The Fit Skool | by Kelly

February 23, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
2 Comments

Rejuvenating Weekend

My weekend was great. It was super relaxing & rejuvenating, plus I feel like I got a lot accomplished!

Friday night I completed my 5-day Clean Eating with a banging Tilapia dinner. We had Baked Tilapia with herbs & olive oil, roasted brussel sprouts and white/sweet potatoes! YUM.

I told you I was going to watch Grey’s Anatomy and that’s what we did.. it was a good episode! I’m glad we found out where Grey was for the weekend.

Saturday I woke up with a lot of energy… I did my Insanity Max30 Pulse DVD plus a light 15 minute elliptical workout at the YMCA to loosen up my super tight legs.

All the stretching helped so much and was exactly what I needed. I got my samples of Shakeology so I was anxious to try a new flavor! Marc and I split a vanilla one. We liked it a lot and he said that he actually preferred the vanilla one!!

After a quick lunch my mom and I went to the nail salon for a manicure & pedicure. I needed some time out to kick my feet up and relax. It was perfect and my nails look pretty

Shortly after it started snowing… and man it was coming down quick!! I finished up my errands and went home! The snow made us lazy so we decided on italian takeout food because we weren’t going out for the rest of the night!

I had salad and chicken marsala with veggies! We all enjoyed our meals.

Ava was in a playing mood so we hung around the house & entertained her.

She is really into necklaces and bracelets so we have to play dress up with her!

She’s quite obsessed with her little car but likes being pushed around so that was my job until it was bedtime!

Marc and I stayed up talking for a while about random things until we were tired.. do you ever do that?

Sunday morning rolled around and I’m pretty sure we got 6 inches of snow. Where’s spring?? We hung around the house and I did work on the computer for a couple hours. Eventually we went food shopping at Trader joe’s!

In case you haven’t been, they have little kids grocery carts and Ava enjoyed pushing hers around the store with Marc and I!

Somehow I spent $100. This store just has too many good items that I can’t pass up. It’s a good thing I bought a lot because we had NOTHING in our fridge before.

I wish I had something exciting to tell you about the rest of my day but it was all about catching up on my blog and working on my 4-day challenge.

Now it’s back to the grind and time to teach Group Power!!

Was your weekend relaxing or busy?

What do you do to treat yourself?

February 20, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
2 Comments

Day 5 of Clean Eating.. but its not over

Congratulations to everyone who participated in my clean eating challenge and for making it to Day 5. If you had a couple of slip ups its okay and I hope you keep going strong until the very end!

Can we first talk about how the temperature is 0 degrees out right now? This is the second time this week that it’s been 0!! I can’t say I’m looking forward to heading outside at all today.

On Day 4 with the challenge (yesterday) I had some carb cravings. Around my morning snack time at 10:00am my body wanted carbs and lots of carbs. I was in a rush to go to teach a class but I quickly through a packet of plain instant oatmeal with almond milk in the microwave. I had a scoop of peanut butter (1 tsp)… and BAM my craving was satisfied. I was so close to grabbing a granola bar and heading out the door but I kept my challengers in mind and didn’t give in!

I felt so happy with my decision because my belly was satisfied and I felt great. I have realized that I love being part of a group. Whether its teaching a class or hosting a challenge.. when you have people supporting you and holding you accountable you don’t want to let them down!! I really truly believe that this group helped me make it to Day 5!!

The good news is that I won’t stop just because its Day 5! When I first tried the challenge a couple of weeks ago I felt so good that I continued, so I guess this is really my Day 16. I had a couple treats here and there (Valentine’s Day Lava cakes & Red Wine) and this challenged helped me learn that you can treat yourself… but NOT EVERY day.

Besides that I was pretty clean! Most of my meals were balanced like this.

After 5 days of clean eating, I weighed myself this morning (I technically should’ve waited until tomorrow but I won’t be posting tomorrow so I figured I would share today) I was down 1 lb. I wasn’t trying to lose more then a 1lb so I am happy with that. I also feel like my stomach is less bloated and more flat then before I began doing this and my energy was up all week. This has to do with a combination of diet and exercise. I have been busting my butt with workouts this week and it was worth it.

All in all it has been a great week and now it’s time for the weekend!! I missed Grey’s Anatomy last night so I’m keeping my fingers crossed I can find it on demand tonight and catch up.. don’t tell me what happened.

I’m sure there’s other fun things I will do this weekend besides watch a TV episode but I have nothing set in stone which is pretty awesome. I am keeping my fingers crossed that there’s NO snow in the forecast!

