A Lady Goes West

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Current faves: Ohio trip, friends, cryo, food and weekly workouts

October 19, 2018 By Ashley 6 Comments

Hi, my friends! How are you? This was a busy week after our trip and it’s rolling right into a busy weekend. You see, my girlfriend and bridesmaid from Orlando, Judy, is set to arrive this afternoon and we’ve got a lot on the agenda. You can see more about Judy’s last visit here. 

Truth be told, I fully attempted to have a blog post up on Wednesday of this week to make it another three-post week, but I had to utilize all of Brady’s naps for my monthly freelance assignments, and thus … here we are with just a Monday and Friday post. I’m trying for you — and more on the topic of productivity and mom life soon! (I’m also taking post requests and reader questions, so leave them in the comments or send me an email.)

In addition to the busy-ness of the week, poor Brady came down with his first ear infection and sore throat, which stemmed from a cold and travel, most likely. I took him to the doctor, and he’s on the mend with some meds and is as happy as ever. Poor little dude — he sure put on a brave face though. But hey, enough about him :), it’s the end of the week, so let’s do some favorites …

Friends

Visiting our besties in Columbus

My favorite, favorite is our trip to Columbus, Ohio.

We left on Thursday morning and came back Sunday night, and boy, it’s a long flight from here — more than four hours on the way there and almost five hours on the way back. It was well worth the trip. We hung out with Grant and Bre and their three little kiddos in their new home in Dublin, Ohio, which is a suburb of Columbus. We filled our time there perfectly, doing a ton, but also leaving plenty of time at home to just chill with the kiddos and Brady.

Heading to Ohio by A Lady Goes West

On the first full day, we all went off to check out their gym, Life Time, which is a very popular health club chain that I’d never visited (but is building a location in Walnut Creek, so maybe I’ll be a regular one day), and it did not disappoint. It was huge and fancy, with every amenity you could ask for.

Brady went into childcare, while the guys did the sauna, and I attended Bre’s TCX class. She has been teaching group classes for the last couple of years and it was so awesome to finally see her in action. Loved the class too — it was hard!

We went out to dinner two of the nights, and the second night was in the Short North area of downtown Columbus, which is a pretty cool neighborhood with bars and restaurants and stores. That night, we went to four different restaurants ordering drinks and appetizers at each spot. It was so fun.

Friends in Ohio by A Lady Goes West -- October 2018

We also went to The Ohio State University campus for a tailgate and for half of the game. We got last-minute tickets and ended up going in and staying through the band’s amazing performance — their band is really entertaining, by the way. I love watching marching bands. Anyone else? Brings me back to my music days!

Friends tailgating in Ohio by A Lady Goes West -- October 2018

And on our final day, we hit up Costco, went on a dual-family stroll and celebrated Dave’s birthday by doing a big steak dinner at home, with Nothing Bundt Cakes for dessert and a rousing rendition of happy birthday from the entire group.

Ashley and Dave tailgating in Ohio by A Lady Goes West -- October 2018

The highlight of the trip was hanging out and catching up with Grant and Bre, and I really loved how cute their kids were with Brady too — they loved him and their oldest son even read him a story and kept offering him toys too. So sweet!

Brady had an excellent time and other than one bad night of sleep (which we can probably attribute to the change in time zones and a stuffy nose, which then turned into his ear infection, I guess), he was a total trooper everywhere we took him. Clearly, it’s much easier to plan activities and travel without him, but he did his very best, and I’m proud of him!

Ashley and Brady on the plane home from Ohio by A Lady Goes West -- October 2018

Arrived in Ohio by A Lady Goes West

1-year Brady in Ohio by A Lady Goes West -- October 2018

Side note: Everyone we encountered in Columbus is very friendly, the airport is nice, and the fall season is just gorgeous there!

Fashion

Ohio trip clothes

A few items I got some questions about …

Ashley in Ohio by A Lady Goes West -- October 2018

This bright yellow cozy sweater (which comes in many colors) and these ripped high-waisted jeans — both are new.

Ashley tailgating in Ohio by A Lady Goes West -- October 2018

This fanny pack/belt bag — YES — so much yes!

Recovery

Trying cryotherapy

So I tried cryotherapy! Have you heard of it? It seems to be all the rage, and I think we’ll start hearing more and more about it. Basically, you go into a small stand-up cold chamber of freezing air for three minutes and when you come out, your body gets some amazing benefits — from anti-inflammation to eased muscle stiffness and soreness, to overall pain relief and much more. The chamber we went into was 160 degrees BELOW — WOW! And yes, that’s pretty uncomfortable — in fact, I had to march in place and tell jokes with the gang in order to survive.

Ashley in cryo by A Lady Goes West

I had a rush of energy and my body felt great for the next maybe five hours or so, and I think that’s awesome. The other members of our group had varying degrees of benefits from the chamber, but I do know that a lot of performance athletes and big-time fitness buffs have been flocking to regular cryo sessions to help their muscles recover, so they can go hard again soon, so it’s legit. I LOVE trying new things like this, and I’d love to do it again soon in my neck of the woods.

Food

Pumpkin oatmeal bake

I wasn’t kidding when I said that I’ve been eating this exact same creation for breakfast for the last three weeks. In fact, I made a pan of it again on Monday and have been eating it all week. Get on it! 🙂 Here’s the recipe from earlier in the week.

Favorite superfood pumpkin oatmeal breakfast bake recipe gluten-free by A Lady Goes West

Dang Foods keto bars

No, I’m not keto. And no, I don’t think keto is a maintainable way to live. Don’t know what keto is? It’s a diet VERY high in fat, devoid of barely any carbs and minimal protein, and it forces your body into a state called ketosis. People rave about its ability to help you shed fat and clear your head, but once again, it’s not something that you can do for the long haul. The good news is that there are companies out there who make GOOD food and want to help people who are trying out these types of diets.

