I haven’t shared a post of any of my favorite things lately and I have a bunch of things I have been seriously LOVING over the past couple of weeks.

Things I’m loving this week…..

Avocado Toast

This stuff is so good. I simply just mash some avocado on bread or toast and sprinkle a little sea salt on top. If I need protein I usually add an egg or some egg whites.

You can’t beat it for a healthy snack!!! I have eaten some form of this toast every day this week

Cooper in sunglasses

You guys, how could you not smile at this picture? I know its from Easter but I can’t help but look at this and smile big. I love this guy and he sure does bring a lot of love and laughter to our family!

Warmer weather

Even though it hasn’t been exactly HOT, I’m appreciating the warmer temps and the opportunity to take my kids outside and play. The playgrounds & parks are our favorite place to go for an afternoon trip. I can’t wait for trips to the beach.

Wholly Guacamole

Speaking of avocados, we also love guacamole in our house. These single serving packets of guacamole from Costco are clutch. At 100 calories a serving it’s a great travel snack, it’s nutritious and super tasty!! We just got more this past week and we all love them!!

Chocolate Shakeology

I have been using Shakeology for well over a year now and it has helped me with cravings, energy and also it keeps me satisfied. I love knowing I’m getting in healthy vitamins and a good dose of protein. I have also got Marc hooked and my family uses it on occasion. I have been really enjoying my chocolate no bake protein bites as well and I can’t help but be excited to try out some new fun recipes this summer!!

Boot Camp Workouts

These past few weeks we have had some amazing boot camp workouts. I’m not participating in the entire class but here is a quick look at what some of my stats looked like.

Could you imagine if I did the entire workout??? There’s a great balance of cardio & fat burn. Plus a lot of calories can be burned if you really push it!

Cinnamon Bites

I tried this brand a few months back and bought the chocolate ones which I liked a lot. They do have wheat flour in them but I love that they are packed with sunflower seeds. If you like sunflower seeds then you will love these. Each serving has 6g protein and 9g of healthy fats!!!

I hope you all have a great week!

Are there any new things you are loving this week?

I actually woke up this morning at 6am and thought it was Wednesday and was mentally preparing myself to teach Group Power. I was super happy when I realized it was Friday, my body is in need for a workout rest day today!!

I wanted to share with you today some of the THINGS I’M LOVING THIS WEEK:

This past week I have gotten in some great workouts, including this short full body circuit that I shared with you in yesterday’s post. We did part of it in my boot camp class on Tuesday night and everyone had mentioned how sore their legs were, it’s a good one!

On Tuesday night after teaching Boot Camp I came home to find that the movie ELF was on TV. I felt like a kid and got all excited. Marc made a bowl of popcorn for us and we laughed watching my favorite Christmas movie!

I’m so honored that Made In Nature sent me some goodies to try this week. Yesterday I had no urge to eat veggies, but these Kale Chips with Rosemary Truffle intrigued me so I opened them up! They were crunchy tasty and I was super excited that I was able to get in a serving of veggies, WIN!

This isn’t a great picture of my chicken salad sandwich (probably because I rushed and wanted to eat it) but this was the best thing I ate all week. I bought this chicken salad from Citarella, it’s a healthy salad and I ate it 2 days in a row for lunch! I’m definitely going back for more!

My dear friend and client Sheila bought me this awesome mug from Green & Tonic. It says on the inside: EAT MINDFULLY, LIVE PASSIONATELY, GROW INTENTIONALLY, LOVE ABUNDANTLY. I absolutely love the quote and I honestly think that’s how I try to live my life. THANKS SHEILA For the thoughtful gift

Sometimes I don’t feel like cooking, okay I guess I don’t feel like cooking a lot but usually I force myself to. The other night I was in the mood for soup. Probably because it was rainy out and the thought of soup was comforting. I am a huge fan of Amy’s Organic soups. Especially this one. There’s tons of protein fiber, and vitamins. Plus you get in some veggies!

