How 80 Day Obsession helped my skiing and gave me an experience of a lifetime!

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!!

Visit https://www.facebook.com/CoachKatelynLesk and http://beachbodycoach.com/katelynlesk for more info!

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.

Personal growth books to deal with the world and its uncertainty

I often get asked about my favorite personal growth books and how I stay so positive. They go hand in hand. Forcing positivity without true inner peace is temporary. I believe that any sustaining joy and peace comes from a true knowing of your beliefs. And the easiest way to figure that out is to open your mind to other perspectives, to learn what is out there, and to feel what resonates with you as truth. YOU get to decide.

It's nearly impossible for me to pick a favorite personal growth book or tool that has done this for me because SO MANY books, authors, conferences, speakers, youtube videos, podcasts, etc have helped me SEE more and have positively impacted my life. It has also come from my own vigilant application of these concepts, prayer, meditation, and a practice of compassion and self-love. Not once in a while. All day, every day.

I've pulled out my favorite books that were each turning points in my life when I read them. While there are many others, these are the ones that I am constantly coming back to. These books are completely devoid of judgment and teach only love.

"Conversations with God" by Neale Donald Walsh taught me that there is no good or bad; there is only the meaning we bring to each experience/circumstance.

"Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao" by Dr. Wayne Dyer taught me to learn through the powerful examples of nature to allow, to be one, to be flexible, and to live without attachment.

"A Course In Miracles." If you're familiar with it, you know it's a life-long process of untraining ourselves from our conditioned thought patterns of illusion, ALWAYS choosing love over fear. No exceptions. "Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God." -ACIM

"A Man's Search for Meaning," written by psychiatrist Viktor Frankl about his experiences in the Holocaust taught me I can ALWAYS choose my attitude no matter what the circumstances.

Be the change you wish to see in the world. Regardless of politics, external circumstances, or anything else that we may feel is affecting our lives, we should always be striving for our own personal growth. External circumstances are always changing. We develop a kinder, more peaceful, more joy-filled world by first cultivating that within ourselves. We ARE love. Peace already exists. And we can tap into joy anytime we want. It only takes remembering that it is all already there. 

Love you all,
Katelyn

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.

Nature and connection

Dr. Christiane Northrup spoke recently about the energetic recognition that a flower is desiring us as much as we are desiring it. Eckhart Tolle in "A New Earth" speaks about flowers as an expression in form of that which is most high, most sacred, and ultimately formless in ourselves. Feelings of love and joy are intrinsically interconnected with the recognition of beauty.

I'm not sure I can fully comprehend the power of those statements but I do know that being in nature, experiencing beauty and appreciation, and feeling a sense of awe and gratitude makes me feel more easily connected than anything else to the energy of the universe.

New moon, new intentions!

Gorgeous day today! Sun's out, cool breeze, happy people on the trails, got a boat load of work done this morning, kick-a$$ run, loving the feeling of my lungs expanding and my muscles working beautifully to move my body, listening to a Teal Swan crown chakra opening meditation, bright blue skies, and having SUCH an "I love life!" moment right now!!

New moon today; I always take that as a good time to set new intentions. My intention for this one is to focus on having an **absolute knowing of my worthiness**! That was inspired by a talk I was listening to yesterday that really got me thinking. Where am I holding back on myself? For as much as I know that everything happens for our greater good, where throughout the day am I falling out of that? Where am I allowing stress and overwhelm to beat me down? Where can I free myself just a little bit more?

All the love and abundance and clarity and joy and knowing and freedom already belongs to our higher selves. Let's all spend a minute today just FEELING that a little bit more than usual!!

A hippie by the river :)

In the summer I turn into a hippie by the river. I literally walk along releasing or recycling any negative energy and mustering as much good, loving, compassionate energy as I can. Every person I pass gets a huge smile and I literally try to project love and light and good energy to their soul. Good luck if you ever pass me, you won't know what hit you :-D

The mantra of the Light of Compelling Radiance seems like a good one to practice today :) Also, the Hay House World Summit is going on online!!! Amazing interviews with amazing people to listen to over the next couple weeks (and it's free)!!

What feels good to your soul?

All the spiritual teachers I follow were talking all week about the new energy being brought in by the new moon in Aries. I knew the official time for this was 2:57pm yesterday (and it was an absolutely GORGEOUS day!) so I decided to head to the park and have my own little celebration of sorts. I went to the park, sat under the trees, journaled intentions I wanted to set for this new phase, put on some music, did yoga, read, and just enjoyed the feel of my bare feet on the fresh, green grass. It honestly felt like food for my soul. I could feel complete conviction in my intentions, power in this new energy, and so full of love and knowingness that all is working out. We are stepping into a new phase and I am ready to step into my higher truth and higher self like never before. Talk about feeling your vibration raise!!!

Whether you believe in these astrological energies or not, I think it always feels good to find a reason (even if it's just a sunny day!) to set some new intentions, feed your soul, and raise your energy. I'd love to hear about what intentions and celebrations you're creating!

Love, joy, and blessings to you!