Showing posts with label detox. Show all posts
Showing posts with label detox. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Free 5-Day Clean Eating Challenge!

We recently just wrapped up a free, 5-day online clean eating group. I LOVE hearing the feedback of happier, healthier clients like this (I especially love the comments that show that people are proud of themselves, empowered, and on board with a healthier lifestyle!!!):


In this group, we provided meal plan guides (plenty of recipe options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner) but we also allowed participants who didn’t want to go full-throttle for the week to just pick one or two things that they eat regularly and could, for the week, replace with something healthier. I gave some suggestions in a “This over that” series (posted below for your convenience)!

I also give plenty of guidelines and suggestions for my own personal tips for healthy eating, weight loss, what “clean eating” really means, and more in this video:


Feel free to follow along with your own challenge to yourself for the next 5 days! You are WORTH it!! If you’d like additional support, you’re welcome to sign up for free coaching with me or check out info on our upcoming groups!

I would be honored to help you with your fitness journey :)  Here is a link to sign up for a free account with me as your coach: https://www.teambeachbody.com/signup/-/signup/free?referringRepId=183908. Or you can go to www.teambeachbody.com, sign up for a free account, and enter any of my info in when it asks if a coach referred you: screen name: KatelynLesk, coach ID: 183908


THIS OVER THAT Series:

"This over that" day 1!
Salads are always a great option for clean, healthy eating but dressing can be a big downfall of this. Lots of dressings pack a lot of sugars, artificial flavorings/colorings, and partially hydrogenated oils. Even "light" dressings have a lot of not-so-healthy stuff in them.

Making dressings yourself is a great way to take back the power and control exactly what is going into them!

If anyone is interested in specific dressing recipes, I have some super-healthy cookbooks that have a LOT of great options for every type of dressing you might like and I'd be happy to share. Beachbody's Ultimate Reset (a 21 day super healthy food program) also includes some dressing recipes that I LOVE and use regularly!

More info on the Ultimate Reset can be found here:

But I find that the more convenient healthy foods are, the more likely I am to use them! So I posted all of my easy, super simple dressing replacement options below. These are also great things to ask for at a restaurant (every restaurant has the olive oil and vinegar option and if you're at a place with any kind of Mexican food, why not shake things up with a little salsa? also super easy to ask for lemon wedges)! My favorites to put on a salad:

- lemon juice and olive oil (this is my daily go-to- very easy, adds some healthy fat and vitamin c, and the vitamin c also helps with iron absorption from the spinach)
- seasoned olive oil- this Tuscan herb one is delicious
- olive oil and red wine vinegar
- salsa (regular or a peach or mango salsa is fun to mix it up!)
- pesto (be sure to check the ingredients to make sure they are all healthy unless you are making your own)
- not pictured: hummus (I also have a super easy to make hummus recipe if anyone is interested)!



"This over that" day 2!
I LOVE making my own yogurt parfaits! It saves you the added sugar (and/or artificial sweetener), flavorings, and colorings that come in regular yogurt and it's so much more filling and satisfying! My favorite combo is plain organic yogurt with strawberries, raisins, and walnuts. Other fruits, nuts, and coconut are also good toppings. Have fun experimenting!!



“This over that” day 3!
It is very difficult to find a pasta sauce without added sugar. For the longest time, I never considered making my own because I always assumed it was a complicated process! Turns out- it’s not!! Majority of the time it takes to make it is just letting it simmer on the stove. And this recipe is DELICIOUS- I like it so much better than jarred pasta sauce!! It is seriously so simple and easy!!

AND, you get a 2-for-1 today because this recipe also includes my recipe for zucchini noodles!!






“This over that” day 4!
Better carbs!

Again, here is where single ingredient whole foods win out over things like bread, noodles, and canned baked beans that have a variety of additives and are highly processed. I checked the label on a can of baked beans recently- on top of a lot of added sugar, there is also caramel coloring- why is that necessary?? And why should we be putting that in our body?

My own personal favorite carbs are rice, oatmeal, quinoa, and beans. I much prefer zucchini pasta over regular noodles. And a great alternative for things like pancake mixes are to make your own (if anyone is interested, I have a great recipe using coconut flour)!

