A Lady Goes West

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Current faves: Life, food, books and weekly workouts

October 12, 2018 By Ashley 14 Comments

Greetings from the Eastern time zone! Yup! Dave, Brady and I arrived last night to Columbus, Ohio to visit our best friends, Grant and Bre, and their three little kiddos. We all used to live in Florida — never in the same city though — and then we each moved away around the same time. They were our partners for the greatest Vegas vacation ever, and Grant was Dave’s best man in our wedding. Overall, we totally love them, and it’s been far too long since we hung out.

Even though we have a lot on the trip agenda today, I didn’t want to miss a chance to pop in to share some of my latest favorites, as I always do on Fridays, so here we go …

Fun

Safeway Open adventure with Dave

Last weekend, Dave and I got a babysitter in the afternoon on Sunday so we could head up to Silverado Resort in Napa to attend the Safeway Open golf tournament. It was a really pretty day, and this was my first time going to a golf tournament. Dave’s a big golfer and fan of all things golf, so he was very happy to be up there. I, however, was there for the people watching and the nice weather.

Ashley at Safeway Open In Napa in October 2018 - A Lady Goes West

My dress is from this brand. It’s not on the site anymore, but they have a lot of other cute ones.

We grabbed some beverages and food, walked around to the various pavilions and, of course, watched some golf. There were times when we had to wait to cross over sidewalks and many times when we had to keep quiet because golfers were getting ready to hit or put. I literally got to use my golf clap, and that made me very excited. We weren’t there for too long, because it ended up taking a little longer to get there than expected — and you know, when you’re paying a babysitter, every second away counts.

Nautical thank-you cards

Do you guys write thank-you cards for things? As my mom says … “It’s a lost art.” haahah perhaps so. Anyway, I did write thank-you notes this week for all of the things we received for Brady’s first birthday party. While I normally order my cards and stationery online, I went to Target and found these adorable whale thank-you cards, which matched the theme of the party so well. Had to share how cute they are! Blank inside, so you could totally use them for anything.

Whale thank-you notes 2018 - A Lady Goes West

Food

Tasty Plant Works protein powder

Guys, I try a lot of protein powders and healthy food products and don’t often share them with you, unless I really like what I’ve tried. Well, a friend of mine is friends with the creator of Plant Works Nutrition, and she asked me to try out a couple of packets of the plant-based protein powder they create. It is TASTY! Both the chocolate and vanilla too.

Plantworks protein - October 2018 by A Lady Goes West

I love the texture and consistency and taste, and the nutrient profile is on point with all of the essential amino acids, etc. that you really need when drinking protein for recovery. This company is super small and brand new, and you can only order the products on their site right now, but if you feel like supporting a new company with a quality non-whey protein powder, this one’s for you.

Seasonal Snickerdoodle Larabar

Good thing my food choices aren’t predictable, right? I found this seasonal Larabar at Target, and it may be my favorite flavor ever. Minimal ingredients, lots of deliciousness, reasonably priced and easy to take on the go. You know what’s in my purse for the next few weeks as my emergency snack.

Snickerdoodle Larabar in October 2018 - A Lady Goes West

Clean beauty

Spreading the word about safer skincare 

My friends! I want to thank you for your support as I try something new with this announcement, but MOSTLY I want to tell you that even if you’re not considering buying from Beautycounter, you should be starting to realize that only you are in charge of looking at the labels of the skin products you’re buying, because not everything you can buy and apply to your skin is good for you or safe for you. 

(In case you missed it, I told you earlier this week that I’ve become a consultant for Beautycounter — which is not just safer non-toxic make-up, but skincare, hair products, baby products, etc.) Ever since the post went live, it’s sparked some awesome conversations, and I LOVE it. Let me know if you have any questions about the company, brand or products. Just shoot me an email or leave a comment.

Making changes with Beautycounter skincare and makeup as a consultant - A Lady Goes West

Fashion

I’m back on Poshmark

Do you guys like to buy or sell clothing or accessories on Poshmark? I did a ton of selling when I went through purging and nesting phase of pregnancy. Well, I knew I was in need of another purge, so started to go through my stuff and list more items recently. It’s so darn easy, and clearing out the closet feels G-O-O-D! I have some friends who’ve had a lot of luck buying baby clothes on Poshmark, but I haven’t tried that yet. Who else uses the app?

Self-love

Every. Body. Beautiful. book

I mean, women supporting women. Women building each other up. It’s important. I am so long overdue in telling you all about “Every. Body. Beautiful: If She’s Beautiful, Does That Mean You’re Not?” — a book written by a fellow SF gal and personal trainer, Natalie Carey. This book is so enjoyable, because it’s so real. And it makes you feel …. beautiful!

