The Fit Skool | by Kelly

September 23, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
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TRAINER TIP TUESDAY #4: Lift a little heavier

TRAINER TIP TUESDAY #4: Lift a little heavier

I hear it all the time. From people around the gym, sometimes from clients, from friends and family. Every once in awhile it even crosses my mind…

“I’m working out, but my body isn’t changing”

In its simplest form, if you want to see changes in your body, you have to make changes in your workout. Doing the same thing every day or lifting the same weights will most definitely keep you fit, but you may be looking for more. I myself am a very big advocate for incorporating many different forms of exercise into my workouts. Not only does it keep it from getting boring but by confusing your muscles you will get faster, more noticeable results. I am a huge fan of boot camp workouts. They constantly challenge my muscles!!

For those of you who are in a fitness rut try this: instead of lifting the same weights every time you exercise switch it up. Grab a set of dumbells a little bit heavier than usual and do a few less reps with them. See how you feel and listen to your body. The last couple of reps should be difficult.

Please excuse my weird faces!

I CAN RELATE to those of you who have felt that your body wasn’t responding to exercise. With a shoulder injury earlier in the year I was super limited on lifting heavy with my upper body.. it just wasn’t an option. I am at the point where I am increasing weights, and I am finally starting to see the strength gains and changes that I have been waiting for.

I have expanded the number of exercises I can do and I keep my body guessing which has helped me see those changes!

YOUR TURN….

Have you ever been frustrated from not seeing results with your workouts? Did you try switching up your routine? Did you notice physical changes in your body?

** I am a Certified Personal Trainer, however you should always consult your Doctor or Physician before beginning a new exercise program or making changes to your fitness routines**

September 22, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
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Tomorrow is officially fall & Weekend Recap

I had such a fun weekend and the weather almost felt like it was fall. I am a tad bit tired this morning but ready to tackle my classes.

Friday was a low key night in our house. We got take out from an Italian place and just hung out.

Saturday we were up bright and early because Ava had no plans of sleeping in.. so Dunkin coffee was a must! Once Ava took a morning nap I practiced the new Group power release and in between did some cardio bursts of burpees and jumping jacks. I was definitely fatigued by the end!

In the afternoon we headed to our neighbors house for their daughters 2 yr old birthday party!

They had an art party and all the kids were having a blast making paintings and playing with the toys!

Ava loved the ball pool.

I was so excited for Sunday because we were meeting up with some of our best friends from college. We decided to get together at a vineyard in Clinton, CT which was sort of a central location.

It was so fun and a perfect place to go with the kids because they were able to play outside.

Ava made some pretty cool faces yesterday… her top teeth are coming in so that’s her excuse!

If you are ever looking for a good spot to meet up with friends you should definitely try a local vineyard or park. They have gorgeous scenery and it makes for a great day out!

Andddd somehow it’s Monday again, so I’m off to teach Group Power and get my weight training on.

Have a great day!

September 19, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
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Things I am loving Lately!

Ava woke us up early this morning and I really wish I could’ve slept for another 20 minutes. Do you ever have one of those mornings? She wanted a bottle so I had no choice but to get up. After I gave her a bottle we bundled her up and decided to go for an early family walk. The weather was perfect.

Here are some thing I have been loving this week:

I know fall doesn’t technically begin until Monday, but it sure felt like it this morning! I have no complaints because I really enjoyed a homemade HOT pumpkin spice coffee it warmed me right up!

It is so easy to make, you should try it

This week I got in a TON of great workouts and my legs are pretty much shot today. We are launching the new Group Power workout on less then 2 weeks so I am practicing with a co-worker later today.

I love this workout because it is an increased weight workout so you do less repetitions at higher weight!!

Since being off Paleo I have been loving having Peanut butter back in my life.. Doesn’t peanut butter make everything better?

My dad bought me this Rubbermaid lunch storage container. How great is this?

They snap together and the little containers are perfect portions for lunch side dishes!

