Just for Fun

Dr. Oz 3-Day Weekend Juice Cleanse Challenge

July 14, 2013 6 Comments

Image source: http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/joe-cross-juice-cleanse-recipes

Today is my 29th birthday – woo hoo! I’m so blessed to have completed another year of life and am grateful for good health, a great family and a hobby that brings me so much joy! In honor of my b-day, I’d decided to bring in my 29th year on a FRESH and CLEAN note. That’s right ladies and gentlemen, I’m starting a new cleanse, which was inspired by the Dr. Oz Weekend Juice Cleanse with Joe Cross. Since I had so much success with the Dr. Oz Detox Cleanse (you can CLICK HERE to read my full review) , I decided to keep the momentum going by trying another cleanse.

Unlike the Dr. Oz Detox Cleanse, this cleanse is a JUICE cleanse. That means I need a juicer, as I can’t use my blender for this cleanse. HOWEVER, today I went to Target to buy a juicer and realized they were out of price my range right now…the cheapest one I found is $79.99. What if I don’t like the cleanse? Then I’ll be stuck with a juicer that I never use.

SO, I made up my own version of the cleanse using some ready-made, all natural, no sugar added juices and I also plan to buy some fresh squeezed juices from Whole Foods or Central Market over the next 3 days. Essentially, I plan to have 4-5 servings of juice each day to replace my meals. Then for dinner I’ll have one solid meal every evening, just like the Dr. Oz cleanse. However, dinner must consist of only of fruits and vegetables. And as icing on the cake (mean joke – I know) , I’m going to make sure that my dinners are RAW! So I’ll only eat fresh, raw produce and maybe steam my veggies if I want something hot.

As a fitness professional, I wanted to share a few facts with you about Juice cleanses vs. Smoothie/drink cleanses.

Juice does not contain the skin of the fruit or vegetable
Smoothies have more fiber and tend to be more filling
Juices tend to be high in sugar and low in protein and fiber (which I’m a little nervous about)

Now let me be clear, I’m typically an “anti juice” person because I believe that juice is nature’s reward for EATING your fruits and veggies. However, there are many benefits to juicing. Just a name a couple…

Juice absorbs in the body faster, so it’s an efficient way to get vital vitamins and minerals
Juice is a tastier way to consume fruits and veggies that you don’t typically like
Juice is less likely to cause upset stomachs, like smoothies which sometimes have too much fiber

For more information about differences between juices and smoothies, check out this post by my “Fit Friends” over at Sporty Afros: http://sportyafros.com/nutrition/differences-in-juicing-and-smoothies/

Grit by Brit WARNING – Juice cleanses tend to have very little protein. So, I’m not going to lift weights or do super high intensity workouts over the next 3 days while I’m on the cleanse, as I don’t think my body will have enough protein to repair my muscles. If you engage in high intensity workouts and weight training, like me, you may want to do the same.

This is my first time to try a juice cleanse. Hopefully, some of you decide to try it along with me! Have you done a juice cleanse before? How did it go? I’ll be back in a few days to share my results. You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram @GRITbyBrit for progress updates! Until then…

Wishing you health, happiness and BIG RESULTS! xoxo, Brit

Just for Fun, Lifestyle

The time of my life…reflection from my get away to Greece

June 24, 2013 6 Comments

Who has a case of the Mondays? I DO! 🙁

Sorry for my lack of blog posts over the past 9 days. Me and 3 of my BEST friends went on the ultimate girls getaway to the Greek Islands – eek! We spent 2 nights in Athens, 3 nights Mykonos and 3 in Santorini. I truly had the time of my life. Even though the scenery was breathtaking and the food was delicious, I’m most grateful for my amazing friends. It’s so nice to have people in my life who accept me for who I am… flaws and all. On top of that, I actually have fun with them! Could there be anything better?

Now that I’m back to the US and back in my usual routine, I’ll also get back to posting workouts and diet tips for you guys to enjoy 🙂

Here are some pictures from my trip. Hope your week is off to an amazing start! Lots of luv, Brit

greek islands

Just for Fun

BeachBody #OperationTahiti

April 1, 2013 3 Comments

Brandon Gayle #OperationTahiti

Meet my friend and former business school classmate, Brandon! During a Twitter convo last week, I learned that he’s about to go on an amazing vacation to Tahiti on April 16th!

