Top 5 Inspirational Quotes for Business Owners

July 30, 2015 No Comments

Image: Annabel, Kemi and I posing at the IDEA World Fitness Conference – GRIT Fitness Instructors represent!

Hola friends! I hope your week is going well. This week is a bit of a bear as I’m still getting back in the swing of things after being in Los Angeles for the IDEA World Blog Fest & Fitness Convention. This was my 2nd time attending as last year I went for the 1st time and had an absolute blast. Check out my blog post reflecting on my most memorable moments the 2014 IDEA World.

This year’s conference was equally energizing and inspiring and better yet, 2 of my best friends & fellow GRIT Fitness instructors (Annabel and Kemi) came with me! We enjoyed 3 days of workshops, workouts and fitness classes in LA. My adorable aunt (who’s 75 years old and super amazing looking – OMG see photo below) hosted us at her fab house. We had an awesome trip perfectly balanced with relaxation and invigoration. Here are a few pics…

Day 1- arriving at IDEA World Fitness Convention w/ Kemi (left) and Annabel (right)

After super sweaty Soul Cycle class in West Hollywood! We opted for a fierce workout instead of a fancy dinner on night one (wink wink)

I ran into some of my Dallas Fitness friends while in LA – say hey to the Lync Cycling gang!

And more Dallas Fit Friends – Mark Shipman from the Ride House & Shredded by Mark 🙂

I took a killer workout with Gabrielle Reece – HighX workout – check it out!

And obvi I made lots of new blogging buddies during Blog Fest!

I love attending these conferences because I pick up little nuggets wisdom from fellow fitness entrepreneurs. Here are the Top 5 takeaways that impacted me most…

Top 5 Inspirational Quotes for Business Owners

Nobody can be you like YOU can – Dare to be different from the masses.
Only iron can sharpen iron – Surround yourself with positive, smart highly motivated people.
Work ON your business and IN your business – Don’t get so caught up in your business operations that lost focus on strategic planning.
Anticipate and prepare for change – Change is inevitable so put lots of energy in continuous improvement and never get too comfortable in your current situation.
People are your greatest asset, treat them as such – The only thing that truly seperates good business from great business is passionate and loyal human capital.

Farewell photo with my new selfie-stick! Me, Kemi and my Aunt Nita who hosted us at her beautiful home in Baldwin Hills, CA!

Rock on this week! xoxo, Brit

Cardio, Just for Fun, Total Body

Celebrating 5 Months of Business at GRIT Fitness

June 18, 2015 No Comments

Hey friends! I just finished teaching my 6am GRIT HIIT class at my studio and I’m feeling energized and ready to take on the day. Here’s the workout we did this morning in case you want to give it a whirl on your own! (Do 20 seconds of each exercise then rest for 20 seconds, repeat each round 4 times continuously before moving on to the next round)

GRIT HIIT – June 18, 2015

Round 1

Triple step side to side
Skater leap holding medicine ball

Round 2

Plank Froggers
Forward lunge with medicine ball overhead press

Round 3

Hop on one leg, side to side and front to back (2 rounds right, 2 rounds left)
Side squat with knee raise back to center holding medicine ball

Round 4

Wood chop jumps swinging medicine ball between legs
Chair pose twist jumps alternating sides

Round 5

Plank spider knee pulls (same knee to same elbow)
Full sit up with medicine ball

Today is an extra special day because we’re celebrating 5 months of business of GRIT Fitness! (check out the little slide show I made in honor of our clients and staff) Time flies when you’re having the time of your life. I’m so grateful for every single person who’s taken a class, attended an event or simply shared an encouraging word. I have 100% confidence that the best is yet to come. Here’s to the next 5 months…and the next…and the next!

Have an awesome day! xoxo, Brit

Dallas, TX, Just for Fun

#SummerSweatSeries at Westin Galleria Dallas

June 15, 2015 No Comments

Image: GRIT Fitness Flexin Flow class at the Westin Galleria Dallas Summer Sweat Series on June 14, 2015

Hey hey friends! I hope your weekend was good to you! I enjoyed another fun, busy weekend of fitness fun. Our studio, GRIT Fitness, has a new partnership with the Westin Galleria Dallas called the “Summer Sweat Series.” Each month this summer we do a free fitness event at the hotel followed by a pool party – hey! Yesterday was our first event in during which we led a free Flexin’ Flow class. Huge shout out to our GRIT Fitness instructor and my dear friend, Maria Rowe for leading the pack! Follow her blog at www.marlizrowe.com. The turn out was amazing as you can see blow…

Post workout photo – yay for sweat & smiles!

After class we posed for a fun group photo before enjoying free Sangria and passed bites! Also, the Westin and other Galleria retailers raffled off 22 gifts including a free weekend stay at the hotel. Holler!