Last but never least, this picture of Cooper made me smile. This guy has been so cuddly this week I couldn’t not post this picture of him.

Your turn!!! What’s something you are loving this week? Are you all ready for the holidays? I have TONS of shopping and wrapping to do this weekend, but I’m ready to tackle it!

Have a great weekend

I have a few things I wanted to share with you from this week. Maybe I use the term LOVE a little loosely with these posts but I get excited for all new things to share with you that I think its close to love.

Things I’m loving this week!

My dad supports my healthy lifestyle and he’s even cleaned up his diet a lot. (I won’t give myself any credit there) he did it on his own. Anyways, he loves Costco and he LOVES buying Ava and myself healthy snacks from there. His choices always surprise me and when he brought over these Figgy pops Energy Bites I couldn’t help but get a little excited to try them. They were definitely amazing and I approved of all the ingredients. Thanks Dad!

Costco has some great prepared salad mixes. This one from Taylor farms is delicious. They are so easy to prepare for a quick, simple and healthy dinner. I’ve eaten them twice this week with some chicken on top. The one pictured below has kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, and a poppy seed dressing!

Fall Produce has been my favorite way to enjoy veggies this week. I simply roast them in the oven with olive oil and salt & pepper. Pictured below are a spaghetti squash, a carnival squash and a delicata squash!

Crockpot dinners were my thing this week. If I said I didn’t love the crockpot I would be lying, it just seems so easy that I felt like I was cheating this week. I really enjoyed having lots of leftovers, in fact we had so much food in the fridge I panicked a bit… I didn’t want to waste a single thing!! We made a big Turkey/beef chili and Chicken Cacciatore!

Ava had a playdate at my mom’s office while I worked Wednesday morning. She had fun running around and making a mess with rubber bands and paper. In the afternoon we all made a trip to St. Augustine’s Farm to buy a pumpkin and explore the market. It was fun.

It was a great week and I’m looking forward to our weekend trip to Rhode Island to visit Marc’s family!!

What’s something you are loving this week?

Any fun weekend plans?

I usually only pick a handful of things but I usually have at least 10 on my mind. Some of them are repeats so I don’t post them

THINGS I’M LOVING THIS WEEK!

On Labor Day we went to my parents to BBQ. My brother has been eating really healthy and trying lots of new nutritious snacks and foods and one of them was Ranch Kale Chips. I was excited to try them because I have only had them with olive oil and sea salt. Before I tried them he told me he wasn’t a fan, but after one bite I was sold. I really did like it and I was also happy to hear that they had 6g of protein, 4g fiber, iron and vitamin K with each serving!

Speaking of last weekend, my whole family was sick… rather then ramble on about sick details I want to tell you about my frequent trips to Green and Tonic. I went there twice last weekend and both times I took a shot of Fire Cider! No it doesn’t have alcohol, its an immunity booster shot containing apple cider vinegar, ginger, and HABANERO! This stuff is legit. I know I mentioned it last week, but I loved the way I felt after drinking it. It was almost like having a cup of coffee, a rinse of mouthwash and a lozenger in one gulp. That may sound weird but it worked wonders so I needed to mention it again.

I’m a huge fan of anything popcorn related. It’s probably one of my favorite healthy snacks, so when I saw this bag of Chia Pop I had to buy it. I was intrigued that it had chia powder but I assumed it would taste like regular popcorn and it did. The flavor was salt & pepper and I was surprised when I was full after one serving. Marc liked it too!

Ice cream is my weakness. It’s a part of my life and it’s one of my go to treats especially in the summer time and especially when I have a sore throat. What’s not soothing about ice cream right?? I stumbled upon this Breyers Natural Vanilla when I was just GLANCING at the ice cream aisle…. it caught my eye and when I saw that it only had 5 ingredients I knew it was a winner. It was creamy, delicious, soothed my sore throat, and tasted great. Each serving only has 130 calories too!

