From the very first moment I met Lesley Logan, I knew she was a total powerhouse. She carries herself with a vibrant, but grounded energy and an easy confidence that no doubt comes from being very intentionally on top of her game. Both a highly skilled PMA Certified Master Pilates Instructor and an accomplished entrepreneur, Lesley offers individually-tailored Pilates instruction for each of her clients as well as online business courses for beginning to advanced Pilates instructors, studio owners and teacher trainers. She was voted 'Best Pilates in Los Angeles' by Los Angeles Magazine in 2013 and is currently gearing up to begin leading groups on Pilates Day Retreats in the Los Angeles area, as well as exciting destination Pilates Retreats. So, how does someone with such a beautifully full life stay on top of her wellness game as well? Here’s how Lesley Logan does it…
Biorhythms
I am a Lark! A competitive one as well. I love to get up before everyone and see my trainer, go for a run or go to Yoga class. Three days a week I get a Pilates session in. I wish this could also be before the world wakes up but usually it’s just before lunch. Then after I’ve got my workout in I make coffee for my husband and enjoy some time with my dogs before I am off to teach. On teaching days I will have 3-4 clients in the morning and then I have a break where I enjoy my backyard office, writing blogs or courses for my coaching business. I take coaching calls and hangout with my dogs. Then it’s back to teaching a few more clients before coming home to a home cooked dinner and some Hulu with my husband. We try to read a book together before bed. However, he’s an owl so I’m usually in bed before 10:30pm. Weekends are for yoga, hiking, Cinespia (when it’s summer) and meeting up with friends. I love filling up the day with all the things I enjoy. Yes, that means my days are full but they are full of inspiration. My clients teach me so much and working with Pilates instructors to make their businesses rock is a gift. The end of the day just feels so complete.
Diet
I have actually just started sharing my diet with people. Since 2007 I have been struggling off and on with severe dietary issues. I have had more tests done than I can count. I have cut out so many foods and then added a few in and then had to take others out. It’s been an interesting adventure. One that I only recently decided to accept as a gift. I have learned more about food than I ever planned on. I do not get along well with gluten, most grains, dairy or sugar. I live for GT’s Trilogy Kombucha (the dark bottle) and cold brew coffee. I also love tasting sipping Tequilas. The smoky Mescals are my jam! Breakfast: For breakfast I’m pretty rushed for time but I believe it’s important to never skip. After my workout I blend a shake. My favorite is avocado, spinach, kale and water and if I need a little extra boost I throw in half a frozen banana. Lunch: I love an easy salad during the week. Usually arugula, with roasted sweet potato and chicken and then whatever veggies I’ve got. Lot’s of them. Snacks: For snacks I tend to have my Kombucha and or sauerkraut. I know an odd snack but again I’ve got a stomach situation so having snacks that support it are more important than just having a snack. Later in the day if I need a snack between lunch and dinner I have a spoonful of coconut butter or almonds. I believe food is fuel so it’s important to not run on empty. Especially since I work with people no matter what I am doing. I want to have all the energy I can to help them reach their goals. Dinner: I am so lucky! My husband is an incredible cook and so supportive of my dietary restrictions. He gets really creative so that we don’t feel like we eat the same meals every week. Right now we love grilling lamb burgers or chicken. Then you name the veggie and we have it steamed, roasted or grilled. Right now he’s got this carrot, mushroom bbq sauce dish that I just cannot get enough of. Splurge: I have these really pretty glasses that I toss an ice cube in and pour a shot of a sipping Tequila. It’s so tasty that you really get to enjoy it. I mean it’s pretty guilt free.
Fitness
I love working out, moving my body and sweating. I truly believe our bodies were meant to move way more than we do in our lifestyles. To stay fit I do run with my neighbor around the UCLA campus a couple times a week. It’s just over 3 miles and ends at a cafe where we grab a cold brew and walk home to take on the day. I cannot stand a treadmill so I save that kind of cardio for when I travel. For my muscles I have a trainer and I do Pilates. I absolutely love the way Pilates feels on my body. It’s such a full body strength based workout. So I hit the Pilates studio 3-4x a week. If I don’t have a lot of time I do my mat work. It only takes 21 minutes to do Joseph Pilates mat work from his book “Return to Life.” My husband and I practice yoga 3-4x a week. It’s not only great for our minds and bodies but its time we spend together. I love this special time together because at the end we enjoy savasana holding hands. Might be cheesy to some but in our busy lives its a way for us to share an experience and connect to each other and ourselves.
Ideally all my workouts happen before 8am. But, there are only so many days in the week. Often my Pilates happens after my first set of clients. I wish I could work out later, but after lunch I just don’t feel as connected as I do in the morning—my mind is thinking about clients and coaching and to-do’s.
My trainer is the best of the best Jon Gallagher.
My Yoga Instructors are Anthony Benanati and Emilie Perz. If I can’t get to them then I see Caleb Asch and Jerome Mercier.
My Pilates Instructor is primarily Sandy Shimoda, but if I can’t get in with her I see people on her team at Vintage.
