Well one thing is for sure, my body does NOT look like that chick in the Women’s Health Magazine flyer below, but look at all the love and energy I have to give. I mean, that counts for something. Right? 🙂 No matter your shape or size, if you follow a consistent fitness regimen, strive to live a healthy lifestyle and are dedicated motivating others, then you are indeed a “Fitness Star” in my eyes!
Heads up to the aspiring fitness professionals – Women’s Health Magazine is having open auditions for the “Next Fitness Star.” The contest looks super cool and I highly encourage you to audition. I did (if that’s any motivation). The winner gets to star in their own DVD series and appear in pages of Women’s Health Magazine. CLICK HERE to complete the audition form. The deadline is March 6, 2014.
Don’t be scurred – go ahead and strut your stuff, share your passion and be a STAR! Have a wonderful week. Lots of luv, Brit
Hey Gang! Here’s your workout for the week. I made up this routine while chillin’ at my parents’ house. Lately I’ve been all about multitasking. So while we were watching the Winter Olympics I simultaneously cranked out these 5 super effective, body sculpting moves. This is a great workout if you’re short on time, have no equipment and want to focus on strength and toning.
Like most of my workouts, this routine is “circuit style” which means you need to move through each set of exercises fairly quickly with minimal rest. Doing so helps elevate your heart rate and ensure you burn max calories while building muscle strength. These exercises work all of our “problem zones” (i.e. thighs, abs and arm flab). For best results, do my Head 2 Toe Tone Up 2-3 times per week for 4 weeks along with your cardio workouts. Enjoy and let me know how it goes! Lots of luv, Brit
Instructional Images
Single Leg LungesPlank Knee PullsDecline Push UpsTricep DipsSlow, assisted calf raises
Hey gang! Spring is around the corner and I know that my inbox will be full of Spring time shape up requests. To keep us ahead of the last minute slim down dash, here’s my 6 quick and easy tricks to burn excess calories.
First, remember that in order to truly lose 1 pound of body weight, we must burn 3,500 calories more than we consume. Assuming your diet and activity remain consistent, adding these 6 tricks to your daily routine can result in losing 1 additional pound every ~18 days. Not bad huh? Also be sure to note that these estimates are based on 150-160 pound person. A lighter person will burn fewer calories and a heavier person will burn more.
Brit’s 6 Tricks
Stand up at your desk instead of sitting. Standing burns about 50 percent more calories than sitting. Standing at your desk for 30 minutes will burn about 72 calories (2X the amount burned while sitting). Standing instead of sitting for 30 minutes = 36 calories
Learn to Laugh. 15 minutes of laughter = 20 calories
Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Climbing two flights of stairs, three times per day = 30 calories
Dance in the mirror. Dancing is a fun, self-confidence boosting calorie blaster. So twerk a little something while getting dressed for work in the morning 🙂 Dancing for 10 minutes = 58 calories
Stretch in front of the TV. Doesn’t matter if you’re enjoying Scandal or the Bachelor, be sure to stretch instead of sit on the couch. 8-10 minutes of stretching = 31 calories
Choose the parking spot farthest from your building entrance. Walking for an extra 5 minutes = 25 calories
Alright, you guys asked for it so here it is, another Lose the Pooch Workout. In case you missed the last one, you can CLICK HERE check it out. Now, before I get started, you should know that the abs, or rectus abdominus, is actually all ONE muscle group that forms an “8-pack.” So you can’t really work your lower abs without working your upper abs (and vise versa).
However, there are some exercises that really target the lower region of the abdominals. I selected a few of my favorites and effectively sequenced them to create the GRIT by Brit Lose the Pooch Workout. For best results, complete this workout 2-3 times per week for 4 weeks. Also, be sure monitor your diet by avoiding foods and habits that cause bloating (i.e. too much sodium and lack of water consumption).
Tighten that Tummy! xoxo, Brit
Instructional Photos
Boat Pose
Boat Pose (with knees bent, you can straighten your legs to increase intensity)
Single Leg Lowers
Single Leg Lowers with Upper Body Crunch
Plank Knee Pulls w/ Toe Slide
Plank knee tuck with toes slide – place a towel under your toes and do these on a smooth, hard floor.
Hanging Knee Pulls
Hanging Knee Raise – You can straighten you leg for fully extended leg raises to increase intensity (Source: Women’s Health Magazine)
#GRITbyBrit representin’ at the #FreshFoamDallas Launch Party!
