**The items in the green font are those goals that I have accomplished. :)
Beginning Goals
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So, a few days ago I wrote a rather entertaining post about my judo goals when I barely even knew what the sport of judo was. (Man, I had some lofty goals...). Anywhoo...I also mentioned how much fun it's been to start crossing off those goals as "accomplished". Here's the list of goals again, with comments, explanations, and letting you know whether I've accomplished them or not! **The items in the green font are those goals that I have accomplished. :)
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Here's another infographic that I made for my company, and thought you'd enjoy as well. Here's a list of healthy, clean foods to add to your grocery list the next time you go shopping.
It's always fun (funny) to go back and look at the very first goals you ever made, when you started out on a whirlwind journey. I found a list of judo goals I made, about 4.5 years ago, when I was still living in Kansas. It's pretty fun to go through the list and start crossing them off as "accomplished". Quite exciting! So, for your amusement, here's the list of judo goals I had when I first started the sport (in no particular order).
As an athlete, proper nutrition is a critical determinant of my athletic performance and my ability to compete both physically and mentally. Unfortunately, it's very difficult for me to get all of the nutrients I need to succeed with just the foods I eat, despite the fact that I do follow a healthy diet. That's why I'm super excited to work with my friend, Eric Martindale, and add USANA Health Sciences vitamins to my nutrition regimen! Not only have I heard amazing things about the products USANA offers, but what made this particular company stand out is that it offers an "Athlete Guarantee Program". It basically states that should the athlete test positive for a banned substance included in World Anti-Doping Agency regulations as a result of taking USANA nutritional products, USANA will compensate that athlete two times their current annual earnings up to $1 million. Now, don’t focus too much on the dollar amount; the important part is that they are so confident in the safety and purity of its products that they are willing to offer such a guarantee. You may be wondering, “what’s that matter to you, Ash?”…Good question! Since I am on the world ranking roster (for judo), earning and competing for points for the Olympics, I have been added to the World Anti-Doping Agency list of registered athletes. Basically, at any point in time, at any location, I could get randomly drug tested for banned substances. One issue for athletes taking vitamins & minerals is that the nutritional supplements on the market aren’t really being regulated. There have been numerous allegations of contaminants in supplements which could jeopardize our ability to qualify for competitions. In fact, national Olympic committees have warned athletes of the potential danger of contaminants, encouraging us not to consume any nutritional supplements. So to have the assurance that the supplements I’m taking (and NEED to take!) will not put me at risk for testing positive to a banned substance, leaves me with one less thing to worry about. If you or someone you know is interested in possibly trying these nutritional products, learn more about the products here or shoot me message! The start of the 2015 tournament season wasn't an ideal one, but one that was essential for me in this journey. I conquered my fear, didn't let my insecurities get in the way--I won, just by showing up. Now, you may be thinking, "that's not the mentality of an athlete or a champion". But, let me explain: On Wednesday, January 14th I headed off to Tunis, Tunisia for the 2015 African Open. Going on this trip was a last minute decision, mainly because of unseen circumstances that presented itself. If you've read my previous posts, you'll know that during Christmas I came down with a really bad flu bug. It ended up being an upper respiratory infection, along with bronchitis. After about a week and a half bout with that, I was essentially, a useless judoka. I indulged (gained weight) during Christmas, wasn't able to workout, and was bedridden