Category: Lifestyle

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Weekend Recap: PiYo, Shopping, Cooking and More!

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?

My last PiYo class of 2014 at the W Dallas Hotel #bittersweet

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!
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No Grit No Pearl

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

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Start Stretching! My 5 Favorite Super Stretches to Increase Flexibility

Image: Me and 4 of of my favorite students after one of  my Summer PiYo classes!

Hello friends!  Hope your day is going well.  As I sit at my desk, hunched over my lap tap, the striking pain in my back inspired me to write a well-needed blog post about STRETCHING!  Back when I was getting my group fitness instructor certification with AFAA (Aerobics and Fitness Association of America) our course leaders constantly stressed the fact that there are 3, equally important, elements of physical fitness:

  1. Muscular Strength – “Your muscle’s ability to generate force against physical objects. In the fitness world, this typically refers to how much weight you can lift” – About Health
  2. Cardiovascular Endurance – “The ability of the heart to deliver oxygen to the working muscles, and the muscles ability to use that oxygen.” – Healthline
  3. Flexibility – “The ability of your joints to move through a full range of motion. Having flexibility in your muscles allows for more movement around the joints.” – About Health

If you’re like me, you often focus on the first 2 and neglect the 3rd – skip the stretching.  I have a severe “Exercise ADD” (attention deficit disorder).  I can hardly make it through a traditional yoga class without totally zoning out and I never stretch on my own, which is really bad.  HOWEVER, I can get down with more dynamic stretching (i.e. stretching with movement, like Vinyasa flow yoga and PiYo) because I find it more engaging and even break a sweat once in a while.

Flexibility is SO important not only for out fitness, but for out overall well-being.  Being flexible reduces risk of injury,  improves posture (which makes you look slimmer), minimizes muscle aches and decreases stress through relaxation.  That said, I wanted to share my 5 favorite stretches that are both effective and engaging.  Try doing each of these exercises for 2 minutes at least 3 days per week. Move through each movement dynamically, keeping your body in constant motion instead of a holding the pose and straining.  In doing so, your 10 minute stretch session will fly by! (Instructional photos from to stretchify.com)

Deep Kneeling Lunge (hips)

The hips are super strong – especially if you run often and do a lot of squats.  Also Yogis believe that emotional tension is stored in our hips.  This means that our hips are usually super tight, so we really need to focus on keeping them flexible.  I recommend this deep lunging stretch to improve hip range of motion.  Move forward and back slowly in this pose to keep it dynamic.

Hip flexor stretch from stretchify.com

Standing Hamstring Stretch (back of leg/lower back)

The hamstring and lower back muscles are directly connected so if you have lower back pain, it’s likely that you also have really tight hamstrings.  This stretch is pretty simple so shift your hips back far enough that you feel a nice stretch in the back of your leg and even a little in your booty.

Standing Hamstring Stretch for Sciatica from stretchify.com

Doorway Stretch (chest)

If you’re like me you sit at a desk all day (with horrible posture) hunched over a computer.  This means that your chest is always contracting and you back is always expanded.  Chest opening stretches help reverse that bad, hunch-back posture.  To compete this stretch just a find a doorway, put your arm up and lean forward feeling a good stretch in your chest and little bit in the front of your shoulder.

Doorway Chest Stretch from stretchify.com

Cat Stretch (back)

I don’t know why, but my back is always sore.  I think when I get stressed I hold a lot of tension in my back.  Fortunately, I find a lot of relief by kneeling on all fours and doing cat/cow stretches.  To do this stretch, alternate cat pose (shown below, rounding your back) with “cow pose” in which you push your chest and tail bone up (arch your back).

Cat stretch from stretchify.com

Head Tilt (neck)

So, I have a bad habit of hunching my shoulders up to my ears when I’m tired.  This feels good at the moment, but then I get terrible neck pain.  Simply tilting my head from side to side or downward towards my chest helps relieve tension.  For a little extra sensation, I use my hands to add some pressure.

Neck Stretch from stretchify.com

How often do you stretch?  What are your favorite stretches and why?

