Are Beachbody workouts the only workouts you do? My fully transparent workout plan

Are Beachbody workouts the only workouts you do?

My fully transparent workout plan:

I had a client ask me recently if Beachbody workouts are the only workouts I do. YES! They absolutely work and I've stayed in shape, created a lot more strength and muscle tone, and lost weight using the Beachbody workout programs as my primary programs for the past 3.5 years! (full progress and transformation here: http://katelynlesk.blogspot.com/2015/08/now-and-then-slow-and-steady-lifestyle.html). I love being active so I occasionally throw in other workouts but I can promise you that I'm not posting about Beachbody workouts then doing some other hardcore training program behind the scenes. The Beachbody programs ARE my hardcore training program! :)

The funny thing is, I actually post MORE about the other things I do. I assume it would be boring to post about my Beachbody workout everyday when I'm following a workout calendar, but the other stuff gives me a reason to post-brag like, "look at me! I'm being a good coach and being active!" haha. So I can pretty much guarantee that anything I've done other than BB programs has been publicly displayed here on FB for all of you to see. But in case you missed it, here's the official list for the record.

Other things I do:

- Runs. Never more than once a week. And even that has only been recently. Prior to that, I went about a year with no more than 2-3 runs total due to some running overuse injuries

- Walks. Lots when the weather is nice (that's where I listen to a ton of personal development or clear my mind!) but when the weather gets cold, hate to say it, but hardly at all

- Yoga, dance, fitness classes. I still love a good class- especially when it's something fun or different! Yoga makes me feel at peace, dance connects me to my soul, and I have fun trying other new/different classes. But it's rare that my schedule allows for more than 1-2 of these a month

So there you have it! My fully transparent workout plan! Oh, and one other thing I forgot to mention- I also have a little of Kanye's workout plan on my ipod ;) "that's right, put in work, move your a$$, go berserk" Who else likes to work out to that song haha??


Disclaimer Copy: Katelyn Lesk is an Independent Beachbody Coach.

10 Minute Trainer While I Work

This is my current workspace right now. I've been crunching through some serious work over the last couple days and a big chunk of that has been organizing and backing up computer files (I'm super OCD about this stuff, so naturally all files get backed up to DVD, external hard drive, and the original memory card as you can see by the piles on the floor). A lot of focused work time at the computer means MAJOR need for breaks to get the blood flowing and give my eyes a rest! SO... the solution is to leave Beachbody on Demand loaded on my other computer with 10 Minute Trainer ready to go. My room is small so I basically just turn around in my desk chair any time I need a break or while I'm waiting for files to copy, throw on my shoes, and hit play! Despite majority of my floor space being currently taken up by DVDs and other filing/organizational tools, I've been able to manage! 10 Minute Trainer workouts do not actually require much workout space.

If you want to get in on some 10 Minute Trainer action, it's part of our holiday sale going on now: https://www.TeamBeachbody.com/Shop/HolidaySpecials?referringRepId=183908 (if you're looking at this blog post after the holiday sale is over on Dec 1, it can be found here: http://www.teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/10MinTrainer?referringRepId=183908 or on Beachbody On Demand: http://katelynlesk.blogspot.com/2015/10/beachbody-on-demand-content-what-to.html).

It's been a good, quick way to get up and move AND the workouts are tough so they definitely add up! A few of these and man, I've got my workout in for the day!! So if you like efficiency and taking advantage of those small chunks of time throughout the day, this might be right up your alley. Either way, getting up and moving while doing long stretches of computer work makes me feel a LOT better! At my old job, I used to take breaks from my desk by running the stairs in our office building but I don't have stairs at my apartment-- this is definitely the fix for that!! #whatevergetsthejobdone

Your inherent worth unrelated to the number on the scale or your reflection in the mirror!