for a week straight. I didn't get my first workout in until January 3rd, which was a test run at the gym to see if my lungs would hold up. If I were to go to this tournament, I would have 11 days to prepare myself as best as I could. It would be a long shot, a rough weight cut, and I wouldn't be 100% up to par on my judo abilities (after not having practiced in two weeks). Knowing all of this, and after a 45 minute talk with my coach, I decided that the regret I'd feel (if I chose not to go) would be more of a burden than if I went to the competition and lost. Here's my thought process: I'd rather take the risk, show up and give it my all, than slink away into my comfort zone and come up with excuses as to why I didn't compete. Quite often I have a barrier which holds me back...myself. Insecurities; fear; failure; doubt--they plague me; they plague us all. But, showing up is half the battle; pushing through when your mind is against you is the other half. Just by putting in the effort to get in the best shape possible, making weight (even when I thought it would be impossible), and stepping on that mat in Tunisia; I succeeded. So, hopefully my phrase above, "I won just by showing up" makes a bit more sense now. :) Anywhoo--about the tournament & Tunisia... Short story: Lots of time in planes. Crappy food. Decedent and delicious desserts. Very tough weight cut. Worst draw possible. Sub-par performance. Long story: The travel time totaled 46 hours. The actual time I had in Tunisia was 60 hours. I arrived at our hotel, The Carthage Thalosso Resort & Spa on Thursday afternoon, extremely jet-lagged. I got a quick 45 minuteworkout in then went to the spa for a quick relaxation session. (This normally doesn't happen, but we were at a resort a spa! Plus it was cheap.) Most of Friday afternoon was spent trying to cut weight. Running in plastics, biking, walking, and two sessions in the steam room with Hannah Martin. The last steam session we both had .01kg left to get off...enter: running laps, naked in the steam room. Yup, it happened. #Judo #DontCare #GottaMakeWeight The session was quick and we both easily lost the .01kg we had to get off. (Making memories with teammates at its finest...) We weighed in Friday night and drank and ate as much as possible...typical. Late Friday night, the draws for the competition came out. I needed two things to happen in order for the best shot at winning a medal:
To my UNPLEASANT surprise, both of those scenarios happened. I was seeded #7, which meant I was in the same pool as #2 (the French girl). If I won my first match, I'd have to face her to move onto the semifinals. And, lucky me...my first round was against a World Ranked Hungarian player who is very experienced and accomplished in both the 44kg and 48kg categories. She is a top 7 placing judoka at the 2014 Junior Worlds and a 2-time World Team member for seniors (2011 & 2013). WORST. DRAW. EVER. I ended the tournament going 0-1, losing my first round to the Hungarian. The match went the full 4 minutes and I had plenty of opportunities to capitalize on, but was unable to do so. When watching the video of my fight, I was able to see 2 huge errors which, most likely, cost me the match.
She had a nice attack early in the match (at 52 seconds). This move is called Kouchigari. She was able to score a 1/4 point with this throw. You'll see at 2:10, me gracefully throw myself. I impress myself sometimes... (sarcasm). She was able to get a 1/2 point, from my lack of grace and complete bonehead move. Overall, I'd have to say it was an "ok" experience. I'm mad at myself; the stupid mistakes I made and the opportunities that I didn't capitalize on, but I learned a lot and fought her hard. She ended up losing in the next round, to the French girl, in the last 30 seconds of the of the match. It was a good fight; both quality players. Had the Hungarian been on the other side of the bracket, I'm pretty sure she would have been in the finals. Instead, she fought up the losers bracket and took Bronze. The French player (as I expected) ended up killing everyone for Gold. So, like I said...tough draw for me. So, a few takeaways from the tournament:
It's important to have goals, but it's even more important to write them down and let people know what they are (so they hold you accountable)! So, here goes, guys...here are my goals for 2015. Help keep me motivated to pursue and achieve these goals. I'm counting on you! ;) 2015 Goals
Tournament Information 2015 African Open Tunis Competition Venue: Palais sportif el Menzah Tunisia Official Hotel: CARTHAGE THALASSO HOTEL Address: GAMMARTH TUNISIA The top eight (8) from the entered competitors in each weight category will be seeded according to the current IJF World Ranking List. **I should be seeded #6 Elimination system with the quarterfinal (last 8) repechage. Fight Length:
World Ranking Points Breakdown 1st: 100 2nd: 60 3rd: 40 5th: 20 7th: 16 1/16th: 12 1/32nd: 8 1st fight won: 4 Participation: 0 I need to place at least 3rd in order to earn the #1 spot in the USA. I currently have 76 World Ranking Points and the #1 girl from the USA has 100. Helpful links: Judobase.org: you can find the brackets, results, competitors, etc. here Ippon.org: you can find the brackets and the results here Ippon.tv: IF the tournament is being streamed live, you'll find it here USjudo.org: you can find information about USA judo, national rankings, athlete profiles, etc. List of current 48kg competitors: JURA Anne sophie (BEL) PAYET Laetitia (FRA) SAIDI Sabrina (ALG) PUPP Reka (HUN) AMRANE Sadjia (ALG) RAYNER Chloe (AUS) SAOUDI Olfa (TUN) MEYER Amy (AUS) BOUBAKER Islam (TUN) WHITE Ashlyn (USA) ARRILLAGA Aiora (ESP) HEJLIK Ashley (USA) MORAND Priscilla (MRI) GIAMATTEI Angela (ITA) SCHURR Jenna (USA) Schedule of Events Wednesday, January 14, 2015 Depart from Albany. Thursday, January 15, 2015 Arrive in Tunis, Tunisia! Friday, January 16, 2015
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Sunday, January 18, 2015 Depart from Tunisia. I periodically write for my company's blog about health, wellness, fitness, and motivation. Here's a little something I wrote for them, which I thought might be useful for you as well. It was helpful for me the last 3 weeks when I was battling the flu/cold/bug that has been running rampant this winter. Are there any natural remedies you swear by? Let me know...I'll try them out! Healthy Cold Remedies - Created with Haiku Deck, presentation software that inspires I have come up with a plan in which I used to lose the weight and maintain it. **Keep in mind, I made this for a female athlete who does moderate to intense physical activity at least 60 minutes every day.**The numbers may not match with your personal body type and fitness level, but it still has great, general information on healthy foods and nutrition. If nothing else, you get a sneak peek into the life of a weight-cutter and how I get ready for a tournament. Not a lot of people really understand what it takes to maintain weight, lose weight, or cut weight in a healthy manner. When I first started judo, I weighed about 130lbs (at my heaviest). I thought I was in shape, I thought I ate relatively healthy, I thought I knew how to lose weight properly, I thought I had a basic understanding of healthy versus unhealthy food…Boy, was I wrong. But, thanks to a friend (who happened to be a doctor and a health nut), many talks with my doctors & nutritionists, and many, many hours of research on my own, I’ve come to believe that I at least know a little bit about a healthy diet and properly losing or cutting weight. Case in point: I’m 5’2”…and now fight at 105lbs. I consistently maintain a weight between 107lbs and 111lbs—which makes for a very easy, quick cut to get down to my competition weight. As a relatively athletic, muscular female, I was able to lose and maintain a 20 pound weight loss. (Never thought I could do that). **Let me just put this out there…I’m a food LOVER. Sweets of any kind, beer, pizza, burgers, wine, etc…basically every food and drink imaginable…I love them. J That’s why I’ve found ways to eat healthy, yet yummy foods & recipes. Check out the “recipes” portion of my blog or head to my Pinterest page to see my collection of recipes!** So, without further ado…I present to you, the sacred plan to weight loss and healthy nutrition. (You’re welcome, all those athletes who have to cut but don’t know how to do it correctly…) The Plan...
Food Basics Breakdown Protein – stimulates metabolism, balances blood sugar, builds lean tissue, and supports immune function.
