Hey friends! I hope your week is off to a great start. Mine is pretty awesome! Lots of exciting stuff happening at my fitness studio including new instructors coming on board, fun fitness events and the launch of several new class formats. That said, I’ve had minimal time to meal prep and have had to rely 100% on takeout the past couple of weeks. Instead of grabbing fatty fast food, I’ve chosen healthier takeout options that are actually pretty darn tasty.
Below are my top 5 picks for healthy eats on the go. I chose these based on the following criteria: delicious taste, price (under $10), high protein and low sugar, under 400 calories and includes at least 2 servings of fruits/veggies. To me, these factors are most important when considering nutrition, value and convenience. So without further or do…here’s my list!
I must say the greek salad at Zoe’s Kitchen has been come my new lunch “crack” – I could eat it every single day. It’s topped with caramelized onions and served over savory marinated potatoes – what a combo!
Hey friends! I just finished teaching my 6am GRIT HIIT class at my studio and I’m feeling energized and ready to take on the day. Here’s the workout we did this morning in case you want to give it a whirl on your own! (Do 20 seconds of each exercise then rest for 20 seconds, repeat each round 4 times continuously before moving on to the next round)
GRIT HIIT – June 18, 2015
Round 1
Triple step side to side
Skater leap holding medicine ball
Round 2
Plank Froggers
Forward lunge with medicine ball overhead press
Round 3
Hop on one leg, side to side and front to back (2 rounds right, 2 rounds left)
Side squat with knee raise back to center holding medicine ball
Round 4
Wood chop jumps swinging medicine ball between legs
Chair pose twist jumps alternating sides
Round 5
Plank spider knee pulls (same knee to same elbow)
Full sit up with medicine ball
Today is an extra special day because we’re celebrating 5 months of business of GRIT Fitness! (check out the little slide show I made in honor of our clients and staff) Time flies when you’re having the time of your life. I’m so grateful for every single person who’s taken a class, attended an event or simply shared an encouraging word. I have 100% confidence that the best is yet to come. Here’s to the next 5 months…and the next…and the next!
Image: GRIT Fitness Flexin Flow class at the Westin Galleria Dallas Summer Sweat Series on June 14, 2015
Hey hey friends! I hope your weekend was good to you! I enjoyed another fun, busy weekend of fitness fun. Our studio, GRIT Fitness, has a new partnership with the Westin Galleria Dallas called the “Summer Sweat Series.” Each month this summer we do a free fitness event at the hotel followed by a pool party – hey! Yesterday was our first event in during which we led a free Flexin’ Flow class. Huge shout out to our GRIT Fitness instructor and my dear friend, Maria Rowe for leading the pack! Follow her blog at www.marlizrowe.com. The turn out was amazing as you can see blow…
Post workout photo – yay for sweat & smiles!
After class we posed for a fun group photo before enjoying free Sangria and passed bites! Also, the Westin and other Galleria retailers raffled off 22 gifts including a free weekend stay at the hotel. Holler!
Me, Maria and Kortani posing by the pool after Maria’s booty-kickin’ Flexin’ Flow class!
After class we kicked it by the pool and celebrated yet another awesome fitness event! I’m so grateful for my energetic team and the corporate partnerships that we’ve developed and strengthened over the past 2 years. This is only beginning of even bigger things to come!
If you live in Dallas, join us for our next event on July 12th. We’ll lead a free Zumba/Dance Club Cardio workout followed by a pool party. CLICK HERE to RSVP and get more details. Hope to see you there. Happy Monday! xoxo, Brit
Whoa what a weekend! I had my first partnership with NIKE – one of my all time favorite brands. Last week NIKE reached out to me to choreograph a fitness/fashion show for their pop up shop at Nordstrom here in Dallas! This was such an amazing opportunity, because it stretched my abilities…big time! A wise mentor once told me, “if you’re fully prepared for an opportunity, that means the opportunity isn’t that great. It’s the scary opportunities that you aren’t fully prepared for that propel you to the next level.” Well let me tell ya, the NIKE show we pulled off this weekend was DEFINITELY a stretch opportunity! I’m so excited to share that the event was a huge success and exceeded expectations! Here’s a quick recap of how everything went down…
On Friday, a fabulous group of NIKE Trainers from the University of Texas at Austin drove up to Dallas to star in the Pop-In show alongside some of my very own GRIT Fitness instructors. We immediately clicked and I LOVED how psyched they were after me and my sister, Kortani, showed them the routine.After a practicing all Friday afternoon, the girls then had a dress rehearsal Saturday morning at Nordstrom Dallas NorthPark Center (while I was busy teaching my signature Flexin’ Flow class at the W Dallas Hotel) – ahh if only I could be in 2 places at once.
Here’s a quick pic of my class on Saturday morning…
After teaching my Flexin’ Flow class on the W Hotel Wetdeck, I quickly changed clothes (no shower – ewww) and jetted over the NorthPark to do one final run through with the girls before the first show at noon! Here’s a pic of us backstage after running through the routine one final time…
And here’s a pic of the crew on the elevator to the first floor getting ready to go on stage for the first performance!
