I Think I Am In Love

Love is definitely in the air today! The sun is shining, birds are chirping, stars are aligning, I-is-a-rhyming, all in commemoration of a praised annual holiday that many, if not all of us, enjoy celebrating…Valentines Day. Whether you are single, in a relationship or both, you can't deny the infectious feeling that love brings and the desire to outwardly display how much you love someone.

In honor of love, I really wanted to highlight what I am passionate about and what brings me an immense amount of joy every time I do it. If you can't tell by now, I am a crazed, unapologetic Zumba fanatic and if you have ever taken and enjoyed a Zumba class before, its easy to understand why. However, this week I decided to take a step back and really ask myself why I teach.

I know there are a lot of fitness professionals out there who merely teach classes as a hobby or a way to earn an extra income, but Zumba Fitness has become a lot more than that to me. I will admit that when I first started teaching classes, all I was interested in was losing weight and making money (every penny counts, right?). It didn't really concern me how many people were in my class or how people felt about my class. I was teaching for ME and had no problem keeping it that way.

It wasn't until I started to build a real community and saw people transform before my eyes that I began to fall in love. I actually woke up excited to go to "work" and see everyone's beautiful, smiling faces as we enjoyed an hour long dance party together. But what really captured me was hearing from countless students about how much my class made their day "better". What an awesome and humbling position to be in to enhance even one small part of another person's life. And of course, in an effort to help transform the lives of others, my life has forever been changed and enriched by my classes and students as well.

Now I know for certain why I teach and I am grateful for this opportunity. I let go of my selfish reasoning and I now make every class about…YOU! What truly makes me happy is the chance to help and inspire you while on your fitness journey. By the end of each class, my goal is make sure that each person receives a little of what they need to get through the day. Whether its a good sweat, burned calories, a stress reliever or an opportunity to dance, I am here to make your day better. Accomplishing that goal gives me a pleasure, a passion and a love greater than I could've ever imagined, and its something I hope I can continue doing for many years to come.

So while you ponder on this national day of love, think about what your passions. What drives you, inspires you and how can you share that with the world to hopefully inspire others? Feel free to leave a comment below with what makes you passionate, I'd love to hear your thoughts Zum-buddies! Enjoy this day of Amour and remember that with love, all things are possible! 

 

I'm Gonna Take Off All My Clothes

As I went through this first week of restructuring my eating habits, I was amazed how much the issue of self-esteem and beauty kept creeping up on me.  Like a paranoid monster, I began to over evaluate every little thing about myself. Thoughts like "I hope I'm not eating too much", "These pants make me look fat" or "I wish I had legs like her" were constantly invading my mind. 
 
Truthfully, part of the reason why I even began this whole weight loss journey was because I was struggling with some serious insecurities.  At that time, I was considered clinically "overweight", so I felt frumpy, disgusting and unattractive.  I know it sounds so superficial but it's a mind game I think we all play on ourselves at one point or another. We allow the media, TV, magazines, movies and celebrities to define a standard of universal beauty. We buy into it and then do almost anything we can to aspire to it. 

I think my lowest point this week came right after one of my Zumba classes. I made a quick stop to the grocery store and ran in all sweaty, smelly, and dirty---basically, I looked a hot mess. I immediately felt like all eyes were on me as I tried to quietly and unnoticeably maneuver through the store. I just knew people were heaving their condescending and judging stares of disapproval and disgust at me. 

But right before I could check into my own pity party, I suddenly noticed the stare of one individual; one little individual to be exact. A little boy, who couldn't have been older than 3 or 4 years old, gave me the longest and most intense glance of my life. And after a few minutes passed, he finally smiled at me, uttered "You're purty!" and then quickly shuffled down another aisle.

At that moment, all my fussing, complaining, negativity and self-criticism lifted from me. If an innocent child could see how "purty" I was, sweat and all, then why couldn't I? During the drive home, a song called "Private Party" from one of my favorite artists, India Arie, came on and reminded me of how far I've come. My favorite verse is:

I'm gonna take of all my clothes,

Look at myself in the mirror

We're gonna have a conversation

We're gonna heal the disconnection

I don't remember where it started

But this is how its gonna end

My body is beautiful and sacred

And I'm gonna celebrate it

(Private Party Lyrics)

After screaming this song at the top of lungs about 50 times, I realized something. I AM AMAZING JUST WAY I AM. I kicked myself for spending so much time trying to live up to this standard of perfect beauty. But the truth is…that standard does NOT exist. There is no such as thing as having the perfect look or being the perfect person. What I love about "beauty" is that it is so subjective. No one can define what is beautiful for you, only you can define that for yourself. 

So while you are on your fitness journey, or even after you have reached your destination, know that you are beautiful no matter what! Whether you're all dressed up or just finished taking a Zumba class, be proud and thankful of who are you because who you are right now is awesome and a the best stepping stone for who you'll eventually become. Enjoy your private party Zum-buddies, you deserve it!

I Think I Have a Problem

This week I came to a horrible realization. It’s a realization that I have strategically tried to avoid, and even now it’s something that I don’t want to fully accept. But no matter how much I try to ignore it, it remains at the forefront of my mind and repeatedly shoved in my face. This problem is something I have struggled with for many years now. Something I am not proud of and must confess if I am to ever find the help I most desperately need.