Last night after a great boot camp workout, I enjoyed this high-protein oatmeal!

It had Oats, Protein powder, peanut butter, almond milk, & a few mini chocolate chips! yum.

I also tried these Sweet Cinnamon Chickpea bites..

If you are looking for something sweet they will satisfy your craving!

I hope you all have a lovely Friday!

What have you been loving lately??

September 18, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
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My Paleo overview after the 2 week challenge

After 2 weeks of super clean eating with my Paleo Food Challenge, I felt great. The first 3 to 4 days were tough. I was having trouble getting full because my meals weren’t organized properly. It wasn’t until I started adding in more veggies to my snacks and using a little more oil that I was more satisfied.

Once I got to the 1 week mark, I wasn’t thinking about what I was eating next or what I should grab out of the fridge, it became routine. I found what worked for me and went with it!!

My breakfast typically looked like this… or some variation of this!

I don’t necessarily agree with people that say white potatoes are bad. They are still a whole food, they have lots of potassium (they helped to keep me full!)

I didn’t eat them every day, but the days I just had eggs and veggies I was hungry earlier.

For snacks throughout the day and night, I stuck with fruits, veggies, salads, nuts, almond butter, muffins, plantain chips, smoothies, avocado, and roasted plantains. I did have coconut milk ice cream one night.. it was okayy.

Lunches were the easiest for me.. they always consisted of leftovers from dinner the night before. I love no-brainers.

Come dinner time I was always at a loss of what to eat, there were some days I didn’t want a single veggie!! Those nights ended up being take out like Thai Food, Salads, or from a prepared food place!

I made these zoodles and they are amazing, I will share the recipe with you soon.

I did have some cheat snacks... snacks that I wouldn’t even call a CHEAT. They are healthy to me and foods that help me enjoy life. I have low blood pressure so I craved salt during Paleo and I really wanted these things.

Here are a few!

PEANUT BUTTER seriously come on. It was 2 ingredients Peanuts & Salt.

Popcorn (homemade with popcorn kernels & coconut oil)

Brown Rice (I had a small serving) it just goes with spicy Thai food

Overall, Paleo made me feel better, I was less bloated, I felt good, and I loved that I was making smart choices. My workouts were full of great energy and I felt strong.

It did make me realize that I am a healthy eater and there are other foods I enjoy that are HEALTHY. The first thing I had that wasn’t paleo was a yogurt parfait… it tasted like heaven! I seriously thought I could eat them all day. HAHAH

I decided to keep with Paleo 80/20. I am still going to enjoy the foods that I think are healthy that are not on the Paleo meal plan but I like how I feel right now!

Have you ever followed a meal plan or diet and stuck with it for a lifestyle change??

What kind of foods in your diet are healthy and what are some things you should probably eliminate??

September 17, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
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What I ate Wednesday.. sort of Paleo!

It’s Hump day……. and I want to share my food with you!

Yesterday I kinda stuck with Paleo but you will see some foods that I decided to add back in.

Breakfast was similar to what I ate last week during Paleo, 2 eggs over sauteed spinach and potato in coconut oil! Pretty Delicious

Snack was a banana, a fruit parfait with a sprinkle of granola, and later on some baby carrots

Lunch was leftover Zoodles with Meat sauce and 1/2 a piece of one of these steaks (don’t worry I didn’t eat 4 steaks)

I also ate some leftover asparagus. All these pics were taken the day before I ate them

Afternoon snack was an apple with…

some nuts, and 1/2 of this Kale Veggie drink (it was OK)

I kept Dinner simple since I had boot camp class. Grilled BBQ chicken with a sweet potato and a cabbage slaw salad with a secret dijon & mayo dressing. Jk it is not secret… it is really simple though!

Post Boot Camp I had a Vanilla Whey protein shake. No picture taken because I chugged it. I also had two handfuls of Puffin Cereal..

Your turn… what were some of your healthy eats from yesterday!! Please share

To see more WIAW posts check out Jenn’s Blog!

