Ashley Johns

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.