This week has officially been 4 YEARS since I became a full-time online health and fitness coach. I still can't believe I get to do what I love for a living! It is an absolute joy & pleasure to SERVE the people I coach and to do my best to spread joy in the world! It's been 4 years that I've been able to work from anywhere, make my own schedule, and have total FREEDOM and flexibility of lifestyle. I love being able to drop everything when someone I care about needs my help or an opportunity comes up to spend extra quality time with family and loved ones. I am so grateful for the beautiful places I've been able to travel to, the life-enriching experiences I've had, and the people I've gotten to meet because I can do my work anywhere. I feel fulfilled, joyous, grateful, and energized because of what I get to do. And I hope in some small way to be able to spread that to others 💖
Thank YOU for your constant support and encouragement in the work that I am doing. Whether you've been a client, sent referrals, liked/shared/commented on a post, or shared a message of health and uplifting perspectives, you've helped me in this journey and I do NOT take that for granted! I could not do what I do without YOU. The way you've helped my business, added positive comments on my posts, and encouraged me has meant the world to me! I want you to know I appreciate YOU and what you are doing in the world to help make this world a better place!!
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.
Despite how this might portray on social media, I am by no means an avid or frequent skier (at least prior to last month). I love being in nature and find the mountains so powerful so I was willing to try any time my friend, Lindsay, invited me on a ski trip. I always ended up having a blast but I still never skied often.
In fact, prior to March 2018, I had only skied 6 total days in my entire life combined! If you don't believe me, take a closer look at my ski jacket... it's from American Eagle circa 1998ish and I purchased it at Century III mall (South Hills folks will understand the historical significance of that one)!
I'm still learning. I'm still working on my technique. I am slowly but surely building confidence in my skiing abilities and bravery and courage for the steeper terrain. My love for skiing shot to a new level in Vail.
I was pushed out of my comfort zone physically and mentally but it paid off in an incredible way both by the territory in Vail that was opened up to me because of being willing to take on some of the harder slopes, and more importantly, memories that will last a lifetime! The sense of joy for being able to experience nature in such a wondrous way, the sense of accomplishment and pride for being able to tackle such an intense physical and mental challenge, the gratitude for what my body can do, and the awe and amazement for what nature provides for us all made it the experience of a lifetime.
What I found so significant in this experience was that I might not have been able to get/see/do/experience ANY of this had it not been so physically prepped for this!
I wasn't thinking specifically about skiing when I started 80 Day Obsession (nor did I realize at the time how much of a difference it would make), but once I was on the slopes, I was SOOOO grateful that I had had so many tough strength training and endurance workouts for the 2 months leading up it.
Prior to last month, I had never skied more than 1 or 2 days a YEAR so a full week of intense skiing at Vail, some days as much as 30 miles downhill and 21,000 vertical feet skied (literally a level I had never skied at before) REQUIRED me to be at my best to stay safe on the slopes. Because I don't ski regularly, I would have never been able to handle the steep, tough terrain had my muscles and balance not have been inadvertently developed for it.
At one point while we were taking a break mid-run somewhere in the trees of Blue Sky Basin (one of Vail's famous back bowls) I remember catching my breath while my quads were on fire and thinking, "Thank GOODNESS I do a lot of squats!"
We never know what's going to come up in life whether it be a fun experience, a health challenge, or an uneven surface that could throw us off balance. This experience served as SUCH an amazing reminder that we should always do our best to be physically prepared for whatever may come up in life. This will definitely be something I keep in mind in the future each time I do a workout and feeling like quitting or taking it a little easier than I know I'm capable of. Our health is the most important thing but the fun things that come up are where the MAGIC is at!!
This week of hotel workouts served as a great reminder of the meaning of the common phrase, "You do you."
After taking last week off from workouts because of skiing (seemed unsafe and crazy to try to do intense strength workouts while skiing new terrain that was very tough for me), I was DETERMINED to get back to 80 Day Obsession this week even though I was traveling again. I made sure my hotel had free weights, brought my 80DO resistance bands with me on the trip, decided I would modify any move that needed floor sliders (either do them without the sliders or use hotel workout towels under my feet), and pull up the workout on the Beachbody On Demand app on my phone (since every single workout in this program is different, I needed to watch it in order to do it- no doing it from memory or workout sheets like I have with other programs in the past).