Dang Food keto bars by A Lady Goes West -- October 2018

Dang Food sent me their brand new keto bars, and I really like the taste of two of the flavors and the texture and macronutrient profile of them all. They are not the absolute most delicious in all the land, but they have protein (9-10 grams per bar) and fat and not too much sugar and only 5 grams of net carbs, so they are fairly well composed. And the ingredients list is full of things you can pronounce and identify, which is always a good sign. I give these bars a thumbs up, in case you see them in the stores and are wondering. Chocolate sea salt is my fave, and I wasn’t too into the lemon. 

Beauty

Give me all the lotion post-trip

When I came back from a very long day of travel and a fun weekend of a lot of junk food and not very much sleep, let’s just say my skin was in need. Beautycounter to the rescue! I used this Countermatch recovery overnight cream, then followed up with this Countermatch adaptive daytime lotion — that combined with chugging water had my skin back to normal in no time. This stuff works, my friends, and it’s safe, non-toxic and made by a brand that is trying to make a difference. 

Beautycounter lotions by A Lady Goes West -- October 2018

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: Rest day
  • Friday: 1-hour weights and cardio TCX class, 9:30 a.m.
  • Saturday: Rest day
  • Sunday: Rest day

Well, hello rest days! Due to my trip last week, I took three full days off from the gym, and that’s totally okay. Amazingly, I was able to get in my three resistance sessions for the week, which is good, although none of them included a solo session focusing on heavier weights. The workout highlight was definitely taking the TCX weights and cardio class at Life Time Fitness in Ohio taught by Bre. So fun and so tough!

Suggested reading

Best links from around the web

  • Mothers. Read this. This is such a valuable article about postpartum depression and how it needs to be addressed more readily. I’m SO thankful I didn’t suffer from PPD or from the baby blues, but if I did, I hope that I would have found help. This article also brings up the idea of the matrescence phase of growing a baby (much like adolescence is the phase of growing up) — LOVE it. A very beneficial read.
  • Group fitness thoughts. I think this may be old, but it’s funny. I love this list of things that go through your head in a group fitness class.
  • Healthy food options. I know we don’t all have access to super fancy healthy restaurant chains, but many of us do have access to a Panera. Panera has some new menu items, and this article gives you some tricks on how to order a healthy meal when you’re there.
  • Beware of fragrance. The word fragrance is basically unregulated in the U.S., and so many of our perfumes and home products are including toxins under the term “fragrance” on the label — and these toxins cause cancer and can disrupt our hormones. It’s awful. Here’s a look at what you can do about it and what you should avoid.

A Lady Goes West Favorite archives

  • Breakfast. Have I shared this one enough yet this week? Try it! “Superfood pumpkin oatmeal bake breakfast recipe.”
  • Workout. Here’s a short workout to try out. “A busy girl’s three-move total-body dumbbell workout.”
  • Career. I like to share this one every once in a while. “Career talk: What it’s like to work for yourself or someone else.”

Thanks for stopping by the blog today, my friends! I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

Questions of the day

What are you up to this weekend?

What’s your favorite healthy lunch place to eat?

What goes through your head in group fitness classes?

Filed Under: Friday Favorites, Weekly Workouts Tagged With: Beautycounter, cryotherapy, faves, Friends, Ohio, 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. Susie @ Suzlyfe says

    October 19, 2018 at 5:20 am

    Brady is such a little traveler! ! Emmie is going to have back to back trips this holiday season, and it’ll be an adventure for sure with all her stuff by then.

    We went to Lifetime when we were in DC and they are AMAZING. Plus, super bonus getting to take your friend’s class!

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      October 19, 2018 at 8:30 am

      Hi Susie! Apparently Life Time also has a delicious cafe, which we didn’t visit, but that’s a big selling point too! I hope I get to go to the one that is opening here. As far as traveling, we’re on the road (plane) again for Thanksgiving as well, and it’s going to be a bit stressful for sure. I’d say we are pros at this point, but it’s just not easy hehehe! Good luck to YOUR fam as well! Happy Friday, my friend! Give some hugs to little Em from us!

      Reply
  2. Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious says

    October 19, 2018 at 6:09 am

    We love grabbing Jimmy John’s (they actually have GF bread!) or the WhichWhich I love their lettuce wraps!
    Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious recently posted…Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars {GF, Low Cal, Vegan}My Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      October 19, 2018 at 8:32 am

      Hi Megan! Yessss! I love the smell of Jimmy John’s! And funny you should say that about WhichWich, because we don’t have one near us but I used to love to go there when visiting Dave’s parents in San Diego, but they recently removed my favorite menu item — the superfood wrap with a black bean burger. SO sad hahahah! Anywho! Happy Friday, girlfriend. Thanks for saying hi! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Jessie R says

    October 22, 2018 at 6:01 am

    That looks like an amazing weekend in Ohio! Spending time with friends is the best :). Cryo therapy is super interesting, I have yet to try it though, I’m jealous! We went to a corn maze this weekend and I had a book club, a good one for me!

    In group fitness classes I’m always wondering how much pre-workout the instructor took, haha.

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      October 22, 2018 at 1:43 pm

      Okay, I want to go to a corn maze — now THAT is a fall festive activity. hehehe and yes, a lot of group fitness instructors take pre-workout — I do not. I wish I liked it, but I don’t! 🙂

      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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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.
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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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