healthy-living – GRIT By Brit

I Love Fall: Blue Ridge Mountain, GA

October 22, 2015 No Comments

Hey hey friends! How’s your week going? I’m back in action after enjoying an AMAZING getaway to Blue Ridge Mountain, GA! My classmates from Harvard Business School and I have an annual tradition of going on a “family vacation.” We basically pick a random rural city and spend a few days cooking, engaging in conversations about life, making fun of each other and simply disconnecting from the craziness of our demanding careers.

We’ve each taken different career paths and culturally have very different backgrounds, but we’re connected by our values and senses of humor. This year we rented a beautiful lake house about 2 hours outside of Atlanta in Blue Ridge Mountain, GA. 2 years ago we went to Asheville, North Carolina which was also a blast. We even made a “Buddy Bootcamp” video at our lake house that year, haha – you can view it here.

I just wanted to share some pics from the trip, because during this time with my best buds I felt so grateful and content. It’s crazy how simply taking some time out of the day-to-day can restore and rejuvenate your spirit.

Brit Rettig Blog- Harvard Business School Trip — View from our porch

Jen, Eric, Chris, Lakshmi and I starting the day with a homemade breakfast and coffee!

Family pic with the self stick after our hike!

Finishing a long day with a home-cooked meal and a puzzle. Smiling from ear to ear after we DOMINATED the “Where in the US is Carmen San Diego” puzzle -we finished it just under 45 minutes – yeah buddy!

Overall, I think the Fall is great season to chill out a bit and reflect on how great life is. I’m grateful for my awesome friends and for the time that we spend together. How do you reflect and rejuvenate?

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

Happy Healthy Spring! Sponsored by #AirborneHealth

April 26, 2015 No Comments

Ah springtime…out with the old and in with the new. I love spring because it feels like a fresh start! I usually try to rev up my workout regimen, get super strict about taking my daily multivitamin and drink 2 liters of water per day. I recently discovered Airborne® Everyday, which is a dietary supplement that has similar immunity boosting benefits as the traditional Airborne effervescent tablets PLUS a multivitamin.

I’ve always been a fan of Airborne® effervescent tablets. I started taking them back in college to boost my immune system through the extreme winters in Ithaca, NY. Every morning before practice, I’d drop one of those bad boys in a cup of water, watch it fizz and gulped it down. A good sweat session, lots of water and my daily Airborne® was my go to solution for staying fit, happy and healthy.

Ready to start the day with gummies in hand!

I tried Airborne® Everyday the past week and I really like it. Each morning I chewed up 2 gummies in place of my daily multivitamin – much more enjoyable than swallowing a giant horse pill. Also, I didn’t feel nauseous as I often do after taking my multivitamin. The amount of vitamins and minerals are pretty similar to those in my multivitamin so I wasn’t missing out on any nutrients. Plus, I received the Airborne’s® crafted immune support. On the down side, there are 6 grams of sugar per serving. (I figured I’d make up for it by adding some extra burpees to my classes at GRIT Fitness – wink wink). Overall, I think I’m going to make Airborne® Everyday a part of daily routine this spring.

What’s your daily immune support solution? Post a comment with your answer and you can win a 3-pack supply of Airborne® Everyday! Here’s to a happy, healthy spring! xoxo, Brit

Disclosure: I have been compensated with free product but the opinions are mine.

Lifestyle

Ratchet Running Playlist

December 2, 2014 No Comments

Hello Friends! I’m finally home in (freezing cold) Dallas and trying to get back into my regular routine of teaching, blogging and preparing for the grand opening of my new studio, GRIT Fitness!

As I sit at my desk, planning workouts and playlists, I can’t help but think back on the past weekend and let out a sigh of gratitude. I had a such a wonderful time with my family that I just have to share some reflections (and my rachet running playlist)….

After me, my mom and my dad finally arrived in Tampa we picked up my bro in our rental car and headed to Thanksgiving dinner at coaches house.

In case you missed a few posts, I traveled to Tampa, FL on Thanksgiving Day to spend the holiday with my little brother, Austin, who’s on the Varsity Basketball team at the University of Tampa. Since Austin had a Thanksgiving holiday tournament and wasn’t able to travel home, my fam decided to make the trip to him! Sadly my younger sister, Kortani, couldn’t join us because she dances for the Dallas Cowboys and had to perform on Thanksgiving Day. We missed her a lot, but still had a really great time.