Have a great weekend!

Do you ever have random cravings for carbs or protein, etc?

Have you ever set a goal or participated in a challenge but you weren’t focused or mentally committed?

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

Eating Healthy At A Restaurant

SO are you sick of all my healthy clean eating talk this week? I hope not because I have another “Healthy” post for you.

Yesterday afternoon I had a special lunch date with Ava & my mom. It is very rare that I eat out at a restaurant mid-week let alone at lunch time. Since it is school break this week I have a little more free time on my hand and I’m not complaining.

We headed to my mom’s best friends restaurant in Stamford, CT called Villa Italia. This is hands down my favorite restaurant. Who doesn’t love good italian food?? When you know the chef its even better

When we pulled up to the restaurant I was already starving… that’s mistake #1 right there. Never go to a restaurant hungry. That bread basket came out right away and you know what?? My mom and I said no thanks but we kept one piece for Ava. (The girl is smart… she loves warm bread from Villa Italia and we were pretty jealous)

My mom asked if I wanted to split a small salad to start since we were both hungry, I said absolutely! Splitting a salad is always a good option because it’s portioned right. These days an appetizer salad is practically a full meal, but the split serving was the perfect amount to hold us over.

Before even looking at the menu I knew I wanted either a salad or fish. It was Ash Wednesday so I was trying to not eat meat. I love eating fish out at restaurants because they cook it so much better then me! My mom and I ordered Filet of Basa Francese and we held the “egg batter friedness.” Don’t hesitate to ask your server for other options to make a meal healthier. The fish came served over spinach and the sauce tied everything together.

The sauce was lemon, white wine, & garlic… and if I could have drank it or packaged it up in a bottle I would’ve, but clearly that’s not acceptable.

Anyways.. back to the point of this blog. There are healthy options wherever you go! Here are my main tips for eating healthy while out to eat:

HOLD the bread basket.
Drink water or ask for a pitcher for the table.
If you order a salad ask for the dressing on the side.
Ask for your fish or chicken grilled, broiled or poached. Ask for veggies steamed or roasted and without butter (It can be done)
Choose meals that don’t have buttery or creamy sauces, and skip the fried foods.
If your meal looks really big, it probably is! Eat half and wrap the second half for leftovers!

The nice part of eating fish for lunch was I didn’t feel stuffed and I was able to workout shortly after with out any stomach issues!

This quote is for my Clean Eating Challenge Group.. for keeping me motivated and giving me positive energy this week!

Do you hesitate to eat healthy out at a restaurant because you feel bad asking for substitutions?

Whats your favorite meal to order out?

February 18, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
2 Comments

WIAW: Day 2 Clean Eating

We are half way through the week and I’m full of energy thanks to my clean eating and of course my big challenge group that is keeping me super motivated and excited!

I am happy to share another WIAW (What I ate Wednesday) post thanks to Jenn.

Yesterday I woke up around 6am, started my day with a big old glass of water and then about 20 minutes later drank a cup of coffee with a little almond milk.

Breakfast was SO good. I figured I would give measurement details again like last week because we are focusing on portions with our clean eating challenge. I had a VEGGIE SCRAMBLE 1 egg, 1 cup egg whites, 1 tsp olive oil with 1/4 cup diced peppers + 1/4 cup sliced mushrooms and 1 medium potato sliced. I love breakfast.

Snack time was 2 Celery Stalks with 1 tsp almond butter

and a banana.

I have decided that salads at lunch time work for me.. salads at dinner do not and I can’t tell you why!! So for lunch I had a LARGE SALAD (this picture makes it looks small) 2 cups mixed greens, 1/4 cup avocado, 1/2 cucumber, 1/4 cup tomatoes, 1 piece of grilled dijon chicken, 1 tbsp balsamic with olive oil.

I also had 2 deli slices of turkey (not pictured) I ate this after my afternoon workout.

Mid-afternoon I had a Greek yogurt with 1/2 cup blueberries & 1 tbsp crushed almonds

Before dinner I took Cooper and Ava for a walk.. I thought it was warmer out then it was so we didn’t last long because Ava didn’t have gloves on!

Food that’s ready to go in the fridge is always my style. I had Leftover Chicken Stir fry (broccoli asparagus, eggplant) with 1/2 cup brown rice for dinner. I didn’t measure the chicken or veggies sorry!

Post Boot Camp I had a Chocolate Shakeology while watching New Girl! Does anyone else love that show?