These are all things we can control :)



“This over that” day 5: YOU PICK IT!
Since today is the last day of our group, we’d love to be able to help out with anything you’d like to replace with a healthier version but are struggling to find a good substitute! Let’s hear it!!

And in the meantime, let me leave you with this quote from Tosca Reno’s “The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged” book. I hope it inspires you to continue incorporating what you learned and implemented in this group!



Disclaimer Copy: Katelyn Lesk is an Independent Beachbody Coach.

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Now and Then: Slow and Steady LIFESTYLE Changes

I was talking to a super sweet friend of mine yesterday who is looking to make some healthy changes in her life. A lot of what she was saying she struggles with is exactly where I was just a few short years ago. I’ve shared a lot of before and after pics of programs I’ve done but I don’t think I’ve ever done a big picture comparison between what my life was like 3 years ago and what it’s like now. Throwback Thursday seemed like the perfect occasion! :)  It’s been a series of slow, steady, SUSTAINABLE lifestyle changes. A few steps forward, a step back. My healthy habits are not perfect or 100% foolproof but I’ve come along way and I’m very proud of that. My health has always been important to me, but the biggest difference between then and now is that my day to day decisions now are actually aligning with that. Even accounting for the imperfections, occasional missed workouts or overindulgences, or times when I’m off track, the big picture is is a healthy and happy one :) And I FEEL aligned with where and who I want to be.




So in honor of throwback Thursday (and my awesome friend and our great conversation), I thought I’d post some pictures of me from back in 2009-2012ish when I was at my highest weight. I never stressed too much about my weight but I DID feel badly that I wasn’t making time to workout. I felt badly that I was putting some not-so-great things in my body (eating poorly and drinking frequently). I didn’t feel physically at my best either- I was tired frequently, bloated, sluggish. I often felt uncomfortable in clothes- like LITERALLY I could feel pants that I used to wear with no problem now digging into my waist when I sat down (and I’d have to yank them up when I stood up). I switched to flowy shirts and often tried to cover my stomach. I enjoyed running but I could feel soreness way more easily, especially tightness in my knees, because of the extra weight I was carrying and my legs felt like logs. I came down with colds or sore throats multiple times each year. In general, it made it hard to be fully engaged in loving life...


Fast forward to the summer of 2012 when I discovered Beachbody programs. I now had an actual PLAN for my workouts, I learned about strength training through Chalean Extreme, I started eating MUCH cleaner, I started drinking Shakeology daily (which PACKED my system with the nutrients I needed), and I had an AWESOME Facebook-based online accountability group of other women working towards the same goals. I fell in love with it and decided to become a coach. I was far from where I am now, but being a coach and taking others on this journey with me forced me to stay engaged. We had FUN experimenting with recipes, finding ways to motivate ourselves, and encouraging each other to stick with it. I always tell my clients that I rely on THEM as much as they rely on me! Now I have a whole team of coaches to keep me going strong!!


Now I have so much more energy, muscle tone that I had never had in my life, a HUGE tool chest of tips and tricks to stay motivated, and AWESOME support from my clients and fellow coaches. I haven’t been sick ONCE in over 3 years, I feel super fit and strong, I love the way my clothes fit, I feel lean and healthy, and I’m EXCITED ABOUT LIFE!


It’s not about being perfect or reaching some arbitrary “ideal weight” at ALL. My weight still fluctuates and I still have times when I get off track (like this summer, for example). But the difference is, the times that I’m off track are much shorter and much less “severe” haha. I KNOW how to get back on track and I can get back on track easily and quickly with the help and support of my Beachbody friends. I am mindful of what I eat. I keep my health as my main priority and I make sure my choices align with that. I look for other ways to take care of myself like doing my best to keep stress low. I have found ways to LOVE working out! Healthy cooking is my form of zen :)  I’ve made it a LIFESTYLE. It wasn’t overnight. It did take work. But I PROMISE YOU, it’s WORTH IT!!!

I would be honored to help you with your fitness journey :)  Here is a link to sign up for a free account with me as your coach: https://www.teambeachbody.com/signup/-/signup/free?referringRepId=183908. Or you can go to www.teambeachbody.com, sign up for a free account, and enter any of my info in when it asks if a coach referred you: screen name: KatelynLesk, coach ID: 183908

Disclaimer Copy: Katelyn Lesk is an Independent Beachbody Coach.