The flaw in my plan: no matter what time of day I hit the hotel gym, there were ALWAYS people in there. Luckily I had some blue tooth headphones so I could prop my phone up and listen to it privately. I'm not sure I would have had the guts to broadcast it to the entire small gym even though everyone else in there seemed to be wired into their own thing. I've done that before but only with friends who were doing it with me (power in numbers, people) and doing it solo required a little more courage.
The first day I certainly felt a little odd but also simultaneously bold and empowered.
Here's what happened: every single day that I was in there, there were multiple other people in there not doing the standard/expected 20 minutes on the elliptical then maybe a quick bicep workout (no shame in that- I've done "the standard" many times).
There was a 20-something guy in there boldly doing some kind of crazy ninja-style workout doing a series of kicks and punches using light weights, all the while using his breath to increase the force he was throwing out (quite a sight with lots of sound effects). There was a person in there doing a series of alternating sprints and heavy leg presses. There was a woman in there doing her own circuit of moves on the other side of the gym. There was an older gentleman walking on the treadmill while typing on his laptop which was precariously perched on the treadmill screen (a TOTAL kindred spirit from my college days of doing the same thing)!
At any given time, the gym was full of all different types of people doing all types of different things to get to the common goal of HEALTH and FITNESS. On top of everything, everyone was SO COURTEOUS to make space for everyone else, return the weights immediately so they could be used by others, and to be considerate of whatever each person was doing.
Here's what I learned:
*With some modifications and resourcefulness, it is possible to still stay in your workout routine no matter where you are
*It may feel a little weird or funny to do a different type of workout in front of other people (I have been taking at-home workouts SO for granted!), but if it's your thing- do it anyway! You may even be inspiring the strangers around you!
*Intentionally look for the sense of connection among a group of people all working toward a common goal in their own ways. Appreciate and respect the other kindred spirits who are all seeking to better their health!
*Nobody is actually thinking much at all about what you're doing so whatever your thing is, YOU DO YOU!
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 common misconception is that these workouts are easy for us coaches. Let me tell you, they never get easy- nor should they! Challenging ourselves is what makes us better, faster, stronger, and healthier!
When I started my very first at-home workout program, I put in the DVD, pushed play, and was seriously struggling 5 minutes in!
I looked at the people on the video and coaches that I knew and assumed it must be so easy for them. I thought that once you got over the initial difficulty of the workouts, it would magically become easy one day. How lucky they must be to be at that point and how easy it must be for them to churn out all of those vertical jumps and push-ups!
The truth is, I DID get stronger in time. I look back over my progress and am amazed by how far I've come.
It did not happen over night and it took consistency with my workouts, challenging myself with one extra rep, pushing through a cardio move a little faster, or picking up a slightly heavier dumbbell.
It took getting back on track even when I missed a few days or even a few weeks of workouts.
I trained myself how to get back on track when I fell off track. And I trained myself to APPRECIATE my workouts (and I eventually even learned to kind of love them... kind of ;-) ) by constantly reminding myself what this was doing for my health and my life. I began to appreciate all that my body could do for me and realize that it was my biggest cheerleader.
It didn't feel like it became easy all of a sudden but I do remember all of a sudden realizing how much better I had gotten. I could FEEL the health and vitality re-entering my body. I felt incredible energy. I walked with my shoulders back and head high feeling so STRONG! And I have never looked back :)
It's a long road but it can be made shorter and MUCH more enjoyable by:
1. Finding a workout program that is the best fit for YOU (not just for your goals, but also something you will enjoy doing- I always say that the best workout program is the one you will actually do)!
2. Getting proper support! I would have never stuck to the workout programs I have done or gotten back on track each time I fell off without the support of the wonderful people in our facebook groups who were also working towards making healthy changes.
3. Learning how to appreciate and love the PROCESS and all that your body can do for you (and already IS doing for you)!!
If you need help, don't hesitate to reach out- I would love to be your support.
In the meantime, here is a picture of me from my workout today after a 2nd set of floor sprints, head on the floor, trying to mentally gear up for a 3rd round. Use it as a reminder that it is never easy for any of us, but it IS possible. And eventually, it IS possible to love it, even when it's hard. :)
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.
