Lifestyle

My Herve Leger dress…and tips for turning 30

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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
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Just for Fun

Just made it to Anaheim, CA for #IDEAWorld Fitness Convention and #Blogfest

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What a day – phew!  To give you some insight, my Wednesday/Thursday adventures started off with a 5:30am hotel gym workout in Chicago (I’m currently working on an client project there) followed by a full day of client meetings and managing my consulting project team.  Finally, around 6pm I headed to Chicago O’hare airport to catch a flight to LAX – officially on my way to Blogfest in Anaheim, CA for the next 2 days!

Fortunately, I got to the airport a little ahead of schedule, so I chilled out in the American Airlines Admirals club, caught up on email and started winding down with a nice class of Malbec – oh hey 🙂

The “type A” neurotic side of me wrote out my plan of attack of the next 2 days at IDEA Blogfest.  As you can see, I have a full agenda ahead of me – lots of cool blogging tips, fitness expertise and business advice to soak up!   While I’m taking the time off my full-time job, I still have responsibilities to manage, so I’ll sneak in a couple conference calls throughout the day – double duty!  No rest for the weary…

Blogfest Schedule

I have been looking forward to this event all week.  I totally intend to geek out and take selfie with Chalene Johnson, my #1 fitness icon.  As a PiYo & TurboKick instructor, it’s going to be so amazing to meet the person who created my 2 favorite fitness formats!

Chalene Johnson will present PiYo on Thursday, August 14th at Blogfest!

To make sure I’m 100% ready to go in the morning, I went ahead and laid out my outfit.  I’ll be rocking’ my GRIT by Brit gear from head to toe.  Gotta represent!  P.S.  isn’t this neon scarf super cute?  I think it looks really good with my signature crop top tank.

Alright, I’m off to bed.  I can’t wait to meet all of the other bloggers tomorrow!  If you are in Anaheim, please let me know so we can meet face to face!  Also, be sure to follow me on Twitter and Instagram @GRITbyBrit throughout the weekend – I’ll be posting lots of photos and updates.  Nite nite!   xoxo, Brit

My hotel room at the Sheraton in Anaheim – can’t wait to count some sheep and rise and shine early in the morning!
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Inspiration & Motivation, Lifestyle

Push Away All Negative Vibes: 5 Tips to Maintain a Positive Mindset

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In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a pretty “smiley” person.  People always ask me, “how do you stay so positive?”  The reality is that I don’t always feel good or optimistic, but over the years I’ve started practicing some strategies to help me maintain a positive attitude.  I thought it would be a good idea to summarize my positivity pointers into 5 tips to share with you guys.  Here they go…

  1. Focus on Self-improvement – “We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are” – Anais Nin.  I love this quote because it’s so brutally honest.  Usually if our outlook on life is negative, it’s because we have chosen to cultivate negative energy.  On the flip side, if we focus on improving ourselves (i.e. getting physically fit, growing spiritually, developing a skill, being a better a friend, etc.) we can naturally develop a more positive outlook.
  2. Avoid Negative People – I know I sound like a broken record, but negative people are like deathly toxins.  You know who I’m talking about…that one person who no matter if they won the lottery, landed a dream job or found the love of their life would still only see the downside of the situation.  Unfortunately, we can’t control other people.  We can only control ourselves.  So it’s in our best interest to identify these negative people and stay as far away from them as possible.
  3. Write down your Happy Moments – This one is simple.  Just a take moment at the end of each day and write down 3 good things that happened.  This habit has magical positivity powers!
  4. Serve Someone  – Often we can be “Debbie Downers” because we are too focused on our own lives and our own problems.  Sometimes, simply focusing all of our energy on helping someone else and understanding their needs provides an instant pick me up.  Better yet, we can help someone else while helping ourselves.  Finding a way to serve others also helps us identify our purpose in life because ultimately we are all here to help each other.  And when we feel that our lives have purpose, it’s a lot easier to be positive.
  5. Say a Motivational Morning Mantra – My late grandmother (we called her Mudear) would always says that the first 5 minutes of your day set the tone for the rest of the day.  I’m not sure that this claim is based in science, but if an old country woman says it, I believe it.  The best way to take control of your day is wake up and recite, out loud, a positive mantra.  Now a mantra is simply a positive affirmation stating something that you believe (or want to believe) to be true.  For instance ,”I am enough.” “Today is the best day of my life.” “I am loved.” You get the gist.  There’s extra power in reciting these mantras out loud rather than just thinking them in your head.  Go ahead and give it a whirl tomorrow morning 🙂

Wishing you week filled with good vibes and positive energy!  Post a comment and let us know if you are going to incorporate any of these tips into your daily routine.  xoxo, Brit

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Inspiration & Motivation

Chase Your Dreams Ignore Your Fears

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Happy Sunday!  I wanted to share a little inspiration to get your week started with a positive and optimistic outlook.  “Chasing your dream” is much easier said than done.  Especially, when you’re at a crossroads in your life and the opportunity cost of fully pursuing your dream is high.