Since, I LOVE “beach ready” workouts AND many of my male followers have been requesting some “dude focused” plans, I thought this was perfect timing for my 1st official “get right for the summer” workout plan #OperationTahiti.

Brandon’s #OperationTahiti Goals

Add 7 lbs of muscle and get back to 170 lbs (currently at 163 lbs)
Get back to an 8 pack and tight core
Tighten upper body (chest and arms) definition
Restore base of strength in shoulders, back, groin, quads, hamstrings & calves
Improve cardio endurance (not my favorite thing in the world)

Brandon’s GRIT by Brit Workout Schedule

A few things to note about Brandon’s workout schedule…

This is ~2 week workout and diet plan which requires training 2 days on and 1 day off, alternating.
All of the cardio workouts are in red text, strength is in blue text and abs are in gray text
I tried to incorporate 3 days of cardio each week
I want Brandon to lift as HEAVY as POSSIBLE during his strength workouts
Here are links to detailed GRIT by Brit workouts included in his schedule:
- Tummy, Booty & Thighs (yes..it’s okay for dudes to do this workout)
- Abs for Days
- Flex & Pump
- 15 Minute Cardio Fix

Now, we all know you can’t out exercise a bad diet, so here’s Brandon’s diet change ups to go along with his workout schedule…

Brandon’s Diet Change Ups

Stayed tuned for Brandon’s progress report and “after” pics! I’m sure he’s gonna kill it! #OperationTahiti – Leggoo!

Just for Fun

Packing the (nutrition) PUNCH

March 26, 2013 3 Comments

Guest Post by Linsdsay Krasna, GRIT by Brit Registered Dietician

So I was en route to Brit’s weekly NYC Turbo Kickboxing class Sunday morning… adrenaline pumping (burpeeees here I come!)… when I realized, mid-subway ride, that class was cancelled for Spring Break! Ahh man… what’s gal to do? I decided to take this incident as a sign that perhaps instead of kicking butt today, I should savor the opportunity to “rest butt”…… and put my energy into a long overdue nutrition blog post!

I’ve been taking Brit’s Turbo Kickboxing class for a little over a month now, and if I had to pick one thing that keeps me coming back (besides the exceptionally awesome instructor, of course), it would be the efficiency of this workout. Her class is a high-energy hour-long conglomerate of heart-pumping cardio, leg/arm/core-work, and plyometrics… all choreographed to a kick-a** beat. And the best part is, it’s so fun, you don’t even realize how hard you’re working! (That is, until the next day, when you attempt to get out of bed and your aching shoulders and thighs are cursing you). Seriously though, Brit’s class packs the punch (no pun intended… well, maybe it was intended a little bit).

This got me thinking: how could I encourage readers pack their punch, nutritionally?

And Walla! See below for a few strategies and examples of my favorite food combos that will help you get most bang for your “nutritional buck.” Enjoy!

1. FAT + FRUIT effect

Combining mono- & poly-unsaturated fats with fruit (and veggies!) actually helps to boost the absorption of fat soluble vitamins found within in the produce, such as Vitamins A, D, E, and K. Not only that, but the addition of the dietary fat gives a thrill to your taste buds that plain fruit or veggies just can’t do for you alone.

Ideas:

1) apple and peanut butter

2) salad with avocado

3) steamed or baked veggies drizzled with olive oil

4) carrots and hummus dip

2. Two halves DO equal a whole

Shout out to my vegetarians! Getting adequate quality protein can be a challenge for non-meat eaters… but not to worry! Herbivores can still easily meet their protein needs by consuming a combination of two complementary proteins.

Ideas:

1) rice and beans

2) pita and hummus

3) cereal and milk. Additionally, for those down with dairy, low-fat Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are A+ sources of high quality protein.

3. Upping the ante w/ IRON

When iron-rich foods are eaten with acidic/citrus foods, a synergistic effect occurs in which the body more readily absorbs the iron. Just ask Popeye!

