The Fit Skool | by Kelly

July 6, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
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Beachin & BBQ’n

After a long fun weekend with family & friends it was definitely hard to get back into the normal Monday routine. I will say that I was happy to have Group Power first thing this morning to get a good sweat in. It’s always a great start to my Monday.

Here is a quick Photo Recap of our fun filled 4th Of July weekend:

Friday was a beach morning for Marc, Ava and I. This girl loves to be at the beach and run wild.

Around 3pm we headed to Todd’s Point for my friend Lindsay’s birthday beach party. It’s really impossible to get Ava to cooperate for the camera. If you have any tips, please share!

Ava once again swam in the water and played in the sand.

She ran around until she had no energy left!

Lets just say it was an early bed time for Ava.

Saturday was a cloudy day and a slow start in our house. We all slept until 7am which is a record. We never sleep that late, but I’ll take it.

We treated ourselves to some Dunkin Iced Coffees, walked Cooper and did some stuff around the house.

Marc did a lot of cooking Saturday and we BBQ’d at our house with our family for dinner. Ribs were on the menu and I’m so happy they were because they were so delicious.

Sunday we went for a long walk with Cooper again and then headed to Todd’s point for one last weekend beach trip. The weather was perfect and I loved being outside and playing in the water with Ava.

Kids really make the beach a lot more fun.

All in all we had a fun time being outside and enjoying extra time together with family & friends!

What did you do for the 4th?

Did you BBQ, if so what was your favorite food?

July 2, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
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Think Beyond The Bun!!

With 4th of July in just 2 days, I have been brainstorming recipes and food ideas for my BBQ weekend.

People ask me if I eat burgers or steak and the answer is YES! I don’t deprive myself of any food, but I do try to think of the healthiest and most nutritious ways to eat those so called “unhealthy” foods.

When I was pregnant with Ava I really started eating more “all natural” products and foods. It got me thinking beyond the bun if you know what I mean. Even bread is processed so I wanted to focus on eating as clean as possible. Sure I don’t eat 100% clean all the time but if I get to 90% I’m happy.

Back to the burgers…..A burger is not a bad food choice, its the toppings, the way its prepared and what you serve it on that can make it more caloric. The bun itself can add another 150-200 plus calories. So if you are looking to keep it a little lighter try it on a lettuce wrap, a salad, or even a low-carb tortilla. You really don’t sacrifice any flavors and it forces you to eat some extra greens!

Lets face it, ALL the flavors really do come from the JUICY burger, not from the bun.

Just for fun I put together a list of some of the “Healthy Foods I enjoy at BBQ’s“

1. Grilled Veggies with Pesto or olive oil

2. BBQ Grilled Chicken Breast

3. Hamburgers in Lettuce wraps or on salad

4. Potato salad with Vinaigrette dressing or Light Mayo/yogurt

5. Cole Slaw (light on the dressing)

6. Bean salad with fresh herbs

7. Corn on the cob (watch the butter!)

I really do love the 4th of July weekend because you get to spend time outside with family and friends during the best weather days of the year.

Try to think of this holiday weekend as a time to have fun with those special people and not make it about eating and drinking as much as possible! It’s an even more important time to take note of your food choices if you are trying to stay on track.

If you want to keep a healthy plate make sure to load up on the salad & veggies first, choose a normal size portion of protein and some healthy carbs. Nix the chips & dips, the foods with tons of oil & grease & if there is something on the table you want that is “bad” eat 1/2 of it or a couple bites and you won’t break the bank!

What is your favorite healthy food item for 4th of July weekend??

July 1, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
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WIAW: Healthy but random

I don’t know about you all but I am super pumped it’s Wednesday already. With a long weekend coming up for the 4th of July this week sure is flying by.

Ever since I got home from our travels this weekend I have been focusing on clean eating. While I still ate super healthy over the weekend, I felt like I missed some snacks and I ate some meals in the car so I just felt off. Thank goodness for Shakeology & Quest bars for saving my hunger on several occasions

I am linking up with the What I Ate Wednesday crew to share my food journal from yesterday.

When my alarm went off I was SOO startled. That really hasn’t happened in a while and I really think its because I was in a super deep sleep. I woke up very hungry but my breakfast didn’t really do much for me. I had 1 egg + 1 cup egg whites, sautéed spinach in olive oil and toast. Plus 1/2 cup coffee. I always pour a full cup but never finish it.

After training my client I had a banana + a chocolate Shakeology and randomly snacked on some baby carrots.

