The Fit Skool

by Kelly

December 3, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
5 Comments

WIAW Leftover Queen

Yesterday I woke up starving. Do you ever have those days? I blame teaching Group Power the night before.

I’m linking up with Jenn for another WIAW (What I Ate Wednesday) post.

For breakfast I had a 1/2 cup of coffee 2 eggs & a piece of toast. Clearly I didn’t listen to my belly because that wasn’t enough.
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I quickly snacked on an orange and then headed out the door to train at the YMCA.
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Mid morning I had a small banana & a LARGE scoop of Peanut butter. Guys I just can’t get sick of this stuff.
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Lunch came a little earlier today and was leftovers of course. I can’t waste food, I just can’t. I had leftover Parmesan crusted Tilapia with asparagus plus a litle spinach casserole.
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I WISH THERE WAS MORE. I also had some sliced sweet potatoes that Marc had made from our mini Thanksgiving Saturday and a juicy Granny Smith Apple.. they are my favorite!
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Since my appetite was crazy today and I couldn’t seem to get full I had a Purium shake. They always tend to curb my hunger, it has a great balance of healthy fats, protein, & fiber. I had this with a handful of almonds which I didn’t take a picture of!
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I did not feel like cooking last night. I’m just being honest…. I wanted nothing to do with cooking, setting a table, or cleaning up after my mess. I quickly put together a salad with some leftover chicken, mozzarella & goat cheese, roasted red peppers, & artichokes that I had from lunch the other day. Talk about lazy! At least it tasted good!
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I refueled after Boot Camp with a Chocolate Brownie Quest bar.. hollerrrr.
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It was a sweaty one! I’m not one to take selfies that often, but I wanted to show you my red face!
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What was something Yummy you ate yesterday?
Do you eat leftovers as much as I do? 

 

December 2, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
6 Comments

Women’s Fitness Specialist & a Quick dinner

Sunday evening I took my NASM Women’s Fitness Specialist exam. I had studied for a while and I learned so much through my studying. I think this specialization will help SO much with my female clients as well as the females that take my classes.

I am happy to say that I passed my exam :)

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Sorry for the blurry picture, but apparently you can’t get a clear shot when you take a picture of the computer screen!

The WFS will be great to add that to my resume of training skills. Two years ago I took my Fitness Nutrition Specialist certification through NASM. They were both difficult exams, but they were educational so I was up for the challenge. I found it a lot harder this time around  to make time to study with a baby to take care of! I could only focus or study when she was napping or sleeping which means my window to study was limited!!

Lets just say I was extremely pumped to have completed it this past weekend!!

On a different note last night I whipped up a SUPER fast dinner that was actually Gluten Free and we loved it. When it comes to pasta and meatballs I always choose homemade over pre-made, but lets be serious sometimes convenience is more important. I was happy to stumble on these Aidell’s Chicken Meatballs. 

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They are Gluten free, tasty, & healthy!! I paired it with some Ronzoni Gluten free pasta

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some sauteed spinach and sauce!

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We all enjoyed the meal including Ava :) She ate almost 2 meatballs… the girl can EAT!

Do you have any quick go to convenient meals?

Do you have anything new you want to learn to advance your career?

December 1, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
4 Comments

Family Fun Weekend

I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving Weekend. We sure did! I think I can sum the weekend up with 2 words YUMMY FOOD ……. no I’m kidding, I really meant to say FAMILY FUN!

All Thanksgiving celebrations tend to revolve around food and I am so thankful for a full plate of food, but I am also Thankful that we were able to hang out with family and friends all weekend.

I really didn’t use my phone a lot over the past few days. I tried to avoid the internet, the camera, and sit back and enjoy the company of my family. So rather then bore you with lots of detail, here are a few pictures that I did capture from my long weekend:

Ava barely sat still and was on the go all day. She explored every room in the house!

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She was clearly ready for a nap or blinded by the flash! 

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Ava and Marc’s mom (Mimi)

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Our dinner table for about 27 people. 

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Good Food.

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Overstuffed Plates

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Marc and Ava hanging out with full bellies

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It was a great Thanksgiving celebration!

Saturday I met my friends for lunch. Two of my best friends got engaged over the course of this past week which was very exciting!!

Congrats Lauren & Megan!! <3 (they are on the left in this picture)

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Sunday was all about relaxing and watching the Patriots game. The night may have ended with a bowl of Fro-yo to top off the weekend.