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Weekend Recap: Feeling Domestic & Paying Tribute Lady O (Michelle Obama) and Queen B (Beyonce)

Hey friends – how’s it going?  Hope you had a good weekend.  Those of you in Dallas know that we had an oddly chilly weekend – weather in the 50’s!  Cray Cray.  However, that didn’t stop us from rockin’ it out at PiYo on Saturday morning.  We threw on our long sleeve activewear and got our pushups, burpees and downward dogs in action at the W Dallas hotel!  After class I was feeling kinda groggy (I think it was the lack of sun).  This made me wanna stay inside all weekend, so I did…

Bundled up in scarves & jackets on a chilly Saturday morning in Dallas – didn’t keep us away from PiYo class!

In my “homebody” state of mind, I made a quick trip to Target and bought some new Nate Berkus throw pillows for my couch (can’t go wrong with black and white).  I also stopped by Home Goods and got this cute gold serving tray to put on my ottoman.  While I was there, I saw this white faux fur throw and had to pick it up as well to accessorize my couch.  Just these small touches give my living room a fresh new look.  I love it!

So excited about my bachelorette pad and all of the cute new stuff I got from Target & Homegoods!

Last but not least, I finally framed the VOGUE magazine covers that I’ve had sitting in my kitchen drawer for almost a year.  I’m really happy with how my creation came out.  What do you think?  Most of you know that I a HUGE fan of both Michelle Obama and Beyonce.  In fact a made a Sexy Arms Circuit inspired by “Lady O” and an Amazing Abs Workout as a tribute to “Queen B” – I highly recommend you give both workouts a whirl.

Beyonce on the cover of Vogue in the “Power Issue” of 2013 – now framed on my mantel!
Michelle Obama on the cover of Vogue showing off her sexy arms – I liked this framed on my mantel for workout motivation (wink wink)

On Satruday night, I stayed in and rented a movie On Demand – it was glorious!  On Sunday morning, I made myself some breakfast and watched church online.  It weird because I’m actually a very extraverted person and go out of my way to be around people.  However, every now and then I like to have weekend all to my self – no social plans and lots of time at home.  Do any of you feel like this sometimes?  

Now I’m happily watching football and blogging – working on lots of cool new workouts and giveaways for you this week.  What did you do this weekend?  I hope you have an amazing week ahead.  Lots of love, Brit

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Weekend Recap: Manicures, Ice Cream, Pole Dancing & More!

Hello ladies and gents.  Hope you are wrapping up a lovely weekend.  Mine weekend was super busy (just how I like it).  Last week I didn’t have to travel to Chicago for work because it was a shorter week with Labor Day.  This gave me the opportunity to go to my favorite fitness classes in the evenings and volunteer at my community placement with the Junior League of Dallas.  On Friday, I woke up super early, made some black coffee and taught my 6am spin class at 24 Hour Fitness.  I LOVE my playlist right now – “Undressed” by Kim Cesarion is my jam!

Up early enjoying my coffee in all of my Cornell gear – GO BIG RED!

After class I showered at the gym and headed to my office in Downtown Dallas to work for the day.  We had breakfast tacos catered in from Taco Cabana – yummy!  After catching up with my colleagues, completing my expense reports and finishing some client work, I scurried over to the nail salon for a mani/pedi.  Now that its September, I got a Fall color – “chinchilly” by Essie .  What do you guys think?  What’s your favorite Fall nail polish color?  Also, I had a major sweet tooth and treated myself to a McDonald’s ice cream cone (only 140 calories – not terrible right?)

Showin’ off my mani and enjoying my Mickey D’s ice cream cone (yes I needed to get some gas – I was “Ridin’ on E”)

On Friday night I went our for a sushi dinner with my friend Casey.  I love that my friends are so engaging and positive.  Just being around positive people can totally put a smile on my face.  It’s like sunshine.  We didn’t stay out too late because on Saturday mornings I teach PiYo for the W Dallas Hotel.  Class was PACKED this weekend (as you can see).  I think everyone was trying work of the Labor Day BBQ…or just savor some fun in the sun.  It was a hot, sweaty BLAST!

