Healthy Chocolate Shakeology Candy and Treats!

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!

Recipe here: http://katelynlesk.blogspot.com/2016/03/healthy-shakeology-ice-cream.html

Happy, healthy cooking wishes to you! Enjoy!!!

~ Katelyn

Shakeology purchasing info: http://www.teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/MDSUSH311G?referringRepId=183908

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

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

Disclaimer Copy: Katelyn Lesk is an Independent Beachbody Coach.

Free 5-Day Clean Eating Challenge!

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:

Clean eating video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKrNQGqz7zw

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

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

THIS OVER THAT Series:

"This over that" day 1!

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:

Ultimate Reset: http://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/URComplete?referringRepId=183908

Ultimate Reset Challenge Pack: http://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/BCPCLN305?referringRepId=183908

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!!

Recipes here: http://katelynlesk.blogspot.com/2015/11/zucchini-pasta-with-homemade-sauce.html

Here’s my full demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY5w3dHoyL0

“This over that” day 4!

Better carbs!

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.

Finding fulfillment: my 4 year coach anniversary

I can’t believe it’s been 4 years since I signed up to be a coach! I have honestly never been happier or more fulfilled in my entire life and it just keeps getting better! There’s not a thing I would change about my journey and experience so far and I am so OPEN and looking forward to what the future holds!!

My first Beachbody Coach Summit (our national conference) back in 2013!
So much has changed since then!!

I share more about what I’ve learned in my 4 years of coaching in this video as well as what I realized I was missing in terms of fulfillment and how I found it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQOslQs5b6k

We run 5 day online coach sneak peeks every month- next one starts Monday. Let me know if you’re interested! These are NO PRESSURE groups! The last thing I would want is for someone to miss out on their DESTINY because they were afraid they would be obligated into something!! Join us for a fun peek behind the scenes!!

And whatever it is that FILLS YOUR SOUL, chase it with all your heart!!!

Sending lots of love and hugs to all of you! Thank you for always supporting me!!

Love,
Katelyn

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.

Around this time 4 years ago...

Around this time 4 years ago, I was losing motivation at my gym. My favorite instructor had moved, I was finding myself doing the same, stale thing every time I went, and I was starting to get tired of how much of my evening time it was eating up.

I reached out to a high school friend who I saw doing the Beachbody programs. We chatted about what program would be best for me and I immediately felt reinvigorated by the idea of taking control of my health by starting a new strength training program, called Chalean Extreme. I had been saying for YEARS at my old gym that I needed to do more strength training but didn't have the know-how or motivation to take myself beyond the same few moves that I was comfortable with... the kind you'd see being advertised in a Shape magazine to "get your arms tank-top ready."

She put me into a facebook group with about 7 other women. We worked out at home at whatever time we wanted using the DVD-based program but we would share in the group when we gotten our workout done and encourage the others who still had to do their workout. We even cracked jokes about the people in the program ("did Toni really have 7 kids?? Get outta here, Toni!") and made fun of ourselves doing the moves we weren't so good at ("I almost snapped a workout band during interval day!").

It made the workouts fun and light-hearted. It made eating right a team sport. And it made me feel like I was part of something BIGGER! I was in love!!

When Nicole asked me if I had ever thought about coaching myself, I was in shock. What?? I can do this TOO??? I was flattered that she had asked, excited, and ready to jump in.

I wanted to help people in the same way she helped me. I wanted to reinvigorate others the way I had been reinvigorated by my workout program. I wanted to make others feel like they were a part of a team and a family the way I had felt in our group.

There's more to this story that I will share on my OFFICIAL 4 year coach anniversary in a week and a half, but I really want to take some time today to highlight Nicole. I don't know where I'd be if she hadn't been sharing her journey, if she hadn't been brave enough to share it with me, and if she hadn't put together one of the most kick-butt groups of women that got my journey started off in an amazing way. She has been here for me in so many ways over the last 4 years but what I'm grateful for started way before that. I'm glad SHE took the plunge when she did. I'm glad SHE took a risk with this thing called Beachbody. I'm glad SHE put in the work. All of that was the only reason I found this in the first place. And my life has been changed for the better ever since.