Ideas:

1) spinach salad with strawberries

2) OJ with iron-fortified cereal

3) chicken cooked in tomato sauce

Just for Fun

Get LEAN & GREEN on St. Patty’s Day

March 14, 2013 No Comments

st patty's day slime down

Hey gang! I hope your week is going well. Any fun plans for St. Patrick’s day? I plan to kick start my day by teaching Turbo Kick. If you’re in NYC, come join us this Sunday at Stepping Out Studios in Flatiron at 11:00am. You can register at www.turbonyc.com.

Also, here’s a “Green Juice” recipe that I LOVE, from A House in the Hills. Try it out on St. Patty’s day to offset the green beer 😉

Just for Fun

Brit’s 5 Favorite Fit Snacks

March 3, 2013 16 Comments

The past couple of weeks I’ve gotten pretty sloppy with my diet :/ I’ve done a good job keeping up with my workouts, but my food choices could be much healthier. This weekend I took mental note of my favorite “fit snacks” and am going to try to have them handy so that it’s easier for me to make healthy choices . Keep in mind that I’m a new vegetarian (officially 2 months strong) so everything I picked is “veggie friendly.” Here’s my list – enjoy!

1. All Natural Peanut Butter & Banana. Either “straight up” or in frozen sandwiches like below.

2. Carrots & Hummus – not very exciting, but always tasty and gets me my daily dose of Vitamin A!

3. Kale Chips – be careful about getting flavored ones though. While they are tasty, they sneak in extra calories that can pile up…

4. Apples dipped in Greek Yogurt – I like to sprinkle a little cinnamon on top or maybe drizzle some honey if I really have a sweet tooth.

5. Almonds and prunes – This combo is high in fiber and will clean you out real good 😉

What’s in your top 5 favorite fit snacks?

Just for Fun

Turbo Kickboxing Classes in NYC

February 21, 2013 2 Comments

Hey Gang! I hope your week is going well. In case you haven’t heard, I’m now teaching independent Turbo Kick classes in New York City! I’ve partnered with Stepping Out Studios in Flatiron to bring you an awesome fitness experience in a beautiful NYC dance studio. Now you can enjoy this amazing fitness format without being a member of a gym – woop woop 🙂

Last Sunday marked the completion of our 1st month since the launch of Turbo NYC. Our Launch Party was a huge success and we’ve had several new faces join our #CARDIOPARTY since then. You can CLICK HERE to view pictures and read the review of our January launch party.

Turbo Kick is my all time favorite fitness format – it’s challenging, yet fun and effective. I’ve lost over 25 pounds since falling in love with Turbo Kick, so I feel that it’s my DUTY to share this amazing fitness gift with others! While the workout is super effective (expect to burn 1,000 calories per class), I’ve made a conscious effort to keep the price down. Remember, one of the GRIT by Brit core values is that we “don’t have to be wealthy to be healthy!”

If you’re a NYC resident, or just in town for the weekend, come SWEAT with us. Classes are held EVERY Sunday at 11:00am and are always high energy with studio pumpin’ music. We work HARD but also have lots of FUN! You can reserve your spot and get all of the details on the Turbo NYC website: www.turbonyc.com See you in class!

While human nature often causes us to trip and fall, the most compelling aspect of our nature is that we are so much stronger than we know #GRIT

-David Kirchhoff, CEO Weight Watchers

Just for Fun

Love Your Body Day #3: H2O FLOW

February 6, 2013 2 Comments

It’s Day 3 of my “Love Your Body” series, and today I encourage you to Drink Up (water that is). H2O is vital for your vigor. On days that you exercise, drink at least 2 liters (4 over the counter-size bottles) and on days that you don’t exercise shoot for at least 1 liter. Doing so allows you to reap lots of luscious health benefits.

