Quick Stats

Name: Ashleigh Frost
Age: 25
Height: 1,63 m
Competition weight: 50 Kg
Current weight: 55 Kg
Current city: Pretoria, South Africa
Occupation: Personal trainer

How long have you been training consistently for and have you always lived a fit and healthy lifestyle?

I have been weight training for the last 7 years, only seriously for the competitions etc. for the last 3 years. When I was 14 I was quite ill and often had fainting spells and was always fatigued; after a few tests we discovered I was hypoglycaemic and had low blood pressure and as a result of that I have lived a healthy lifestyle in terms of diet and staying active since then.

What sparked your interest in competing?

When I joined a gym, I joined because I wanted an atmosphere and my aim was to do the classes. I was introduced to weight training and absolutely fell in love with it. After about 2 years I heard about the shows and decided to give it a go, being a dancer and all, I love to perform, so after my first show experience I just wanted to do more and more.

“Once the competing bug bites, you really can’t get enough.”

Motivation and consistency are the 2 things that people seem to struggle the most with. How do you stay motivated and consistent throughout everything you do?

I too sometimes struggle with these things. After all, we are only human and daily factors get in the way sometimes but I always take a moment for myself if I feel my motivation is down, and regroup.

“I visualize the reason I decided to start, the journey I have already travelled and how wonderful the end result will be, and then I am fired up again.”

I believe you can only really rely on yourself for that type of motivation, you are the one that has to do the work and at the end of the day you are only accountable to yourself, you just have to hold on to that burning desire deep inside.

What are your future plans?

This year I am aiming for a top 3 placing at the WBFF worlds in Las Vegas, with the World Champion title being the ultimate goal.

I have a few small projects in the pipeline that I am wanting to get started and running too. I also recently just got married so 2014 has been and is still going to be an incredibly exciting year, you’re all just going to have to watch this space and follow my social media profiles to see what’s cooking!

Take us through an average day of yours:

• Typically I wake up at 4am
• Train from 5am to 6:30/7am then go to my clients until about 12am.
• I then have some free time to do the things I need to for my other projects.
• Then I have clients again from 3pm-6pm, after that I usually go train again (depending on where I am in my prep).

Give us a brief description of your philosophy on your diet, pre contest and during the off season:

I firmly believe in ‘everything in moderation.’

Especially “off season”, I believe that you need to maintain a balance, although I never overdo it and never stray far from competition shape. Because I have been aware of correct nutrition from such a young age I know how vitally important it is for me to get the correct number of meals in merely just to get through my day without having a fainting spell or ending up with a severe migraine.

So food (diet), really is a way of life for me. Pre contest the diet is obviously a lot more tied down and strict, but it is always enough (although sometimes closer to competition day when the metabolism is at its peak I sometimes add 2 or 3 smaller protein meals in my day just because I get so hungry! Lol)

What are some of your top nutrition tips?

• Never ever ever skip breakfast!
• Always eat real food before you opt for the convenient route of a shake.
• Always make sure that you are eating ENOUGH, it doesn’t help if you’re eating clean if you aren’t eating enough.

Have you encountered any setbacks in your life and how did you manage to overcome them and stay focused?

As I mentioned earlier, from a young age I was diagnosed with hypoglycaemia and low blood pressure as well as low iron levels, all conditions that cause fatigue. It sometimes poses a big problem because it can cause me to be extremely tired and cause massive headaches when I am pushing myself so hard. I overcame them by deciding to not be a ‘victim’ of my own body.

“I took control of it by doing what I needed to do for optimum results and health without ever taking a pill or medication as I refused to be on tablets for the rest of my life.”

What do you think are some of the biggest mistakes or myths that many girls fall prey to when starting out in the gym?

“Its no secret that girls always think they will become bulky or masculine if they do weight training, and we all know this is a myth.”

I think the real problem though is that many beginners are either too shy or scared to walk into a weights section because they do not have the correct information or knowledge to take their training to a higher level, so they spend endless hours on the cardio machines.

Do you manage to stick to your training, and dieting all year round or do you believe in scheduling some time off during the year away from the gym?

In all honesty it is VERY difficult to stick to your prep diet all year round,its also not very practical either. But when we are not prepping for shows we do always make the effort to still do meal prep with enough protein and good complex carbs for the heavy off season training.

There are usually more protein shakes involved off season. I do believe in scheduling time off from diet as well as training, to give your body as well as sanity a break, but due to my low sugar levels I always try to stick to the basic guidelines to avoid any hospital emergency room visits. lol

You recently competed with the WBFF here in SA as well as in Las Vegas and you managed to secure your pro card. Tell us a bit about that whole experience and why you chose the WBFF over other federations.