The lower right picture is when her and I met Shaun T at our first Beachbody Summit (Beachbody's annual national conference). Of course we were PSYCHED and meeting the celebrity trainers is STILL awesome. But it's a small, small part of why this whole thing is SOOOO amazing for me. The people I've gotten to meet because of it- other coaches as well as clients as well as awesome people who have simply reached out to thank me for my positive posts- it's incredible. I APPRECIATE every single one of you!!! And it's hard to even put into words how much I've changed and grown as a person over the last 4 years. I am SO grateful for that. It's made the parts of me that I am most proud of. And of course it's given me a job that's also my life's passion! But I would do it for free. You've got my heart and soul, Beachbody.

Thank you, Nicole, for taking that leap and for helping me do the same!!! I don't know where I'd be if you hadn't! Love you!!!

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.

Country Heat Day 1

Can you relate to this? The past couple months, I've been feeling like I just can't get ahead. I've been fairly consistent with my workouts, but the summer brings a LOT of parties, get-togethers, and trips and I find that just when I start to feel like I'm getting back to normal, something comes up to derail my progress. Don't get me wrong, I am ALL FOR living life to the fullest and enjoying fun dinners with friends, some wine, and sharing in the joy of life that social activities bring, but sometimes it can be really hard to keep your health and fitness on track at the same time! This summer my clothes have been fitting tighter, my digestive system has felt off, and I just haven't been feeling as good as I normally do. It's hard to feel your best in LIFE when you don't feel physically as good!

Just to be clear, I am ALL about loving myself at every point in the journey. Even when my weight creeps up and my clothes are fitting tighter, I love myself for all that my body is capable of doing, I appreciate my health, and I remind myself that sometimes with all we have going on in life, it's just not possible to do it all (but I AM proud of what I AM doing)! But you know when you just feel yourself needing to reel it in a bit? Yep, that's where I am. I can still love myself and be gentle with myself, while DECIDING to focus more diligently on my fitness and nutrition. It's time to course-correct and improve in that area of my life. I was talking to my friend and coach, Nicole, yesterday and I told her I am feeling FOCUSED and DETERMINED! I'm ready to take this next 30 days by storm!!

Now some of you might think that a program like Country Heat may not be the best way to really crack down on your fitness and/or lose weight (that's what I thought at first too). WRONG! I have been seeing the test group results as they've become available and have been BLOWN AWAY! My coach, Jennifer, was in the test group and I got to see her go through her 30 day transformation. Not having a lot of weight to lose in the first place, I was amazed by how she still lost 7.5 lbs in the 30 day program! Then I just kept seeing result after result from the people I knew in the test group: 10 lbs, 18 lbs, 5 lbs, 17 lbs, 16 lbs, 7 lbs, 9 lbs, 13 lbs and the before/after pics looked amazing!! Autumn said there were even 3 or 4 people from the test group that continued on with 2 more rounds of the program and lost 60 lbs!!! 

The other thing I LOVE about this program is that it's FUN! There's no equipment, no burpees, no extreme workout. I can work up the motivation to do just about any workout but I didn't have to go through that mental process this morning when I geared up to do it because I was actually looking FORWARD to it!! I tried 2 of the sneak peeks recently and already knew how much the music in the program motivated me to go all-out with the moves (and I would all of a sudden notice I had been SMILING the whole time)!!

Here's my day 1 "before" picture! I am ready to rock and roll and see what I can do over the next 30 days! More importantly, I'm excited to get back to feeling GOOD and have FUN in the process!! I will keep you posted- you'll certainly be along for the ride with me! Clip from my first workout will be posted shortly :) AND, if you'd like to join too, I would love to have you in on the action!! We have a Country Heat group starting next MONDAY!! 

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.

A reminder about course-correction and not being able to do it ALL

I posted these 2 pictures on social media recently. The picture from the Ab Challenge post (left) was from about a year ago. The picture in the blue sports bra (right) was from a few days ago, and whether you can tell or not, I’m actually about 10 pounds heavier currently than I was in the Ab Challenge picture.