I was SO proud of myself when I made spring rolls the other day!!! I had always assumed they’d be messy or would fall apart, but when my friend, Lindsay, decided to have an Asian-inspired dinner party, I thought I would give them a try! Turns out, they were incredibly easy and they are a tasty way to get more veggies into your meals or party appetizers!
I give a full video demonstration here (and to prove how easy it was to make the rice paper rolls, I had to do it with one hand in order to film it!): https://youtu.be/97wWg5kH7BQ
The rolls were super simple to make. Fillings are totally up to you and your tastes. I made these rolls twice and each time I used some kind of combo of romaine lettuce, shrimp (I gave my recipe for shrimp with a little extra kick in the video!), thin rice noodles, avocado, red pepper, carrots, cucumber (all the veggies I either cut into thin strips or spiralized), mint (I loved the flavor that the fresh mint added so I used even more the 2nd time around!), and sesame seeds. The video explains all about the rice paper, what to look for when buying it, and how to prepare it for rolling!
The homemade peanut sauce absolutely MADE these rolls! They were good without it, but it added so much extra flavor, plus I liked having something “liquidy” on them. I apologize for not being the kind of cook who measures everything perfectly. With my background in the sciences, I do love things that are exact but unfortunately my cooking tends to be very free-spirited. I used multiple recipes online to come up with this concoction (so if you are someone who likes things exact, google a homemade peanut sauce recipe). I included a picture of what I used in the peanut sauce here since it was a little hard to see in the video. The main ingredients were basically peanut butter and soy sauce (I used liquid aminos- a healthier, gluten-free alternative to soy sauce- available from amazon associate link here- disclosure: I get a small commission if someone purchases from this link). Mash some peanut butter with some soy sauce (I used a hefty amount of each- more soy sauce will make it spicier, more PB will make it sweeter). Everything else I used to taste. I really liked the addition of the sesame oil- I felt like that gave it a good Asian flavor. The honey sweetened it up a little. I added some rice vinegar (I like what that did to the texture). Black pepper, hot sauce, garlic powder, actual garlic (minced), and red pepper flakes (not pictured) all added to the flavor but can be used generously, sparingly, or not at all depending on your tastes. When you mix all of this together, it will be pretty chunky and think. Add water (small amounts at a time) to thin it out to the consistency you want! Mine thickened a little in the fridge and I actually liked it even better the next day (just FYI).
I served the peanut sauce on the side (garnished with red pepper flakes) but it was so good, I ended up using it generously over each one of the rolls I ate!
This entire recipe is all gluten-free- just make sure you use a gluten-free soy sauce or an alternative like the liquid aminos that I used! The liquid aminos can be found on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/2jqWfpjFull disclosure: I get a small commission from Amazon if you buy this product but this is honestly what I use at home and wanted to make it easier for you to find!
If you are vegan and don’t eat honey, that can easily be taken out of the peanut sauce or substituted with agave or pure organic maple syrup.
If you don’t like or eat shrimp, don’t worry- I made a bunch of them without it and they were just as good!
Watch the video, let me know what you think, and let me know how yours turn out! Feel free to contact me with any questions!!
Happy cooking!
Katelyn
I would be honored to help you with your health and 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:
Today I was listening to a youtube video that Nikki Phillippi posted of her interview with Katrina and Karena from Tone It Up on what makes a healthy lifestyle. Katrina said she believes it starts with a healthy heart: healthy relationships, healthy friendships, great happiness, and taking care of your body.
I couldn’t agree more!
Any time I get caught up in self-doubt or worry that I’m not where I should be in any area of my life, it’s almost always because I’m putting the focus on ME, not on what service I can be to others.
I immediately feel better when I think of how I can make someone else’s day better; or appreciate the wonderful, supportive, uplifting people around me; or stop to notice all the GOOD in this world!
The comparison game never makes anyone feel better. Take the focus off of you and how you “measure up” and start putting the focus on helping others!
Surround yourself with people who make you feel good and lift you UP! If your friends don’t think or act that way, find new friends!! If we lived to be 1000 years old, life would still be too short to waste it on any petty drama.
Find the people who purely embody love and kindness. Start by being that type of person yourself!
Don’t you feel happier and healthier already? :)
Sending love your way, friends!
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
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
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!!
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.
