About a year ago I came across Ashley Horner’s site and was immediately inspired. I bought a few of her training programs and loved the intense, crazy workouts that pushed me beyond my comfort zone. I joined her Facebook group and “met” a bunch of awesome women who are the definition of strong. (We like to call ourselves “Ashletes”!)
I’m going to feature many of them over the next few weeks as part of my “One Fit Mommy” series. Today’s fit mommy is Lainie, a mom of 2 who inspired me all summer long with her daily gym updates and pictures.
Please read on for more about Lainie and why she is definitely “One Fit Mommy”!
Q: Have you always been fit? What inspired you to live a fit lifestyle?
I was a very athletic kid, but always 10-15 lbs overweight. As I got older and had my 2 girls, I gained a lot of weight. I basically had a mid life crisis when I was 44, and felt that I was a good role model in so many ways to my daughters, but not in my health. I had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, low energy and about 70 lbs of extra weight by now. Body image is so key for young girls that I was concerned about what they would learn and how their lives would be affected by my poor choices. Then I took a new job that allowed me more flexibility, including working more from home, so I decided to dedicate that “found” time to exercise. From there I reignited the athlete in me, starting eating healthy to fuel my gym performance and various athletic activities, and have lost 78 lbs over the past 17 months.
Q: What advice do you have for moms who claim they don’t have time for exercise?
For your kids’ sake, you need to be healthy and show your children what it looks like to live a healthy lifestyle. Carve out a time that is least disruptive to your family, explain why you are doing it, and commit to it. I get up very early, and sacrifice sleep because that time in the gym means more to me. I am tired after work, my kids and husband need me, my social life is active, so it’s disruptive and less likely to happen any other time of day. If you make it something that works, and make sure it’s realistic in duration and frequency, it’s making time for it. It won’t happen until you schedule it like any other important appointment. Your family will get used to it. I know my family now totally appreciates what it does for my self confidence, my energy and overall well being to respect that time as mine. They are shocked and quite frankly, a bit scared of me on days I DON’T workout now. Also find something you really love. Don’t make it work. Make it fun and keep it fresh.
Q: What is your favorite Ashley Horner training program?
No question Pipehitter. It was so challenging, so intense, and pushed me every day to a place I doubted I could go. But I did it and felt nasty, sweaty, badass and accomplished at the end of every workout. To be able to do unassisted pull ups, handstand pushups, wall runs x taps, and run so much longer and faster were some of the major highlights for me. I love the frenzy of the circuits. It was such a great trainer my best friend and I will do another round after we complete Achieving Prominence.
Q: Are you more of a cardio mommy or strength training mommy?
Strength. I love barbell complexes that make you move heavy weights and get your heart rate up. I’ve learned to appreciate running, and what it does for my body, but I really like to go badass in the gym when lifting weights — squats, deadlifts, presses, flys, all of it!! Then when I see the look of respect and admiration we get from the guys and ladies in the gym when we lift heavy, and the comments we get are so positive, it fueled my desire to get certified as a NASM personal trainer. I really want to help other women, especially moms, who are intimidated by the free weights to learn what they can do to truly change your entire body. Cardio is important but I love the lifting. I have even embraced box jumps and weighted burpees as my cardio many days.
Q: What is your least favorite exercise?
I’d say it’s a toss up between pull ups and Turkish get ups. Turkish get ups are so challenging just to get the form right that it makes adding weight really hard. As far as pull ups, I still feel like a big woman, so pulling all my body weight up is very hard to do.
Q: Do you have any mental tricks that you use when you just don’t feel like working out?
I remind myself that some of my best workouts were when I least wanted to go. The energy level going in is never the same as when you leave, so I think back to my PRs and most of them were on days I wasn’t quite feeling it. I also think about some treat I can give myself if I make it happen somehow. Having my best friend as a workout partner helps big time. We never want to let each other down, so if I don’t feel like getting out of bed to go, I know she will text me and I’ll feel bad if I disappoint her, so I suck it up. I’m always glad I do. It’s time we can be crazy and funny and a tiny bit inappropriate – in attitude not in actions lol – where the husbands and kids aren’t around. We make it fun no matter what the workout has in store, so it’s rare I don’t WANT to go.
Q: Random question: what is your go-to snack food?
Wow, I have a lot! I feel like I’m always snacking. I love my homemade protein bars with unsalted crushed pecans, unsweetened coconut flakes, rolled oats, almond flour, cocoa powder, almond breeze, peanut butter or Nutella, made with cellucor raspberry chocolate truffle whey protein and coated in dark chocolate. I have one almost every day. It’s like a healthy candy bar. I also love anything and everything pumpkin!
Thank you Lainie for letting me feature you and for being an inspiration to women and moms everywhere!