After rushing to the emergency room with heart-related issues in 2015, 31-year-old Ashley Ti made a new beginning for herself and lost more than 100 pounds.
Ti once struggled with her confidence, caught underneath loose T-shirts and stretchy pants, frantic to get in shape. She had no clue that getting in shape would transform into a voyage of self-revelation, opportunity and discovering happiness.
After her trip to the emergency room, specialists reestablished Ti’s regular heart rhythm and emphasized the danger of diabetes and coronary illness. Weighing nearly 300 pounds, Ti decided to sign up for a boxing club in downtown Calgary, eat healthily and begin her journey of self-love.
“I would pray to God and ask him for a miracle and drop the weight off me. My weight loss journey is a test that sometimes miracles come in different ways in comparison to what we expect,” Ti said.
Ever since she began boxing, Ti’s journey has been an exciting ride of trials and a collection of little achievements along the way; in the end, it eventually led to more than she expected to gain.
“I think one of the hardest things was simply stepping foot into the gym. I figured people would stare at me and laugh and I was apprehensive, but I realized I had to change if I wanted to live.”
For Ti, consistency is vital and it must be a way of life. Ti figured out how to praise her achievements and continue pushing ahead — even when she couldn’t see the outcomes she was anticipating.
Ti works out six days every week: multiple times at the gym in addition to two-weight resistance exercises utilizing a weighted vest and weighted gloves. However, she is always looking for ways to improve and become better than she was the day before.
“The life of somebody seriously overweight is hard physically, mentally and emotionally. All of that changed as I lost weight,” said Ti. She took in the significance of keeping up a healthy way of life and using good judgment with regard to her dietary patterns.
Ti’s friend and workout buddy, Clara Johnson, is not only proud of Ti for being devoted but she’s also happy with the fact that Ti feels better about how she treats her body now.
“Seeing her experiencing the hardships during her weight loss just makes me upbeat and every day she continues to motivate me,” said Johnson.
Johnson has consistently been supporting and pushing Ti during her harsh occasions and keeps doing so whenever she feels at her lowest. “Sometimes we just need to trust the process,” said Ti.
Ti is ultimately proud of her identity, but even more proud of the person who walked into the gym at nearly 300 pounds and kept returning over and over.
Ti eventually graduated from the University of Calgary in 2016 with a degree in counseling. Upon graduation, she enrolled at the University of British Columbia and graduated with a master’s in social work and is currently working on her social work permit.
“I feel honored to be moving others to change their way of life like I was propelled by my loved ones,” she said. “I am following a weight training plan and attempting to build muscle. I am healthy and that has consistently been my goal.”
Editor: Georgia Longphee | glongphee@cjournal.ca