Last week I approached by New Balance to be one of the first to review their newest running shoe, Fresh Foam 980. Now most of my reviews on GRIT by Brit are unsolicited – I just review places and products that generally intrigue me. However, since New Balance is a legit brand, I was quite flattered that they valued my opinion so I happily agreed to test these bad boys.
Fresh Foam Collection for Women (Men’s available too obviously)
I know I should start off by providing feedback on the shoe’s comfort, foot support, design quality, etc., but in true GRIT by Brit fashion, I must first comment on the style. When my sneakers arrived in the mail, I was pumped to discover their boldness and brightness. I LOVE NEON and there’s lots of neon! Also, the soles are colored. I hate white soles on sneakers because they always get dirty which isn’t cute.
#FreshFoamDallas Launch Party
After receiving the sneakers, I co-hosting a #FreshFaom launch party and 5K Fun Run at Luke’s Locker sporting goods store in Dallas along with some local running coaches and representatives from New Balance corporate headquarters. Everyone was super nice, fun and had lots of GRIT!
So now let me shed some light on the running experience… While I am a self-proclaimed “group fitness junkie” I’m not really a “runner.” I mean, I enjoy 2-4 miles every now and then when the weather is nice but I don’t have excellent running form nor do I own real running shoes.
The run was AWESOME. First, I was personally proud to keep up with all of these hardcore runners. Second, I was shocked by the comfort of my running experience. I usually run in my Nike cross training shoes that I wear to teach kickboxing. Let me tell you, running in shoes specifically designed for running makes a HUGE difference. My run was bouncy and felt like it was minimizing the impact on the knees. After tearing my ACL in college and having reconstructive surgery, I’m really careful about putting to much impact on my knees. Overall, I’m not 100% sure if my pleasant running experience should be completely credited to New Balance Fresh Foam or to just having real running shoes. Either way, it was a good experience and definitely enticed me to run more frequently (in running shoes that is).
After our run, we celebrated with ice cold beers, yummy snacks and laughs. As icing on the cake, I met a fellow Dallas food/fitness Blogger! Be sure to follow Stephanie at Food and Fitness 4 Real.
Me and Stephanie, author of @FoodFit4Real
Overall, I can’t honestly say whether or not the New Balance Fresh Foam sneakers are a superior running shoe. But I can say that they are, in fact, designed for running and if you aren’t use to wearing running shoes these are great first pair to purchase for yourself.
Hello lovely guys and gals! I personally wanted to wish you all a wonderful Valentine’s Day and week full of love and joy. Hopefully you have a special someone in your life, but if not, know that I LOVE YOU exceedingly and abundantly!
To show my love, I’ve partnered with Socialite Pink Jewelry for a special V-Day necklace give away. Just copy the picture BELOW, post to your Facebook page, and tag Socialite Pink + 4 friends. After doing so, you’ll be entered to win the lovely necklace below.
But that’s not all. I’ve also been intrigued (yet kinda grossed out) by all of the #Belfies I’ve been seeing on Insta which has motivated me to make a Love Yourself Legs and Booty Workout just in time for Valentine’s Day 😉 The workout is a great warm up or finale to 30 minutes of cardio training. It goes like this…
Plie’ Squats – 25
Regular Squats – 25
Squat Jumps – 12
Wall Sit – 45 seconds
Single Leg Step Back Lunges – 20 Right, 20 Left
Single Leg Side Step Lunges – 20 Right, 20 Left
Regular Squats – 50
Have a wonderful week with filled hugs and kisses.
Hey guys! I hope you are enjoying your weekend and looking forward to a wonderful week ahead. As you plan for your weekly grind, I just wanted to share a little nutritional nugget of wisdom. Now, you guys know that I firmly believe getting an early start to the day. That’s right, 5:30 am wake up call! There are numerous wellness benefits of being an “early bird” – get up and get that worm! Not only does waking up early help your productivity, but doing so also entices you to eat breakfast which gets your metabolism going.