Coaches wife, Mary Jo, can throw down! Simply put…I ate well on Thanksgiving Day

Upon our Thursday arrival, we immediately we ate a huge feast with my brother’s basketball team at their coach’s house. Then on Friday we did some site seeing in Ybor City and St. Petersburg. I ate a yummy Cuban sandwich and enjoyed a warm stroll through the historic streets.

Having a cocktail in St. Petersburg with mom & dad before Austin’s game. Aren’t they the cutest?!

Enjoying the fire in the perfectly crisp Florida weather!

Later that night we attended Austin’s game in which he had 3 dunks and 4 three pointers – woo hoo! Talk about a proud big sis. Afterwards, we went out a for a big dinner to celebrate.

The next morning I woke up early and went for a run to help burn off the giant meal I inhaled the night prior. I was really feeling my playlist – hey girl hey. I think being at all those basketball games, listening to hip hop, got me in a “rachet” mood. I was so hyped up during my run! Here’s my playlist…

Will chilled and shopped for the remainder of the weekend and to wrap up our trip, Austin took us for campus stroll before we caught our flight back to Dallas. I love college campuses in the Fall. They’re the best.

Me and my broskie spending some quality time before I headed home

Austin’s dorm, right next to the Tampa Spartans outdoor stadium

Love the historic class room buildings on campus – University of Tampa

Saying cheese on campus, one last time before heading home!

How was your Thanksgiving holiday? Did you do anything fun with your family?

HAPPY TUESDAY! xoxo, Brit

Arms

Spooky Shoulder Sculpting Workout

October 29, 2014 No Comments

Hey hey it’s workout Wednesday! In honor of Halloween I made a “Spooky Shoulder Sculpting Workout.” All of the exercises are pretty straight forward, so grab a pair of dumbbells and get to work. Shoot me an email to [email protected] if you have any questions.

Do you know what you are going to be for Halloween? I’d love to hear your costume ideas! Have a wonderful Wednesday. Luv, Brit

Just for Fun

These 7 Foods Hide Massive Amounts of Sugar

October 28, 2014 No Comments

Hey gang – happy Tuesday! I hope your week is off to a good start. I’ve been working away setting up my new fitness studio, Dallas GRIT Fitness. It’s truly a dream come true, but boy is it a TON of work. Yesterday the painters started preparing the walls, we got internet installed and I made a final decision on the flooring – woo hoo! The work continues today so I’m having my friend and fitness partner in crime, Turner, fill in a guest blog post for me. I’ll be back in action tomorrow with your workout of the week. I’ll also post some pics of the progress we are making on my studio. Talk soon. Lots of luv, Brit

Guest Post from Turner Cavender, owner of Dallas Fit Body Boot Camp. Follow Turner on Instagram @turnercavender

It’s hard to avoid sugar when many common foods secretly contain loads of it.

You may already know that eating an excess of sugar will derail your fitness progress and quickly lead to an increase in body fat. To add to this fact, recent studies are proving that sugar is even more dangerous than we once thought.

According to a new study published in JAMA International Medicine, our risk of heart attack doubles when 20 percent or more of our caloric intake come from sugar. That is no joke! Knowing this, let’s uncover the 7 common foods that you may not have thought contain high amounts of sugar.

1. Fruit Yogurt
Yogurt is packaged and marketed as a diet food for women, which is outrageous. The pretty little packages may be low in fat, but just one serving contains a whopping 19 grams of sugar.

2. Pasta Sauce
This one may come as a surprise, since pasta sauce is considered to be a savory food, but alas, it has loads of sugar hiding in it. For every half a cup of store bought pasta sauce you’re ingesting 12 grams of sugar.

3. Agave Nectar
Many think of agave nectar as a free pass, since it has been so cleverly marketed as a “health food,” but sadly this sweetener is just as dangerous as white sugar. Agave nectar is 85% fructose.

4. Dried Fruit
Yes, even our fruit isn’t safe anymore. Most companies are adding extra sugar in with their dried fruit, making it as sweet as candy. Just 1/3 of a cup contains 24 grams of sugar.

