fitness – Page 21 – GRIT By Brit

Brit’s Ultimate DIY Boot Camp

May 24, 2012 4 Comments

GRIT 013 — Tasia, my sister Kortani and me after my DIY boot camp – 05/24/12

Focus: Total body conditioning
Calories burned:500 -800
Duration: 1 hour
Commentary: While the last few days of Spring linger around, head outside and enjoy this lovely weather! You Texans know that our summer heat is NO JOKE . 110 degrees outside = indoor treadmill running for us.

My lil’ sister is home from college – yay! This she week she wanted to go to the gym, but as a typical poor college student, couldn’t afford a membership (and I’m not spottin’ her any $$$). Instead, I taught her how to make her own boot camp. This way, she can work out anytime she wants at a local park or track . This evening, I did the boot camp with her and her friend, Tasia. They really enjoyed it so I figured I share my “formula” with you guys.

To get started, you will need:

2 light/medium hand weights (1-10 pounds each for ladies; 5-20 pounds each for gents)
Yoga Mat or large towel
At least 100 yards of flat land and/or 1 standard running track (400 meters around)
Tasia and Kort after we finished – they are too young to be this tired! LOL

Brit’s Boot Camp Formula:

+Warm Up

+ 2 Cardio circuits (3-4 cardio exercises in each)

+4 Resistance circuits (4 strength and toning exercises in each)

+ “Booty Kickin” Finale (~10 minutes anaerobic cardio = sucking air!)

= 100% effective FREE personal boot camp

Here’s the complete boot camp that we did today. Print and save or create your own – enjoy!

Here are some pics of us doing the exercises in case you are unfamiliar with some of them 🙂

GRIT 019 — squat w/ should press – part 1

GRIT 020 — squat w/shoulder press – part 2

GRIT 017 — side squat walk (get it KORT – LOL)

GRIT 028 — leg lowers on back (Tasia is clearly in pain-LOL)

Inspiration & Motivation

Tone up challenge week 3 report: Jan proves there’s NO EXCUSE to skip workouts

May 22, 2012 1 Comment

Hey guys, I hope your week is going well! Jan is back on the scene with an update of her home stretch on the 4-week tone up challenge. Only 1 week left, so let’s root her on!

JAN’S TONE UP CHALLENGE WEEK 3 UPDATE:
“Week three was a challenge but ended up pretty well. I was traveling at the end of the week so I had to push all of my workouts up to the front part of the week. As Brit says, ‘NO EXCUSES.’ I worked out pretty hard-core the first 4 days . I did spin class 4 days straight for my cardio. I also, took Brit’s advice from last week to ‘up the intensity’ so I added her leg workout after my 1st day of spin and Brit’s medicine ball workout after my 2nd day of spin. But that’s not all, I also did at least half of Brit’s ab workout all 4 days – yeah! I was feeling pretty good at end of the week and took the weekend to recover and rest. I think I am starting to want a little more variety in my workouts each week. So, Brit you’ve got some work to do 😉 ” – Jan

BRIT’S FEEDBACK FOR JAN

When workout boredom starts to set in, seek Variety NOT Excuses: Jan did a great job of keeping with her workouts despite them starting to feel redundant. Next week, I’m going to give her a few new workouts to change things up. In the meanwhile, she should check out my unique treadmill workouts or my top 5 tips to spice up your workouts.
Be flexible with your workout schedule: Mentally, it’s very easy to set rigid workout plans and eagerly want to abide by them. However, when we miss a workout or fall off course we get disappointed, beat ourselves up and lose motivation . Jan did a great job of being flexible with her workout schedule. Since she knew it would be tough to workout during her weekend travel, she planned ahead and pushed her workouts up to front of the week. Likewise, if something comes up and you miss a workout, don’t beat your self up! Just schedule some time later in the week to make up for it 🙂
Extra diet discipline during extended recovery periods: Since Jan compressed her workouts to the front of the week, this means she went 3-4 days with no exercise. During this extended down time Jan really needs to watch her calorie intake as she is not burning as many calories as she usually does on workout days. Also, studies show that it only takes 48 consecutive hours to start losing cardiovascular endurance, therefore Jan should try to be as active as possible on her off days (i.e. walk instead drive when possible, take the stairs instead of the elevator, etc.)
Stay strong to the finish: How bad do you want it? Jan has already made it through 75% of the tone up challenge, so now she has 2 options: 1) Bust her butt this final week to get the most out of the effort/investment she has already made 2) Coast/slack off this final week and risk falling short of her tone up goals. NEVER let all of your hard work go unrewarded!