When it comes to weight-management, studies show, it’s not just HOW MUCH you eat but WHEN you eat that affects your weight. Long story short, here’s why you should eat your BIG meals EARLY in the day and skip late night snacking…
People who eat after 8pm have higher Body Mass Indexes (BMI) than those who don’t
Calories consumed at night are not processed as efficiently as those during the day
Sleep disruption is likely if your stomach is working hard to process food
You are likely to eat larger portions later in the day than earlier (Weil Cornell Medical Research)
At night, you are most likely eating out of boredom, NOT because you are genuinely hungry
That said, you’re probably now asking, “How can I consume calories earlier in the day instead of later?” Well, search no further. I put together this list of 5 Tips to Eat Breakfast Like a King and Dinner Like a Beggar. Check it out 🙂
#TBT Enjoying warm weather in Martha’s Vineyard last year with my “Fit Friend” Brittany – 2 Brit’s in 2 Bikinis 😉
Hey Gang! While it’s FREEZING outside, I can see the little light at the end of the tunnel that is Spring Break. Despite being 29 years old and not having a true Spring Break, I like to still prepare my bikini body – hehe. That said, I’ve been digging through my workout repository and have pulled my 3 fiercest, most effective AB workouts…
Now, the plan is to do 1 workout every other day for the next 6 days. So do 1 workout, rest/do cardio, do the other workout, rest/do cardio…and so on. Got it? The idea is to give your abs and core one day of rest in between workouts so your muscles can repair and gain strength. Overworking your abs without adequate rest prevents you from gaining the full benefits of the workout. Alright… let’s do this!
Over the Winter Break I enjoyed some time away from my full-time Management Consulting job and spent a couple of weeks at home chilling with family, shopping and visiting new fitness studios in Dallas. While we have several fitness gems in the Big D, my favorite discovery is Beyond Pedaling Studio.
Beyond Studios – Snider Dallas, TX
You guys already know that I’m an indoor cycling fan. I teach indoor cycling at 24 Hour Fitness in Dallas and enjoying reviewing the hottest cycling studios – SoulCycle, FlyWheel, Crank and The Handle Bar to name a few. Unfortunately, most of these studios are not located in Dallas (my hometown). So they are great to visit while I’m traveling, but I hate not having an indoor cycling studio to call “home.” This is no longer the case. BEYOND Pedaling has one my heart and here’s why…..
So first, the studio is located in the adorable Snider Plaza of Dallas’s upscale Highland Park neighborhood. I was expecting the BEYOND staff to be a little “snooty.” But to my surprise, I received a warm welcome (by name) from these two bright shining faces – talk about “knowing your customer.”
Studio Director Kelsey (left) and Instructor Elissa (right)
Then I bask in the studio’s inspiring atmosphere and vibrant decor – love the bold yellow color scheme (although strikingly similar to Soul Cycle). I especially love this quote posted above the lockers – totally inspired!
Beyond Pedaling Studios – Dallas #inspired
There’s also local fitness apparel designers being featured each week so I can get my shopping on before or after class. Most importantly, they sell really cool headbands – YES!
Chillin’ in the Beyond Studio lobby before our workout
During the actual class, we rode on high-quality Keiser spin bikes that have a digital displays to track time, calories, average power and RPM (revolutions per minute). Flywheel has the awesome “Torque” board which is similar in functionality, but most of the other music-driven cycling studios don’t have these displays. I appreciate the ability to keep track of my effort and exertion.
Keiser bikes at Beyond Pedaling Studio – Dallas, TX
Several of the instructors regularly take classes as well as instruct. This helps pump up the energy level and keep the class motivated and in sync. Also, the studio was packed! Empty fitness classes totally depress me. Fortunately class attendance is nothing worry about at BEYOND (especially in Elissa’s classes). Most importantly, the sound system is amazing and the music clearly blasts through the speakers. I felt the beat – the beat was good!
The class itself is a standard, 45 minute indoor cycling ride which includes resistance and speed intervals. Like most of the newer cycling studios, there’s a ~5 minute arm circuit at the end of the ride that utilizes light dumbbells. Overall, there’s nothing revolutionary about the actual workout, but it’s a great sweat nonetheless. A little on the pricier side, $30 per class, Beyond is the most expensive cycling studio in Dallas. However, I think it’s worth the money if you’re looking for a fun, hip, music-driven cycling workout. You’re only other option is FlyWheel on Oak Lawn, but it’s a little more competitive and the music isn’t as good – definitely depends on your personal preference. At the end of the day, BEYOND gets the Grit by Brit “2 thumbs up” – hope see some of the Dallas crew in a class!
Hey everyone! I hope that you enjoyed a nice relaxing weekend and got to watch Beyonce rock it out at the opening of the Grammy’s #getitgurl. Just wanted to quickly spread some good news – GRIT by Brit made Greastist.com’s 60 Must-Read Health, Fitness, and Happiness Blogs for 2014! We are #19 on the list for the best “Strength Training & CrossFit blogs.”
Greatist.com 2014 Best Fitness & Wellness Blogs
CLICK HERE to access the complete list. It’s full of amazing blogs with high-quality, uplifting fitness, nutrition and wellness content.
Most importantly, I want to express my deepest thanks for following my blog and creating such a loving, supportive and fierce GRIT community. I wish you a wonderful week ahead!
