Tag: grit by brit

Posted on

5 Healthy Ways to Take a Midday Break

5 Healthy Ways to Take a Midday Break

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.
Posted on

1 Day Liquid Detox

Harvard Business School, Section B, Class of 2010

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

Posted on

Perfect 1 Hour Workout Playlist

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

Posted on

NIKE Pop-In @Nordstrom Dallas

Whoa what a weekend!  I had my first partnership with NIKE – one of my all time favorite brands.  Last week NIKE reached out to me to choreograph a fitness/fashion show for their pop up shop at Nordstrom here in Dallas!  This was such an amazing opportunity, because it stretched my abilities…big time!  A wise mentor once told me, “if you’re fully prepared for an opportunity, that means the opportunity isn’t that great.  It’s the scary opportunities that you aren’t fully prepared for that propel you to the next level.”  Well let me tell ya, the NIKE show we pulled off this weekend was DEFINITELY a stretch opportunity!  I’m so excited to share that the event was a huge success and exceeded expectations!  Here’s a quick recap of how everything went down…

On Friday, a fabulous group of NIKE Trainers from the University of Texas at Austin drove up to Dallas to star in the Pop-In show alongside some of my very own GRIT Fitness instructors.  We immediately clicked and I LOVED how psyched they were after me and my sister, Kortani, showed them the routine.After a practicing all Friday afternoon, the girls then had a dress rehearsal Saturday morning at Nordstrom Dallas NorthPark Center (while I was busy teaching my signature Flexin’ Flow class at the W Dallas Hotel) – ahh if only I could be in 2 places at once.

Here’s a quick pic of my class on Saturday morning…

After teaching my Flexin’ Flow class on the W Hotel Wetdeck, I quickly changed clothes (no shower – ewww) and jetted over the NorthPark to do one final run through with the girls before the first show at noon!  Here’s a pic of us backstage after running through the routine one final time…

And here’s a pic of the crew on the elevator to the first floor getting ready to go on stage for the first performance!

The show went off without a hitch and was SO much fun!  We got lots of cheers from the crowd! Here’s a link to the video of the full 10 minute performance.  Afterwards, these sporty sister girls posed for the camera to show off all of their hot NIKE gear and hot bodies 🙂

After the first show, we chilled backstage and watched a video of the first performance..and ate a yummy lunch.  Then around 2:40 we got ready for the 2nd show.

The 2nd show also went off without a hitch and I was super excited that some my best friends / GRIT Fitness clients came to support us!

All in all Saturday was a HUGE success.  Today I’m feeling accomplished and VERY blessed! Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.  JUST DO IT! xoxo, Brit

Posted on

GRIT HIIT – 30 Minute Calorie Blasting Interval Circuit

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

Posted on

Happiness is…

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

Posted on

25 Women to Know + Body Sculpt Workout

Photo by Hello Beautiful & Sharea Antoinette Photography

 

Happy hump day my friends!  This week is a bit of a bear – lots going at the studio and in my life!  On the bright side, Hello Beautiful, a leading pop culture site for today’s Black Women recently named me as one of their “25 Women to Know” – yay!  CLICK HERE to read the full article and my interview.

On an unrelated topic, I’m really proud of the playlist I put together yesterday for my BODY SCULPT™ class, so I want to share it!  Here’s a link to it on Spotify.  Who would have known that Bills, Bills, Bills by Destiny’s Child is the perfect song to power through continuous bicep curls? 😉

Also, I created a home-version of my signature BODY SCULPT™ workout that you can do on your own.  This class is designed to fatigue each major muscle group and keep your heart rate elevated with a couple of cardio intervals.  Here’s the full class description.  BODY SCULPT™ is a very popular class format at my studio!  Give this home workout a whirl and let me know what you think.  You will need two 5-8 pound dumbbells to complete the workout.

Brit's

Have a wonderful rest of your day!  Remember, you hold the power the make it great!  xoxo, Brit

Posted on

Spring Shape Up Circuit: Running & Strength Interval Workout

Hello friends!  Spring has officially sprung here in Dallas, TX.  We enjoyed a gorgeous weekend of sunshine and 75 degree weather.  Some of my friends even enjoyed time by the pool.  I’m so glad that Winter is over and cannot wait to spend more time outside, especially partaking in outdoor workouts.  This week I plan to hit up the Katy Trail and knock out this running and strength training circuit.  I made the perfect 40 minute playlist to energize my sweat session – you should too!

In addition, my friends from Studio Hop and Lorna Jane NorthPark and I just finished planning the premier fitness event of the season!  We are hosting a free outdoor workout at NorthPark center on Saturday, April 11th at 10:30am.  If you live in Dallas, you should DEFINITELY join the party!  There will be a lot of sweat, a lot of shopping and a lot of smiles!  What’s not to like?  So grab your yoga mat and a friend and join the party.  CLICK HERE to RSVP at the Facebook event page.

