The Fit Skool | by Kelly

October 1, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
1 Comment

Hello Fresh

Hi there!!! It’s October 1st already.. how did that happen??

I’m definitely excited the fall has officially begun and the weather is cooling down so I can turn the oven on and roast some fall veggies. It might be my favorite season for produce.

This post is coming late… because you know sometimes technology does bad things to you and deletes your whole post when you literally were about to hit the publish button. I wanted to scream but instead took a deep breath and reminded myself its not the end of the world and I could re-write it in a jiffy.. Well not that quick but here goes…..

Last week my friend suggested that I try out a company called HELLO FRESH. I was so excited when our package arrived. Hello Fresh delivers delicious & healthy recipes to your door each week and the best part is everything is pre measured so all you have to do is follow the instructions and your meal is ready!

We loved all of our meals and I can’t wait to order some more next week.

Our first meal was: ROASTED PORK CHOPS WITH BALSAMIC-FIG SAUCE, GREENS, AND ROSEMARY-ROASTED POTATOES

I absolutely loved the fig sauce… I could’ve licked the pan!!!

PAN SEARED CHICKEN SAUSAGE WITH TANGY CABBAGE AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH-APPLE PUREE

This meal was delicious and new to both marc and I. The flavor combinations definitely got my taste buds going in a good way!

SEARED STEAK & CREAMY HORSERADISH SAUCE WITH ROSEMARY-ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES

This was our favorite meal. Steak is just always a winner to me. I never usually add sauce but this was delicious and the root veggies were a great alternative to french fries and potatoes I kept going back for more!

What’s one of your challenges in the kitchen? is it coming up with food ideas, buying the ingredients or shopping?

Have you ever used a meal delivery service before?

September 30, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
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WIAW: Busy week

I can honestly say this has been a busy and fast week for me. I apologize for not posting the last couple of days but life gets in the way sometimes. I do miss talking to you guys but I’m here today and I’m going to share some of my “food journal” with you!

I tried my best to take pictures of everything I ate, some of them are not great but that’s okay right?

I’m linking up with the WIAW crew to share my food from yesterday!

My morning started off with a glass of water and a homemade cup of pumpkin spice coffee!! I made a quick breakfast with 2 eggs in coconut oil, spinach & a piece of whole grain toast. It was simple & delicious.

I was at the YMCA early for a meeting and then did some computer work.

My mid-morning snack was a bowl of oatmeal with almond milk, peanut butter & strawberries! I can’t get sick of this snack… seriously I could eat it every day! It tastes like peanut butter and jelly in a bowl.

I continued to do some more computer work and then built up a lunch appetite. This was random lunch 2 mini turkey burgers in lettuce wraps with tomatoes & mustard plus a Sweet Potato & Spinach burger. The Sweet potato burger stole the show.

My afternoon snack was my typical Chocolate Shakeology and I had an apple on the side with some nuts.

I’m so excited to share my dinner with you tonight. Marc and I decided to try out Hello Fresh which is a company that delvers delicious & healthy recipes all with pre measured ingredients to your door each week So far our first 2 meals were amazing. I will be giving a review tomorrow for you guys! Last night we had Steak with a Horseradish cream sauce and root veggies with rosemary (carrots & parsnips)! It was a great pre-workout meal.

After Boot camp I refueled with some Quest Protein Chips

& some delicious peach slices.

It was a yummy day of eats for this girl!

What was something you ate yesterday?

Have you ever tried a meal delivery service? What are your thoughts?!

September 25, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
2 Comments

Things I’m loving this week..

TGIF!

I hope you have some fun, relaxing, productive things headed your way this weekend. I have a party at my friend Lauren’s house with some other bridesmaids to do some fun wedding stuff & have dinner. She’s getting married in 2 weeks! I also have my beautiful niece’s baptism and a family dinner followed after. I’m looking forward to it.

Because it’s Friday, it’s time to share with you things I’m LOVING this week!

We have now that it’s officially fall I feel like I can share with you some fall favorites. Yes I have fall favorites already.

I picked up some of these mini pumpkins at the store and they are a simple way to decorate the kitchen table without taking up too much space, they are also super cheap!

Have you ever heard or tried a Delicata Squash before?? Um, please go buy one. I’m slightly obsessed. They are so easy to cook and they are a bit more starchier then some other squashes out there so I felt very full and satisfied after eating it this week!

I felt generous yesterday, so if you haven’t emailed me or left a comment today is the last day to enter for a chance to win 2 free samples of Shakeology!

If you don’t know me, I love ice cream. I try not to eat it too often but it’s my weakness and its my go to TREAT!! Especially smothered in crunchies.

