Hola Friends! Hope your week is off to a good start. It’s Tuesday, which for me means workout time! Most of you know that I’m huge fan of cardio kickboxing (Turbo Kick in particular) so I wanted to create a DIY kickboxing workout that you can do in the comfort of your own home. All you have to do is turn on a 30 minute playlist of your fav upbeat jams and then rock out as you power through these exercises…
This workout requires NO equipment. However, you can wear weighted gloves for some simultaneous muscle toning. For the best cardio conditioning, try to complete the circuit four times in 30 minutes (this includes 3 – 2minute rest sections). Stay light on your toes and keep your abs engaged with each exercise. You can expect to be super sweaty and burn 350-450 calories. For a little extra entertainment value, here’s a video of me rocking out some cardio kickboxing at Turbo Kick last Saturday. Now it’s your turn – enjoy! Luv, Brit
Happy Friday friends! I’m gonna keep this one short and sweet. This has been an amazing yet emotionally exhausting week for me – lots of life changes on my end. I’ll fill you in later. But before I head out for the weekend, I wanted to share this outfit from Lorna Jane that really made me smile! I’m so excited that it’s Fall – prepare to see me in lots of scarves. Have a wonderful weekend! Best, Brit
Neon Sports Bra (Target C9) – I love that the sweater is just slightly see-thru and the shorts “kick out” right under my booty cheeks 🙂
Hello Friends! Hope your day is off to a good start. I taught my very first cycling class at Beyond Pedaling in Dallas this morning – it went great! I’m so glad that the jitters are out and now I can go full speed ahead. Even though I’ve been teaching fitness classes for over 3 years, every time I join a new studio or start teaching a new format, I get major butterflies in my stomach. Are you taking on any new challenges this Fall? I hope so!
Anyway, here’s a workout that I created a few weeks ago while I was traveling for work. I did it in my hotel gym because they had dumbbells and kettle bells, which was a nice change-up from the usual half-broken stationary bike. I enjoyed my workout so wanted to share with you. Obviously, you need a kettlebell and a pair of dumbbells to complete the circuit. If you don’t have a kettelbell, you can use one dumbbell in place of the kettlebell for certain exercises. The circuit is designed to keep your heart rate elevated and blast calories. This means you should get a good sweat going! However, if you want some extra cardio, I suggest warming up with 10-15 minutes on the elliptical or treadmill. The total workout can be done in less than 30 minutes. Give it a whirl and let me know how it goes! I also included some action shots below of me doing the workout (please be merciful as it was 5:30am and I had no make up and a messy top not).
Happy Fitness Fashion Friday! We are officially at week 3 – are guys liking this new tradition? Let me know! (Here’s links to my outfits from week 1 and week 2 in case you missed them.)Today, I wanna show off my new, super sexy activewear from Onzie. Now let me preface this by saying that I NEVER show off my tummy when I’m working out so this was a bold move on my part. This week I stepped out of my “gritty” comfort zone and rocked this bustier and matching leggings to yoga class. The top isn’t super supportive so I couldn’t wear it for a Turbo Kick or cycling workout. I added my Vinyasa scarf from Lululemon for a little coverage before and after class. BTW, this scarf is amazing! You can wear it like 10 different ways, even as a vest (as I am doing below). All in all, I felt strong and sexy in this outfit. Better yet, on the Onzie website they put together cute outfits for styling ideas – you can check them here!
Added the Vinyasa scarf from Lululemon – wearing it as a vest! (you can wear it like 10 different ways – amazing!)
And now it’s giveaway time! First off, the winner of last week’s GRIT tank top giveaway is Chelle! I was very inspired by her personal definition of “grit.” This is what “grit” means to Chelle: “GRIT is that rod of steel that runs through the backbone of every woman out there kicking butt in the world, corporate, fitness or otherwise. She may greet you with a gentle smile or look perfectly polished and pulled together even during the toughest times but the thing that keeps her going when she wants to stay in bed kicking and screaming and crying about the inevitable trials in her life is her inner GRIT.” Congrats Chelle! Your tank top is on it’s way to you!
In fact, I was SO inspired but all of your comments, that I’m actually combining them into a cute quote printable. I’ll post it so you can each have a copy. The energy that I feel from hearing the voices of so many powerful, positive, gritty women is absolutely amazing – thanks again for sharing you guys!