(Exhale) I realized that I have an addiction…to fatty foods. Cheeseburgers, turkey burgers, chicken sandwiches, breads, french fries, pizza, pork, soda, hot dogs, burritos, tacos, baked foods, fried foods, chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate (did I mention chocolate?) all have one thing in common….they eventually end up at the bottomless abyss called my belly.

I crave fatty foods, I dream of fatty foods, I feel alive (minus the heartburn) when I eat fatty foods. In fact, just this past week I committed to a delicious and “nourishing” diet that exclusively consisted of combo meals from Burger King, McDonalds and KFC. If I could spend every waking moment of every day allowing my tastes buds to venture on a magical yummy roller coaster of junky goodness, that would be absolute paradise for me.

And while stuffing my face uncontrollably sounds so appealing, I’m learning that it has some very unappealing side effects.  I weighed myself for the New Year and discovered that I gained 12 lbs in 3 ½ weeks. Like most people, I checked my scale to make sure it wasn’t broken, but alas, the scale doesn’t lie…I gained weight…and it was so easy…too easy…

I know what you’re thinking. “It’s just a few pounds, it’s not that bad. You can work it off later.” However, gaining weight isn’t the reason why I am so upset. It’s knowing that my actions are leading me back to a place I promised myself I would never return to.

For those who don’t know, my mother passed away from an unknown cancer 3 years ago. While she was medically considered “overweight”, she led a very healthy lifestyle and practically forced me and my siblings to be conscious of our health growing up. The day she passed changed everything for me. It made me appreciate how precious life is and how important it is to do all you can to ensure yourself a longer, healthier life.

She is my superhero and the biggest motivator that jumpstarted my journey to health and fitness. While on this journey, I was able to lose close to 40 lbs and be in the best shape of my life. I made a promise to her and myself not to regress. And those measly 12 lbs have pushed me 10 steps behind the woman I want to become inside and out.

So in the words of Ms. Diana Ross, “I’m coming out! I want the world to know!” I’m breaking the generational curses of health related diseases, conditions and ailments that are in my family by taking control of my body, and more importantly, what goes into my body. With that said I am starting a 1 month fatty food fast.
Specifically for the next month I am:
1. Cutting all sweets/treats out of my diet
2. Only eating meals that I have made myself (i.e. no eating out).
Also, no junk food (God help me) until I am able to get a hold of my addiction. And of course, plenty of Zumba to work off those 12 lbs and continue polishing my fit body.

If you’re like me and you’re struggling with food, your weight, bad habits and having a healthy mindset, don’t be discouraged. Even the most “fit” person has their off days. Find comfort in knowing you are not alone and there are so many people like myself who are ready and willing to help you achieve the body you’ve always dreamed of.

This week, I am choosing to believe that the impossible is possible! Here's to the first of many blog entries that follow my story and hopefully inspire you to continue yours. Wish me luck on my new journey and if you’re interested in joining me then let’s connect! Remember, a new you is waiting, so it’s time to get moving…

www.ashleychatman.zumba.com

I Cheated and It Felt So Good

Ok, I'm not too ashamed to admit it…I had a weak moment and I acted on it. I had not 1 but 4 delicious chocolate candy bars this week…and they tasted so GOOD.

For those just tuning in, last week I made a decision to go on a junk food fast for 30 days. Specially, I agreed to cut all sweets/treats out of my diet and only eat meals that I have made myself (i.e. no eating out, fast foods, etc.).

Of course, like all diets or eating plans the first few days were a synch; I had no problems, no temptations, and no real struggles. Everything seemed so easy until suddenly it wasn't anymore. As the week progressed, I began having some stressful moments, disappointments, long days, sleepless nights, you know, that "dealing with life" stuff.

It's not an excuse and I am in no way trying to justify my actions, but in my moment of weakness I realized something…the reason I failed so easily is because I set-up an unrealistic expectation for myself. While it was a brave thought, going cold turkey wasn't the most effective decision to make. I am not saying it's impossible, but I know myself. If I had really been honest with myself from the beginning, I would've set an easier standard to follow which would've made it harder for me to fail. Sometimes I get too excited and forget that I must walk before I run.

So with that said, I am going back to the drawing board. I am still sticking to my junk food fast, HOWEVER, instead of cutting it completely out for 30 whole days, I will fast during the week and allow myself a small treat during the weekend. And to hold myself accountable, I will keep a picture diary of my meals everyday during the week to prove I followed through on a healthier eating plan. I will even post them on my FB, Twitter and Instagram for extra accountability inspiration.

I know it will be hard but I am excited for take two. Because another thing I learned this week is that no matter how difficult or crazy life gets, you always have the power to get through it. I may have I cried, thrown some things, came kicking and screaming, but through it all…I made it through another week! Friday came just like it always does and I will continue to press forward until I find my fit body.

If you'd like to follow me on my picture diary, feel free to check me out my social networking sites! And if this inspires you to continue pressing forward, feel free to leave me a note. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Until next time Zum-buddies…

FB: Facebook.com/fitbodybyashley
Twitter: @fitbodybyashley
Instagram:: @fitbodybyashley