Miss New Mexico USA 2017

OMG… I’M MISS NEW NEW MEXICO USA 2017!!!!!!! I’m still in total shock but in the midst of the excitement, I wanted to take some time and reflect on this past weekend!  
It’s been hard to describe the feelings and emotions I’ve felt the past 48 hours, as nothing ever seems to equate to the amount of happiness I feel in my heart.  Becoming Miss New Mexico USA has not only been a dream of mine but something that I have been incredibly passionate about for so many years.  My “Why I want to be Miss New Mexico USA” is something that has evolved and changed tremendously over the past 10 years and there are several different reasons this title, this honor, this privilege, and this once in a lifetime opportunity means EVERYTHING to me.  

Being Miss New Mexico USA means more to me than just a crown, more than a year of incredible experiences, and even more than going to Miss USA.  Of course, I’m looking forward to all of those things and I will surely cherish every single moment however, to me winning this title was about giving people hope.  Inspiring them to have unrelenting faith that things will work out, and proving that you can achieve your dream if you never give up.  I could have easily walked away every year after placing runner up time and time again, but I knew that if I was given the opportunity to represent my state, I would take it and run with it.  I knew that I would work tirelessly to leave a lasting legacy and inspire as many people as I possibly could with the 365 days I had as Miss New Mexico USA.  It wasn’t an easy road, and let me just say that at times there was a lot of heart-ache.  Anyone who has ever competed knows how much hard work goes into competing but if you continue to persist and persevere, one day it will happen and in that moment it will ALL be worth it! 

As all of the state pageants come to close, I know there are hundreds of girls across the country who are feeling defeated and disappointed.  I have been in your shoes so many times before, but please don’t feel hopeless.  I absolutely would not be the woman I am today if I hadn’t competed in pageants.  There is so much to gain and learn from pageantry that you can’t learn anywhere else.  To be able to walk confidently into a room and know exactly who you are and what you stand for- and love yourself for that is beautiful thing.  No one will EVER be able to take that away from you.  I will forever be grateful to the Miss Universe Organization for instilling the true meaning of being “Confidently Beautiful” in me.  Whether you’re competing in pageants or just chasing a dream, hold the vision and trust the process.  You have to always remember that hard work will always out work talent when talent doesn’t work hard.  Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence and determination! 

There are so many people I have to thank for getting me here.  My heart is filled to the brim with gratitude because I absolutely wouldn’t be where I am today without every person who has been a part of this journey.  The amount support I’ve received each year has just been absolutely incredible and I am always so taken back.  A simple thank you doesn’t feel like enough, but I just hope you all know much each and every one of you mean to me.  

And New Mexico, THANK YOU!!!!!!! I am honored and humbled to represent you. I am so ready for this year!!!  My time has come and I know exactly what I want to do with the title of Miss New Mexico USA and I cannot wait to see how this year unfolds.  

Stay tuned and hold on tight because this is about to be the adventure of a lifetime! 

Xoxo, 

Ashley Mora 

Miss New Mexico USA 2017 

Finding your WHY

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

"He who has a why can endure any how" -Frederick Nietzsche

Lately I've been doing a lot of reflecting on life, success, and figuring out my purpose. Maybe it's because I just turned 25 last week which feels like a huge milestone or maybe it's because I'm three classes away from obtaining my marketing degree (finally... I know)!  Either way, I wanted to share some thoughts on finding your "why" and your purpose.  Life is hard, confusing, and there will always be obstacles, but if you know your why, it will always pull you up and keep you fighting. 

When you wake up each morning, what drives you? 

If you don't know the answer, then you have no reason to improve your life and become more successful.  The truth is, motivation will ALWAYS fade. You might get reinspired from time to time but that fire lit by motivation will inevitably die. This why you must create habits and stick to them. You have to know WHY you're doing what you're doing, make a plan, and stick to it. You have to know what you're fighting for and why your goals are important to you. You have to know what drives you, what inspires you, because that is the only thing that's going to pull you up and keep you going. 

What are you passionate about? 

Instead of focusing on what you're doing, ask yourself why you're doing it? Seriously, take a second right now and stop and think about everything you do on a daily basis. Now, ask yourself why you're doing all of these things?  If you don't have an answer that excites you, it may be time to refine your list of priorities.  If you want to be successful in reaching your goals, you must be passionate about the things you're doing. You need that gusto because your purpose is what leads the way, but passion is what keeps you going.  

Find an answer that speaks to you soul.
Find your why and let that drive push you to go forward, to be successful.  Find that one part of you that will never change, regardless of what life throws your way. Your purpose- your why is the one single thing that lights you up, that one thing that when you're doing it, time seems to stop. Once you have your answer, write it down and keep it with you. Carry it around everyday and feel it deep in your heart.  Look at it from time to time as a little reminder WHY you're doing what you're doing! 