Since I had some free time later in the morning we met my friends at the park to let the kids play on the playground. it was WAY too hot. I think Ava and I each chugged a couple water bottles.

For lunch I had Chicken with herbs, brussel sprouts, 1/2 sweet potato, 1/4 cup of avocado & a golden delicious apple. When you are starving you literally eat everything that’s leftover in the fridge. It was actually quite tasty and filling.

Ava napped and I did my fitness coaching work on the computer for a couple hours. I then snacked on Oatmeal with coconut milk & a big spoonful of peanut butter. I wanted something filling and this snack was perfect.

Lets talk about dinner… dinner was the last thing on my mind and I’m pretty sure that I whipped this meal together in about 5 minutes with no plan in mind. Ava was hungry and literally pointing to the stove, like “mom when are you gonna make me something to eat” so I decided I needed a meal fast. We had ground turkey with a bag of frozen mixed veggies (with all the seasonings in the pantry) over a baked potato. While it looks like a big pile of randomness, Marc and Ava loved it.

(I did have 2 servings of it, so I guess it wasn’t that bad)

After Boot Camp I wasn’t really that hungry but I needed to refuel my muscles. I had bought Quest Bars the other day and I’m officially in love with the Chocolate Chunk one. Its amazing. I also had a bowl of juicy cherries!

I’m heading out the door now to teach Group Power, see ya later!

What’s something yummy you ate yesterday?

What’s your favorite Quest bar flavor?

June 29, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
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Bachelorette & Wedding in 1 Weekend

Today rolled around a little too quickly for me and I’m honestly surprised to be getting in a post today.

I had a whirlwind of a weekend and it was action packed with super fun activities.

After Boot Camp last Thursday night we headed up to Rhode Island. We figured the traveling would be easier if Ava was sleeping in the car but of course there were still tons of people on the road! We got to RI about 10pm and with plans to go to bed early Ava quickly changed that. She got her second wind and stayed up until 1am.

Friday morning I woke up and drank some coffee after feeling a little tired from my busy week and the little sleep. We took Ava and her cousin Natalie to a unique shopping center that had a little petting zoo with chickens, goats, and little shops in the mix.

They also had a bamboo forest.

The girls had fun exploring. We also made a trip to a park to let Ava & Natalie have some fun!

After our morning adventures we hung out at Marc’s parents until it was time for Marc to drive me to Misquamicut to meet up for my friend Megan’s Bachelorette Party!

We stayed at the Breezeway Resort which was located right by Misquamicut Beach!

We stayed and hung out at the beach until about 5pm, the weather was perfect!

Once we got ready we headed to the Ocean Mist for dinner.

Followed by some drinks & dancing at Paddy’s Cafe.

We had a blast hanging out, sharing conversations, and partying for Meg’s last weekend as a bachelorette!

Saturday morning I woke up early, thanks to my biological clock that is set on Ava’s schedule. I didn’t mind being up early and being able to lay in bed without having to jump up to get Ava or change a diaper! I got some breakfast with the girls and then went for a long walk on the beach!

After lunch time I headed back to the hotel room to shower & get changed, it was time for me to head to our friend Lauren & Chris’s wedding in Worcester Massachusetts.

Marc picked me up at 2pm and we made the trip to the wedding. We were able to pass time quickly as I recapped my fun night with the girls the night before.

The wedding started off with cocktail hour at 430pm.

The food was delicious! I did indulge in some cocktails as well

The wedding was beautiful.

I devoured my dinner in minutes it was so delicious. We had filet mignon, rosemary potatoes, & green beans! Yum.

The rest of the night was spent catching up with college friends.

Dancing on the dance floor!

and celebrating the new Mr. & Mrs. Chris Desantis, It was a beautiful wedding!

The end of our trip pretty much looked like this….. we were all completely wiped!!

Now it’s time for me to head to work and teach Group Power. I may need a little luck with this workout, I’m pretty tired from my fun weekend!

June 26, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
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Things I’m Loving This Week

Happy Friday!!!

I have an action packed weekend ahead of me.Today I am heading to my friend Megan’s Bachelorette Party in Misquamicut, RI and then tomorrow Marc will be picking me up and we are driving to our friends wedding in Massachusetts. Talk about a weekend of travels….

As usual I always have some few things to share with you so lets end the week on a positive note.

