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.