Just for Fun – Page 5

Dallas Autumn Ball – So Fancy this Fall

November 9, 2014 1 Comment

Image: Getting ready! Dress & necklace from BCBG

Hey Friends! Happy Sunday. I usually don’t post on Sundays, but I had so much fun this weekend I wanted to share a few photos. My friends and I attended the Dallas Autumn Ball which is a charity gala for young adults. Long story short, we had a blast. We started off the night with a group dinner at Dragonfly in Hotel Zaza. I’m usually really skeptical of hotel restaurants, but surprising our dinner was super yummy AND we got a complimentary bottle of sparking Rose’ – oh hey!

After poppin’ our bubbly – cheers to the night!

Me and my classmate from Harvard Business School, Ade, gettin’ rachet and ready to party!

After dinner, we made our way to the grand ball room of the party! There was a lovely step & repeat to pose in front – of course I seized the opportunity.

Posing on the red carpet as we made our entrance – oh so glamorous!

When we got inside, we immediately started bustin’ a move because the Emerald City Band was playing live music all night long. The open bar was icing on the cake, but I didn’t party too hard. I had to teach spin at 8am the next morning – priorities!

Wouldn’t be a legit night of fun without a duck lips photo

Altogether we had an wonderful night. Great food, friends and fun all in formal wear – what more can a girl ask for? Hope you have a wonderful week ahead. I’ll catch you in the morning! xoxo, Brit

Loved my dress and necklace from BCBG. Yay for a for a fun-filled, fancy, fall evening!

Just for Fun

These 7 Foods Hide Massive Amounts of Sugar

October 28, 2014 No Comments

Hey gang – happy Tuesday! I hope your week is off to a good start. I’ve been working away setting up my new fitness studio, Dallas GRIT Fitness. It’s truly a dream come true, but boy is it a TON of work. Yesterday the painters started preparing the walls, we got internet installed and I made a final decision on the flooring – woo hoo! The work continues today so I’m having my friend and fitness partner in crime, Turner, fill in a guest blog post for me. I’ll be back in action tomorrow with your workout of the week. I’ll also post some pics of the progress we are making on my studio. Talk soon. Lots of luv, Brit

Guest Post from Turner Cavender, owner of Dallas Fit Body Boot Camp. Follow Turner on Instagram @turnercavender

It’s hard to avoid sugar when many common foods secretly contain loads of it.

You may already know that eating an excess of sugar will derail your fitness progress and quickly lead to an increase in body fat. To add to this fact, recent studies are proving that sugar is even more dangerous than we once thought.

According to a new study published in JAMA International Medicine, our risk of heart attack doubles when 20 percent or more of our caloric intake come from sugar. That is no joke! Knowing this, let’s uncover the 7 common foods that you may not have thought contain high amounts of sugar.

1. Fruit Yogurt
Yogurt is packaged and marketed as a diet food for women, which is outrageous. The pretty little packages may be low in fat, but just one serving contains a whopping 19 grams of sugar.

2. Pasta Sauce
This one may come as a surprise, since pasta sauce is considered to be a savory food, but alas, it has loads of sugar hiding in it. For every half a cup of store bought pasta sauce you’re ingesting 12 grams of sugar.

3. Agave Nectar
Many think of agave nectar as a free pass, since it has been so cleverly marketed as a “health food,” but sadly this sweetener is just as dangerous as white sugar. Agave nectar is 85% fructose.

4. Dried Fruit
Yes, even our fruit isn’t safe anymore. Most companies are adding extra sugar in with their dried fruit, making it as sweet as candy. Just 1/3 of a cup contains 24 grams of sugar.

5. Granola Bars
Granola bars may boast “wholesome, whole grains “on the package, but your it’s hiding a sickly sweet secret. The average packaged granola bar contains 12 grams of sugar.

6. Energy Drinks
When you need an afternoon pick-me-up, think twice before reaching for that energy drink. Mega energy drinks contain up to 83 grams of sugar.

7. BBQ Sauce
There’s a reason that those BBQ chicken wings are finger licking good…all that sugar it’s hiding. A 2 Tablespoon serving will set you back 13 grams of sugar. Start eliminating the sugar-packed foods in your diet today. Your body and your heart will both be in better shape for it.

