Ashley Dwyer

09/01/2021

09/01/2021

CALLING ALL COACHES AND CLIENTS!

Is this you?
Is this your client?

Learn more about reverse dieting and how to implement for yourself or for your clients by attending my webinar on 9/15!

You can be sure you’ll feel 100% more confident in the process of adding more food to your plate without the fear of weight gain.

To register, click the link in my bio!

08/09/2021

Good ol’ stress! How we hate thee 😣

I’m sure you’ve heard how stress can impact the body in different ways, but did you know it can also take a serious toll on your weight loss and muscle-building goals?

Stress can affect each of us differently and have different side effects. For example, someone may eat more when stressed and someone else may find they don’t have an appetite at all.

For the purpose of this post, I’m going to focus on prolonged stress; not the mini stresses we may have day to day like traffic or a bad chat with your boss.

Prolonged stress can have an impact on our appetites, sleep, mental health, and even on our recovery. Listed below are ways stress can impact your goals:

🔷Weight loss
- stress releases cortisol, which can directly stimulate appetite. Fat and sugar also release dopamine in the brain, giving us that “pleasure” feeling we want to erase the negative feelings we feel from stress.
- Elevated cortisol over time can also cause increased fat in your midsection, no matter how great you’re eating or working out
- Stress can kill your motivation, making it harder to want to workout or cook a healthy meal

🔷Muscle growth
- Stress slows exercise recovery and causes poor sleep, making it harder for your body to repair and rebuild after intense exercise
- Stress raises your risk of injury by increasing muscular tension
- Stress can negatively impact concentration, making it harder to gain that muscle-mind connection needed for lifts
- Stress can also kill your appetite and make it hard to get in the necessary calories for lifts and recovery

If you’ve been following my journey, you know I’m trying to gain weight and muscle. Unfortunately, stress has been holding me back. My appetite isn’t where it needs to be, my motivation has been low, and my lifts are at a standstill because of the previous two.

I’ve been dealing with my main sources of stress as of late and making stress management my top priority. I can’t wait to see what changes I can make!

Stay tuned for another post on stress management techniques 🎉

08/08/2021

Justifications we tell ourselves about weight loss ⬇️

We all know weight loss requires a calorie deficit.

We’ve all heard “calories in vs. calories out” (or CICO, for short)

But what do most people do?
❌ they guesstimate
❌ they rely on their wearables
❌ they “eat clean”

🙈🙈🙈

1️⃣ the calorie burn on your wearable (Apple Watch, Fitbit, whoop, etc) is wrong. It’s been shown to be off by 30-40%, which means you’re not actually burning as much as it says you are (or you may burn more!). In my experience, Apple watches overestimate, which can lead to eating a calorie surplus - aka weight gain.

2️⃣ How do you know you’re in a calorie deficit if you’re not tracking anything? You’re guessing at calorie amounts and portion sizes, which is likely going to lead to underestimating calories. I mean, have you actually ever weighed out a serving of peanut butter? S**t. Is. Depressing. 😆🥲

3️⃣ “Eating clean” doesn’t mean you’re eating in a deficit. You can still overeat with clean ingredients. Ever measure out a serving of almonds? Also very depressing 🥲 Healthy foods aren’t free from calories!

I’m not here to say you need to track forever to be successful, but I’m here to say what you’re currently doing isn’t working 👀

Ready to level up and stop guessing?

Sign up for Mastering Macros now! Link in bio 🙌🏼

05/19/2021

Setting the record straight -

Who we are and what we stand for.

We are not quick weight loss.
We are not a fad diet.
We are not a crash diet.

We ARE sustainability.
We ARE self-awareness.
We ARE education.
We ARE habit change.

We ARE...uncomfortable and require work.

If you're wanting something effortless, keep scrolling.

If you're wanting to FIX your underlying health issues, lose the weight for good, put on adequate muscle mass, heal your relationship with food... you've found the right place!

I see too many potential clients lose their mojo when they realize they have to actually change their habits or actually spend 5-10 minutes a day tracking food. For real results, there is no easy button.

BUT, we are here to help make it easier through coaching, support groups, resources, and open Q&A's!

You don't have to make these changes alone and you certainly don't have to deprive yourself while doing it!

Interested in a lifetime goal? DM me "lifetime" to get started
•

05/13/2021

Let's talk summer bodies.

Summer is 5 weeks away. ☀️

If you're in Florida, it started 2 weeks ago 😰

There's going to be a mad rush to Google soon with the search line "how to lose weight quickly for summer"...

Let me save you the trouble -

How to lose weight quickly?
- Cut your calories super low (less than 1300/day)
- Cut out carbs
- Drink enough water to drown
- Do fasted cardio every single day
- Remove bones

Jk. That last one was a joke 😜🙃

So there you have it! I answered your Google search for you. Now, the disclaimer those websites won't tell you is that as soon as you have your first "summer trip" or "summer weekend"- you'll gain 5-7lbs back immediately.

Other things you won't hear:
- the quick fix isn't sustainable
- you'll be HELLA miserable
- you'll binge at night or on the weekends
- you'll develop a poor relationship with food
- you'll be stuck in the yo-yo cycle forever

WOW! Sounds like SO. MUCH. FUN!!

s**e.

Here's the deal, your "summer body" is the body you have now, just in less clothing.
Embrace it.
Love it.
Care for it.

If you still want it to be a little leaner for those new bikinis you've bought- there's a better way than what google will tell you.

We can have you 8-10lbs lighter in 5 weeks on our program, PLUS, navigate you through summer sustainably WITHOUT putting the pounds back on. We will also heal that relationship with food and tell you "YOU CAN LOSE WEIGHT EATING BREAD!"