I care far less about the number on the scale than I do about how you FEEL about yourself. I want you to love yourself so radically that you see only the beauty of your inherent perfection when you look in the mirror. I care about what you eat ONLY because I know that good-feeling thoughts come from physically feeling good, from nourishing our bodies, from health and vitality and ENERGY! I want you to feel so good about who you are that it transcends any self-doubt that used to be produced by a number on the scale or the way your clothes fit. **I want you to look in the mirror and EFFORTLESSLY cherish the person staring back at you.** Your worth will NEVER be defined by any trite physical attribute. There is so much of a bigger picture than that!!!! Do you know who you are?? Do you know that you MATTER to the world?? Do you know that you are wholly loveable right here, right now?? Start NOTICING the things about you that are so special! Start NOTICING what you like about yourself! Start NOTICING the good you are doing in the world, the way you make other people feel when they are around you, and the further ways you can let your light and love shine! When you really FEEL that, through and through, to the very core of your being, it will just stop MATTERING to you what anyone else may think. You will naturally begin to attract into your life people who know their worth and see yours. True soul connections. Awareness. Belief in yourself and the greater good. The little things that used to plague your inner dialogue begin to fade away. And in that, you give others PERMISSION to do the same!! You empower those around you. EVERYONE begins to feel relief, to feel better about themselves, and to realize their inherent worth!!

No makeup, just a hoodie, nothing fancy- still worthy!
Love and light to all of you!!

What comes with that is NATURALLY feeling better physically, more health, more vitality, FEELING the life force pulsing through your veins with every heartbeat!! How can the small day-to-day worries about a few pounds or your most recent meal or your jeans EVER compare to that?? I know those thoughts come up! You are not wrong or bad for thinking them! I just ask that you REMIND yourself of the bigger picture!! Because in the bigger picture, you ALWAYS matter, and you are ALWAYS good enough, and you are ALWAYS pure love!! Get to that place and share that love with others!!! And feel good along the way KNOWING that you matter!! You make a difference!!! You are INCREDIBLE!!!!

A day in the life of a full-time Beachbody coach: it is a GIFT to be able to do what you want

Met these amazing friends/coaches for lunch. Marci asked me how much time I spend each day on my coaching business now that I do it full time. Uhh.... I honestly didn't have an answer. At first I said 6 hours a day. Then I said 12. Then I realized that about 9-10 of those hours are things I'd be doing anyway (like my workout, or sending out words of encouragement to people I care about, or meeting awesome people like Marci and Jacqlyn for lunch). Hmm. I don't know. Aside from messaging people specifically to help them figure out which workout or nutrition program would be the best fit for them (and even that I enjoy), nothing else really feels like work. I'm pretty sure I would compulsively post pictures and things that inspire me and share things that have helped me that may help others too. I always say, everyday is a Monday for me and everyday is a Saturday. So I'm sort of doing work all day. Yet none of it feels like work (and like I said, most of it I'd be doing anyway).

I watched a video today of Gary Vaynerchuk's: "Look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself what you want to do everyday for the rest of your life. And do that.... It is a GIFT to be able to wake up in the morning and do what you want for the rest of your life. The way you do that is by becoming an 'overnight success'... somebody who has actually put in work for the last decade and has gotten themselves into a position where they can do something rad that we all think is cool, that we all wish we could do." Well I don't know what your definition of success is, but I think what I get to do is pretty rad and I often have people that say to me, "I wish I could do what you do".... you CAN!!! It does take a lot of work. It does take mental and emotional stamina and BELIEF. And it does take time. But you absolutely CAN! And it doesn't take a decade like most businesses that are built from the ground up (and requires a heck of a lot less risk)! And let me tell you, it is WORTH IT!!! Ask us how!!

Fear-releasing workshop and lantern release!

About a week and a half ago, on a Sunday evening, I held a Fear-releasing Workshop at my home. I’ve been wanting to do this for a while now- I felt compelled to teach what ends up coming up with a lot of my coaching clients on a bigger level- but it took me a while to finally get around to setting the date. The funny reason why I finally did was that I saw that a friend was planning on having a paper lantern release at her wedding (I’ve ALWAYS wanted to do one!) and I figured having a fear-releasing workshop would be the perfect reason! At the end of the workshop, we wrote either fears we wanted to release or intentions we wanted to set on the lanterns and set them off into the world!