And let’s not forget the critical role that a challenging, consistent exercise program has in your quest for good health and a fit physique. My programs are specially designed to blast fat and to build muscle in all the right places. Email me at [email protected] to get started on a fat loss program that really works. Here’s to good health!

Fitness Fashion, Just for Fun, Lifestyle

Fitness Fashion Friday #6: My Lorna Jane Obsession Continues + Product Giveaway!

October 10, 2014 25 Comments

Yo yo my friends. Yay for the weekend. You know what time it is – Fitness Fashion Friday! In case you can’t tell, I’ve been really into Lorna Jane lately. I just discovered the Australian activewear brand this Summer when I was in California for IDEA World Blogfest. I won a $500 Lorna Jane gift card while I was there and I’ve been hooked ever since. This brand has the quality and luxurious feel of Lululemon and the vibrant, inspirational spunk of Nike – perfect balance. I’ve been spending way too much time at the new Lorna Jane store in Dallas, so I figured I’d make a blog post out of my latest shopping experience and styling session….

The friendly stylists and vibrant store decor making shopping at Lorna Jane a wonderful experience!

So I stopped by Lorna Jane after work on a Friday afternoon and was instantly greeted by Angelica’s bright shining face. Angelica is part of the the management team at Lorna Jane Dallas North Park and she is wonderful! P.S. I love the saying on her shirt (above) – Why Not? That’s very gritty – I like 🙂

So much cute to stuff to try on! Decisions decisions…

Angelica helped me pick out 5-6 complete outfits to try on. I love that many of the styles are coordinated so you can mix and match pieces without being too “matchy matchy” (although I have a guilty pleasure of overly matching my clothes). I also like the inspirational quotes and sayings that are printed on the Lorna Jane tops and even on the bottoms. As a fitness instructor, it helps me stand out and energize my group when I have big bold words like “Run Girl Run” on my clothes. Also the Lorna Jane basic black tights are amazing! They fit super snug and are made of a really thick material that sucks everything in (in a good way). In fact, my fellow fitness blogger, Julie from Peanut Butter Fingers, included the Lorna Jane pants on her list of favorite workout capris/tights. There’s nothing like a killer pair of tights to make me feel super sexy and fit!

How can you not feel energetic when you have “energetic” written in silver sparkles down your leg?

I tried on so many cute outfits in variety of colors and styles including this cute cut-out lime green tank top (above). I ended up buying the black cut-out tank instead, but it was a hard decision.

During my styling session I was impressed to learn that Lorna Jane leads cool community building and philanthropic initiatives like “swap shop.” Swap Shop allows you to bring old clothes back in the store and donate them to the salvation army. In exchange, you get a store credit. How cool is that? They also host “Active Living Day” where they sponsor free, high quality workouts all over the nation. Lorna Jane hosted free, on-site spin classes from Beyond Pedaling in Dallas this Fall.

Vests have officially made a come back #trust

When it was time to decide on my purchases my stylists, Angela and Angelica, gave me their honest opinions on what looked best. I appreciated having them around because they got me out of my rut of “black capris and bright tank top.” For instance, I bought these cute polka dotted booty shorts (see below). I ended up spending my entire $500 gift card and I’m so happy with everything that I bought. Obviously I’m an activewear junkie and I love almost all activewear brands, but I’ve officially become a HUGE fan of Lorna Jane!

Posing with my Lorna Jane stylists, Angela & Angelica (AKA the A Team)

And now that we’ve come to the end of today’s post, what better way to kick start the weekend than with a giveaway?! Today I’m giving away this adorable Lorna Jane inspirational note pad + blue leopard print headband. To participate, just post a comment sharing how you “work hard and play hard” in your everyday life. I’ll pick a winner next Wednesday, October 15th! ENJOY 🙂

Post a comment to win this adorable Lorna Jane headband and inspirational notebook!