In recent years, I’ve develop my own dream of opening fitness studio in Dallas. Each time I take a few steps forward, I take 3 or 4 steps back because my fears kick in.  I often think to myself “I won’t make as much money,” “there are too many competitors,” “can I do this all by myself?”

I found this great article on Forbes.com that really hit home and gave me a little push to quit wallowing in my fears…

The 5 Way s to Overcome the Fear of Chasing Your Dream

By Steven Berglas at Forbes (click the link to read the full article)

  1. Your fear of taking action is a result of watching yourself fail to act–not the other way around.
  2. Your fear of losing a paycheck is exaggerated.
  3. Your fear of launching a start-up stems from knowing someone whose new venture fell flatter than a crepe.
  4. You won’t sacrifice a paycheck because it would be “wrong, reckless, irresponsible, etc.”
  5. No one daydreams while watching a Super Bowl game that goes into the fourth quarter with the score tied.

I hope these 5 tips give you the same inspirational kick they gave me.  In the near future I expect that my blog posts and your comments will reflect that we finally ditched the fear and went for it!  Be on the look out.  A Grit by Brit Fitness studio could open soon near you (wink wink)!  Send me your positive vibes and I’ll send you mine.  Have a wonderful week!  xoxo, Brit

What’s your dream?  How will you more actively pursue it?

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Cardio, Legs

Brit’s Bouncy Booty-Shaping Workout #WOD

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Hey gang – here’s your workout of the day.  I’ve been feeling full of energy all week, so I wanted to create a workout that let’s me jump around!  This a great power workout to tag on to resistance training. If you have a knee issues, this probably isn’t the best workout for you 🙁  However, you can modify the moves my elevating on to your tip toes instead of jumping.  Give it a whirl and let me know who it goes.   xoxo, Brit

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Just for Fun

Drop it like a Squat – 1,000 Squats Challenge

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Image: Good luck on the 1,000 Squats Challenge – you got this!

In my PiYo class every Saturday, we always have a lower body section of the class where we bust out about 60-70 squats.  This is one of the most challenging parts of the class because the continuous squating motion causes serious muscle fatigue.  When I look out at my class I see everyone’s face cringing (they are clearly feeling the burn) and then I give myself a little pat on the back – hehe.  Ultimately, squats are the best leg exercise because they engage every leg muscle when done properly.  You effectively activate your glutes, hamstrings and quads when performing a squat – talk about an efficient exercise.

That said, I wanted to spread some squat love by creating a 1,000 squat challenge.  Each day, you can expect to burn 100 – 150 calories by the doing the reps listed in the Squat Challenge.  Let’s take the challenge head on and see our legs become stronger, firmer and sexier.  For more intensity, feel free to complete the challenge holding dumbbells in each hand.  Share your progress in the comments section below – good luck!  xoxo, Brit

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Lifestyle

My Amazing Night at Jay-Z and Beyonce On the Run Tour #Yonce #Hova #Flawless #SPGlife

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Image: Me and my clique (my mom on the left) chillin’ before the concert – 7/22/14 – Dallas, TX

To wrap up my birthday festivities, a group of my Dallas friends (including my parents) went to the Beyonce’ & Jay-Z On the Run Tour last night.  First off I have to give HUGE shout out to my family at the W Dallas Hotel for hooking me up for floor seats to the concert!  Fortunately, my double duty life, which includes weekly business travel as a management consultant, has earned me Platinum Status at Starwood hotels – sure pays off in times like these.  I got to live the #SPGlife with an up close and personal night with Beyonce’ and Jay-Z!  It was the ultimate belated birthday gift.

I don’t want to spoil the show for those of you planning to see it in the coming weeks, but I had a such a good time I have to share just a little bit.  Overall, it’s one of the best concerts I’ve ever attended – up there with Michael Jackson (I went to his concert when I was 7 – real talk).

