Brittani Rettig – Page 21

30/60/90 Fitness Class Review

February 12, 2013 No Comments

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(above – action shots from my 1st 30/60/90 class)

Last week I checked out a 30/60/90 group fitness class with #rock star instructor, Zack Schares (follow him @zaxfit). I’ve always been a little skeptical of this group fitness format because it seemed very “boot camp” style and I’m not a fan of such. I prefer choreographed workouts. Workouts I can jam to. Way more fun. Obvi.

HOWEVER, my 30/60/90 class was a very pleasant surprise that left me profusely perspiring and pleased indeed 🙂

Here’s the scoop…

Duration: 45 minutes
Locations: 24 Hour Fitness and Equinox clubs in New York City; Click here for a full schedule of classes
Calories Burned: ~450-600
Style: Cardio intervals, plyometrics on a step, and resistance training using hands weights
Vibe: Depends on the instructor, but booty bumpin’ music is key – the workout can be done to the beat of the music and is MUCH better when done so!

5 reasons to check it out…

Let’s HIIT it! High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is the foundation of this fitness format. I’m still not really sure why the class is called “30/60/90″…we did some drills for 15 seconds and 45 seconds so I didn’t make the connection. BUT the point is that you do some high intensity intervals and intermix them with lower intensity resistance training. You guys know I’m a HUGE fan of HIIT training, the most efficient and effective way to work out, hands down.
90’s step aerobics anyone? Be ready for some old school step aerobics moves. The workout has a sneaky way of building them in, which I actually found to be really fun! These moves are mostly during the cardio intervals and go well with the music. It’s nice because you can jam while you step and sweat.
Hard “CORE” There’s a lot of plank holds, side planks, and squat thrusts (aka burpees) which really work your abs and lower back. A strong core is critical for balancing, good posture and sexy abs. I was really happy with the movement for my middle!
Sculpt. Super. Sexy. Muscles. During the workout we used moderately heavy hand weights to tone our arms. My shoulders are my favorite body part, so the narcissist in me enjoyed watching myself in the mirror, pumpin’ iron in my new racer back tank – holla 😉
*Pump up the Jamz* My instructor, Zack, blasted the beats (which seemed to be the norm). It was easy for me to get lost in the music during the really challenging cardio intervals. Music makes me move and this class had some juicy jamz!

(below – #SELFIE before and after class; I clearly got a good sweat)

Inspiration & Motivation

Love Your Body Day #5: Eat Good to Feel Good

February 8, 2013 10 Comments

We ARE what we EAT…. You’ve heard the saying over and over again but most of us (including me) still struggle to maintain a healthy, nutritious diet. Since today is the last day of my “love your body” series I figured I’d talk about the #1 way to love your body = nourish it with healthy food!

Here’s 10 fantastic foods that make you FEEL & LOOK good courtesy of bbcgoodfood.com:

BLUEBERRIES The ultimate immune-boosting food. Rich in anti-oxidants.
BROCCOLI Guards against cancer and is rich in a wide range of anti-oxidants, vitamins C and E, folate and iron.
CARROTS High in carotenes, known to boost the immune system.
LETTUCE AND SALAD GREENS Tangy varieties, such as chicory and endive, stimulate the liver, making them great detoxifiers. Most lettuces contain valuable amounts of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.
BEETROOT Bursting with minerals and has anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, immune-boosting and detoxifying properties.
BRAZIL NUTS You only need to eat two or three a day to benefit from their great combination of immune-boosting nutrients: vitamin E, selenium and B vitamins.
GRAPEFRUIT Has immune-boosting, antiseptic, wound-healing and anti-bacterial properties.
GARLIC Strengthens the heart and blood, and has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. Also thought to help lower blood pressure. A key ingredient is allicin, which has cancer-fighting potential.
CRANBERRIES Best known for helping to prevent and treat urinary tract infections, especially cystitis, in women. They have both anti-fungal and antiviral properties.
GINGER Stimulates the immune system and circulation.

Love your body today by eating well. We can’t out exercise a bad diet #GRIT

Inspiration & Motivation

Love Your Body Day #4: Shake what your mama gave ya!

February 7, 2013 No Comments

Life is hard…and serious…often more serious than it should be. Personally, I struggle with taking myself too seriously and causing unnecessary stress on my body. Exercise is a good stress reliever for me, but sometimes I even get stressed over workouts (what gives?). However, one activity that NEVER stresses me out is dancing. I think it’s impossible to be irritated while bustin’ a move 😉

That said, today I’m encouraging you to take some time to free yourself, pump up the music and shake your groove thing. Not only is a good ole’ dance session liberating, it’s also good for your BODY.

