A blog by Brit Rettig Wold, CEO of GRIT Fitness
New research suggests that having a general sense of well-being, feeling energetic and cheerful, relaxed and happy with life may actually reduce the chances of having a heart attack. (Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/263175.php)
“If you are by nature a cheerful person and look on the bright side of things, you are more likely to be protected from cardiac events,” – Lisa R. Yanek, assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Happy “Tone it up Tuesday” – here’s the workout I did before work this morning. Be ready to blast some calories and feel tight and toned! Try it for yourself and let me know how it goes! Lots of luv, Brit
Hey gang! So a few days ago I completed the Dr. Oz & Joe Cross 3-Day Weekend Juice Cleanse. This is the second cleanse I’ve tried this year, and overall, I had pretty positive experience. I only lost 1 pound, but I do feel clean and lean. Here are my confessions…
For starters, this cleanse was A LOT harder than the than the Dr. Oz DRINK cleanse. During the day, I was quite hungry which kind of sucked. As I mentioned in a previous post, juice has hardly any fiber and lots of sugar which triggers hunger. Controlling my hunger during the day was really hard on the first day but got better on the 2nd day. On a positive note, it made me drink more water and realize that I don’t really need that much food to get through the day. It’s crazy how often I eat just because I’m bored, not because I’m really hungry.
On that note, the cleanse allowed for 1 solid food meal for dinner every day. The meal could only consist of fruits and veggies. Unfortunately, I tended to go to overboard on this meal (yikes). I think it was because I was hungry and eagerly anticipating real food. Needless to say, my portions got a little out of control. I probably would have had better results with the cleanse if I ate a smaller dinner and didn’t stretch out my tummy so much.
Since I was traveling for work and had to buy my juices, I had to be very conscious of choosing “good juices.” Just because a juice is “all natural” doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for you. Also, veggie juice is MUCH healthier than fruit juice – it has more fiber and protein and less sugar. If you are interested in doing this juice cleanse, but don’t have the time to go shopping all the time, then it might be a good idea for you to check out something like this Cashcoup site. However, just make sure to double check that the juice will be okay for you and your cleanse. I had to make sure my juice purchases met my 3 criteria:
Believe it or not, it’s REALLY hard to buy juice off-the-shelf meets this criteria. BUT, I did find one that passed the test and also tastes great. It’s “Sweet Greens” by Evolution fresh – I highly recommend it!
All in all, the juice cleanse was an interesting experience. Will I do it again? Probably not. But I may start substituting fresh pressed juice for a meal every now and then, as it can be a good way to slim down quickly for a big event or something. Have you a done a juice cleanse before? What was it like for you? Please do share your words of wisdom 🙂
Happy Monday! 4th of July is around the corner! As we American’s celebrate our independence, let’s not go overboard and throw our bikini bodies out of the window. Here are some 4th of July healthy BBQ tips from Darya Rose at summertomato.com. I also designed a custom workout for you to do on Independence Day. It doesn’t take too much time. So just wake up, sweat and head to your BBQ!
1. Use small plates
Research clearly shows that people who choose smaller plates and utensils eat less without even noticing it. The difference can be as substantial as 50% fewer calories consumed, yet everyone reports the same level of fullness and satisfaction. Try borrowing a plate from the kids table or the dessert tray.
2. Eat slowly and mindfully
People who eat more slowly eat fewer calories over the course of a meal. BBQs are a perfect opportunity to pace yourself as you mix and mingle with friends and family. The more you’re chatting, the less you’re eating.
3. Eat healthiest foods first
If you are eating slowly and off small plates, you may as well fill up on the healthiest stuff first. Salads are a great place to start because watery vegetables slow digestion and have very few calories. Try to choose something with oil and protein as well, because these will help you feel full sooner.
4. Skip the chips, crackers and bread
Refined carbohydrates are the worst things you can eat because they offer little satisfaction, loads of calories and dangerous insulin spikes. BBQs are filled with wonderful food, so do yourself a favor and save your calories for the really good stuff.
You don’t have to eat your burger without a bun, but pass on the pointless chips and other snacks that lure you when you’re not thinking. If you’re feeling bored, grab a Frisbee instead.
5. Keep dessert small
The difference between a large slice of cake and a smaller slice of cake can literally be hundreds of calories. And to reiterate, sugar and refined carbohydrates are the most dangerous foods. You don’t have to pass on dessert completely, but keep your portion sizes in check for this course.
6. Think before you drink
There is a place for alcohol in a healthy lifestyle, but making smart choices can be the difference between losing or gaining weight (not to mention your self-control). One sugary margarita can have 600-800 calories. That means 3 margaritas is more food than you should be consuming in an entire day. Is that really worth it? Stick with wine or beer, drink plenty of water and remember to pace yourself.