My Monday starts off a little differently today as I am teaching Group Power tonight at 7pm if anyone wants to come :)

 

What was the highlight of your long Thanksgiving weekend?

Did you over eat on Thanksgiving? What’s your favorite part of the meal?

November 26, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
4 Comments

WIAW- soft foods

I hope today is a “FRIDAY” for most of you out there! It is for me and I am super pumped.  I will be teaching Group Power shortly and a boot camp class tonight if we don’t get a ton of snow.

I figured I would share my food journal with you guys before I head off to Rhode Island to enjoy a Thanksgiving celebration with Marc’s family.

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

My morning started off a little later then usual because Ava had us up from 330-430am. She was coughing like crazy. Poor little girl, plus she has an ear infection. I had a cup of coffee and scrambled eggs with mushrooms & squash, 2 pieces of bacon, and a piece of toast. 

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This breakfast was filling and held me over for a while.

Around mid-morning I had a banana and a slice of banana bread. It wasn’t over-kill on the bananas it was actually amazing.

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This gluten free banana bread is AWESOME. I highly recommend it. I could seriously eat the whole loaf!

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Since I was home with my sick child all day, I chose to eat some leftover turkey meatloaf, a white potato, & some spinach with olive oil. I have a canker sore in my mouth, have you ever had one?? This meal was perfect because the foods were soft and didn’t irritate it.

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My afternoon snack was a Purium shake, A string Cheese, & some raspberries . Nothing crazy here.

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We are trying to clear our the fridge before we leave for the next couple of days so we enjoyed some leftover baked chicken that had garlic & herbs on it, I chose a sweet potato on the side, and some green beans. It was simple but filling.

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Ava loves green beans and chicken too.

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She also enjoyed some Annie’s Mac & Cheese. Lucky girl!

As usual right after boot camp I refuel because my body muscles need it, and opted for a Quest Protein bar and some pan fried plantains! YUMM.

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What is something delicious you ate? 

Do you like banana bread? 

November 25, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
0 comments

Tips for Beating the Holiday Bulge

2 Days until the biggest eating holiday of the year! Do you already have your thanksgiving plates set in your mind? I know some of you have been busting your butts in the gym, but seriously you don’t have to STUFF your faces to enjoy the holiday.

Don’t get me wrong, I will indulge but I won’t be the one unbuttoning my pants or laying on the couch for 2 hours because I over ate.

I choose wisely. I love Turkey and gravy… and in case you don’t know me by now I am a POTATO lover.  So those items along with all the veggies will all be piled on my plate.

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Don’t hate me when I tell you I don’t like PIE. People think I’m crazy but Thanksgiving desserts are not my thing. For as long as I can remember I never ate dessert on Thanksgiving. If someone made Chocolate chip cookies, I would eat one but usually there’s only pies:)

So on a healthy note, Last night I tried out a new veggie combo that would make a great side dish for Thanksgiving. Roasted butternut squash topped with Gorgonzola Cheese.

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I took 1 pound of chopped butternut squash and drizzled it with oil & salt. Roasted in the oven for 30 minutes at 400 degrees and then topped it with 2 tbsp of gorgonzola cheese right after they came out of the oven. It was yummy!

 

Here are some Tips for Beating the Holiday Bulge:

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1. Drink lots of water. It is important to stay hydrated but drinking water also helps to keep you full.
2. Eat Breakfast. I’m never one to skip breakfast, but make sure to eat a normal healthy breakfast on the big day.
3. Exercise. Stay active. Even a 30 minute walk will burn some calories.
4. Don’t skip any meals. Skipping meals is only going to cause you to over eat later in the day. Eat like you normally would and it will help you to keep your holiday meal well balanced.
5. Load up on the healthy sides. I like to load 1/2 my plate with veggies. (some veggies are healthier then others so make sure to take the ones that aren’t loaded with butter & cream)
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6. Skip the sweets or limit yourself to 2 bites of your favorite dessert. I usually never have room for dessert, but sometimes just having a small cookie or a couple bites of pie will do the trick!
7. Keep your portions in check. Just because it’s a Holiday doesn’t mean you need to eat like you are never going to have another meal again. Eat as you normally would! 1 serving of protein is about the size of the palm of your hand
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1 fat serving is about the size of your thumb, and veggies should be unlimited unless they are coated in fats!!
What is your favorite part about Thanksgiving? 
Do you tend to over eat?
Will you exercise on Thanksgiving?