WBFF is just an experience on its own. There are no words to describe how amazing Worlds in las Vegas was, the people, the atmosphere, the friendships that were created, everything made all the dieting and training so worth it.

I had competed in other federations before and because WBFF was new to SA I was definitely going to do it. My husband, who was my boyfriend at the time, was already a WBFF Pro and encouraged me to do it. He helped me with all the rules and guidelines as well as all the things I was to expect and what was expected of me. After receiving my Pro Status I was made aware of a whole new world of amazing. The Wbff organizers, the president, Paul Dillett and his wife, Allison, they speak to you by name and make you feel part of the family. Even your fellow athletes welcome you with open arms, the camaraderie and support in the WBFF is unmatched to anything I have ever experienced.

What does your supplement regiment look like?

I do believe and acknowledge that at our level of training you cannot go without the essentials.

And those are your:

• Glutamine
• BCAA’s
• CLA’s
• Omegas
• And a good Whey Isolate.
• I also only recently started training with a pre-workout, which helps me just to push through the end of the workout… especially on leg day.

Give us a brief description of your philosophy on your training and on average how long do you workout for?

“I believe that your training needs to be you-specific. No two people are the same so you need to find a program that works for you.”

I personally love to train with high reps and medium weights, volume training till failure etc. However I do mix it up and sometimes do high reps with heavy weights and then low reps with heavy weights. It also depends on whether certain muscle groups are progressing faster than others. This is why its so important to keep track of your progress and stay in tune with your body.

I don’t spend longer than 90 minutes on a workout, and if i have things I still need to do I split it up into 2 sessions.

How do you measure your progress? And how often?

I don’t often do body fat measurements and very rarely weigh myself. If I like what I see in the mirror and I feel its better than before then I am happy. However when it comes to being more serious with prep, we measure every 4 weeks and then adjust the training and diet accordingly.

What’s your take on cardio?

I believe cardio is important, but not in large amounts. You end up doing more damage than anything else. I enjoy plyometric based cardio, short bursts etc. I sometimes do a lot of supersets with my weight training so in the end it becomes like cardio, lol, but when it comes to show time we up the cardio to 45 mins a day.

What’s your secret to your shredded mid section and abs? What exercises would you recommend?

“You can do 1000 crunches every day but if your diet is bad then you will never have shredded abs. Abs really are made in the kitchen, what you put in (your mouth) is what you get out (abs), you can never out-train a bad diet.”

By simply cutting out simple carbs, refined sugars, alcohol and carbonated drinks I guarantee you will see a difference in just 3 weeks. I don’t do a lot of ab training, I do maybe 3 sessions a week that don’t last longer than 30-40 mins.

What are some of your strategies for the final week before a photoshoot or a competition? Do you believe in the hype of using sodium and water loading/de loading to look more shredded?

Unfortunately if all the players are playing the game that way then you have to consider it, yes. However, there are different, less harmful ways of doing these things. So you really need to have a good mentor/coach that has your health in their best interest because they will guide you in the right way of doing it.

Fitness models or bodybuilders?

Male fitness models

Favorite female fitness icon(s):

Jen Jewell, Jamie Eason, Jennifer Nicole, Michelle Preston.

Favorite Quote:

“Logic will get you from A- Z, but imagination will take you anywhere” – Albert Einstein

What competitions have you competed in and your placings?

2013

• NABBA Pretoria Classic | Miss Bikini
• WBFF SA | Miss Bikini Champion & Pro Status
• WBFF Worlds | 11th world ranking

2012

• Body beautiful | Miss Bikini Classic
• Fitness America | Miss Bikini | 2nd World ranking

Advice for someone wanting to change their lifestyle and achieve their ideal physique?

I would tell anyone looking to change their lifestyle to evaluate why they want to make the change and then to understand that they must do it for themselves and have a passion and a real desire to want it, and then to give it your all. Because, at the end of the day, you are the only one responsible for your results. I always tell my clients that.

“I have them for 1 hour out of 23, what you do in those other 23 hours when I am not there is your responsibility and if you cheat, you are only letting yourself down.”

Its not easy to be motivated and driven every single day, but the “yes” thats burning inside of you needs to resonate in everything you do. And when you have reached your goals, it was all you, no one can take the hard work that you put in away from you.

Where can people get hold of you?

• Facebook: Ashleighfrost
• Twitter: @Ash_Fitspo
• Instagram: @ashleighfrostwbffpro
• Email: info[at]fitspiration.co.za

Related Images:

The post One On One With WBFF Pro Ashleigh Frost appeared first on FitNish.com.

