Go-Getter: Ashley Pope, Personal Trainer & Wellness Coach admin Monday, October 21, 2013 Game Xclusive, The Game Ashley Pope is a performance enhancement specialist, personal trainer, life and wellness coach and she also plays in the Models Basketball League and Legends Football League. Ashley is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and she has a degree in Engineering Science. How long have you been a performance enhancement specialist, personal trainer and life and wellness coach and did you take any specific training to become one? I started the fitness industry in 2001 and got certified first through AAAI, then shortly after through NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) to be a personal trainer with the Rush Fitness Complex in Knoxville, TN. I trained four 4 years before becoming a Fitness Manager with them in Chattanooga, then a Regional Fitness Manager in Greensboro, NC. I decided in the fall of 2011 to become a certified in Performance Enhancement Training through NASM and leave my position at the Rush on good graces to pursue bigger sports and training opportunities in a bigger city and build an empire, so to speak. I have big dreams! Life coaching comes with training and over 13 years of working with people on developing their mental and physical approach to achieving results and sticking with them. The world of health and wellness is a roller coaster for most people, and a lot of times individuals need a guide to help them through! How can people fight obesity and what healthy foods do you recommend to eat? Being overweight, obese, or unhealthy is truly the result of consuming too many calories and not moving enough. That’s it. Yes, you can get really technical about making healthy food choices, etc. but first you need to focus on burning more calories or energy in a day than you consume. So I would first recommend trying to be more active and get at least 30 min of exercise a day, in some form or fashion. As far as food choices go, I would stick to lean proteins such as chicken, light fish, turkey, eggs, and yogurt, whole grain carbohydrates and non starchy options such as oats, whole grain products, quinoa, beans, tons of fresh vegetables, citrus fruits and berries, and healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, avocado, and olive oil in moderation. What are the pros and cons of being a personal trainer and performance enhancement specialist? Some of the pros of being a life coach are that it is very rewarding being a part of someone’s transformation. The look on their face when they hit a goal, or accomplish something amazing they never thought they could do is priceless. It is fun, challenging, uplifting, and always changing. I never was a 9-5 stuck in a cubicle kind of woman! I suppose the cons would be that it can be frustrating when people don’t make the commitment to themselves to change and don’t work to their full potential. It can also be inconsistent, which is hard to plan and deal with financially sometimes. What interested you about joining the Models Basketball League and Legends Football League? I pursued playing football and basketball for the LFL and MBL respectively because I grew up playing sports, mainly basketball softball and volleyball and absolutely love being part of a sports team and enjoy being pushed to my limits physically and mentally in athletics. I have watched LFL for a few years and always knew if I had the opportunity to be in a city with a team I would find a way to make the team. The MBL is exciting to me because it allows us opportunities to play in exciting situations and meet great people, and Justina is an awesome CEO and sets up many events, fundraisers, photoshoots, etc. for us to participate in. Plus I have met some really incredible girls in both leagues that I am so happy to call my great friends! If you weren’t in the fitness industry, what would you be doing? Hmmm…great question. I would say I would definitely be dealing with the body and wellness in some form or fashion. My degree is actually in Engineering Science/Biomedical Engineering, and at one point I wanted to design prosthesis and orthotics for patients. I would actually love to work more with challenged athletes. I have recently acquired a client who is a sponsored athlete and double amputee of the legs, and he is awesome! He has performed and placed in the Paralympics, and he is a total beast! Great inspiration! Is there anything you would like people to know about you? I am a down to earth yet outgoing girl who loves football (watching and playing), basketball, and working out with people so they can achieve amazing mental and physical results! I enjoy spending times with my friends and my dog Camo, and I am so in love with the city of Atlanta and all it has to offer! How can fans keep in contact with you through social networks? If you are interested in coaching of any level (I also do motivational speaking and Skype coaching), feel free to email me at queencoachp@gmail.com. You can also check out my blog at 3bqueen.wordpress.com to see some insight into my philosophies…very much into mind, body, and soul development. Also, follow me on IG at ballerchic99, Twitter at queenP51, or Facebook at Ashley LFL Pope. Interview submitted by Abner Jackson III, Content Writer for STACKS Magazine.