Teaching my PiYo class last Saturday. I threw in some extra ab work 😉

I chilled out and ran a couple of errands on Saturday afternoon.  That evening I had a BALL at my little sister’s 23rd birthday party.  My sister, Kortani, is a Texas Tech Varsity Pom Squad alumn and now dances for the Dallas Cowboys.  She decided to throw a pole-dancing party for her b-day and invited all of her dancer friends.  I was super intimidated.  We ended up drinking wine, dancing and have a really good time trying out new moves on the pole.  My mom came along and took lots of pics.  Long story short, I have so much respect for girls who can legitimately pole dance – HOLY CORE STRENGTH!

Kortani (sis), Lexi (her Yorkie), Mom and Me enjoying b-day cake and food after the pole-dancing!
My sister 23rd birthday pole-facing party! That’s the whole crew and our instructor – so fun!
Woo hoo – I got up there! #twerkin

This morning I had a some quiet time and reflected on my week and what I want to happen during the week ahead.  I skipped church today (oops – don’t tell my mom).  For breakfast I toasted a whole wheat English muffin and topped it with almond butter and strawberry preserves.  I also made a giant pot of black coffee which I sipped slowly throughout the morning.  I need to start being careful about my caffeine intake – I’m a coffee junkie!  Drinking lots of water it critical if you’re a heavy coffee drinker like me.  While I enjoyed my breakfast I also learned some new moves for my Sunday afternoon Turbo Kick class – teaching Round 62.   Have any of you ever taken a Turbo Kick class?  If not, I highly recommend.  Especially if you take it with me 🙂

Spending my Sunday morning learning new Turbo Kick choreography for class!

After my Turbo Kick class I stopped by parents house to watch a little bit of the Cowboys game.  After seeing that it was going to be a total disaster, I cut my watching time short and headed home to clean up my place and chill.  I was so happy that the orange roses I bought 4 days ago are still alive and kicking.  They are the perfect touch to my little bachelorette pad.  I’m going to have to throw them away tonight though because I’m catching a 6am flight to Chicago tomorrow morning for work.

Enjoying fresh flowers in my clean bachelorette pad!

Now I’m packing up and getting ready to wake up early.  I still need to plan my workouts for the week.  Maybe I’ll do my old trusty hotel room workout tomorrow night.  What are your workout plans?  

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead filled with fun, fun and more fun!  Lots of luv, Brit

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Happy September & Lucy Activewear Giveaway Winner Announcement

Image: Wishing you a happy September – HELLO FALL!

Happy September to you!  First and foremost, I want to announce the winner of my Lucy Activewear Giveaway.  I asked you guys to share your favorite leg workout, and boy, did you!  My legs were on fire just reading all of your leg exercise ideas and personal favorites.  It was tough to pick to a winner, but after giving it much thought, I’m happy to announce that Mari is our winner! Here’s her favorite leg workout: My fave leg exercises are jump squats, box jumps and split squats because you feel them right away and they are super effective. With the right amount of reps and sets, I am definitely feeling them the day after  Congrats Mari.  Your Lucy Activewear is on its way to you!

I hope you guys had a wonderful Labor Day weekend – I did!  I kicked things off by teaching my beloved PiYo class at the W Dallas Hotel on Saturday Morning.  I’ve been so humbled and amazed by the huge turn out we have week after week.  For those of you who live in Dallas, I highly encourage to come check out a class.  I’ll be teaching FREE PiYo classes every Saturday morning through September 27th.

Teaching my PiYo class on Saturday morning (that’s me on the left, facing the class)

I actually got a double dose of sweat on Saturday.  After my PiYo class I scurried over to 24 Hour Fitness for Turbo Kick class with my Dallas gym buddies.  I’ve been working out with this crew for 3 years now.  Rain or shine, we meet at the gym for Turbo Kick every single Saturday morning at 10am.  Working out together pushes us to go extra hard and have fun!  It’s so great to have “fit friends.”  Do you have gym buddies who you regularly workout with?

