COACHING, FINANCIALS, VIABILITY, QUESTIONS, FEARS AND MORE all addressed here!

I get a TON of questions about the viability of Beachbody coaching so for those of you who have ever wondered any of the following, such as,

1.  “Aren’t there already a lot of coaches? What would make people want to coach under me?”

2.  “What happens when the Beachbody trend is over? Is the company really viable?”

3.  “Isn’t it too late to join as a coach? What if it doesn’t work out for me?”

I’m going to address them right here for you!

1. First off, ANYBODY can coach! People relate to YOU uniquely! So no matter how many coaches are already out there, people are going to want you as a coach because they relate to YOU.

My customers and coaches relate to me because I try to keep things light-hearted and fun. I focus on working on people’s fears and blocks first, then we deal with BELIEF, THEN we work on addressing health-related habits. I’m goofy and weird and I like to be VERY real and open with my struggles.

People might relate to you because you are a master at healthy cooking, or you are able to inspire people into doing really tough workouts, or you’re a mom and share similar struggles with other moms trying to be healthy, or because they like your sassy attitude about workouts, or because you have a drill-sergeant style for people who want that tough love, or because they have the same interests or values as you, or a whole number of other things!!

2. *Viability* I think it’s kind of funny when people ask me about the viability of Beachbody. I never got asked this question as an engineer and THAT was the job I lost haha!

Our execs and trainers at Beachbody make quality their TOP PRIORITY. It truly is a mission to end the trend of obesity. That means they are constantly staying on top of health trends, creating innovative new products, constantly tweaking based on coach and customer feedback, and looking for new ways to best serve the health and fulfillment of our customers!!

Some of the incredible Beachbody trainers

This company is still a baby. If you could see some of the things that are in the works for the future behind the scenes, you would know what an amazing growth opportunity this still is.

Beachbody CEO, Carl Daikeler

*Financials* When I lost my full-time job as an engineer over a year ago, I made the decision not to look for another job but instead to coach full-time. A lot of people questioned me on that. I don’t talk about money a lot but I can promise you that this was a well-thought-out, over-analyzed, deeply researched decision (not to mention there was a lot of soul searching that went into it). By the time that I became a coach full-time, I was making roughly the same amount of money as I had been as an engineer. I had saved up a lot of money during the time I knew I might be losing my job so I knew I’d have a cushion but I also didn’t want to have to tap into that. And to take it one step farther, I wanted to be able to maintain the same level of investing that I had been doing while working at my old job once I was a coach full-time. So I assure you that my standards are pretty high in terms of what I wanted to still be able to do financially as a coach and I have been able to meet all of those goals.

*Value* One last thing about viability and the financials of it. Money aside, there is also a ton of VALUE in the time and freedom I currently have. I can spend all day doing personal development and learning any skill that I want. This also makes me a better coach in the process because I can pass on what I’m learning to my customers and coaches. But additionally, for anyone who worries about money, career, or the future, just remember that you can lose EVERYTHING but the one thing that nobody can take away from you is what you’ve learned along the way. Our own personal growth and expansion is the most valuable thing we will ever have (not to mention having the time and freedom to make great memories with the people we love and doing what’s most important to us)!!

If anything ever changes, I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. It’s not worth any of my energy to worry about it in the meantime. SO MUCH of what we worry about never ends up happening. And at the end of the day, it’s something I love doing so I plan on doing it as long as possible. I love this quote from Jim Carrey from a commencement speech last year. It pretty much sums up my feelings on this topic:

“So many of us choose our path out of fear disguised as practicality…. you can fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.”

3. This kind of expands on what I said above about value. None of these questions/fears/concerns really matter because the biggest thing I’ve taken away from this is my own personal growth. This is a challenging business and the biggest challenge is talking yourself through all these doubts and fears that come up (“maybe I’m not cut out for this”, “nobody is interested in working with me”, “I hit a plateau,  I knew this wouldn’t work out,” “It’s been a slow month, this is probably the beginning of the end”). It’s ok to feel those fears but the challenge comes in continuing on despite them! Only then do you begin to see that none of those fears were real. There IS another side to each challenge. In doing this, your OWN PERSONAL BELIEF about what’s possible for your LIFE changes!!! THAT is where the true personal growth takes place!! It’s a lesson in persistence and of surpassing our own limits we place on ourselves and getting out of our own way!!! And once you start to do this, you’ll see that it begins to affect all other areas of your life!! You learn that the only real way to not succeed is to stop trying altogether. That first comes in seeing changes in your workouts or your eating, then your business, then, eventually, ANYTHING IN YOUR LIFE that you put your mind to!!