Here are some Things I’m loving from this week:

Strawberries

Last weekend we went Strawberry Picking and believe it or not our 10lbs of strawberries is gone! It’s pretty nuts, but once you take a bite into one of the strawberries its easy to grab about 5 more. We did freeze a few of them so that we can throw them into smoothies. We have been eating them with yogurt, on sandwiches with peanut butter, and as is! They are ridiculously juicy and hands down the best strawberries I have ever eaten.

Energy Bites

I’m always up for trying new things, especially when they are labeled “energy bites.” I do believe that there are certain types of food that give you energy and this is definitely one of them. It’s packed with healthy ingredients and super filling. Thank you Bishop’s Orchards again for supplying me with these tasty little snacks.

Veggie Chips

Sometimes I need a little crunch in my life. I’m all about healthy snacking and sometimes its hard for me to get my veggies in. There are days when I’m simply not in the mood or just the sight of a veggie makes me sick to my stomach. I was happy to have these Veggie Chips on hand the other day to give me a tasty healthy snack that I didn’t feel bad about!

Yopa Greek Yogurt With Crushed Almonds

I had a very busy week and sometimes having snacks that I can grab n go are the easiest. This was a perfect afternoon snack with protein, healthy fats & vitamins. I loved the crunch of the almonds with the tangy yogurt!

Balsamic & Fig Dressing

I don’t know about you guys but these hot temperatures make me crave COLD foods. I have been eating tons of salads and this dressing has been my number one choice. The balsamic & fig flavor makes me want to eat salad every day, no joke. I bought it at Stop & Shop and I highly recommend that you grab one and try it!

Boot Camp

After a long week of less sleep and action packed days I loved going to boot camp to get some endorphins. I always get a boost of energy during the class and when I leave I feel great. I owe it to a great group of people that keep coming back for more sweaty intense workouts!

What are some things you are loving this week?

Do you have any fun weekend plans?

June 25, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
1 Comment

Happy 3rd Birthday Cooper!

Ever since I was a little girl I always wanted a dog. I probably can’t count how many times I asked my parents for a dog. I knew we couldn’t get a dog because both of my parents were allergic and they would constantly remind me that we were never home to take care of a dog because my brothers and I played sports 24/7 when we weren’t in school.

Every Christmas I would ask for a puppy anyways, and as much as I knew it wasn’t possible I still asked for the pure hope that one day it just might happen.

I always wanted a golden retriever but of course they shed too much. I started researching dogs on the internet one day and I stumbled upon a partially hypoallergenic dog called a comfort retriever. It’s a mix between a golden and a poodle. When I started looking at the pictures of the puppies I was sold. I may have done a little dance because these dogs were perfect!

I sent the breeder’s link to Marc, and I’m pretty sure he knew he couldn’t say no to me. We talked to the breeder and in just a few short months Cooper was born.

I counted down the days until we would get him. The wait seemed like forever.

We were so lucky to have the breeder’s friend bring Cooper to our house, when they arrived I ran outside to find the tiniest little fluff ball waiting in his crate. I asked if I could hold him, and she said “he’s yours!” I had the biggest grin on my face and I will forever remember our first encounter.

I brought Cooper inside and of course he peed right away. Poor guy had a long car ride!

He ran around and explored the house, man this little guy had more spunk then I knew what to do with. He was so playful, curious, and of course too cute.

I waited my whole life for a dog and I couldn’t be luckier to have such a fun loving and playful puppy to spend all my days with.

He takes me on new adventures every day and makes me enjoy the rain when all I really want to be doing is snuggling on the couch or of course on the floor.

Cooper keeps me on my toes, he knows how to push my buttons by stealing toys, but most importantly he knows how to make me smile and cheer me up with kisses and his cute puppy dog face!

There’s only one other girl besides Ava and of course myself that Cooper gets super excited for, his girlfriend Barley! When they have playdates he can’t hold back his smile and excitement!

I love my little doggie and I know he’s made a new best friend with Ava because he makes her just as happy as he makes me & Marc.

Happy Birthday Mr. Cooper!

If you have a pet, do you celebrate their birthday? I think Cooper will definitely have a few licks of ice cream tonight

Did you have a pet growing up?

June 24, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
6 Comments

WIAW: Truckin along

Well Hello there! I went MIA yesterday. Monday night Ava went to bed super late and woke up early Tuesday morning and after training a few clients I really had no time to blog. I needed the extra time in the afternoon to get my life organized.

I’m sure all you Mom’s out there can relate. When your kid doesn’t sleep and you lose sleep its hard enough to function let alone find time to get anything else accomplished.