5. Granola Bars
Granola bars may boast “wholesome, whole grains “on the package, but your it’s hiding a sickly sweet secret. The average packaged granola bar contains 12 grams of sugar.

6. Energy Drinks
When you need an afternoon pick-me-up, think twice before reaching for that energy drink. Mega energy drinks contain up to 83 grams of sugar.

7. BBQ Sauce
There’s a reason that those BBQ chicken wings are finger licking good…all that sugar it’s hiding. A 2 Tablespoon serving will set you back 13 grams of sugar. Start eliminating the sugar-packed foods in your diet today. Your body and your heart will both be in better shape for it.

And let’s not forget the critical role that a challenging, consistent exercise program has in your quest for good health and a fit physique. My programs are specially designed to blast fat and to build muscle in all the right places. Email me at [email protected] to get started on a fat loss program that really works. Here’s to good health!

Lifestyle

How to do it all: Making time for work, workouts & fun

October 27, 2014 1 Comment

I’m always impressed by women who can “do it all” – workout, kick butt at the office, maintain a social life and look fabulous. I like to think I do decent job of tackling everything on my To-Do list, but the reality is I have to make some trade offs. For instance, I don’t watch as much TV as I did in college. However, I still have plenty of “me time” to hang with my friends, get a pedicure and rock out a cycling class. I’ve found that sticking with my weekly workout schedule actually gives me more energy to execute all of my other commitments . I wrote this post especially for those of you who have everything on your “to do” list. Here are 3 activities that help me “do it all.”

1. Prioritize

My day planner is jammed packed, so I include my workouts on my “To Do” List

In business school I learned that is everything is important, nothing is important. This means that prioritization is the key to identifying what really matters and what kinda matters. My day planner is my life-line for prioritizing. I live by it. That said, my To-Do list can get a little out of control because I write down everything. Each day, I prioritize the things that I really have to get done, and then move the lower priority To-Do’s to tomorrow’s list. This keeps me from feeling overwhelmed and helps me knock out each action one by one. And oh yes, you better believe my workouts are included as high priority (I highlight those in blue).

2.Opt for Active Social Events

Me and my friend Leslie playing giant chess at a local Dallas bar

Kill 2 birds with one stone: Instead of our usual sit down dinner, my friends and I seek out active ways to socialize. This way if we have to work late and miss an evening yoga class, we still keep our bodies moving.

3. Invest in Awesome Activewear

Nothing motivates me to move more than awesome new workout clothes! Recently I picked up some excellent gear from lucy. I love the performance style and versality – I can wear these pieces to yoga, kickboxing and indoor cycling. The bright colors, snug fit, and trendy designs make me feel confident, stylish and strong! Stocking up on high-quality activewear definitely helps me stick to my weekly workout schedule.

While these 3 tips help me “do it all,” I have to admit that it’s not easy. What woman can’t use a little help? Fortunately, lucy is hosting a wonderful “You Time” Giveaway! Each week you can win your choice of a year of housecleaning, babysitting or meal delivery. One grand prize winner will receive all three. This means more “you time” to do the things you really love (like getting in your favorite workout).

This is for you. The ones who have it all…on their to-do list! Let lucy take away the small stuff that stands between you and a good sweat. Giveaway ends December 16th.

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

Lifestyle

Bridal Shower, Kickboxing & Pumpkins – OH MY!

October 13, 2014 2 Comments

Happy Monday my friends! I hope your week is off to wonderful start. I taught an indoor cycling class this morning and now I’m at my neighborhood Starbucks sipping away on my grande bold coffee and working away on my blog. This was a big football weekend in Dallas. Our city hosted the Red River Shoot Out (Texas vs. Oklahoma football game) so every bar and restaurant was filled with the energy of football enthusiast. I loved it!

Enjoying the poolside view at SiSu Dallas on Friday night!

On Friday night, my friends Andria, Ashley and I went out for happy hour at SiSu Uptown Dallas. They have beautiful outdoor pool bar, as you can see above. We mixed, mingled and sipped our drinks while enjoying the lovely Dallas skyline. The weather was absolutely perfect – cool enough to wear jeans and cute scarves but warm enough that we we’re weren’t chilly. I didn’t stay out to too late because I had a teach an 8:00am cycling class at Beyond Pedaling on Saturday morning.

Me and my bestie Leslie at her bridal shower this weekend.

