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May 15, 2017

Learn to Love Your Body NOW

Ashley Azevedo

Okay, first things first. I just want you to know that your body is amazing and beautiful NOW! If there are changes you want to make, that’s okay but I want you to really make an effort to love your body now, as it is. If you can’t love your body now, none of the changes you make will do anything to fix that.  

I won’t lie and say that it’s easy. It is something that you’ll constantly have to be work on, but making these small changes will seriously change your life! So how can you start loving your body now? Use the tips below to become a body confident pro!

 

1. Take a look at your self-talk.

Start being aware of the thoughts you have towards yourself & your body. If they’re negative, stop and acknowledge that the negative thought you’re having isn’t actually true, and then replace it with something positive. Negative self-talk will always come up, but the better you can get at realizing it, the quicker you can stop it and replace it with positive goodness and start to feel SO much better!

 

2. Would you say that to your best friend, sister, DAUGHTER?

Stop and ask yourself if that thing you’re telling yourself or saying about yourself or your body is something you would say to a best friend. If the answer is no, then why would you say it to yourself? Be just as nice to yourself as you are to the people you love.  

 

3. Take a look at your social media.

What does your social media look like? What accounts do you follow and how do those accounts make you feel? Are you following accounts that show a variety of body types and people, or are they all the same body type? Make sure that you’re following accounts that show a variety of people and body types, not just one specific one. And if you find that you’re constantly comparing yourself or feeling bad after looking at certain pages, it’s time to unfollow. Even if it’s just for now, until you can get a hold on your thoughts and feelings towards yourself and your body. Go through your social media now and see what pages don’t make you feel so great, and then go ahead and unfollow! You want accounts that make you feel happy & good about yourself.

Ashley Azevedo

4. Make a list of all that you love.

Take out a pen & paper and start listing all of the things that you love about yourself and your body. It might sound simple or silly, but do it anyways. When’s the last time you really thought about everything that there is to LOVE about yourself? Focusing on these things will change your whole outlook. Plus, the list will give you some positive thoughts to have on hand the next time a negative thought tried to creep in.

 

5. Realize that every body is different.

Every body is so completely different in it’s structure and makeup. You can make some changes through fitness, but it will only take you so far. At the very core of your structure, your body type is determined by your own unique bone structure and genetic makeup. Sometimes people get so set on attaining a certain look, without realizing that the person has a completely different body type and structure than they do. When you’re looking for pictures of your “dream body”, find people who reflect your body type and remember to use picture as a rough goal only. If you use pictures, they should excite you and motivate you towards that goal. They should make you feel good not bad. We all have different body types and they’re all so beautiful.

 

6. Look at your body as the gift that it is.

Your body is SUCH a gift. A gift that so many others would trade the WORLD to have! Look at all of the things that your body allows you do and focus on that instead of focusing on things that you don’t like. Your body is such a gift and the more you can start to realize that, the easier it’ll be to start loving it!

 

7. Don’t get caught up on how you look.

It’s really all about how you FEEL. Remember when you’re on a fitness journey, the ultimate goal is to FEEL good. Sometimes we get so caught up in attaining a fitness goal, that we forget what the ultimate goal really is. Don’t ever sacrifice your happiness or feeling good to reach a certain number on the scale or a certain look. Always assess how you feel, this is really the most important thing.

Ashley Azevedo8. Ditch the scale, tape measure, etc.

Don’t get me wrong, scales, tape measures, and progress pictures are all great tools to help you gauge your progress towards your fitness goals. BUT not if becomes obsessive or unhealthy.  These measurements are not all that matter and they should be used lightly. So often I see people get obsessive with these measurements.  They become obsessive on numbers, freak out if a number isn’t met and lose sight of the ultimate goal of happiness. If these tools are causing more worry than assistance, it’s time to ditch them for now. Focus on how you feel instead.

 

9. Listen to your body.

So many times I’ve seen people get so set on their goal that they completely stop listening to your body. This is just a recipe for misery and it will NOT help you to love your body or yourself. Your body knows what it needs, so listen to it. Maybe you’re supposed to work out today but you feel totally exhausted. Listen to your body and take that rest day. Don’t get so caught up in destination that you forget to enjoy the journey. Fitness should be something that adds life and happiness to your life, not stress and worry. Listen to your body and treat it like you would a loved one.

I wish that loving your body wasn’t something that we had to learn, but unfortunately we are usually conditioned to do just the opposite as we grow up. Break free, be rebellious, break the curve and LOVE YOURSELF! It takes time and is something you definitely have to work towards, but it is possible and it’ll totally change your life!

 

Here’s to a happy, healthy week of loving your body and yourself!

 

Until next time,


Xoxo

Ashley

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DO YOUR THING ✨ You deserve to be there just as DO YOUR THING ✨
You deserve to be there just as much as anyone else.

