It's a privilege to interview the Co-owner and Lead Trainer of Boulay Fit, Ashley Boulay Christ.
Ashley and her husband Austin have a strong passion for fitness and helping others. Founded in 2018, BoulayFit became a place where individuals seeking specialized training could seek guidance. With Ashley's background in hypertrophy training and Austin's background in functional training; the two became a dynamic duo. BoulayFit specializes in muscle building, strength conditioning and contest prep. We offer a wide variety of training to fit each clients needs.
Are you able to keep up a workout routine while pregnant? What does your workout schedule look like?
Yes thankfully! My first trimester was a bit rough so I only weight trained a handful of times. My 2nd trimester was mostly weight training 4x a week with light cardio. Now that I am in my third trimester I weight train 3x a week and do prenatal yoga 4x a week. Yoga has been helping me tremendously with flexibility and preparation for labor.
What’s your favourite workout and did you have to adjust it for pregnancy?
I love deadlifts and lunges. Unfortunately I am not able to perform a variety of deadlifts due to less room for baby. I have switched to kettlebell sumo deadlifts as I am able to open my hips more. For my lunges, I do mostly body weight or band work vs weights.
What 2 (or more) workouts should you avoid when pregnant? And Why?
Definitely any sort of crunches or Hyperextensions of the lower back. Crunches (sit-ups) put a lot of pressure on the abdomen that can result in muscle separation (diastasis recti) or even worse compress the vein that carries blood to your heart. Hyperextensions can cause dizziness and decrease blood pressure and oxygen flow. It’s best to avoid these exercises until after birth.
What are your top 3 workouts for pregnancy and what are their benefits?
Squats, Kick Backs and Abduction work such as walking lateral squats or the abductor machine. These exercises use the muscles you will need for labor. They strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, hips and glutes.
Do you have any nutrition/diet tips for pregnancy?
Eat a balanced diet and consume smaller meals throughout the day vs the standard 3 meal style. I recommend consuming at least 64 FL OZ of water or more daily. Stay away from raw foods such as sushi and undercooked steak or eggs. Cravings can hit some women hard so I always say taste what you are craving and move on from it. No sense in driving yourself crazy, pregnancy is not the time to diet and restrict yourself. It’s hard enough as it is! 80/20 works best for me. 80% of the time I eat appropriately and 20% of the time I eat what I’m craving.
Are you offering and courses or training programs that our readers can look into? Include contact/online details
Yes, I currently offer 1 on 1 private personal training in Orange Park FL, and Online Fitness Coaching. My online coaching includes workouts, nutritional guidance or both! I have also created my own fitness app that I use with all my clients. All of my programs can be accessed through my website www.boulayfit.com
To get more information about Ashley and what her training is like, follow her on her social media accounts:
Insta: _ashleychrist
Facebook: BoulayFit
