This past week I went to Las Vegas for a business conference with my incredible team of Beachbody coaches. We all stayed in a house together (the house was AWESOME! A tour can be found on my facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/katelyn.lesk.3)!
Daily workouts, eating well, support, everyone making the extra effort to plan ahead/pack healthy food for the conference.... I actually lost weight on this trip and I FEEL amazing! How often does that happen when returning from a trip??
Moral of the story: the habits of those you spend the most time around WILL influence your health! Surround yourself with people with healthy habits or be the one who sets the trend for your friends and family!!!
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
You can contact me or find out more information using:
Imagine chocolate candy, ice cream, pudding, and chocolate-covered fruit that are all actually GOOD for you! We’ve got it!!!
Here are some GREAT recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth while eating fully healthy foods! These recipes include no added sugars, no artificial ingredients/flavorings/colorings, and are PACKED with good nutrients! They all utilize Beachbody’s incredible health shake, Shakeology! If you don’t know what that is, you can check out my run-down of what I love about it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2loh3aOeBOs (and if you decide you want to get yourself some, purchasing info can be found here: http://www.teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/MDSUSH311G?referringRepId=183908)!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease*
I am writing this blog post for a 7 Day No-Candy Challenge that our team is currently running, so I will start off with our candy recipes then get to some other sweet treats later!
ADD-ANYTHING CHOCOLATE
This chocolate recipe is REALLY easy and will be the base for a few of the other recipes. I’ll be honest, I make this a little differently each time so the amount of coconut oil and Shakeology is approximate. The mixture (before freezing) should be thick but still liquidy. The thicker it is, the richer your final product will be. You might want to try a few very small batches to get your mix to your taste preferences! Adding fruit also really helps balance out the richness. Nuts and other similar add-ins help too. AND they all make it even more delicious!!
My favorite add-ins are fruit (I make chocolate covered strawberries and frozen chocolate bananas this way- recipe down below in this blog), almonds, and pecans. I’ve only added them in separately but I'm sure using a combination of these add-ins would be good too! I plan on trying batches with cashews, pecans, and peaches soon (I’ll keep you posted)!
For this particular batch I used pecans as my add-in!
Ingredients:
Approx. 2 Tablespoons of coconut oil
Approx. 1.5 scoops Vegan Chocolate Shakeology (regular chocolate Shakeology works too but vegan chocolate is my favorite of the flavors so that’s what I always have stocked)!
Your add-ins (in this case, pecans)
Melt the coconut oil in the microwave. I add in the Shakeology a half scoop at a time so that when the mix starts to get thick, I stop adding. If it gets too thick, just melt more coconut oil and add that in. Hopefully you can judge by the picture (direct middle square in the above collage) what the final thickness should look approximately like!
Next, add your pecans or other add-ins! For nuts it’s easiest to stir the nuts in. For fruit, I usually pour the chocolate mixture over the fruit.
Throw it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes and you’ve got yourself an amazing treat!!
**Note about the container: My preference is to use this handy glass bowl but it is really hard to get the candy out once it’s frozen (I use a sharp, pointed knife to cut it within the bowl). The easiest way is to pour the mixture (before freezing) onto a small sheet of aluminum foil with edges rolled up. This makes it super easy to remove once frozen. The only reason I use the bowl is that it’s easier to fit in my freezer :)
HEALTHY REESE’S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS
This recipe is from my friend and awesome coach, Stephanie Wess (you can view more of her delicious recipes on her page: https://www.facebook.com/getfitwihsteph/). Thanks, Steph!!
Picture care of Steph! :)
Ingredients (this will make 8 peanut butter cups):
4 tablespoons of coconut oil
8 tablespoons of chocolate shakeology or raw cacao powder add stevia as a sweetener
4 teaspoons of natural peanut butter
Place 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds until the coconut oil is liquefied.
Stir in 4 tablespoons of chocolate shakeology. Divide the chocolate mixture evenly between 8 spots in a mini muffin tin. Place in the freezer for 5 minutes.
Pull the muffin tray out of the freezer. Place a half a teaspoon of peanut butter on top of each chocolate disk. Spread the peanut butter evenly over the hardened chocolate with a knife.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in the microwave. Stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons of chocolate shakeology. Use this to pour on top of the peanut butter layer. **You will want to do this in 2 batches so it doesn’t harden up on you while the first layer of chocolate is hardening in the freezer.
Place the muffin tin back in the freezer and leave it in there for at least 30 minutes.
The chocolate cups will slide easily out of the tin. Keep the cups stored in the fridge or freezer for the best consistency!
CHOCOLATE COVERED FROZEN BANANAS
I warn you, NOTHING about this is pretty but if you can get past the looks, it is a delicious and nutritious treat! Make the chocolate using the “Add-anything chocolate” recipe above then pour over a banana in a bowl and freeze! It tastes JUST like the frozen bananas I used to get at carnivals and fairs as a kid! In fact, you could probably make it a lot prettier by putting the banana on a stick like at the fairs and freezing it on a sheet of aluminum foil for easy removal.
SHAKEOLOGY PUDDING
Shakeology pudding is amazing!!!!! And if you’re doing the 21 Day Fix, it easily fits right into the meal plan!!
SHAKEOLOGY ICE CREAM
Another AMAZING and healthy treat! Like the “Add-anything chocolate” recipe, this one also has a lot of flexibility to what you can add in to make it even more delicious. My favorites are blueberries and strawberries!
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
I view Beachbody as the most incredible platform in the world to help others transform their health but honestly, the more important mission in my eyes is to help them transform their BELIEF! I want to show others that more is possible for their lives than they ever dreamed of!! If you read my post the other day about LEGACY, you know how important that this mission is to me!!
