Category Archives: Family

in LOVE with FALL

Hoodies YES

Bonfires YES

Cuddling YES

… throw my snuggly UGG boots in the mix and we’ve got us a perfect situation.

BUT OH THE ALLERGIES… aka INFLAMMATION

3/4 of the people who live in under my roof suffer from seasonal allergies→ asthma. It’s really only a problem during spring and fall. We will experience inflammation in our lungs which make it hard to breathe – NOT COOL. But what IS COOL … we can keep the inflammation under control through our nutrition.

SORRY ALLERGIES… WE’RE BREAKING UP

PositiveHealthandWellness.com published a great article called THE BEST FOODS FOR ANTI-INFLAMMITORY DIET and I used this as my refresher/ brush-up on FALL food/ shopping list as I change things up a bit for my family. Here are the foods listed to help combat inflammation.

Omega-3 – I don’t eat fish so I get mine through Omega-3 supplements.
Avocado – I eat 1/2 every morning with my eggs… avocado toast is trending these days and I know why… BECAUSE IT’S GOOD! Try it.
Dark green, leafy vegetables – I eat a simple spinach salad almost every day, and when I can’t/don’t want to eat my veggies, I drink them. Check out this post for different green smoothie recipes. If I’m being lazy or don’t have fresh greens at the house, my favorite local solution is the Juice Bar! Check out iLOVEJuiceBar.com for locations.
Walnuts/Olive oil
Onions
Watermelon and Berries
Ginger, turmeric, oregano … I make ginger tea … simple just blend up ginger and fresh squeezed lemon, pour in ice cube tray, freeze and then add a ginger cube to hot water.
Whole grain foods – gluten seems to really irritate our inflammation so we cut way back in our house during high allergy seasons, but to get our grains we choose sprouted grain options (once sprouted, the gluten is released).

Head over to PositiveHealthandWellness.com for more details on these foods. Also read up on

Why inflammation occurs
Problems inflammation can lead to
How insulin is involved
How to combat inflammation
What you should avoid

Thanks for reading and I hope you have the HEALTHIEST HAPPIEST FALL ever!

SHOP FOR PRODUCTS LISTED IN THIS POST!

OmegaPlex

GYM GUY + PILATES + TYE4® TESTIMONY

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Check out this testimony from a friend of mine

↓ ‘GYM GUY’ John Moorhead ↓

John became curious about TYE4 this summer and decided to give it a try. He’s following Jim Stoppage’s Shortcut To Shred program and discovered how a little bit of TYE4 conditioning makes a big difference…

“For the longest time, I thought Pilates was a Greek mathematician. I finally learned that it was something you did with your body to increase mobility and flexibility, preferably while wearing aqua-colored tights and listening to Enya. Therefore, as a man, I used to think of a few other “p-words” when I heard the word Pilates: pumpkin spice lattes, and pretentiousness.

Okay, so maybe that’s painting with a broad brush — but seriously, Pilates was never a form of exercise that I embraced, or even took seriously. I consider myself to be fairly health-conscious, but I’ve never been keen on the concept of group fitness classes, yoga, and other seemingly “graceful” methods of burning calories. I’ve spent the last ten years doing a mixture of weightlifting, mixed martial arts, and occasional bouts of rock climbing. Most of those involved blood, all involved pain, and pain was a right of passage.

Fast-forward a few years… pain had transitioned from a right of passage to a “way of life”. I had noticed friends of mine (mostly female) at my church mentioning this odd-looking bungee cord called “Tye4”. They wore it, did a bunch of Pilates-looking stuff, and usually followed it up with an Instagram post of a coffee, aimed to make Yuppies in the area salivate with envy. “I’ll pass” I thought. But I kept seeing it… kept hearing about the “burn” that it would give. I continued hearing about the flexibility, and the mobility, and the “strength” (yes, strength from a bungee cord). So, when I connected the dots that two of my favorite people from church — Ashley and Jeremy Benson — were distributing it, I let my curiosity get the better of me, and started asking them some questions. Those questions turned into “maybe it can help with MY pain, MY flexibility”.

Ashley and Jeremy were gracious enough to meet with me and my wife to show us some basic moves and stretches. Within minutes, I could tell that Tye4 was the real deal. Not only was I squaring-up my shoulders to wear it more comfortably, but I was pushing myself to stretch further to “feel” the Tye4’s resistance. It’s a psychological thing for me — the resistance sent a tactile cue to my brain to “push” into the stretch. This is good, because I have the flexibility of an anvil. The other thing that became immediately apparent after working with Jeremy was the symmetry it introduced to my body. Without the Tye4, it’s quite easy to stretch one arm a bit further, one leg a little less. But with the Tye4 forming a bridge across the axis of your body, if one side dominates, you feel the resistance respectively increase. Subconsciously, you make the adjustment. All muscles get worked evenly. It’s brilliant.