Me, Maria and Kortani posing by the pool after Maria’s booty-kickin’ Flexin’ Flow class!

After class we kicked it by the pool and celebrated yet another awesome fitness event! I’m so grateful for my energetic team and the corporate partnerships that we’ve developed and strengthened over the past 2 years. This is only beginning of even bigger things to come!

If you live in Dallas, join us for our next event on July 12th. We’ll lead a free Zumba/Dance Club Cardio workout followed by a pool party. CLICK HERE to RSVP and get more details. Hope to see you there. Happy Monday! xoxo, Brit

Dallas, TX, Lifestyle

GRIT Fitness Featured in Dallas Morning News

June 8, 2015 No Comments

Image: Maria, Annabel and Me after Maria’s Friday morning Flexin’ Flow class

Hey Hey Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Mine was full of b-day celebrations – 4 of my closest friends have birthdays this week which means my calendar was full of pool time and partying – yippee! (Shout out to Jen Kelm, Melissa Bass, Cerise Manns and Leslie Jerome – I LOVE YOU ALL) As icing on the cake my fitness studio, GRIT Fitness, was featured in the Dallas Morning News. We are moving on up! Here’s a quick run down of my weekend shenanigans…

On Friday morning, I woke up bright and early to take Maria’s Flexin’ Flow class. I always encourage the instructors at my studio to take each others’ classes as it helps us grow as teachers and makes our team feel cohesive and supported. Me and Annabel (who teaches Dance Club Cardio and Turbo Kick) thoroughly enjoyed Maria’s Friday morning class and all 3 of us posed for a little post workout photo 🙂

On Friday night, I celebrated the b-day of my childhood best friend, Leslie. She lives in Memphis right now with her husband BUT they are moving back to Texas next month. I’m so excited! If you recall, I was a bridesmaid in Leslie’s beautiful Southern Charm wedding a few months ago. She and I had a blast at dinner and drinks on Friday night.

Me and Leslie at HG Supply in Lower Greenville, Dallas, TX

On Saturday morning I taught my usual Flexin’ Flow class at the W Dallas Hotel on the 16th floor wet deck. It was super hot and sweaty but tons of fun. We had a huge crowd on Saturday, over 90 people. Afterwards of a few of my friends from the Junior League stayed on the wet deck and we enjoyed post-workout mimosas at the pool bar. Check out this awesome review from D Town Sweat from Saturday’s class.

Miranda, Maria, Coral and Me about to enjoy post-workout mimosas

Sunday morning started with a chill trip to Starbucks where I grabbed the Sunday paper to check out our feature. I was so pumped to see that our article made the front page of the Health section! CLICK HERE to read the full article by Special Contributor Kimber Westphall (Twitter @fit_trip_Kimber). I’m so grateful that Kimber chose to reach out to me and put the spotlight on my new little business. She and I also made a cool video together which you can view below…

The b-day festivities continued on Sunday afternoon with Melissa’s birthday pool party. Melissa and I met last summer when she attended my Flexin Flow class at the W hotel. Overtime we became friends and now she teaches Flexin’ Flow at GRIT fitness. It’s great to see her grow into an amazing yoga and fitness instructor. We spent the whole day chillin’ outside, jammin’ to good music and drinking delicious cocktails. It felt good to truly refrain from working all day and just enjoy some fun in the sun!

Melissa posing with her birthday cake! Happy 28th

Coral, Melissa, Maria and Me enjoying the party…hanging out in something other than workout clothes for once!

Today I’m back to the grind. I’m writing this blog post from my favorite coffee shop, MudSmith, as I enjoy an egg/avocado sandwich and prepare for my classes this week. This weekend was awesome and I’m looking forward to an even more amazing week ahead. I wish you the same. xoxo, Brit

Lifestyle

Harvard Business School Reunion Reflections: Pursue Fulfillment Instead of Success

June 2, 2015 No Comments

Hey friends! I hope your week is off to an amazing start! I’m excited to be back in Dallas after a WONDERFUL weekend in Boston. I didn’t quite stick to my Liquid Detox Plan as I had hoped (oops) but I felt great at my 5 year Harvard Business School reunion! Did any of you stick the plan? If so , how did it go?

My weekend in Beantown was filled with inspiring discussions, informative sessions and LOTS of partying. Here’s a quick recap of how it went down…

I arrived on Wednesday (a day early) to meet with my Professor, Tom Eisenmann, Co-Chair of the HBS Rock Center for Entrepreneurship. He’s been helping me with my business plan / investor pitch to grow GRIT Fitness to 4 studios by the end of the next year. Fingers crossed I raise all the money I need by the end of this Summer and we keep the fitness party going in Dallas…and beyond!