Here’s the thing. I often hear people talking about how they’ve gained weight as if they’ve somehow “gone backwards” in their life progress. My philosophy is this: YOU HAVE NEVER GONE BACKWARDS! Impossible! I CHOOSE to believe I’ve never been better than I am today. And neither are you! And you know what else? We just keep getting better!!! With each new day comes more experience, wisdom, memories, and life lessons!

I might not be quite as fit as I was at this time last year but we HAVE to stop looking at this as an isolated category. I’ve grown light years in my own personal development, my business, and new friendships. I’ve gone on several amazing trips and made AMAZING memories! I saw 2 new countries in this past year. I joined a leadership group, a toastmasters group, and a business mastermind group. I’ve made incredible new friends and built upon the friendships of the awesome people already in my life. I’ve learned some good lessons and some tough lessons and I’ve GROWN because of it. I’ve been exposed to new experiences, connections, and opportunities. I’ve been able to coach more people than ever and hopefully have helped them see their OWN WORTH (which means more to me than anything)!! I’ve watched the Pens win and Stanley Cup and got to celebrate with the whole city! I’ve spent time in nature! I’ve spent quality time that I wouldn’t trade for the world with my family! I’ve tested my limits physically and tapped into my adventurous side. I’ve made mistakes, I’ve failed, I’ve learned, I’ve succeeded, I’ve EXPANDED! I’ve met new people who have given me new perspectives of life and what’s possible! I’ve done lots of great work on my health and my digestive system. I’ve read books and listened to countless hours of motivational personal development! I’ve expanded in my meditation and prayer practice and grown my faith because of it. I’ve laughed, I’ve cried, I’ve had fun, I’ve made incredible memories, and I’ve been grateful about ALL of it!!

If you aren’t exactly where you want to be in your health and fitness, I want you to take a second to think about all the EXPERIENCES you’ve had, what you’ve LEARNED, and what you’re GRATEFUL for! A number on the scale pales in comparison to what really makes up a LIFE WORTH LIVING!!

Any time I feel a little too far off track with my health and fitness, I remind myself of these things that I’m grateful for. I also remind myself that it is OK TO NOT BE ABLE TO DO IT *ALL*!  We HAVE to stop holding ourselves to that impossible standard then crumbling under the pressure then feeling guilty if we don’t succeed at being EXACTLY where we want in ALL areas of our lives. Let’s start being gentle with ourselves and loving ourselves right where we are! Then, once we are in that space of love, we can evaluate where we want to COURSE-CORRECT! In my book, it’s not about perfection. Sometimes I need to reel things in a little in certain areas of my life, let go of things in other areas of my life, and remind myself that I’m doing the best that I can. For example, after the Pens playoffs, I had to let go of eating at restaurants (and drinking wine) so frequently and focus a little more on my workout routine. Was it an extreme, drastic change? No. Just a little course-correction! If we’re gentle with ourselves, we can make this whole “life” thing EASY!

No matter where you think you’re at in life, remember, you’ve never been better! Keep on shining, rock star!!!!!!

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.

What I love about our Health & Fitness Online Challenge Groups

The online challenge groups that our team runs are honestly SO much more to me than just health and fitness. I LOVE the incredible friendships we build in these groups- we get SO much inspiration from each other. I always feel like I'm on a TEAM that's rooting me on and supporting me no matter what (even when I miss a workout or slip from my eating plan). I love knowing I have a place to share my successes and ask for help when I'm struggling. I love the FUN we have (seriously- believe it or not, these groups make working out and eating well FUN!!)- we joke about the not-so-fun parts of the workouts and laugh at ourselves when we can't do all the moves (like the time I accidentally shot a resistance band across the room trying to get into an all-4s position during the pilates workout of 21 Day Fix Extreme)! We share health tips (it's SO helpful having a ton of creative minds to pull from- TONS of good ideas for how to stay on track). All around, these groups are one of my FAVORITE parts of my coaching job!! Couldn't be happier or more honored to be a part of these groups every month with some absolutely incredible people. If you want to know how to get involved, PLEASE- just ask!! I love talking about these groups, I will NEVER pressure you into anything you're not ready for, but I want to make sure everyone knows and understands what they're all about so that you're not missing out on something that might bring you a ton of joy (not to mention health improvements)!! Let's chat ;-)

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.