I’ve been wanting to write about this and couldn’t find the words to encapsulate how I felt having these women show up with open hearts and eager to expand their awareness. We talked about our backgrounds, the fears and stories that hold us back, and 5 different strategies for overcoming fears or processing difficult emotions.

To give you a sample, one of the things that kept coming up in our fear-releasing workshop was the limiting belief that we need to worry about the important things in our lives in order to adequately plan/prepare (ex: if we don't worry about finances, we are being irresponsible or not properly preparing for the future). The truth is that our worrying gives us no control over the outcome. You can still do the things to plan/prepare but there's a HUGE difference between doing them with or without worry. The worry makes us no more likely to thwart whatever it is we're trying to prevent. Instead, it drains us of precious emotional energy. So we focused on replacing those worry thoughts with thoughts about what's going RIGHT in our lives!

If you are interested in hearing more of what we talked about, the workshop was recorded in 3 parts, which I posted below:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

So many of the women shared that one of their biggest take-aways was knowing that they’re not alone. How important of a message is that for all of us?? In the midst of a struggle, we tend to think we’re the only one who feels this way (or sometimes has EVER felt this way). It’s so important to remember that not only are their others who feel the same way or have gone through the same things, they are willing to walk with us in our journey. THAT is powerful.


I am so so SO grateful to this amazing group of women who joined in my Fear-releasing Workshop last week! There is truly magic that happens when a group of strong, open, beautiful souls come together to support and encourage each other!!!

The lantern release was a big part of why I wanted to do the workshop in the first place haha! The lanterns were WAY harder to light than I expected but the EXPERIENCE didn't disappoint!! Cheers to the wonderful women who braved the cold and the winds on the Hot Metal Bridge to cast away our fears and release our intentions into the universe!!!

 

My friend, Sam, was recording some of the lanterns releasing and magically caught what we think might have been a shooting star in the video! So cool!!

Zucchini Pasta with Homemade Sauce

One of my favorite recipes! Growing up, I always assumed pasta sauce HAD to come from a jar, or at the very least, be made using canned tomato paste. I love this recipe because I can control exactly what’s going into my sauce (no added sugar like most jarred pasta sauces, including organic ones) and the flavor is absolutely incredible! The sauce recipe is based loosely on a recipe from my beloved Kris Carr’s, “Crazy Sexy Kitchen” cookbook, which is amazing!!

Ever since going gluten-free in August of 2014, it’s been great to have this recipe that makes me feel like I’m still eating some of my favorite foods. In fact, I like it BETTER! And I feel great at the end of the meal (not stuffed like after wheat-based noodles). Delicious and nutritious!

I typed the recipe below but full demo can be found on my YouTube channel:

Zucchini Pasta and Homemade Sauce

Serves 4

Pasta:

3-4 medium zucchinis (thin works best if using a Veggeti)

minced garlic (optional)

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Use a Vegetti (or other veggie spiralizer) to make zucchini noodles

Add olive oil (approx 1 Tbsp) to a pan over medium heat

Optional: add minced garlic to the pan

Saute' zucchini noodles to desired noodle texture

If there is extra liquid in pan (from the zucchini), drain noodles

Sauce:

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

minced garlic (optional)

1/2 medium onion cut into chunks (optional)

3-4 fresh tomatoes, cut into chunks

spices such as red pepper flakes, oregano, Himalayan sea salt, pepper

fresh basil (optional)

Add olive oil to a pan over medium heat

If using garlic and/or onions, add to pan for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent. I also add some red pepper flakes to the pan at this time to release extra flavor

Add tomatoes and desired spices (I go heavy on the oregano and I also add additional red pepper flakes if I'd like it to be extra spicy)

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking/burning

Add additional spices as needed

Time of cooking depends on desired consistency. I like my sauce to be really thick so I usually simmer it for about 40 minutes

The last 2-3 minutes of cooking I will add fresh basil if I have it

Pour sauce over veggie pasta, add Parmesan cheese if desired, and enjoy!!

Is Beachbody Coaching saturated? Is there room for me?