Monday, June 29, 2015

21 Day Fix Extreme Final Review!! Weight lost, before and after pics, tips, and recommendations :)

I wrote up my mid-way review originally (you can find it here: http://katelynlesk.blogspot.com/2015/02/21-day-fix-extreme-preparation-what-to.html). That post contains majority of my explanation about the program itself. This post includes my results and final take-aways and tips. Sorry it took me so long to finally get this review up! Hope you enjoy! Please contact me if you have any questions!!



JEANS success!!

I had a HUGE success towards the beginning of week 3. I went out and was super excited because I was actually able to wear these jeans that I LOVE but are super tight. So I have to be in really great shape to wear them or I end up having to yank them up the whole night! I knew my legs, thighs, hips, and waist were tightening up and leaning down with this program because my normal day-to-day clothes (i.e. yoga pants) were fitting much looser. But it wasn’t until I tried on these jeans that I really realized how much of a difference this program was making!!

During the 3 wks of this program, I did the 10 Minute Hardcore workout every other day (in addition to the workout on the schedule for that day). I think that made a huge difference in tightening up my core. All of the workouts challenge the core but this workout definitely gave me that extra push. I could feel SUCH a difference in my abs by the time I was even halfway through the program!

Pilates workout/resistance band update:
Something amazing happened to me. I did 21 Day Fix Extreme's Pilates workout and didn't despise it!!!! This is HUGE progress for me!!! I added what I was saying about it in our facebook group a few wks ago in the pic below so you can get an idea of where I was coming from. My friends can tell you that I recently declared this particular workout to be my most disliked workout of all time (other 21DFX workouts are fine, just the pilates one I hated). BUT, low and behold, this is week 3 so my 3rd and final time doing it, and I actually felt extremely empowered!! I can tell my core is getting so much stronger because I felt completely solid and balanced in all the ab exercises and I guess that gave me the confidence to actually attempt the bird-dog AND the superman at the end!!!! Prior to this week, I COULDN'T EVEN GET INTO POSITION for the superman!! And every time I tried, I would get angry and end up swearing at the band and Autumn haha. This time I sort of flopped into position, pushed my legs back and somehow maneuvered my hands into place so I could push them forward. And I did it!!!!!! Photo evidence below. So I still don't love this workout, however, I was pretty thrilled with my progress today. Maybe I was just extra motivated because I knew it was the last time ever in my life I HAD to do it. Take that, pilates. Take that, resistance band. BOOM! And thank you, Autumn. :)



Tip about resistance band:
For the poses where I was on my hands and knees, I slipped the handle around my wrist instead of trying to hold the band with the hand that was on the floor. It’s not super comfortable but I felt like I had more stability with that hand being flat on the ground.



Money I’ve saved while on 21 Day Fix Extreme:
I have not at ALL felt like I’ve missed out on any social events because of the Fix. I was, however, more careful about what I ordered (or didn’t order) while out. My friends and family knew I was doing this program so they were very accommodating and did not pressure me to “cheat”. Here’s a list of all of the social things I did during the 3 weeks of 21 Day Fix Extreme. These are all places I have been to before or frequent often so I can tell you exactly how much I would have spent had I not been on this program.

The going away party at Mario’s/Acacia, Eat N Park with my family, Pamela’s with a friend, and Kiku Japanese restaurant I wrote about in my previous blog.
New social events included:
- Wedding dress shopping with a friend. They went to lunch after. I skipped lunch but didn’t feel like I missed out because I was there for the important part… when she said yes to the dress!
- Surprise engagement party for a friend at Dish Osteria. This was later in the night so I would not have gotten food. I would, however, have gotten at least one glass of wine. Probably 2. But so as not to overestimate, I’ll leave it as 1 for this calculation.
- Coffee shop with my uncle. I stuck to just my Americano instead of my usual Americano + one of the awesome treats they have.
- Went to Oakland with some college friends to visit our old stomping ground (Pitt’s campus). We did this about a month ago and we got lunch at Uncle Sam’s then went to our old favorite bar, Hemingway’s and got a drink. This time around, I ate before I went and just sat with them while they ate. And they were nice enough to skip the bar for me and just walk around campus instead.
- Out with a friend. Turns out, it’s hard to find nighttime activities in Pittsburgh in the winter that don’t include eating or drinking but since he knew I was doing this program, my friend graciously came up with a plan to skip drinking as well and we just went and played pool and darts at a local bar instead while sipping on water. So our night was reduced to a mere few dollars in quarters