Before I wrap this up.. can I tell you that on Monday Marc and I threw out our leftover Chocolate lava cakes from this weekend. Do you know how HARD that was for me?? I thought about them sitting in the garbage and it kinda got me sad. BUTTTT I feel better without that sugar and sometimes I feel like when I eat sugary desserts it just makes me want more. Do you feel me?

I am happy to say that I have had no cravings today and I thank that to not eating any sugar or packaged products!

Do you find eating sugar makes you crave sugar?

What was your favorite healthy meal or snack from yesterday?

February 17, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
6 Comments

Clean Eating Grab & Go Snack Ideas

I am a snacker…. and I always have been!

I usually have 2-3 snacks per day. Over the years I have figured out that there are some snacks out there that don’t fill me and that don’t give me the energy. I need foods that help me make it through my day of teaching classes, training clients, and chasing after my crazy 1 year old Ava.

In the past I would easily have grabbed a processed granola bar or ate crackers/pretzels until I was overly full (because I didn’t know better). Although that junk tasted yummy while I was eating it, I hated the way I felt after! It wasn’t until I studied nutrition that I learned what foods gave me energy but most importantly kept me satisfied.

Here’s a list of some of My FAVORITE Grab & Go snacks that I eat in between meals:

Apple with almond butter or natural peanut butter (1 tbsp)

Hardboiled eggs with avocado & tomato

2-3 tbsp spoons of hummus & veggies

Protein Shake (Most recently I added Shakeology & it’s been a big night time snack saver)

Instant Oatmeal (unsweetened) with almond milk, cinnamon, fresh fruit, nuts, or honey

Celery stalk topped with 1 tbsp natural almond or peanut butter

Egg Frittata Squares

Green Monster Smoothie

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds with olive oil, salt & pepper

Deli Turkey (2 slices) with 1/4 cup avocado & tomato in lettuce wraps

Mixed Nuts

This list can go on…..

Greek yogurt w/ chopped almonds, pistachios & honey
2 slice Deli turkey (I buy Applegate farms) and low fat cheese (1 slice)
Banana Sliced w/ almond or peanut butter, sprinkled with coconut or crushed walnuts
Lara Bar (Cashew Cookie, Apple Pie, or Peanut butter cookie)

As I read over this list not only does it make me hungry but it also makes me think about how good I feel after eating each of these snacks!! The best part is, you can prepare all of this ahead of time and throw them in tupperware containers to take with you wherever you go!

What are your favorite healthy snacks?

Do you have a lot of packaged snacks in your cabinets?

February 16, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
4 Comments

A Special Weekend & Day 1 Clean Eating begins

I hope you all had a special weekend with your family & friends. Valentine’s Day is all about spending time with your loved ones and I enjoyed every second of this weekend.

Here is a quick weekend PICTURE RECAP:

Friday night Marc and I went to dinner at Blackstone Steakhouse in Greenwich.

We enjoyed our alone time and a glass of wine!

We split a tomato, green bean & mozzarella salad.

My meal was ridiculously good… I had the Herb Crusted Chilean Sea Bass and we shared a large side of Bacon Brussel Sprouts

Marc had Beef Medalions!

Saturday morning I taught boot camp to a lovely class. It felt great to get my sweat in early.

Marc’s parents came over shortly after to spend time with us. We were entertained by Ava running around like a mad woman and playing with her toys. She seriously has a crazy amount of energy.

They left in the afternoon and I made a trip over to see my parents and drop off an Orchid for my mom and some chocolate covered strawberries for them to enjoy!

Marc made me dinner… we weren’t that hungry because we ate a big lunch but we had some Dijon Chicken with salad and a sweet potato.

Ava enjoyed dinner with us!

Clearly I secretly saved room for dessert. LAVA CAKES!

The first one we tested out FAILED…. it was an epic fail.

I was a little nervous for the rest of the mini lava cakes so we popped the rest back into the oven for a little longer.

Talk about ooey gooey chocolatey goodness. We had a little vanilla ice cream on top and my chocolate craving was satisfied I might have even done a little dance it was that good.

My sweet husband Marc got me a massage gift certificate. Guys I have never had a full massage before. I am super ticklish and kind of nervous about it, but between past hip and shoulder injuries I could sure use it. It was a very thoughtful gift.