Every Body Beautiful book in 2018 - A Lady Goes West

Natalie talks about her life, then turns what she has learned over the years into greater lessons for us all. She discusses her body issues, her time in college and feeling so insecure and looking for acceptance in the wrong places, becoming a competitive pole dancer, learning to find her worth and soooo much more. In these super real-world lessons, Natalie teaches her readers to take a good look at how they see themselves. She teaches us to love our bodies. To love ourselves. And to realize that you don’t have to be super skinny or small to be beautiful or worthy and what you eat doesn’t define you either.

The book is a quick read and definitely a good one for any of us ladies out there who may be too hard on ourselves or place too much importance on what we see in the mirror or “the perfect body” … and thinking of your body as an instrument, rather than an ornament. Amen to that! Congrats to Natalie on putting together this awesome book. It’s available on Amazon!

Fitness

Weekly workout recap

Switching topics like ….

Here’s a look at my workouts from last week …

Weekly Workout Recap by A Lady Goes West

  • Monday: Practiced BODYPUMP for 30 minutes, 10:30 a.m.
  • Tuesday: 30-minute CXWORX workout, 10 a.m.
  • Wednesday: Taught 1-hour BODYPUMP, 9:30 a.m.
  • Thursday: Taught 1-hour Bootybarre class, 12 p.m.
  • Friday: 30-minute full-body weights workout, 12 p.m.
  • Saturday: 45-minute SoulCycle class, 10:45 a.m.
  • Sunday: Rest day

Last week’s workouts were decent, with three sessions of weights, cardio, core and barre. I’m happy to be teaching a couple of classes, but I’m eager to create or find a plan to follow. Much like I mentioned in this review of Kelsey Wells’ PWR workout program and the Sweat app, having a plan is KEY. I tend to operate on the fly, and I think I need to change course to keep it interesting. Anyone else like a plan in the gym? One that gets progressively harder?

But I mean, classes are fun too (and look, I got some SoulCycle gear from my friends at my local studio) … the pants are actually made by Lululemon, and they are the softest.

Ashley at SoulCycle in October 2018 - A Lady Goes West

Suggested reading

Best links from around the web

  • Food and rice: Like why do people consider rice a bad food? Rice is tasty and so versatile, and it’s a carb, and we all need carbs. I used to do brown rice, but now mostly do organic white Jasmine rice. Here are the pros and cons of all the different types of rices.
  • Back to basics fitness: This article is really interesting and is all about how we’re sort’ve going back to basics with gym equipment and workouts, and the treadmill is the hero.
  • Sleep issues: I’ve written a lot about sleep on the blog, but this article has some supplement and other suggestions I’ve not tried. If you have trouble sleeping or staying asleep, check it out.
  • Time management: This has a few good tips about time management in it. I think I’m a time optimist, according to the article. What are you?
  • Fun: And to make you laugh.

A Lady Goes West Favorite archives

  • Baby talk: It’s so cool to have these updates on the web … “Brady’s 1-year update.”
  • Food: Who loves Trader Joe’s? … “A busy gal’s shopping list for healthy items from Trader Joe’s to save time.”
  • Sleep: Because sleep is everything … “How to create a better sleep environment.”

And Brady wants to say hello too, just because …

Brady at 1 year in playroom in October 2018 - A Lady Goes West

Hope you have a wonderful weekend, my friends! I’ll share some of the fun from Ohio on Instagram, until we meet back here again. 

Life, food, fitness and fun favorites on A Lady Goes West today ... Click To Tweet

Questions of the day

What are you up to this weekend?

What’s the best thing that happened during your week?

When was the last time you went on a weekend trip? Where to?

Filed Under: Friday Favorites, Weekly Workouts Tagged With: Beautycounter, books, faves, Poshmark, Travel, weekly workouts

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About Ashley

I'm a mom and fitness instructor in Charlotte, North Carolina. And A Lady Goes West is where I share fitness, wellness and clean beauty tips, as well as stories from my life.
 
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Comments

  1. Marielle Burch says

    October 12, 2018 at 6:00 am

    Enjoy your weekend getaway!! I have a girls trip coming up next month….I cannot wait!
    Congrats on your beautycounter gig, I’ve only heard good things about the products so I look forward to hearing more!
    Marielle Burch recently posted…What I’m Loving LatelyMy Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      October 12, 2018 at 11:14 am

      Yay for a girls trip!!! Where to?

      Reply
  2. Patricia @Sweet and Strong says

    October 12, 2018 at 6:34 am

    No way! We’re flying to Columbus tomorrow morning to stay with my college girlfriends and attend the buckeye game. Such a fun city, enjoy!

    And I am so happy Target now carries so many different flavors of RX and Larabars, I just picked up a bunch yesterday as I’ve desperately been needing some on the go snacks. The snickerdoodle flavor is so good!

