Like every other busy human, I try my hardest not to skip breakfast. It is your first meal of the day and quiet important. I refuse to give myself the excuse that I don't have time to make something on the go. It takes me all of 12 minutes to make a shake, so that has been my go to breakfast on busy mornings. I keep the ingredients simple, nutritious and most of all delicious. 

Breakfast shake: 
Spinach/Kale
Vegan chocolate protein powder
Frozen berries 
Ice & water 

Ingredients Explained:
Could the ingredients get any more simple? I mean really. The frozen berries I love because I don't always have fresh produce at home. The bag I typically buy is strawberries, cherries, blueberries and chunks of kale. That bag alone is great just to mix with protein powder, but I like to add in extra spinach or kale. I always go for vegan protein for two reasons. The first being I try to stay clear of dairy, my stomach hates it and my body reacts poorly to it (bloating, gas, acne). The second reason I choose vegan protein is because I like the ingredients more that they typically offer then a regular whey protein. You can obviously switch out your protein, fruits and even the vegetables you throw in. 

This shake keeps me full all morning and leaves me feeling content that even if I couldn't cook a meal I was still able to get all of my nutrients in. Let me know in the comments, how you like it! 

I am all for quick, easy meals. If I can make something in under 15 minutes it has been added to my list of favorites. I try to meal prep lunch so I can have it at work or if I'm on the go. It saves time going out for lunch, money and unwanted calories. Today I really wanted Chinese food but opted for a healthier option. 

Ingredients: 
Chicken cutlets sliced thin
Asparagus 
Brown rice 
Low sodium teriyaki sauce 
Seasonings

A one pot master piece. I cooked the chicken and asparagus with pepper, garlic powder and some teriyaki seasoning. The brown rice I purchase from Trader Joe's. I love this rice because it comes frozen and takes 3 minutes to cook in the microwave. Oh and did I mention it's organic brown rice? Another score. Once the chicken is cooked through, my meal is done in under 15 minutes. The serving size I made was 3 cutlets and 1.5 cups of brown rice, so I split it into two servings as my lunch and late lunch/early dinner. YUM!

The magic of Disney has a way of making anything come true. Even weight loss on your vacation. I am beyond serious when I say this, too. I'm going to let you in on my secret that changed the way I vacationed at Disney World. If you follow my steps, I can guarantee you'll have similar results too! 

To begin, you must understand something. To lose weight means you have the choice to choose your health over temptations. Temptations like foods lacking nutrients, staying still instead of moving, and allowing your body to rest. I decided that my Disney vacation wouldn't ruin my weight loss journey. I wanted to enjoy my trip, but I also didn't want to come home 5lbs heavier. I had been working hard to lose some weight and inches, so I wasn't going to allow anything to get in my way. 

Step 1: Pack accordingly 
In preparation for our trip, I made sure to pack some healthy snacks. You can also plan to purchase these at a local store but for me it was easier to bring it from home. I brought along RX bars, 100 calorie almond packs, and protein powder. Upon arriving to Florida, we went shopping and purchased greek yogurt, lots of water, fruit, and veggie cups for the room. 

Step 2: Walk, walk, walk
It is no secret that the Disney parks are thousands of steps a day. In my highest day of walking I walked 11 miles in total. That's a lot of burned calories! One of the positives about the high amount of walking is that you don't have to feel guilty about skipping your hotels fitness center. In fact, I only went to mine once and it was the first day we arrived. It is far from true that you need a full gym to get in a workout, all you truly need is yourself. 

Step 3: Track yourself
The best way to keep yourself in line is to track yourself. If you have a fitbit, Apple watch, Running app, whatever you have to track your movement make sure you have it on you to log your days. 

Step 4: Nutrition 
This is definitely the harder part of weight loss on vacation. You are on vacation so you want to let your hair down and enjoy yourself. Which you absolutely still can. But there are still some foods I'd try to stay clear of. When it came to eating meals, we didn't have a kitchen to cook so we ate out every day. With that being said, it was fairly easy to find healthy alternatives at every quick stop and table service restaurant. My rule of thumb, load your plate up with veggies and protein. Healthy carbs and fats, keep to smaller portions. If there's an item you really want like a Mickey Mouse ice cream sandwich, share it with someone! If you must have something like let's say a Dole Whip, then enjoy yourself and have it. But make sure to track what you eat also, so you know your calorie intake. 

