Healthy systems are more effective than willpower

In my world, willpower alone is not enough (not NEARLY enough) to make healthy choices regularly. My workout motivation has centered around years of gratitude practice for what my body is capable of (literally take a second to picture all the complex mechanisms that are involved in just getting one finger to move!!) and I've created systems to get me moving and keep me accountable (thank you, online challenge groups with my clients). My nutrition is the same way. Relying on willpower alone to make healthy choices or avoid the junk would be setting myself up for failure (that's why I don't do so great at parties or cookouts where the junk food is a temptation for hours on end)! But at home, I have great systems. I literally won't let myself buy junk at the grocery store and I make sure to keep my fridge PACKED with the healthy stuff. So for example, one aspect of this system is to make sure I never miss a farmer's market! So at least I know that every single Tuesday, my fridge is getting restocked with lots of fresh produce. I don't crave junk when I have all this delicious, healthy food keeping me well nourished!

What are some of your systems for good health??

Disclaimer Copy: Katelyn Lesk is an Independent Beachbody Coach.

Might as well do what sets your soul on fire!!

Every profession in the world gets judged:

If you are a teacher, you will inevitably be judged for being too strict, or not strict enough or giving too many tests

If you are a doctor, you will be judged by the patient who is in denial about the weight they need to lose, or you will be judged because you can't save every person

If you are a healer or meditation guru, you get judged for being hokey or "too positive"

If you are successful in business, you will be judged for being too greedy

If you are professional athlete, you get judged for making too much money or for dropping the ball

If you are a celebrity, you will be judged by your appearance or who you are dating or the awards you failed to take home

If you are the president, you get judged for... everything

If you are a yoga teacher, you will be judged for not having a "real job"

If you are an author, you will be judged for that book that flopped

I could go on and on. Every profession will be judged at some point or another by people who are unhappy with their own circumstances or simply because as humans, we all have our own unique set of values and experiences and opinions! But instead of fearing judgement, focus on doing what you love and serving the world! If you're going to be judged regardless, might as well get it for doing something that sets your soul on fire!!!

Now and Then: Slow and Steady LIFESTYLE Changes

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

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

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

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

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

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

Disclaimer Copy: Katelyn Lesk is an Independent Beachbody Coach.

I need to take a second to brag about YOU!!

On social media these days, I see a LOT of people posting about haters. My heart goes out to them. It really does. NOBODY should ever be made to feel like less than the awesomeness that each and every person inherently is and I commend them for standing strong despite any negative feedback. But I must say that the other thing that comes to mind when I see these types of posts is how GRATEFUL I am to have such incredible friends, family, social media friends, and networks who have been nothing but supportive- not just with my coaching journey but who have supported me my whole life. I’m not just talking about close friends and family, I’m literally talking about EVERY SINGLE ONE of you on here. If you’re reading this, I’m talking to YOU! And I thank you.

I’m not saying that every person has to like me or agree with me- we all have our own opinions on lots of different topics and I LOVE that! That’s what makes us UNIQUE! But can I just pause for a second and say how incredible you all are for doing what you do?! I literally don’t know that I’ve EVER gotten any kind of “hater” message before (I did get one really bizarre comment on one of my youtube videos once from a stranger but literally before I could even report it to Youtube, other complete strangers had stepped up and were sticking up for me all through the comment thread on the video, which I actually thought was really cool that I got to see and experience… “look for the helpers,” Mr. Rogers says). I respect all of your opinions but you’re all either super supportive or kind/polite enough to at least not talk down on anything I’m doing. And that’s why I love you all! You’re all too busy rocking your own awesome stuff in life to bother with nay-saying anyone else!!!

So to literally EVERY SINGLE PERSON reading this- my friends, my family, my beachbody supporters, and my peeps that NEVER WANT TO HEAR THE WORD BEACHBODY AGAIN haha- I LOVE YOU ALL TO PIECES!! And I appreciate each and every single one of you for being kind, classy, compassionate, supportive, encouraging, incredible souls!!! All ships rise with the tide and you all sure know how to make the tide rise! Keep on rocking with all the awesome stuff that YOU all are doing too!!

CHEERS TO YOU ALL!!!



Disclaimer Copy: Katelyn Lesk is an Independent Beachbody Coach. 

Goal setting, dream making, vision boarding, clarifying!

If you all don't know I'm crazy, now you know haha! Clearly there was a part of me that was really yearning to clarify some big life goals! I've really been putting my heart and soul into this assignment from our challenge group and even pulled out old goals, vision boards, and inspiring books to help me clarify. I'm using Chalene Johnson's PUSH to clarify my top priority statement and push goal. I did this back in 2013 and it was sooo useful but I'm a different person now with bigger dreams so it definitely needs an update!! The first 4 days REALLY help with the clarification process. I highly recommend it! If anyone would like to do it with me, you can either get the book or do it for free at 30daypush.com! I might even continue on through all 30 days (which I've never actually done before)!

Personal development: you are WORTH it!!

I get a lot of really sweet compliments about my positive outlook on life, which I definitely appreciate, but in trying to always be open and transparent, I'd like to remind you all that it is a constant practice. I spend an average of 2-3 hours a day on personal development (I did this even when working full time). I listen to podcasts, motivational youtube videos, and audiobooks while driving, working out, getting ready, and during my walks each day. I read everyday. It has been a process. I don't seek perfection; I seek growth, expansion, increased awareness, progress, new knowledge, and higher energy and vibration. I am grateful to have this much time to put into this (I am borderline obsessive about it and make it a huge priority), but I also firmly believe that even 10-20 min/day can make a WORLD of difference in your life. It is all about seeing what you connect with, seeing what you can put into practice in your life, trying it out, evaluating, incorporating, and then seeking more.

I also don't think it matters where you start. For me it was Tony Robbins and Wayne Dyer because their work was what I was resonating with at that point in my life and journey. That then led to me finding other high-performance coaches, discovering other Hay House authors, going to conferences that exposed me to more concepts that I wanted to learn more about, and took me all the way to some of my current favorite people to follow like Teal Swan who has a seemingly endless wealth of incredible online content. But no matter where you start, you will naturally discover more people and concepts that you resonate with. It's more important that you just start somewhere with a little time each day. YOU and your LIFE are WORTH IT!!!!

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!!