Work hard, play hard! xoxo, Brit

Just for Fun

Guest Post: Ariana’s Healthy Lifestyle Makeover #TransformationTuesday

October 7, 2014 1 Comment

Happy Tuesday friends! Today I’m sharing a story from my new Dallas “fit friend,” Ariana! We met this Summer when she attended my PiYo classes at the W Dallas Hotel. We instantly hit it off given our love for hardcore workouts and bright workout clothes (see pic of us in PiYo class on Instagram). I was inspired by Ariana’s dedication coming to class every Saturday and the fact that she always rallied a group of girls to come along with her – talk about accountability! As we got to know each other better, Ariana shared her healthy lifestyle journey with me. I was instantly energized by her story, so I asked her to share on my blog today! I hope her story encourages you as much as it encouraged me…

Ariana’s Healthy Journey: Connecting with a Positive Community

My name is Ariana Michelle and my life has always been very adventurous. I love traveling and a good challenge. I’m a packaging engineer in the cosmetic industry and just moved from New Jersey to Dallas to be closer to my fiance! We met 2 years ago in Turks and Caicos!

My before picture was taken in March right after I moved to Dallas. I’ve always struggled with food. My family knew me as the garbage disposal…I was such an athlete that I thought I could burn it all off. After college, that wasn’t the case anymore, and real athletes don’t treat their bodies with diets full of ice cream and bagels! It’s taken a really long time to listen to all the advice I’ve been reading about for years. I have lost 20 lbs since then and countless inches. I was a size SAD, now I’m a size SASSY! Never give up, your journey will take time! I wish I had listened back then and stopped eating all the foods that made me sick. Without the right foods I wouldn’t be such a ray of sunshine!

My biggest motivation was striking out on my own. The move to Texas was really hard! I didn’t know anyone. My fiance still lives 6 hours away, and so I had to learn to cook for myself! I needed a community, a place to call home, and friends who enjoyed the same things I did. I was tired of having acne, not fitting into my clothes, and I knew if I was going to make new friends I first needed to feel confident in my own skin. So, I decided my health would be the #1 priority in my life. I found community in all different fitness groups!

Ariana & the Tone it Up Babes! Being a part of a healthy community increases accountability!

I set out to make some goals for myself! The Tone It Up (TIU) BIKINI SERIES was extremely helpful to set goals. I challenged myself with different cardio workouts like Turbo Fire, and T25, and TIU running routines. Each week, you have to keep yourself accountable, and remember that every small change yields large results! An easy goal to start with, I added something green to each meal. The following week I added more cardio. It’s so important to go slow and have a vision for your journey or you will be overwhelmed and give up. It’s the sum of your choices that makes a radiant person. Goals are the key to loving life!

Did I have set-backs? Yes! It has been a two-year journey to get where I am now. Between a devastating breakup, the loss of a dozen friends who were once my support system, and family struggles, there were times that I wanted to focus on other things, and help everyone else. But the biggest thing you can do for your family is to be a constant example of positivity. It took a long time for me to find a job in Texas, and then I was finally able to get connected to a great group of girls! I dove right in, making sure that I had a new support system if I was feeling helpless or tired. My journey would not have been possible without my #tiusisters and #teamuproar

I’m going to continue to follow the Tone it Up Plan and my new lifestyle for life~ eating the right things at the right times is going to help me keep up with my kids (someday ;)! I always tell my friends that each day adds up, so even if you only have 20 minutes to be active, that makes 140 minutes per week. I take it day by day, and set goals each morning. I never feel guilty for indulging once in a while because what I do 85% of the time keeps me right on track.

Ariana now feeling good, looking great and still staying connected to her fitness community

You can keep in touch with Ariana on Instagram @Fitgirlmechanic or email at [email protected]

Just for Fun

Super Savory High Protein Tex-Mex Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

September 23, 2014 4 Comments

Happy first day of Fall (it’s official)! During the Autumn season I make a valiant attempt at stepping up my “cooking game.” The timing of this blog post is perfect because I have to teach a cooking class on Thursday night. I’m an active member of the Junior League of Dallas (JLD) and for the past 2 years I’ve volunteered at a transitional living center for young women called Our Friends Place (OFP). Every Thursday night my JLD team and I attend “group night” at OFP during which we host cooking and life skills classes. This Thursday is my turn to teach cooking, so I practiced making my dish on Sunday night with my sister. It turned out GREAT so I wanted to share the recipe with you guys. Chicken enchiladas are nutritious because they are high in protein and very filling. To make a lower calorie version, use reduced fat cream cheese and reduced fat shredded cheese. Hope you like! Lots of love, Brit