Only have 2 weeks? We've got you covered. You could be down 3-6lbs eating more than you probably already are 😎

How? Shoot me a DM with "summer" to learn more 🙌🏼
•

05/12/2021

Ready to learn how to Master Macros?! 🙌🏼

The time has come!

I'll be hosting a private workshop called "Mastering Macros" on Wednesday, May 26th at 6pm EST!

I'll also be guiding a live Q&A and showing you exactly how I calculate macros for clients!

As a special bonus and early bird special, I'm offering to buy your ticket for you to this one-time workshop! To get access, DM me "macros"!

05/10/2021

Happy Monday, ya'll! Question for you 👇🏼

How many of you have forgotten about a subscription each month?

I literally forget I'm signed up for Ipsy until I get the bag in the mail. That $12 is forgettable to me.

I was speaking with my Mom yesterday about the gym, and she very plainly put it that her $30/mo gym membership doesn't mean anything. She keeps it because it's easy, but doesn't cancel it 'just in case' she decides to go again (she hasn't been to the gym in over a year).

I've also been a part of several services where I've paid $100/mo and have never followed through with what it offered because I didn't care enough about it.

I've witnessed hundreds of people object to the price points of our programs.

Keep in mind, I've charged anywhere from $50/mo up to $500/mo, and have received objections at every price point.

What I've noticed over the years at these different price points are these 3 things:
1️⃣ You will respect the program more at a higher price point. If you're motivated by the money you spent, you won't "forget" about your program
2️⃣ You get what you pay for. When I charged $100/mo, I didn't offer any resources, guides, support group...NADA. Not because I didn't want to, but because I didn't have it yet. Now after years of experience and building the biz, you get SO MUCH MORE (hence the higher price point)
3️⃣ Higher price points = Better Service. Charging more means you don't need as many clients to cover costs, which means clients get a more personal experience from you. From an accountability perspective, you literally have a coach at your fingertips at ALL TIMES. That type of service is 𝐮𝐧𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝. We couldn't provide that service if we were at a lower price point.

In summary, I know I care a hell of a lot more about my expensive sunglasses vs. my $30 cheapies. I know I'm making the most of my newest business coach because to put it frankly, she ain't cheap! 😅

What products or services do you splurge on because you know the value is there?!

05/10/2021

Happy Monday, ya'll! Question for you 👇🏼

How many of you have forgotten about a subscription each month?

I literally forget I'm signed up for Ipsy until I get the bag in the mail. That $12 is forgettable to me.

I was speaking with my Mom yesterday about the gym, and she very plainly put it that her $30/mo gym membership doesn't mean anything. She keeps it because it's easy, but doesn't cancel it 'just in case' she decides to go again (she hasn't been to the gym in over a year).

I've also been a part of several services where I've paid $100/mo and have never followed through with what it offered because I didn't care enough about it.

I've witnessed hundreds of people object to the price points of our programs.

Keep in mind, I've charged anywhere from $50/mo up to $500/mo, and have received objections at every price point.

What I've noticed over the years at these different price points are these 3 things:
1️⃣ You will respect the program more at a higher price point. If you're motivated by the money you spent, you won't "forget" about your program
2️⃣ You get what you pay for. When I charged $100/mo, I didn't offer any resources, guides, support group...NADA. Not because I didn't want to, but because I didn't have it yet. Now after years of experience and building the biz, you get SO MUCH MORE (hence the higher price point)
3️⃣ Higher price points = Better Service. Charging more means you don't need as many clients to cover costs, which means clients get a more personal experience from you. From an accountability perspective, you literally have a coach at your fingertips at ALL TIMES. That type of service is 𝐮𝐧𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝. We couldn't provide that service if we were at a lower price point.

In summary, I know I care a hell of a lot more about my expensive sunglasses vs. my $30 cheapies. I know I'm making the most of my newest business coach because to put it frankly, she ain't cheap! 😅

What products or services do you splurge on because you know the value is there?!

05/07/2021

Let's talk menstrual cycles, ladies!

Specifically, how it affects our training 🏋🏻‍♀️🚴🏻‍♀️

First, let's do a little brushing up on the 4 phases of the female cycle:

🌀Phase 1: Menstruation. This is when you actively have your period. Typical menstruation lasts 3-7 days.
🌀Phase 2: Follicular phase. This may be confusing, but the follicular phase starts day 1 of menstruation. During this time, FSH is secreted, Estrogen starts to rise and we start feeling like ourselves again! Hello, energy!
🌀Phase 3: Ovulation. This is usually around day 14 of our 28-day cycle when the egg is released from the follicle. It lasts around 24 hours until the egg dies, or is fertilized. We see a big spike in Estrogen and LH during ovulation.
🌀Phase 4: Luteal phase. After releasing an egg, the follicle turns into the corpus luteum, which is responsible for releasing progesterone and small amounts of estrogen to thicken the uterine lining. If pregnancy doesn't occur, the corpus luteum dies and causes a drop in hormones, resulting in menstrutaion.

As you can see, lots of hormone stuff going on above! With all of these fluctuations, our training HAS be affected, right?

Yes and no.

In a study done on female athletes, there is no change is muscle capability throughout our cycle. What we do feel though, is increased fatigue, bloat, and possibly depression due to the drop in hormones. Simply put, our bodies can do exactly what they've done before, but they may not feel like doing it during menstration and the last week of the luteal phase when most PMS symptoms occur.

To make the most of these fluctuations, it has been said to maximize your strength training gains in the follicular phase. Go for PRs here and during ovulation when energy is high. During the remaining weeks, focus on lower-intensity lifts, increased reps > weight, and listening to your body.

Not every woman will feel fatigued or low-energy, so it's important to pay attention to YOUR body and how YOU feel!

Personally, leg day + cramps meant I DID NOT go heavy. I stuck to my same routine, but with about half the weight. 👊🏼💪🏼