September 16, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
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Trainer Tip Tuesday #3- Short workouts

Trainer Tip Tuesday: A short workout is better then NO workout. I think we can all spare 20 minutes to get in a quick workout.

While watching the Patriots game on Sunday I completed a quick 20-minute bodyweight workout that left me huffing and puffing. I handed Marc my phone and set up the timer so that every minute he could tell me to change exercises. Ava challenged me during my pushups by trying to pull herself up on me.

As my WARM-UP I took a brisk 5 minute walk around the block with Cooper to get my blood pumping.

20 Minute Full Body Quickie

Perform each exercise for 1 MINUTE, repeat circuit 3X or more depending on how long you have to train

Jump Rope

If you don’t have space for a rope, jump in place

Lunge to Knee Raise

step back into your lunge, as you come back to your starting position raise your knee up to waist height

Twisting Crunch

Lying flat on the floor with your hands behind your head, lift your shoulders off the floor and rotate to the left, repeat and switch sides

Pushups

For form and variations of pushups check out this link: Do-A-Push-UP

Fake Lateral Cone-Hops

take two lateral hops to each side, if you have cones use them! If not you could put 2 paper plates down instead.

Lateral Cone Hops

Cool Down With some light stretching

Do you like to exercise on Sundays?

What are some of your go to quick workouts?

**Always consult a Doctor or Physician before beginning a new exercise program**

September 15, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
2 Comments

Weekend Recap & Last Day of the Paleo Challenge

Hiiiii.

Monday rolled around pretty quickly but my weekend was great, how was yours??

My mom was so kind Friday night and let Marc and I go out for dinner! We chose to go to Barcelona! In case you have never been, Barcelona is a Spanish Tapas Wine Bar. We absolutely love it there!

This restaurant has helped me expand my palate and try new foods & flavors! Plus it makes for a great date night.

Marc and I ordered several tapas… Albondigas (meatballs), spinach & chickpea casserole, broccoli rabe with garlic & oil, shrimp with salsa verde, beet salad, sliders, & shishitto peppers! It sounds like a lot but they are small plates.

My favorite was the spinach casserole and the meatballs. The peppers were good but soo spicy! I like spice but not when I can’t think or speak.. JK

It was a perfect date night and seriously an hour out feels like an eternity!!

Saturday morning Marc grabbed us some Dunkin coffees, we loaded up the car and headed to Rhode Island. I always get excited for RI because its a mini vacay and we get to see family.

In the afternoon my brother in law took some AMAZING pictures of Ava for us. I am not really good at taking photos so it was so nice of him to snap some pics. This is a sneak peak.

We had some quality time & good food! Marc’s dad is a great cook and always makes delicious meals for us. I was too hungry so I didn’t snap a picture, but for lunch we had grilled salmon over an italian salad. Yum. Dinner was takeout from The Cove Restaurant… I had a blackened chicken sandwich (No Bun) and veggies

It was definitely hard doing Paleo on the go and at my in-laws but I made it work! Today is the last day of the challenge and I have decided to continue with an 80/20 format. Paleo 80% of the time I have a lot to share about my experience!

When we got back Sunday we unpacked and enjoyed watching some football at my parents. The Patriots got their first win!

Cooper could not keep his eyes open for the game!!

I also got in a speedy workout while watching the Patriots. I did a bodyweight circuit that I will share with you tomorrow!

I hope you all have a great day!

September 12, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
2 Comments

Things I am loving this week!

This week was great and I am looking forward to a weekend trip to Rhode Island to see some family.

I have been loving a lot of things lately and I want to share some of them with you

First up… (which I can’t believe I didn’t share with you earlier this week) is this picture from Sunday morning. I met Peter King at Starbucks on Greenwich Avenue. We went for a typical morning walk and Marc spotted him typing away on his laptop in Starbucks. After our walk he was still in there so I decided it was meant to be that I go in and say hello. I told him we were huge fans! In case you don’t know Peter King, he is a sportswriter and works for Sports Illustrated, he also worked for the NFL, NBC, and is the author of 5 books. He was SUPER nice and friendly… and pretty much made my day!

