Episode at a glance:

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
Faith: 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.
Fitness: 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
Food: How Ashley found a food plan that worked for her to help manage her weight and overall healthy lifestyle
Cheryl & Ashley discuss different ways to approach a healthy diet in a balanced way that supports quality of life rather than a restriction mindset
From sedentary to active: Ashley’s fitness journey was kickstarted with Jazzercise, then a gym membership and then personal training. How fitness helped decrease her pain.
Tips for exercising 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;
What is it like to work with a personal trainer?
What are some adaptations or modifications for strength training with rheumatoid arthritis when your fingers or wrists hurt?
Shame & Comparison: 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.
Positive mindset without minimizing negative emotions: Cheryl & Ashley discuss ways to focus on the positive while not minimizing or delegitimizing the true negative feelings we have
Ashley’s entrepreneur experience: starting RA Warrior Fitness LLC two months before the pandemic in 2020
Advice for newbies: either newly diagnosed, or people who are new to fitness & RA

Speaker Bios:

My name is Ashley Nicole and I am a RA Warrior! I've lived with RA for 17 years and counting. It is now my mission to empower women living with rheumatoid arthritis to improve their quality of life through faith, food and fitness.

Cheryl Crow is an occupational therapist who has lived with rheumatoid arthritis for seventeen years. Her life passion is helping others with rheumatoid arthritis figure out how to live a full life despite arthritis, by developing tools to navigate physical, emotional and social challenges. She formed the educational company Arthritis Life in 2019 after seeing a huge need for more engaging, accessible, and (dare I say) FUN patient education and self-management resources.

Episode Sponsor

Rheumatoid Arthritis Roadmap, a self-paced online course Cheryl created that teaches you how to confidently manage your physical, social and emotional life with rheumatoid arthritis.

Episode links:

Medical disclaimer:

All content found on Arthritis Life public channels was created for generalized informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Full episode transcript:

Available on the episode page on the Arthritis Life website!

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