Ashley’s dream was to join the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps (QARANC).  This amazing nursing group have worked at the sharp end of military life throughout the last century.  

To achieve this dream, Ashley had to pass an academic test and a fitness assessment.  As Ashley was already a cardiac nurse, she felt confident about her intellectual abilities.  The physical test was a different proposition:  “Before Pure Performance, I had been going to exercise classes for a few months and hadn’t seen any changes in my performance.  In fact, I seemed to lose 2 or 3 pounds then it would go back on and it just fluctuated like that.“

The task for us was to get Ashley so fit and well that she would pass the physical test with flying colours.  

Getting Ashley ready

To pass the physical test for the Army Nursing Corps you must complete an obstacle course, a two mile run and a sit up and press up challenge.  Ashley’s training therefore had to be functional to her goal.  She had to build strength throughout her whole body and increase her endurance.  

Over a number of weeks, Ashley managed to improve her physical performance in a dramatic way.  We were absolutely delighted to find out that Ashley went on to complete her fitness test.  A HUGE congratulations!  Eventually though, Ashley decided to pursue a different route, now working as a nurse in a private hospital in London.  

An added bonus

At Pure Performance we take a holistic approach to health and by that we mean we look at all of the elements that matter – movement, nutrition, hydration, stress management, thinking, recovery and the other elements required to help you get into your best possible health and shape.  For Ashley, this helped her pass her fitness test but it had a wonderful little bonus: 

“When I started I was a size 12 and I’ve gone from a size 12 to a size 8. I never thought I’d EVER be a size 8, it’s a miracle!”

Nutrition played a key part in this transformation.  “As far as macros and ratios of food I just couldn’t get my head around it. I thought I needed to eat less; so I was eating small breakfasts, lots of salads and vegetables, lots of fruit, small lunches and less of everything but I made no progress. After 2 to 3 weeks of training and following the nutrition I dropped 8 pounds in weight. My strength was going up week on week it was amazing. It was so quick!  

The online nutrition was a real education. Because it was online it was so easy to make good choices, even out and about because I could access my plan. I was surprised how easy it was to make meals and the variety using the online choices, it is very very adaptable. I quite like it really!“

“I was never hungry from starting the online nutrition, I’m still surprised at the amount of food I’m eating, 5 to 6 meals in the day and even my mum commented on the fact that I’m always eating! It really is the opposite of what I believed about nutrition.”

Well done Ashley

We think Ashley is an inspiration to others in her focus and hard work with us. She has been so inspired herself that she has continued to train with us ongoing and she has set her sights on building a stunning physique in the coming months.