Step 5: Relax and trust your journey
Rest is seriously so important to weight loss. If you aren't giving your body time to rest and enough sleep, your journey will come to a full on stop. It's your bodies way of telling you to slow down. So enjoy yourself and relax. Take a day to lay out by the pool! Sleep in, it is still vacation! And trust your body. 

Following these five steps, on a 10 day trip I walked anywhere from 4-11 miles a day. I kept my calorie intake to 1500-2000 a day and I allowed my body to rest when it wanted it. So my result? I came home weighing less then I did when I left for Disney! Anything is possible, especially with the magic of Disney. Comment your tips below! 

Instagram Results

Let me begin by asking you this, if you don't value yourself enough to do things you love that make you happy, then how do you expect to grow? I mean really think about it. If you can't find the time to give yourself the love and attention that you need, then who truly will? I have spoke a lot about our relationship with ourselves, in previous posts. It is the most important relationship you will have in your life. But if you don't cherish it, you can lose it. 

There has always been one thing I could never compromise on. No matter how much money I had to my name, I refused to give it up. Which is what? Getting my nails done. There is nothing I love more then setting aside the time to get a mani. It might sound small or inconsequential but it's monuments to my life. I love the way my hands look after a fresh manicure. I feel clean, I feel refreshed and rebooted. For me, getting my nails done means I get to sit alone quietly for 45 minutes and get pampered. Sometimes I listen to a podcast or music, and sometimes I merely zone out. I have found that in my hectic, busy lifestyle this is one of the only times twice a month where I am sitting completely still. My hands are occupied so I'm not able to be on my phone answering emails or texting. I am literally forced to sit with myself for an hour. 

Some people may agree with me that manicures are a time they worship, while others may find it silly. If you find it silly, then I want to know what it is you do that you will absolutely not give up. Maybe its wine night once a month with your girl friends, going golfing with your brother, Monday movie night, something. Anything. We all have something that gives us the feeling of whole-ness. The feeling like we can sit back and relax and not feel the pressures of the world. This is so important when you are on your journey to self growth. To improve yourself you also have to learn when to allow yourself down time. 

As I sat in my big comfy chair today, getting my nails done, allowing my mind to wander I realized that this was a form of peace for me. There is nothing more valuable then finding places of peace in our lives. I invite you to make a list of "peace places" in your world. My list is full of places I go when my mind is racing, I need some alone time or I want to focus. 

Peace Places
-Library
-Nail salon 
-Sit in starbucks
-The gym
-Watching a favorite movie in bed 

What will your list consist of? Comment below! 

During a great session with one of my clients today, she had turned to me and said "I really love your program" as she finishing up shoulder presses. I merely said "Thank you, I am so happy you are enjoying this as much as I am". After our session I had thought how most people probably don't know my style of training. Sure anyone can get certified, tell you how many reps to do and take your money. But I specifically created my Fitness With Fi program to do the complete opposite of that. I created this program on the fundamentals of my beliefs of a healthy lifestyle, and how I can truly help transform someones life. 

So what exactly is my program, Fitness With Fi? 
My program, Fitness With Fi, is not just a workout guide. It includes physical training, nutritional guidance, and mental health awareness. In our hour long sessions we will discuss your eating habits, nutrition, meditation, what's going on in your everyday life, workout (obviously) and so on. 

What makes a session with you so unique? 
My sessions begin with discussing your week. Typically I can feel out the energy you are bringing to the session in your responses. An example is if you're telling me you are really anxious about something, having a bad work week, excited for an event and so on. From there I will choose a guided meditation that we do together, that's typically 10 minutes long. I choose these meditations based off of what you tell me at the beginning of our session, to help declutter your mind of any negativity. Then we work out! We'll train for typically 40-45 minutes. During our cool down/stretching is when we'll discuss any eating/ nutrition issues. Upon signing up for my program we have already discusses nutrition in depth so each session is making sure the plan works best for you, maybe swapping out certain things and overall discussing the new journey you are on. 

