. Sure, one day I would love to have a more womanly chest, but that's for me, not for anyone else. Sure, I would have loved to have a smaller waist naturally but I have to work at that, and that's ok. My point....we all have strengths and we all have weaknesses, no one is perfect. It's the imperfections that make us different and individual. We all have so many pieces that make up our individual puzzle. No matter WHAT industry you are running after, you must realize what you do have and never stop running towards your dreams. I won't.

I put this text on top of this picture of me. It all starts here. Then it's up to YOU to decide how hard you will work and how far you will run to get what you want. My choice?....I won't stop until I get what I want.

Levi Bettwieser Photography

Posted by Ashley Johns On 11:30 AM 0 comments

Lift Life Ad Campaign

Posted by Ashley Johns On 11:22 AM 0 comments


My Lift Life Ad, appearing in Shape Magazine on page 99 beginning in January, 2011.

Bodybuilding.com

Posted by Ashley Johns On 11:19 AM 1 comments

I spent 3 days in Idaho working with Bodybuilding.com, Fitness Models Jamie Eason & Parker Cote and many, many others! I had an amazing time; the time of my life. I will be spending much more time with this team in 2011, and I can't wait!