The Fit Skool | by Kelly

April 24, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
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Burpee workout

The Burpee workout

Whether I am teaching a boot camp class or training my clients, whenever I say the word burpee I usually hear a sigh or a complaint. My question for you is, why? This body-weight exercise gets the heart rate up and is a full-body movement. Therefore you are working so many more muscles with just ONE exercise!

There are a few different variations of a burpee. You can do a burpee with a pushup and a jump at the end, or you can do just the simple squat thrust. This movement can be altered to you based on your athletic capability.

Image 1 shows me lowering down towards the floor, image 2 demonstrates me kicking my feet back into a pushup position. You would then lower into a pushup

Image 3 shows me jumping back into a wide stance (you can also do a narrow stance with your feet on the insides of your hand)

Image 4 did not make the cut! It was too blurry, but that last step is a nice explosive jump into the air. Then you repeat with another burpee.

So.. now the workout! My Thursday challenge for you is to complete as many burpees in 1 day as possible. Whenever you have a free minute get down and do some burpees. Record how many you complete!

Please share your numbers

April 22, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
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Chicken Sausage with Kale, Chickpeas, & Tomatoes

I’m no Rachel Ray, but I love meals that are cooked in less than 30 minutes. If the recipe is quick, simple, & tastes great I am all for it.

When I got home from picking up Ava at daycare yesterday I had nothing planned for dinner. I literally opened the fridge and found a bag of kale and a pint of grape tomatoes in my vegetable drawer and thought, what can I do with this? Luckily I had some chicken sausage in the freezer that I quickly thawed and was excited I had something to throw together. While Ava napped I got to prepping… this meal literally took 20 minutes and was a huge hit. The flavors were on point.

We will definitely be making this recipe again.

Chicken Sausage with Kale, Chickpeas, & Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1 package Al Fresco Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage

1 bag of chopped kale

1 can of chickpeas, drained

1/2 pint of grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup sherry wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp oregano

salt & pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

Heat a large pan to medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add in grape tomatoes and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add in kale, chicken broth, & sherry wine and cook for 5 minutes.

Drizzle remaining oil and seasonings, mix well. Remove kale mixture from pan and place into serving dish. Add chicken sausage to pan and cook 8-10 minutes or until cooked (as directed by package). Add the Kale mixture back to the pan and mix well. Return everything back to serving dish and eat!

This meal would also be great served over whole grain pasta or rice… or even on a sandwich!

April 21, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
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Family Time and back to work

This weekend was all about rest and hanging out with family. My Easter was relaxing and it was awesome to have some warmer sunnier weather!

I was out of work last week for several days with a terrible cold that is still lingering, but I am extremely happy to be feeling better. Sometimes we take for granted feeling good!

Over the last couple of days I have taken Cooper for several walks outside and the fresh air seemed to help with my cold!

On Easter Sunday we had lots of fun thanks to good food, family time, and of course Ava.

The Easter Bunny treated Ava well. She got some cute outfits, shoes, a stuffed bunny, a book, and some toys

(Cooper had to sneak in and check out her basket, sorry buddy no chocolate for you)

Ava looks cute in her new dress thanks to Grandma!

Please excuse the dark circles… I’m still sick.

This Family photo came out great because Cooper is looking so regal!

My Monday morning started off with Group Power… it felt great to sweat a little bit. My body was ready to get back to working out after doing nothing this past week.

I used light weights and made sure not to over-do it.

I still managed to get my heart rate up to 171 and burn 497 calories.

Post workout I had a chocolate protein shake and a banana to re-fuel before my next client. It has been a great start to my Monday and I can’t wait to get outside and walk Cooper later, the weather is supposed to be great!

April 17, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
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Down for the count

This post is going to be short and sweet. I am currently sick and not functioning at my usual non-stop fast pace! Apparently last week I did too much because my body couldn’t handle it and I am run down with the worst cold ever.

It isn’t the flu but they might as well call it the flu because it sure feels like it. Achy, fever, sore throat, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite. The doctor didn’t pin point an illness with it, it isn’t the flu or strep or tonsillitis which is mind boggling to me.

I am not going to complain about it, but rather take it as time to rest and relax. Hopefully the antibiotics kick this cold soon and some positive thinking speeds things up!

Cooper has been my buddy the last couple of days while I have been home sick.

This face gets me, what he is really thinking is how come we aren’t playing fetch right now, get off the couch!

Little Miss Ava has been getting attention from everyone but me which stinks but I am thankful for a family that lives close by and of course Marc who has been on duty 24/7!!

April 16, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
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BBQ Pulled Chicken

Well, today’s weather is not warm for sure.. we woke up with snow on the cars and frost on the windshields.

In hope that this is the last cold weather day, I have a recipe for you that is one of our family’s favorite go to dinner recipes during the spring & summertime!

A few years, ago I was looking for a healthier alternative to pulled pork so I decided to give pulled chicken a try. It was hands down delicious and we decided to add it to our weekly menu. It is so easy to throw together and if you need something to bring to a BBQ you won’t be disappointed!

I have tried this recipe a couple of ways… in the crock-pot and on the stove. I enjoy the crock-pot version better but if you are in a time crunch the stove is definitely faster.

BBQ Pulled Chicken

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs of chicken breast

1 jar of your favorite BBQ sauce

water

Directions:

Take out your crock-pot and start the timer to 4 hours on high. Place enough water in the crock-pot to cover the bottom. Mix some about 1/3 cup of BBQ with the chicken and then place the chicken in the crock-pot. Drizzle about 1/4 cup more BBQ sauce on top of the chicken. Close the lid and let it cook! After the 4 hours is up or whenever you are ready, pull & shred the chicken using 2 forks. If the chicken looks dry add more of the BBQ sauce.

