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 Velocity Series V2 Armband for iPhones and Smartphones (Pink)
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
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.
As a self-proclaimed “FalafeLover” (and “many-other-foods-lover”) in Brooklyn, grabbing a yummy meal at one of the Big Apple’s thousands of amazing eateries is pretty par-for-the-course when it comes to socializing & enjoying New York City life.
BUT, eating out’s not always super budget friendly…
(9 bucks for a measly chicken sandwich… Say what??)
In an effort to save some moola, I committed to avoiding (*almost* all) restaurant-dining in March – as part of my blog series, where I challenge myself to add or eliminate a new “habit” each month. My overall goal for this challenge was to food shop and cook more frugally, without sacrificing the nutritional quality of my meals.
One major take-away has been learning how to better navigate the aisles of my local grocery store, and identify the most low-cost/nutrient-dense foods. News flash to the health-and-budget conscious: healthy home-cooking can still be quite expensive (especially in the city), IF you’re not savvy about it….
….But have no fear, Falafelover is here! To let you know that it IS possible to eat well without breaking your bank account. And now presenting…
FalafeLover’s TOP HEALTHY/CHEAP GROCERY LIST
Grains/Starches
Brown rice
Whole wheat pasta
Whole wheat bread
Oatmeal
Potatoes (white or sweet)
Protein
Canned beans (any kind – but my fav is Garbanzo, obviously, being a Falafelover, and all :))
Tofu (extra firm for highest protein content)
Eggs
Canned tuna or sardines (in water)
Cottage cheese (plain, low-fat)
Fruit
Bananas
Apples
Oranges
Pears
Non-starchy veggies
Kale
Collard greens
Tomatoes
Carrots
Healthier fats
Peanut butter (without added sugar/salt)
Avocados
Raw nuts (unsalted, in bulk – more cost-effective)
Bonus tips for getting most nutritional bang for your buck:
Go for the generic brand whenever you have the option– there’s almost always no difference in the quality
For canned beans, make sure to rinse out the excess salt
Cook a big pot of rice or pasta for the week, and then portion it out and use as a base for different stir-fries, soups, etc.
Produce prices ebb and flow big time depending upon what season we’re in. Berries are cheaper in summer, and squash is cheaper in fall/winter, for example. Go for the produce that’s in-season when you can (it’s fresher and yummier, too).
Don’t worry about buying organic. It’s not worth it, in my opinion. Just wash your produce well, and you’ll be good to go.
Skip the protein/granola/energy bars and make your own healthy snacks, like a DIY trail mix with nuts, seeds, dried fruit and little pieces of chocolate.
Invest in a water bottle and enjoy nature’s healthiest and cheapest form of hydration, H20! Skip the vitamin-infused stuff (way over priced for the lack of nutritional value it offers) and the juice (fresh fruit is cheaper – 30 cents for an orange versus 1 or 2 bucks for a bottle of OJ).
Now that Spring is upon us, I bet you’re super eager to rock your sundresses. I am. Fortunately, this weekend marks my official return to teaching Turbo Kick classes since my surgery in January. I’m excited and super nervous all at the same time. Wish me luck! While I’m huge advocate for group fitness (i.e. TurboKick, CrossFit, Yoga, Barre, etc.), I appreciate that sometimes we simply can’t make it to the gym. On these days having a nice repository of fun, effective and free workout videos is key! Here are my 5 favorite super sweaty YouTube workout videos that will have you drenched in sweat and feeling slim and sexy for your patio brunch.
For best results, do the following 7 day plan = 1 video per day for 3 consecutive days + 1 day of Yoga + 1 video per day for 2 consecutive + 1 day of weight training
1. HIIT Cardio: 10 Minutes by MomsIntoFintess
2. 15 Minute Cardio by Yours Truly
3. 15 Minute Insanity Cardio Workout Exercises by HASFit
4. Burn fat, Burn calories, Aerobic, Full Length Workout Video by Jessica Smith
5. Fat Burning HIIT Cardio Video by FitnessBlender
What’s your favorite YouTube workout? Let me know!
Wow – I can’t believe 2 years have passed since the first GRIT by Brit blog post. To celebrate our 2nd blogiversary I’m having a giveaway – yay! The first 10 people to post a gym selfie on Instagram with hashtag #gritbybrit will receive a free GRIT by Brit workout tank top. You can check out the styles at my eStore. I’ll message the winners for their mailing address and size (S/M/L/XL). Also, be sure to follow me on Instagram @GRITbyBrit.
