Wanna be inspired?!? Meet Ashlyn Merriman

I am so excited for all of you guys to meet Ashlyn. She is from Lethbridge Alberta (YAAA Canada!!) And if you are not following her on instagram you need too! She is so positive and absolutely has such a passion and love for this industry! If you are looking for a coach whether you are local or not check her out!! http://instagram.com/ashlyn_merriman

 

A good place to start would be by asking what made you decide to get into the fitness industry?

Most definitely my mother is the reason I was introduced to the industry, although competing was never a pressure or expectation from her, she has always been supportive of anything I have chosen to do. Growing up I had always been inspired by her dedication and commitment to a healthy lifestyle, as well as her amazing physique. Travelling with my mother to watch her compete in fitness competitions, as well as her client’s competitions is what initially triggered my interest in competing as well as my own insecurities towards myself. I started to feel a sense of jealousy or insecurity after being introduced to the industry full of amazing bodies! Most people do not attend their first show until they are competing or in the process of competing. I really do believe if people went and watched a show and analyzed the hard work, dedication and talent that is present on stage, they may be persuaded to take on the challenge themselves. I personally decided I would like to have the confidence to get on stage and see what my body was capable of. Driving home from a competition I brought this up to my mother. She told me to get out a pen and paper and she began to tell me a list of items I was allowed to eat for the next 100 days (I’ll tell you right now this list was quite limited in comparison to what an average 19 year old girl was eating, including NO ALCOHOL NO CHOCOLATE NO SUGAR etc etc. I am sure you could imagine) 10 minutes later we went through a Tim Hortons drive thru and my mother asked me “So what would you like?” I pondered on it for a second, and she then began to giggle- “NOTHING” she responded, “this is test #1, this is how it is going to be. Black coffee or nothing at all”. We drove home 5 more hours and hit the gym THAT EVENING. I remember squatting 10 lbs per side on the smith machine and barley walking the next day. WOW have times changed. 100 days into my first prep- I placed 3rd place in ABBA (Alberta Body Building Association) Muscle Beach, qualifying me for provincials a few months later. I did six shows since then. I am hooked and forever thankful for that lack of confidence, and the courage and support I had to overcome it.

What is your favorite body part to train?

 LEGS, most definitely. My quads are my area of struggle. Every leg day I leave accomplished, drenched in sweat, and legitimately in PAIN. The best kind of pain, of course.

 

What is the hardest part about competing and how did you deal with it?

The balance between having a strong social life while still sticking to my goals is always going to be a struggle. Not being able to stay out late, eat restaurant food, skip a workout because you don’ t feel like going. My goals will always win and take priority over any confounding variable. I will never ever sacrifice by goals for ANYTHING- no off-diet food item, no amount of chocolate, no late night partying, or sleeping through fasted cardio will ever get in my way- but it has taken a while to get to this point, and those have always been difficulties. If you like to drink, and eat at restaurants and sleep in late, then get ready to make sacrifices. To give up the things that weigh you down is the ONLY way to be successful. Finding the people that support you, support your goals and encourage your vision are the people you should keep within close proximity.

What kind of cardio do you like best and why?

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT cardio) is thee best way to shed fat without having your metabolism adapt. I swear by it, although veer from it during off-season so I can give myself some time to put on some weight. If you had to give only one piece of advice for someone competing what would it be? Stay positive- have a vision- trust the process- know what you want and go at it full speed. It is true that 1 bite off diet or 1 small drink on the weekend, or just 1 little desert will not transform your body from being competition ready to NOT being competition ready- but it is the small adjustments and sacrifices which make the biggest changes. Those athletes willing to make the small changes and small sacrifices everyday- are the ones who will be successful. While you’re sleeping, first place is at the gym, while you’re out drinking with your friends, first place is at the gym, while you’re having just a bite of that cake, first place is at the gym. This is what I tell myself all the time. Cheesy but it works.

 

  When do you do most of your photo shoots, pre or post competition?

If the photo-shoot is solo with no one else in the photos- I do this post competition (you have your spray tan, you naturally look better on camera- but you look odd if there are other people in the photos who don’t have a spray tan). The day after your competition is probably the best time. You reefed that night, drink a bit of water, and look killer in the morning.

What are the top 3 healthy foods you couldn't do without?

Sweet potatoes, OATS and chicken. (I think this is probably the staple of my competition diet, and most competitors out there)

How do you find transitioning back into your normal life after you have competed?

I reverse diet to a certain extent, of course allowing a few cheat meals/ rest days for 2-3 days post comp- but then I am right back on track. I continue weight training 6x per week- cutting cardio out gradually and introducing higher carbohydrate macros by about 15-20g per week (nothing CRAZY at first, but that’s the price you pay to not blow-up post-show). I then tailor my supplement regime to include creatine monohydrate, and other mass gainers. I use my off-season to grow and mature as an athlete opposed to “getting my life back” as most people have referred to it. This IS my life, therefore off-season is not an off-season at all, it is an improvement season with much less mental restriction and huge strength and mass gains.

What does the future hold for you? Which shows are you wanting to do next?

My next show is planned for June 21st, 2014 and hopefully CBBF Nationals in July of 2014. I will likely take a long “improvement season” after this summer in order to complete a masters degree in food chemistry/muscle protein synthesis, or some related topic, as well as travel and possibly compete in other countries.

I plan to continue to compete as long as possible, as I know I have AT LEAST 20 years of this ahead of me in this business. I also plan to continue to provide nutritional advice and coaching in the future. I feel so ambitious and open to any fitness-related opportunity that may present itself in the near future. I want this industry to be my life, my career, and something I can implement into the life of my future family, friends and children. I love food, food chemistry, and the confidence and self worth that comes with bodily transformations- I want to continue to spread this lifestyle amongst anyone wanting to join me. This is my passion and the reason I wake up every morning.

A huge thank you to Ashlyn for taking the time to answer my questions and letting us get to know her better! Best of luck with everything in the future, there is no doubt that you are going to steal your shows this year and many more to come!