Serving suggestions:

I love my bbq chicken served on a bun or a piece of whole grain toast open faced with cole slaw & a pickle! It is also great over a salad or just on a plate as is!

April 9, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
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4 Month Baby & Postpartum Update

4 MONTH UPDATE

AVA

Ava’s current weight is 13lb 14oz we don’t have a length update because she hasn’t officially had her check up since she’s been sick, but she is very long and is in 6 month clothing!

This last month has been pretty crazy and Ava has officially been sick for a full month! It started off with a cold that turned into a bad cough. This cough lasted for weeks and we made several trips to the Doctor. It seemed like we had tried almost everything. A nebulizer, humidifier, steamed shower, fresh air, benadryl, and then finally…

the Doctor put her on antibiotics and within 48 hours the cough disappeared. As much as putting her on antibiotics was difficult it was the right choice and sometimes medicine is needed! At that point we were ready for anything to help her get better.

2 days after the cough went away, Ava broke out in a fever! The highest was 102.5 so back to the doctor it was. Poor little girl had a sore throat on top of everything. She must’ve caught a virus at daycare. Lots of rest and a little Tylenol were Ava’s plans over the weekend. Now she’s getting better each day but we have some teeth coming in, so I can sense some discomfort. Her hands are constantly in her mouth.

EAT

Ava has been eating through her sickness, which is great. She might’ve taken a little less at some meals but she’s like her mama and can’t skip a meal.

SLEEP

Sleep has been interrupted this past month (mainly for Marc & I) we woke up to her coughing night after night and were more worried then anything. Ava would mostly sleep through the coughing in the middle of the night but sometimes they woke her up and then she would take a bottle and go back to sleep!

She has been napping more, which is fine because we needed her healthy!

PLAY

On to the fun part… play time! I love it and so does she. Ava learned to roll over at 3 ½ months! She has been reaching for toys and grabbing things left and right including my hair!

My ultimate favorite thing that has happened over the last month is hearing Ava giggle. It is hands down the cutest thing ever and I am pretty sure it will make you smile too.

Now… on to my journey at 4 months postpartum. I have seen a lot of improvement in my shoulder strength since my last update. It was slow and steady for a while, but over the last 3 weeks I am feeling more and more like myself! I am gradually increasing the weights in my classes and each week I surprise myself with something new I can do.

When I started planks at Physical Therapy, I thought 20 seconds felt like an eternity and now 1 minute is a piece of cake! Seeing that type of progress in less then a weeks time keeps me motivated!

Eating..I am very proud of my food choices. I have been making very healthy dinners and choosing healthy snacks throughout the days. Sure I have the occasional ice cream night but for the most part I feel like I have eliminated most of the processed granola bars that I sometimes sneak in to my busy days.

My weight has stayed the same… and I’m still achieving my goal of increasing strength. Some areas I want to improve on this month are once again my shoulder strength, and I want to add in more cardio days!

Stay tuned for some more updates

April 8, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
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Super Healthy Veggie Chili

I have been trying to incorporate more veggies into my diet so I thought having an abundance of veggie chili in the fridge would help!

I chopped up a bunch of veggies which only took a few minutes and then I literally threw everything into the crock-pot! I had it as a main meal, a side dish, and for lunch I added in chicken for extra protein! You can definitely swap in different veggies too. I made this recipe mild but it would be great with some chopped up jalapenos or a few splashes of hot sauce!

SUPER HEALTHY VEGGIE CHILI

Ingredients:

3 small zucchini

½ red bell pepper, ½ orange bell pepper, ½ yellow bell pepper

1 medium onion

1 can petite diced tomatoes

2 tsp cumin

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp oregano

½ teaspoon salt

½ tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 can beans (your choice I used chickpeas)

1 cup of chicken stock and 1 cup water

2 tablespoons canola oil or olive oil

Toppings: Cheddar Cheese, jalapenos, avocado, salsa

Directions: Chop up veggies, throw everything in the crock-pot for 3-4 hours on high. Serve in a bowl with toppings. (This chili would be great over rice or quinoa)

A little cheddar cheese and avocado on top was a must for me!

April 7, 2014
by Kelly @ The Fit Skool
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Weekend Highlights

It is almost starting to feel like spring around here, and I am loving the warmer temps!

On Saturday morning I got up bright and early to head to a Boot Camp fundraiser for Celiacs Disease in Somers, NY. I was looking forward to getting a good workout in. My friend Lindsay and I left the house around 630am.. The boot camp was at an indoor facility which was great because it was pretty muddy and wet out from the rain the night before.

I enjoyed the variety of the class. We used ropes, medicine balls, jump rope, weights, step boxes and even tire slamming. It was fun and a nice change for me since I am usually the instructor teaching the class. Working in a group atmosphere is definitely my style and having a partner to do all the exercises with made the time fly.

During the workout I noticed that all the upper body exercises were challenging for me. I had to pace myself and modify a few of the stations but it felt great to work hard!

Saturday afternoon we had a nice family lunch in Fairfield, CT at Cinzano’s. It was quite delicious! When we got home we headed outside to walk with Cooper.

We have even been able to take Ava out in her stroller for some of the walks. She has been sick for what seems to feel like forever now, but she is on her rode to recovery.. finally!! I think the fresh air helped.

Sunday was my rest and off day from exercise. Besides a walk outside, I did some food prep, and chores around the house (fun stuff…ha)

Today my morning started with group power! It is nice to get my workout out of the way. I am slowly increasing my weights and man are my arms are WIPED!!

Enjoy the rest of your Monday!