Shakes for "On The Go" Goodness!

Finding the time to have breakfast is so important for weight loss. Most nutritionists say never skip the morning meal as it helps to start up the metabolism.

This is one of my favorite blended shakes that can be used as a meal replacement for the morning.

I prefer using all frozen fruits because it makes the shake nice and cold. I don't need to add ice, which can give it a "watered down" taste.

There are some variations that can work. If you don't want to use chocolate protein powder, feel free to substitute Greek yogurt and some cocoa powder. And of course you can use regular milk instead of coconut almond milk, but remember to adjust the calorie count accordingly.

This shake is not only tasty but pretty filling for your first meal of the day. Most nutritionists advise to have 5 small meals a day, rather than 3 big ones.

So follow this shake up with your mid-morning snack and then it's lunch time.

About me....

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to my blog about fitness, fashion, and food. I like to call it "Triple F". Here, we can explore all the lings I love in relation to fitness.

Who am I?

Since October 2000, I have been working in the New York City area, as a fashion designer. Being a creative person from an early age, my love of design came in my teens.

I have always had a love of music and dance. In 2001, I began taking lessons in ballroom, at the Arthur Murray School of dance. For about 2 years, I took lessons and my love grew for Cha Cha, Salsa, Meringue, Swing, Rumba, Samba, Waltz, and The Fox Trot . I loved dancing. Not only did I lose a little weight, but I loved going out there and showing off. It was a great experience. It was a big confidence booster and everyone at the studio was so encouraging. Unfortunately it was not a cheap habit and I had stop going to save money. But I met a lot of cool people and enjoyed every minute of it.

So flash forward to about the summer of 2012. I saw a Groupon for a dance studio in NYC. I missed dance and had gained a little weight over the years, so I thought why not try going back to salsa class again. So went on a Saturday to take a few lessons.

It turned out I read the schedule incorrectly and arrived too early. So I asked if there were any classes that I could take, while I waited for the salsa class. The woman said ZUMBA. I thought to myself, Zumba... isn't that the thing you see on infomercials on Saturdays? I asked her if it was hard and the woman said no. So, I tried it.

So I didn't know it was a fitness class. I had on street clothes. Within 10 minutes, I was sweating up a storm. I didn't know. I actually had to buy a shirt from a store nearby so I could change. I still wanted to take that salsa class. Ha Ha ha....

For about 1 month, I kept coming back to the Zumba class in the city. I couldn't get enough of it. It was fun. But since I live in Westchester County, I didn't want to come in and out of the city, every weekend, just to exercise.

So I found a place near the train station and they offered a free trial class. I loved this instructor too. She was different from the one in NYC, but she was fun as well. I felt like I was taking all sorts of fun dance classes and sweating by butt off, while doing them. It was great. And what I loved about Zumba was the different styles of dance and music each class offered.

So I was a student for a little over 2 years before being presented with the opportunity to teach my own class. Since April of 2014, I have been a fully licensed Zumba instructor. I also have a license in Zumba Kids and Zumba Plate.

The older that I get, the more I have been focused on health and fitness. I guess that is pretty natural. I read a lot and try my best to lead a healthy lifestyle. At the same time, I need to enjoy life. But most of all, I love helping people. And with this blog, I hope to share with you the things I have learned and the awesome fun things that I have experienced, in relation to fitness, fashion, and food.

Thank you for reading.

How To Style A T-Shirt

We all have that t-shirt that is either is too big or we got for free from an event.

This week, I would like to show you a way to recycle or modify a shirt that is maybe old or too big for you to wear. This look is perfect for a Zumba class. You may have noticed a few of my t-shirt that have shreds at the back or cuts that I did to modify the look. Here is something that you can do that is a easy and doesn't require anything but scissors. 

You are going to lay out your shirt flat and begin the process with step one.

 

Try this with an old shirt first and then as you get used to cutting, you will be able to be more creative with the garment. It's perfect to add style to something old, adjust the size to something big, or just have fun with styling.

See you all in class.

As usual, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Peace, Love, and Zumba

Happy New Year! New year, new resolutions.

Happy New Year!

Welcome and please enjoy all my posts that are related to Fitness, Fashion, and Food or for short, "Triple F".

It's the beginning of the year and this is the time for new year's resolutions to start. What is yours?

Like most people, you are probably about to begin a new diet or exercise program. So here are some words of advice:

1. Don't go on a "diet". Most diets are not successful and are usually temporary. So instead make "lifestyle changes". For example, decide to cut out sweets this month or add more lean meats and vegetables to your plate.

2. Set goals that are small and attainable. Yes, maybe you want to loose 15-20 lbs.. Eventually you can get there, but set smaller and more realistic goals, at first. For example, pledge to yourself that you will eat a more well balance diet this month or add in 2 hours of exercise a week. By adding them slowly and making them more attainable, you are going to be more successful. All your small goals should eventually add up to your overall larger goal. And they become apart of your lifestyle instead of something temporary.

3. Believe in yourself and don't be up-set with yourself if things go as quickly as you would like. You are human and you need to allow for "failure". And don't think of it at failure, but as a learning experience. If you slip up, tomorrow is another day.

4. Plan. The best way to avoid temptation and failure is to pre-plan meals. We all have busy lives and the most successful way to stay on track is to have meals ready to eat.

These are just a few tips to start your new years week.

Have a great week. Feel free to email me with any questions or possible topics that you wish I would address.