One of the biggest hesitations I hear from people who are considering coaching is that the market is already saturated, they already know several coaches, or that they’re worried they won’t have anyone who is interested. This is my response to that:

If you have that inner voice whispering that you know it would be something you’d really like to do, if you’re heart is quietly nudging you to give it a try, if you’ve been thinking about being a coach and you think it would be fun and fulfilling and a great way to keep yourself on track while helping others, DO IT. Or at least don’t let this be the reason that stops you.


Disclaimer Copy: Katelyn Lesk is an Independent Beachbody Coach.

The bigger mission and how we can change the world!

I am so lucky to know so many people (all of you guys!!! Yes, I'm talking to YOU!) that have HUGE helping hearts and an incredible vision for our world and the future. Seriously you guys are some of the best people I have ever met- my social media is always full of such awesomeness! So kudos to you all!!! I love talking about the bigger mission for the work that I do and because I consider us all on a bigger mission in life and relating to that, I have a really important question for all of you! Thanks in advance for watching!!

Disclaimer Copy: Katelyn Lesk is an Independent Beachbody Coach.

Beachbody does not guarantee any level of success or income from the Team Beachbody Coach Opportunity. Each Coach’s income depends on his or her own efforts, diligence, and skill. See our Statement of Independent Coach Earnings located in the Coach Online Office for the most recent information on our Coaches’ actual incomes. The Statement of Independent Coach Earnings can be found at http://www.beachbodycoach.com/uploads/fckeditor/mdbody/File/downloads/statement_of_independent_coach_earnings.pdf

Food indulgences, life pressure, and how to deal with it all!

Real talk story for all of you.

Yesterday, not even sure of what triggered it, I got a huge craving to order some food. I think the busyness of the Halloween weekend put me in the mood to just stay put yesterday and some comfort food seemed in order. I knew deep down this was not a good idea- my digestive system has been off a little lately, I’ve been eating at restaurants a lot as-is, and quite frankly, I don’t even like the term “comfort food” because I associate it with some sort of weakness to be turning to anything outside of myself for comfort. But see? That’s exactly where the problem is. The fact that somewhere deep within me, I believe it’s “bad” to not be able to make myself feel better. Do we ever even stop to recognize how much pressure we all put on ourselves these days? I’m great at delegating work, I’m great at saying no to plans, I’m great at setting boundaries with my time, and yet still, somewhere in me is this need to figure it all out… to get it all right… and to do it now. I know I’m capable of whatever I set my mind to and yet when I see something I can improve or make better, I want to make that happen immediately. I do not consider myself a perfectionist- I think I’m pretty good at discerning what tasks need to be done with excellence and when it’s better to settle for “good enough”. But when it comes to my own internal state, I passionately seek improvement. And for as much as I feel I have a good perspective when it comes to work and the limits I put on it, there is still always a pressure I put on myself to accomplish the huge amount of things that are hanging over my head (I am definitely guilty sometimes of the “once I get that done, then I’ll be happy” mentality).

Anyways, how does this relate to food? I think we are ALL plagued by the pressures and demands on our time and energy (often self-inflicted). Even if I’ve gotten better at saying no to things or letting things go that just aren’t as important, it can still be exhausting to make those decisions all day long. I never *like* saying no to plans with a friend I care about, I don’t *like* having to throw in the towel about organizing the files on my old laptop even though they just aren’t that important anymore, and I don’t *like* putting extra work on someone else even if I truly can’t handle it all. In this modern age of go-go-go or say no-no-no, there is not a whole lot of emotional energy left by the end of the day to put towards the habit change we are trying to make. We’ve all done it- how many times have we said, “I’ve got to work on my eating habits,” “I’ve got to stop spending so much money,” “I need to get back in my exercise routine,” “or my old college favorite: “I’m never drinking again.” Haha. There’s plenty of things that we do because it feels good in the moment but doesn’t feel so great after. Sometimes it’s just a matter of recognizing the benefits we DO get out of it. For example, I eat at restaurants a LOT but I appreciate the social aspect of seeing friends regularly and taking advantage of all the cool new stuff this city has to offer. Sometimes, I recognize that I need to throttle it back, and I do. Sometimes it’s a matter of taking a step back and SEEING the bigger picture- where am I feeling tapped-out? And what can I do right now to begin to make that better?