Spring into shape!  xoxo, Brit 

Posted on

Flexin’ Flow™ : The Hottest New Yoga-Pilates-Bootcamp Hybrid Workout

Hello friends!  I hope your week is off to an amazing start!  I just finished teaching my 6am Flexin’ Flow™ class and I feel very accomplished!  Flexin’ Flow™ is a new total body strength, stretching and intensity interval class that I designed and launched last month.  If you like the idea of Vinyasa Power Yoga, but have a really short attention span and a deep love for hip hop music, this is the class for you!  Here’s the official class description:

If yoga, pilates and boot camp had a baby, it would be Flexin’ Flow™! Our signature, total body workout is designed to build strength, flexibility and cardiovascular endurance. Enjoy the unique combination of vinyasa power yoga sequences, core stability exercises, leg toning circuits and intensity intervals all while jammin’ to upbeat music! Prepare to tone your entire body and leave class super sweaty.  Bring your yoga mat! Bare feet; 55 minutes

So here’s a quick overview of how the 55 minute class is structured…

We start off by connecting to our breath and generating heat in the body with a series of arm circles, squats, lunges and chair twists.  Keep in mind that the beats are bumpin’ right from the start so we move at a fast pace and stay on beat with the music.

After warming up,  we complete a series of Sun A salutations and plank variations to begin generating heat in the core.  The goal of this section is to ensure everybody has worked up a sweat – wink wink!

Brit Teaching Flexin’ Flow at Lorna Jane Dallas Active Living Room – Warm Up

Then we REALLY get the party started with an intense, energetic set of leg toning sequences.  Think pile’ squats, heel raises and every kind of lunge you can possible imagine.  YEAH – sexy legs please!

Brit Teaching Flexin’ Flow at Lorna Jane Dallas Active Living Room – Leg Sequence

The leg series is following by an active recovery of vinyasa flows to stretch and tone the body.  I like to include lots of Warrior 1, 2 and 3 variations, push ups, side angles, Goddess poses and more.

Brit Teaching Flexin’ Flow at Lorna Jane Dallas Active Living Room – Vinyasa Flow

After we’ve caught our breath and stretched our bodies, it’s time to increase the intensity again with our calorie blasting “power series.”  This is when we knock out some old school burpees, mountain climbers, plyo lunges and other “boot camp style” drills.

We wrap up the workout with hardcore glute exercises, core stability sequences and lower back strengthening moves.

Brit Teaching Flexin’ Flow at Lorna Jane Dallas Active Living Room – Booty Work

Once we’ve reached our max, we enjoy a nice cool down with deep stretches and then take it home.  WARNING:  If you’re looking for an amazing shavasana, you’ve come to the WRONG place.  There’s no time to chill in Flexin Flow – just keepin’ it real.  After class expect to feel energized, sweaty and accomplished!

Flexin’ Flow class participants flash sweaty smile post class!
Everyone enjoyed their Flexin’ Flow workout – way to FLEX for the camera!

If you live in Dallas, come take a Flexin’ Flow™ class at my studio, GRIT Fitness – CLICK HERE to view our schedule and register!  In only one month, Flexin’ Flow received several raving reviews including this awesome write-up from D Town Sweat, check it out! AND starting May 2, my team an I will teach FREE weekly Flexin’ Flow classes on the W Dallas Hotel Wetdeck – SO FUN!  Mark your calendars because it’s GDFR (goin’ down for real) 🙂

Have an amazing week!  xoxo, Brit

Posted on

GRIT by Brit 3 Year Blogiversary: Life Lessons and Favorite Posts

Hello friends!  Well it’s true, time does indeed fly when you’re having fun.  3 years wow!  Today I went back and read my very first blog post.  It was hotel gym workout that I made up while working in NYC.  I made the graphic in PowerPoint (Canva and Pic Monkey didn’t exist then – haha).  Today I’m taking some to time to reflect on how far I’m come as a blogger and a person in the past three years.  So in addition to sharing my fav blog post I also want to share the biggest life lesson I’ve learned from my blogging experience which is to Be Unapologetically Yourself.  As many young women, I often apologized from my preferences, quirks, body “flaws” etc.  But the only thing worth apologizing for is failing to be true to yourself.  Blogging has taught me the value of being vulnerable and given me the confidence to speak my mind.  If you’re on the fence about starting a blog, I highly encourage you to go for it!  Nobody can be YOU like YOU can be you.  So whatever you have to share is a unique gift to the world, as long as it’s a true reflection of you.

That said, as promised, here are my fav blog post from year three.  I hope you enjoyed these posts as much I did.  Also for your reading pleasure, CLICK HERE  to read my 2 year Blogiversary post and my fav posts from my second year of blogging!

Here’s to hundreds of new blog posts to come! xoxo, Brit