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      October 12, 2018 at 11:24 am

      Patty! No way!!! We’re possibly going to be tailgating at the game, but we don’t have tickets to the actual game — we did get to go last time we visited a few years ago though. I really like Columbus! 🙂 Safe travellllllllssssss!!!!!

      Reply
  3. Marielle.burch@gmail.com says

    October 12, 2018 at 7:01 am

    Have a great weekend away!! So fun!
    Congrats on the beauty counter gig, I’ve only heard good things about the products! Look forward to hearing more!

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      October 12, 2018 at 11:13 am

      Hi Marielle! Thanks! It’s always good to get away for the weekend – especially to a different climate and to see friends. And I’m pretty excited about Beautycounter! Have you tried it yet?? 🙂

      Reply
  4. India says

    October 12, 2018 at 7:59 am

    I’m so impressed you wrote thank you notes with a 1 year old! I did them for my baby showers and I wondered “Does anyone do them anymore?!” I’m also super impressed that you and Dave have found babysitter(s) you like and allow you to attend fun events like that. So fun!!

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      October 12, 2018 at 11:12 am

      Hi India! I didn’t spend ANY of Brady’s nap time doing the thank-yous hahaha — I knocked them out on a Saturday when Dave took Brady out to the store and then finished them at night after he was asleep. I don’t see myself ever needing to write thank-yous again ahahha so that’s that! 🙂 And we found our babysitter through the gym daycare — she is the sweetest! 🙂 Hope you have a great Friday and weekend!

      Reply
  5. Richard says

    October 12, 2018 at 12:25 pm

    Hi Ashley. You are getting so close to my Indiana home town. Little town called Brazil. Yes it was named after the country. We still send thank you notes. Guess we are old fashion. Today seem people think an email thank you note is sufficient. Been times heard nothing. We figured they must had got the gift. Nothing exciting for us this weekend. Am excited about that college football team from Indiana, Notre Dame. Best thing happened to us this week the hurricane pass us by. But unfortunately our good news was someone else’s bad news. Enjoy your visit in the Midwest.

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      October 12, 2018 at 12:39 pm

      Hi Richard! True story: I just typed a long response to your comment and Brady came over and banged on the keyboard and deleted it hahah! But anyways, I didn’t hear much about the hurricane, so I guess that means it didn’t really affect my friends or family! And we love the Midwest — everyone is so friendly! 🙂 Enjoy your weekend!

      Reply
  6. Amy says

    October 14, 2018 at 5:56 pm

    I’ve been wanting to read that book☺️ We are on a week long trip in the NC MTs with my in laws right now

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      October 15, 2018 at 8:18 am

      Have fun with your in-laws, Amy!! Thanks for saying hi! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Jessie Reeves says

    October 18, 2018 at 2:32 pm

    YAY for rice! We have it most days of the week and I feel no shame. We rarely eat pasta or bread though, so it’s all good 🙂

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      October 19, 2018 at 8:30 am

      Hi Jessie! Good for you! Rice is definitely nothing to be ashamed about heheh! Glad you are a fan and are getting in some carbs! 🙂

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Ashley. I'm a mom and fitness instructor living in Charlotte, North Carolina. I love to help you live a balanced life with no extremes, making sure you never skip a rest day. A Lady Goes West is where I share my workouts, simple meals, clean beauty tips and wellness insight with you. Find out more about me and stay awhile!