Here’s what I WOULD HAVE bought/spent had I not been on this program and not done what I described above:
Friend’s going away party at Mario’s bar…. 2-3 cocktails + tip… $15
After Mario’s we went to Acacia where the drinks are high quality and fancier (and more expensive)... 1 cocktail + tip… $15
Eat N Park with family… salad bar + tip… $10
Pamela’s diner… eggs breakfast + tip… $11
Kiku Japanese restaurant (I only got sashimi. Normally I would have gotten apps and a roll with that)... $20
Lunch after wedding dress shopping that I skipped… salad + tip… $12
Engagement party at Dish… glass of wine + tip… $12
Coffee shop… coconut macaroon or other treat… $4
Uncle Sam’s… chicken salad.. $8
Hemingway’s… long island iced tea… $8
The Library (bar)... 2 drinks + tip… $15
GRAND TOTAL SAVED: $130

Turns out that 21 Day Fix Extreme is good for the waistline AND the bank account!!
Ironic part is that I SAVED more than DOUBLE what the program costs!!!
And if you include the discount I get as a coach, I only paid a THIRD of what I would have spent for the stuff listed above on the program!!
WIN!!!

Here’s a picture of me attempting to make it rain with all the money I saved haha



Shakeology:
Shakeology is a must. It’s a must for me all the time because of all the benefits I get from it. If you want to know more, I have a video here where I describe that in detail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2loh3aOeBOs&list=PLXiky4MOw2FiVHDk0bsMFDQHIQezD2SuN.
But for the 21 Day Fix, whether we’re talking the original or the extreme program (either nutrition plan on the extreme), I found Shakeology absolutely essential for getting all my red containers in (it counts as a protein on this program). On the days where I didn’t have to eat as many protein servings, I found it super helpful to have shakeology be one of them to keep me full and fueled. On the days where I had to eat a ton of protein servings, I found it necessary to use shakeology so as to not get super sick of eating chicken, eggs, and red meat all day (I was already having enough of those as-is)!


“Fruit day”
On the competition plan, you’re only allowed fruit every 3 days. While there are fruit ingredients in shakeology, shakeology counts as a protein/red container on this program so that I was allowed to have every day. Nutritionally, shakeology is the better bet in my opinion (purely from the large quantity and wide diversity of plants, fruits, roots, and other superfoods and therefore TONS of nutrients you get from it), but I also REALLY, highly enjoy my fruit… especially blended into my shakes. So needless to say, I was PUMPED when it was FruuiIIIT DAaaaYYY [insert Geico Camel voice]



Abs:
I incorporated the 10 min Hard Core video every other day while doing this program. Helllooo abs!!!



I was also really thrilled with the muscle tone in my arms, shoulders, and back!



Just for fun:
When the program was finally over, guess what the first thing I splurged on was? Bananas AND peaches in my shakeology!!! Woooah, I’m such a rebel ;-)



Final Results:
In addition to feeling refreshed, so much stronger, and leaner all over, this program also reduced my stress levels and helped my digestion! I felt SO super healthy and fit and energized throughout this program and beyond!!

In terms of measurements, I lost 4.5 lbs, 3.6% body fat, 2” off my waist, 1.5” off my hips, and 1” off each leg/thigh. Here are my official before and after pics!


More info on the programs:
21 Day Fix Extreme Challenge Pack:
21 Day Fix Extreme Base program:
21 Day Fix (original) Challenge Pack:
21 Day Fix (original) Base program:

*Note that for the 21 Day Fix original and Extreme programs, I recommend the challenge packs that come with the shakeology. For me, I felt like Shakeology was essential for getting through the programs in terms of energy, fuel, keeping me satiated, and to get enough servings of protein in!

Disclaimer Copy: Katelyn Lesk is an Independent Beachbody Coach.