Ingredients

1 whole, cooked rotisserie chicken
1 can of Hatch Fire-Roasted Tomato Enchilada Sauce (Regular)
1 can of Hatch Fire-Roasted Tomato Enchilada Sauce (Tex-Mex style)
1/2 onion (diced)
1 can of Rotel diced tomatoes
1/2 container of Chipotle flavored Philadelphia cream cheese
1 bag of corn or flour tortillas (if you use corn this is a gluten free dish)
1 bag of shredded cheese (Mexican style)

Instructions (5 Simple Steps)

Shred the meat off of the rotisserie chicken and mix in a large bowl with diced onion, 1/4 bag of cheese and 1 can of Rotel diced tomatoes
Spread a thin layer of cream cheese onto the tortilla, fill it will chicken mixture and roll it up
Line pan with the Regular enchilada sauce then lay the enchilada rolls close together
Cover the enchilada rolls with Tex-Mex (thicker) enchilada sauce and remaining shredded cheese
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes

Just for Fun, Lifestyle

Weekend Recap: PiYo, Shopping, Cooking and More!

September 22, 2014 3 Comments

Happy Monday friends! Thanks for sharing your weekend plans last Friday – you guys are an active bunch! I’ll announce the winner of the Onzie knot-back tank top giveaway tomorrow, so stay tuned. For those who didn’t participate in the giveaway, how was your weekend? Mine was a little bittersweet but overall fantastic. Here’s the “run down” of what “went down”…

On Friday evening I hung out with my friends at Fossil Corporate HQ for their National Run at Work Day celebration. We coordinated a “fun run” and enjoyed healthy snacks. Afterwards I was pretty tired so I just called it a night. I had to wake up bright and early to teach my PiYo class. This was my last class of the Summer (tear). Two of my favorite students bought me a really nice Lululemon yoga mat and matching headband as an “end of the summer thank you” gift – so sweet! My yoga mat is super raggedy and dirty so I needed a new one BADLY. I was a so grateful that I cried like a baby before class. There’s nothing better that doing something that you love to do and helping people in the process. I feel so purposeful when I’m teaching. It’s my calling. What do you love to do?

After class, I headed to Dallas’s North Park mall for a little shopping and walking around. I spent way too much time in my new favorite activewear store, Lorna Jane. Have you guys checked out their stuff? It’s like Lululemon but brighter and funkier – I’m obsessed. The clothes are super high quality and designed to flatter the female body while providing athletic support. In particular, their yoga pants make me look like a have a booty – YES! I highly recommend.

A girl can never have too much activewear – loved my shopping sesh at Lorna Jane

On Sunday I did my grocery shopping for the week. I don’t have to travel for work this week, which means I get to cook real food at home. I was instantly energized by the site of yummy fall veggies. I love butternut squash and pumpkin-anything. Over the next couple of weeks I’m going to explore some new healthy fall recipes. What are some of your favorites fall dishes?

Loving Fall! Yay for pumpkins and squash!

To wrap up the weekend my sister, Kortani, came over for dinner last night. We made these super savory Tex-Mex chicken enchiladas (I’ll post the recipe tomorrow). They were delicious and we have a lot left over, so I’ll enjoy them all week.

Homemade, high protein Tex-Mex chicken enchiladas! SUCCESS 🙂

While our food was delicious and the vino was flowing, the best part of my Sunday night was the company. I love my little sister so much and am so proud of the woman she has become. Hopefully you got to spend some quality time this weekend with your friends and family too!

Quality time with my lil sis – doesn’t get any better than that!

Fitness Fashion, Just for Fun

Fitness Fashion Friday #3: Babelicious Bustier & Onzie Activewear Giveaway!