I don’t do many group fitness classes except Yoga. Mostly because I love to workout so early and there are not that many classes that early. Also, I am focused on functional fitness not just working out. I broke my leg almost 2 years ago because of my hyper mobility. Since then I have been focused on strengthening my body and having the right amount of flexibility. Flexibility without strength is as dangerous as being so strong and tight you pull something.
Relationships
Vulnerability is beyond valuable to a strong relationship. My husband and I could have easily not even dated if it wasn't for how vulnerable we were with each other. All my friendships require vulnerability. If you’re single and female I recommend Act Like a Lady, Think like a Man by Steve Harvey and He’s Just Not That Into You. I recommend for both men and women The Gifts of Imperfection and Daring Greatly by Brene Brown. Skip the games, be honest, be open and take a leap of faith.
Quality time is incredibly important as is communication. So many issues can be avoided if people just are honest with what they want and need. Knowing each other’s “love languages” is also key to having a healthy happy relationship. If you don’t then you might be sitting there thinking your partner doesn’t love you when in reality they are saying it daily but in a different way.
Home
It surprises a lot of people but we live a very minimalist type of lifestyle. We live in a studio on the west side. We have a backyard so we will stay here as long as we need to so our dogs have a space to enjoy that as theirs. We have a mix of vintage and mid-century style and mixed in with this is some music gear. Since we live in a small space we are really creative with space and storage. We use vintage suitcases to store things we don’t really need that often and then the suitcases make great end tables and decor. My husband’s amp makes a great computer stand—we don’t have TV or Cable so the computer serves as a Netflix/Hulu provider when needed.
When I moved into this space it was important to me to design a home I couldn’t wait to come home to. One that I felt inspired and saw myself in. When people came over I wanted them to say “This is so you!” When my husband moved in it was a priority of mine to make sure he felt the same way. We both are drawn to vintage furniture and color so our space is bright and creative. This is key since we do a lot of work from home. We want to feel inspired in our space. No TV is also a choice. We have goals for ourselves and as a couple and the TV can be such a distraction. It’s not just a distraction from doing our work. TV can be a distraction from your partner. We have some shows we both enjoy watching so we do that together while eating dinner. This way we don’t waste hours numbing out to the tube and can spend more time enjoying each other’s company. Hearing about our days and spending time with the dogs, who have been waiting patiently (hopefully) for us to come home from work.
Stress-Release and Centering Tools
To ground myself you will probably find me first lying on the ground. Seriously, when my wedding venue cancelled 5 weeks before my wedding I came home and laid on the ground. Placed blankets on my body and just let gravity take over. When I am stressed I hit the road with my podcast and running shoes. If I don’t have either of those as an option then I free flow. I literally write what’s on my mind until I realize that what ever is stressing me out is not that big a deal. I mean the reality is things that stress us out are not as big as we think in the moment.
I always feel better after moving. So, if I am not in a good mood even if I don’t feel like moving or I don’t feel like I have enough time I make myself run, go to yoga or do my mat Pilates. By the time I am done I have forgotten either what it was that bothered me or I have managed to figure out how to deal with it. The truth is everything is pretty fixable and all things happen the way they are supposed to. Plus, sometimes we think something is bad or didn’t go our way but then down the road we are glad things happened the way they did. If I hadn’t broken my leg I wouldn’t have “needed” my brand new boyfriend at the time to take care of me. Having to let go and accept help drew us closer together than we probably would have been. So, was it bad that I broke my leg?
Soul
I surround myself with people that I admire and feel inspired by their vulnerability and strength. I love just talking with them about their goals and my projects. Hearing their journey feeds my spirits. I find myself flying high after teaching a workshop or coaching a teacher on their goals. It’s just so exciting when people are learning and growing and doing what fuels their spirit.
I also thoroughly enjoy and make sure I go to the Korean spa every 6-8 weeks (although I have been known to go a couple times in one month), soak in their pools and then let them scrub layers of dead skin off. I mean, talk about feeling rejuvenated! I am at my happiest most Sunday nights. It’s funny—Sundays are the “prep day” for the week and can seem boring and routine: grocery shopping and cleaning up. Truthfully it’s really such a beautiful, simple time my hubby and I spend together. It’s uninterrupted time and it’s all ours. But, during the summer spending our Saturdays at Cinespia, well it just doesn't get any better than that! Sunsets, picnics and movies at a cemetery—that’s my happy place.
Pilates instructors and singles give me a sense of purpose. Pilates instructors love what they do so much but many of them hate the business side. I love helping instructors realize they can rock their business and teach when they want to teach to whom they want to teach. I want everyone to know the love and support my husband and I know. I was single not too long ago and the truth is it’s hard. Even for those who love their singleness. There are so many pressures. Way too many games and way too many mixed singles. My husband and I are getting ready to share our story on a podcast and we truly hope it inspires people to connect with themselves and each other.
In this exact moment I am really excited about the future. I have several Pilates retreats on the horizon. My first one to Cambodia is extremely special to me and I wish I was going back yesterday. Siem Reap, the home to the Temples of Angkor Wat, Bayon and so many more, has a magic around it that I cannot wait to share. I also have to say I’m truly excited about our new puppy Bayon. Seeing the world through his eyes is incredible. When you’re around him you can only be present.