Sources of protein: Meat
Vegetarian
Sources of carbohydrates: Vegetables
Fats—Oh, no! Fats will make you fat! Yes…and no. The fats you eat give your body energy that it needs to work properly. During exercise, your body uses calories from carbohydrates you have eaten. But after about 20 minutes, exercise then depends on calories from fat to keep you going. The body needs fat for energy, to pad organs and to transport vitamins. Too much fat can fuel obesity, high cholesterol, and heart disease. But not all fats harm you if eaten in moderation. **source**
Sources of good fats: Oils
Hydration Your body is made up of 2/3 water…without adequate consumption, it can’t function. (Ha, I rhymed!) In all seriousness, water is necessary for your cells and organs to operate. If you’re interested in losing weight, bump up your water intake! Your body requires an adequate amount of water in order to burn calories. Plus the more calories you burn, the more toxins that are created—water helps get these toxins out of your body. Main takeaway: drink more water. I drink, on average, 60-80 ounces per day. This does not include the black coffee that’s attached to me via IV during the workday or the herbal hot tea I drink at night. There are a lot of theories out there about how much water you should consume on a daily basis. To make it simple, drink half of your body weight in ounces. (Example…If you weigh 150lbs, you should drink 75 ounces of water per day.) Specifically For Weight Cutters Week of the Tournament (for those who have trouble keeping a maintainable weight and have to cut a lot the week of the tournament) Diet
Water
Keep track of how much weight you float at night. Weigh yourself right before bed and right when you wake up in the morning. That way, you'll have a good idea what weight you need to be at the night before weigh-ins to make it. (I normally float a kilo or so) So, there you have it. Phew! That was a lot of information! If you have any comments, questions, or concerns, shoot me a message. I'd love to hear from you. Keep in mind guys, I'm not a doctor or a nutritionist, I'm just telling you what has worked for me and reporting to you what I've found based off of my research. Be smart...consult a doctor before making any huge changes to your diet and/or exercise routine. Film Annex sponsored the New York Open Judo Tournament that took place at the New York Athletic Club on March 2nd, 2014. For the first time, the event hosted a female competition between Team USA and Team Japan. In the last Olympics, the Female USA athletes got the first USA Gold medal in the history of US Judo with Kayla Harrison and a Bronze medal with Marty Malloy. They proved that Women's Judo is a very relevant sport for the US. It's Film Annex's intention through the support of the Women's Annex Foundation to expand the NYAC Judo championships to more female athletes. In this video, Fereshteh Forough interviews the female athletes of Team USA. Although Judo is considered a male dominated sport, there are many female athletes in this combat sport who want to prove that gender issue isn't a reason for keeping them away from what they want. To start 2015 off with a bang, I'm heading to Tunis, Tunisia in Africa next week for the African Open Championships. This starts my crazy winter/spring tournament & travel schedule as well as the hunt to win points to make the Pan Am Team and the World Team. As of right now I am ranked #2 in the country in my weight division, 48kg. By the end of March, in order to make the Pan Am Team, I need to be ranked #1 in the country. I can do this by fighting in and winning matches at World Cup events around the world. As long as I earn more World Points by the end of March (than everyone else in the country in 48kg), I'll solidify my spot on the 2015 Pan Am Team. **CRAZY!!** With that in mind, here's where I'll be heading after my trip to Africa: March 7-8, 2015: Pan Am Open, Chile March 14-15, 2015: Pan Am Open, Uruguay March 21-22, 2015: Pan Am Open, Argentina March 29, 2015: New York Open Team Tournament (tentative) Busy, busy, busy! Wish me luck! Click the image to see more information about the Africa Open Championships! “There are only two options regarding commitment. You’re either IN or you’re OUT. There is no such thing as life in-between.” – Pat Riley “Never give up! Failure and rejection are only the first step to succeeding.” – Jim Valvano “I’ve learned that something constructive comes from every defeat.” – Tom Landry “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” – Muhammad Ali “To uncover your true potential you must first find your own limits and then you have to have the courage to blow past them.” – Picabo Street “If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.” – Fred Devito It's been a rough start to 2015, but here's the good part...it just started! There's plenty of time for it to improve (hopefully!). So, to get me through those tough moments, I put together a list of some of my favorite motivational quotes. I thought you might enjoy; we all have rough days. If you're stuck in a rut--failure seems to be your only friend at the moment--take a few minutes and think about the quotes below. Keep your chin up!
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