Quick Stats

Name:  Christy Griffiths
Age:  21
Height: 1.53 m
Competition weight:  43 Kg
Current weight:  46 Kg
Current city:  Johannesburg, South Africa
Occupation:  Student currently studying bcom marketing and have completed 2 years of my LLB law.

How did you get into this lifestyle and into competing at such a young age?

I have always loved my sports throughout school, and once leaving school it was difficult to continue, so I decided to start at the gym to carry on staying healthy. From there I knew gym was going to be one of my passions so I continued to pursue it and get into the industry and decided to step on stage for the first time in 2012 at Body Beautiful, with the help of Lauren Leigh Porter, founder of be fit 4 life.

What do you love about it?

EVERYTHING! From sweating and pushing through the hard work at gym and all the dedication of dieting too.

“The feeling you get when climbing onto a stage is indescribable, it doesn’t matter where you get placed, at least you know that you gave it your all, and you went as far as to stand on that stage and reach your goals.”

To see results of your body changing every day is such great motivation too.

Tell us a bit about your golfing achievements:

I started playing golf at the age of 12, and this was the sport I thought would be my career. I played for the Gauteng central golf foundation, was in a golf academy, and played league  for my home club Royal JHB Kensington. I got my handicap down to a 7 and was going to go overseas and play golf for UCLA.

What do you think are some of the biggest mistakes or myths  that many girls fall prey to when starting out in the gym?

I actually love this question, many girls think that the “weights section” is for the boys, and by lifting a weight you are going to look like a massive man! This is not true!!

“By lifting weights you are helping yourself to achieve a healthy toned body.”

Many girls only want to do cardio.. And more cardio.. And many young girls think that eating 1 salad a day, and doing cardio will make them skinny; yes it will, but not healthy skinny! You will only damage yourself in the long run.

What  competitions have you competed in and you’re placings?

2012

• Body Beautiful SA | Beach Bikini | 6th (out of +- 20 girls)

2013

• IFBB Millennium Gold Plate | Beach Bikini | 1^st
• Nabba SA | Beach Bikini | 3^rd
• Miss SA Xtreme | u21 Beach Bikini | 5th
• TTT classic |  Beach Bikini | 2^nd

As of next year I will be prepping to go to the fitness bikini division. New goals as of next year.

Have you encountered any setbacks in your life which forced you to change the way you did things and how did you overcome them?

This is one of the hardest questions that I could possibly answer, but yes I have had a major setback in my life. In March 2011 my boyfriend of 2 years passed away, which was one of the most painful experiences anyone could possibly encounter, losing a loved one is world shattering and no pain in my opinion is worse than that.

“I have walked a road that some wont in their entire life, full of heart ache and hurt. After this it took a lot of time to heal and recover, as many people are very nasty in this world and are quick to blame others. Yet I picked myself up. I chose to get back up and make it a life worth living and not to regret a single day that goes by.”

It was a lesson in life that I learnt, cherish everything in your life to the fullest because you never know when it’s your last to say goodbye. This has only made me a stronger person in everything that I do and I have grown to see many things in a different point of view.

What are your future plans?

My main goal for the next few years is to be on an international stage. This is my dream and I will reach it, even if it means that I must try over and over, I will push harder and harder to achieve it and to receive my pro card. Career wise, I would love to start my own business by helping girls reach their goals and dreams in the fitness industry.

“I love helping others where I can, to see a smile on others faces is the best gift you can receive.”

Take us through an average day of yours:

• As soon as I wake up, I take a shower and make some breakfast because without my oats and egg whites I would not be able to function.
• I then get ready for varsity, and attend my lectures and eat, and between lectures I will go do some abs and 5min cardio
• Then eat again, then return to lectures.
• At about 2pm every day I then go home, eat again and make my food for the following day, do assignments and study and eat some more.
• Then at about 6 pm I go to gym and do my weight training where I do 1 muscle group a day.
• After training I eat my supper and shower and get ready for the next day,  to repeat again.

Give us a brief description of your diet pre contest and off season:

My diet doesn’t really change when I’m prepping for a show and off season.

“With my off season I just eat a lot more carbs such as pasta and rye bread, and 1 week before a show I stop eating carbs at 12 pm and drink more water in that week.”

My diet looks something like this:

1. Breakfast:

•  4 scrambled egg whites, oats and a fruit

2. Snack:

• Half a hand of almonds and pineapple or half an avocado

3. Lunch:

• Chicken salad and rice cakes

4. Snack:

• Lean biltong or dry wors

5. Supper:

• Chicken schnitzel, broccoli and sweet potato

6. Snack:

• Fat free plain yoghurt or protein shake

On Saturdays is my ‘cheat meal day’ and every Wednesday is ‘wine gums Wednesday’ so I will eat 1 roll of wine gums throughout the day.

