Inspire Me #10: Ashley Irving

This is Ashley ~ she is awesome.

I have worked out at Excel with Ashley off and on for the last few years ~ I didn't really get a chance to know her until a few months ago and this lady is fantastic.  She is positive, energetic, friendly and super fit!  I am so lucky to have the opportunity to take her Barre classes once in a while and she pushes you to not give up.  Ashley is an amazing instructor and Excel is so fortunate to have her on board!  She is a dedicated mama and has two of the most adorable little girls.  I admire Ashley for commitment to her family and also to health and fitness.  Thanks Ashley for sharing your talents with us (and for making me feel spots in my gluteus I have NEVER felt before;)  YOU ROCK!  Keep it up!

Ashley taking in some Barre in New York to bring back to us!

Here's her interview:  

1. What is your health/fitness history?

I have been active my entire life. I began dancing at age 5 and continued into my 20s. I also played many school sports including volleyball, basketball, and track. Since then, I have been a regular at the gym and try to keep as active as possible outdoors.

2. How long have you been a member at Excel?  What does your exercise routine look like?  

This is my third year at Excel!  And I LOVE it!  I have been a member at many gyms, and this is by far my favourite!  I try to work out 4-5 times per week, although since I began teaching Barre I am only able to attend about 2 classes a week.  Even if I can’t make the gym I try to get the kids and I out for a walk, hike or bike ride.

3. What is a typical set of meals/snacks throughout the day for you?

Early morning: smoothie made with whatever fruit I have on hand or fruit and yogurt. 

Mid-morning snack: usually a piece of fruit (apple or banana)

Lunch: we eat a lot of wraps (leftover meat from the night before, vegetables and cheese), because my kids love them and I can hide all sorts of nutritious stuff in there ;)

Mid-afternoon: I don’t usually eat between lunch/dinner, because I am just not that hungry then, but my girls always have an afternoon snack… usually a plate of veggies, cheese and crackers

Supper: I love the BBQ so we often BBQ our meat (usually chicken) and veggies (our favourites are peppers, zucchini and onions). I also try and add one more vegetable dish that my kids like, either spaghetti squash with fresh herbs or our favourite kale recipe (yes.. even my kids will eat kale with my secret sauce on it ;))

After Supper: once and a while we will have a treat after dinner, whether its home-made popsicles or ice cream

4. What would you say is your biggest strength in fitness?

My biggest strength would be my routine. I go to the gym at the same time, usually on the same days. It works for me because I can plan my day and my week accordingly. If I plan to work out then its much harder to talk myself out of it. 

5.  What would you say is your biggest weakness in fitness?

Chocolate… I love chocolate. The in-between lunch and dinner time when I am not really hungry but both kids are napping, I manage to locate any chocolate in my house. 

6.  Is there anything in particular you are training for? (i.e. Tough Mudder, Beast, Death Race, marathons, etc.) 

I am not training for any specific event, but I train because it makes me feel good. I feel stronger, better in my clothes, and more confident in myself. I also train so that I can keep up with my kids. I want to be able to run and around and play with them, without it feeling like work. 

Check out this cutie pie!

7.  What would you say is your favourite work out?

Well.. I obviously LOVE Barre. But if I had to choose another class it would probably be TRX Iron Circuit. I love that it is technically challenging but I always leave that class feeling like I got my butt kicked.

8. How do you keep motivated day-to-day?

My kids motivate me the most. I want to be a good example for them. The best way to teach kids about a healthy active lifestyle is to live it yourself. 

9.  What would be your biggest advice to someone just starting out on his/her journey to improved health and fitness?

My best advice would be find something active you love to do whether its dance, hike, ski, or kayak, and do it often. You don’t have to be in the gym to improve your fitness. Just get your body moving and have fun while your at it!

10. If you could be any superhero you wanted who would you be and why?

My super hero knowledge is …well… non-existent … but if I could choose a superpower it would be invisibility. I could travel the world without spending thousands of dollars on air fare because no one would even know I was there!

Healthy Family = Happy Family

Recovery! I can see!

April 9th, 2015, my life changed drastically.  Since I was about 6 or 7 I have worn glasses.  I started wearing contacts when I was a teenager and have moved between the two for close to 20 years.  My prescription was powerful and my glasses were heavy ~ sitting at an -8.25.  To give you some insight as to how blind this is:  I would need to be about 4 inches from your face to see it clearly.  A series of things happened over the course of the last 6 months that led me to the decision to see about getting PRK (which is a corrective eye surgery similar to Lasek but different process and healing time).  I was not a candidate for Lasek due to my thinner corneas for a high prescription.  I was happy I was a candidate for ANYTHING ~ happy there was hope.  On April 9th I went into Vivid Laser in Kelowna to get PRK.  The process was quick and pain free.  The doctors and staff there were fantastic, knowledgable and friendly.