Today I’m hosting ANOTHER giveaway thanks to Onzie activewear! In case you can’t tell, I’m an Onzie junkie. Did you see my outfit from their Spring collection? The wonderful folks at Onzie hooked me up with this adorable, one-size fits all, knot-back tank top from their Fall collection. I’m feeling kind of random (and nosy) today, so I just wanna know what your weekend plans are? Football game, dinner with friends, family time, working out? To win this tank, just post a comment sharing your weekend agenda. I’ll announce the winner next Tuesday, September 23rd. Happy Friday! luv, Brit
Post a comment to win this adorable Onzie knot-back tank!
Good morning friends! I hope your day is off to a good start. I overslept and missed my spin class, so I did the T25 Core & Cardio Beta workout in my living room this morning. You can see me action on Instagram (Warning: I’m hot sweaty mess – don’t judge!) Also, I want to share this print I discovered from Lulu & Georgia. I LOVE it so much that I bought a copy and am going to put in a really cute frame. Does this quote inspire you? To me, it’s so simple and direct. Pearls are created when little piece of sand or dirt (grit) enters an oyster shell. Then inside of the oyster the grit gets coated and over time becomes a pearl. Isn’t that beautiful? It captures the reality that the greatest things in life are simply “trash” transformed into “treasure.” Through patience, pressure and persistence anything is possible – that’s the truth!
Speaking of grit, tomorrow I will announce the winner of my signature GRIT tank top giveaway. It’s not too late to participate – just post a comment telling me what “grit” means to you. I’m loving the responses so far – very inspiring!
Last but not least, I’m officially encouraging all of the Dallas readers to sow their grit by waking up bright and early this Saturday morning and join me for the very last PiYo class on the wet deck of the W Dallas Hotel. As usual, class it totally FREE! We start at 9am (arrive at least 15 minutes early to get a spot) and bring your own yoga mat. To celebrate a super successful Summer, we are having a special “Burpees & Breakfast” event. After class you can enjoy FREE snacks from Cook Hall and drink specials – yay for $5 Mimosa pitchers! Am I the only person who enjoys vino after vinyasa?
Last #piyo clas @wdallashotel is this Saturday – see you there!
See you Saturday and show remember to show your GRIT!
So this week I’ve been working all over the place traveling to Chicago, Dallas and NYC. In all three locations I’ve been shocked by the sudden decrease in temperature. 50 degree weather in Dallas in September is unheard of! That said I have a sense of urgency to get a few more outdoor workouts in before it’s too cold. As I shared last week, working out at my local park is one of my favorite End of Summer/Early Fall Activities so I made up a special workout to do this weekend. To complete the workout, all you need is an open space, a 50 yard hill and a park bench or sturdy chair (no weights or other equipment required). I designed the workout as a total body HIIT (high intensity interval training) circuit so you can repeat the series below as many times as you’d like. I recommend doing it 2-3 times for a full cardio and strength training workout. It should take you ~30 minutes to complete…
What are your favorite outdoor exercises? Enjoy the workout!
Image: Orange striped scarf (Gap); Lime green tank with criss cross back (Lorna Jane – Fall 2014 collection); Black tights (Lorna Jane)
Happy Fitness Fashion Friday everyone! I’m so pumped about “scarf weather.” Does anyone else have a scarf obsession? I especially love pairing scarves with my gym clothes because they are the perfect accessory to keep me warm before/after workouts. Better yet, mixing prints and colors adds style and energy to my gym look. Here’s my fav outfit from this week. I was gonna wear it to my workout, but I thought it was so cute I wore it out to dinner instead! (P.S. it’s not to late to participate in my giveaway for a signature GRIT tank top!)
LOVING the criss cross open back on this Lorna Jane tank!
