Hey Gang – Happy (almost) 4th of July! In honor of the upcoming holiday I’m hosting a giveaway of 2 super cute headbands from Sweaty Bands (pictured below)! I love Sweaty Bands because they come in TONS of bright colors and cool patterns and most importantly, they don’t slip during your workout. To participate in the giveaway, just post a comment telling me your 4th of July weekend workout plans – be creative! I’ll pick a winner and announce on Wednesday, July 2nd! Also, be sure to include your email address or a way that I can contact you if you win.
2 Super Cute Sweaty Bands to be given away to 1 lucky winner! Post your 4th of July Workout plans below to enter to win!
In case you’re pressed for time this weekend, here’s a quick and very effective cardio workout that you can complete in 20 minutes. I do this workout in my hotel room all the time – it’s simple and sweaty! Warning – there’s a lot of jumping incorporated, so if you have chronic knee pain or knee injuries, this is not your ideal workout. For best results, move quickly from one exercise to the next and ONLY rest during the set rest times. You can expect to burn 250-300 calories in 20 minutes or less. Be sure to stretch after you’re finished. If you have questions about any of the exercises, email me at [email protected]. Also, YouTube has tons of example videos to guide you. Give my 20 Minute Cardio workout a whirl and let me know how it goes. Also, don’t forget to share your weekend workout plans to win these adorable Sweaty Bands. Have a great week! xoxo, Brit
Hey Gang – Happy Monday! I just wrapped up my first 4 weeks of teaching PiYo on the wetdeck at the W-Dallas Hotel. We have gotten off to an amazing start and have generated a huge amount of Pilates/Yoga fusion energy in Dallas. If you happen to live in Dallas or just be in town for the weekend, I really hope you stop by and sweat with me 🙂 Last week, D Magazine wrote a really cool review of the class. Click here to read the full story.
Also, Chalene Johnson, the creator of PiYo, just launched a brand new home fitness PiYo program with Beachbody. In case you don’t know, Beachbody also created Insanity and P90X – 2 really great home fitness programs. I’ve always been a fan of Chalene Johnson because she created TurboKick (and y’all know I love me some Turbo).
Anyway, I’m super excited and grateful for a successful PiYo class so far this Summer. Here are some photos from our class last Saturday. There’s nothing I love more than connecting with blog readers and fitness fanatics in our community, so please do join us Saturday morning and say “hi” – I’d love to meet you. Click here for class details.
Have a wonderful week! xoxo, Brit
PiYo at W-Dallas wetdeck June 21 ,2014 Photo by: Frank Everet, W Insider
Hey Gang! I’m kicking off a new physical challenge to get in tip-top shape for the Summer. Burpees are one of my favorite exercises – I always try to incorporate them into my Turbokick and PiYo fitness classes. Burpees are designed to build muscular and cardio endurance, so expect to be out of breath! Not only does the mega move blast calories it also provides excellent strength training for the entire body, especially the core. Below is a 20-day challenge that I plan to start tomorrow. The goal is to be able to do 60 consecutive burpees by Day 20…In case you’ve never done the burpee exercise before, here’s a simple info-graphic providing step by step instructions…
Once you’ve got the move down, join me for the challenge! Be sure to share you progress on our Facebook page or post a comment below. Be strong and have a wonderful week! xoxo, Brit
Hey gang, here’s little mid-week motivation to keep you going till the weekend. First off, in case you don’t know what indomitable means (I didn’t) here’s the definition:
adjective: that cannot be subdued or overcome, as persons, will, or courage; unconquerable: an indomitable warrior. (source: dictionary.com)
Remember, the happiest and most successful people don’t always have the most strength, talent or the clearest dreams, but they do have the WILL and WORK ETHIC to succeed. On a related note, I was super motivated by Shonda Rhimes recent commencement speech at Dartmouth University. She kept it extra real while advising recent graduates to be “doers” and not “dreamers.” I wanted to share the video with you as some food for thought as we wrap up the week. Keep on fighting the good fight – you got this! xoxo, Brit
#SundayInspiration from Lady O, “The only courage you ever need is the courage to live the life you want.” – Oprah Winfrey
I saw this quote on my coffee cup after my morning Starbucks run. (FYI – I’m a grande bold, black w/a little cinnamon). Obviously I like the word “courage” because it’s kinda synonymous with “grit.” When I Googled the definition of I got, “mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.” Courage is required to be vulnerable, say “no”, take risks and pursue our deepest dreams. I dig it.