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The latest on Instagram

I've got to be honest, I'm much more of a writer t I've got to be honest, I'm much more of a writer than an Instagrammer and many times I feel like what I want to share doesn't fit well into a grid. But I'm able to bring much more long-form content to my blog each week. Speaking of that, this week, I debuted a new series called "A Lady Goes West Advice Corner" which has been something I've wanted to put together for a while. In this series, I'm taking totally anonymous questions from YOU and giving you some neutral third-party advice on it all. Here are the questions I addressed in the first advice corner edition:
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-“I became a first-time mom last spring and am currently dealing with all things motherhood. How do I deal with my expectations vs. reality of being a mom?" (such a good one, and I've been there)
-“How do you deal with days when you don't love your body? I think we can all relate to looking in the mirror and being disappointed with what we see?" (this happens to us all)
-“How do you deal with comparing yourself to others on social media and not feeling like everyone is doing things better than you?" (spoiler alert: everyone has their issues that you don't see)
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The answers are long, they come from my heart, and I hope they can provide some value to you! If this is something you're interested in, head over to A Lady Goes West today to check it out, and you can submit a question for the next edition.
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Here's the direct link: https://aladygoeswest.com/ask-me-anything-a-lady-goes-west-advice-corner-first-edition/
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Have a great night, friends! And when in doubt, talk it out.
G.I.V.E.A.W.A.Y!🎉 Who doesn't love a collagen g G.I.V.E.A.W.A.Y!🎉 Who doesn't love a collagen giveaway? As a little thank-you for following, I wanted to do a giveaway of one of my favorite products. I've been using Vital Proteins collagen in my morning tea latte for years, and not only does the collagen creamer add a great taste, but it also supports healthy hair, skin, nails and joints too. Today, I'm giving away not only one canister of collagen creamer, but also a canister of collagen peptides to one lucky winner.
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You can leave as many comments as you want, and each one serves as an entry. You can earn an additional entry by sharing this post to your stories and tagging me. This giveaway closes on Saturday, February 27. The winner must live in the U.S. And this giveaway is not associated with Instagram. Good luck, and thanks for being here! 🙂 xoxo
HOME! We closed on and moved into our home in Char HOME! We closed on and moved into our home in Charlotte over the weekend, and we're so excited to get settled in our new neighborhood, city and state after many weeks of transition. In honor of this momentous occasion, I thought it would be fun to look back at the places Dave and I have lived together over the last 12 years. Here's what it has looked like -- and each place has been special for different reasons:
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-2009-2012 in a high-rise condo in downtown Orlando, where we lived when we got married.
-2012-2013 in a one-bedroom apartment in South of Market in San Francisco, which was always freezing no matter the time of day or year.
-2013-2014 in a tiny studio apartment in Nob Hill in San Francisco, which was only 550-square-feet, but we could hear the cable cars out of our always-open windows, so that was cool.
-2014-2017 in a two-bedroom townhouse in Walnut Creek, where we brought home both Rudy and Brady and had many sleepless nights.
-2017-2021 in a house that we owned in Pleasant Hill outside of San Francisco, which was across the street from a Starbucks so we went there way too often.
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And now we're here in Charlotte. It's good to be home! I'd love to know: Where do you call home?
Soulmates. ❤️ Whether you’re loving on other Soulmates. ❤️ Whether you’re loving on others or just yourself today, my little crew is wishing you a wonderful Valentine’s Day!
Good additions! Even though I'm all about simplify Good additions! Even though I'm all about simplifying life, I also like adding more good, if there's room for it. And the last year has given me ample opportunity to make some changes and add a lot of good. Here's my super-random list of things I've added to my life in the last year that I now love:
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-Using oat milk as my milk of choice (it's literally the creamiest, and I can’t go back to others now)
-Choosing to be outside as much as possible (can't believe I stayed indoors so much before, never exploring the beautiful Bay Area and now Charlotte until the last year)
-Teaching and taking virtual fitness classes (I was a gym rat for years, and now I actually love to work out at home with my virtual fitness friends)
-Wearing my Apple watch for notifications so I don't always need to be on my phone and tracking some beneficial metrics (I've only had my watch for about 9 months, and I love to check my heart-rate and close my rings)
-Appreciating the ability to work for myself and giving myself friendlier deadlines (I've been my own boss for several years and used to be so strict with my deadlines, until I realized it was stressing me more than it needed to, so now I say no to a lot of things and only do what works well in my life, without adding too much unnecessary stress)
-Shorter workouts (full-hour workouts are a thing of the past for me)
-Wearing more colors (no more black uniforms every day)
-And more!
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I wrote a whole post about this topic on A Lady Goes West this week if this is of interest to you, and you can head on over and check it out. I'd love to know: What's something (random or not) that you've added to your life in the last year that you now love?
Over the weekend, I stepped foot into a big-box gy Over the weekend, I stepped foot into a big-box gym for the first time in more than 11 months. How did I feel about it? Mixed ... When we left California, gyms were still closed, and once we got to North Carolina, I was so used to not going to the gym, I didn't even think about going. After being here a month, I finally decided to get a guest pass at a gym near me, and I went twice. Here are my thoughts on the experience: 
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At first, I felt so excited to drive up and go in and work out in a big space with a lot of equipment and not be at home. But then reality sank in: Even though masks were required and there were signs everywhere reminding people, about half the folks in the gym had their masks off or had them down around their chin. Ummm, not cool. I get it, working out with a mask on sucks, but rules are rules, folks. I also didn't like that it was busier than I expected, and quite a bit of the equipment I wanted to use was occupied. That never happens at home.
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Overall, I'm glad that those who need to get to the gym are getting the opportunity, but right now, I think I'll go back to sweating safely at home for a little while longer. But at least I got my first locker-room selfie in almost a year. I'd love to know. Have you been back to the gym yet?
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A Lady Goes West is a personal blog meant for entertainment purposes only and does not serve as a substitute for professional advice from your own doctor, trainer or nutritionist. While I'm a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor, the workouts, food and plans I post are what works for me and may not work for you. Please enjoy these stories and tips from my life, but proceed with caution. Also, know that affiliate links and sponsored posts appear from time-to-time, and I appreciate your support. For more information about how your data is stored, visit my Privacy Policy. Thanks for reading!

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