Fitchickscook

I’m still on a high from our first big overseas adventure with the tiny humans! We took them to my childhood home in Vietnam and they absolutely crushed it. I was bracing myself for meltdowns over 12-hour time differences, weird foods, and a jam-packed itinerary without a stroller. But these resilient little explorers surprised me at every turn. They breezed through the trip, chomping on rice, bread, fruits, and the occasional meat stick.

If you’re thinking of taking the plunge and traveling far with your tiny crew, don’t hesitate – JUST GO! They might just adapt better than you do.

Here’s our Vietnam Itinerary:
Toronto to Hanoi, 5 nights in Hanoi
2 nights in Ninh Binh (a hidden gem!)
6 nights in Da Nang (our base for Hue, Hoi An, and more), and 5 nights in Ho Chi Minh City.

Pro tip: consider skipping the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City for somewhere more chill like Dalat or Nha Trang. There are so many beautiful smaller coastal and interior cities that’s worth the visit. Until next time!

Comment below for any recommendations or questions from our trip!

Hello! With so many new faces here, I figured it’s time to share a bit about myself and my journey in health and fitness over the past 10 years. Good luck with your goals in 2026! You got this! 💪🏼💪🏼

2025's biggest win: I learned to swim 🏊‍♀️! At 41, I finally conquered my fear of the water. 😱 It wasn't easy – I tried before and failed, but this time, I committed to a 3-month program and made it happen. Swimming a full lap was exhilarating, and having my family cheer me on was the best part. My kids learned that persistence pays off, and I'm grateful to .swim for their support. 🥹



What's your stretch goal for 2026?

We are currently in Barbados this week and celebrated Mother’s Day here today. We arrived yesterday and so far this country has exceeded our expectations. The people are nice, friendly and the streets are safe to explore and drive around in. We rented a villa through air bnb, rented a car and will be exploring for the remainder of the week. We have so much planned, follow stories and “Barbados 2025” highlights for what I’ve shared so far.

Also, I KNOW that vacationing with little ones ain’t easy or relaxing but making core memories with them is so worth it!! We spent hours today playing, eating, swimming, snorkeling and building sand castles all uninterrupted by our phones.

If you’ve been here, give me all of your recommendations below!!

❤️ to all of you celebrating today!!

Life lately has been hectic beyond belief. Work is very busy and as a second shift after work makes me beyond exhausted. I would attribute my ability to still maintain a healthy lifestyle with food to my supportive husband. Tonight’s dinner was assembled by dividing the work! He made the salad while I prepped the corn and pan seared the steaks!

On tonight’s dinner, we’re really enjoying the fresh corn from Ontario, pairing with steaks and a salad with arugula, cabbage, shredded carrots and pears.

If you’re looking to start a healthier lifestyle with making better food choices, the first tip I would give is limit processed food! Stick to eating whole foods that you can recognize in its original form. This plate is a good example, I feel full and satisfied. It high in protein and nutrient dense!

I used to tell my nutrition coaching clients the hardest part about maintaining a healthy lifestyle isn’t YOU executing on your plan daily but it’s the support you get from the people around you daily! Your food choices can easily be influenced if your husband/partner/friend isn’t on board. They are big barriers to overcome.

Do you guys struggle with this? If you do, how do you overcome it?

Biggest secret I’ve kept so far from you guys…
I was a divorcee at age 28! I was in a relationship with my ex for 11 years, met him my last year of high school and married him 7 years later when I was 24! I want to share this in an effort to normalize divorce and that it’s not a shameful thing to go through!!

To be honest, I kept my divorce from my employers, colleagues and acquaintances for a long time because I felt like it was a shameful thing. It’s also a huge taboo in Asian culture to be divorced! It’s also admitting that I failed at something big.

So why did I end the marriage?
No marriages end overnight. I was unhappy for a long time. I was uninspired by him. I didn’t feel like an equal in our marriage, I was very resentful how much I had to do in our relationship. I never felt like there was any effort on his end. I stayed and tried for a long time. But at the end, I finally came to terms with my decision to leave. It was the most difficult decision of my life but also the BEST one I made. I finally said “screw his happiness, screw his family’s happiness and approval, screw what people think around me! I am putting my own happiness first!” That was when I let go and ended it.

A marriage/relationship takes work, compromise, and it is a true partnership. It means you should feel appreciated, loved, inspired, and not feeling alone in this thing called life.

I’m an example that you can find true love again after your first failed marriage. There is nothing worth more than your own happiness! When you find the right person, doing this thing called life should be easy or easier!

So never give up on yourself. Prioritize your happiness. It’s OK to be selfish.

My husband and I have been happily married for over 6 years now, and we have 2 beautiful children together. Our marriage isn’t perfect but I would say it’s pretty darn close 😍 and I would say yes over and over again every day!

📸 Photo credit