OMG I cannot believe it’s September – my Summer flew by! Fortunately it was filled with lots of fun in the sun, beach time and quality moments with friends. I don’t know about you, but I love the transition from Summer to Fall because the weather is still warm enough to enjoy outdoor activities all while a crisp autumn breeze starts to fill the air – it’s amazing! Here are some of my favorite end-of-Summer activities that prepare me for a fabulous Fall…
Planning my Fall Workout Routine
I like to switch up my workout routine for the Fall. In the Summer I take advantage of unique exercise experiences (e.g. paddle boarding, swimming in the ocean, hiking, etc.). It’s always best to switch thing up a little. If you are in the Salt Lake City area of Utah, you could try to look into tennis lessons Salt Lake, to find adult tennis classes. However in the Fall, I follow a more consistent fitness regimen that fits well with my work schedule and personal commitments. There’s something about Autumn that naturally motivates me to develop a workout plan and stick to it.
Shopping for “Back to the Gym” Clothes
The one thing I hate about no longer being a student, is not being able to partake in “back in school shopping.” Alternatively, I now go “back to the gym shopping” in preparation for cooler weather and more indoor workouts. I always hit up Target® and check out the Champion C9 activewear department. Every time I go, there’s always a killer sale! Personally, I’m a fan of Target® C9 Activewear because the styles are on trend and functional – yay for bright colors, leggings and racer-back tanks! Honestly, I wear my C9 gear on the weekends as casual wear, even if I’m not working out.
My PiYo Classes on the W Hotel Roof-deck
I love teaching my end-of-Summer rooftop PiYo Class at the W Dallas Hotel!
So I’m a little biased on this one because I actually teach this PiYo (Pilates / Yoga) class in Dallas, TX. But I’m super excited that classes have been extended to last throughout the end of September – yay! We have an amazing view, great playlist, effective workout and it’s all free and open to the public! I highly encourage you to check out some free workouts in your local community – there are often free “back to school bootcamps” at local parks.
Running/Jogging at my Local Park
Going for an outdoor run in Dallas is one of my favorite end-of-Summer activities!
There’s a beautiful window of time during late September/early October that’s perfect for outdoor runs. In the middle of the Summer it’s way too hot to run outside in Texas – temperatures are over 100 degrees! While I live an active lifestyle and teach lots of group fitness classes, I’m not an avid runner. However, during this sweet stretch of time I like to go for a 5K jog once or twice a week. I find it very therapeutic, especially when I have a good playlist to energize my stride. In fact, I’m about to peace out and go for a run right now – see ya! Lots of love, Brit
What are your favorite end-of-Summer activities?
How do you stay active in the Fall?
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Target® C9 through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Target® C9, all opinions are my own.
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
Hello friends. A colleague of mine forwarded me an AMAZING article from Forbes.com. You can click here to read the full article, but below is an excerpt of the GRIT section by Scott Petinga – it’s just too good not to share…
“G” is for guts, that secret superpower that allows us to overcome adversity and steer a course over, under, around or straight through life’s many obstacles and challenges. Having guts is about living in the moment and doing things you’re afraid of right now — not tomorrow, not five years from now. It’s about being confident in your opinion, voicing that opinion and not being afraid to disagree with people.
“R” is for resilience, which allows us to bounce back from life’s many defeats to enjoy the fruits of our labor and eventual success. Perseverance is a major part of that. The journey that got me to where I am today gave me this insatiable drive, this compulsion to create change — to be change. It also taught me to genuinely care about people, to care about the community around me and to care about the impact I have on the future. Don’t limit yourself to what’s immediately doable. Instead ask, “What’s possible?”
“I” is for initiative, that entrepreneurial spirit that inspires us to act on our biggest ideas and build a life and career for ourselves. With initiative comes the risk of failure, which is why doing so is well worth it. Either it takes you forward into a new direction, or you fail, and those failures take you in a new direction.
“T” is for tenacity, which ultimately determines how hard we fight for our dreams. Tenacity can be summed up as, “improvise, overcome, adapt,” regardless of the odds. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. A tenacious person never has to say “would have,” “could have” and “should have.” Don’t think too long about things, just go for them.
Those of you who have been following me from the beginning know that helping people develop GRIT is the core purpose of my blog. I believe fitness is about so much more than a strong body. It’s about transforming your mind, CHOOSING to think positive thoughts and having the courage to believe in and work for your goals. The great thing about GRIT is that can be developed. Unlike talents, we aren’t born with GRIT. This means that each of us has the opportunity and the means to make our dreams come true. True that. xoxo, Brit
What’s your dream?
How are are you fighting to makes your dream come true?