Stay tuned, next week will be Jan’s final report and completion of the 4-week tone up challenge. You don’t wanna miss her awesome body transformation photo shoot, by the one and only Anna Jane!

Back, Home Workouts

Bringin’ Sexy BACK!

May 16, 2012 3 Comments

Backless-Dresses — Hilary Swank is def a fit chic – I’m sure she pumps iron for this sexy back!

Workout: Sexy sculpted back workout by Brit
Calories burned: about 200
The facts: Strengthening your back enhances your posture which makes you look taller and leaner – YAY! However, when working your back, it’s critical to work the opposing muscles which are your pecs (chest). Therefore, I’ve included some push ups to work your chest. Most importantly, if you want results you must PUSH yourself and PUMP UP the weight during this workout – YOU WILL NOT GET BULKY! You need to choose a weight heavy enough that you can only get through 8-12 reps. If you can easily do more than 12 reps, you are not lifting enough weight and your muscles are not getting enough resistance to actually change shape!
Instructions:
- Use medium to heavy hand weights to complete this workout (5-15 pounds for the ladies, 10-30 pounds for the fellas)
- Complete 3 cycles of each super set alternating between the 2 exercises in each set. For example, in Super Set 2, go back and forth completing the low row and bent over fly 3 times each, then move on super set 3
- Do this workout 2-3 times per week for 4 weeks along with your moderate/high intensity cardio workouts at least 2-3 times per week
- Click on the workout below to make it bigger, also feel free to print and save 😉

In case you’re unfamiliar with some of the exercises in this workout, here are some pics to guide you 😉

Deadlift aka "Good Morning" — Dead lift aka “Good Morning”

Bent-over-Row-WomensHealthMag.com_ — Low Row

rear dealt fly — Bent over rear delt fly

Inspiration & Motivation

Tone Up Challenge Week 2 Report: Jan falls in love with Flywheel

May 15, 2012 3 Comments

We’re half way there – Jan has officially completed her 2nd week of my 4 Week Tone Up Challenge. Here’s her update along with my advice to get her through the home stretch with maximum shape up results – enjoy!

Week 2 Update from Jan:

“Wk #2 was great! I started going to Flywheel Spin and it was a ‘game changer.’ I have been spinning for years and love the energy and intensity of Flywheel more than than any class I’ve ever gone to. I worked out 5 days last week, but 1 day was without cardio. I added Brit’s Six Pack by Summer ab routine to all of my workouts last week (the plank and seated portions). I also did Brit’s Killer Legs workout after spin one night and was really in the hurt box – in a good way 🙂

So far I’ve been seeing some good results in terms of my muscle definition . My ‘six pack’ is on its way back for sure. I’m feeling leaner and just more fit in general. However, my knees and ankles are quite sore from all of the exercise, so I’ll need to be careful with them.” – Jan

Brit’s Advice for Jan:

Diet, Diet, Diet – Jan continues to get her 5 workouts in per week; however, slipping up on her diet could completely wash away her results. Many top resources claim that weight loss depends 80% on diet and 20% on exercise.
RICE – Jan has a history of knee and ankle injuries so it’s critical that Rests, Ice, Compress, Elevates her knees and ankles after workouts to keep inflammation down. However, you should ALWAYS refrain from exercise and get clearance from your doctor before starting any new workout regimen.
EVEN more discipline – Jan must push herself through the home stretch and commit to having a PERFECT last 2 weeks. That means every workout is completed with max effort and she sticks to her diet change ups 100%. Jan needs to give it all she’s got these last 14 days for maximum results.

Stay tuned for Jan’s 3 week report and special edition final report which will include a post challenge photo shoot of her smoking hot body, compliments of the lovely Anna Jane!