My wife also took notice of the effects… for at least a year, her shoulder was extremely sore during exercise, something akin to an impingement. After two days with the Tye4, the pain was negligible and she had full range of motion. A few days later, Ashley showed us some HIIT (high intensity interval training) techniques and put us through a quick ten-minute session… by the end of it, I was drenched. The resistance of each cable is very light… maybe between five and ten pounds, depending on the orientation of the cables. But what destroys you (in a good way) is that five/ten pounds being pushed in *every* direction. Coupled with HIIT, you will definitely exhaust the affected muscle groups.

We both loved it so much that we purchased one for each of us to use, and we have used it every day since. Most days, we use it as a warm-up routine to wake up our muscle groups and get the blood flowing. But a few days each week, we wear it throughout the workout. I especially love it on chest day — the Tye4 acts like an invisible spotter when you’re doing dumbbell chest press, the resistance keeping your form in check throughout the full range. Between sets, we do cardio-acceleration, miniature HIIT bursts for 60 seconds while the resistance taxes our muscle groups. You’ll be the wettest person in the gym, but that IS why you’re there, right?

Since we’ve been wearing the Tye4 in the gym for a few weeks, we have received a few stares. But just as I was skeptical at first, those stares have turned into “Hey bro, what is that?” and “What does it do?”, and that’s precisely when we share our Tye4 story with them. Special thanks to Ashley and Jeremy for the coaching, and helping us learn about Tye4. They truly have a passion for helping their clients become the very best version of themselves, and it’s exciting to help them spread the word about this unique device that is changing lives.
— John Moorehead

CHRISTMAS. FRANKINCENSE. TRADITIONS.

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On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11

As a kid I would hear the story of the wise men bringing the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to baby Jesus. Immediately following the unfamiliar word frankincense, I would become distracted and start thinking about FrankenSTEIN. Clearly there was a disconnect and no significant meaning to this biblical detail for me at the time.

Fast forward to adult Ashley… a few years ago. I started studying essential oils for homemade house cleansers and personal products like toothpaste and deodorant —» check it out in my STUFF WE MAKE post. I remember the moment I came across Frankincense oil.

WAIT, I KNOW THAT WORD!!!

So clearly I was going to buy that one just because baby Jesus had it.

THEN I noticed the price and thought Hmmmm, maybe next time :/

↓ HISTORY LESSON ↓

Gold, frankincense and myrrh were standard gifts to honor kings in the ancient world – gold as a precious metal, frankincense as perfume or incense, and myrrh as anointing oil. Read more… Biblical Archeology

Frankincense is a white resin from Boswellia trees that has long been used for incense or perfume. This resin has also been used as a traditional medicine in some cultures. It has a long history dating back thousands of years and has proven to have antiseptic and inflammatory properties. It was considered an effective remedy for toothaches to leprosy (history.com)

Frankincense was valued greater than gold (whaaaaa????) during ancient times and only those with great wealth and abundance possessed it. It is mentioned in one of the oldest known medical records, dating from the 16th century BC – an ancient Egyptian list of 877 prescriptions and recipes. Wow that’s a lot.

Frankincense was used to anoint new born sons OF KINGS and priests… AND it was brought as a gift to the new born baby Jesus Christ!

♥ THE BABY SHOWER ♥

I believe the special gift of Frankincense was given for a few reasons::

1. It represented honor and status for Jesus. Frankincense was an incense burned before the ark in the Holy of Holies.

2. It symbolized his priestly role and Christ’s willingness to become a sacrifice for us. The Hebrew word “frankincense” means “pure or white,” because of the snowcapped mountains of Lebanon where frankincense is grown.

3. It was a WONDERFUL addition for Mary’s DIAPER BAG!

After discovering some of the health benefits… and enduring 2 natural child births of my own… I understand how much this gift rocks! The Frankincense could have replaced the need for diaper rash cream, hand sanitizer, ibuprofen, antibiotic ointment and a few bonus benefits for Mary!

KNOWN BENEFITS OF FRANKINCENSE

• Relief for inflammation and pain … after having a baby… YES

• It’s an antiseptic, meaning it will help eliminate bacteria and viruses… you know Mary loved this part… I mean, she gave birth in a barn… around animals… and a lot of poop.