Bring your dancing A game and lots of energy because J & B go hard non-stop, for 2.5 hours singing all of your favorite jams.  My legs are like jello today from jumping around to “99 Problems” then shakin’ to “Single Ladies.”  I loved that Yonce and Hova went back and forth doing their own thing, each singing their classic hits, but of course they brought it home together with several duets like Holy Grail, Partition, Drunk in Love and Crazy in Love…sigh.  The videos of their adorable family are so precious – I think every girl in the stadium was like “that’s my dream life.”  hehe   There’s just something so sexy about a thug – am I right ladies?  We all wanna be ‘ride or die chicks’!  Anyway, here a few pics from the evening.  Enjoy and have a wonderful week!  xoxo, Brit

Screamin’ like a school girl on the floor below Beyonce & Jay-Z while they performed #baller
My friends and I enjoying the On the Run Tour – So hyped throughout the night – amazing!

Are any of you planning to attend the show?

In what city are going to see J & B?

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Lifestyle

Icebreaker Merino Wool Fitness Hoodie #icebreakeradventure

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Image: Warming up for Turbo Kick in my Sublime Long Sleeve Zip Hoodie #IceBreaker Adventure

So, you fellow Texans will be able to relate to the annoyance of having to deal with constantly changing temperatures during the Summer.  When you walk outside it’s 100 degree blazing heat and then when you step foot indoors, the AC is on super blast and it’s below 65 degrees.  Know what I’m talking about?

Well this is especially an issue for me because I teach most of my group fitness classes indoors at large gyms.  When I was offered a sample of this merino wool hoodie, I got super excited because it’s midweight and breathable, so I don’t get too hot.   Also, this company, Icebreaker Merino, seems pretty cool.  They are fairly new and based in New Zealand (I’m all about showing love to start-up companies).  While I’m not a real “outdoorsy” girl, I do love being active.  This brand seems to blend well across the “granola” types and the “trendy/chic” consumers.

My Icebreaker hoodie stands out from my others because it’s naturally odor resistant and breathable, which is great for chicks like me who sweat a lot.  (I hate it when my clothes stink after a workout – ugh!)  I also love the princess seams, front hand pockets, back air vent and slightly cropped length – stylish and functional.  I like it a lot and highly recommend!

What’s you favorite fitness hoodie?  

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Inspiration & Motivation, Lifestyle

10 Thoughts GRITTY People Reject

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Happy Hump Day gang!  As I sit in my home office enjoying my week of vacation, I started a stream of consciousness of thoughts/statements that I absolutely hate to hear.  So, I wanted to write a post to reject each and every one of them…

  1. My best days are behind me – Gritty people believe that the best is always yet to come.  If we can’t hope for a brighter and better future, what’s the point of working hard?  Or waking up every day?
  2. My dreams don’t matter – Our dreams are unique. They drive our passions and ultimately our purpose in life.  Gritty people value their dreams and pursue them.
  3. I’ve reached my limit – We have no limits!  We are only limited by our minds and the restrictions that we put on ourselves.  Gritty people continuously work harder, dream bigger and expect more out of life.
  4. I’m cursed – None of us are cursed!  In fact, believing that we are cursed will actually bring about bad situations.  Suffering is a fundamental part of the human experience, but in the grand scheme of things, good always outweighs bad.  Gritty people strive to stay positive!
  5. I’m not supposed to be happy – All of us are given the gift of life and have duty to live life abundantly.  That means we are supposed to experience joy, peace, service, happiness and purpose.  Why even live if we are doomed for gloom?  You are supposed to be happy – gritty people accept this truth!
  6. I’m weak – This is one of the most powerful lies that can ruin your whole life if you start to believe it.  Gritty people know that they are powerful beyond measure.  You are so much stronger than you think!
  7. This is as good as it gets – When we start to accept this thought, we are likely to settle for less than optimal circumstances.  Now I’m not saying that we should never experience bad times, but we must always believe that we can make situations better with hard work, faith and confidence.
  8. What he/she did is unforgivable – EVERYTHING is forgivable.  Gritty people understand that holding a grudge is like “drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” – Buddha
  9. I have no control over this situation – While we can’t control all of life’s circumstances, we can always control how we respond.  Our responses to situations have so much influence on the outcomes.  Gritty people take control of their lives.
  10. I am the victim – Gritty people accept responsibility for themselves and for their happiness.  Despite wrong doings by others, gritty people refuse to be the victim.  Victims are weak.   Weak is not a good look.

I know each of you are gritty already, so help spread these powerful truths to those you love.

xoxo, Brit

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