“Studies show that dance can help you lose weight, stay flexible, reduce stress, make friends, and more.”

Here’s my Top 5 Health Reasons to Hit the Dance Floor!

Stress Relief – Grabbing a partner, pumpin’ up the music and hittin’ the dance floor has shown to reduce stress according to a study by Journal of Applied Gerontology.
Lift Your Spirits – People who participate in group dance activities suffer less from depression and have a more optimistic view on life! Even if you’re “dancin’ by yourself” you can still benefit from a mood boost.
Have Beauty & BRAINS – A study by The New England Journal of Medicine, shows that dancing may boost your memory and prevent you from developing dementia as you get older.
Blast Calories – Because dancing is a form of aerobic exercise, it raises your heart rate and ultimately burns lots of calories! Here’s to shakin’ away some excess pounds!
Bring Sexy Back – If you’re like me, you don’t actually like to dance in front of people – I usually feel really self-conscious. However, the more I do it, the more comfortable I feel. By getting out of my comfort zone I’ve released a who new level of self-confidence and sexiness 😉

(below – me & my childhood friend Brett, 2 steppin’ & twirlin’ back in Texas)

Love your body today by blastin’ the music and lettin’ loose – free yourself! #GRIT

Just for Fun

Love Your Body Day #3: H2O FLOW

February 6, 2013 2 Comments

It’s Day 3 of my “Love Your Body” series, and today I encourage you to Drink Up (water that is). H2O is vital for your vigor. On days that you exercise, drink at least 2 liters (4 over the counter-size bottles) and on days that you don’t exercise shoot for at least 1 liter. Doing so allows you to reap lots of luscious health benefits.

Love water to love your body…

Faster Metabolism. “Eight glasses of water a day not only prevents dehydration, but increases resting metabolism.” – University of Utah Study
Regular Digestion. The right amount of Fiber and Fluid keep you “regular.” My magic cleanse formula has always been 1 apple and 1 bottle of water 😉
Calorie Control. Being well hydrated makes you feel full, so you eat less. Also, since water has zero calories, you can keep your mouth busy with no penalty.
More Energy. Water energizes your muscles so they can fire away in your workouts. On the flip side, dehydration makes you lethargic.
Temperature Control. Adequate H2O keeps your body temperature in check. This is especially important when your working out or in a hot climate.
Balanced Bodily Fluids. Your body is 60% water which mostly consists of bodily fluids. These fluids are critical for executing your bodily functions. Stay hydrated to keep your bodily fluids in balance.

Love your body today by staying hydrated and letting the H2O FLOW! #GRIT

Home Workouts

Love Your Body Day #2: FLEX & PUMP

February 5, 2013 2 Comments

Show your body some love today by hitting the weights! Your body is resilient, efficient and thirsty for a challenge. Include weight lifting in your exercise regimen to ensure your muscles are strong and able to support your body. Resistance training helps prevent injuries, increases muscle definition and accelerates the rate your body burns calories while resting (a good look)!

In honor of Love Your Body Day #2, I put together this total body weight lifting workout for you to enjoy. After your workout, take a moment and be grateful for your body – 2 good arms, 2 good legs a heart and lungs that work!

Love your body today by FLEXIN’ those sexy muscles and PUMPIN’ some iron #GRIT

Inspiration & Motivation

Love Your Body Day #1: Get HATE out of your HEART

February 4, 2013 1 Comment

love your bod image 3

Happy February! Today marks the beginning of my “Love Your Body” series. For each of the next 5 days I’ll share a healthy, body-lovin’ tip. Our health is essential to our being, so cherish your precious temple of your soul – your BODY!

Lots of luv,

Brit 🙂

Get HATE of out of your HEART

Let the grudge go. Holding a grudge does NOT cause any pain to the person who hurt you (they couldn’t care less). Your grudge only causes pain to your body. Several university studies have proven that holding a grudge is bad for your health. Joseph Neumann, PhD, a clinical psychologist explains, “When I treated patients with cardiovascular disease, I was struck by how many were bitter, angry, and depressed,” says Neumann. “It clearly affected their health and their ability to heal.” On the flip side, a study by Harvard Women’s Health Watch found a link between forgiving and improvements in heart rate and blood pressure.

The reality is that life isn’t fair. People will treat you unfairly, hurt you, cheat you and, on top of that, get away with it. But we must CHOOSE to not let our pain or anger ruin all of the good things we have in life. Eventually, we reap what we sow. So don’t worry about getting back at that awful person, just let the grudge go!

Love your body today by forgiving and letting old hurts be history #GRIT

Inspiration & Motivation

New Year Kick-Start Challenge Complete!

