A blog by Brit Rettig Wold, CEO of GRIT Fitness
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
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…
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.
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 🙂
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!”
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.
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.
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!
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.
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?
Happy Throw Back Thursday! Here’s and oldie but a goodie workout from the Grit by Brit archives. Lots of yummy recipes, new workouts and words of inspiration coming at you this weekend. Stay tuned! xoxo, Brit
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)
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?
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?
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…
Happy Monday everyone! Today I’m celebrating my 30th birthday – woop woop! I threw a massive “GRIT by Brit” themed birthday party last weekend. Long story short, it was the best night of the my life. DJ, dancing, cupcakes, family and friends – what more could I ask for? I have lots of pics and stories to share with you guys so be on the lookout. I’ll post them soon! Here’s a sneak peak in the meanwhile…
In honor of my milestone birthday, I decided to use an entire week of vacation time to stay home from my corporate career and teach fitness classes all over Dallas! If you are local to Dallas, come join me for a class! My schedule is below. Also, I’ve added a new Google calendar (to the right side panel) so you guys can keep up with my teaching schedule each week. YAY!
Those of you who have followed my blog for a while know that fitness is not my full-time profession, but rather a passion that I pursue in conjunction with my consulting career. While balancing the two can be challenging, I find that writing this blog and teaching fitness classes actually helps me in my corporate career. Recently I did an interview with my alma mater, Harvard Business School, to share details of my “double duty” life. You can read the full article here. I hope my experiences encourage you to pursue your interests and put in the work to get everything you want out of life! Don’t let anyone tell you it can’t be done – with hard work, faith and confidence, ALL THINGS are possible. Have a great week. xoxo, Brit
Do you have a passion that you wish you spent more time pursuing?
What’s your side hustle?
I’ve always been fan of “Tarjay” so when I was asked to review the new Target® C9 activewear, I gladly accepted! Better yet when I went to purchase my gear, I stumbled upon the surprise of finding C9 activewear on sale – buy 1 piece get the 2nd half off! There were tons of bright colors and pattern combinations so you can mix and match the tanks and shorts. I bought both the light pink and navy Sporty Layered Run Tank + Run Shorts for under $30. This is a perfect example of why I love Target®. The product styles are always on trend and the price is affordable. One of the GRIT by Brit core beliefs is we do not have to be wealthy to be healthy. To further that, we also don’t have to be wealthy to feel and look good while living a healthy lifestyle 🙂
Now, a little more about my C9 activewear…
The tank top is layered with a sports bra built-in – YES! Not only is the design cute, but it’s also functional. It provides good bust support and the material is light and breezy so I stayed cool while working up a sweat. I also appreciate the vertical stripe pattern on the back which has a slimming effect (a good look). The shorts have a wide knit waist band that’s made of this dri-fit material. Like most running shorts, they also have built-in underwear that are made of the same dri-fit material. I spent about 10 minutes on the rowing machine and another 15 minutes on the Stair Stepper – fortunately, the shorts didn’t ride up my thighs or annoyingly rub against my skin as I moved.
Overall, I’m very happy with my purchases. I do wish that the shorts had the same cool multicolored design as the sports bra. However, my friends always make fun of me for being too “matchy” so maybe it’s a good thing that the shorts are a simple navy with light pink trim. What do you think?
Along with my product review and I want to share this workout video. You guys know I’m always creating home workouts and on the lookout for new moves to incorporate into my routine. This Sexy Shoulders workout definitely gets my stamp of approval. I did the workout after my cardio and felt very toned and confident in my racer back tank top – I encourage you to give the Sexy Shoulder Workout a whirl!
Hopefully you guys enjoy the workout AND head to Target® to get some super cute C9 activewear. Personally, I felt good and still looked (pretty) good after finishing the Sexy Shoulder Workout – see my sweaty photos below. Lots of luv! xoxo, Brit
Hello everyone! I want to wish you a wonderful week and an even better (US) holiday ahead. Remember to enjoy some down time with those you love and simply savor the holiday. Of course I want you to squeeze in a workout at some point, but most importantly, take some time to unplug, relax and appreciate all the good stuff.
Last but not least, I’ve picked a winner for my 4th of July Sweaty Bands Giveaway. Congrats Christine! Huge shout out to you for prioritizing exercise while studying for the MCAT – phew! I hope you make time to sleep. In case you guys missed Christine’s workout plans, here’s what she has in store…
“This summer, I’ve been spending a lot of time studying for my mcat this coming august. Exercise had been a huge stress relief of mine, and I’ve recently gotten into running! I hope to accomplish a 5k by the end of this summer, so this 4th of July weekend will consist of running along the bayou–my goal is to do a 2.5 mile stretch in one go. I also plan on doing a bit of cross training by getting some laps in at the pool and balancing out my cardio by doing a few Pilates routines. During my study breaks, I want to try your 20 min cardio workout!” – Christine
Also, SURPRISE, I actually got an extra Sweaty Band so I picked a 2nd winner. Congrats Tory! You stole my heart when you mentioned Tae Bo. I always have been and always will be a Billy Blanks fan. Here are Tory’s workout plans for the weekend…
“I’m planning on working out indoors, because of the heat and humidity that’s forecasted for this week. Over this past weekend I brushed the dust off my old Billy Blanks Tae Bo DVDs. They are fun and provide me with a great workout. Now that I’ve seen your ’20 Minute Cardio Workout’, planning on alternating this workout with the 30 minute, Tae Bo workouts. For fun outdoors workouts, it’s all about the water workouts! I’m planning having some playtime with my kids to cool off and get in some laps in the pool.” – Tory
Thanks to everyone who shared their weekend workout plans. Knowing that others will be up and active always encourages me to get moving. Have a happy 4th of July and remember show your #GRIT. Lots of luv, Brit
Hey Gang – Happy (almost) 4th of July! In honor of the upcoming holiday I’m hosting a giveaway of 2 super cute headbands from Sweaty Bands (pictured below)! I love Sweaty Bands because they come in TONS of bright colors and cool patterns and most importantly, they don’t slip during your workout. To participate in the giveaway, just post a comment telling me your 4th of July weekend workout plans – be creative! I’ll pick a winner and announce on Wednesday, July 2nd! Also, be sure to include your email address or a way that I can contact you if you win.
In case you’re pressed for time this weekend, here’s a quick and very effective cardio workout that you can complete in 20 minutes. I do this workout in my hotel room all the time – it’s simple and sweaty! Warning – there’s a lot of jumping incorporated, so if you have chronic knee pain or knee injuries, this is not your ideal workout. For best results, move quickly from one exercise to the next and ONLY rest during the set rest times. You can expect to burn 250-300 calories in 20 minutes or less. Be sure to stretch after you’re finished. If you have questions about any of the exercises, email me at [email protected]. Also, YouTube has tons of example videos to guide you. Give my 20 Minute Cardio workout a whirl and let me know how it goes. Also, don’t forget to share your weekend workout plans to win these adorable Sweaty Bands. Have a great week! xoxo, Brit