Me and my Saturday morning workout crew! Post-workout sweaty smiles 🙂

I also enjoyed lots of non-working out activities.  On Saturday afternoon my neighbor/buddy, Emilio, and I got some rest and relaxation by our pool.  We shared a bottle of white wine and read the September issues SELF, O, and Fitness magazines.  Yesterday, I went to a yummy Tex-Mex brunch with two of best friends in Dallas, Crystal and Neka (pictured below).  After enjoying my spinach enchiladas, chips and guacamole and girl talk, I went on a shopping spree at the new Lorna Jane that opened in Dallas North Park Mall.  (Remember I won a $500 Lorna Jane gift card at the Idea Blogfest – yeah buddy!) I got a ton of bright, fresh new workout clothes – eek!  I’ll be posting lots of Lorna Jane photos and product reviews in the next few weeks.

Me, Crystal and Neka at Mi Cocina in West Village, Uptown Dallas for Labor Day Lunch

Today I’m back to work in full on “grind-mode.”  Fortunately it’s yoga week in Dallas so I’ll be teaching some extra PiYo classes which I’m really excited about.  In addition to working out and working at my corporate job, I’m also planning some special Fall workouts and recipes so be on the lookout!  Lots of luv, Brit

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What’s in my gym bag? Maintaining an #AwesomelyActive Lifestyle

As you guys know, I live an extremely active lifestyle.  On weekdays I workout 3-4 times usually in form of CrossFit sessions and Yoga Sculpt classes at Core Power Yoga.  When weekends roll around I start off my Saturday mornings by teaching Pilates/Yoga then I hurry over to Turbo Kick (cardio kickboxing) and Body Pump classes with my gym buddies (Saturday is my ‘detox day’).  On Sunday mornings I practice hot yoga then teach another Turbo Kick class in the afternoon.  Long story short, my weekends are an #AwesomelyActive whirlwind of a fitness adventures!

Before and After teaching my Sunday kickboxing class #SweatyHairDontCare

My gym bag is my “life line” on the weekends as I run all over Dallas and teach back to back fitness classes. I rely on it to hold all of my essentials – of course there’s obvious things like my water bottle, hair ties and healthy snacks (usually apples).  But as a fitness instructor I also have to keep an audio belt for my microphone and my GRIT by Brit business cards so I can stay connected with the awesome people in my classes.  The type A side of me also insists on packing a pair of light hand-weights in case I need to intensify my Turbo Kick workouts (wink wink).

As I’m sure you noticed, I also keep a stash of Tampax® Pearl® Active™ in my gym bag.  These bad boys are perfect for #AwesomelyActive ladies like me who partake in serious fitness, high performance athletics and need to stay in the game.  The Built-in Backup Braid™ and FormFit™ protection help stop leaks before they happen.  As we all know, leaks are not a good look.

Tampax® Pearl® Active™ is a “must have” in my gym bag! I like to carry them in a small toiletry bag so I have extra space for all of my other essentials.

Overall I love my active lifestyle and am so happy that I have my trusty/trendy gym bag filled with all of my essentials.  Staying active keeps me healthy and happy!  What’s in your gym bag?  How do you stay #AwesomelyActive?

Join the Awesomely Active Facebook Page or follow on Twitter!

​Disclosure: This #AwesomelyActive post was sponsored by Tampax® Pearl® Active™ through their partnership with POPSUGAR. While I was compensated by POPSUGAR, all opinions are my own.
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G.R.I.T – The Secret to Success and Happiness

Hello friends.  A colleague of mine forwarded me an AMAZING article from Forbes.com.  You can click here to read the full article, but below is an excerpt of the GRIT section by Scott Petinga – it’s just too good not to share…

  • “G” is for guts, that secret superpower that allows us to overcome adversity and steer a course over, under, around or straight through life’s many obstacles and challenges. Having guts is about living in the moment and doing things you’re afraid of right now — not tomorrow, not five years from now. It’s about being confident in your opinion, voicing that opinion and not being afraid to disagree with people.
  • “R” is for resilience, which allows us to bounce back from life’s many defeats to enjoy the fruits of our labor and eventual success. Perseverance is a major part of that. The journey that got me to where I am today gave me this insatiable drive, this compulsion to create change — to be change. It also taught me to genuinely care about people, to care about the community around me and to care about the impact I have on the future. Don’t limit yourself to what’s immediately doable. Instead ask, “What’s possible?”
  • “I” is for initiative, that entrepreneurial spirit that inspires us to act on our biggest ideas and build a life and career for ourselves. With initiative comes the risk of failure, which is why doing so is well worth it. Either it takes you forward into a new direction, or you fail, and those failures take you in a new direction.
  • “T” is for tenacity, which ultimately determines how hard we fight for our dreams. Tenacity can be summed up as, “improvise, overcome, adapt,” regardless of the odds. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. A tenacious person never has to say “would have,” “could have” and “should have.” Don’t think too long about things, just go for them.