January 31, 2013 1 Comment

Today marks the official conclusion of our 3-week New Year Kick-Start Challenge. Candace has been our #GRIT GIRL to lead the way on the plan. You can see her progress by reading the weekly updates that she shared along the way: Week 1 Update, Week 2 Update.

Huge thanks to Candace for being such a good role model – her hard work, good choices and smart decisions have been an inspiration to us all. Way to “kick-start” 2013 with good health and happiness!

Candace’s Week 3 (and final) Update

“Week 3 went well, I’ve lost a total of 5 lbs during the challenge. I’m well on my way to my 12 pound weight loss goal! I definitely liked the plan and I’m going to keep it up until I reach my goal. I really enjoyed the various cardio options and the tips you provided along the way were great motivation. Thanks Brit!”

– Candace

Home Workouts

Work it out like Beyonce Super Bowl Sunday – 10 Sizzlin’ Commercial Break Exercises

January 29, 2013 5 Comments

Inspiration & Motivation

The World is YOURS…

January 27, 2013 7 Comments

TURBO NYC has officially launched!

www.turbonyc.com

What a weekend. I just launched my latest venture, Turbo NYC – God is good! As some of you already know, I’ve been staffed on a long assignment in Washington, DC for several months now. It’s been hard to make it home to Dallas, TX every single weekend so I started spending lots of time in NYC. While NYC is great, I really really miss teaching my weekly Turbo Kick classes. Teaching brings me so much joy and positive energy that doing without is simply unacceptable.

When I’m in NYC I take super fierce Turbo Kick classes at my home club (shout out to @24hourfitness & super instructor @natalieuhling). However, I noticed that Turbo Kick overall isn’t as popular in NYC as it is on the West Coast and in the South. I think it may because there are SO many fantastic fitness options in NYC that many people simply aren’t aware of Turbo Kick’s awesomeness.

In any case, the entrepreneur/Turbo fanatic in me jumped on this situation and had an idea to start teaching independent “GRIT by Brit” Turbo Kick classes outside of formal fitness clubs – Turbo NYC! I LOVE Turbo Kick so much and have gotten amazing results from the class (lost 25 pounds in 1 year – woop woop). As an instructor, I feel it’s my duty to make Turbo Kick accessible and affordable to as many people as possible – thus my motivation to launch Turbo NYC! Now people can enjoy Turbo Kick without being a member of a club.

Like setting out on any new venture, I had lots of self-doubt and fear of failure. But with mental #GRIT and faith, the launch went off without a hitch! We had an amazing turn out! Our class was not messin’ around. My #GRIT guys had to open the windows because the class was bringin’ the HEAT! Along with my #GRIT guys, I must thank my dearest friends who spent tons of time and energy encouraging me and supporting me – you guys bless my life exceedingly and abundantly. I am so very grateful for you all (*tear).

“With faith in yourself and faith in God, ALL things are possible – the world is YOURS!” #GRIT

NYC readers, be sure to come check us out next Sunday and EVERY Sunday at 11:00 AM in Flatiron. All of the details are on our site, www.turbonyc.com

Have a wonderful week everyone – to health and happiness

Luv,

Brit 🙂

Turbo NYC videos coming soon…

Inspiration & Motivation

STRONG to the finish: Candace’s Progress on the New Year Kick Start Plan

January 22, 2013 3 Comments

Candace’s Week 2 Update

“Week 2 of my GRIT by Brit New Year Kick Start Plan was a bit quiet, I was able to get in a couple of workouts early in the week and stick to my eating plan. My challenge plans were a bit derailed due to travel to DC later in the week. I did try doing sit-ups and push-ups while watching TV one evening. I was able to knock out 200 crunches and 100 push-ups during commercial breaks. It was a great way to burn calories while watching my shows. Unfortunately, I’m up 1 lb. from the end of week 1. I’m looking forward to getting back on track and going hard in week 3.” – Candace

(below – sit ups with a dumbbell during commercial breaks)

(below – Candace knockin’ out some push ups to tone the core and upper body)

Brit’s Tips for Candace

Great job staying active despite not going to the gym every day. “Commercial Break” exercises are effective and efficient so keep it up! Next time take up the intensity and do some jumping jacks, burpees or squats during commercial breaks. These exercises burn more calories and engage more muscle groups.
Be extra strict about sticking with your eating plan this final week, especially on days that you miss a workout. It’s important to keep the calorie intake down on these days since you won’t burn as many calories during the day.
Have a little black coffee in the morning for an extra jolt. We know that coffee, in moderation, increases your energy and focus to help give you a push in this last week.
Most importantly – STAY POSITIVE. This is the final push and you are well on your way to achieving your goal. You got this!