Whats you’re favourite cheat meal?

My healthy favourite cheat meal is definitely sushi, and my unhealthy favourite cheat meal is a chicken mayo pizza.

How do you manage to balance everything in your life?

Everything is well balanced when it comes to studying and training as I don’t work at the moment, so its easy to study and train whenever I like.

“But, with socializing its difficult, as most of my friends want to go out drinking and partying, and I don’t enjoy doing that anymore I would rather be in a gym.”

So through the last year I have lost a few friends but have also gained a lot more through the fitness industry.

Do you believe in using supplements? Which supplements are most crucial to you?

I do believe in using supplements, as most of them only help your body recover.

• I use my Nutritech Protein shake especially after my work out, with my glutamine
• I normally use a pre work out before I train to give me more focus and energy
• I take bcaas

Give us a brief description of your training and on average how long do you work out for?

I train 1 body part a day during the days of the week.

1. Monday

• Legs

2. Tuesday

• Chest and abs

3. Wednesday

• Arms and calves

4. Thursday

• Shoulders and abs

5. Friday

• Back and glutes

6. Saturday

• Circuit

Depending on what day of the week it is on a Monday to Wednesday training takes me about 1 and a half hours because the gym is SO BUSY! But from Thursday – Saturday it will take me about 1 hour.

How do you measure your progress? and how often?

I used to measure my progress weekly at the beginning of the year, but I don’t do it so often anymore. I do an assessment with Catabolic before competition day and I just look at pictures to see if I have improved, or where I need to improve.

Which cardio in your opinion is better for fat loss; HIIT or long slow steady cardio?

In my opinion HIIT is a lot better, because u keep your heart rate up. I don’t do any cardio really, only 5 minutes a day.

“I believe that doing weight training with super sets is just as good as cardio. I really do not like cardio at all, when I get told to do some cardio I want to cry! I would rather do abs while watching paint dry =) haha”

How do you stay motivated to keep on training and sticking to a clean diet?

I love what I do and love training, and I know I have goals to reach. This keeps me motivated and when I see results from my clean eating, it just motivates me even more to push harder. I have recently gotten 2 sponsors on board with me Vibram Five Fingers and Shred’d clothing!! THE BEST SPONSORS EVER! I have an awesome pair of pink Vibrams that I train in, which helps me a lot more with legs now as I am targeting new areas of muscle, and I train in my Shred’d clothing which is awesome for girls. It is so comfortable. Having these sponsors keeps me motivated as well, as I try to help them as much as I can as they are helping me. Check them out on Facebook or on Twitter:

• Facebook: Vibram fivefingers South Africa | Shred’d
• Twitter: @FiveFingersSA | @ShreddSA

I have recently been chosen to join ‘THE KING BODIES’ which is a competing team that in my opinion is going to change the way people look at South African Fitness. So I have a lot of things that keep me motivated =)

What are your three favourite exercises?

1. Hyper extensions (You feel the burn straight away)

2. Bicep curls

3. Squats

Fitness models or body builders?

I like the male fitness models more than the body builders, BUT don’t get me wrong I respect the body builders as they put in a lot of time and effort to get those bodies that they have worked for, the same for the fitness models.

Favourite female fitness icons?

Locally it would be Ashleigh Frost, Michelle Van Rooyen and Cat Rademeyer. Internationally would be Andreia Brazier.

Favourite quote?

“Don’t compare yourself to others, your best competition is the one in the mirror”

Advice for all the young girls wanting to enter the fitness industry and compete?

The biggest mistake a lot of people do when starting in this industry is that they listen to a whole bunch of people. What I have learnt is that you should only listen to one person and stick with that one person. If any girls want to start out I would highly recommend contacting Cat Rademeyer from Catabolic, she only designs healthy diets that don’t put her athletes at any risk.

• Email: cat[at]catabolic.co.za

For supplements I highly recommend going to Body King Nutrition in Centurion. They always have great specials and their pricing is great.

• Contact Marco Araujo | marcokiddo[at]hotmail.com

Where can people get hold of you?

• Facebook: Christy Philippou Griffiths
• Twitter: @christyg
• Email: Christyg.info[at]gmail.com

Photography Credits

• Roger Wells Photography| RWPhoto

Christy Griffiths Gallery

Related Images:

The post One on One With Marketing Student, Former Golfer And Beach Bikini Athlete Christy Griffiths appeared first on FitNish.com.