Popcorn is my FAVORITE snack of all time haha. Trader Joe’s has this amazing air popped popcorn that is healthy & delicious. I highly recommend it, its also a great snack for TGIT entertainment like Grey’s Anatomy & SCANDAL.

Guys I can’t even begin to tell you how pumped I was for the return of my 2 favorite fall shows. I did a little happy dance yesterday.

To wrap up this post, here are some pics of Ava from the playground this week. This girl is so much fun and I can’t get enough of her smiles and crazy faces.

What fun stuff do you have planned this weekend?

Are you a Grey’s Anatomy or Scandal fan?

September 24, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
5 Comments

Shakeology GIVEAWAY!

Shakeology Giveaway!

I emphasize a lot of clean eating on my blog and I couldn’t be happier to give you a chance to win a sample of my favorite superfood protein shake SHAKEOLOGY!! Read below for a chance to try it out!

Shakeology has helped me burn more fat, fight cravings, boost my immune system, and keep my mood/energy balanced. Nutritionally, each shake is packed with protein, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes, phytonutrients and more!

Today I will give 2 lucky winners a sample of both Chocolate & Strawberry Shakeology.

For more information and to check out more product information head over to my page at www.shakeology.com/thefitskool

To Enter the GIVEAWAY:

Comment below in this blog post: Why do you want to try Shakeology & what flavors are you interested in?

For additional entries:

1. Go to my Facebook page & leave a comment with why you want to try these shakes. Tag a friend that you think might be interested for a bonus entry

2. Follow me on instagram: @TheFitSkool leave a comment & tag a friend

The 2 winners will be selected at random and announced by the end of day on Friday September 25th.

Good luck!

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. By entering the giveaway entrants confirm they are 18+ years of age, release Kelly Garofalo and Beachbody of responsibility and agree to terms of use

September 23, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
0 comments

WIAW: Plain but Real

Not all my food pictures are blog worthy but I try to be as real with you guys as possible with my food choices and my pictures.

By keeping it real I mean….I’m NOT a PHOTOGRAPHER and my food doesn’t always look PRETTY, I HATE waiting to eat my food because I have to take a picture of it, but I LOVE what I ate Wednesday posts so I suck it up for you

I’m by no means complaining, I envy the people that take amazing food pictures but I seriously don’t have the time and I sure don’t have the time to spend hours and hours in the kitchen. If I was getting paid to take pictures or cook food that would be a different story.

On that note, I’m linking up with the What I Ate Wednesday Crew to share my food journal from yesterday

2 EGGS WITH SPINACH & OLIVE OIL PLUS TOAST & 1/2 BANANA. I would have eaten the whole banana but Ava wanted some. It’s a perk to being a mom, you need to share your food.

I anticapated eating clean and trying to avoid processed foods yesterday but I got a little light headed and assumed my blood sugar was a little low so I grabbed a KIND Bar. Emergency granola bar stashes are clutch. When I got home, I immediately whipped up a CHOCOLATE SHAKEOLOGY and I felt like a million bucks after.

I did some computer work while Ava napped and eventually ate this delicious SALAD WITH GRILLED CHICKEN, TOMATOES, AVOCADO & BALSAMIC DRESSING.

I also had an apple.

My afternoon consisted of errands to a few stores, and a little more computer work I snacked on some almonds and baby carrots in the car! I love portable snacks that aren’t messy.

A little before dinner time I got a stomach ache. That RARELY happens so I was kind of thrown off and had no desire for food or cooking. I resorted to a simple meal that I knew wouldn’t upset my stomach. Baked Chicken, Roasted Zucchini with olive oil & a baked sweet potato. It actually made my stomach ache go away

After boot camp class I refueled with a Cookies & Cream Quest bar! Delicious and filling.

What’s something yummy you ate yesterday?

What’s your go to car snack?

September 22, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
0 comments

21 Day Fix Review

Most of you know, I have been a Fitness Coach since January through a company called Beachbody. I’m sure you have heard of several of their workout programs, like insanity, 21 day fix, T-25, P90x.. etc.

I have been a fan of their programs for YEARS and I can honestly say I love them all. They are all unique and different but focus on giving you the best results in a short amount of time.

For my last few challenge groups I have used the 21 Day Fix as my workout plan. It’s great for all fitness levels, and my favorite part is the nutrition plan.

NUTRITION

It teaches you the correct portions, without having to count calories, points, carbs, etc. You learn to eat REAL food, you learn how much of each food group you should consume, and you are allowed treats.

You all know I love my PEANUT BUTTER, but I also love carbs & fruit as well. Through this program I learned that I was eating lots of extra carbs, extra servings of fruit a day, and also a few extra spoonfuls of peanut butter then I should’ve been.

