April 2014 – GRIT By Brit

The cure for anything is Saltwater: Sweat, Tears & the Sea

April 29, 2014 No Comments

Hey gang, sorry for my sporadic posting lately. Fortunately, I enjoyed some much-needed time away in Mexico for my dear friend’s wedding. The calming effects of the sea are amazing – much like the high after a good workout or relief after a good cry. Here’s few pics from my weekend. I’ll be back to posting workouts, recipes and “fitspiration” over the next few days. In the meanwhile, check out my Extreme Bikini Body Workout – it’s that time of year. Love you lots!

Mexico beach photo GritbyBrit — Chillin’ in Riviera Maya, Mexico – April 2014

beach pic — Clear blue skies in Mexico #Bliss

beach pic 2 — Sexy Grit by Brit #Surfboard

The cure for anything is Saltwater: Sweat, Tears & the Sea

xoxo, Brit

Cardio, Total Body

WOD: Endurance Pyramid Dumbbell Circuit

April 22, 2014 No Comments

Hey Gang! Hope your week is going well. I started a new project in Chicago this week. My team is full of CrossFit junkies and this morning they hit up a 5:30am CrossFit session. Unfortunately, I overslept and missed it 🙁 But on the bright side, I made a back up “Endurance Pyramid Dumbbell Circuit” workout and did it in my hotel gym. After the circuit, I got a quick 30 minutes in on the elliptical. My entire workout took 45 minutes (so I’m guessing the circuit only takes ~15 minutes). Try to power through it with minimal rest to focus on building your endurance and to get a good sweat going – post a comment if you have questions. Enjoy! xoxo, Brit

Just for Fun

Happy Easter #SundayInspiration

April 20, 2014 No Comments

Calimera! Wishing you a very Happy and Inspiring Easter Sunday. I hope you enjoy celebrating this glorious day with your friends and family. Also, I want to announce the winner of the Sporteer Running Armband = Nkoyo. CONGRATS! Please email me your mailing address at [email protected]. xoxo, Brit

“The story of Easter is the story of God’s wonderful window of divine surprise.” – Carl Knudsen

Just for Fun

Spring Time Running Playlist and Sporteer Running Arm Bands

April 16, 2014 No Comments

In case you can’t tell, I’m SO excited that Winter is over! This Spring I’m taking a personal vow to switch up my workout routine by adding in a weekly 5K run. Obviously, I made a heart-pumpin playlist to energize my stride! Go ahead and download these tracks for yourself – you will love them 🙂

Also, I want to give a huge shout out to Sporteer for hooking me up with this sweet running armband. It has a little pocket to store my credit card and my iPhone fits perfectly. It’s super durable and stays in place during my run. Sporteer gave me an extra armband for one of you lucky blog readers – woo hoo! Just post a comment below telling me your favorite running song and I’ll pick a pick a winner this weekend! Enjoy! xoxo, Brit

sporteer running arm band — Sporteer Velocity Series V2 Armband for iPhones and Smartphones (Pink)

Just for Fun

Healthy Breakfast Idea: Brit’s Perfect Power Protein Parfait

April 13, 2014 No Comments

Recently I tried (and became obsessed) with Ladera Natural Almond Pecan Granola. Ordinarily I try to stay away from granola because I tend to overeat it and consequently consume way too much sugar. However, I do enjoy a Greek yogurt parfait occasionally because I can set some healthy boundaries and control the granola portion. When I tried Ladera granola I was instantly hooked because it tastes amazing – the original almond pecan flavor has a delicious, cinnamon, maple nutty taste. Better yet, 1 serving has only 4g of sugar – YAY! So this morning I whipped up my own “Perfect Power Protein Parfait” for breakfast and of course I have to share the recipe with you guys. Altogether it’s only 300 calories, loaded with protein and kept me feeling full throughout the morning. Try it for yourself this week by following these 4 simple steps…

Step 1: Start with a single serving of Greek Yogurt

Chobani Vanilla Greek Yogurt (100 Calories, 12g Protein, 7g Sugar)

Ladera Granola (150 Calories, 4g Protein, 4g Sugar) — Ladera Almond Pecan Granola (150 Calories, 4g Protein, 4g Sugar)

Step 3: Add Berries

1/2 cup Raw Strawberries and Blueberries (50 Calories, 5g Sugar, 1 g Protein)