The show went off without a hitch and was SO much fun! We got lots of cheers from the crowd! Here’s a link to the video of the full 10 minute performance. Afterwards, these sporty sister girls posed for the camera to show off all of their hot NIKE gear and hot bodies 🙂
After the first show, we chilled backstage and watched a video of the first performance..and ate a yummy lunch. Then around 2:40 we got ready for the 2nd show.
The 2nd show also went off without a hitch and I was super excited that some my best friends / GRIT Fitness clients came to support us!
All in all Saturday was a HUGE success. Today I’m feeling accomplished and VERY blessed! Wishing you a wonderful week ahead. JUST DO IT! xoxo, Brit
HAPPY FRIDAY! It feels so good to wrap up another wonderful week filled with good friends, sweaty workouts and continued business success!
First off congrats to Amanda Robinson and Laura(50by25) – you two won my Honest Fizz Giveaway! I love that you both have discovered new, fun ways to stay active this Spring! Email me to brit@gritbybrit.com so I can get your mailing info to send your prize.
As I look around my studio this week, I notice how perfectly my clients align their workout attire with our business colors – I’m talking a sea of pink and black. Everyone looks so cute, I must share a few pics 🙂
…and in honor of “flash back friday,” here’s and pic of my DREAM TEAM from the grand opening of GRIT Fitness – I love these ladies SO very much.
I wish you a wonderful weekend! Until the next post, stay sweaty! xoxo, Brit
Hey hey friends! Last week I launched my newest class at GRIT Fitness, GRIT HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)! Here’s the official class description…
Our signature high intensity interval training (HIIT) class designed to push you to your max! We utilize 6 or 8 pound medicine balls to take you through a tabata-style interval circuit that’s sure to spike your heart rate while building muscular endurance. Enjoy a jamming playlist to energize your workout and leave feeling fit and fierce! Sneakers required 30 minutes
GRIT HIIT was very well-received by our clients so I wanted to share some “home-HIIT” goodness with you.
Photo op after my 1st GRIT HIIT class at GRIT Fitness
To complete this workout, you will need a medicine ball between 6-10 pounds, depending on your strength. Complete 4 rounds of each circuit below for a 30 minute workout. Be sure warm up with a 5 minute brisk walk or jog and stretch for at least 5 minutes after the workout.
GRIT HIIT- 30 Minute Workout
Circuit 1
Jumping Jacks (no medicine ball) – 20 seconds
Medicine Ball Squat Jumps – 20 seconds
Rest – 20 seconds
Circuit 2
High knee run in place (no medicine ball) – 20 seconds
Wood chop swings, holding medicine ball – 20 seconds
Rest – 20 seconds
Circuit 3
Football run, quick feet drill (no medicine ball) – 20 seconds
Alternating split lunge jumps, holding medicine ball – 20 seconds
Rest – 20 seconds
Circuit 4
Mountain Climbers (no medicine ball) – 20 seconds
Medicine Ball Plank Hold (stabilize with both hands on medicine ball) – 20 seconds
Rest – 20 seconds
Circuit 5
Tricep Push Ups (no medicine ball) – 20 seconds
Seated Russian twists, holding medicine ball – 20 seconds
Rest – 20 seconds
I hope you enjoy the workout! If you have any questions about the exercises just post a comment below. Wishing you wonderful week ahead. xoxo, Brit
Good morning friends! I’m loving this quote that I stumbled upon this morning via Instagram browsing. It’s a great reminder of why I love mornings and why I love Mondays. I encourage you to take this new week as a fresh opportunity to make your dreams come true and to be happy! Remember, YOU hold the power 🙂
Hello friends! Well it’s true, time does indeed fly when you’re having fun. 3 years wow! Today I went back and read my very first blog post. It was hotel gym workout that I made up while working in NYC. I made the graphic in PowerPoint (Canva and Pic Monkey didn’t exist then – haha). Today I’m taking some to time to reflect on how far I’m come as a blogger and a person in the past three years. So in addition to sharing my fav blog post I also want to share the biggest life lesson I’ve learned from my blogging experience which is to Be Unapologetically Yourself. As many young women, I often apologized from my preferences, quirks, body “flaws” etc. But the only thing worth apologizing for is failing to be true to yourself. Blogging has taught me the value of being vulnerable and given me the confidence to speak my mind. If you’re on the fence about starting a blog, I highly encourage you to go for it! Nobody can be YOU like YOU can be you. So whatever you have to share is a unique gift to the world, as long as it’s a true reflection of you.
That said, as promised, here are my fav blog post from year three. I hope you enjoyed these posts as much I did. Also for your reading pleasure, CLICK HERE to read my 2 year Blogiversary post and my fav posts from my second year of blogging!