 Ava has been such a happy camper these last 2 days and really what’s not to love about a happy child! She’s been energized and so fun to play with.

We have no big plans this weekend and I’m looking forward to a relaxing weekend!

What are some things you are loving this week?

Any fun weekend plans?

We aren’t doing anything wild on our vacation week but it’s kind of nice to be able to go with the flow! We are headed to Rhode Island tomorrow morning to visit family & friends for a long weekend. Next week we plan on heading to the beach with Ava and then hopefully Marc and I will do a day trip somewhere just the 2 of us.

This week I have had a lot of “favorite” things that I wanted to share with you. Most of them are food related because I just love food and trying new things.

Things I’m loving this week:

Sugar Snap Peas from Trader Joes are pretty amazing. I can’t believe it was Ava’s first time having them this week but she absolutely loved peeling them a part and finding the peas inside. They are such a delicious healthy snack to keep on hand!

Trader Joe’s Sprouted Multi Grain Bread has no preservatives and is made with super healthy ingredients. For the last 2 weeks I really hadn’t eaten any bread but when I saw this at Trader Joe’s I had to try it and I’m glad I did. It paired nicely with my over easy eggs and Marc enjoyed it too.

Mamma Chia Pouches have made it into my Things I’m loving posts before but I found them in a box of 4 at Target and I was excited. Individual ones cost more so it was nice to be able to have a box of them on hand. They have all 3 omega’s, fruits & veggies, plus fiber. These snacks are great to keep in your purse or car and I’ve enjoyed having them as a quick no brainer healthy treat.

Omega Trek Mix speaking of Omega’s this nut mix is packed with healthy ingredients like walnuts, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries & pistachios. Ava has been on a nut kick lately and I like having trail mix to give her. It also keeps her nice & full.

I always like to finish these posts with a picture of Ava. She’s constantly growing & developing and to see her personality come out has been so fun. She absolutely loves being outside and of course playing with Cooper.

Oh and this Quote is a great reminder for when you need a little boost.

I keep reminding myself about positivity.. you can really tell convince your mind to do anything!

What are you up to this weekend?

Do you have any favorite things from the week?

This was such a fast week and I’m so happy about it.  I had a lot of positive vibes this week and it really helped make each day of the week so enjoyable!

There are so many things I love each week and I feel like I need to share those little things with you.

Things I’m Loving This Week!

Honest Kids Juice Boxes my dad bought these for Ava at costco and they contain real ingredients and less sugar then most of the juices out there for kids. Ava loves them and I do too! It’s always hard to get her to drink her water & juice, she’s really just a milk drinker so these are great to have on road trips and days at the beach.

Group Power was pretty awesome on Wednesday. I mean awesome because the group was so energetic and motivating that it made the workout so fun! I got in such a great workout and it felt great to see my class smiling and enjoying themselves. Exercise needs to be fun right?

Hot days call for salads. I’m on a salad kick as you know and I’m really loving the convenience of having salad kits available to throw together in 5 minutes. I’m really enjoying avocados and tomatoes in the salads. It’s so refreshing.

Back to Nature Animal Crackers. Ava eats a very healthy diet just like her mom and dad, but just like us there are some convenient snacks that I like to pack in the car and to keep on hand for when hunger strikes! A hungry kid is not a happy one so keeping crackers and snacks in my purse is a must! These are organic animal crackers that are lower in sugar and contain some healthy ingredients. I’m a huge fan myself

Fudgy Protein Bites I made a double batch of my Fudgy Shakeology bites on Wednesday and because they were made with love they came out EXTRA tasty. Even my mom & dad loved them! If you are looking for a satisfying snack check out the recipe.. it only takes about 5 minutes to make.

Larabars. I love snacks, and although I should take some more time to make these myself they are just too darn good to pass up in the store. I love the peanut butter chocolate chip cookie one. It’s even better when it sits in your car in the hot temps and gets all gooey and chocolatey. YUM! One of these days I’m gonna change my blog name to Peanut Butter Lover.