Those of you who have been following me from the beginning know that helping people develop GRIT is the core purpose of my blog.  I believe fitness is about so much more than a strong body.  It’s about transforming your mind, CHOOSING to think positive thoughts and having the courage to believe in and work for your goals.  The great thing about GRIT is that can be developed.  Unlike talents, we aren’t born with GRIT.  This means that each of us has the opportunity and the means to make our dreams come true.  True that.  xoxo, Brit

What’s your dream?  

How are are you fighting to makes your dream come true?

How do you show your GRIT?

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How to Minimize Knee Pain in High-Intensity Workouts

Hello friends!  Hope your week is going well.  Do any of you struggle with knee pain during or after workouts?  I definitely do.  Last year I wrote a blog post titled, “No More Knee Pain”  that provides information about the knee anatomy and knee injury prevention.  Today I want to talk about minimizing knee pain while partaking high intensity and even high impact exercises.  If you’re like me, you hate having to sit on the sidelines while others are having a blast and getting a killer workout.  Despite tearing my ACL and having reconstructive surgery, I’ve found ways to maintain my participation in high impact exercise.  Essentially, I abide by these key rules…

  1. Wear Supportive Shoes. I know that minimalist sneakers are really in style (i.e. Nike Frees, which I LOVE). However you should make sure that your shoes provide enough cushion to support your fit in high impact exercise. That means your shoes should enable a soft landing when you jump and provide solid support when you run.
  2. Stay light on your toes. This is especially important when jumping. Be sure to land on the balls of your feels to minimize the impact of landing. Also, avoid landing on your heels and NEVER lock out your knees.
  3. Engage your quads and hamstrings. In plyometric workouts it’s critical that you use your legs muscles to drive the movement. Proactively tighten your thigh muscles (quads and hamstrings) before you execute an explosive motion. These muscles provide critical knee support. When properly engaged, they minimize strain on your patella tendon and IT bands.
  4. Keep your knees pointing in the same direction as your toes. When your knees and toes are misaligned you put yourself at high risk of twisting your knee and getting injured.  An easy way to ensure your leg is properly aligned is to keep you knees pointing in the same direction as your toes (espcially when squatting).
  5. When Squatting, never let your knees go beyond your toes. Related to tip #5, it’s equally important to avoid leaning forward or squatting too deep to the point that your knees go past your toes.  In my classes, I always say “make sure you can see you toes.”  If you’re doing a squat and you can’t see your toes, you need to sit back more or maybe not squat so low.
  6. Compress.  Wearing a compression sleeve or a knee brace can help increase blood flow.  Adequate blood flow is important for muscle repair and recovery.  Also, the compression provides added support to your joint during exercise.

On this last point, a few weeks ago I was approached by Opedix to write a review on their new compression tights. ​These tights incorporate a patented knee support and have “scientifically designed ‘tensioning’ systems in the base layer to enhance the kinetic functioning of your body.” Unlike traditional compression, they also help keep your joints aligned through “Torque Reform Technology.” Given my history with knee injuries I accepted the request.

First, off the tights came to me in this really fancy box.  I was like, “Whoa – this is serious business” …

After I opened the box and pulled out that tights, I could definitely see that they had built in compression.  In fact, I thought they looked kinda funky.  Y’all know I’m keen on stylsih, cute activewear – style and functionality are equally important to me.  Fortunately when I tried on the tights, they didn’t look too bad.  Not amazing, but not terrible.   They fit low on my waist and snug throughout my leg.  I could really feel the added support around the knee joint.  On the down side, the compression squeezes right above my knee and makes me look like have an extra fat pudge on my inner thighs.