Step 4: ENJOY

Brit's Perfect Power Protein Parfait — Brit’s Perfect Power Protein Parfait

Here’s to a Hearty Healthy Breakfast! xoxo, Brit

Fitness Fashion

Onzie – Trendy Yoga Clothes and Workout Apparel

April 11, 2014 No Comments

Yay for cute workout clothes! I just caught wind of this awesome yoga clothing company, Onzie! Based in California, Onzie reached out to me a few weeks ago to review some of their yoga apparel. The minute I saw their bright colors and modern designs, I was like “gimme gimme gimme!” As icing on the cake, the clothes are really high quality. I was expecting some “Forever 21-level” workout clothes, but the apparel is extremely well made and can endure a sweaty power yoga session. Buying workout clothes can get quite expensive, my friend told me to visit PromoCodeWatch to use some coupons next time I shop. She told me they save her tonnes of money so I’m going to try it soon! I love my pieces so much, I’m actually hosting a giveaway for a $75 Onzie gift card! To participate in the contest, just post a comment below and tell me your workout plans for the weekend and describe your favorite workout outfit. I’ll pick a winner on Sunday evening (4/13/14). Enjoy! xoxo, Brit

onzie apparel — Onzie Elastic Tank – Grey & Turquoise
Onzie Elastic Bra Top – Yellow & Black
Onzie Track Legging – Titanium / Turquoise / Sunset

Inspiration & Motivation

Weekly #Fitspiration

April 9, 2014 No Comments

This is my favorite “fitspirational” quote. Hopefully it provides some mid-week motivation to move!

You’ll never regret a workout. xoxo, Brit

Weight Loss

Soup Up to Slim Down: Delicious High-Protein Spring Soup Recipe

April 6, 2014 No Comments

It’s Spring – yippee! In warmer weather I often feel weird eating soup because it seems like such a “cold weather thing.” However I’d like to keep up my soup consumption because doing so is great for weight management. Studies show that people who sip on soup before their meal are more likely eat fewer calories at their meal. Better yet, soup eaters often skip on dessert because they feel full.

Unfortunately, I can’t get down with most Spring inspired cold soups like gazpacho and chilled veggie puree concoctions – just not my thing. So I researched some nutritious and delicious, hot “Spring Soup” recipes to share with you guys. The following Spring Minestrone by Hank Shaw intrigued me because it’s low in fat yet high in protein. More importantly it sounds light and tasty and seems pretty simple to prepare. If you don’t spend much time in the kitchen (no judgement here) I highly recommend the soup bar at Whole Foods – particularly the Moroccan Lentil and White Bean Kale. Try to avoid cream based soups since they are higher in calories and fat.

Hope you like – let me know! xoxo, Brit

Spring Minestrone Soup from Simply Recipes

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Yield: Serves 4-6.

You can either make fresh pesto for this recipe, or you can just buy some high-quality pesto in the market.

Add to shopping list

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp olive oil
6 green onions
2 green garlic stalks, or 2 large garlic cloves
1 pound baby potatoes, or Yukon gold potatoes cut into 1-inch chunks
1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 quart vegetable or chicken stock
Salt
1/2 pound artichoke hearts (fresh or frozen), chopped roughly
1 15-ounce can of chickpeas
1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
1/2 pound asparagus, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 cups greens (dandelion, chard, spinach, kale, arugula, etc), sliced into thin ribbons
Up to 1/4 cup pesto
Grated parmesan or pecorino cheese for garnish

METHOD

1 Chop the green onions and green garlic and separate the white and light green parts from the green tops. If you are using regular garlic cloves, put them with the white parts of the green onions. Slice the potatoes and artichoke hearts into chunks you would want to eat with a spoon.

2 In a large pot set over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil for 1 minute. Add the white parts of the green onions as well as the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the potatoes, stir to combine and cook 1 minute.

3 Add the diced tomatoes with their liquid and the quart of vegetable or chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, add salt to taste, then cover and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.

4 Add the artichoke hearts and cook another 5 minutes, then add the chickpeas and green peas and cook another 5 minutes. Remove the cover from the soup and add the asparagus. Cook 2 minutes. Add the greens and the green parts from the green onions and green garlic, if using. Stir well to combine and cook 1 minute.

5 Turn off the heat and stir in the pesto. Serve topped with grated cheese.

Just for Fun, Total Body

Outdoor Fitness Fun for Earth Month: 10 Minute HIIT Workout then #ParkYourThirst with Honest Tea

April 3, 2014 No Comments

In honor of Earth Month, I’m encouraging you to spend some time outdoors especially at your local parks! Here’s a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout I filmed in Central Park – NYC around this time last year. Try it for yourself during your next park visit. Outdoor workouts provide several added benefits over working out indoors. Not to mention, in great weather they’re just more fun!

Also, here’s a cool info-graphic I received from my sponsors at Honest Tea. They surveyed over 2,000 people across the US seeking to learn how our parks (both local and national) impact us today. They learned over 54% of Americans wished they spent more time outdoors, and 41% said they go to the park to get away from the hustle and bustle, and restore mental clarity. With that knowledge, me and my Honest Tea sponsors are challenging you to return to the parks this spring to refresh—mind, body and soul. Our goal is to see people empowered to become advocates for their park—be it a national park, or the one just around the corner. Honest Tea will be rewarding people for taking a “selfie” at any park via Twitter, Instagram or Facebook and tag it with #ParkYourThirst.

Have an awesome time outside! #ParkYourThirst

xoxo, Brit