World pressure:

For as much as I talk about the demands the world puts on us, I certainly don’t think it’s helpful to go into a victim mentality of feeling like it’s us against the world. It’s also the same world that offers us a limitless amount of incredible opportunities, wonderful people and connections, and beauty all around. It’s not the world’s fault- the world is just offering up a variety of stuff saying, “here you go! take it or leave it!” It is our job to remember that we have a choice of how we process, react to, and incorporate these constant stimuli. Not all of these pressures, or even the things we consider to be urgent and important, are truly life-or-death matters. Sometimes even recognizing that helps to take the pressure off and allow us to APPRECIATE all that we GET to do each day. I’m a huge fan of having a regular gratitude practice. I put links to several youtube videos I made at the bottom of this blog- feel free to watch if you’d like to know more about my own story and how I apply gratitude to each area of my life (including work, workouts, and the tough emotional stuff in life)!

Self pressure and limiting beliefs:

I think another reason it can be so disappointing when we feel like we’ve “fallen backwards” is the MEANING we bring to it. Think about it. Would splurging on a junk food meal be so guilt-inducing if we KNEW we would never do it again? Of course not! But instead, we tell ourselves things like, “I’ll never overcome this pattern,” “Why do I always do this to myself?” “I just can’t stop.” And we use it to reinforce every limiting belief that it will ALWAYS be this way, we will always carry the extra weight, be in debt, succumb to addictions, or whatever it is that we’re dealing with. “Always” is a harsh word. Sure, I still have patterns that I fall into and I still get disappointed when I do, but I have made a HUGE amount of progress in the last couple years. My whole outlook on life has become radically more aware. I feel more alive than ever. I do have a ton of healthy habits in place. And I seek improvement (mostly) from a place of self-love as opposed to shame, guilt, or self-hate (I wrote up some strategies about the emotional side of that here http://katelynlesk.blogspot.com/2015/09/love-yourself-to-where-you-want-to-be.html). We ARE making progress. It’s just in those moments when we’ve taken a step back that the sneaky fear voice is the loudest. Shut that sucker up and move on! (more on how to do that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Seg1IcDr9M).

How to deal with it all:

If I have one mission in life, it’s to help each person I work with see where their fears, stresses, pressures, doubts, and blocks are and to slowly but surely replace those with love. This is something I am CONSTANTLY working on with myself as well. It all starts with awareness and then perspective.

It’s important to remember we are exactly where we need to be. Every choice we made, we needed. We know this simply because we made them. We may know better now, but then, we needed it for a reason. Even seemingly “bad” choices are for our greater good. They are beacons to point out certain things in life. Discovering what we don’t want sends a rocket of desire to that which we DO want and motivates us to work towards it. It illuminates the path. Yes, my Thai food is illuminating the path to enlightenment :) Don’t you wish you would have gotten take-out now too? ;)

So for today I will eat my leftovers guilt-free (from Smiling Banana Leaf, by the way- if I was going to order Thai, at least I did it right) and use it as an opportunity to take a step back and see where I’m putting too much pressure on myself, where I am taking life too seriously, and where I can take back some of my power and rediscover my inner goddess :) And if I can help someone else discover their inner power along the way, then it was definitely worth the mild heartburn and stomach fullness :)

Don’t forget to remind yourself of your AWESOMENESS regardless of ANYTHING else!!!!!! I love you and I’m rooting for you!!!!

Gratitude, staying present, and first world problems

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa0oqC1aCzw&index=29&list=PLXiky4MOw2FgchAG5-bDiEkDMPrCn70P_

Gratitude for the tough stuff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsur7nrcsxc&list=PLXiky4MOw2FgchAG5-bDiEkDMPrCn70P_&index=1

Gratitude as it relates to work, why I don’t treat my business like a business, also workouts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJb-OAJSjE8&index=15&list=PLXiky4MOw2FjF0FZLuTXQeT__IwOADo3n

Doing things out of inspiration versus obligation, what to do when you get discouraged

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DNqEUZa_x8&index=17&list=PLXiky4MOw2FjF0FZLuTXQeT__IwOADo3n