Moments after my PRK surgery was complete!
Things were clear up to about 3 feet in front of me for the first time since I was a little kid:):)

Afterwards my vision was very blurry and I couldn't read, use computers, watch TV, etc.  The following day I woke up and could read the time on the nightstand clock.  It was blurry but clearer than before surgery.  Days 1 and 2 were okay ~ very little pain.  Felt good to have eyes closed and rest.  Blurry vision but could function.

Morning after surgery.  First time I could see my nightstand clock...ever!

Then Day 3 hit! Day 3 and 4 were the worse days.  My vision was so blurry that I could not see anything clearly even if it was an inch from my face.  I could not make out my fingernails on my hands!  I couldn't see my own face clearly even right up against the mirror.  I felt a little worried but kept on telling myself it would improve.  Day 5 I got the contact bandages removed and that helped slightly with the blurriness but I could not drive nor see anything a few feet away from me.  Day 6 and 7 ~ slight improvements and on Day 7 I drove a little bit.  The halos around lights and the double vision made everything difficult.  Over the next couple of weeks it improved slightly but the blurriness was very difficult to deal with.  Reading, writing and computing were extremely hard.  One text message took forever to write.  One Facebook post took a lot of time and focus.  I could not make out faces of anyone a few feet away from me.  So close up was horrible, far away was not much better.  I found this time very challenging.  Not being able to see people's faces clearly when having a conversation drove me crazy.  Or if someone saw me and said hello I would have no idea who it was.

They say 7-10 days before clearer vision but it took me one month.  Last weekend I woke up and my vision was the clearest it had been so far.  I was so excited but come afternoon it diminished back to what I call "functioning blurry".  The next morning it was better and stayed and I have been clear-ish ever since.  I went to my one month check up last week and right now I am sitting at 20/30 vision ~ my left eye is slightly behind my right eye.  I have about a -.25 prescription in my right eye and roughly a -.50 in my left eye.  The full results of my PRK surgery will not be known until 6 months in (that is how long healing takes).  At that time I will be examined and we will see where I am at.  It is wonderful to be able to drive, read and work on a computer without crazy double vision!  

One of the big reasons I desperately wanted to get corrective surgery was because my glasses caused wicked headaches daily.  Contacts were no longer an option due to zero fluid in my eyes.  I literally had a headache EVERYDAY from January 26 (when I stopped wearing contacts and had to go straight glasses) until April 9th!  It was extremely difficult to function happily with the headaches from the glasses.  Things like exercising were uncomfortable because having to look around and move quickly exacerbated that "drunk goggle" feeling.  Mentally and physically it was hard to feel good.  Everyday pain was causing a lot of stress in my life and lowered my confidence in my training.  I find that when my body does something I do not want it to do (ie. constant pain), my appreciation of what I CAN do is clouded.  I always try to look at the bright side but it was a constant struggle.   Luckily, those headaches have cleared up and I am feeling much better mentally, emotionally and physically!

I could not be happier with my vision.  I can see my kids when they come on the bed to say good morning without having to put on my glasses.  I can jump up to help them without fumbling around.  I don't get that dry, irritated eye feeling.  One less step when I wake up and when I go to bed.  No glasses moving around on my face when I workout.  There are so many things that are taken for granted by folks that have always had great vision.

Morning before surgery!  Goodbye thick glasses!  I like my frame though ~ maybe I will get a no prescription lens put it and still wear them:):)

Side note: I actually like glasses and think they look nice on but when the prescription is so incredibly high they are weighted down and my brain was not happy with the variation of vision out the front and sides!

Something exciting that I recently became a part of is Excel's Ryde program.  I am now instructing with a group of amazing ladies.  My class runs Friday nights at 5:30pm!  But there a quite a few different options from Monday to Saturday.  High sweat, high movement activities like Ryde were very uncomfortable with headaches and glasses but I really enjoy Ryde (from both a student and an instructor perspective) so I pushed through and now I am able to instruct!  This is something you HAVE to try.  The space is amazing, the instructors are awesome and the community at Excel is something you will not find anywhere else.  

Needless to say I feel like I have a new lease on life.  I have regained the enjoyment of exercise and being active!  I love the ability to wake up and go.  I am so excited to train!  I am so excited to camp and not have to worry about packing extra contacts or finding my glasses in the tent!  And, most importantly, I feel like myself again without the constant pain in the head and excited to attack everyday instead of hide from it!