Learn more about FlyWheel at their website: https://www.flywheelsports.com/

Just for Fun

5 Tips to Spice Up Your Workout Routine: Variety is the SPICE of life and the FUEL for fitness

May 8, 2012 3 Comments

multiple-relationships-lucky-guy-club-2.s600x600 — NOT this kind of variety 😉

Hopefully you’ve found a workout that you absolutely LOVE , which is GREAT! I’m a firm believer that you’ll never consistently exercise until you find a workout that you TRULY enjoy and that makes you FEEL GOOD about your body! However, it’s critical that we constantly change up our workout routines. This doesn’t mean we have to give up the exercises we love, but we DO have to SPICE things up. So you are probably wondering…

WHY SHOULD I VARY MY WORKOUTS?

Avoid the plateau – Our bodies are super efficient – WE ARE STRONGER THAN WE THINK WE ARE! Once our bodies get use to a certain workout, they don’t require the same amount of energy (calories or strength) to get it done.
Prevent injury – If we do the same workouts all of the time, we run a significantly greater risk of chronic injuries (shin splints, etc.) Changing it up makes us work a variety of muscles and develop balanced strength and endurance.
Stay interested – New workouts keep us engaged in exercise. High mental and emotional engagement makes us more energized meaning we work harder and reach greater fitness levels.

BRIT’S 5 TIPS TO SPICE UP YOUR WORKOUT ROUTINE

Title_Boxing_Company — Burn up to 1,000 calories in 1 hour of Title Boxing!

Do 3 DIFFERENT types of cardio exercises every week – At a minimum, its most important to ensure that you get 3-30 minute cardio workouts in each week. However, you can maximize results by doing a variety of cardio workouts. For example: Monday – Treadmill, Wednesday – Elliptical, Friday – Boxing class.
Add Intervals – Intervals in terms of speed and incline/resistance are a great way to keep your body in the “cardio zone” and make sure you don’t get complacent. For example: when on the elliptical, ride at level 5 resistance for 3 min then level 10 resistance for 1 min, continue alternating for 30 min to 1 hr.
Power walk instead of running/jogging – Power walking is not as natural of a movement as jogging/running which means you have to engage more muscles. This is a great way to shock your body and even burn more calories – add light hand weights for an extra burn!
TRX Suspension Resistance Training
Switch up your resistance regimen – Instead of your usual back/biceps and chest/triceps workouts that you have been doing for years, change it up! Try the new TRX suspension training or an endurance body weight routine (like several posted on this site). Remember, if you do what you always done, you’ll get what you always got!
Get moving with a group – Working out with a group makes you push harder and leverage the energy of those around you. I encourage you to try some of my favorite group exercise classes: Title Boxing Club, Boot Camps (any one), Bar Method, Cycle classes and TurboKick.

Inspiration & Motivation

Tone Up Challenge Week 1 Report: Jan’s gettin’ in the groove

May 7, 2012 1 Comment

So, you guys remember my friend Jan from our 4-week Tone Up Challenge – well she has officially completed her 1st week and is kicking butt and taking names. Here is an update on her “toning up” progress.

JAN’S WEEK #1 PROGRESS REPORT:

Jan after week 1 — Jan gettin’ ready for her SPIN class this morning!

“So good 1st week! I changed up the days a little bit because I was sick, so did your #1 and #2 workouts and will do #3 on Tuesday, so I’m a little off. Felt really good doing a 5 day workout this week, but knees are swollen. So, I took Sunday off but went to Spin class this morning and feel really good about it. The #1 workout was good, did the AB portion twice (the 2nd 1/2). The standing up stuff didn’t work me out as much as I liked. The workout #2 was good, a little tough on my knees with the 1st 1/2 squatting etc, but still good to tone up my legs. I already am feeling good results, bc my body changes pretty quickly so LOVING IT!”

– Jan 🙂

BRIT’S WEEK #2 ADVICE FOR JAN:

Don’t get complacent. Jan did a great job on getting in 5 workouts in 1 week. Often when have a successful exercise week, we get complacent and think we deserve a “break.” This is also the case we we lose the 1st 5 pounds…we get excited and gain ’em back the next week. While you should feel good about yourself and proud of your accomplishment, make sure to keep up the hard work. This week, I’m continuing to push Jan to get her 5 workouts in!
Jan’s doing a good job of listening to her body to prevent over training; however, she is still pushing herself and ensuring that she gets ALL of her workouts in. It can be hard to balance the two, but she’s doing a great job!
Don’t forget your diet. This week, I challenged Jan to focus more on her 3 diet change ups: 1) protein at breakfast 2) healthy afternoon snack 3) and no eating after 9pm. She did pretty well the first week but there is ALWAYS room for improvement.

