South magazine [80] The Style Issue | Page 16

SOUTHERN BEAUTY Fit’n Pretty Style can be defined many ways and, like most things, foundation is everything. Being fit can make a good outfit great. ASHLEY THOMPSON LEFT HER HOMETOWN OF CARROLLTON, GEORGIA, TO ATTEND OGEECHEE TECH FOR A DEGREE IN COSMETOLOGY, simultaneously beginning a life-or-death battle with anorexia. She returned home after finishing college, but was incredibly sick and unhealthy. “I was about 70 pounds at the age of 21,” Thompson says. “I felt like my worth was dependent on the scale.” Thompson resolved to achieve a healthier weight and defeat her anorexia — finding her saving grace in the world of fitness. “If it were not for fitness I wouldn’t be here today.” Now, Thompson is a nutritionist and an ACE-certified personal trainer — while also training as a professional bodybuilder. Ashley has made it her mission in life to help others achieve their ideal health goals, making sure that they look and feel good in the process — reaching a higher level of confidence and style through becoming fit. Train with Ashley at CannonFit Transformation Center in Bluffton, South Carolina, cannonfit.com • Written by CHRISTIAN BORIO Photography Nelson LaPorte 16 SOUTH August|September 2019 16 SOUTH MAGAZINE August | September 2019