When Alesha Rose came off her deployment in 2009, life as a stay-at-home mom of two young children wasn’t an option. Aside from the financial pressure of needing to work, Alesha was transitioning from her high-alert army reality and needed to get back in the workforce. Unfortunately, the pace of the corporate world and integrating back into life after deployment left Alesha feeling unmotivated, stressed out, and unhealthy. When she discovered an online coaching course, it turned her life around. Alesha went from a lifestyle that led her to be overweight and exhausted to not only improving her own quality of life 10-fold, but guiding others through their journey to optimum health through workouts and healthy nutrition.
These days, the military mom is taking men and women everywhere through the drills and spreading health and vitality far and wide.
Let’s start with your military background. Can you tell us a little about that?
I joined the Army Reserves in 2002 when my friend decided it was a great idea to do together. She backed out and I stuck with it. Once I decide to do something, I go all in. I worked in human resources and now work as a Career Counselor, which I absolutely love! I get to help soldiers with their careers and what’s best for them.
Was it hard to come back and find yourself in the role of wife, mother, keeper-of-the-home etc. after having been deployed?
Yes! Transitioning home was really hard. Not just integrating into society again, but going from being on high-alert for so long I had anxiety, a marriage that was falling apart, and mom-guilt for being gone with an 18 month old and three year old, while missing out on so many important times in their lives. My son was so young that he barely knew who I was when I came home and that was heartbreaking. Also, coming home to now needing a job…the pressure was piling on me.
Why do you think it was so difficult for you to stay on a healthy track during that time?
From having anxiety, I really turned to alcohol to help with the crazy days. What mom doesn’t like to break open a bottle of wine at night? The food was terrible when deployed and I craved Taco Bell when I got home! I stopped there almost on a daily basis. When I was deployed, I had the gym as my outlet. When I got home, I had gotten a job in the corporate world within 2 weeks of returning and my life turned into this constant pressure of stress. With kids and a full time job I was looking for food that was cheap and fast to make. With the army still on the weekend, plus finishing up my Bachelors degree, healthy food and exercise were low on my priority list.
What was the trigger that finally pushed you to make a change?
I woke up one day having to put on a pant suit for work, and nothing fit. It was one of those days where you try on everything and nothing felt good. I just felt uncomfortable, unhappy, and I had so much brain fog. I was walking around like a zombie and had no energy. I knew I needed to do something. My daughters’ gymnastics coach told me about a popular home fitness program and I was so desperate for change, I was willing to try anything. That particular program wasn’t for me, but I did find another workout program called INSANITY. From the first time I pushed play, I was hooked. That high intensity cardio high that you get, the motivation from Shaun T that came at all the right moments when you are about to give up, and the feeling of accomplishment knowing you just finished a TOUGH workout… His program is also what led me to connecting with my Beachbody coach and, eventually, to me becoming a Beachbody coach as well.
Tell us a little about what your daily life looks like now?
I am so grateful for the opportunity to help others as a coach. I ended up getting laid off from my corporate job after 3 years and was able to build up enough savings that I could use my coaching side gig as a full time, work-from-home, mom business.
I love that I get to see my kids — who are now teenagers — on and off the bus, help them with their homework, and actually be able to sit together as a family and eat dinner each night. It really is the little things that can make the greatest memories!
I don’t have to wake up at 4am anymore to do my workout. I just make sure it’s done by 10am (I have to make that appointment to myself or else I will struggle with getting it done). But I do wake up at 6am to get the kids to school, read my personal development, and make my to-do list for the day.
While the kids are at school, I get to spend my day helping other moms who suffer from mom guilt, who struggle with being confident and having a belief in themselves, and I am able to support them on their fitness journey. The more support you have with positive people cheering you on in your corner, the more you will feel like you can accomplish anything because they have your back.
My once failing marriage is stronger than ever. We make sure to take time out of the day to spend with each other with no electronics. Even if it’s something as little as grocery shopping — having that attention for each other is what has kept us going strong now for 15 years.
What do you focus on when it comes to your diet?
I am a total nerd when it comes to figuring out foods that will help my body function and decrease what causes inflammation. The foods I eat have the least amount of chemicals and artificial ingredients in them as possible. I also make sure to get in my dense nutrition shake each day and to drink water! I get so much energy from vegetables so I make those high priority on my list of things to eat. PLUS they are lower in calories so I can eat more of them! My all-time favorite snack are snap peas.
I stop eating by 7pm. I have learned that my body does not sleep well if I am eating before I go to bed.
How do bone broth and collagen play a role in your nutrition?
Collagen is another daily must for me! I am 35 years old, and with years of abuse on my joints from cheering in high school and college, the Army, weight lifting, and just getting older in general, collagen has helped so much! Not to mention my skin and nails are so much clearer and stronger since consuming it regularly.
I use bone broth when I am craving something to eat at night. Or if I need beef or chicken broth for a recipe, I just put the bone broth in! LonoLife’s Thai Curry Bone Broth makes a really great soup base!
How do LonoLife products fit into your daily dietary habits?
I love that the company is one that I can trust with its ingredients, packed with protein to help with those cravings, and is super easy to make! Bone broth used to scare me off because I had no clue how to make it on my own. LonoLife simplifies the process for me!
If you had one piece of advice to share with women who find themselves in a similar rut to the one you were in, what would it be?
To realize that you truly are stronger than you think. We go through hard times, struggles, and obstacles as a way to get to the other side. But first you have to overcome those hurdles and grow into the person you need to become, before you get what you want. As moms, we stack so much onto our plates but if we don’t take care of ourselves first, we will have nothing to give to others.
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LonoLife customers come from all walks of life and from all over the country. We love to hear your stories of overcoming obstacles and transforming your life to one of healthy and vitality. If you have a good story to share, contact us at info@blog.lonolife.com