• Can help with scar, wound, stretch mark healing… great for mama and awesome for active baby boy (my boy has taught me that boys of all ages need wound treatment!)

• Can relieve symptoms of indigestion … gas, constipation, bowel issues, PMS, cramps… ya know, some of those postpartum things they don’t warn you about before childbirth (TMI I’m sure for some of you #sorrynotsorry) and also great for when baby doesn’t kick out a good burp.

• Can help balance hormone levels, relieve pain, cramps, headaches, anxiety, nausea, fatigue, and mood swings. Frankincense oil also helps with regulating estrogen production and reduces the risk of tumor or cyst development in pre-menopausal women.

Joseph was like #winning

Every modern man is like ‘Where can I get this stuff?’

• Natural Cold or Flu Medicine… Isn’t it scary to think of your new baby getting sick? I had my son going into cold and flu season and I was totally freaked out. As a mom, I absolutely see how this was such a valuable gift back then – knowing that Joseph couldn’t just run to Walgreens to pick up some medicine if Jesus got sick. In oil form, they could add a few drops to a cloth to help fight sickness that their baby may have encountered.

• Frankincense is known to help with a respiratory infection, provide relief from coughing and helps eliminate phlegm in the lungs. It also acts as an anti-inflammatory in the nasal passages, making breathing easier, even for those with allergies or asthma.

• Helps reduce stress reactions & negative emotions… I wonder if Mary struggled with postpartum depression?

Benefits of Frankincense SOURSE:: Dr. Axe

These are just a few of the benefits that made me realize how valuable this gift from the wise men truly was. We do not know exactly how old Jesus was when the Magi found him and presented these gifts. Some believe as old as 2 years. So I don’t know exactly how Mary and Joseph used the gifts, but I imagine it was a humbling experience and they were a cherished and valuable resource for this small family.

CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS TODAY

We’ve started a new tradition of diffusing Frankincense on Christmas day. These kind of traditions help us reflect on the reason we celebrate Christmas.

Thanks for reading and I hope YOU have a very Merry Christmas!

ONLINE COACHING GROUP

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Online TYE4® Coaching Group starting up next week! This will be the ONLY place to get our full length TYE4 workouts, and new ones will be added regularly! Plus, members get access to our coaches, accountability, general fitness tutorials and a fun social group to be a part of!!

⇢ Membership starting at $4.99 ⇠

*** TYE4 must be purchased before joining the group BUY NOW

⇣ Become a MEMBER Today ⇣

★★★ Click HERE ★★★

“I’ve been using the Tye4 on and off since December to help lose baby weight, get in shape, and increase flexibility. During the last online coaching group I dove in head-first thanks to the competition aspect. My favorite way to workout is running and I quickly realized that the Tye4 is a great compliment to my running routine. Using the Tye4 to warm up before my run made a noticeable difference in my performance, including the addition of an extra mile and a better pace. It also gives me a great “rest day” alternative!” … Rochelle Kennedy

The ABS BLASTER WORKOUT USING TYE4

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IF YOU DON’T HAVE A TYE4 OF YOUR OWN, DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND CLICK NOW TO PURCHASE – GET MORE OUT OF YOUR WORKOUT!

FULL VIDEO WORKOUT ARE AVALIBLE IN THE 840WEST ONLINE COACHING GROUP!

Join our Online Coaching Group ($10/month) and get more full workout videos, coaching, encouragement and a fun social online space to connect with others in this game to be more healthy and fit! Click HERE for more info!!

SUMMER 2015 – GoPro

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We’ve had a great summer. It’s been H.O.T. so most of the time there was some kind of water involved to keep us cool. And when there’s water, it’s a great idea to keep a GoPro camera close. Even better, let your kids be in control of the camera and enjoy some fun shots! Take a look at a few of our summer highlights…

doTERRA OILS IN MY GYM BAG!!!

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A few week ago I published the GYM BAG ESSENTIALS video on Youtube → see it here! showing some staple items I love having with me to enhance my workouts. Now I’ll be going into more detail about some of my favorites!