September 19, 2014 17 Comments

Image: Rockin’ my Onzie Bustier Bra Top and matching Track Leggings

Happy Fitness Fashion Friday! We are officially at week 3 – are guys liking this new tradition? Let me know! (Here’s links to my outfits from week 1 and week 2 in case you missed them.)Today, I wanna show off my new, super sexy activewear from Onzie. Now let me preface this by saying that I NEVER show off my tummy when I’m working out so this was a bold move on my part. This week I stepped out of my “gritty” comfort zone and rocked this bustier and matching leggings to yoga class. The top isn’t super supportive so I couldn’t wear it for a Turbo Kick or cycling workout. I added my Vinyasa scarf from Lululemon for a little coverage before and after class. BTW, this scarf is amazing! You can wear it like 10 different ways, even as a vest (as I am doing below). All in all, I felt strong and sexy in this outfit. Better yet, on the Onzie website they put together cute outfits for styling ideas – you can check them here!

Added the Vinyasa scarf from Lululemon – wearing it as a vest! (you can wear it like 10 different ways – amazing!)

And now it’s giveaway time! First off, the winner of last week’s GRIT tank top giveaway is Chelle! I was very inspired by her personal definition of “grit.” This is what “grit” means to Chelle: “GRIT is that rod of steel that runs through the backbone of every woman out there kicking butt in the world, corporate, fitness or otherwise. She may greet you with a gentle smile or look perfectly polished and pulled together even during the toughest times but the thing that keeps her going when she wants to stay in bed kicking and screaming and crying about the inevitable trials in her life is her inner GRIT.” Congrats Chelle! Your tank top is on it’s way to you!

In fact, I was SO inspired but all of your comments, that I’m actually combining them into a cute quote printable. I’ll post it so you can each have a copy. The energy that I feel from hearing the voices of so many powerful, positive, gritty women is absolutely amazing – thanks again for sharing you guys!

Today I’m hosting ANOTHER giveaway thanks to Onzie activewear! In case you can’t tell, I’m an Onzie junkie. Did you see my outfit from their Spring collection? The wonderful folks at Onzie hooked me up with this adorable, one-size fits all, knot-back tank top from their Fall collection. I’m feeling kind of random (and nosy) today, so I just wanna know what your weekend plans are? Football game, dinner with friends, family time, working out? To win this tank, just post a comment sharing your weekend agenda. I’ll announce the winner next Tuesday, September 23rd. Happy Friday! luv, Brit

Post a comment to win this adorable Onzie knot-back tank!

Just for Fun, Lifestyle

No Grit No Pearl

September 18, 2014 2 Comments

Image: Graphic design by Lulu & Georgia

Good morning friends! I hope your day is off to a good start. I overslept and missed my spin class, so I did the T25 Core & Cardio Beta workout in my living room this morning. You can see me action on Instagram (Warning: I’m hot sweaty mess – don’t judge!) Also, I want to share this print I discovered from Lulu & Georgia. I LOVE it so much that I bought a copy and am going to put in a really cute frame. Does this quote inspire you? To me, it’s so simple and direct. Pearls are created when little piece of sand or dirt (grit) enters an oyster shell. Then inside of the oyster the grit gets coated and over time becomes a pearl. Isn’t that beautiful? It captures the reality that the greatest things in life are simply “trash” transformed into “treasure.” Through patience, pressure and persistence anything is possible – that’s the truth!

Speaking of grit, tomorrow I will announce the winner of my signature GRIT tank top giveaway. It’s not too late to participate – just post a comment telling me what “grit” means to you. I’m loving the responses so far – very inspiring!

Last but not least, I’m officially encouraging all of the Dallas readers to sow their grit by waking up bright and early this Saturday morning and join me for the very last PiYo class on the wet deck of the W Dallas Hotel. As usual, class it totally FREE! We start at 9am (arrive at least 15 minutes early to get a spot) and bring your own yoga mat. To celebrate a super successful Summer, we are having a special “Burpees & Breakfast” event. After class you can enjoy FREE snacks from Cook Hall and drink specials – yay for $5 Mimosa pitchers! Am I the only person who enjoys vino after vinyasa?

Last #piyo clas @wdallashotel is this Saturday – see you there!

See you Saturday and show remember to show your GRIT!