Love water to love your body…

Faster Metabolism. “Eight glasses of water a day not only prevents dehydration, but increases resting metabolism.” – University of Utah Study
Regular Digestion. The right amount of Fiber and Fluid keep you “regular.” My magic cleanse formula has always been 1 apple and 1 bottle of water 😉
Calorie Control. Being well hydrated makes you feel full, so you eat less. Also, since water has zero calories, you can keep your mouth busy with no penalty.
More Energy. Water energizes your muscles so they can fire away in your workouts. On the flip side, dehydration makes you lethargic.
Temperature Control. Adequate H2O keeps your body temperature in check. This is especially important when your working out or in a hot climate.
Balanced Bodily Fluids. Your body is 60% water which mostly consists of bodily fluids. These fluids are critical for executing your bodily functions. Stay hydrated to keep your bodily fluids in balance.

Love your body today by staying hydrated and letting the H2O FLOW! #GRIT

Just for Fun

No More Knee Pain

January 16, 2013 4 Comments

Chronic knee pain is something that most of us experience and want to prevent at all cost. Running or regularly doing high impact exercises (i.e. jumping, burpees, polyometrics, etc.) puts us at even greater risk for knee injury or chronic knee pain.

During my junior year of college, I tore my ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in my right knee during basketball practice. Fortunately, I had an awesome orthopedic surgeon (shout out to Dr. Cooper – team doctor for the Dallas Cowboys) to perform my reconstructive surgery. Keyshawn Johnson and I had surgery the same day in same operating room, I felt pretty cool…yeah I’m name droppin’ so what 🙂 Anyway, with diligent physical therapy and lots of mental GRIT, I was able to return to playing my senior year and obviously I’m still able to live very active lifestyle.

(below – pic of me and my battle scar)

However, post my “college athlete” life , I don’t have access to the resources and trainers that I once did, so I have to be really cautious about protecting my knees and preventing any future injuries. Fortunately my therapists and surgeons taught me lots of tips to prevent knee pain and knee injuries so I wanted to share my top 3 tips with you. I hope you find these helpful 🙂

Brit’s Top 3 Tips to Avoid Knee Pain

Build some leg muscle – This is the single most important tip. Having strong leg muscles provides your knee with the support it needs and takes stress off of the knee-joint. Strong, glutes, hams, quads and calves are critical to preventing knee pain and avoiding injury. Straight leg raises and squats with good form are good exercises. I don’t recommend seated leg extensions because they put a lot of stress on your patellar tendon.
Never hyper-extend – When I tore my ACL my leg was hyper-extended and then hit by an outside force. When you exercise or play any sports, it’s critical to always keep a soft bend in your knee so that your ligaments have some slack. When your ligaments are fully stretched out, they can tear. And trust me, you don’t want to do that.
Take a load off – Don’t jump or run EVERY single day. Throw in some spin classes, rowing or hop on an elliptical machine. Low impact exercises will take some pressure off of your knees but still allow you to get high intensity cardio work. The fact of the matter is that continuous pounding is hard on your joints. If you do it long enough, you are prone to chronic knee pain like IT band tendonitis.

Just for Fun

3-week New Year Kick-Start with Candace

January 4, 2013 3 Comments

New Year New You!

photo (22)

Get to Know Candace

GOAL: lose 10-12 pounds and 2-3 inches
Exercise: I currently do PiYo, 24 Cycle and TRX training, but I would like to incorporate more cardio options. I like Turbo Kick, but I’m not very coordinated, so I feel like I’m not properly maximizing my efforts in the class. I’ve considered trying an actual boxing class and I’m open to any other recommendations you have.
Focus areas: I would really like to tone my upper body, core and lower body (basically all over!). I also would like to increase my endurance for strengthening exercises.
Diet: I have a major addition to sugar, more so sweets (chocolate, cookies, cupcakes). I know I have to practically eliminate sugar to get the results I’m seeking, so I have a strict eating plan that I’ve used in the past that I’ll try again. Any suggestions you can provide would be helpful. I don’t really have any other major eating problems, I generally stay away from salty snacks, beef/pork, bread, fried foods and fast food. I love fruits and veggies, so I need to stock up for generous portions each day. I also need to focus on increasing my water intake, I usually only consume 40-50oz. per day.

Brit’s 3-week Plan for Candace

Start Date: January 7, 2013
End Date: January 27, 2013

Check back every Monday for Candace’s progress report and see how she knocks out these 10 pounds! If you are looking for a New Year Shape Up Kick Start, try the plan yourself!

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