I decided to skip my post Friday.. We had way too much going on and I needed a day to catch up. This weekend was a long one, and I was lucky enough to spend the entire weekend with family.
here is a picture recap of my weekend:
I practiced Group Power
Once at home and once at the YMCA with Coworkers
We celebrated my younger brother’s 27th Birthday with takeout food from Dinosaur BBQ for dinner.
We indulged in delicious smokey BBQ!
and Ice cream cake for dessert.
Easter Sunday was a slow start, we ate breakfast and hung around the house.
This was Ava’s 2nd Easter and its crazy to see the difference in size just one year later. She was a little peanut.
I hid some easter eggs in the house for Ava. They were filled with Mickey Mouse stickers and as soon as she opened them she smiled.
Around 12 we headed to my parents for the day. We ate a delicious Easter lunch. I have no picture of the food! Think I was hungry?
It turned out to be a great day. We were able to hang outside for a bit, go for a walk, and play with Ava!
It was nice to spend the entire weekend with family.
These pics are as close as we got to taking a decent family picture!! Maybe next year.
I have made a PB & J Smoothie before using Strawberry protein powder but I decided to try it with Vanilla protein powder instead. The result was delicious berry & nutty flavor. Clearly I love peanut butter but I am sure you could use almond butter instead.
The combination of flavors is like a PB & Jelly sandwich but in a smoothie. This has been my favorite way to enjoy the vanilla shakeology! I am sure you could use whatever protein powder you have on hand too.
PB & Jelly Protein Shake
Ingredients:
1 Scoop of Vanilla Shakeology
1 cup Almond milk
1 cup Ice
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp PB2 Powder
3/4 cup Strawberries (you can use frozen too!)
Directions:
Blend & Enjoy
What has been your go to smoothie recipe lately?
Do you like the combination of Peanut Butter & Berries?
I always try to focus on clean eating but this week I am trying to add in new meals to mix it up. Sometimes I get bored with my food choices. Although I like simple foods I do wish I mixed up my food choices more often.
I guess my reasoning for simple foods is having a toddler around. I don’t have too much time to throw together meals that take longer then 30 minutes! So on Monday afternoon I mixed up my afternoon snack… check it out below.
I woke up at my normal time Monday morning at 6am. This time I struggled to get out of bed. Usually I pop right up. The lack of sleep from the weekend really caught up to me. I splashed my face with cold water and drank a 1/2 cup of coffee and before I knew it I was ready to go. My breakfast was 2 eggs over easy served over sautéed spinach with some toast on the side.
After my 730am Group Power class I had oatmeal with peanut butter
and a Coffee Protein Shake w/ a banana
For Lunch I had leftovers, chicken marsala with zucchini & squash plus some roasted potatoes & an orange.
In the afternoon I did a quick insanity workout and opted to refuel with a bowl of Lentil Soup and some plantain chips.
This was totally a new afternoon snack for me it was a great change and I loveddd it. Not only was the lentil soup filling but it was also nutritious and tasty. The plantain chips gave me my salt fix that I needed!
Marc made delicious roasted chicken on Sunday so I had a piece of that for dinner with some green beans and sweet potato. The chicken was slow cooked so it literally melted in my mouth!! Yum.
I always like a night time snack to end the night. I’m usually hungry around 8pm so I made a quick Chocolate Shakeology shake and drank it while I watched some TV to end my night.
What’s your go to afternoon snack?
Do you tend to eat similar foods every day?
March 31, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool 4 Comments
Okay… I don’t want to hype these up too much, but these Fudgy Protein Bites are pretty amazing. I had lower expectations when making them because sometimes protein balls can taste chalky and I used PB2 powder which can be very dry tasting, BUT these were far from that.
I felt like I was biting into a piece of fudge that was soft, chewy, and peanut buttery. Yes I made up my own word there but that’s how it tasted.
I adapted the recipe from Chalene Johnson’s and changed it up a little bit. I made 1/2 batch which is the recipe I am sharing today. The reason I made half was because I didn’t want to waste ingredients if they came out terrible
SO feel free to double the recipe because these won’t last long in your fridge.
Combine all ingredients in a medium size mixing bowl and mix well. Expect your hands to get messy. Start rolling the mixture into little 1-inch round balls. Place on wax paper and chill in the freezer for 10 minutes. Remove from freezer and ENJOY!!