Night Night Mama. For the first time ever, Ava said “night-night mama” to me. I nearly melted and I came downstairs with such a smile on my face. She has been sleeping like a champ this week and super easy to put down, so what’s not to be happy about? But seriously, she’s too darn cute and I loved it.

Okay well this list could go on and on but I’m gonna end it on a good note. I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

What’s something you are loving this weekend?

Are you a big snacker?

I literally might do a dance right now, I’m so excited its Friday. I am SO sore that I’m pumped to have a rest day today with no classes to teach. I woke up in the middle of the night to my legs screaming at me.

My workout today will be walking Cooper & about 10-15 minutes of serious stretching!

Before I head to the YMCA to train some clients I figured I would share some Things I’m Loving this week:

Fruit has been my number 1 snack this week. I have been enjoying extra strawberries & cherries at night for a snack!

Last weekend Marc bought these Dark Chocolate Espresso beans at Citarella. I only try them in the morning time because I’m so sensitive to caffeine, but they are a nice chocolate fix!

Al Fresco chicken sausage has been a weekly dinner staple for us on Boot Camp nights.

 They are so easy to whip up and we all love the taste of their different sausage flavors.

Now that the weather is hotter, I have been wanting to cook less and less. Every day this week I have thrown together cold salads with leftover Chicken and whatever veggies we have in the fridge.

This weekend we are launching our new Group Power workout and I have this workout to blame for my soreness. It’s challenging my muscles in a new way and I love it!

Last but not least, Ava is surprising me every day with new skills and just how incredibly smart she is. In this picture below she is walking across a mini balance beam at the playground.

It’s just so amazing to see kids learn new things right in front of you!

With the weather looking hot & sunny this weekend I have a feeling we will be outside playing in the pool or at the beach! I can’t wait

What things have you been loving this week?

Do you have any fun weekend plans?

Tonight we will be heading to Marc’s softball game and then I have a Boot Camp Class schedule for 9:15 Saturday morning if you would like to join us

In case you missed my post yesterday about my amazing client transformation and Sheila’s tips on “How she stocks a healthy kitchen,” please check it out!

I wanted to share some things I have been loving this week with you guys!

On Wednesday Ava and I headed to a new park in Greenwich, CT called Cos Cob Park.

The park is set right on the water, it has an awesome playground for kids, a trail walk along the water and a great field complex for sporting events.

Clearly Ava had a blast and we will be heading there again today to have some more fun with her friends.

These almonds from A&P. If you don’t read nutrition labels most stores sell notes that have added oils, sugars, & salts. This brand has just RAW ALMONDS. This is great and I can mix in my own salt, cranberries, etc!

Ava was on a very bland diet this past week after throwing up several times and having some stomach issues. We eliminated dairy, and have been giving her foods that are pretty dry and plain. She chose to snack on these Popcorners and I must agree they are pretty yummy. They also have only 3 ingredients: corn, sunflower oil, & sea salt! Not bad!

While shopping at A&P the other day, Ava spotted these freeze dried apple Fruit Crisps. I wonder why???? marketing companies are so smart, Mickey will catch any kids attention. They are actually only dried apples so they are super healthy!

I’m a huge Chicken Marsala fan. It’s an easy recipe to whip up and it tastes great. I have a new recipe to share with you next week and it’s Gluten Free.

I know I have posted almond milk before for things I’m loving but Stop & Shop has their own brand and it’s usually around $2. You can’t beat it. In case you haven’t tried almond milk, it has almost 1/2 of your daily needs for calcium. That’s pretty amazing considering regular milk doesn’t even come close!

Sometimes I want to eat veggies but nothing is appealing. On a couple of afternoons this week I have popped in one of these zucchini pancakes to have with my afternoon snack. They are made with simple ingredients and they are quite tasty! I’m definitely a fan.