Then all of my classmates made it to campus and the socializing began! We enjoyed 2 days of classes and seminars to stay abreast of the latest business theories and insights. Between sessions we got to catch up and enjoy refreshments. Here are a few pics of me reconnecting with my classmates and getting my learn on!

HBS Section B Class of 2010 – reunited! (or half of us at least)

When the first night rolled round we were ready to PARTY! During business school I could party all night and wake up early the next day feeling refreshed. Now…not so much. Let’s just say I’m struggling a bit as I write this blog post. BUT it was worth it! My best girlfriends/classmates traveled from across the globe (Paris, South Africa, Uruguay, Shanghai, etc.) to come together for this one special weekend – so I had a duty to RALLY! Let’s just say, we didn’t miss a beat. I had SO MUCH fun dancing, eating, drinking and pre-gaming in our baller AirBNB rental property…

Headed the 1st party of the weekend in our Summer Whites….and yellow 🙂

We wrapped up the weekend with a swanky gala at Top of the Hub with our entire class. It was really cool to get all dressed up and savor the final night. Sigh…so great.

As I mentioned, I was really inspired by my experience this weekend. Here are a few points that stuck with me and I hope positively impact you as much as they did me…

Pursue fulfillment instead of success – I’m actually pretty proud of myself in this regard. Quitting my consulting job and pursuing a fitness career (fulfillment) instead of success (financial security) has been the best decision of my life. Whether or not I’m successful, at least I’m fulfilled.
The journey is the reward – Actually achieving a goal is anticlimactic. I got the promotion…or I got married…now what? The process of pursuing the goal is the fun part. Enjoy the journey, it IS the reward.
All we have is now – The only moment that matters is the present one. For all we know the past may have never happened and future is not promised. I’m going to try to put down my cell phone more and enjoy the awesome moments of each day.
HOW is more important than WHAT – Information is free flowing these days so simply knowing facts isn’t that impressive. Knowing HOW to use information is where the real value lies.

Have a wonderful day. I love you to pieces! xoxo, Brit

Lifestyle

5 Healthy Ways to Take a Midday Break

June 1, 2015 No Comments

If you’re like me, you often associate taking a break with “taking an opportunity to throw your healthy habits out of the window.” I’ll be honest, in the midst of a demanding day, my afternoon pick-me-up sometimes comes in the form of a sugar cookie. However, I’m trying to proactively plan for my midday lull and have healthy options on hand to help power through my day. Here are 5 healthy ways to take a midday break and rejuvenate:

1. Write Down A Positive Affirmation – You guys know I’m a big believer in the power of positive thinking. When I’m bored or distracted in the afternoon, sometimes I’ll search for a positive quote, write it down and then say it out load. It makes me feel empowered and ready to take on the rest of the day.

2. Enjoy A Healthy Snack – I recently discovered Chobani Flip Greek Yogurt and I’m obsessed. I love that I can enjoy tasty flavors like Almond Coco Loco and Salted Caramel Crunch without compromising nutrition. Chobani Flip Greek Yogurt is a much better afternoon snack than my sugar cookie.

3. Get Active – Go for a 10-minute walk or knock out my super efficient 10-minute Cardio Abs Workout. Physical activity gets endorphins flowing and will instantly boost your mood and energy.

4. Escape With A Novel – Instead of sitting still for hours to enjoy a new book, I keep one in my bag and read it in 10-minute increments. It’s the perfect way to escape from my daily grind and give myself an enjoyable mental break.

5. Enjoy A Glass Of Lemon Water – Lemons are loaded with nutrients and lemon water helps aid in digestion. Also, I find lemon water tastier and more refreshing than regular tap water. Here’s an interesting article sharing 10 benefits of lemon water.

I hope these midday rejuvenation ideas are helpful. Here’s to enjoying healthier options to refresh for an awesome day and an amazing life! “To love this life is to live it naturally.” – Chobani

xoxo, Brit

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Chobani through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Chobani Flip Greek Yogurt, all opinions are my own.

Detox Plans

1 Day Liquid Detox

May 21, 2015 No Comments

Image: Harvard Business School, Section B, Class of 2010

Hola friends! I’m traveling to Boston next week for my 5 year business school reunion – I’M SO EXCITED! There are tons of fun events on the reunion agenda including professional development classes, parties and most importantly, a black tie gala! My best girl friends/classmates and I rented an awesome house in Brookline and we’re planning to party it up! (Now let’s just hope my 30-year-old body can do the things my 25-year-old body could.)