I have had these as a post workout snack, a night time snack, and a morning snack…. they are perfect for snacking any time of day!
Are you a fan of protein bites?
What’s your favorite recipe or flavor?
March 30, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool 0 comments
Ok first off, Country Concerts are awesome!! I was so excited to get to see Miranda Lambert in concert but I was even more happy with one of her opening artists Justin Moore. He was so passionate about his work and he seemed so genuine when he spoke in between songs.
Some of Miranda Lambert’s songs were super fun to listen to live and Marc and I thoroughly enjoyed our date night at Madison Square Garden in NYC.
Lets rewind a bit. Friday night was a low key night for us. I got a hair cut and then we just hung out and ate an awesome salmon dinner.
Ava LOVES Salmon. Its kind of funny to me that she likes it so much. She was literally throwing huge pieces into her mouth and I’m pretty sure she ended up eating half a piece of salmon, no joke!
Saturday morning I got up and immediately got my morning started with some breakfast. I did a quick 20 minute insanity workout and then I visited my grandma at the hospital, she’s very sick and not doing well
The rest of the afternoon went by super fast and before we knew it Marc’s parents arrived for the weekend. They watched Ava for us while we went to the city for the concert!
Marc and I headed into the city on the train around 630pm. It was fun to chat and hang out for the short ride into NYC. My phone battery was at like 20% so I had to shut it off and save some battery for the concert.
When we got to the off the train we decided to walk to MSG. In case you don’t know me I like to walk. It was enjoyable to look at the city with the bright lights and super tall buildings.
I ran into Minnie Mouse and was able to snap a quick picture for Ava.
here are a few more pictures of the rest of the night!
In case you haven’t been to Madison Square Garden you should definitely check it out.
Miranda’s voice was effortless and she sounded even better in concert!
Clearly we enjoyed the show! This was a mini wine glass that has a lid and I saw this product on the show Shark Tank so I had to try it!!! I’m definitely a fan and it was super convenient for a sporting or concert event.
Sunday I played catch up with some coaching work on the computer and I quickly ran through some of the new Group Power workout. We also took Cooper to the dog park to run around. It’s so nice when there are tons of dogs and of course when the sun is shining. Ava loves animals so it’s also fun for her to see them all play together.
Once we got home we did some food prep. Well Marc did some food prep. He roasted a ton of veggies and made both chicken thighs and chicken breast.
Now its Monday and I had to splash my face with cold water and drink some coffee to get going. My body needs sleep and I definitely lacked it this weekend.
I have a busy work week ahead of me so I’m trying make today as productive as I can! I am off to teach Group Power in a little bit!
have you ever been to a country concert before?
What is your favorite concert you have ever been to?
This week flew by and I’m not complaining. I got in some great workouts and I am so happy that I can say my hamstring is feeling better. I gave it some TLC this week so lets just keep our fingers crossed it stays that way.
I thought I would post some things I have been enjoying this past week. I enjoyed writing last weeks post because it gets me thinking of foods, products, and random things that were enjoyable to me so here we go again!
Health Warrior Coconut Chia bar this thing is little but it has tons of omega 3’s, fiber, & healthy fats! win.
Thermal-onThis microwaveable heating pad has been my best friend this past week!! You place it in the microwave and after two minutes its ready to use on whatever area you need to loosen up. For me its been my hamstring, glutes, and adductor (inner thigh)!!
OrangesI got a 4lb bag of oranges at Stop & Shop the other day for $1.88 so you know I have eaten a ton this week. I was surprised at how tasty they were too, because sometimes you can get a bad bag!
Dannon’s New Triple Zero Greek Yogurt It has no added sugar & no artificial sweeteners! Plus 15g of protein…. wooooohoo.
No Bake Shakeology Fudgy Protein BitesThis picture doesn’t do any justice to these fudgy, peanut buttery balls of goodness. I made these Wednesday night. I wasn’t feeling a shake but I wanted something filling and satisfying and these were PERFECT. Marc and I couldn’t help but smile when we ate them so clearly they were a WIN!! I will share the recipe with you next week, so stay tuned
Miranda Lambert concert!!Marc and I have a date night planned for Saturday night. We are heading to the Miranda Lambert Concert at Madison Square Garden in New York!! We got the tickets for Christmas from his parents and we have been looking forward to it for a while.
