Image: Neon Yellow Headband, Living OneLuv; Tank, TJ Maxx (old, bought 2 years ago); Camo Leggings, Onzie (gift from my gym buddy Lew)
Happy Friday gang! So today I’m officially starting a new GRIT by Brit Tradition: Fitness Fashion Friday! Every Friday, I’ll post pics of my favorite activewear outfit from the week. This week I wanna show off the outfit I wore yesterday to teach PiYo at Fossil Corporate HQ in Dallas. All of the class members are super trendy, well-dressed Fossil employees so I had to bring my “A-game” when picking my outfit. I think this was the perfect combo of FUN and FIERCE. What do you think?
Neon/Black Pattern sports bra from Target C9 Activewear on clearance for $10.99 – woo hoo! #c9atTarget
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.
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
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?
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.
As we savor the last few days of Summer, I wanted to share a workout my friends and I did last weekend in Miami. The workout is fun, simple and effective (instructional photos are below). Give it a whirl this Labor Day weekend and let me know how it goes. Lots of love, Brit
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?
Yo Yo – Summer is sadly coming to an end, but I’m very much looking forward to the Labor Day Weekend. My company gives us the Friday before Labor Day off too so I’ll enjoy a nice 4 day weekend – woop woop! As usual, I want to encourage you to enjoy the holiday, relax and take some time off. BUT don’t skip out on your workout! Here’s a quick and effective leg workout that I did on Labor Day last year. You guys liked it so much, I figured I’d pull it out and “beef it up” a bit. This year I added a few more intensity intervals to elevate the heart rate. Give it a whirl and let me know how it goes!
Also, 24 Hour Fitness in Dallas is having a special event for Labor Day – FREE ADMISSION to all clubs all weekend as long as you attend with a club member! If you live in Dallas, come take my Turbo Kick class at 3pm on Sunday, August 31st in Mesquite. Click on the image below for details.
And now for the fun stuff – I’m hosting a giveaway for a pair of Lucy Powermax X-Training Pants (Black, Small, Wide-Leg). These things retail at $89 but I’m giving them away to one lucky reader. Just post a comment telling me your favorite leg exercise and why. Be sure to include your email address so I can contact you! I’ll pick a winner next Tuesday, September 2.
Happy Labor Day! Lots of luv, Brit
Tell me your favorite leg workout and enter to win these cute Lucy training Pants!
Image: Wishing you a wonderful day from Miami Beach! xoxo, Brit
Hello friends! I have been coast to coast this week. Last weekend I went to Anaheim, CA for the Idea World Fitness Convention and Sweat Pink Blogfest and now I’m just wrapping up a wonderful weekend in Miami Beach. Me and 2 of my fab girlfriends from Dallas, Andria and Crystal, decided to take a long weekend and soak up some sun. It was the perfect “End of Summer Getaway” to relax and refocus for the new season…
Taking it all in – love the Miami Vibes
We arrived on Thursday and kick-started the weekend with dinner and cocktails at Larios on the Beach (Gloria Estefan’s restaurant). I had a delicious lychee martini along with a hearty green salad topped with skirt steak – well deserved after long day at work and 3 hour flight to Miami, right? On Friday, I had to take a few conference calls in the morning but around noon I met the girls on the beach. My friend Crystal rented a great little tiki hut that provided us some shade to sip our pina coladas under.
Me, Andria and Crystal on Friday – just kickin’t it at the beach and sippin’ pina coladas 😉
Our Tiki on the beach = perfection!
Overall the weather was great, but because the sun was shining so brightly the sand was burning up our feet. We had a to make a mad dash in and out of the ocean. I like to think that was my cardio interval training for the day (wink wink).
My and Crystal sprinting back to the Tiki in the hot sand – ouch! LOL
But seriously, we did make up a fun “Beach Bikini Workout” which I’ll post later this week! Each night we went out for an amazing seafood dinner and, of course, some dancing. We had delightful brunch on Saturday at Mister Collins at One Bal Harbour Resort & Spa. Later that night we a great dinner at Michael Schwartz in the Raleigh Hotel. After dinner we hit up Hyde Night Club at SLS Hotel for a little booty shakin’. I love the vibe there – it’s a cool Euro/hip hop mix. Have any of you ever been?
Lounging and dancing pool side at SLS on Saturday night
This morning I treated my self to some time at the spa and enjoyed a mani/pedi and full body massage. Do you all prefer male or female masseuse? I had a man today…
Now I’m on a plane back to Chicago for work. I probably had more than my fair share of cocktails and desserts this weekend, but hey, it’s okay to indulge every once in a while. This evening I’m going to do my 20 minute treadmill workout at my hotel gym. Tomorrow morning I’ll go to CrossFit and Tuesday I’ll to Yoga Sculpt at CorePower yoga. I’ll also be sure to drink lots of water and unsweetened hot green tea (the BEST natural detox drink). What are your workout plans for the week?
Cheers to a wonderful weekend and an even better week ahead! Lots of luv, Brit
Yay for our mojitos (coconut flavored ones) – yummy!
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…
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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
I’m still riding high from attending my very 1st IDEA World Fitness Convention and Sweat Pink Blogfest. IDEA World is largest fitness conference in the world with people traveling from all over the globe to see exhibits of the latest fitness and nutrition developments, share expertise and listen to keynote speakers like Jillian Michaels, Tara Stiles, Cassey Hoe, Chalene Johnson, the list goes on and on… Simply put – it’s fitness heaven!