Related posts:
3 Day Refresh Results- Feeling Amazing!! http://katelynlesk.blogspot.com/2015/02/3-day-refresh-results-feeling-amazing.html


Tuesday, February 17, 2015

3 Day Refresh results- feeling AMAZING!

I posted this on facebook last month but I thought I would share here in case anyone was searching for more information about the 3 Day Refresh! Feel free to get in touch with me if you have questions or would like to know more about it!!

Here's what I originally wrote:

Earlier this week, I had one of those "oh crap!" moments when several of the dresses I was considering wearing to my cousin's wedding this weekend were way too tight. *I'm pretty sure every girl can relate.* Meanwhile, I had decided to do the 3-Day Refresh, not for the sake of the dress situation (I had other options), but because I've been feeling kinda crappy ever since the holidays.
I was shocked when this morning (beginning of day 3- not even my final results yet!) I was down 4 pounds and NOT feeling bloated for the first time since before Christmas! So low and behold, when I tried on my dresses again, they fit!! And I feel great (my body seems to have finally released the bloat and I feel like a rockstar in my dresses).
PLUS, the food cravings that seemed to be kicked into high gear with the holiday treats, have finally dissipated (yay for eating real, unprocessed, whole, satisfying foods!). I haven't been tempted to snack out of boredom (well, I can't while on the Refresh, but the desire hasn't been there either). And at least for me, going to a wedding while in food-craving, snacky, sweet-tooth mode is about as dangerous as going to the grocery store starving. It ALWAYS leads to me over-eating and feeling like crap by the end of the night. So I'm glad to have solved that problem before the weekend too!
Feeling great and feeling *refreshed* :)



For more information on this program:

3 Day Refresh Challenge pack with Shakeology (full supply, best deal): http://www.teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/BCP3D160?referringRepId=183908

3 Day Refresh (3 days of shakeology servings): http://www.teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/3DayRefresh?referringRepId=183908


Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions!!

Disclaimer Copy: Katelyn Lesk is an Independent Beachbody Coach.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

What is the Ultimate Reset and WHY IN THE WORLD am I crazy enough to do it over the holidays??

WOW, do I have a lot to fill you guys in on!! This is a long post (so much to share with you guys!) but keep reading- there’s a lot of good info in here. And I promise to make the rest of my posts about my updates/progress with the Reset a lot shorter :)

So... What is this “Ultimate Reset” exactly? 
The Ultimate Reset is a 3-week cleanse. It transitions you to a vegetarian diet in week 1 then a vegan diet for weeks 2 and 3. You eat 3 full meals a day (and there are snack options too) as well as take supplements provided by the Reset throughout the day. I’ll feature a little bit about each supplement and its purpose over the next few days. My favorite part of it is that you are clearing out processed foods (and all the residual toxins in our bodies because of them). I’ve been trying very hard over the last year or 2 to GREATLY decrease my intake of processed foods and transition to a (mostly) organic diet. So I feel like this cleanse will be a great way to clear out anything leftover from processed and/or unhealthy foods and continue on my path to clean, healthy eating (fresh, healthy foods, no pesticides, raw where applicable/possible, as little processed foods as possible, no antibiotics/hormones, and tons of nutrients and best possible quality of food).



I’m a HUGE skeptic 
Prior to becoming a coach, you would have never seen me trying something like this. I was so skeptical about any sort of cleanses, detoxes, and so-called “health” shakes. But after seeing what goes on behind the scenes of Beachbody, learning the values/beliefs of the company about what should (and should not) be going into our bodies is the same as mine (no GMOs, no artificial additives/flavors/colors, no scary stimulants, and the BEST quality ingredients from all over the world from areas where they are naturally grown and the soil quality is the best), and experiencing the benefits of the products first-hand, I have a complete and total trust in any Beachbody product. They do not cut corners for any reason. They truly care about the health of the customer and want people to get the MOST out of their products and are only willing to put the best quality ingredients into any of their nutritional products. 