Brit’s Opedix Compression Tights – Women’s Style

I went ahead and wore them to my kickboxing class that day. (You can check out my post-workout pic on Instagram)  During the workout my legs felt strong, stable and supported.  The tights didn’t slip down on my waist nor rub on my leg to cause discomfort.  Better yet, I had a pink headband that matched the waistband on my tights so I was lookin’ good 🙂  After the workout, surprisingly, my knees were not as sore as they usually are – very nice.  Final verdict – BUY.  These are a legit product especially if you’ve been battling knee injuries and are looking for a new pain-relieving solution.  However, keep in mind that knee pain, in most cases, is chronic.  So it’s hard to eliminate altogether.  Hopefully applying my tips  minimize your knee pain and keep you in the game for more running, burpees and squat jumps!  😉 Lots of luv, Brit

Which exercises cause you the most knee pain?  

How do you protect your knees from injury?

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My Herve Leger dress…and tips for turning 30

Image: Brit in Herve Leger Judith Metallic Dress

I recently celebrated my 30th birthday and it was absolutely amazing!  My photographer just sent the photos back from party so I now I have some to share (as you can see).  I’m not gonna lie, in the months leading up to my big 3-0 I was kind of in panic mode (as most 29 year olds).  However, I was determined to not freak about arriving to the “3rd floor” and instead proactively embrace my new decade of life.  Here are some things I did on and before my dirty thirty that made my b-day one of the best days of my life…if you are approaching your 30th milestone b-day, I highly recommend these activities…

  1. Plan a Celebration – At first I didn’t want to make a big deal about my birthday (I actually wanted to ignore it and pretend it wasn’t happening).  But then I decided to fully embrace it.  I’m a super social person and I love love love parties.  SO about 3 months before my b-day I booked a venue, hired a DJ and started planning the biggest, booty-shaking bash of my life.  Bottom line = so much more fun than sitting at home doing nothing.  My advice is to go ahead and plan a big part-tay!
  2. Get Fit – For me, feeling good and looking good have a very high impact on my overall self-confidence and state of well-being on any day, especially my birthday.  Because 30th birthday’s are inherently filled with life expectations (i.e. I should have accomplished this much in my career, have this much money, be married, be “almost pregnant,” etc.) it’s good to have some accomplishments that you can be certain of – like being fit.  A fit, healthy body is one accomplishment I think we should all strive for by the age of 30.  Not only so we can look good and feel good, but because we are “real adults” now and we have to take our health seriously and establish healthy habits that allow us to live a long, abundant life.
  3. Do something you love – The morning of my by 3-0 I woke up and taught my beloved PiYo class at the W Dallas Hotel. Being with my class, sweating, feeling the sunshine on my face are priceless experiences for me.  This helped me realize that every single day is a blessing because I have the freedom to do things I love to do.  I should appreciate and savor these moments every day – not just on my birthday.
  4. Reflect on your blessings – I don’t know about you, but it was really easy for me to think about all of the things I DIDN’T do by the age of 30 rather than all of the things I DID.  I highly encourage you to write down your greatest accomplishments and happiest moments from your first 30 years (yes, high school graduation counts – you did that!)  Simply looking over this list can make you feel pretty freakin’ great.
  5. Surround yourself with friends and family (don’t be alone) – 3 of my best friends from Harvard Business School flew to Dallas for my birthday party and to spend the weekend with me.  We have actually established a tradition of traveling to each other’s home city to spend our birthday’s together.  Even if I didn’t throw my massive twerkfest of a party, I still would have felt the love, acceptance and joy that I experienced on my birthday because I was surrounded the people who love me most.
  6. Go big or go home – Last but not least, live it up a little bit!  I’m very a conservative, risk averse person.  But I had been eyeing this Herve Leger Judith Metallic dress at Intermix and really really wanted it.  I debated whether or not I should buy it for 3 weeks and even consulted my best friends.  In the end I decided – Carpe’ Diem!  I may only wear this dress once in my entire life but I don’t care.  I work hard, I’m celebrating 30 years of life, I LOVE the way the dress fits and I deserve to reward myself.  Maybe I’ll even get 2 wears out of it – I’m planning to bust it out for my 60th birthday! hehe

Here’s to next 30 years… and the next 30.  Lots of luv, Brit

Photo by NLG Photography
Photo by NLG Photography