When I started balancing everything out by using the portion control containers, I started seeing more physical changes and my muscle tone improved a ton!

It took a lot of focus but once I got the hang of the meal plan, it got easier and eventually became part of my lifestyle. My energy is more balanced, I have less cravings and I couldn’t be happier.

I still enjoy a slice of pizza here, some ice cream and wine here and there but f you portion everything out there’s really nothing you can’t eat on this plan.

WORKOUTS

As a personal trainer & instructor I find it difficult to find time to do workouts that I WANT to do. My classes are always set in stone so I’m forced to do that workout for the day. As much as I love all my classes, it’s nice to work on different muscles and try new workouts. It keeps my muscles confused and I love that each day brings a new style workout.

The 21 day fix workouts are 30 minutes, they are quick, effective, & challenging. I really enjoy the change of pace these workouts offer. Anyone can do them, the moves are mostly low impact and it pushes my muscles in a different way. It forced me to step outside of my comfort zone and do pilates and yoga which are totally different workouts for me, but they were improving my strength, flexibilty & balance and I love that!

SUPPORT

If you do choose to have a coach, you will be motivated & pushed throughout your challenge. I’m always the coach but believe it or not, my groups have pushed me and kept me on track during each of the challenges. There were days I didn’t want to exercise or days when I literally wanted to eat a whole carton of ice cream, but I would see someone else post a picture of their “healthy” meals or text me saying that just busted their butts in the workout and that was all I needed to stay on track myself!!

I never realized how awesome it was to be a part of an online fitness group and now I know why people have so much success with these groups.

I’m so happy to be a part of it and I love being able to help others reach their goals!

If you are interested in joining any of my upcoming challenges, I’m hosting one on Monday October 5th, you can email me for more info: KGFitnessLLC@Gmail.com

Have you ever done a beachbody program before?

Have you ever been a part of a fitness challenge group?

September 21, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
0 comments

Beautiful weather & Weekend Recap

I don’t want to jinx anything but the weather around here has been pretty amazing, actually it has been perfect all summer long. I’m sure the winter will be brutal with storms but lets not even talk winter.

I hate to see summer go, but the slightly cooler temps have been beautiful. I love fall and I’m looking forward to fall activities.

This weekend was full of fun stuff so I wanted to share a quick photo recap with you:

Friday afternoon Ava and I took a quick afternoon trip to the beach.

She didn’t want to get out of the water and had a blast playing in the sand.

and EATING the sand. Can you tell by that nasty face?

Saturday morning we took a long walk, went to Ava’s soccer practice and then hung out until Marc’s parents arrived.

I had a baby shower in the afternoon. It was fun to catch up with some friends and enjoy some yummy eats.

Speaking of food I ate this for dinner.

Sunday was a lazy day for us. Well not really we took a 30 minute walk in the morning, but once we got home we all just felt like laying around and watching TV. That’s rare, but I didn’t mind it.

In the afternoon we had a 1 year old Birthday party for my best friend Shannon’s daughter.

There were tons of fun kid activities, lots of food, and football for the guys.

It was a fun day and a great way to end the weekend!

How was your weekend?

Did you do anything fun?

September 18, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
0 comments

Things I’m loving this week… TRADER JOE’S EDITION

HAPPY FRIDAY!

I love saying that, it just feels good to know free-time awaits us at the end of the day.

Last weekend we made a trip to Trader Joe’s AKA my favorite grocery store ever. I wish there was one a little closer so that I could go every day, but there’s not. It really makes me look forward to our trips and of course all the good finds from the store.

THING’S I’M LOVING TRADER JOE’S STYLE:

There’s nothing quite like fall and knowing there are so many good pumpkin products available. I’m a complete sucker for anything pumpkin and most of the time I need to turn my head due to the pure fact that most of the pumpkin products are loaded with sugar and other crap that I don’t need. I usually try to make my own pumpkin treats but sometimes its fun to try out new products and of course share them with my family & YOU.

I found these Pumpkin O’s in the cereal aisle… 1. They are crunchy 2. They are toddler approved 3. They are a sweet pumpkin treat for 110 calories.

I also stumbled upon these Pumpkin Bars. We have had their fig bars before and we are all a fan so when I tried these I nearly died. They do have a little more sugar then I would’ve liked but it beats having a slice of pumpkin pie. You can enjoy one of these bars for probably 1/3 of the calories as that slice of pie!

We love hummus in our house, this tomato & basil trader joe’s hummus is creamy and tasty. I enjoyed it with some whole grain tortilla chips, Ava enjoyed some with her fingers, and Marc spread some on his sandwiches this week. It’s great and it’s only $1.99 per container.