Lots of luv, Brit

Just for Fun

Thursday Giveaway! Win a signature GRIT tank top

September 11, 2014 No Comments

Hey y’all! Hope you enjoyed yesterday’s Core + Cardio Workout. My abs are still sore! I just made it to NYC for a work conference. I love it here. Last night I checked into my hotel and caught up on some work. This morning I went to 24 Hour Fitness in Midtown for a 30/60/90 HIIT class. It’s really crazy to be here in the city (in the Financial District specifically) on 9/11. I remember the horrible event like it was yesterday. I was a Senior in high school and we watched the 2nd plane on TV – we couldn’t believe our eyes. On a positive note, I remain so amazed by the resilience and perseverance of the families and friends who lost loved ones. We are so much stronger than we think…

Ridin’ in my cab from the airport to the W Hotel in Midtown

I’m feeling generous today so I’ve decided to randomly giveaway one of my signature GRIT by Brit tank tops. You can choose either the black or the blue – whatever style you prefer. To enter to win, just post comment below sharing what “GRIT” means to you. You guys know what GRIT means to me, but I’d love to hear your point of view and personal stories. Also, I’m a big fan of learning from each other, so let’s spread some gritty love and words of wisdom. I’ll announce the winner next week, September 19th, in my Fitness Fashion Friday post. Be sure to include your email if it’s not already linked to your comment profile so I can contact you for your mailing address and tank top size. Good luck! luv, Brit

Me and my friend Nena, sweaty in our GRIT tanks after PiYo class!

Just for Fun

Bye Bye Summer, Hello Fall! My Favorite End of Summer Activities

September 4, 2014 No Comments

OMG I cannot believe it’s September – my Summer flew by! Fortunately it was filled with lots of fun in the sun, beach time and quality moments with friends. I don’t know about you, but I love the transition from Summer to Fall because the weather is still warm enough to enjoy outdoor activities all while a crisp autumn breeze starts to fill the air – it’s amazing! Here are some of my favorite end-of-Summer activities that prepare me for a fabulous Fall…

Planning my Fall Workout Routine

I like to switch up my workout routine for the Fall. In the Summer I take advantage of unique exercise experiences (e.g. paddle boarding, swimming in the ocean, hiking, etc.). It’s always best to switch thing up a little. If you are in the Salt Lake City area of Utah, you could try to look into tennis lessons Salt Lake, to find adult tennis classes. However in the Fall, I follow a more consistent fitness regimen that fits well with my work schedule and personal commitments. There’s something about Autumn that naturally motivates me to develop a workout plan and stick to it.

Shopping for “Back to the Gym” Clothes

The one thing I hate about no longer being a student, is not being able to partake in “back in school shopping.” Alternatively, I now go “back to the gym shopping” in preparation for cooler weather and more indoor workouts. I always hit up Target® and check out the Champion C9 activewear department. Every time I go, there’s always a killer sale! Personally, I’m a fan of Target® C9 Activewear because the styles are on trend and functional – yay for bright colors, leggings and racer-back tanks! Honestly, I wear my C9 gear on the weekends as casual wear, even if I’m not working out.

My PiYo Classes on the W Hotel Roof-deck

I love teaching my end-of-Summer rooftop PiYo Class at the W Dallas Hotel!

So I’m a little biased on this one because I actually teach this PiYo (Pilates / Yoga) class in Dallas, TX. But I’m super excited that classes have been extended to last throughout the end of September – yay! We have an amazing view, great playlist, effective workout and it’s all free and open to the public! I highly encourage you to check out some free workouts in your local community – there are often free “back to school bootcamps” at local parks.

Running/Jogging at my Local Park

Going for an outdoor run in Dallas is one of my favorite end-of-Summer activities!

There’s a beautiful window of time during late September/early October that’s perfect for outdoor runs. In the middle of the Summer it’s way too hot to run outside in Texas – temperatures are over 100 degrees! While I live an active lifestyle and teach lots of group fitness classes, I’m not an avid runner. However, during this sweet stretch of time I like to go for a 5K jog once or twice a week. I find it very therapeutic, especially when I have a good playlist to energize my stride. In fact, I’m about to peace out and go for a run right now – see ya! Lots of love, Brit

What are your favorite end-of-Summer activities?

How do you stay active in the Fall?

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Target® C9 through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Target® C9, all opinions are my own.