Happy 4th of July! Lots of luv, Brit
It’s almost Summer! In less than 3 weeks I will be lying beach-side in Santorini and Mykonos, Greece! I’m SO excited. I’ve never been to Greece before. Have you?
Last year I went to Monaco and Italy which was AMAZING. In preparation for the trip, I designed an Extreme Bikini Body workout which got me in tip-top shape. I felt tight and toned in the Côte d’Azur! Below is a throw back pic from Summer 2012 at the Monte Carlo Beach Club!
Now, it’s time to get bikini ready yet again! So I made a new and improved EXTRA Extreme Bikini Body Workout. I plan to do this workout 4 times in the next 3 weeks to get me in super bikini shape. On my off days, I plan to do power yoga and my teach my regular cycling and PiYo classes.
The workout is very intense with heavy cardio and lots of focus on the core – it’s designed to burn 1,000 calories! Simply getting through the workout requires at lot of #GRIT which makes us feel strong and confident. After all, confidence is the most important thing we need to look awesome in a bikini 🙂
Got a beach trip coming up? Try the workout for yourself
If anyone ever asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up, my answer was always (and still is ) a “Talk Show Host.” This weekend was like taking a step toward my childhood dream! My “fit friends” from SportyAfros.com and I got to share health and hair tips on Good Morning Texas (that’s me on the right) – woo hoo!
Then we got to share more tips during the Dallas/Fort Worth International Natural Hair Meet Up Day! I was a health and wellness expert panelist for the event and shared all of my GRIT by Brit health and fitness advice! I also disclosed my personal tips for keeping my hair healthy and well-maintained despite my long sweat sessions at the gym.
Below are Whitney Patterson and Alexandria Williams, the co-founders of SportyAfros.com and amazing hostesses of DFW’s International Natural Hair Meet up Day!
Each member of the panel, including me, lives a VERY active lifestyle. Obviously I’m a fitness instructor, but the panel also included a triathlete, a running coach and a personal trainer. While most would think that our love for fitness is what unites us, it’s actually our combined love for good health AND good hair.
That said, here are our Top 5 tips for a healthy body + gorgeous hair:
Keep these tips in mind as you continue on your healthy journey – I hope they help you as much as they’ve helped me. My mom (middle), little sister (left) and I want to wish you a wonderfully beautiful week!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBNKC7SaTsE]
I hope you guys had a great Cinco de Mayo holiday weekend. I spent my weekend in California celebrating a friend’s wedding – it was amazing! The sun was shining and I finally got to wear some of my favorite sundresses. On that note, nothing looks better in a sleeveless sundress than nice toned arms. So, check out this arm workout that I designed to get you on a “Michelle Obama level.” You’ll need 2 medium dumbbells to complete the exercises. This is a nice workout to tag on to the end of a cardio sweat session. You can workout with me in real-time by watching the video (click play above) or do the workout on your own (follow the instructions below). Either way, be sure to try it out and let me know how it goes!
Enjoy rockin’ those sundresses #getitgurl
Brandon has officially completed his GRIT by Brit #OperationTahiti plan. In case you missed the plan, CLICK HERE to see the details and maybe even try it for yourself. Today, Brandon sent me his final update and on his way to TAHITI!
He did an awesome job. In his own words, here are his results…
Hey gang! I’m starting a new series on GRIT by Brit to get you right and tight for the summer #OperationBeachBody! Every few days I’ll feature a specially designed workout specifically made to get you ready for the beach!
Our first #OperationBeachBody workout comes from my friend, Lavon Washington! Like me, Lavon (pictured below) is native Texan who recently moved to New York City. His passion for fitness and wellness started by playing sports when he was really young and continued as a he was college football player. Now, Lavon competes in body building competitions and does a little fitness modeling as a side hustle to his full time Mergers & Acquisitions career. Above is the fierce leg workout that he did earlier this week and was kind enough to share with us. Try it for yourself to get ready for short shorts this summer!
Alright y’all. Summer time is quickly approaching. While I’ve learned to love my “love handles” and opt for high-waist pants rather than low-rise ones, I still feel a need to address the much dreaded “muffin top.” Now, we all come in different shapes and sizes and we should embrace our natural curves. However, excess belly fat and fat storage around the hips is neither HEALTHY nor SEXY. Belly fat, which is called visceral or intra-abdominal fat, is linked to high cholesterol, high insulin, high triglycerides, high blood pressure and other health problems. You can click here to read up on more health risks of excess belly fat.
Below is a workout I designed that will strengthen your core and lower back and also help provide some definition to you lower waist. For best results, do this workout 3 times per week for 4 weeks along with 30-45 minutes of high intensity cardio intervals. I’ve also included some pics of me doing the workout this morning to help guide you. Try it out and let me know how it goes. Enjoy! Luv, Brit 🙂