I can go on and on about the weekend and how special it was… but today is DAY 1 of our 5-day Clean Eating Challenge and I couldn’t be more pumped to work with this group of people. Their energy excites me. My big tip to all the challengers is to take this “ONE DAY AT A TIME!” Stay focused and you will all cruise through the week!

What did you and your loved ones do this weekend?

Are you ready to eat clean this week?

February 13, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
4 Comments

5 Day Clean Eating Challenge & Valentine’s Day

Happy Fridayyyyyy the 13th!

I am so not superstitious, there’s actually something exciting about Friday the 13th but I guess secretly I hope nothing bad happens.

Tonight Marc and I are heading out to Blackstone Steakhouse to celebrate Valentine’s Day. After numerous dinner dates on the actual Valentine’s Day, Marc and I started a new trend celebrating on a different night. It’s WAY less crowded and it’s more enjoyable for us! Plus then we get to celebrate at home again on the real V-day with Ava. Apparently we have a mini snow storm coming Saturday night so it was well played on our part

I’m not a big box of chocolates gal, I would rather eat a chocolate covered strawberry or some chocolate mousse! I sure hope they have either one of those treats tonight!

I could go on and on about chocolate, Valentine’s day brownies & cookies (because they are so good) but I won’t because on Monday I will be hosting my FREE 5-Day Clean & Healthy Eating Challenge.

I already have 53 people in my challenge group which is mind blowing to me. It’s not too late to join so feel free to email me and I can give you more info: KGFitnessLLC@gmail.com

I can’t really express how excited I am to help this group of people. This is my first challenge as a coach and I am thrilled to have a big group to support and hold accountable!

I sometimes I wish I had more hours in the day to personal train clients or help people lose weight. There’s just not enough time in the day to do it all!! This challenge has made me realize I can help MORE people all at once

I wanted to share MY Experiences during my first 5-day Clean Eating Challenge

When I did my first round of clean eating:

DAY 1 was HARD. I was hungry, I didn’t have all my measuring down, and I didn’t drink enough water.

DAY 2 I started my day right with 2 cups of water, and 1 cup of coffee, plus a big breakfast. I already felt a difference and I wasn’t as hungry throughout the morning.

(Oatmeal w/ almond milk & cinnamon plus 1 egg & 1 cup egg whites with mushrooms… I was stuffed)

DAY 3 I was on point and I ate 5 small meals at almost exactly 3 hours apart, I had my Shakeology which has helped keep me full post workout (you can have a protein shake instead)

DAY 4 I felt less bloated and I didn’t have to think about what I was going to eat for my meals as much. Big Salads mid afternoon helped keep me full until dinner.

DAY 5 This was my favorite day because my clean eating came natural and I felt a difference in my stomach. That was all the motivation I needed to keep going! Today is actually my DAY 10 I didn’t stop my clean eating this plan has worked for me. I did have some snack swaps to treat myself on the days I had extra workouts to teach, but I’m still going strong! If you put your mind to anything you can do it!!

I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine’s Day with your loved ones!

What are you doing to celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Are you mentally 100% ready and “in it” for the challenge?

February 12, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
0 comments

Sausage, Kale & Potato Soup

Is it bad that I’m looking forward to my rest day on Sunday already? I mean this week is flying by but my body is tired and I want to kick my feet up and just sit for a long period of time.

My workouts have been quite intense this week (check out the average hear rate for one of my workouts). I guess I shouldn’t wish for Sunday, I just want it to be Saturday afternoon so I can chill.

Anyways, I wanted to share a soup recipe with you that Marc made this past weekend. He had a recipe that he has been wanting to make and without me asking he started prepping and cooking soup on Sunday!! A break from cooking is always nice for me!

These past couple of weeks, it has been so cold and snowy around here. I don’t know about you guys but we have definitely been making more “comfort foods.” Soup is very comforting for me. It warmed me right up and left me with a full belly! We all know a Full Belly= Satisfied!

SAUSAGE, KALE, & POTATO SOUP

Ingredients:

1 package chicken sausage
1 bunch Kale, pulled or cut into small pieces
1 large onion, diced
4-5 white potatoes cut into small chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
¾ tablespoon oregano
1-teaspoon basil
1-teaspoon crushed red pepper flake (more if desired)
2 cups low sodium chick broth
2 cups of water
¼ cup milk
Add Salt & black pepper to taste

Directions:

Place sausage in a large pot on medium-high heat. Turn occasionally until all sides are brown. Remove from pan and cut into slices ¼ wide. In same pan add onion and olive oil cook on low heat until golden brown. In another pot boil potatoes for 5-10 minutes to soften. Add all remaining ingredients except the kale, into the large pot with the onions and cut sausage and simmer for 35-40 minutes. Before serving the soup, add the kale to the pot and cover for 10 minutes to wilt the kale.

