We’re getting to know different Yorkshire Bloggers, in our ‘Blogger Focus’ series!

Meet Ashley from @exploremorefitness! Based in Harrogate, she uses her blog and Instagram to share her health and fitness tips alongside her personal training business!

What is your favourite thing about Yorkshire?
I absolutely love what the Yorkshire countryside has to offer. My family and I moved here two days before lockdown, so we haven’t had a chance to really experience all the events, food, bars, and so on. What we have experienced has been the amazing outdoor gems that are literally outside our front door. It’s been a real blessing!

When did you start your blog/instagram?
I began my business Instagram page in late 2018. I had been posting about my fitness journey since ’16. Given my circumstances at the time, people were so intrigued by how I was managing to get fitter and faster and keeping everything else together! Since my feed has organically grown and alongside it, my Media-Kit has grown too. Labor of love!

What’s been your favourite campaign you’ve worked on?
I really loved working with Trespass. I was on a different press tour in the Italian Alps and I was ice climbing in the Dolomites on another project. Leading up to that trip Trespass approached me to wear their new winter product range and so I took their products with me to Italy. Their re-post felt even more special as I dedicated it to my birthday and how you can be a strong female, mother and still be you. I’m glad they loved it and shared it.

What is your dream collaboration?
I would REALLY love to work with The North Face and Nike. Both companies embody who I am and what I hope to inspire others with. I love fitness and I love exploring the outdoors, put them together and this is truly Explore More Fitness.

Where are you based?
I’m based in the beautiful Harrogate. We are finding out new and wonderful independents and walking spots on a weekly basis!

What is your favourite cocktail order?
My cocktail order depends on what time of the night, who I’m with, and how long I plan to be out! I take keeping fit really seriously (for my own training). I tend to stick to G&Ts or a dirty martini.

What is your favourite coffee order?
Oat milk decaf flat white. My Italian partner used to get so embarrassed about this coffee order, now he just rolls with it! I’ve been caffeine-free for lost six years now after reading into the negative health effects coffee can have on the body.

What is your favourite emoji and why?
Yellow heart, my brand colours and the best way I can share my love, virtually.

What is your go to brunch order?
I am absolutely loving the Baltz bowl by Balterzens in Harrogate. So full of goodness. I hear Gron are opening up again this Saturday, so I’ll be heading there for their chickpea buddha bowl.

What is your favourite season?
Autumn is my go-to season! It gets me in such a creative mood to develop my new up and coming at home workout e-books. With the longer nights closing in, I sit by the fire and write up my plans for the new year. This is such an exciting time for Explore More Fitness.

What is your favourite brand?
There are sooooo many brands that make me feel motivated and inspired but there is one brand that sticks out the most. This brand I know has taken endless hours to develop. From top to toe, everything has been authentic, organic, and accomplished by one person. If you love to keep fit and love to move your body, then check out Explore More Fitness 😉

What is your day job?
I am a qualified personal trainer. When I began my own fitness journey, I was so unfit. I could barely attempt one push up and if I was lucky, run 2k without retching. But my weaknesses and continuous failures didn’t stop me. I actually began to enjoy feeling uncomfortable and challenged. I started to post about my very lengthy progress and some friends started to take notice. It then snowballed into a full-time, full-on passion. I entered my first race, a 10k, and ended up on the podium. I thought as I had a three-year-old at the time, that my own personal accomplishments were done. That my job was now to think about my son and only him. But to get up on the podium was exhilarating. I was more than ‘just a mum’. So from that moment, I kept training, more and more people began to take notice and then local, national and international brands wanted to start collaborating and working on mini-projects to inspire and motivate others. It gave me enough confidence to hand up my 9-5 shoes and start my own business. I developed my own business for just over and year alongside working full time and not on after I flew solo. I’ve never looked back! Now it’s all about helping others unlock their keys and explore their fitness potential. It’s such an exciting moment to be part of and I couldn’t see myself doing anything else.

What is your favourite binge-series?
Can you keep a secret? I am all about documentaries and informative shows but there is one little show on the side that I indulge in, RHOBH! Just love all the drama and all the chaos.

Where is your favourite place to travel?
I love to travel. I have been to some incredible places. For now, I love to keep returning to the Dolomites. My partner is from there and what makes it so special for me is that I can experience the place like a local. Keep your eyes peeled for more adventures over there!

What is your holy grail skin care product?
Without a doubt, I couldn’t survive without hydraulic acid. It helps to absorb anything you put onto your skin. Remember, your skin absorbs 60% of what you put onto it and it goes into your bloodstream, it’s important to do your research and find the purest of products. I use The Inkey. List and I love how affordable and effective their product range is.

What is one item of makeup you couldn’t live without?
Couldn’t live without Benefit Hoola blusher. Saves me from washed out to look like I have a little more life in me!

Where do you get inspiration from?
What I love about Instagram is the number of amazing people I’ve connected with. For example, I’m going on a trail run tomorrow with a lady who I connected with via Instagram. It’s just so inspirational and motivating. I love the online community.

What is your greatest achievement outside of blogging?
By far the most incredible achievement I’ve ever had is my beautiful boy Harls. He is by far the biggest shining light in my life. I’m proud of him and the hurdles he’s jumped over in life so far. Such a joy to see him grow up and change in front of my eyes. #proudmama!

Can you tell us a fun fact about yourself?
Puedo hablar Espanol! I lived in the Amazon Rainforest for three years, and I have lived and worked alongside three indigenous communities. I have a weird set of life skills learned from there, from cooking with machetes to basket weaving with large palm leaves to learning all about how to survive in the Amazon. Literally the best experience I could ever have had. My time there has made me very humble and resilient. I also used to own a Cabana Bar on the coast of Ecuador. It’s made some eyebrows rise at interviews that’s for sure.

 

If you want to be featured in our Blogger Focus series, then email us at info@yorkshirebloggerawards.co.uk!