 

November 24, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
4 Comments

Strength Assessment & Weekend Recap

How pumped are you that this week is super short??? I’m not going to lie, I get excited just thinking about the holidays.

I’m squeezing in a lot these next few days but I am happy to have a long weekend to spend with family :)

SOOOOO I don’t have too much exciting to share with you from my weekend. Basically I did some shopping, I worked out, I ate a lot of good food (as usual), I watched the Patriots crush the Detroit Lions, we went to the park as a family, and lastly I studied my Women’s Fitness Specialist study guide.

I did the Insanity Asylum Strength Assessment DVD at home. This dvd is a 25 minute workout. I chose it because it was quick but challenging.

Doing this workout made me realize how much I love competition. You complete a series of exercises, each for 1 minute with as many repetitions as possible. In between each exercise there is about 45 seconds to rest . Each minute I pushed myself to my MAX and I was dripping sweat. Marc tried to capture a picture of the sweat but it didn’t come out great.

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My max heart rate was 208… pretty crazy right?? I took full advantage of those rest periods in between exercises.

I had done this workout a few times before and this time I felt my strongest. It felt so COOL! I beat some of my old numbers and seriously guys I was fired up!

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Well actually I was wiped. Even Cooper came to check on me.

About 20 minutes after my workout I got completely nauseous. I felt light headed and realized I needed something to refuel from my intense workout. I quickly chugged a protein shake and ate a BIG old spoonful of peanut butter. Within a few minutes I felt so much better! I usually don’t forget to eat or drink something right after my workout but I got side tracked with Ava.

On Saturday night Marc and I spent some time in the kitchen and whipped up these amazing Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms.

IMG_1049We also made some meatballs, potatoes and veggies. This dinner was so simple but I was blown away by flavor. Around 730, Marc’s friend from college came over for a visit. It was so nice to see him! We hung out, chatted and snacked on more food. It was fun!

Sunday I woke up and did some studying while Marc hung out with Ava. I was able to bang out a few chapters before I got bored and needed a rest. To take my mind elsewhere, I decided to make a Gluten Free BANANA BREAD that I picked up at HomeGoods on my shopping trip Saturday.

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We loved it and so did Ava.

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The rest of the lovely day was spent watching the Patriots! Ava wasn’t feeling that great so we kept it low key the rest of the night.

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Now as usual, my Mondays start off with Group Power so that’s where I am headed. I hope you all have a fabulous day!

 

Have you ever worked out so hard you felt nauseous??

Have you ever tried any of the insanity workouts?

November 21, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
0 comments

Friday Ballet Stretch Day

Today is my day off from strength training and intense exercising. After 5 straight days of workouts my muscles are asking me for a day off.

I did however, do a few minutes of light Cardio at home to warm my muscles up and took advantage of some stretching. I do stretch with all my classes every day but ever since my hip injury a few years back, my body needs a little more then just the before/after class stretching.

When I don’t want to think or come up with my own workouts I turn to the internet and the TV for “no-thinking workouts.”

I chose a Ballet Body Stretch on Demand (Thanks Verizon Fios)  The stretch workout was 13 minutes. It was PERFECT and hit every muscle in a short amount of time. Here are a few of the stretches.

PIGEON POSE (Cooper snuck in the picture!)

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CROSS LEGGED SIDE BEND

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LOWER BACK TWIST – also gets legs, glutes, neck

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CROSS LEGGED FORWARD LEAN

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I walked away feeling loose which was my goal.

Stretching is so important! It keeps us loose & limber. You will gain flexibility by adding regular stretching to your fitness routine!

On a different note….This Sunday we will be heading to the Thanksgiving Parade in Stamford, CT. They have GIANT balloons of awesome characters like Cookie Monster and Kermit the frog!! I can’t wait, I think Ava is going to love it!

HAPPY FRIDAY :) 

Do you stretch on a regular basis? What is your favorite stretch?

Any fun weekend Plans?

November 20, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
2 Comments

Green Monster Smoothie Recipe!!

On Tuesday afternoon I was looking for a nutritious filling snack and decided to make a Green Smoothie. I hadn’t made one in a while and this one definitely satisfied my craving.