Let’s also take a little trip down memory lane. First up, CLICK HERE to read the inaugural GRIT by Brit workout from March of 2012 – I called it the “Sexy Ladies Sweat Sesh” (wink wink). Also, here’s a recap of the 5 posts I most enjoyed writing this past year. While all of my posts have sentimental value, these 5 especially stand out. Hopefully these can be your pleasure reading for the week.
Well one thing is for sure, my body does NOT look like that chick in the Women’s Health Magazine flyer below, but look at all the love and energy I have to give. I mean, that counts for something. Right? 🙂 No matter your shape or size, if you follow a consistent fitness regimen, strive to live a healthy lifestyle and are dedicated motivating others, then you are indeed a “Fitness Star” in my eyes!
Heads up to the aspiring fitness professionals – Women’s Health Magazine is having open auditions for the “Next Fitness Star.” The contest looks super cool and I highly encourage you to audition. I did (if that’s any motivation). The winner gets to star in their own DVD series and appear in pages of Women’s Health Magazine. CLICK HERE to complete the audition form. The deadline is March 6, 2014.
Don’t be scurred – go ahead and strut your stuff, share your passion and be a STAR! Have a wonderful week. Lots of luv, Brit
#GRITbyBrit representin’ at the #FreshFoamDallas Launch Party!
Last week I approached by New Balance to be one of the first to review their newest running shoe, Fresh Foam 980. Now most of my reviews on GRIT by Brit are unsolicited – I just review places and products that generally intrigue me. However, since New Balance is a legit brand, I was quite flattered that they valued my opinion so I happily agreed to test these bad boys.
Fresh Foam Collection for Women (Men’s available too obviously)
I know I should start off by providing feedback on the shoe’s comfort, foot support, design quality, etc., but in true GRIT by Brit fashion, I must first comment on the style. When my sneakers arrived in the mail, I was pumped to discover their boldness and brightness. I LOVE NEON and there’s lots of neon! Also, the soles are colored. I hate white soles on sneakers because they always get dirty which isn’t cute.
#FreshFoamDallas Launch Party
After receiving the sneakers, I co-hosting a #FreshFaom launch party and 5K Fun Run at Luke’s Locker sporting goods store in Dallas along with some local running coaches and representatives from New Balance corporate headquarters. Everyone was super nice, fun and had lots of GRIT!
So now let me shed some light on the running experience… While I am a self-proclaimed “group fitness junkie” I’m not really a “runner.” I mean, I enjoy 2-4 miles every now and then when the weather is nice but I don’t have excellent running form nor do I own real running shoes.
The run was AWESOME. First, I was personally proud to keep up with all of these hardcore runners. Second, I was shocked by the comfort of my running experience. I usually run in my Nike cross training shoes that I wear to teach kickboxing. Let me tell you, running in shoes specifically designed for running makes a HUGE difference. My run was bouncy and felt like it was minimizing the impact on the knees. After tearing my ACL in college and having reconstructive surgery, I’m really careful about putting to much impact on my knees. Overall, I’m not 100% sure if my pleasant running experience should be completely credited to New Balance Fresh Foam or to just having real running shoes. Either way, it was a good experience and definitely enticed me to run more frequently (in running shoes that is).
After our run, we celebrated with ice cold beers, yummy snacks and laughs. As icing on the cake, I met a fellow Dallas food/fitness Blogger! Be sure to follow Stephanie at Food and Fitness 4 Real.
Me and Stephanie, author of @FoodFit4Real
Overall, I can’t honestly say whether or not the New Balance Fresh Foam sneakers are a superior running shoe. But I can say that they are, in fact, designed for running and if you aren’t use to wearing running shoes these are great first pair to purchase for yourself.
Hey everyone! I hope that you enjoyed a nice relaxing weekend and got to watch Beyonce rock it out at the opening of the Grammy’s #getitgurl. Just wanted to quickly spread some good news – GRIT by Brit made Greastist.com’s 60 Must-Read Health, Fitness, and Happiness Blogs for 2014! We are #19 on the list for the best “Strength Training & CrossFit blogs.”
Greatist.com 2014 Best Fitness & Wellness Blogs
CLICK HERE to access the complete list. It’s full of amazing blogs with high-quality, uplifting fitness, nutrition and wellness content.
Most importantly, I want to express my deepest thanks for following my blog and creating such a loving, supportive and fierce GRIT community. I wish you a wonderful week ahead!