I’m happy to say we are back on track today. I wouldn’t say my eating has been off this week because I still ate healthy but I literally had no time to think about food, I just grabbed anything and ate it!

I am linking up with the WIAW (what I ate Wednesday) Crew to share my Food Journal from Monday!

Monday morning I woke and came downstairs to find Marc in the kitchen making eggs & veggies. It was so nice to have one less thing to do on a Monday morning! I had 2 eggs, mushrooms & spinach and toast.

I headed to the YMCA a little after 7am to teach Group Power. As soon as I finished, I refueled with my Vanilla protein shake and shortly after snacked on a banana and a few energy bites. I picked this up at Bishop’s Orchard this past weekend and I’m a huge fan. They are literally packed with energy (pistachios, apricots, soy protein, sunflower seeds, etc) I’m a big fan because they filled me right up.

Mid morning I taught my senior fitness class, I picked Ava up from daycare and we came home for lunch. I opened the fridge and grabbed my leftover Chicken Francese, veggies & potatoes and started eating. Ava had a few bites with me but preferred milk over food for lunch.

My afternoon flew by.. I did coaching work on the computer and then had a Chocolate Shakeology plus 2 tsp of Peanut butter for snack around 3pm! YUM.

I really don’t know how the time passed but when I realized it was 5 o’clock and I had no dinner plans I had to quickly make something for Ava. I opted for Chicken Cutlet, Steamed Green beans with olive oil & sea salt, and a white sweet potato. Have you every tried them? Wow they are soo good. I wish I bought more. They were little less “sweet” then a regular orange sweet potato and a little more starchy like a white potato. It was a great blend.

My evening didn’t go as plan. Ava didn’t want to sleep. She ran around like a crazy woman and Marc said she’s gonna crash but she didn’t. She wouldn’t go in her crib. She ate a gazillion snacks and about a gallon of milk. I also snacked on some fresh strawberries that we picked from the weekend.

I probably ate more then I should have, oops!

My night finished with an evening stroll with Marc, Ava & Cooper. The purpose of our walk was to get Ava to fall asleep but something was bothering her and it didn’t work! I even put her in my car to see if she’d sleep because usually she falls asleep quickly in the car and that didn’t work either. At around 10pm I shut the lights off in my room and snuggled in bed with her, I combed her hair and hummed some random song that popped in my head. Within 1 minute she was asleep. Phew.

Then she woke up at 5am….. luckily it didn’t really effect my day and we are off to a better start today.

Okay I will stop rambling and let you get on with your day

What was something yummy you ate yesterday?

Have you ever had a white sweet potato?

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

Father’s Day & Weekend Recap

I spent the weekend with a lot of great father figures in my life. My dad, my father in-law, my brother and my wonderful husband.

On Saturday morning we headed to Bishop’s Orchards in Guilford, CT to have an early father’s day picnic and a morning of strawberry picking with Marc’s family.

It was a cloudy day which actually made it perfect weather to pick strawberries and enjoy being outside in the fields.

Ava had a blast with her cousin Natalie.

They both thoroughly enjoyed picking strawberries.

Ava enjoyed eating them even more.

I’m not gonna lie I had a ton of fun myself and it brought memories back of my childhood trips to Bishop’s orchards to pick strawberries.

10lbs of strawberries later….

I’m trying to come up with ways to use all these strawberries up. They are super juicy and hands down the best strawberries I have ever had.

After a fun filled day we were all wiped!!

Sunday we spent the afternoon with my family and BBQ’d at my parents. We lucked out with the weather and it turned out to be a hot and sunny afternoon but we did go inside for a little to cool off!

Ava enjoyed feeding her Grandpa snacks on the recliner!

We ate lots of delicious food including this pasta salad that Marc made!

I think we can all agree that it was a great father’s day weekend spent together with family!

What fun things did you do this weekend for father’s day?

Have you ever been strawberry picking before?

June 19, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
2 Comments

Things I’m loving this week

HAPPY FRIDAY!!

I feel like I have so much to talk about but not a lot of time to write so this post is going to be short & sweet.

During the week I take note of some of my favorite things from food to drinks and everyday activities. I love sharing these favorite things with you all.

Here are a few “Things I’m Loving This Week”

Mamma Chia Seed Your Soul Bars

Last week I tried one of these Mamma Chia bars and I was surprised at the juiciness and taste. I had the blueberry & dark chocolate bar and it tasted like real fresh blueberries. I also loved that I was getting Omega’s from chia seeds with each bite.