How soon can I see results? 
Well, results is what we all want. I want to be able to help you become the best version of yourself, and you of course want to look better and feel great from the inside out. Results vary depending on how seriously you take my program. Regardless if we meet once or five times a week to workout, you will still workout on your own and be responsible for your daily nutrition. I am here to help, guide and support you, but I can't be at every meal! If you take it seriously, I can guarantee a full transformation of mind, body and soul. 

What if I live out of state and can't meet with you in person, can I still do the program? 
ABSOLUTELY! We can still work together, and everything will stay the same (for the most part). The only big difference is that we would Skype for our sessions. I also offer the option to do all of the workouts on your own, but we would still Skype weekly to go over your progress. 

Here's my take on Italian food. I am a firm believer that you don't need to give up any foods, just alter how you eat them. By that I mean swapping out items that aren't as healthy for you for a healthier alternative. So maybe it is like giving up certain foods, but you find other options that are really close you almost can't tell the difference! 

For last nights dinner, I opted for spaghetti and meatballs. I didn't want to eat that many carbs for my dinner and wanted a leaner protein. When it comes to wanting pasta, I typically look for an alternative like spaghetti squash or zoodles (zucchini noodles) because I like to have a big fat bowl of it. When you have a big bowl of regular spaghetti it can throw off your calories for the day. What I love about spaghetti squash is that I can eat an entire half of squash and not feel disgustingly full, sluggish or bloated from my meal. I feel full, have energy and content that I ate squash vs. straight carbs. 

Spaghetti squash: 
All you need is 1 squash sliced in half. Once you slice it in half, and might I add be careful slicing it open. I find it can be really difficult to cut, so watch your hands! Next you'll want to scoop out the seeds. After that, drizzle olive oil, garlic powder, pepper and salt (optional) over the squash and then place them face down on a baking sheet. I bake them on 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Once they are cooked you can take a fork and instantly the squash will begin to look like spaghetti. 

Italian chicken meatballs: 
Ground chicken 1lb 90% lean
1 egg
1/2 cup of italian bread crumbs 
1 tsp of oregano 
1tsp of salt 
1tsp of pepper
1tsp of garlic powder
Parmesan cheese (optional) 

You'll begin by mixing all of your ingredients together in a bowl. Once they are all mixed, spoon out your meatball and begin to cook them on a hot skillet with olive oil. Once the meatballs have a nice brown color, transfer them to a baking sheet and put them in the oven for 25 minutes on 350 degrees.

Mixing it all together: 
I like to have sauce with my pasta and meatballs, it's just a must. You can make your own "gravy" or do store bought. There are so many great alternatives now like organic tomato sauce, or low calorie, light cream alfredo sauce and so on. My three recommendations for sauces are as follows: 
Garlic and olive oil (make yourself)
Alfredo sauce (store bought or make yourself) 
Tomato sauce (store bought or make yourself) 
I chose Alfredo sauce because it was what I had in the pantry. Since I am eating super healthy, I sometimes let myself splurge on the sauce. 

What's your favorite recipe for spaghetti and meatballs? 

Something about the start of a new month feels so refreshing. Almost like you can leave whatever negativity the month before brought and start like new. May is even more exciting because spring is here, full on and the beautiful weather is to follow (at least for the weather here in New York). I find that warm weather brings out the happy in people. We are all so deficient in vitamin C from the cold winter months it feels so good to have those rays of sunshine beat down on our skin. 

With each new month, I like to give myself a new goal. I have my on-going goals always, like gaining more clients each month and writing more posts. But with each new month, I find its important to set a specific goal that has an end date. I always find that giving yourself a goal with a near by end date means you'll hold yourself more accountable.

​For example, I have set a goal for myself for the month of May. I have a vacation coming up in August and I want to be in the best, most tip top shape I have ever been in. So what was my goal for this month? To lose 5 lbs. Only 5. Which sometimes can sound like a lot, or maybe not enough. But I know my body and I know how I operate. If I workout, eat healthy and take care of my soul (like eliminating stress) then I will be well on my way to those 5lbs before the month is up. 

If you set a goal without an end date, it's really nothing more than a wish. An end date holds us accountable. If you can't hold yourself accountable, then who can? I mean really. Would you feel more comfortable putting the fate of your life in someone else's hands or your own? I choose to make decisions for myself. In that, I make my goals. In fact, I already know what the following month's goals will be. Keeping yourself on a plan will help set you up for success. 

So what will your goal be for May?