Ashley achieved her transformation by eating 6-to-7 meals every day, which means every 2-to-3 hours. It helped her lose weight, but the diet changed her biochemistry, so she had to adjust. Now she eats 3-to-5 meals per day.
She ate carbs early in the morning, but limited them later in the day. She did her morning cardio before breakfast. She eats fruits and vegetables, and basically eats healthy meals. Imagine that! Healthy eating leads to good health! Follow her plan to see how she lost the weight.
Ashley Johns's Fitness Program
Watch The Video - 9:57
Ashley's Nutrition Philosophy
Says Ashley: "The year after I dropped 40 pounds through my transformation, I began to diet for my first Figure Competition. Afterward I still had to continue dieting to maintain my figure.
"I spent two years yo-yo dieting and was unable to figure out why I kept gaining weight. My thyroid levels fell extremely low due to the diet, and I became allergic to many foods I was eating. I recommend dieting to no one. Dieting negatively changed my biochemistry. It has taken me a long while to rebound from it. Working hard most of the time and finding balance is the key to a healthy lifestyle and to a healthy mindset.
"On weekends, I can be a little more lenient. I usually pick Saturday night and Sunday morning: I enjoy time with my friends on Saturday night and then Sunday I go out to breakfast for my favorite: a goat cheese omelet with a side of pancakes, hold nothing!
"I tried eating 5 meals per day and 7 meals per day for my transformation. I listen when my body is hungry, so now I eat three times per day. I limit fruit to one piece per day and eat my carbohydrates upon rising and around my workouts.
"Eat breakfast like a queen, lunch like a princess and dinner like a pauper.
"I'm never going to deprive myself of carbohydrates. They are important for everyone's body energy. I constantly try new approaches until I find what works for me. When I see a piece of cheesecake at the table, I'd love to indulge, but I say no.
"As far as cheat meals go, it depends on what your goals are. If you're really trying to lean down, I think you gotta really get serious and eliminate them.
"That's the thing about this industry: everything works differently for every different person. I found that if I indulge, then I can tell the next day, and I feel like I am hindering my progress … I realized that what I wanted outweighed that temporary fixation."
Ashley's Daily Meal Plan
Meal 1:
An hour or so after waking. I wait until my body tells me it wants food.
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Gluten Free Oatmeal
1/2 cup Calories: 94
Fats: 1.5 g| Protein 2 g| Carbs 16 g -
Blueberries
1/4 cup Calories: 21
Fats: 122 mg| Protein 274 mg| Carbs 5 g -
Walnuts
1oz Calories: 185
Fats: 18 g| Protein 4 g| Carbs 4 g -
Whole Egg, Egg Whites
1 / 3 Calories: 134
Fats: 8.11 g| Protein 14 g| Carbs 1.48 g -
Spinach
1/2 cup Calories: 3
Fats: 59 mg| Protein 429 mg| Carbs 545 mg -
Peppers (Red, Orange, Green)
1/2 cup w/ Salsa on side Calories: 23
Fats: 223 mg| Protein 737 mg| Carbs 4 g
Meal 2:
If I feel really hungry, I'll have a small piece of my baked oatmeal. Recipe, picture and nutritional breakdown here.
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Homemade Baked Oatmeal
1 square Calories: 192
Fats: 12 g| Protein 10 g| Carbs 25 g
Meal 3:
Usually 4-5 hours later I feel hungry again.
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Sautéed (Brussels sprouts, Green beans, Spinach, etc.)
1 cup Calories: 38
Fats: 264 mg| Protein 3 g| Carbs 8 g -
Chicken
5oz Calories: 316
Fats: 16 g| Protein 37 g| Carbs 3 g
Meal 4: Pre Workout
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Brown Rice
1/2 cup Calories: 109
Fats: 843 mg| Protein 2 g| Carbs 23 g -
Lean Protein
4oz Calories: 237
Fats: 13 g| Protein 29 g| Carbs 0 g
Meal 5:
Dinner, 2-3 hours minimum before bed. I don't include fat post workout.
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Lean Protein
6oz Calories: 355
Fats: 19 g| Protein 43 g| Carbs 0 g -
Brown Rice
1 cup Calories: 247
Fats: 1 g| Protein 4 g| Carbs 56 g -
Veggies
2 cups or more Calories: 61
Fats: 610 mg| Protein 3 g| Carbs 12 g
*Through entire day, I drink 2 gallons of Water; this is always my go-to water goal for the day.