In the process, you also happen to be surrounded by some of the most open, supportive, caring, generous, motivated, positive, inspiring people in the world to encourage you! Your health will be better than ever because you’re on a TEAM! Honestly, I rely on other customers just as much for motivation as they do on me!!

Our incredible team!

This business lights a fire in me. It’s honestly one of the most rewarding and fulfilling things I’ve ever done and I love being able to help people in some small way every.single.day. :) :) :)

We can NEVER have enough coaches to fight for health and to teach people how to BELIEVE in themselves!!! If there is ever a time where that need no longer exists, what a WONDERFUL WORLD this will be!!!

You are worth taking the chance on your own GREATNESS (whatever that may be for you)!!! So if you have been thinking about taking a chance on this crazy, awesome business, please ask yourself, what's the worst that could happen?? You grow as a person, increase your own health and well-being, and help and inspire a few people along the way :)  The BEST thing that can happen is that you CHANGE YOUR LIFE AND CHANGE THE WORLD!!!!!!

**Please don’t hesitate to ask me more!!  I absolutely love talking to people about this business but I NEVER pressure anyone into anything they may not be ready for, so please don’t be scared to talk to me if you’re curious!! This could be your calling :) :) :)

Disclaimer Copy: Katelyn Lesk is an Independent Beachbody Coach.

Stress, worry, dreams, and sleep

I get a lot of incredibly sweet comments and messages about how positive I am and my outlook on life, and while I absolutely appreciate those messages and do my best to see the brighter side of life and the best in other people, I also intend to be fully real with you guys when life gets tough in the hopes that if you can relate to this, that you don't feel alone and that you perhaps you may also be able to find comfort in what helps me.

Let me start by saying that I can be very laid back and light about most things, but I can also be very high-strung/high anxiety about other things. I can immediately tell when I'm stressed/anxious/down about anything that that starts coming out in 2 ways: 1. I worry more about things that don't normally bother me (finances, for example) and have a more lack-focused mentality than I normally do; and 2. my sleep is either very restless or I start having crazy, stressful nightmares or incredibly emotionally-draining dreams. The past week or so, my dreams have been absolutely insane to the point that I wonder how my brain even conjured up such horrible dreams/thoughts. Or like last night, I spent the whole night dreaming about horrible emotional situations to the point where I've had to spend a good chunk of my morning so far processing and dealing with the residual stress of it.

So for the first issue (lack mentality, other surface fears), my strategy is to go into what's bothering me (it also helps to remember that these fears and worries aren't REAL, it's just stress making itself heard in whatever way it can). If I just push it away, it keeps nagging me with either lack-based thoughts or just a chronic low-level anxiety and icky feeling. I need to sit down and journal to get to the root of what's bothering me. I KNOW we are busy people, but TRUST ME, it is worth the 5 minute time investment to deal with the problem so that you can move on with your day in a much more effective way (not to mention that YOU and your emotional health are WORTH IT)!! I created this method I call a "fear-crusher list" a long time ago for my beachbody customers and coaches. It's a technique that I use for everything and helps me a TON:

As for dreams and emotional stress, this excerpt from Teal Swan's, "The Sculptor in the Sky" ALWAYS makes me feel better. I've re-read it a couple times this morning already :)

So no matter what you are going through, whether that be big emotional tough stuff or just the day-to-day stress of life, remember that YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Sending you all HUGE HUGS today!!

Love, Katelyn

Focus on the things that work out better than anticipated!!

On any given day, there are at least a million things I could worry about. I am by no means perfect at not living in fear, but I have gotten a lot better. I did a pretty good job of not worrying about my career future when I knew my job at my old company was in jeopardy. Instead, I threw myself full-force into coaching on the side and I honestly couldn’t have imagined a better outcome in the end. I was sad to see my engineering job go but I find my coaching job absolutely so fulfilling and rewarding and love that I get to help people every single day. That really was an experience that taught me to trust the process, especially since there was no way I could have planned for or foreseen how beautifully things would have worked out (3 years ago I never even knew about this coaching opportunity)!!