Obviously, I want to look my absolute best when seeing my classmates. However, my current diet is a bit of a stumbling block. Recently I’ve been enjoying chips and guacamole and sugar cookies for lunch (yeah – just keeping’ it real). I’ve gotten pretty sloppy with my diet in recent weeks as I feel like I’m always stretched for time causing me to grab whatever food is readily available. Teaching 10 -13 classes per week is a blessing and a curse. On the good side, I don’t gain weight despite my poor eating, but on the bad side I don’t feel wonderful and am depriving my body of adequate nutrition. SO in preparation for my 5 year reunion and as a gift to my body, I created a 1 Day Liquid Detox to cleanse my digestive system and kick off my 4 day healthier eating plan. Here are the details of my detox in case you want to join along…

I’ll do this 1 day liquid detox tomorrow and then for the next 4 days I plan to follow these diet principles…

NO sodium (salt makes you look bloated)
NO coffee (caffeine dehydrates you)
NO food after 8pm
Drink 2 Liters of water per day
Eat 2 apples every day (lots of fiber – wink wink)

My diet will mostly consist of a raw/grilled/steam veggies, fruits and grilled or baked chicken and fish. There are so many meal options with these foods, so I don’t expect to feel deprived. I’ll continue to teach my classes as usual to ensure adequate cardio and strength training. Feel free to follow me on Instagram or Twitter @gritbybrit as I share my progress. AND I encourage you to join me 🙂

Here’s to kicking off a happy, healthy Summer (and looking HOT at my reunion)! XOXO, Brit

Abs

Perfect 1 Hour Workout Playlist

May 13, 2015 No Comments

Hey Gang! I’m especially proud of the the playlist I made for my spin class tomorrow, so I wanted to share. CLICK HERE to listen on Spotify AND be sure to follow me on Spotify (Brittani Rettig) for tunes to energize your workouts! I post every single playlist from all of my classes!

Also, on an unrelated note, I just set up a Snapchat account so please add me @ gritbybrit!

Last on somewhat related note, I’ve been hard at work on a new barre/pilates inspired class (powerbelle™) I’m launching at GRIT Fitness this summer. I incorporated several moves from this “Love Handle Eliminator” workout from the GRIT by Brit YouTube archives. Check it out!

I truly believe that variety is the spice of life, so I encourage your shake up your weekly fitness routine! I’m trying to push myself out of my comfort zone too. I’m not a big fan of barre classes, but I definitely appreciated the value of isometric resistance training and small repetitive movements to sculpt long lean muscles. That said, in my new powerbelle™ class, we’ll use gliding discs and resistance bands to intensify traditional barre and pilates exercises. And of course we’ll rock out to a jammin’ playlist because great music is SO critical for an amazing fitness experience 🙂

I hope your week is going well. Chat soon! xoxo, Brit

Just for Fun, Total Body

GRIT HIIT – 30 Minute Calorie Blasting Interval Circuit

April 19, 2015 No Comments

Hey hey friends! Last week I launched my newest class at GRIT Fitness, GRIT HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)! Here’s the official class description…

Our signature high intensity interval training (HIIT) class designed to push you to your max! We utilize 6 or 8 pound medicine balls to take you through a tabata-style interval circuit that’s sure to spike your heart rate while building muscular endurance. Enjoy a jamming playlist to energize your workout and leave feeling fit and fierce! Sneakers required 30 minutes

GRIT HIIT was very well-received by our clients so I wanted to share some “home-HIIT” goodness with you.

Photo op after my 1st GRIT HIIT class at GRIT Fitness

To complete this workout, you will need a medicine ball between 6-10 pounds, depending on your strength. Complete 4 rounds of each circuit below for a 30 minute workout. Be sure warm up with a 5 minute brisk walk or jog and stretch for at least 5 minutes after the workout.

GRIT HIIT- 30 Minute Workout

Circuit 1

Jumping Jacks (no medicine ball) – 20 seconds
Medicine Ball Squat Jumps – 20 seconds
Rest – 20 seconds

Circuit 2

High knee run in place (no medicine ball) – 20 seconds
Wood chop swings, holding medicine ball – 20 seconds
Rest – 20 seconds

Circuit 3

Football run, quick feet drill (no medicine ball) – 20 seconds
Alternating split lunge jumps, holding medicine ball – 20 seconds
Rest – 20 seconds

Circuit 4

Mountain Climbers (no medicine ball) – 20 seconds
Medicine Ball Plank Hold (stabilize with both hands on medicine ball) – 20 seconds
Rest – 20 seconds

Circuit 5

Tricep Push Ups (no medicine ball) – 20 seconds
Seated Russian twists, holding medicine ball – 20 seconds
Rest – 20 seconds

I hope you enjoy the workout! If you have any questions about the exercises just post a comment below. Wishing you wonderful week ahead. xoxo, Brit

Just for Fun

Happiness is…

April 13, 2015 No Comments

Good morning friends! I’m loving this quote that I stumbled upon this morning via Instagram browsing. It’s a great reminder of why I love mornings and why I love Mondays. I encourage you to take this new week as a fresh opportunity to make your dreams come true and to be happy! Remember, YOU hold the power 🙂

Happy Monday! xoxo, Brit