If you are a country music fan then I’m sure you like Miranda Lambert! I have only been to male country concerts before so I’m interested to see if hers will be different.
This picture ofAva feeding a friend’s cat Holly!She loves animals and it was so funny to watch her chase after the cat and play with her. Not to mention she really enjoyed feeding Holly treats!
and my last one is a SELFIE picture of Ava and I. You may have seen this picture earlier this week on instagram but Ava learned how to take a selfie and she was loving seeing herself on the camera!
I hope you have a great weekend
Your turn…. tell me something that you have been loving over the past week. It can be ANYTHING!
Whats your favorite kind of music?
March 26, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool 0 comments
Okay, I know spring has just begun but I can’t help but think of summer and not wearing a winter coat anymore. It’s just all I’m thinking about these days!
I guess I am also thinking of vacation in a few weeks so I want to make sure I’m feeling good when I throw my pasty body in a swim suit.
I was going to have Marc write this post because he did the workout last night, but I figured since I created it I would share today. I’m not gonna lie it was quite fun sitting on my butt and telling Marc what exercise to do next. Oh yeah and correct his form I’m just kidding he didn’t need any tweaking, he’s form is pretty legit.
This short ab series would be great paired with a cardio workout or even with a shoulder workout (which is what Marc did). Make sure to gain with a 5 minute warm-up (examples: jump rope, jogging, jumping jacks)
SUMMER AB WORKOUT
Scissor Crunch Punch
Weighted Full Sit-Up
V-UP
PLANK T-ROTATION
Perform each exercise for 1 minute before moving to the next circuit. Repeat 2-3 rounds or as many as you can handle
What is your favorite Ab exercise?
Are you ready for summer and warmer weather?
**Before beginning any new workout program always consult your Doctor or Physician.**
March 25, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool 4 Comments
Today I am sharing with you my food journal from Monday. I chose Monday because after the weekend I am always focused and I try to keep my meals clean, simple, & nutritious. I apologize in advance for some bad pictures.
I wake up at 6am on Mondays and one of the first things I do is chug a tall glass of water. I usually have maybe a 1/2 cup of coffee (that’s my typical daily amount) and quickly post on my blog.
Breakfast is shortly after. I had 1 egg, 1 cup egg whites sautéed in 1 tsp olive oil with 1 1/2 cups of spinach & baby kale with some potato hash browns. If you haven’t checked my blog before this is a very typical breakfast by me I wish I could eat this all day.
After Group Power I always need a substantial snack. When I leave that class I am usually starving within 45 minutes. I had a coffeeprotein shake, a banana, and a Coconut Chia bar from Health Warrior.
I’m pretty punctual with my eating on Mondays. I taught my senior fitness class from 1030-1130 and Lunch was followed shortly after around 1230. I had prepped some baked chicken & herbs on Sunday so I threw that over a big salad with mixed greens, orange pepper, tomatoes, carrots, brussel sprouts, avocado & balsamic dressing. It was yummy. I also had a Joseph’s Pita with it and an orange.
I haven’t had a fruit parfait in a while and I was craving one. I chose a DannonOikosgreek yogurt with strawberries & granola. I was so happy to find that Dannon greek yogurt that has NO added Sugar & NO artificial sweeteners. It was a good find, I hate buying yogurts that have unnecessary sugar but sometimes the plain greek just doesn’t do it for me!
This picture was terrible of my dinner but it was yummy!! I had Eggplant Parm (that a friend made for us) with Baked Chicken & Sauce smothering the top so you can’t see anything! I also had some steamed broccoli (a few pieces are missing from that picture) I need to learn to take pictures before my hunger takes over!!
It seems like my hunger is non stop on Mondays because the first 1/2 of my day is very active so I ended my night with a Chocolate Shakeology & peanutbutter which filled me right up!
I am now off to teach Group power. My legs are very sore & tired so this should be interesting
Whats your favorite morning snack?
Please share something yummy you ate yesterday?
March 24, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool 2 Comments
I know this Blog title was a little random but I had a few things on my mind that I wanted to post about!
I thought my hamstring was doing better last week, but then it started bothering me again this past weekend;( I really limit my activity on the weekend and I wonder if that has something to do with it??