But I know the gym can be crazy intimidating…and it always seems like everyone else knows exactly what they’re doing right?

If you want to take away some of that intimidation + feel more confident in the gym and in what you’re doing in there, DM or comment “workout” and I’ll send you my free total body workout. Having a plan takes away sooo much of that anxiety.
.
.
.
#womensfitnesscoach #womensstrengthtraining #womensfitnessspecialist #gymintimidation #womensworkout #gymanxiety
Life lately ✨ This was gonna be an August photo Life lately ✨

This was gonna be an August photo dump…but somehow it’s mid September now. Summer flew by, no?
Why it’s not just about weight loss… The scal Why it’s not just about weight loss…

The scale can be a useful tool but it shouldn’t be the only one you use to measure your progress. It gives you a number + that’s it.

And that number doesn’t necessarily tell you if you’re healthier, stronger, moving better, feeling better, etc. If you just focus on that number, it’s easy to miss A LOT of really awesome progress. 

Have multiple ways of measuring progress, try not to get too hyper focused on numbers + check in with yourself regularly.

P.S. Looking for some help getting comfortable in the gym + actually making progress? Grab my FREE Total Body workout at the link in my bio ✨
.
.
.
#womensfitnesscoach #womensstrengthtraining #weightliftingforwomen #womensfitness #howtogetfit #womensweightloss
Should you workout when you’re sore? 🤸🏻‍ Should you workout when you’re sore? 🤸🏻‍♀️

It depends… If you’re a little sore, a workout will probably help loosen you up and work through some of that soreness as you move.

But if you’re so sore it’s hard to move normally…just listen to your body + give it some rest. You can pick back up the next day. 

Your body needs time to recover from your workouts. Sure you could push through when you’re massively sore…but why? If your goal is to make progress, it’s going to be hard to do that if you can barely move and aren’t able to do things correctly. OR you could take a rest day + come back stronger + ready to crush your next workout 😉

P.S.  if you’re looking for a way to get started or need help in the gym, you can grab my FREE Total Body Teaser at the link in my bio, or DM me “Total body” and I’ll send it to you! ✨
.
.
.
#womensfitnesscoach #womensstrengthtraining #womensweightlifting #musclesoreness #womensfitnessspecialist #strengthtrainingforwomen #howtogetfit #freeworkout
Gym anxiety? It can feel so intimidating walking i Gym anxiety? It can feel so intimidating walking into a gym–especially the weight room. It’s new. It’s usually busy with people. And everyone seems to know exactly what they’re doing. It can feel so overwhelming. 

I remember feeling so intimidated of the weight room when I started. But here’s the thing…the more you show up + push past that discomfort, the easier it gets. Over time it gets less intimidating + that intimidation starts to be replaced by confidence. In the meantime, here are some things that really helped me to get through + keep showing up.

▫️Have a plan so you can grab what you need + set up camp somewhere. That way you’re not wandering all around the gym each time you need something. 

▫️Move with confidence, even if you have to fake it at first. Act like you deserve to be there, because you DO!

▫️Put on some 🔥 music + do your thing! Just focus on what’s in front of you + mentally “disappear” everyone else. 

▫️Remember that no one’s paying as much attention as you think. They’re probably in their heads thinking about themselves too. 

I know it can be uncomfortable AF. But stick it out because it’ll SO be worth it. You deserve to be there just as much as anyone else in there. YOU GOT THIS.

P.S. Looking for an easy to follow plan you can take into the gym with you? Grab my free Total Body Tone Up workout at the link in my bio to help get you started.
Workouts don’t have to be BRUTAL to be effective Workouts don’t have to be BRUTAL to be effective...

And honestly, doing these type of workouts all the time might actually mess with your progress… 

Sure, a killer workout is awesome every now + then, but every workout doesn’t need to be like that for you to get results. That doesn’t mean you aren’t challenging yourself. Every workout SHOULD challenge you. 

But it shouldn’t leave you so depleted that you have a hard time recovering. It shouldn’t make you so sore that it effects the rest of your workouts. It shouldn’t leave you feeling so stiff that you can’t move. It shouldn’t make you DREAD showing up for the next one. 

What I’m getting at, is the fine balance of challenging yourself but also allowing your body to recover. It’s counterproductive if your workout’s making you so sore that it’s limiting your daily movement and making you not wanna show up. 

Think about your ultimate goal. Think about challenging yourself, but in a way that leaves you feeling energized, strong, + powerful—not completely exhausted, depleted, + struggling to go on. It CAN feel good + be enjoyable.

Need some help with your workouts? Grab my ✨free✨Total Body Tone Up workout at the link in my bio. Drop the fear + intimidation of the weight room + feel strong, confident + powerful in any gym! 💪🏼
Load More... Follow on Instagram

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Share your #healthydiet Follow on Instagram
DO YOUR THING ✨ You deserve to be there just as DO YOUR THING ✨
You deserve to be there just as much as anyone else.