I had a similar experience today with something on so much of a smaller scale that it was laughable but it really is a lesson we can apply to all things. I had to make a phone call about an order I recently placed. I was dreading this call because I thought they mischarged me for something and I was anticipating having to argue and negotiate to get my way. I was frustrated that THEY had made a mistake and *I* would have to waste my precious time correcting it. But I said a little prayer asking the universe for assistance with working this out and made the call determined to be super kind to the person on the other end knowing that we both could work together on this. Well as it turns out, not only was *I* in the wrong about it (they had absolutely charged me correctly), but they ended up waiving a shipping fee just to be extra courteous and I was super grateful! So not only was it faster and easier than I thought, it also had a way better outcome than I could have even anticipated!

I’ve learned over my past 30 years that most of the things we worry about never end up coming to fruition. Often things turn out even better or easier than expected. And occasionally, not-so-good things, some that we never saw coming end up happening, and we deal with those when the time comes. Fear can consume us if we let it. It helps me to remember that the universe has my back and is supporting me step by step. It helps to remember we always have help and support from those who care about us (especially if we’re not afraid to ask)! It helps remembering that some of these perceived “bad things” are some of our greatest learning tools of all. It helps to trust the process and do my best to live fearlessly knowing that things are always working for our greatest good. And of course it helps a TON remembering things like this that worked out better than I could have even foreseen! *FOCUS ON THE THINGS THAT WORK OUT BETTER THAN ANTICIPATED!!!* and **JUST TRUST** Easier said than done, I know, but we can all work on it :)

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:

http://www.teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/BCP21E160?referringRepId=183908

21 Day Fix Extreme Base program:

http://www.teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/21DFEXTREME?referringRepId=183908

21 Day Fix (original) Challenge Pack:

http://www.teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/BCP21D160?referringRepId=183908

21 Day Fix (original) Base program:

http://www.teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/21DayFix?referringRepId=183908

*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

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)!!

How I came to find my life path and purpose (manifesting in action!)

I tell this story a lot but I have never shared so many personal aspects of it... until now :)

A few years ago when I was still working at my engineering job (long before I even knew what Beachbody coaching was), I was VERY stressed by all the traveling I was doing for work. I loved my company and I loved my job, but the traveling was a huge pressure on me. There were also other things going on in my life that had me very stressed out. So it was a point in my life where I was questioning EVERYTHING. The main thing was that if I could no longer do the job I was doing (mainly because the travel was wearing me down), what would I do if I could do absolutely anything? I obsessively made lists of what my life goals were, what I had been most effective at/productive with in my life, what brought me joy, what hobbies I was most passionate about, what interested me, what I wanted to be remembered for, etc. 

These questions and practices of journaling my heart's desires brought me a lot of clarity and peace. I kept these in what I called my "soul search binder," a binder I had kept ever since high school with printed copies of articles that inspired me, motivational quotes, and things that enlightened/challenged/expanded me like this article, "50 Life Secrets and Tips".

In time, the traveling died down and as my life became less stressful, I set these lists to the side and decided I didn't need to "figure it all out" right then. But low and behold, about 6 months later, I had stumbled upon Beachbody coaching and got involved with that. It started as something I wanted to do because I loved it, then became something I was able to do on the side along with my full-time job as an engineer, and then eventually BECAME my full-time job when I lost my job as an engineer. I tell the full story in my previous blog about trusting the process. 

Now, when I look back at those lists, I TRULY feel like what I do as a coach completely NAILS so many of those things I said I wanted and that I was best at on those lists!! Talk about manifesting our heart's desires!! You can click on the picture below and read all of my very personal notes about what I want out of life and you'll see that so much of what I mentioned involves helping people, being kind to people, motivating people, and things relating to health and fitness. 

What I didn't realize was how much this experience as a coach would change ME. It is one of the most fulfilling and rewarding things I have ever done. It challenges me, expands me, and inspires me every day through the incredible people I get to interact with because of my job! I am SO GRATEFUL that life has taken me down a path where I feel like I get to live out my purpose every.single.day. 

Thank YOU to all who have been involved with this :) :) :) 

Disclaimer Copy: Katelyn Lesk is an Independent Beachbody Coach.