I have been doing my Physical Therapy exercises and stretches but it just seems to get tight super quick. I used heat for about 20 minutes yesterday and then did some light stretching. I’m keeping my fingers crossed it feels better soon.
(This ball is my new best friend and I do tons of Hamstring Curls on it!)
Now I know why people say hamstring strains are the worst. They take a while to heal and you have to stretch SOOOO much. It’s like a job haha.
You can’t take 3 days off and do nothing with a hamstring strain you literally need to keep strengthening and stretching it or else it tightens up like a rubber band.
I get frustrated with injuries. I’m sure most of you can agree with me if you have ever had an injury they take a toll on you mentally. You can’t push through the pain either because it will only make it worse, so for now my best option is avoiding all exercises that don’t feel right!
That brings me into my next topic!!! PUSHUPS.. I’ve been working hard at my pushups over the past few weeks and I can honestly say I love the challenge they bring. Of course I hate them while I am doing them but after I am done I feel great!
If you are short on time and want to get in a quick upper body blast here is a great 10 minute workout:
PUSH-UP BLAST
Perform each exercise for 30 seconds with 10 seconds rest in between each set, repeat 2x before moving to the next exercise
BASIC PUSHUP
PUSH-UP JACK
TRICEP PUSHUP
TRICEP PUSH-UP HOLD
**Make sure to warm-up for at least 5 minutes before beginning the workout**
Has anyone ever had a hamstring strain or similar injury before? If so how long did it take to heal? Did you find anything that worked for you?
March 23, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool 4 Comments
It’s officially Spring but this past weekend we got another 4-5 inches of snow. I’m sure people will hate me when I say this but I kinda liked it. I’m almost 100% positive that it was our last snowfall and that’s why I liked it. (I’m keeping my fingers crossed as I type this)
It kinda sealed off winter for me. It made us chill out Friday night
and enjoy some quiet family time!
That was until Saturday rolled around. Ava had a different story planned out for our day. She was SOfussy. Poor girl is getting her molars in and I’m pretty sure this is her last one making its debut. I know Ava’s tough but she was not happy. Nothing made her smile. Marc and I played with her for a few hrs, and eventually ended up taking turns sitting on the floor with her. We played upstairs, we played downstrairs, we played with Cooper, we read books, we played hide and seek, we played sports, we did it all. She kept making her uncomfortable whiny noise and I felt bad for her. There was really nothing we could do.
I was afraid to bring her out and have her cry in the stores so we went for a walk on Greenwich Avenue in hopes to distract her for a bit. It helped, but she was tired. She hadn’t napped ALLL day. HELP.
We went on the playground that was covered in snow and that was fun for a total of 2 minutes.
When we got home in the late afternoon I decided to give Grandma a call (my mom). She saved the day! She stopped over with her friend MaryAnn and they helped entertain Ava and play dress up with her until she forgot about her teething pain.
I literally was so thankful for that 45 minutes they were at my house. It allowed Marc to cook up some dinner and me to take a breather!!!
I finally decided to give Ava tylenol too.
Thankfully she went to sleep early and Marc and I were able to just hang out and relax. Lets just say I was asleep by 10 o’clock. She drained me!!!
Sunday morning we got up and Ava was SMILING……. woohoo. I knew it was going to be a great day!! I couldn’t help but smile myself.
I headed to the YMCA early to practice some Group Power with my co-workers. I am really enjoying the new release. I need some more practice but it has been really helpful to get together with the other instructors to go over the workout “live.”
Around 12:30pm Marc, Ava, Cooper and I went over to my parents house for brunch. It was so DELICIOUS. My mom made 2 different Egg frittata’s. One had spinach, mushrooms & peppers. The other had bacon and cheese. Which 1 do you think I went for??
The veggie one… it was so freaking good. I will be sharing the recipe with you sometime soon because it was delicious & healthy! I’m so proud of my mom for whipping together such a healthy, yummy brunch. We also had some roasted potato hash browns that I made, a fruit salad, and some bacon.
I enjoyed spending the afternoon with my family!
Although part of the weekend was a bit stressful it ended on a great note! Marc and I enjoyed a nice glass of homemade wine from my friend Michelle! It was delicious.
Plus a great dinner to end the night.
Now its time to teach Group Power as usual.. I hope I don’t mess up and confuse the routine with the one I practiced yesterday ;O)
If you have kids, what have you done to distract them from teething pain?
