How Food, Fitness & Faith help RA Warrior Ashley Nicole

<h2>Episode at a glance:</h2><ul><li>Ashley’s rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis story: getting the diagnosis at age twenty-seven after being told she was “too young” when she first presented with symptoms</li><li><strong>Faith: </strong>How Ashley’s different kinds of faith help her: faith in God, and faith in herself that she can persevere and achieve her goals, and faith that she can change her mindset.</li><li><strong>Fitness:</strong> Ashley’s journey becoming a personal trainer in 2018, even when those close to her questioned whether she could succeed in that field while having RA</li><li><strong>Food:</strong> How Ashley found a food plan that worked for her to help manage her weight and overall healthy lifestyle</li><li>Cheryl & Ashley discuss different ways to approach a healthy diet in a balanced way that supports quality of life rather than a restriction mindset</li><li><strong>From sedentary to activ</strong>e: Ashley’s fitness journey was kickstarted with Jazzercise, then a gym membership and then personal training. How fitness helped decrease her pain.</li><li><strong>Tips for exercising</strong> and improving fitness with rheumatoid arthritis: think movement if exercise is intimidating; celebrate what you *can* do and do more of that; make it convenient for you;</li><li>What is it like to work with a personal trainer?</li><li>What are some adaptations or modifications for strength training with rheumatoid arthritis when your fingers or wrists hurt?</li><li><strong>Shame & Comparison:</strong> Cheryl & Ashley discuss how to avoid the “comparison trap” on social media, and Cheryl discusses the shame she feels at times due to being a former athlete who now is not in as good of shape as she used to be, and how her identity has shifted away from an identity as an athlete.</li><li><strong>Positive mindset without minimizing negative emotions</strong>: Cheryl & Ashley discuss ways to focus on the positive while not minimizing or delegitimizing the true negative feelings we have</li><li><strong>Ashley’s entrep