But I know the gym can be crazy intimidating…and it always seems like everyone else knows exactly what they’re doing right?

If you want to take away some of that intimidation + feel more confident in the gym and in what you’re doing in there, DM or comment “workout” and I’ll send you my free total body workout. Having a plan takes away sooo much of that anxiety.
.
.
.
#womensfitnesscoach #womensstrengthtraining #womensfitnessspecialist #gymintimidation #womensworkout #gymanxiety
Life lately ✨ This was gonna be an August photo Life lately ✨

This was gonna be an August photo dump…but somehow it’s mid September now. Summer flew by, no?
Why it’s not just about weight loss… The scal Why it’s not just about weight loss…

The scale can be a useful tool but it shouldn’t be the only one you use to measure your progress. It gives you a number + that’s it.

And that number doesn’t necessarily tell you if you’re healthier, stronger, moving better, feeling better, etc. If you just focus on that number, it’s easy to miss A LOT of really awesome progress. 

Have multiple ways of measuring progress, try not to get too hyper focused on numbers + check in with yourself regularly.

P.S. Looking for some help getting comfortable in the gym + actually making progress? Grab my FREE Total Body workout at the link in my bio ✨
.
.
.
#womensfitnesscoach #womensstrengthtraining #weightliftingforwomen #womensfitness #howtogetfit #womensweightloss
Should you workout when you’re sore? 🤸🏻‍ Should you workout when you’re sore? 🤸🏻‍♀️

It depends… If you’re a little sore, a workout will probably help loosen you up and work through some of that soreness as you move.

But if you’re so sore it’s hard to move normally…just listen to your body + give it some rest. You can pick back up the next day. 

Your body needs time to recover from your workouts. Sure you could push through when you’re massively sore…but why? If your goal is to make progress, it’s going to be hard to do that if you can barely move and aren’t able to do things correctly. OR you could take a rest day + come back stronger + ready to crush your next workout 😉

P.S.  if you’re looking for a way to get started or need help in the gym, you can grab my FREE Total Body Teaser at the link in my bio, or DM me “Total body” and I’ll send it to you! ✨
.
.
.
#womensfitnesscoach #womensstrengthtraining #womensweightlifting #musclesoreness #womensfitnessspecialist #strengthtrainingforwomen #howtogetfit #freeworkout
Gym anxiety? It can feel so intimidating walking i Gym anxiety? It can feel so intimidating walking into a gym–especially the weight room. It’s new. It’s usually busy with people. And everyone seems to know exactly what they’re doing. It can feel so overwhelming. 

I remember feeling so intimidated of the weight room when I started. But here’s the thing…the more you show up + push past that discomfort, the easier it gets. Over time it gets less intimidating + that intimidation starts to be replaced by confidence. In the meantime, here are some things that really helped me to get through + keep showing up.

▫️Have a plan so you can grab what you need + set up camp somewhere. That way you’re not wandering all around the gym each time you need something. 

▫️Move with confidence, even if you have to fake it at first. Act like you deserve to be there, because you DO!

▫️Put on some 🔥 music + do your thing! Just focus on what’s in front of you + mentally “disappear” everyone else. 

▫️Remember that no one’s paying as much attention as you think. They’re probably in their heads thinking about themselves too. 

I know it can be uncomfortable AF. But stick it out because it’ll SO be worth it. You deserve to be there just as much as anyone else in there. YOU GOT THIS.

P.S. Looking for an easy to follow plan you can take into the gym with you? Grab my free Total Body Tone Up workout at the link in my bio to help get you started.
Workouts don’t have to be BRUTAL to be effective Workouts don’t have to be BRUTAL to be effective...

And honestly, doing these type of workouts all the time might actually mess with your progress… 

Sure, a killer workout is awesome every now + then, but every workout doesn’t need to be like that for you to get results. That doesn’t mean you aren’t challenging yourself. Every workout SHOULD challenge you. 

But it shouldn’t leave you so depleted that you have a hard time recovering. It shouldn’t make you so sore that it effects the rest of your workouts. It shouldn’t leave you feeling so stiff that you can’t move. It shouldn’t make you DREAD showing up for the next one. 

What I’m getting at, is the fine balance of challenging yourself but also allowing your body to recover. It’s counterproductive if your workout’s making you so sore that it’s limiting your daily movement and making you not wanna show up. 

Think about your ultimate goal. Think about challenging yourself, but in a way that leaves you feeling energized, strong, + powerful—not completely exhausted, depleted, + struggling to go on. It CAN feel good + be enjoyable.

Need some help with your workouts? Grab my ✨free✨Total Body Tone Up workout at the link in my bio. Drop the fear + intimidation of the weight room + feel strong, confident + powerful in any gym! 💪🏼
Load More... Follow on Instagram
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