Sometimes eating veggies can be challenging and there’s always days that I’m just not feeling it. Having this Broccoli slaw on hand was an easy way to get a serving of veggies. I added a simple dressing and enjoyed it with my lunch and my dinners! Ava also ate some big spoonfuls of the broccoli slaw.

Last but not least.. Trader Joe’s chicken sausage is awesomely delicious, contains no preservatives, is high in protein, toddler approved, and tastes great as is, on a sandwich or mixed with some veggies & potatoes. Some Chicken Sausages aren’t that filling but these did the trick!

I am also LOVING this end of summer weather we are having. We have been enjoying the park a ton and I’m sure we will be going a lot more throughout the fall. I’m not gonna lie, I have fun going down the slides too.

What’s your favorite Trader Joe’s Product?

Any fun weekend plans?

September 17, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
0 comments

My morning routine

Do you think it’s healthy to have a morning routine??? I honestly love our morning routine and I don’t function well when we don’t stick with it.

All summer we have had a solid routine going in our house. Our routine is simple but keeps us organized in the morning and also allows us to spend time together.

Here is what “MY MORNING ROUTINE” looks like:

I wake up around 6:00am almost every day, give or take 15 minutes. Sometimes Ava wakes us up early and other days we are blessed with a later wake up call.

When she’s up I change her diaper, give her a cup of milk, grab myself water & a coffee and immediately start pulling out food to make all of us breakfast.

We usually eat breakfast between 630-650am every day.

I get myself dressed and ready, we put Ava in the stroller & take Cooper for a walk around 730am.

On Mondays and Wednesdays when I teach early classes Marc takes the 2 of them for a walk without me. The other days I arrive at the YMCA for 8:00am shortly after our walk.

While this routine is only about 1 – 1.5 hours of my day, it works for us and I feel good when we stick to it.

Sometimes on the weekends our breakfast & walk get pushed back a little later, but when we don’t get out of the house for that walk it bothers me. I love getting fresh air, its a natural caffeine fix for me, plus it gets my blood flowing and I’m ready to start my day with some good endorphins.

I always feel energized after our walks and it feels great to know that my little doggie got his exercise in for the day.

This routine has allowed us to spend extra time together and even Ava has grown to LOVE it. Especially the walks If Marc tries to walk Cooper without us, she starts to cry and doesn’t want want to miss out!

There are plenty of people out there that do not have a morning routine and usually SKIP breakfast & exercise. I think it’s so important to do both! If you work it into your schedule anything is possible. Marc works 45 hour weeks plus commutes 35 minutes each way to work and he still finds the time to eat breakfast with us and take Cooper for a long morning walk!

What are your thoughts?

Do you have a morning routine?

Do you stick with it

September 16, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
0 comments

WIAW: I don’t like deciding what to eat

I don’t want to jinx anything… well I guess I just shouldn’t even talk about it but I’ll try to get my point across without saying the exact words that I want to, “she’s been sleeping like a champ!” and by “she” I mean the little lady of the house.

All is well when we get our rest, do you agree?

I love my sleep and while I don’t ever get more then 8 or 8 1/2 hours I still need it to function like a normal human being, so it’s great to say that we are all pretty rested around here.

Now onto the topic of the blog! I’m linking up with the WIAW group to share with you my food journal from yesterday!

My morning started off with a glass of water and a 1/2 cup of french vanilla coffee brewed at home. I made myself an egg scramble with egg whites, spinach and olive oil and then topped with an over easy egg and some toast. It was delicious.

Around 9am I had a banana because I knew I would be doing a short workout so I wanted a little something extra for an energy boost.

After I finished a circuit workout I refueled with a Shakeology protein drink and 2 scoops of peanut butter. It’s my go to snack combo!

I did some work on the computer while Ava napped and then threw together a quick “leftover lunch.” I had grilled pesto chicken, yellow squash & brown rice pilaf.

Plus an apple & string cheese. It was tasty and filling.

I’m one of those people that hates deciding what to eat. If you could tell me my food line-up for the day I would just follow it but believe me I really don’t like making food decisions. My afternoon snack was lame.. I was hungry but my brain couldn’t put anything together. I snacked on some snap peas, carrots, an apple, and some almonds. Believe it or not I was full.

After getting myself organized for boot camp I whipped together a quick & easy light dinner. Pulled Pork, broccoli slaw, zucchini, & sweet potatoes. YUMMY.

Boot camp class was awesome and I’m loving the new set up we have with Rope training, heavier kettle bells and a longer circuit. The positive feedback from the group means its a good workout!

After Boot camp I ate a Quest Cookie Dough Protein Bar & Mango. It was too good and I was happy to get in some extra protein

What’s something yummy you ate yesterday?

Do you like planning out your meals or would you rather have someone else do it?