Stay tuned for Jan’s Week 2 update next Monday, WISH HER LUCK – Go Jan!

Inspiration & Motivation

Confessions of an “Over Trainer”

May 6, 2012 4 Comments

Last weekend I missed my 2 Hour Saturday Detox because of a very fun brunch event. In reality it wasn’t that big of a deal, but all week I found myself trying to make up for that 1 workout (don’t judge, I already told you guys about my neurotic tendencies) . In all seriousness, I felt really out of shape and had this weird need work out really hard for the next few days to make up for it. Fortunately, my friend/work out buddy provided a rescuing voice of reason after our Turbo Kick class on Wednesday. She just sent me an email that said “You aren’t out of shape, you are over training.” And that’s when it hit me, I needed to CHILL OUT. I was seriously showing signs of an “Over Trainer” …

As you guys know by now, I’m strong advocate of pushing your body and mind to get the fitness and health results you desire. However, there IS such thing as “over training” and I know this because I struggle with it. Like all things in life, too much of any thing ultimately becomes a bad thing. If your body doesn’t get adequate recovery time, your workouts could do your body more harm than good and put you at serious risk for injury – keeping you from working out altogether! Mental and psychological risks of too much exercise also exist. For instance, feeling depressed, fat or out of shape without long, intense regular workouts and sacrificing your personal commitments and relationships to hit the gym are just a couple.

I’m all about getting your sweat on, but if you think you are over training, def chill out for a bit and talk to your doctor about it!

Legs

Tummy and Thighs and Booty…OH MY!

May 3, 2012 10 Comments

Here is a workout I put together to zap our problem areas – yes, the tummy, thighs and booty! Reality is, these areas are the hardest to transform because it takes a lot of GRIT. The workout is hard but you CAN do it! Dig deep and don’t give up. Enjoy 🙂

Workout: TTBOM by Brit
Duration: 45 minutes
Calories burned: 400-600

Instructions: Do the following circuit 4X. In between each round, jump rope or run in place with high knees for 2 minutes WITHOUT stopping. Burn it out and get it RIGHT!

Inspiration & Motivation, Workout Reviews & Ratings

Real talk about personal trainers…

May 1, 2012 1 Comment

work out buddy — Seek a Personal Trainer who INSPIRES you!

So, I’ve received several requests for my thoughts on qualities you should seek in a personal trainer. Let’s face it, PT is NOT cheap so we gotta make sure you get your money’s worth – AMEN? I had a personal trainer for 1 year and he really helped me get back into shape after b-school. BUT, before I found my trainer I ran into a few duds. Here are the top 5 qualities my PT had that helped me reach my goals – hopefully these come in handy when selecting your own – enjoy 🙂

Inspiration & Motivation

4-week Tone Up Challenge

April 29, 2012 11 Comments

Hey guys – meet one of my DEAREST college friends, Jan. Many people think that Jan and I became friends because we were both varsity athletes, but I know that we TRULY bonded over our love for football players 😉

Jan now lives in Chicago, works in the fashion industry and is constantly on the go. She likes to workout but is looking for a plan to get her out of her usual routine and beach body ready for our summer vacay!

However, keep in mind that Jan only has time to workout for 1 hour each day and no more than 5 days per week. Also, she a has a history of knee and ankle injuries so high-impact workouts are a “no go.”

That said, I put this 4-week plan together which incorporates several of the workouts and nutrition tips previously posted on GRITbyBrit. Every week, Jan will provide you guys with an update on her progress and a picture of her body getting hotter by the day! WISH HER LUCK – go Jan!

Links to workouts mentioned above:

Six Pack by Summer Workout: https://gritbybrit.com/2012/04/22/six-pack-by-summer/
KILLER legs Workout: https://gritbybrit.com/2012/04/23/get-killer-legs-in-your-living-room/
Medicine Ball Workout: https://gritbybrit.com/2012/04/28/melt-fat-at-home-with-a-medicine-ball/