However the Oprah quote on my coffee cup made me ask myself, “Am I really courageous?” Clearly I enjoy working hard and taking on challenges, but I’m realizing that true courage may actually require scaling back in some areas and focusing on the few things I really care about. Sometimes, I give myself a false-sense of being “courageous” when I’m actually just being “busy.” The reality is, it takes a TON of courage to acknowledge and pursue the life we really, really want. As you start your week, I encourage you to noodle on these questions. I am. xoxo, Brit
Circa 1990 I had my first group fitness experience which entailed me attending a Jazzercise class with my mom at our local recreation center. All I remember is the instructor yelling at my mom because I was too young to take the class. So, I sat on the sideline and moped for an hour every week. Never did I think that I’d eventually become a group fitness instructor.
3 years ago, today, I completed my first instructor certification. It was for TurboKick which remains my favorite group fitness format of all time. As you guys know, I’ve always been an athlete and active on sports teams ranging from intramural to NCAA Division 1. If you prefer to work with a personal trainer there are plenty available, for example if you’re looking for personal trainer in Melbourne, you could check out getgoingpt.com. But group fitness has allowed me to experience a different kind of passion, motivation and fun that I never experienced in team sports. So, today I wanted to do a special tribute to Group Fitness. No matter the format (e.g. Zumba, Spinning, Yoga, Pilates, Kickboxing, CrossFit, etc.) , group fitness is all good…If you’re thinking of starting up a fitness business, take a look at the revenue management system offered by TSG so that you can keep a close eye on your finances.
It feels so good to hear everyone’s experiences with fitness. One of my fitness friends told me how she was worried that she wouldn’t be able to exercise after having children but she found out about au pairs (visit Cultural Care Au Pair to find out more or to become one) and because she had room in her house she decided to host one so she was able to keep up her fitness.
Pics from some of my favorite group fitness classes across the country: Vixen Workout (Miami), TurboKick (NYC & Dallas), PiYo (Dallas W Hotel) , Les Mills Body Pump (NYC & Dallas
Here are the reasons why I love group fitness and you should too!
FUN – I wholeheartedly believe that the only way to commit to a regular fitness regimen is to a find a workout that’s fun for you! Group fitness has a fun factor that I can’t experience while working out alone. My advice: Find a group fitness class that you enjoy and you’ll always be fit. Fitness should be enjoyed as a hobby rather than dreaded as a chore.
Passion – Once you find a class that you enjoy, you’ll naturally want to get better and learn more about it. It becomes a passion. Now, I actually look forward to my workouts and want to continuously improve in them.
Fit Friends –I’ve met some of my best friends in group fitness classes. Knowing my”fit friends” religiously attend class helps keep me accountable for showing up.
Effective – Most classes are designed to deliver a comprehensive workout meaning that you’ll work all major muscles groups during a strength-focused class and/or adequately elevate your heart rate during a cardio-focused class .
Positive Vibes – Group fitness instructors are trained to motivate their classes. While some are better than others, it’s nice to have someone leading you through a workout and encouraging you along the way. Also, unlike sports, there’s less competition so you can focus on your workout and enjoy the process.
Music – Most classes are choreographed or motivated by music. Music is a natural energy booster and encourages us to work harder without realizing it. (P.S. Have you checked out my latest playlist?)
Save Money – While I’m a big fan of personal training, I simply can’t afford it on an ongoing basis. I’ve found that small group fitness classes such as Nike Training Club or other boot camps provide similar results at much lower price.
Power in Numbers – Nobody wants to be the weakest link. Being surrounded by other people who are working hard provides instant motivation to do 15 push ups when we only want to do 10.
Variety – Workout routines are continuously changing which is great for muscle confusion to prevent fitness complacency. When working out alone, we often stick to our usual program (30 minutes on the elliptical + some abs) which is not effective for increasing our fitness level or losing weight.
Hopefully this post inspires you to check out a group fitness class this week. If so, let me know how it goes! xoxo, Brit