Trusting the process and trusting that the universe has our back

As part of the Hay House Speak, Write, and Promote conference I attended last November in Chicago, we were given an opportunity to submit a video for a chance to have our own Hay House Radio show (or a book contract if you chose to submit a book proposal). It was a simple assignment- tell a 5-7 minute story. Shockingly, it's HARD to think of a story when the topic is that open-ended! I wanted something that represented me and felt like the real me. So I eventually decided on the story of how I transitioned from my engineering job to a coach and the REAL blessing behind that, which was learning to trust the process and the universe. Hope you all like it! Keep your fingers crossed for me, all!! :-D

Disclaimer Copy: Katelyn Lesk is an Independent Beachbody Coach.

Allow, over push

I'm in meetings, trainings, on calls, or answering messages all day long and yet at the end of every day I have to reprogram myself to not feel guilty because I feel like I got no work done (because my work never feels like work)! I'm talking to friends, meeting up with people I care about, listening to and reading amazing motivational stuff, and having deep uplifting conversations with people across the country all day long is what I'm actually doing. It's amazing how programmed we are to feel guilty if we're not constantly pushing and working! But what I've also discovered since becoming a full-time Beachbody coach almost a year ago is that we're also programmed to not trust that it's work unless it's somehow boring or grueling. Now, I don't believe that you have to absolutely love whatever you're doing to still be fulfilling your purpose in life. If you're someone who wants to help people and make a difference, you will do that no matter what your job is. But why not shoot for something that you're passionate about and love and doesn't feel like work? And additionally, let's at least break the pattern that we feel like we need to be killing ourselves to get anywhere in life!! Allow, over push. We all have value, we all serve a purpose here, and ALL is working out for our greater good and expansion. Be kind to yourself and kind to others and that changes the energy of the whole world.

 

Disclaimer Copy: Katelyn Lesk is an Independent Beachbody Coach.

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!

Thanks for the support through the good times and the not-so-good!

I have been super stressed, overwhelmed, and emotionally tapped-out lately. I apologize to anyone I've taken longer than normal to respond to. But I'm also going to take this opportunity to say thank you for the supportive, wonderful people you are! I am far from perfect and appreciate you all for loving and accepting me just as I am- flaws, fears, insecurities, failures, and all. Well, I never really believe in failure. I believe we're all doing the best we can. Sometimes that means we come up short. But in those short-comings, in those weak moments of vulnerability, in those moments of revealing our true selves, the good and the bad, I believe that is where we all find connection and the ONEness that unites us all.

I am grateful for the people who pick me up when I'm not at my best. For friends who will tell me the truth of their opinions. For friends who always have my best interest at heart. For friends who will get me outside in nature when I need to de-stress. For friends who will stay up late just to be there for me. For friends who will do a meditative, healing, prayer ceremony with me to help me reconnect to my truth and my higher self. For friends who will give me a kick-ass workout and sweat session to release some anxiety. For friends who will hug me and tell me everything is going to be ok. For friends who will help me decipher what my priorities are and help me give myself permission to table what once seemed important but is maybe not my top priority currently. For friends who will have 5am FB philosophy conversations about life when we can't sleep. For friends who are there for me no matter what.
***So I think that covers all of you haha. So if you're reading this, thank you for loving and understanding me and having my back through all the ups and downs of life. I appreciate YOU!***

And one last thing. Throughout the last few days, I've gotten news of several friends and family members who are dealing with some major tough stuff. Everything from scary health diagnoses to watching a precious loved one fight for their life to news of a special little one getting some wings before ever seeing the light of this world. My prayers and love go out to all of these strong souls and I hope you know that I am always there for you the way you have been there for me.

Much love to all of you,
Katelyn

Is age really just a number?

One of my friends posted a picture asking what people thought of the gray hair trend (just google "gray hair trend" if you're not familiar). I like the idea of any trend that embraces something we're culturally/societally trained not to be "ok" with. But what is it that we're not ok with? Is it just the mere reminders that we are getting older or that we're not the image we used to be? Would this model really think she was cool if they were actual gray hairs? I don't really mind the lines on my forehead but I mind the fact that they weren't there 3 or 4 years ago. Is it the change that we're not comfortable with or the projection of what might come next? I've been thinking about age a lot lately. I LOVE the Oprah Prime special with Cameron Diaz where she talks about aging as a privilege (a *must watch* if you ever catch it on OWN network). I'm really starting to believe (*actually* believe... not just believe in theory) that age is just a number. After a certain point in our lives where we are mostly done physically growing and we start the slow deterioration process, isn't it all relative? It may sound morbid (although I swear this actually makes me feel better), but after a certain point, we're basically just measuring an estimation of time until we die. That actually makes me feel good. In a lot of ways, I feel healthier with more vitality than I did in my early and mid 20s. I'm eating better, I drink very little alcohol anymore, I rarely get headaches, I haven't been sick once in the last 3 years, and I feel so strong and physically fit. If I had no reference point to my actual age, I can basically feel as young as I want to feel. What would happen to our perception of ourselves if we literally had no way to know our age? What if we were somehow able to delete the knowledge of our birth year? Would that better tune us in to how we FEEL more than wasting energy fearing hitting that next age milestone? This is all such a fascinating topic to me and I'm curious to hear your thoughts!