LET’S SEE HOW ESSENTIAL OILS CAN ADD VALUE TO OUR GYM LIFE…

First favorite gym bag essential: DEODORANT!!! We should ALWAYS have it in our bag 🙂 hehe. I use to buy a travel size store brand to keep in my bag ‘just in case’, but why ever settle for that? Our DIY deodorant has coconut oil, and that can be scary to travel with so we just add more cocoa butter to thicken it up!! I really love this product. The ingredients we used were aluminum-free baking soda, arrowroot (or cornstarch), coconut oil, cocoa butter and desired essential oils. We used Lavender. For suggestions on other oils you can use, full recipe and video tutorial —» check this out! »»BUY NOW««

I’m also never far from my LIP BALM. I like to have this with me all the time and you absolutely will find it in my GYM BAG! Ingredients: beeswax, cocoa butter, coconut oil, peppermint and lavender essential oils. See full recipe and video tutorial here. »»BUY NOW««

Next, you will find me with doTERRA DEEP BLUE RUB to sooth those achey and tired joints and muscles. This topical cream is formulated with a proprietary blend of natural plant extracts and other powerful ingredients, including Deep Blue essential oil blend of wintergreen, camphor, peppermint, blue tansy, German chamomile, helichrysum, and osmanthus. For more information, click here.

Anyone who knows me knows I would have a good HAND SANITIZER close! We all know how dirty gyms can be. Even in a well maintained facility, blood, sweat and tears happen!!! In most gyms, hand sanitizer is readily available, but we know that these options are not always the best idea – read 5 Hidden Dangers of Hand Sanitizer here. By removing the ethyl alcohol (active ingredient in most brands) and the triclosan and replacing them with powerful antibacterial essential oils, we are able to destroy the yucky germs and protect the important good bacteria that helps build our immune system! So I love having my DIY Hand Sanitizer close! A simple mixture of Aloe Vera Juice, Witch Hazel, Vitamin E Oil and doTERRA’s On Guard essential oil blend makes for a safe, powerful and effective germ-killer! Check out the full recipe and video tutorial here! »»BUY NOW««

Ladies, how about a nice BODY SPRAY to use after the workout!! Simply add Distilled Water, Witch Hazel and Oil of choice (my favorite —» Lavender) to a small spray bottle and you’ve got yourself a long-lasting, chemical-free fragrance!

When we need to grab a quick shower in the locker room after the workout, have these shower essentials packed up and ready to use ↓ ↓ ↓

doTERRA PROTECTING SHAMPOO —» It smells amazing and is GOOD for colored hair (there is no ingredient that strips the color! Yay!!!)
doTERRA SMOOTHING CONDITIONER —» Truly leaves the hair feeling soft and thick
DIY BODY WASH —» Castille Soap, Vitamin E Oil, Jojoba Oil, Essential Oil of choice – Citrus Bliss is amazing and Vegetable Glycerin. We add all of this to a container with a foam pump. »»BUY NOW««
doTERRA HAND AND BODY LOTION —» This is a fragrance-free lotion that you can add in your own favorite essential oils. Our top pick at the moment is Lavender for healing the skin in the sunny summer months.

The point of the “gym life” is to make it a lifestyle, right?

Well, what is the lifestyle we are creating?? For us, a cleaner, healthier life ♥

I partnered with Suzanna Underwood and my daughter’s online boutique ♥Of Eden♥ to create the Youtube video tutorials to share the method in which we create our products. Click the links below, check out our videos and share with your friends ♥

HAND SANITIZER

DEODERANT

LIP BALM

STAY HEALTHY AND FIT MY FRIENDS!

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL FITNESS RETREAT 2015

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I’M GETTING EMAILS ALMOST WEEKLY NOW ASKING IF I’M DOING A FITNESS RETREAT THIS YEAR… AND I THINK THE ANSWER IS YES!!!! SO I DO HAVE PEOPLE WANTING TO GET A TRIP TOGETHER. I NEED A FULL GROUP 8-10 TO BOOK THE TRIP. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED… READ ON ↓ ↓ ↓ AND PLEASE SHARE WITH ANYONE YOU KNOW WHO COULD USE A REFRESHING GETAWAY THAT JUMPSTARTS THEIR HEALTH AND FITNESS GOALS!

♥ THIS IS TRULY A LIFE CHANGING WEEK ♥

Jumpstart metabolism, cardiovascular fitness and muscle sculpting program with an intensive week spent at a beautiful, spacious beach house focusing on workouts, nutrition, relationships and team building.

My passion is walking with others, coaching and cheering them on as they find freedom so they are empowered to take every opportunity and live an extraordinary life.

Below is a general description of this 15 day plan.

After I have the group together, I personalize the fitness, food, and supplements for that specific group.

PHASE 1

10 DAYS LEADING UP TO THE RETREAT

Nutrition: 10 Day Cleanse. A gentle cleanse that allows you to keep your calendar!

