Head of the class

ASHLEY'S CHALLENGE

In high school, Ashley Adams weighed about 110 pounds, a healthy weight for her 5-foot-3-inch frame. "I was on my school's soccer team and loved skiing, hiking and running," she says. When Ashley went away to college, however, her sports activities fell by the wayside. "I was so busy enjoying my life away from home and studying that I didn't make time for exercise," Ashley remembers. "The dorm cafeteria offered all-you-can-eat selections of fried chicken, burgers, pizza and fries, and I often indulged." By the middle of her sophomore year of college, Ashley had gained 30 pounds.

HER TURNING POINT

When Ashley returned home for Christmas during her junior year, she felt inspired to take a jog around her neighborhood. "I hadn't exercised in years and for some reason, I thought that I would be able to just pick up where I left off before I started school," she recalls. Instead, she became winded right away and couldn't run for more than five minutes. "That was when I knew enough was enough and I had to get back to an exercise program."

HER WEIGHT-LOSS & EXERCISE PLAN

When Ashley returned to college, she joined a gym, and her first goal was to do three to five 30-minute cardio workouts (usually just walking or on the elliptical trainer) each week. Ashley knew changing her eating habits was going to be key if she wanted to be successful, so she stopped drinking soda and consuming high-fat junk food and started eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

MAKING SUCCESS HAPPEN

At first it was a struggle for Ashley to get to the gym in the morning before heading to class, so she figured out ways to streamline her schedule. "I got my workout gear ready to go the night before and kept it near my bed so I could get up and go," she says. At the gym, Ashley took it slow and built her stamina. A few weeks later, when she had become accustomed to being active again, Ashley added weight training two to three times a week to her cardio regimen, and as a result, she lost 2-3 pounds a month.

When it came to social activities, Ashley organized hikes or walking trips with friends instead of eating out. "We were all stressed out with the demands of our studies, so exercising together was a great way to relieve the tension," she says. Soon, Ashley's walking routine turned to running. By the time she graduated from college a year and a half later, she had dropped to 110 pounds.

After reaching her weight-loss goals, Ashley went on to complete six half-marathons and recently completed a full marathon in an impressive three hours and 34 minutes. "Doing the marathon was an awesome experience. My fitness journey has brought me to a great place in my life," she says. "I'm confident and proud of myself."

* WORKOUT SCHEDULE

Running: 45-60 minutes/4-5 times a week

Weight training: 30 minutes/3 times a week

Yoga: 60 minutes/2 times a week

To submit your own Success Story, go to Shape.com/model.

RELATED ARTICLE

ASHLEY ADAMS, 24, OREGON

** Height: 5'3"

** Pounds lost: 30

ASHLEY ON ...

** BEING A ROLE MODEL "I'm a second-grade teacher, and I show my students my race medals to encourage them to be active."

** HEALTHY SNACKS "I love potato chips, and I've found a healthier substitution for them in soy crisps. They come in a variety of flavors and have the same crunch as potato chips."

** MORNING MOTIVATION "I love working out first thing in the morning, right when the sun is coming up. It's always a beautiful sight and an instant motivator."

COPYRIGHT 2005 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group