Be your own food advocate!

I have learned this lesson time and time again (even before I had food sensitivities and just wanted to make sure I was getting something healthy): how IMPORTANT it is to speak up, ask questions, and ask for modifications at restaurants. You are paying for the food and service, you DESERVE to get it in a way that meets your needs!

I learned the hard way at Bahama Breeze that grilled fish doesn't necessarily mean healthy food. A few years ago we would go there for lunch at work and I couldn't figure out why the plain (no dressing!) salmon salad was making me feel so yucky until one day, out of suspicion that they might be marinating it or cooking it in oils that didn't agree with me, I asked for TRULY plain fish. The salmon looked and tasted completely different (it actually tasted better in my opinion) and I left feeling great.

Ever since then, I've learned to ask questions of even the seemingly healthiest things on the menu.

Today, I was at Islamorada (on vacation in Myrtle Beach) and while I was disheartened to hear that the innocent-looking grilled fish was cooked in butter, our waitress was kind enough to bring out the restaurant manager who was SUPER friendly, was able to tell me every little ingredient in the food, cooked my food personally (with salt and pepper only per his suggestion), it was fantastic, I felt good, and all were happy.

So while you think you may be the "pain in the butt" customer, any quality restaurant is going to be happy to do what they can to oblige your dietary needs and it's a win-win for everyone. I'd happily come here again and recommend it to all of you!! Plus, how are restaurants going to know what the people want and make adjustments to their menus in the future to reflect that unless we speak up??

I REALLY appreciated how they bent over backwards to make sure the food was what I needed and were friendly and enthusiastic about it the whole time! So for those of you who may be nervous to speak up, the positive outcome may just surprise you (or blow you away like it did for me tonight)!

*Update as of 7/9/16*

*Restaurant tip*

Yesterday at lunch I ordered the seafood pasta (minus the pasta since I can't have gluten). They use vegetables instead and it's absolutely delicious. I've done this at a few other places with the seafood pasta. It always comes out a little different based on what veggies they use but I honestly think it tastes better than if it were made with pasta (plus I feel WAY better after)!

This was at The Fish Market but I know other restaurants do this as well. Carmella's does this for me with several of their pastas.

Never be afraid to ask if you want something healthier! Your body will thank you for it!

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.

Big milestone and thank you to my team!!

I don't normally post about my Beachbody income but this particular milestone is solely thanks to the incredible work of my amazing team of coaches so I've just got to take a second to say THANK YOU!! I got a HUGE, unexpected surprise when I logged on to my online office this morning and saw that the portion of the income that comes from the bonuses Beachbody pays me based on how well my team is doing from this past week EQUALED what I used to get in 2 WEEKS at my full-time job as an engineer!!!! This absolutely blew my mind!!! When I started down this journey, I did it because I loved it. When I found out I might be losing my engineering job (and then when I did), I was just thrilled to be able to be making a decent income doing something I still loved, that still made me feel so energized and alive, and that was one of the most fulfilling/rewarding things I've ever done. So for me, anything above and beyond that is a BONUS!

So I am absolutely thrilled. It makes me feel supported and abundant. It reassures me that I made the right choices along the way and reminds me that I'm on the right path and right where I need to be :)

So for any coaches out there struggling with this business or any PERSON out there struggling with ANYTHING in life, don't forget that things can change JUST LIKE THAT! LITERALLY overnight, things can turn around. Breakthroughs can happen. Disappointing situations can turn positive. Something that has seemed stagnant can take off. DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS!!!! You may only be one day away!!!

Disclaimer Copy: Katelyn Lesk is an Independent Beachbody Coach.