Live greens and whole foods in this (not to mention one of my favorite elixirs of life... ginger!) - nothing artificial

Extra nutrition? ...Me? 
Now going back to my original opinion of nutritional products- quite frankly, the way I ate was pretty healthy to begin with. I never thought I needed any of these additional nutritional products. Based on my trust in Beachbody, I knew these would be good products, I just didn’t think *I* had a huge need for them. I’ve completely changed my belief about this. Shakeology was what really changed my perspective. The health benefits I started seeing from it less than 2 months into drinking it daily were incredible (reduced cravings, much easier weight maintenance, energy, fullness, overall feeling of health, and most notably, a 45 point reduction in cholesterol). I could go on and on all day about the benefits I’ve seen from it but I’ll save the specifics for another post. So after seeing these results first hand and doing a TON of research on the individual ingredients in these products, I realized there was no way I could be getting all of these nutrients from my normal, daily diet no matter how many fruits and veggies I was eating (and trust me, I eat spinach right out of those giant plastic containers- I’m not lacking on my veggie intake). Why do we wait until we start feeling a cold coming on to overload our system with Vitamin C and zinc? Why not do this everyday, for ALL of our bodies’ systems, not just our immune system? So bottom line, the biggest skeptic has now become the biggest believer and I’m looking forward to finding out what great health benefits I’m going to discover with the supplements and diet in the Ultimate Reset :)  

A cleanse over the holidays. Could my timing BE any worse? 
Now, as you can imagine, the diet that comes with the Reset is pretty strict (you’re not even supposed to use table salt, but use Himalayan sea salt instead because it’s not stripped of a lot of its minerals the way table salt is). So naturally the option to find something healthy on a restaurant menu or at a party is out. I will be cooking and eating ALL of my own food over the next 3 weeks, carefully monitoring every single thing that’s going in it. You guessed it, that means I will be bringing all of my own meals to any holiday parties and even Christmas dinner (I already warned my family not to factor me into the food count). But truly, there is never a perfect time. So why not start now and prove to myself it’s possible?


No Christmas cookies for me :(

This was actually my Runner’s World quote of the day: “If we wait for the moment when everything, absolutely everything, is ready, we shall never begin” - Ivan Turgenev, Russian novelist and playwright. Very fitting :)


My main reasons! 
So that brings me to my 3 main reasons for doing this (and starting now): 
1. To be a guinea pig. As a coach, I always like to be able to give you answers and info based on first-hand experience! I’m also excited to see what health benefits I can get from this. I’m hoping for improved digestion/decreased bloating, better healthy feelings all-around, and a decrease in cholesterol (Shakeology has improved that a lot but I still have a ways to go). Heart disease, high cholesterol, and cancer run in my family (on both sides) and anything I can do to help my long-term health, I’m on board with!! 
2. Force myself to learn a lot of new clean-eating recipes and the healthiest ways to prepare food. I have already learned a lot just in the grocery shopping and preparation about the healthiest possible ingredients I should be using (like the Himalayan sea salt) 
3. To show it IS possible. In addition to what I already touched on about it never being a perfect time, I want to inspire people to make healthy choices even during the busiest times of year. The holidays are a perfect time to demonstrate this. I know most people wouldn’t be trying to go as extreme as this, but if I’m managing to do the Ultimate Reset over Christmas and New Year’s, I hope that can inspire people to at least get a quick workout in each day and reduce their holiday cookie intake :)  Remember, every little healthy choice counts so keep at it! You can do it!



This was a post to some of the women in my “busy moms” challenge group on the same topic. They are doing an AMAZING job of buckling down and sticking with their workouts and good nutrition despite the craziness of the holidays.


More to come! :)
So I’ll keep you posted on how this goes! I’m looking forward to feeling SO HEALTHY after the holidays instead of *so crappy* like I have in years past (or the feelings of digestive system failure I had a few weeks ago after Thanksgiving). If this is something you’re interested in, please don’t hesitate to contact me!! I will guide you through every step of it!! It would be a FANTASTIC way to kick-off good health in 2013!! For more info, check out the Ultimate Reset website: http://myultimatereset.com/KatelynLesk 

 

Beachbody Reset Youtube channel: Check videos playlists for info specific to what you’re looking for (better digestion, healthier eating/clean eating, preventative measuers against poor family healthy history, fitness lovers looking to take their nutrition to the next level, and more). http://www.youtube.com/user/BeachbodyUltimate?feature=watch

Disclaimer Copy: Katelyn Lesk is an Independent Beachbody Coach.