I love the Kale in this soup, it adds a nutritious punch, but the potatoes keep it hearty and filling. If you aren’t into kale try subbing in spinach. ENJOY!

What is one of your winter comfort foods?

Are you a big soup fan?

February 11, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
12 Comments

WIAW: Clean & Healthy

Today I thought I would share with you a sample day of what I ate to reflect a typical day during my Clean Eating Challenge. The challenge starts Monday February 16th so email me if you would like to join! (kgfitnessllc@gmail.com) I tried to be as detailed as possible so you can get an idea of my portion sizes. Normally I just eat whatever I want but make sure that it’s healthy, but tracking portion sizes is what really made the difference for me. It is so easy for me to eat 2 spoons of peanut butter or a couple extra scoops of anything like nuts, but keep in mind it all adds up. You can easily over eat healthy foods!

I am linking up with Jenn for another WIAW (What I ate Wednesday) post.

First things first. I always get up and chug a large glass of water. It gets me going and staying hydrated is so important. I followed it up with a cup of coffee and a splash of milk.

Breakfast was 1 egg + 1 cup egg whites with 3/4 mushrooms & squash. Plus a whole grain english muffin.

Mid morning I had my usual banana

and a leveled teaspoon of peanut butter. Normally I would do a heaping spoonful or two but following my clean eating challenge I had to do it right!

I also had a serving of baby carrots a little later.

Lunch was leftovers. Salmon, a sweet potato & green beans!

With a side of almonds too.

My afternoon snack was a BIG SALAD with 2 cups romainne, 1/4 cup cucumbers, 1/4 cup tomatoes, 1 stalk celery & balsamic and olive oil dressing, salt & pepper

plus a medium size granny smith apple!

Before Boot Camp I made a quick and easy dinner. Zoodles with a turkey meat sauce. (I had 1 cup zucchini + 1 cup of the meat sauce) This meal came together in 15 minutes flat. Ava devoured hers and I enhaled mine because she ate so fast!

After class I had my Chocolate Shakeology filled to the brim! (1 scoop mix, 1 cup ice, 1 cup water) I am really enjoying the flavor of this shake, and it keeps me full for the night which is a double bonus.

I hope this sample day will help motivate you to keep your foods clean & nutritious! (sorry for the crazy pictures, I’m not a photographer!)

What time of day is the hardest part for you to stick to a healthy eating plan?

Do you have the willpower it takes to stick to a plan?

February 10, 2015
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
1 Comment

Trainer Tip Tuesday #12: Check Your Ego at the Door

I have another Guest Blog post for you all today! This topic is something that has been on my mind a lot lately so I am happy that Marc will be sharing his thoughts with you about it

This post is written by Marc:

So it has been a couple weeks since I posted. Between shoveling out from snow storms, work, working out and just trying to relax, I haven’t had the time to sit down and write down some of my thoughts about the working out.

I have to admit, the last 2 weeks have not been all that easy for me to make time to work out. I have, just not as much as I would have liked, or as much as I had in the previous 3 weeks. One of the biggest take aways I had from my decreased gym time, was my slight decrease in muscle endurance and strength. To explain what I mean, let me give an example…

2 weeks ago while doing tricep extensions, I did 3 sets of 10/8/8 and increased the weight by 10 lbs each set. This week while doing the same exercise I did 3 sets of 10/6/6 and could not increase the weight for my last set at all.

While I know I was still getting in a good workout, I got slightly upset with my inability to lift the same as I had just 2 weeks before. Which lead me to this thought…I know I’m getting a good workout in, I DO NOT NEED TO WORRY ABOUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT I’M LIFTING…. In other words, Trainer Tip #12: Check your ego at the door.

It may sound stupid, but I’m about 95% certain most guys (and certainly some women) in the gym are worrying about what people (women and other men) are thinking about them while they are working out. A word of advice; worry about yourself only, and don’t try and impress other people.

No one knows your end goals, why you are lifting, or if you may be dealing with past or current injuries. Therefore, don’t let them change how you are working out.

Do you ever take a time off from lifting and see a noticeable difference in either reps or weight used? Maybe an increase in difficulty level to perform your usual reps?

Do you ever find yourself trying to lift more than you normally would because of outside influences around you?