Local Bodybuilder Shares Balanced Approach to Fitness
Ashley Wilson helps women develop positive relationships with food, their bodies, and their fitness.
HIGHLAND - A local bodybuilder and personal trainer helps her clients find balance in their fitness journeys.
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Ashley Wilson loves the discipline behind bodybuilding, but her daily life focuses more on leveling healthy food and fitness with treats and rest. Workouts and meal plans are just one aspect of her coaching. She tries to help her clients — mostly women of all ages — develop positive relationships with food, their bodies, and their fitness.
“We can still be healthy and fit. It doesn't have to be extreme. It’s all about balance,” Wilson said. “I help women figure that out, so then they’re able to create a lifestyle and just feel good about themselves.”
Wilson started working out in 2016. She shared that she had a history of eating disorders and would previously find herself in a cycle of restricting and then falling off her workouts. It was important to her to find an equilibrium between healthy eating, fitness and mental health.
These days, this balance is exactly how she coaches her clients. She teaches them about how to prioritize protein and healthier carbs and fats, without giving up “sweet treats” or fun foods that they enjoy.
“I wanted to help other women know, hey, it’s not just a meal plan and a restrictive diet and then you fall off and then do the same thing over and over again, kind of like Weight Watchers or whatever,” she explained. “You don’t ever have to give up your chocolate, because there’s a way to make something that's healthy, that tastes good, that fits in your goals, without depriving yourself and feeling restricted.”
While balance is Wilson’s top focus in her coaching business, she recently pushed herself to do something a little different: bodybuilding. This sport requires immense discipline and training.
Wilson and one of her clients decided to embark on the six-month journey together. They trained five to six days every week and focused on “clean eating” — no junk food, no fried food, and no alcohol.
“You’re staying focused on this one goal, to be able to get up there and show off your hard work,” Wilson explained. “I think that’s where it became super challenging, was having your life kind of change for a little bit to be able to focus on your goal.”
But the hard work paid off, as Wilson took home first place in the Wellness category. With two shows under her belt — one in 2018 and the other in 2025 — Wilson is proud of the bodybuilding she has accomplished, though she emphasized that it’s less about the win and more about the personal growth she experienced.
“People see the glamorous pictures and see, like, this perfect vibe and this perfect look. Your makeup is all done and you get all ready for this day,” she said. “But behind the doors is where you grow to learn the discipline, the consistency, the patience, the respect.”
While bodybuilding was a fun passion for a while, Wilson is happy to get back to a more balanced lifestyle, complete with drinks with her girlfriends and sweet treats whenever she wants them. She tries to impart this wisdom on her clients and encourage them to find that happy medium. Meanwhile, Wilson is pleased to serve as “the ultimate hype girl,” encouraging her clients through every challenge and experience.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
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