What I realized I DON’T share as often is my vision for my OWN life! I want to feel fulfillment in my work every single day. I want to feel like I can help someone in some small way every single day. I want to show kindness to the people I encounter every single day. I feel SO GRATEFUL that I’ve been able to do this AND create a flourishing business out of this where I can help others do the same!!
I want to DOUBLE MY INCOME this year!! I don’t know how exactly that’s all going to come together, but I’ve done it before using just the simple daily activities that I know help consistently grow this business. I have a plan for EXACTLY how I’m going to invest that money. I also have a BIG vision of a donation I would like to make to a local non-profit that is very near and dear to my heart.
When I think even farther down the road, I picture amazing things for my future family because of the work I am doing now. I want my husband to feel COMPLETELY FREE of the trappings of the daily grind and instead be able to pursue the creative passions that set HIS soul on fire! I want us to be able to take long trips to incredible destinations where we can immerse ourselves in nature and spend time just CONNECTING! I want us to have the time and freedom to make every day a fun adventure- trips to the coffee shop, joking with other customers; entertaining neighbors and friends for backyard dinners full of laughter; spending time at the local music shop even if neither of us know how to play; or an impromptu road trip to a middle-of-nowhere town selected on a map by a fun game of darts. I envision a house with extra bedrooms to welcome family and out-of-town friends with open arms. I want our family life to feel happy and carefree, never worrying about the burdens of debt or being able to provide for the fun, free-spirited activities that my kids will come to me asking for! I ENVISION my future family full of laughter and joy and creativity and PRESENCE- sharing special moments outside, reading together, cooking a new recipe, or going for a long walk through the woods. I picture being able to spread a large canvas out in our backyard and taking my daughter by the hand and dancing and tossing paint into a work of art that comes ALIVE before our eyes. I picture having the time and the freedom to enjoy the simple, yet INCREDIBLE, moments of beauty in life!! I want our SOULS to feel nourished and our HEARTS to feel full!
For so much of my life, I always pictured the normal things that everyone is always taught to- a job, kids down the road, a never-ending to-do list, juggling schedules, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I make it a point to enjoy EVERYTHING in my life no matter what and I know that would have been just fine. But it’s only been in recent years that my eyes have been open to other ways- different lifestyles! I always loved my job as an engineer but now I get to do something that absolutely sets my soul on fire with ENERGY and PURPOSE every single day!! And for as many freedoms I had at my old job, it’s NOTHING compared to this!! To be honest, I still feel like I’m on one big vacation from work (it’s been almost 2 years lol)! I still have moments where I forget that this is my full-time LIFE! And that’s CRAZY to me! I can go anywhere, see anyone, any time I’d like! I can drop everything and be present with whoever needs me! And I KNOW I can not only carry this into a future family life and be present with my kids, but I also know that I can give this same gift of freedom and presence to my husband, which means the world to me. ANNDDD, on top of all that, I know that through discovering and showing what is possible in MY life, I can inspire others to pursue their OWN dreams and their OWN freedom!! And the entire time I get to feel like I’m helping others and living my life’s purpose.
Think that would feel great? It does. And guess what- ANYONE can do this. Ask me. Get started now. You can be here too!! We can do this TOGETHER! Together we can change the trajectory of our lives and the WORLD! Let me tell you, I saw others posting about this years ago and even knowing how great it sounded is nothing compared to what it feels like to be living 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.
A message about kindness for others (and for ourselves!) at this time of year:
Recently I was listening to Doreen Virtue who pointed out that this time of year can be one of great joy and of great grief; memories of past holidays, loved ones who have passed away, and the “what ifs” of life all come into play. When she shared this, my initial reaction was to feel relief and validation. While there’s so much I enjoy about the holidays and being with the people I love, I definitely find the sentimentality of the holidays to be bittersweet. It’s hard not to get caught in past memories, or thinking about people who are no longer in our lives, or to grasp onto the way things are now resisting the inevitable changes in holidays in the future as people pass on, families change, and celebrations ebb and flow. There are also plenty of other pressures on us at this time of year that might include financial strain, family tensions, relationship pain, time demands, more things filling our already never-ending to-do lists, stress about food and what treats to indulge in or refrain from, and other triggers. My sister pointed out at Thanksgiving that despite being positive on facebook, I often get cranky with my family. My own family! The people I care most about! We sometimes let our comfort levels with people win out in a way that masks our appreciation for them.
So this Christmas, I’m going to do my best to stay present. To show appreciation for those around me. To be grateful for what’s going on around me no matter how I think things “should be”. I’m going to do my best to release any judgements I hold for others and for myself and instead focus on the unique value that each person offers. I’m going to take some time to get curious in conversations and ask some of the deeper questions to each person I encounter. Rather than “what’s new?” how about, “what do you think was the best thing that happened to you this year?” “what was your biggest lesson this year?” “what most inspires you right now?” I’m not going to feel badly for whatever emotions decide to come up during this intense time. And I’m going to be gentle and patient with others knowing that we never know what somebody might be going through. Have you ever missed a best friend? I have. I think most people have at some point in their lives really missed someone they care deeply about. When someone cuts me off in traffic or gets snappy in the grocery line, I tell myself that they might be missing a best friend, the person who most understood them in the world. At the root of it, we all just want to feel heard and understood and enough and loved. So let’s do our best to really LISTEN to each other, to try to UNDERSTAND, to VALIDATE and SUPPORT each other, and to show LOVE to one another.
Sending TONS of love and hugs to all of you!! Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and let’s finish out 2015 in amazing ways!!