21 Day Fix

On Monday I started a new 21 day challenge group with the fitness program 21 Day Fix & 21 Day Fix Extreme. I am really digging the new workouts. They are low impact and not as intense as Insanity Max30 but still give my muscles a great burn!

Oatmeal with Peanut Butter & Strawberries

Almost every day this week I have eaten Oatmeal with Peanut Butter & Strawberries for a mid-morning snack. It’s super tasty, filling & healthy!

Chocolate Protein Oat Bars

If you haven’t tried this recipe yet, I highly recommend these protein bars for a quick snack or a post workout treat. They are yummy and I really can’t get enough of them.

Playgrounds

We have made several trips to different playgrounds over the past couple weeks and the playground really doesn’t get old. The excitement on Ava’s face when we first get there is worth the trip. She starts yelling Weeeeeeeeee, like she’s going down the slide and we aren’t even out of the car. She also learns something new every time we go. This week she learned how to climb up the slide the wrong way. She thought she was on ninja warrior. After a few failed attempts she got it on her 4th try. I swear this girls determination is intense! I corrected her after and told her the right way to get to the slide was the stairs, I’m pretty sure she wasn’t happy about that.

We are heading to Bishop’s Orchards this Saturday for a fun father’s day outing with Marc’s family and we are so excited to see them.

I hope you have a great weekend and Happy Father’s Day to all the father figures out there

What are some things you are loving this week?

Do you have any fun father’s day weekend plans?

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

Block Island Sunscreen Review

I think you all may know me by now and this time of year you can find me at the beach or swimming in a pool when I’m not working! I now have a toddler who is following in my footsteps and if you say the word “beach” or “pool” she starts running towards the door to get outside.

Growing up my mom would pack a big cooler full of drinks, snacks & lunch and we would stay at the beach from the morning until late afternoon. We couldn’t get enough and that was basically how we spent our summer days!

After years and years of being in the sun, I know the importance of protecting my skin and I want my daughter to protect hers from sun damage too.

I’m always cautious of anything I put on my face whether its sunscreen or lotion because I have super sensitive skin. Most of you probably know the sunscreen company Banana Boat, and unfortunately I can’t use those products because I break out in a rash.

I was approached by Block Island Organics to try out their Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 and of course I was excited to try their sunscreen.

I have used so many different brands of sunscreen before that I haven’t liked. Some were thick and hard to spread, others that didn’t gave me rashes, and some that made me look like a ghost.

I first tested the sunscreen on myself when we were going to the pool at my parents. I applied the sunscreen about 15-20 minutes before we were leaving. I loved that it was lightweight, it spread well, and absorbed quickly!

Here are a little more details about the product:

Block Island Organics- Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30

Product Description:

An ultra lightweight, non-nano and instantly absorbing natural mineral sunscreen great for sensitive skin. Made with organic and natural ingredients. Provides broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection to prevent sun damage and premature skin aging. A small amount goes a long way.
Key facts: zinc only (safest & best UV filter), easily spreadable and lightweight yet moisturizing
Perfect for BABIES, KIDS and ADULTS – 3.4oz/100 ml
NO PARABENS, SULFATES, PETROCHEMICALS, PHTHALATES, DYES OR ARTIFICIAL FRAGRANCES. VEGAN FORMULA. GLUTEN FREE. NO ANIMAL TESTING. MADE IN USA.

Ingredients: The SPF-30 formula has the following:

Active Ingredients: Zinc Oxide 22%.

Inactive Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis Leaf (Aloe Vera Gel) Juice*, Aqua (Deionized Water), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) Oil, Gluconolactone, Glycerin*, Lecithin*, Octyl Palmitate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Xanthan Gum, Zemea Propanediol. (*Certified Organic)

After using the product for a weekend outside with a lot of sun exposure I felt relieved to know that I was using a natural product to keep my skin from sun damage.

The fact that it was also safe for Ava to use was even better! I would highly recommend Block Island Organics Sunscreen for any family looking to naturally protect their skin from sun damage!

Block Island Organics sells their products directly through their website: BLOCK ISLAND ORGANICS They are offering 20% through Monday for Father’s Day weekend!

Note: I received this product at no charge for the purpose of review. My review was not influenced in any way by Block Island Organics, nor do I receive any proceeds from sales or affiliate referrals. The views expressed in this post are entirely my own.