Hello friends! I hope you’re having a wonderful week. As a lover of all things fitness and all things Dallas, I was super excited to stumble upon a new Dallas blog providing objective, thorough reviews of the city’s hottest fitness studios and classes! D Town Sweat launched only a month ago and has generated a huge following due to its honest studio reviews and thorough class assessments. After a few hours of Instagram stalking, I found the voice behind the blog, Kate Putney. This TCU grad is a management consultant by day and fitness blogger by night (AKA Girl BO$$) I met Kate last Saturday when she came to my studio and knocked out back-to-back workouts. Check out her reviews of our Flexin’ Flow and Body Sculpt classes. Afterwards Kate and I had coffee and I got to learn a little more about her fitness and blogging journey. Here’s the scoop…
What motivated you to start D Town Sweat? With shared studio memberships hitting the Dallas market, I’ve had a lot of friends recently incorporate a consistent fitness routine into their daily lives, and I’ve been so proud of them for making that commitment to better themselves. I’ve been a life-long runner, but I too started exploring Dallas studios, and often wondered what to expect when heading to a new class, or what else was out there in terms of yoga, cycling, strength etc. I tried to find a single location to read honest and thorough studio/class reviews, and while there are a few other bloggers that do an awesome job of blogging about fitness, I couldn’t find anything that was just Dallas fitness, and really honest and straight-forward. After a few weeks of searching around, I figured, why don’t I do it? I have always enjoyed reading fitness blogs like Wisdoms of Health so I knew what made a good one. I want to help connect people in Dallas to fitness that’s right for them, and I hope that D Town Sweat will be that resource.
Describe your fitness journey. My fitness journey started with my mom. From the time I was a baby, I ran with my mom – first in a jogger, then next to her on a bike, and finally with her, starting in middle school. She always took time out of her day to focus on her health, and by prioritizing fitness, she engrained in me the importance of taking care of my body, no matter how busy life or work gets. I ran my first 1/2 marathon in high school, and my first full marathon at 24. I recently ran the Dallas Marathon, and soon after decided that it would be beneficial for my body to try to mix up my fitness routine, which is where D Town Sweat comes in.
How do you define a “healthy lifestyle”? A healthy lifestyle to me is a balance, and not just a balance of fitness and food. I think in order to truly be healthy, you also need family and friends, a community, faith, a work-life balance, adventure, and stability. Fitness and eating well are part of the overall picture, but if you workout and eat well, and live in isolation, or work yourself into the ground, you’re not living a healthy life.
What’s the most interesting/unique fitness class you’ve taken? The fitness class that comes to mind as being one of the most unique is a Big Kahuna class I recently took at City Surf. A fitness class on a surfboard is most definitely unique, and surprisingly really hard! I would recommend it to anyone in Dallas who is looking to try something completely different! No prior-surfing skills required!
What do you love most about group fitness? I love being able to turn my mind off completely, and let my body do all of the work. I spend lots of time in front of a computer, so letting my body have a chance to take over, and giving my brain a break is definitely one of my favorite things. The other thing that I love is that it’s an opportunity to spend time with friends. At least 50% of the classes that I attend are with friends, so it’s a fun way to spend time together and feel productive.
In your opinion, what 3 factors make the city of Dallas great?
It’s in Texas – After living elsewhere, and traveling far and wide, I feel strongly that there is no other state that has so much to offer.
The People are great – I went to TCU for undergrad, so lots of my close friends landed in Dallas after graduating. Besides the people who I already knew when I moved here, people are just nice here.
The Community – Between the cost of living and the job opportunities, I think that Dallas is one of the best places to be from a job perspective, which draws a lot of really great people into our city. As a result of the awesome people here, there are so many organizations doing really cool things to better North Texas, and the greater community. I’m proud to be in a place with so many good apples.
What does “grit” mean to you? Grit means grinding through the tough stuff – working harder and smarter, even when it’s really rough, because you know the end result will be worth it.
Kate Putney, Founder of D Town Sweat
I highly encourage you to add D Town Sweat to your RSS feed. With new posts almost everyday, you don’t want to miss the latest trends in Dallas fitness! You can follow D Town Seat on Instagram @dtownsweat or on Twitter @dtownsweat
Hey gang! Happy Wednesday. I hope your week is off to a great start! Things are good on my end. We are cracking away at GRIT Fitness leading classes and having a blast! I’m especially looking forward to this weekend because, THE Lorna Jane, founder and creator director of Lorna Jane Active is visiting Dallas! She is definitely a GIRLBO$$ I look up to. I got to connect with her last Summer at IDEA World Blogfest and she was SUPER nice and SO inspiring! So that’s one event I’m looking forward to. Additionally, I received the honor of leading a 2 group fitness classes in the Active Living Room of Lorna Jane West Village, Dallas – yay! I’ll be teaching PiYo next Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 7pm and 7:30pm at Lorna Jane West Village 3700 McKinney Ave, Dallas, TX 75204. Come out and “move, nourish, believe” with me!
And just for some added Lorna Jane fun, here’s a flashback to some of my all-time favorite LJ outfits…
