Last week, I talked about the 5-day healthy eating challenge I did with the Fresno-based Team Beach Body Coach Leah Canseco-Decker. I’ve watched her journey over social media for just over a year, as she transitioned from a self-proclaimed “skinny fat” girl to a fabulously fit machine. With over 17,000 Instagram followers, she’s garnered a fitness following than goes beyond the Central Valley. I met Leah a few years ago at an industry event (she’s a graphic designer by day), and it’s been truly inspiring to see this other side of her!
If you follow her on Instagram, you’ll see her mention being “skinny fat,” meaning she was thin but not physically fit. People would tell her she didn’t need to lose weight because she was already skinny, but as you’ll see below, her body definitely changed, as did her self-esteem. Leah is very open about health and fitness mistakes she’s made along the way, which is why I think her following has grown so quickly.
Q&A with Leah
AM: Let’s start with some advice. With the holidays coming up, what are your top fitness/health tips?
LC:
- Carry a healthy snack with you at all times to avoid temptation.
- Do a physical activity for 30 minutes a day.
- Eat something healthy at home before you go out to meet friends.
- There are always healthy alternative recipes for any goodies during the holidays. You just have to Google them!
- The photo below shows portioned macro containers. It takes the guessing game out of portions and healthy eating!
AM: How did you get started in your fitness journey?
LC: Before I found a fitness challenge group, I was a yo-yo dieter doing quick weight loss schemes, only to gain it back. You name it: Master Cleanse diet, cabbage soup diet, low calorie diet. I didn’t even last the full duration on those diets! I did this for about six years off and on. You would think I would have learned a lesson, but no. I knew what I had to do, but wasn’t motivated enough to exercise.
At some point before finding a fitness challenge group, I was simply dying in my 20s. I was lost and confused with my situation in the real world after college. I was depressed, dying at the age of 27 thinking I had no hope. My dream has always been to work for myself by the time I am 30 and things weren’t looking good at 27. In August of 2013, I joined a fitness challenge group, which took place in a private Facebook group. I didn’t think my journey to fit would open up so many new doors for me. Everything around me started being positive. After just 2 weeks into the challenge group, I paid it forward and became a coach. I lost a total of 15lbs with the fitness challenge group.
Ever since I became a coach, I have grown so much personally. I feel great, alive, and now have hope for the future. I especially want to help waken people up who feel like there is no hope for them.
AM: Tell me about the physical progress you’ve made.
LC: I lost 15lbs (middle photo below), have been working on gaining muscle and have gained 15lbs (right). Left and right are same weight, but total different composition.
AM: Why did you become a Beachbody Coach? What does it entail?
LC: I do this because my life has changed ever since I started my journey to fit with Beachbody. I want to inspire others to dream big for their life because anyone’s body can be transformed into any type of physique they want, and anyone can live life by design. So many people try to start dieting and/or exercising, only to fail because they lack the support and motivation. I am here to push my clients to succeed in the new lifestyle that they want in the new body they want. I am passionate and dedicated to helping people achieve their goals. I hold monthly fitness & nutrition challenge groups on Facebook.
I also build a team of coaches who own their own coaching business. Some of my coaches come from my challenge groups because they achieved awesome results while my other coaches just went all in because they were already passionate about helping others and were ready to live life by design and be their own boss while working on their own journey. My coach mentorship starts on the 27th. It is for those people who are ready to own their own business while working on their own personal journey and helping others achieve their goals.
AM: Do you have a client picture you can share with us?
LC: Addie (below) lost 17lbs & 3 1/2 in!
You can learn more about Leah’s services at leahcansecofit.com or email her at coachleahbeah@gmail.com.
Photos courtesy of Leah Canseco-Decker.
In midst of all this, a girl has gotta eat, right? Alisa is loves chatting with chefs behind the scenes and exploring the rich food culture of the Central Valley.
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