(please excuse the bad hair and sleepy eyes, it was relatively early!)

I am also loving some Paleo eats… Plantain Chips and avocado.

and also Leftover Turkey Chili over spaghetti squash.. you gotta get creative on Paleo!

Marc and I were looking for a sweet treat Wednesday night so we had a serving of this Almond Milk Ice Cream by So Delicious. I haven’t had a treat like this in a while so I savored every bite.

Coconut Milk… have you ever had it? It’s so tasty… I have used it in my smoothies, Paleo muffins, and coffee this week!

This post wouldn’t be complete without a picture of Ava!! She has been so much fun this week.. I mean she always is but this week is extra special. She is standing up alone and likes to dance. I would post the video of her dancing but my mom and I are screaming and signing in the background so its pretty embarrassing.

HAPPY FRIDAY

Your turn…. share some of your favorite things this week!

September 11, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
2 Comments

Stocked fridge but I didn’t feel like cooking!

Yesterday flew by for me! My morning started off with teaching an awesome Group Power class.

We had a large group of people with great morning energy. Here is a snapshot of 1/2 the class post-workout.

These people motivate me to be a better instructor and fuel my day with positivity!

At the end of the day, I looked in the fridge to see what I had to cook for dinner. We had steak, chicken, turkey burgers… lots of veggie options and NONE of it appealed to me. I had no desire to cook and no desire to think of something to whip together!

I decided to take Ava with me to a local place called Garelick & Herbs where they have tons of freshly prepared healthy foods! Brilliant idea, but so many choices.

I decided to grab a large slice of their turkey meatloaf (it was almost 2 inches thick), a massive grilled pesto chicken kabob, & broccolini

This picture doesn’t make it seem like they were big portions. Maybe this one does.

We also got a side of butternut squash & apple soup.

I reheated some leftover veggies to serve with this meal and it turned out delicious.

I really think it was so satisfying because I didn’t cook it!

Isn’t it nice to just buy dinner sometimes instead of cook it!?
What is your favorite go-to take out or on-the-go food place?

September 10, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
4 Comments

What I ate Wednesday… Week 2 of Paleo

During my second week of Paleo I am feeling great and I feel like I am in a groove where I don’t need to think about my food choices, it has become my second nature. I do miss oats, peanut butter, and yogurt to name a few but since we don’t have yogurt in the fridge I really haven’t thought about it much the last couple of days…

I will definitely be slowly adding them back into my diet once the challenge is over.

i did have a scoop of peanut butter and some home-made popcorn over the weekend but I needed it… my body told me to have it so I am okay with it

Here are my Paleo eats from yesterday

What I ate Wednesday… Week 2 of PaleoBREAKFASTFor breakfast I had pan fried potatoes with sauteed kale & tomatoes with 2 over easy eggs on top, plus some bacon (my breakfast has looked similar to this all week with different veggies but it’s so good and satisfying)

MID-MORNING SNACKI had a banana & celery w/ Almond Butter

and a Pumpkin Almond Muffin

and… before lunch and a plate of Cucumbers & Tomatoes with Sea Salt & Pepper for a morning snack!

LUNCH Lunch was leftover PALEO Shepherd’s Pie (the recipe will be coming soon, it is so good and there is a secret ingredient in this recipe)

I also had some baby carrots with my lunchAFTERNOON SNACKPlantain Chips with Avocado and an apple

DINNERSimple grilled garlic & herb chicken with olive oil , sweet potatoes, broccoli & brussel sprouts.. I went back for seconds (I like simple meals before my workouts)

POST BOOT CAMP SNACKRaspberry Smoothie with coconut milk, egg white protein, and berries and a scoop of nut butter on the side

What did you eat?? Try taking pictures of what you eat through-out the day, it is a great tool to keep you on track!Check out more WIAW posts at Peas and Crayons blog