Rids body of toxins
Removes impurities
Improves digestion and absorption
Coaching on what you should eat
Prepares body for the Retreat

PHASE 2

We will do a variety of different workouts and will use innovative equipment like Tye4® wearable resistance/assistance and HeadFloater™ to stretch, strengthen and improve postural muscles- both you will use on the trip and take home to continue using! The workouts will be created after I evaluate the group. I will write a personalized program to meet your needs and reach your goals!

A few of the classes that will be offered…

* Tye4 (Reformer) Pilates—» Pilates will sculpt the body by developing long, lean, balanced muscle. We will use Tye4 to provide much needed support for certain areas (like the neck and hip flexors) which, in turn, causes the proper muscles to work harder. It will also allow you to add resistance when necessary.

* Tye4 HIIT—» This is a Tabata style HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout that incorporates familiar exercises, but the Tye4 makes this much more effective: 1. Tye4 eliminates pounding and stress on the joints. Instead of creating wear and tear on the joints, you will actually build them stronger. 2. Your heart rate will be higher while using Tye4, therefore burning more calories.

We will be creative with our workouts and enjoy SUNRISE SESSIONS in the morning on the beach and SUNSET SESSIONS on this beautiful rooftop gym. People with specific needs will have separate workout sessions if necessary. This is PERSONAL TRAINING at it’s finest.

After our workouts, we will be sitting on the beach or around the pool taking in proper nutrition so our body can recover properly. Does it get any better than that? I’m thinking NO!

Supplements and Nutrition We will use the AdvoCare brand for our supplementation. AdvoCare has over 20 years of research and testimonies behind the products, has an alliance with Informed-Choice (3rd party company) to certify the products are banned-substance free, and has over 72 products so a personalized plan can be put in to place for each unique individual depending on their goals, needs, life-style and preference.

All included in the cost.

INCLUDED

All-Inclusive Cost: $1,500
8 people minimum // Deposit: $6,000 to reserve house ($750 per person)

6 nights
All meals, snacks, drinks
All supplements (10 Day Cleanse -prior to retreat- vitamins, protein shakes, etc…)
Kitchen coaching – clean, ‘real food’ meals and snacks
Coaching on how to fuel and repair body
9 workouts
Personal Coaching
Tye4® you will use and take home
HeadFloater™ you will use and take home
AshleyBensonFitness Swag!!!
Beach access
Heated pool/hot tub at the house
Game room (Shuffleboard, Pool, Poker Table, Ping Pong Table, X-Box 360)
HD flat screen TV in every room
WiFi

NOT INCLUDED

Travel to the house
Optional Friday evening meal at local restaurant
Leisure Activities:

boating. fishing. miniature golf. jet skiing. kayaking. parasailing.

sailing. snorkeling/diving. wind-surfing

FOR MORE INFO AND TO BOOK A TRIP, EMAIL ME!!!!

ashley@ashleybensonfitness.com

FUTURE NINJA WARRIOR IN TRAINING WITH TRAVIS ROSEN

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Here is my little Ninja Warrior…

And here is his coach, Travis Rosen, at the 2014 National Finals/American Ninja Warrior

MOM & DAUGHTER GYM TIME

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It’s hard for me to believe I have a 13 years old!!!! EEEK! Really, she is the best and I’m so happy with who she’s growing up to be. Taylor is smart [er than me], funny, fun, witty, respectful, honest, beautiful, generous, talented and displays self-controll beautifully.

She is at the perfect age for me to introduce her to the fitness world… And that’s SO EXCiTING to me! When I was about her age, my dad started taking me to the gym and taught me how to squat with proper form with a poll on my back, and now I get to pass this along to Taylor. At this age, girls are so impressionable and are forming an opinion about their body that will stick with them for the rest of their life. I am responsible, honored and excited to speak truth into the lives of young girls.

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made” Psalm 139:13

I love the way this scripture is worded in the The Message translation of the Bible:

“…body and soul, I am marvelously made!”

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Ashley Benson Fitness

fitness for the modern body

Category Archives: Family

in LOVE with FALL

GYM GUY + PILATES + TYE4® TESTIMONY

CHRISTMAS. FRANKINCENSE. TRADITIONS.

ONLINE COACHING GROUP

The ABS BLASTER WORKOUT USING TYE4

SUMMER 2015 – GoPro

doTERRA OILS IN MY GYM BAG!!!

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL FITNESS RETREAT 2015

FUTURE NINJA WARRIOR IN TRAINING WITH TRAVIS ROSEN

MOM & DAUGHTER GYM TIME

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