You may be skeptical of the green color or how it will taste with spinach, but I have a feeling you will love it just as much as I did! It is an easy way to get in your fruits & veggies and makes for a great post workout or pre workout snack!

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GREEN MONSTER SMOOTHIE

1 CUP PINEAPPLE (FROZEN)

1 BANANA (FROZEN)

2 CUPS OF FRESH BABY SPINACH

1 CUP WATER (or coconut water)

optional 1 SCOOP VANILLA PROTEIN POWDER

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DIRECTIONS: Place all the ingredients in a blender

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 Mix on high for 2 minutes or until smooth!

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Pour in your favorite cup and enjoy!

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If you are using fruit that isn’t frozen I recommend adding ice! This smoothy is healthy and refreshing, I am happy to have leftovers to drink today ;)

What is your favorite smoothie recipe?

Do you like spinach in smoothies? 

November 19, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
4 Comments

WIAW- Veggies for days

 

 I am linking up with Jenn today for a What I ate Wednesday post of some of my delicious eats from yesterday. I sure did eat a lot of veggies!

Coffee has become a staple in my morning I never really drank coffee on a daily basis until this past year, I can obviously thank Ava for that one. Long nights and early mornings just seem better when they start with Pumpkin coffee.
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Breakfast was quite early yesterday. I quickly whipped up 2 eggs that I had with sauteed spinach, and a leftover baked potato that I drizzled with olive oil and lots of salt! It was super filling and satisfying!
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Mid morning I had an apple with peanut butter.. 
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Lunch came early because apparently my snack wasn’t big enough. I had leftover Grilled chicken with mixed roasted veggies (squash, brussels, zucchini) I also had a small sweet potato
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Apparently the theme yesterday was how many veggies can I eat. I whipped up a Green Smoothie for an afternoon snack and let me tell you it was better then some of the ones I have purchased before!! I will share the recipe with you this week. I also had some plantain chips & a pickle. I know random… but I need salt and pickles pack a lot of sodium!
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My pre-workout boot camp meal was Pork Chops Marsala w/ mushrooms and Mashed Cauliflower which could have easily been mistaken for potatoes it was so good.
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After a fun and sweaty boot camp class I opted for a chocolate Quest bar. I heated it up so it was warm and toasty… YUM!
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Marc and i also snacked on these pan fried plantains while watching New Girl, it has become our staple!
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HI COOPER!
What was something delicious you want to share that you ate? 
Do you eat enough veggies? 

 

Kelly Garofalo

Twitter/Instagram: @TheFitSkool

 

November 18, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
4 Comments

Trainer Tip Tuesday #8: Make time for yourself

As I am writing this post I am totally relaxed and stress free. Blogging is one of those things I choose to do on my free time when I want to relax and have some “ME TIME.”

Trainer Tip Tuesday #8: Make time for yourself

In order to live a healthy life sure you need to eat healthy and stay active, but I have come to realize that I need to eliminate all stress as well. Eating healthy and exercising makes me feel good but when I am stressed or anxious I tend to get run-down, I sleep less, and I end up getting sick.

I have found it is important to treat myself. Some days all I need is 10 minutes to flip through a magazine and clear my head.

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Other days, taking some time out of my weekend to go to the nail salon and get a pedicure makes me feel great!

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Believe it or not, reading educational fitness & health material and blogging always helps too! I zone out when I read because I am focusing incredibly hard on the information I am learning.

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Of course my #1 way to eliminate stress is to exercise.

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It does wonders for me :)

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Especially when you have someone fun to work out with!!

 Even a short walk outside with my buddy Cooper can do the trick.

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Of course hanging out with friends and going on a vacation with Marc is ideal but those aren’t always options!

SOO….The point of this point is to remind you to MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF TODAY! 

What are some ways you treat yourself?

How do you eliminate stress?

For more of my Trainer Tips check our my previous posts:

Trainer Tip #7: Get more out of your Group Fitness Class

Trainer Tip #6  Choose exercise that you enjoy doing

Trainer Tip #5 Quality vs Quantity

Trainer Tip #4 Lift a little heavier

Trainer Tip #3 A short workout is better then no workout

Trainer Tip #2 Exercising outdoors

Trainer Tip Tuesday #1: If you don’t like an exercise, start doing it!