My Story

My name is Ashleigh.. I am 27, a divorcee and since have found the love of my life and he has   three completely amazingly wonderful teenage girls!

I was always athletic in school.. Played volleyball and softball. But once I hit about 13 I had to work to keep fit and to not gain weight.. I always loved being active though so it wasn't too much of an issue.. Until my junior year in high school and I hurt my knee playing volleyball. After going to the doctor they told me that I had a choice.. Keep playing volleyball and end up having surgery on my knee before the end of the year.. Or stop and maybe it could heal enough to not have to have surgery. To be completely honest I loved volleyball and it killed me to make that decision.. I decided that at 16 I did not need to be having knee surgery. After that I started gaining weight from not being active because I was told to be careful and rest my knee and had very light physical therapy. 

Well when I was 18.. I married a man 14 years older then me.. Obviously not my best decision since 6 years later we separated and I filed for divorce.. It wasn't a good marriage and honestly its a long story and I'm not going to get too in-depth with it right now.. Lets just say at the end I had NO self esteem and was fighting depression in a big way. I weighed about 40 lbs more then when I started the relationship and was incredibly unhappy with myself and life in general. 

After about 2 or 3 weeks of drunken nights and blurry days I decided it was ME time! I had spent 8 years with a man who I gave my everything to and got very little in return. So now it is time for me to get me back! I made some decisions and changes and moved on! It didn't take long and I got back into contact with an old friend and we started spending time together.. and it took almost no time for us to fall in love. Before we got serious I told him so this is not okay, this won't happen, I need this, that sort of thing. He agreed and promised he would never treat me the way I had allowed myself to be treated before. We moved in together and we haven't been apart since. We have been together just over 2 years. He is the man of my dreams and I can't imagine life without him.. 

In January of 2012 I decided to needed to get healthy.. I've done a lot of research on natural and organic food and eating right. Which we as a family do as much as possible. So I decided I needed to take it to the next level and start working out. I like most of us had seen the P90X and Insanity infomercials. (Side not along with everything else in my life I have also dealt with chronic back pain since I was 21.) I knew there was NO WAY I could do Insanity..  So I went to the Beachbody website and wanted to see what other workouts they had.. My doctor had suggested that I should start with Yoga.. So I found Yoga Booty Ballet from Beachbody. Ordered it.. And got started.. (BIG step for me!) Soon I noticed I was feeling a bit better.. my back didn't hurt as bad every day.. I was sleeping better.. Everything! Soon I wanted a bit more of a challenge and moved on to Power 90. During this process a wonderful lady who is now my Beachbody Coach found me.. And we became friends instantly. She asked me if I would like to be a coach... I thought about it.. Talked to my man about it.. And decided I did want to give it a go! I could see how much it was helping me and I was more then happy to help others get the help they need! I have now lost around 45 lbs! I have done many of Beachbody's workout programs and have met and helped a lot of people! I haven't cured my back pain.. But I have gotten to the point where I have more good days then bad days and that is a big big big deal!

I am not officially a Stepmom but I live the life and we are going to be getting married at some point in the future. These girls are my life. They are 14 year old twin girls and a 15 year old girl. I do not have children on my own yet.. But we are planning on having our own once we get married. I am a "stay at home stepmom" at present time.. My man decided to go back to school last year.. And is now in his second semester of Culinary School. (Let me tell you it makes it hard to lose weight when he brings home all these amazing things he makes at school!) So I pick the girls up from school/practice when they are with us (week on week off 50/50 custody). I go to all of their games/concerts/plays. Keeps me super busy and I wouldn't change a minute of it! <3 

I decided to share my journey for a lot of reasons.. I'd like to meet new people.. I'd like to help people who are / have been / will be in the same place as I am.. I need a place to share my day to day frustrations / happiness / experiences with.. So welcome! Looking forward to getting to know you and for you to get to know me!