Vacation time!

Yep, after noon tomorrow I'm officially on vacation! We're off to Turks & Caicos with the family and I can't wait! As always, I start to have anxiety about when I'll get to workout while on vacation. We are renting a house on the beach so I won't have access to a fitness center and that worried me at first. However, I will have access to a free, amazing beach where I can walk or run in the sand for endless miles...heaven! I'm also packing some resistance bands, gliding dics and a jump rope...we'll see if any of it gets used. I actually think my body will enjoy the time off as I plan on doing a whole lot of NOTHING! Maybe I'll read a few books, make some sand castles with the kids, snorkle, get a massage and who knows what else! My main goal of this trip is to spend some much needed time with my husband and kiddos. My mom is also going with us which I'm so excited about! Nothing but free time for the next 7 days...we'll see if I can sit still!

I love tricking my kids!

OK...that might sound a little weird but tonight, I pulled a fast one on my kids during dinner. My kids are pretty good eaters...well, my son is but my daughter is picky and moody about eating. She basically wants mac & cheese or pizza every night. It's usually a battle to get her to even try anything new. I love trying new recipes and decided to try something different tonight. My husband grilled a whole chicken and I was in charge of the side dishes. I made fresh homemade pesto with basil and parsley from my garden (added garlic and olive oil) and mixed it with penne pasta. I also made "mashed potatoes with cheese sauce". I'm sure the potatoes don't sound very original but that's not really what it was.
You see, we don't eat many potatoes in our house except for sweet potatoes which we love. I have a mild allergy to potatoes so I tend to avoid cooking them but the other day my husband mentioned he was craving baked potatoes and my son asked what that was. I was mortified...how do you not know what a baked potato is? I decided my family needed a potato fix so the other night I made baked potatoes with a chicken and blue cheese stuffing. They loved it! Yeah! A new vegetable my kids will eat. So, tonight I didn't have any potatoes on hand but had a nice organic head of cauliflower which I knew my kids wouldn't be thrilled about eating. I decided to steam the cauliflower, use my trusty hand blender to "mash" them, make a gluten free, low-fat hollandaise sauce and VOILA...mashed potatoes and cheese sauce. I served the meal to my family and didn't say a word and they loved it! After the meal, I revealed my secret and my kids were amazed and told me to cook it again. Success!
For any of you with picky eaters in your family, I encourage you to be creative and a little sneaky (it's ok when good health is involved) and do you're best to sneak those veggies in. I usually keep baby food carrots and squash on hand to add to spaghetti sauce and my kids never know. I grind up spinach and add it to brownies and use applesauce when baking. All of it makes a difference in your family's health and keeps the peace at the dinner table. Feel free to share your sneaky tips...I'd love to hear them!

Gym time baby!

I am pumped for today...I'm headed to the gym. Many of you may be thinking "Kendall, you are truly sick in the head to look forward to the gym on a Saturday!" Well, maybe so, but with my crazy and hectic schedule of work, teaching, kids, family, etc., I rarely get to go to the gym these days unless I'm teaching. These days the majority of my workouts take place in my training studio. After staring at the same four walls all day, I'm usually screaming to change scenery and find it hard to stay motivated for my workouts.
Today is a rare Saturday...nothing to do, no place to be, no kids' sports, etc. I'm planning a vigorous 2 hour workout involving the stairclimber, treadmill and lots of squats and lunges. The next two hours are all about me, my ipod, and the gym. It's time to get in the zone and feel the burn. My workout will be followed with a protein shake mixed with my new best friend...my Cuisinart hand blender. This tool is the greatest $30 I've ever spent. I highly recommend it for making your protein shakes. Just mix your preferred protein powder, crushed ice, a banana (or whatever fruit you desire) and a little flaxseed. Blend for a few seconds and VOILA! An awesome protein shake which will immediately help with muscle repair and restoration.
OK...enough computer time. It's time to get dressed, load my bag and head to the gym. I hope to see you there! Happy Saturday!

Aqua Classes are Under Way!

Well, week 1 of my summer aqua classes is done. I absolutely love teaching these classes for so many reasons.
First of all, I'm in the comfort of my own pool which is awesome. I can step outside and start teaching...no stress, packing up the kids, loading bags, etc.
Second, the participants are mostly family and good friends which I love! It gives everyone the chance to catch up, vent, laugh, etc. all while working out. I know many of you don't think of water aerobics as a strenuous workout but that is such a misconception! We work hard using aqua dumbbells, noodles, and the water as our resistance. Every movement you make in water causes resistance and I'm usually sweating like crazy!
Do you have a pool at home? If so, I encourage you to get in a start MOVING! Jog in place, lift your knees, do jumping jacks, tread water, or whatever gets your heart rate up and muscles burning. It's fun in the sun with a little sweat mixed in! If you'd like to try one of my aqua classes, let me know as I've got a few spots here and there and would love everyone to join the fun!
I can't wait to make a splash on week 2!