I hope you enjoyed this post! 

With lots of love, 

Ashley

Healthy Staple Foods

Healthy Staple Foods

"It's not a short term diet, it's a long term lifestyle change"

Today I’m sharing a few of my favorite go-to foods that help me stay on track with eating healthy.  I’ve learned over the years that if I keep my fridge and pantry stocked with nutritious foods, I’m more likely to stay faithful to my diet.  We’re all busy, so keeping healthy staple foods that are easy to prepare is the one of the best things you can do for successful weight loss or weight management. 

The most important thing you can do to clean up your diet is to starting reading the labels on the back of everything you buy.  The more natural the food is, the better.  If you can’t pronounce it, don't buy it!

Always remember that balance is key.  Making small changes is the only way to get lasting results.  Start off slow and by that I mean start cutting out one “bad” food at a time.  If you cut everything out at once, you’ll feel deprived and revert back to old habits quickly. Below you'll find a list of different healthy foods to start incorporating into your diet.

Healthy Starts Right Here! 

Breads: 

    •      Ezekiel Bread- Found in the freezer section.  This is the only bread I buy now.  It’s clean, natural, and organic.  Not to mention, chemical free, easy to digest, has protein, lots of vitamins, is kosher, Non GMO, no refined sugars, no preservatives, no shortenings, and full of fiber.  It’s absolutely delicious! They also offer buns, cereals, muffins, tortillas, waffles, and more! 

Grains: 

White Flour is stripped of all nutrients which makes it an empty source of calories.  That’s not what we want! Here are a few nutrient rich grains to add to your diet! 

    •      Quinoa- all kinds.  Quinoa is superfood that is PACKED with nutrients 

    •      Brown Rice 

    •      Wild Rice 

    •      Quinoa Pasta 

Flours: 

    •      Coconut Flour (Naturally Gluten-Free)

    •      Almond Flour (Naturally Gluten-Free and Low in Carb)

Dairy & Non Dairy: 

    •      Almond Milk Yogurt (Non-Dairy)

    •      Coconut Milk Yogurt (Non-Dairy)

    •      Greek Yogurt  

    •      Unsweetened Almond Milk (Non-Dairy)

    •      Unsweetened Coconut Milk (Non-Dairy)

    •      Unsweetened Soy Milk (Make sure it’s Non-GMO) 

Fruits: 

    •      Apples 

    •      Oranges 

    •      Grapefruits 

    •      All Berries 

    •      Bananas 

    •      Avocados 

    •      Pineapple 

    •      Any fresh fruit you like 

Veggies:

    •      Kale 

    •      Spinach

    •      Broccoli 

    •      Celery 

    •      Tomatoes 

    •      Eggplant 

    •      Squash 

    •      Carrots 

    •      Celery 

    •      Bell Peppers 

    •      Zucchini 

    •      Sweet Potatoes 

    •      Onions 

    •      Green Beans 

    •      Any Fresh Veggies you like 

Meats: 

When purchasing any kind of meat, always opt for organic or grass fed. Also, try and purchase the leanest meat possible.  If you buying lunch meat of any kind, look for nitrate-free! 

    •      Lean Ground Turkey 

    •      Chicken Breasts 

    •      Salmon, Tilapia, or other fish 

    •      Lean Ground Beef 

Eggs: 

            •          Always purchase cage free.  

Beans and Legumes: 

If you are trying to eat healthy on a budget, beans are an excellent source of protein (especially if you are vegetarian or vegan) 

    •      Beans: Explore different kinds of beans.  Black, Pinto, Red Kidney, Red, Soybean, and More! 

    •      Legumes: You can make so many great meals with legumes.  They are excellent! 

Other Grocery Store Items: 

    •      Oatmeal: Always buy plain steel cut oats. Nothing flavored due to the chemicals and sugar that they put in flavored oats.  

    •      Tea:  Any natural, organic, unsweetened tea is great! 

    •      Dry Beans and Legumes 

    •      Nuts: Always try and buy nuts that are organic.  Nuts are a fantastic snack filled with a ton of nutrients but you have to make sure you read the labels.  A lot of nuts that are sold in stores are loaded with sodium and sugar.  

    •      Bars:  I used to be a protein bar junkie.  Make sure you read the labels on the back of your protein or snack bars.  Most of them are filled with a lot of junk.  My personal favorite brand of health bars are Laura Bars… they are delicious, have minimal ingredients, and are very healthy and clean! 