Fortunately, I made it back to Dallas in time to teach my beloved weekend Piyo and Turbo Kick classes before flying out again on Sunday night for my corporate career (double duty). As I reflect on my time at IDEA World, I want to share the most memorial moments that had the greatest impact on me. In order of occurrence, here they go…
Cool California Vibes
Just arriving to Anaheim,CA and soaking up the sun and cool California vibes!
I love me some “Cali Swag.” Every time I’m on the West Coast I feel young, cool, hip, relaxed and imaginative. Sure enough, when I arrived in Anaheim, CA last week all of those feelings rushed through my mind, body and soul. I woke up each day at IDEA World and basked in the beautiful California sunshine, cool breeze and anticipation of all of the fitness excitement that awaited me. From day 1 I felt welcome, wanted and wonderful. I love California.
Being Surrounded by Passionate People
Hanging out with other fitness bloggers, connecting with old friends and making new ones!
It was so great to run into old friends like my Harvard Business School classmate Minal Mehta, co-founder of BollyX Fitness and also make some new fitness blogger friends like Tiffany and Tasha. To be honest, I was kind of in groupie-mode the whole time because I finally got meet, in person, so many of the bloggers that I stalk on Instagram. “Classy” people say you should “act like you’ve been there before” but, hey, I haven’t been! No shame in my game 🙂
Being Inspired by Jillian Michaels (surprisingly)
In awe listening to Jillian Michaels give the most inspirational keynote address EVER!
Okay so, real talk: I have never been a Jillian Michaels fan. I appreciate hard work and brutal honesty, but I never really got on the Body Shred/Jillian/Biggest Loser bandwagon like most of America. Wow – meeting someone face-to-face can really show you how judgmental you are. That’s what happened to me. I actually teared up during Jillian’s keynote address. She’s so passionate and encouraging, not about weight loss, but about believing in yourself and having the courage and confidence to follow your dreams. I wrote down several things she said that had a big impact on me, but the one statement that stuck the most is the quote I put on the photo I took of Jillian (above) – “Work with passion is purpose. Work without passion is punishment.” The moral of the story is, “Do what you love and work your butt off at it!”
PiYO Workout with Chalene Johnson
Getting an afternoon PiYo sweat session and photo op with my #1 fitness inspiration – Chalene Johnson
Simply put, Chalene is my fitness inspiration. Actually it’s a tie between her andBilly Blanks (who was also at IDEA World). I was obsessed with Tae Bo when I was 15 years old, but Chalene is the person who impacted my new-found love for fitness instruction and blogging. 3 years ago I got my very first fitness instructor certification in Chalene’s format, Turbo Kick. Shortly after I started this GRIT by Brit blog. Since then, group fitness instruction and blogging have been my passions, my obsessions, the things that make me smile when everything else in my life is going wrong. So meeting Chalene in person was a very special moment for me – one that I will cherish forever, for the rest of my life.
Business and Blogging Tips from Cassey Hoe @Blogilates
I felt empowered and inspired by Cassey Hoe who encouraged us to never give up on our dreams!
I totally look up to Cassey Hoe as social media guru and fitness entrepreneur. Cassey writes one of the most well-known fitness and wellness blogs, Blogilates, and quickly grew in popularity because of her effective and fun Pilates videos on YouTube. Needless to say, I totally geeked out when I met her. Since started her blog she’s launched a clothing line, released several signature workout videos for her format, Pop Pilates, and done several top-tier brand partnerships. I learned some really valuable tips for GRIT by Brit, like how I need to start writing a regular newsletter….looks like have work to do this week (P.S. Check your inbox).
In case you can’t tell from my workout photos, I have a very serious headband obsession – I own over 50! My excuse is that I have a big forehead (aka 5 head) so I need the extra coverage – hehe. Any way, I’m always looking for new headbands that A) don’t slip B) are wide/thick C) have cool bright patterns. Ladies and Gentlemen I have found what I’m looking for! I love love love these headbands from Living One Love. I just bought 3 for now, but there will be more…trust.
Winning a Lorna Jane Gift Card (yippee!)
Flipping through the Lorna Jane activewear catalog to pick out me free pieces!
I was already familiar with Lorna Jane active wear becaue my cycling studion in Dallas, Beyond Pedaling, carries their line. Also, they just opened a store in North Park mall. However, I don’t own any of their stuff. After seeing the Lorna Jane exhibit at IDEA World and realizing that their stuff is really freaking cute (i.e. super bright colors and inspirational saying like “run girl run”) I can already tell that I’m gonna be a Lona Jane addict. Yay for winning Blogfest raffle for a Lorna Jane gift card! But I already feel sorry for my bank account when the gift card runs out, eek!
So Much Free Swag
IDEA World free swag
Let’s do the list: A cross-body Zumba bag, Zen Planner water bottle, exercise-pilates ring and DVD, tons of healthy snacks, headbands, Sweat Pink shoelaces, sunglasses, ahh the list goes on and on! Not much to say here – the swag speaks for itself.
Leaving Inspired to Take Risks and Pursue My Dreams!
As I mentioned last week, I’ve had a pressing desire to open my own chain of fitness studios. I want to create a place that manifests the core values of Grit by Brit . Starting a business is risky and stressful, but it’s also so rewarding! After my time at IDEA World, I’m convinced that being a fitness instructor is my calling. There is nothing I’m better at and enjoying doing more than using fitness to encourage people to live their best lives. Most importantly, I want to do it in away that’s fun and positive! That said, I’m riding this IDEA World inspirational high to get cracking on my new fitness studio concept. Lots of work ahead, but I’m a gritty chick and up for the challenge! What do you love to do? What’s your dream?
“You are worthy of happiness and you deserve to sing everyday.”