The last thing I want to share with you is this Pink Orchid Candle that I bought at Bed Bath & Beyond a few weeks ago. In case you didn’t know I am slightly obsessed with candles and this brings a nice spring scent to our house when I light it!

That’s it for this week, we have a couple of BBQ plans for the weekend that I am looking forward to and besides that I hope to get to the beach so we can see Ava run around and play in the water like the crazy little girl she is

What are some things you are loving this week?

do you have any fun holiday weekend plans?

Next week is our 4 year wedding anniversary and then I get to celebrate Mother’s day. We also have tons of Birthday, Baby shower, and wedding shower celebrations so this month is going to be action packed.

This morning we got up bright and early, after I ate a quick breakfast I took my buddy Cooper for a long walk. The weather this morning was PERFECT for walking. It was a tad cool once we started but I warmed up rather quickly.

I’m a huge fan of morning workouts on Friday because once the day is over, I get into weekend mode and I want to wear real-people clothing. Get me outa workout capris and sports tanks.

I decided to do an at home workout today with an Insanity Max 30 DVD. It’s fun to have Shaun-T kick my butt, and once again he did.

The title of this workout was SWEAT INTERVALS.. now I get it because I was dripping sweat about 6-7 minutes in.

During the first 10 minutes I wanted to quit, I was tired, my legs were sore, I didn’t have it in me. But then my fire came out and I told myself that it was in my head. Sure my legs were screaming but its not like I couldn’t keep going.

Sometimes its a wake up call when I workout by myself. I’m used to pushing others that every once in a while I need someone to tell me to keep going and that I can do 5 more or another 15 seconds.

At the end of the workout I felt accomplished and SWEATY.

Now I have some more work to do before my weekend begins. Tomorrow night we are headed to a 30th Birthday celebration for my Best Friend Lauren. We have been friends for all 30 years and I can’t wait to celebrate with her

Do you have any fun plans this weekend?

Do you ever do a workout at home and want to quit 10 minutes in?

of course I am pumped it’s Friday. I think Fridays are my favorite day. What about you?

I have a few things to share with you before I start talking about my Insanity workouts.

Last night after Boot Camp I came home and whipped up a Shake with PB2 powder, Chocolate Shakeology, almond milk and some ice. It was pretty amazing and I call it my Reese’s Shake.

Literally I came home from class and we had a giant bowl of mini Reese’s staring at me from Valentine’s day. They were a treat for Marc from my mom.

I said to Marc man I would love a Reese’s!! So I made my own, it was a lot healthier and it hit the spot!! Who doesn’t like a chocolate & peanut butter combo

This week I have gotten in some awesome workouts. They were by no means easy but I worked hard. I’m happy that I have a couple rest days lined up this weekend.

I wanted to chat with you a little about my Insanity Max30 progress. It’s been about 21 days since I started which is nuts because I feel like it was yesterday.. but after 3 weeks I can honestly say I am stronger. My pushups are better and my cardio endurance has bumped up. I don’t get hit as soon with my Max out zone as I did the first week. It just goes to show you that you can get stronger and you can improve if you put the time in!

So far the 30 minute workouts have been plenty. When I do them I have to make sure Ava is occupied or someone is watching her, or maybe she’s napping! It’s great if you are short on time and you want to drip sweat.

As far as the moves, they are similar to what I do with my Boot Camp class but the workout is structured a little different.

Here are a couple of the exercises I did yesterday:

Shoulder Pushups or “V-Pushups”

They are a total upper body toner.

Plank Knee-Taps

I like these a lot. You need full body strength and good balance to do these!

Okay I gotta run.. time to head to the YMCA for some training!

I can’t wait for our weekend to start. Tomorrow morning we will be heading to Rhode Island to visit family. I am excited to get away for the weekend. It’s always relaxing and stress free when we are there and I know Ava will be super pumped to play with her cousin Natalie!

Have a great weekend!

Do you have any fun plans lined up for the weekend?

Have you ever committed to a program like insanity? 

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