    •      Condiments:  Most condiments are also loaded with a ton of junk that could be slowing down your weight loss.  When you can, avoid condiments or try and make your own using all natural fruits, veggies, and herbs.  If you have to purchase condiments from the store, look for the organic condiments with minimal ingredients and no added sugar.  

    •      Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

    •      Walnut Oil 

    •      Coconut Oil 

Sweeteners: 

Processed Sugar is the easiest way to pack on the pounds.  Here are few natural alternatives to sweeten things up. 

    •      Coconut Nectar

    •      Honey 

    •      Maple Syrup 

   •       Agave 

Eating healthy isn't always easy,  but keeping a few of things on hand or in your home will help keep you on track when hunger or cravings strike. Remember that when you're hungry, your body wants nutrients, not junk! 

I hope you enjoyed this blog! 

xoxo, 

Ash 

Last Minute Summer Slim Down Secrets

With June right around the corner (7 days to be exact!) you may looking for an emergency weight loss plan.  Well, look no further! Here are a few of my all time favorite & simple slim down secrets. 

7 Day Challenge 

1.  Start your morning off with 1 cup of warm lemon water.

Lemon water helps reduce inflammation, aids digestion, cleanses your system, and helps with weight loss. 

2.  Drink a green juice for breakfast.  (Make with JUICER)

2 cups of Spinach 

2 cups of Kale 

1 loose cup of Parsley 

2 Pears (or 3 Medium pears)  

1 Lemon 

Each night our bodies detox naturally.  By starting our morning off with lemon water, followed by a detox juice, we are prolonging that process.  It's important to continually detox rather than playing red light, green light with our bodies.  

3. Throughout the day sip on dandelion root tea.  It helps remove bloat.

4. Drink a glass of watermelon juice for morning snack. 

Not only are watermelons in season, but they are full of antioxidants, a great source of potassium, low in calories and high in nutrients.  The best part about watermelon juice is that it's loaded with amino acid citrulline which breaks down fat cells. Watermelons have a high water content so you will be able to make a lot of juice! 

5. Enjoy a refreshing salad for lunch.  

Fall in love with creating the perfect crunchy, yet healthy lunch! Keep it light and try to stay away from dairy and croutons (or any bread toppings) The last thing you want to do is have a four course meal with a side of lettuce.  My go to salad recipe is: 

Organic Lettuce 

Shredded Carrots 

Shredded Purple Cabbage 

Cherry Tomatoes 

Sunflower Seeds 

Kalamata Olives 

Olive Oil Balsamic Dressing 

6. Mid Afternoon Snack Choices: 

Laura Bar (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan, Organic)

Kale Chips (My favorite brand is Alive & Radiant) 

or 1 Slice of Ezekiel Bread 

7.  Have a green smoothie for dinner.

This may be hard for some.  I know the concept of not eating but drinking dinner is frightening, but remember that this challenge is only 8 days.  There 357 other nights to enjoy a sit down meal :) I recommend finishing your day with a green smoothie for a few reasons.  The first being that in order to get results- it's important start and end our day with foods that hold high detoxing properties. The second reason is that the fiber from the smoothie will not only keep you full, but the fiber will also help push/flush out the system.  This last step is vital in order to shed excess weight and drop any bloat. 

Green Smoothie:
1 cup of water 

2 Cups of spinach 

2 Cups of romain lettuce 

1/2 Banana 

1 Green Apple or 1 Pear 

1 Lemon 

After just one day of following this plan you should start to feel more energized and lighter.  Like I said earlier, this challenge is only 7 days!  You can do absolutely anything for 7 days! Kick off your summer feeling your best!

I was asked the other day what supplements I take and what I products I use.  After I started juicing over two years ago, I stopped using any kind of supplement or artificial products simply because when I started eating fresh, clean foods.. the weight started melting off my body.  Before, I was drinking protein shakes regularly and taking all kinds of different and harmful things- AND I wasn't getting the results I wanted.  However, when I started juicing regularly and feeding my body natural foods, I started losing weight.  Everyone is different- finding what works for YOU is always going to be a learning process, but juicing and eating naturally is what worked for me.   

A few natural products I love: 

Dandelion root tea: natural diuretic 

Probiotic: Keeps your gut healthy; improves digestive system  

Digestive Enzymes: Facilitates the breakdown of food  

Magnesium: Mineral that helps digest proteins, carbohydrates, and fats

Smooth Move Tea:  Herbal tea that promotes digestion 

All of these can purchased at health food stores such as Whole Foods & Sprouts.  I highly recommend taking and using these during the 7 day challenge! I am going to be starting the challenge tomorrow... Send me a message and let me know if you will me joining me! 

Instagram: RealAshleyMora 

Twitter: RealAshleyMora 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/missnewmexicoworld 

Xoxo 

Ashley Mora