After my cycling class on Saturday, I co-hosted a bridal shower for a my childhood best friend Leslie who’s getting married in 2 weeks (pictured above). We’ve been friends since we were 12. Just for a little Monday chuckle, I’m also sharing a pic of us when we were 13 – haha (see below). We’ve come a long way. She’s gonna kill me when she sees this post. Oh well, I value our friendship and am so grateful to have a friend who loves me unconditionally, flaws and all. We had a wonderful time eating yummy brunch food, playing games and sipping mimosas. After the bridal shower I was super tired, so I laid low and chilled at my bachelorette pad for the rest of the day.

Me and Leslie over 15 years ago – the mini pony tails around the hair line (yikes!) – haha

On Sunday, I did my usual: Wake up early > eat a big breakfast > Church/read some inspirational books/watch OWN Super Soul Sunday > teach afternoon Turbo Kick. I’m so happy that my class has been growing. When I first took over this class, only 10-15 people would show up each week and now our class has grown to 25-30 attendees. I love the energy of the class and that everyone works so hard. We have a lot of fun and, of course, I blast the music to keep things lively 🙂

After kickboxing, I stopped by my parents’ house to watch the Dallas Cowboys whip up on the Seattle Seahawks! How bout dem Cowboys?! I also enjoyed my mom’s Sunday dinner – yum! I love a free meal. When I got home last night I worked on my blog, lit my pumpkin scented candles and sipped some hot Lemon-Ginger tea (wonderful for digestion BTW). It was the perfect end to a wonderful weekend.

My little pumpkins (gifts from my friend Lew) alongside my pumpkin-scented candle

How was your weekend? What are your workout plans this week?

Detox Plans, Inspiration & Motivation

Free 4 Week Exercise & Eating Plan! Join the #GRITshapeup

October 9, 2014 12 Comments

Hello friends! Hope your day is going well. SO…I finally finished a big project I’ve been working on for a quite some time. After I reached my 2 year blogiversary this March, I decided to put together my top workouts, detox tips and nutrition advice in to a best in class 4-week shape up plan. I’m finally done and my first GRIT by Brit 4 Week Shape up Plan is ready for you to download. Yay!

I really hope that this is a community effort where we can share our progress and encourage each other to be our healthiest, best selves. That said please email me at [email protected] if you have any questions about the plan. Also, I highly encourage you to team up with some friends and do the plan together. There’s power in numbers! Share your workout photos and healthy meals on Instagram and Twitter with hashtag #GRITshapeup – I’ll start doing product giveaways for my favorite pics!

A core value of GRIT by Brit is “FREE” – I believe that we don’t have to be wealthy to be healthy. That said, I made my printable GRIT Shape Up plan 100% accessible to everyone. Just enter your email address in the subscription box to the right (below the search bar) and a link to download the plan will be sent to you. If you have any issues downloading, send me an email ([email protected]) and I’ll help you out. Be sure to keep us updated by posting pics or updates with hashtag #GRITShapeUp. I can’t wait to hear your success stories. Show your GRIT! Lots of luv, Brit

Just for Fun

Guest Post: Ariana’s Healthy Lifestyle Makeover #TransformationTuesday

October 7, 2014 1 Comment

Happy Tuesday friends! Today I’m sharing a story from my new Dallas “fit friend,” Ariana! We met this Summer when she attended my PiYo classes at the W Dallas Hotel. We instantly hit it off given our love for hardcore workouts and bright workout clothes (see pic of us in PiYo class on Instagram). I was inspired by Ariana’s dedication coming to class every Saturday and the fact that she always rallied a group of girls to come along with her – talk about accountability! As we got to know each other better, Ariana shared her healthy lifestyle journey with me. I was instantly energized by her story, so I asked her to share on my blog today! I hope her story encourages you as much as it encouraged me…

Ariana’s Healthy Journey: Connecting with a Positive Community

My name is Ariana Michelle and my life has always been very adventurous. I love traveling and a good challenge. I’m a packaging engineer in the cosmetic industry and just moved from New Jersey to Dallas to be closer to my fiance! We met 2 years ago in Turks and Caicos!

My before picture was taken in March right after I moved to Dallas. I’ve always struggled with food. My family knew me as the garbage disposal…I was such an athlete that I thought I could burn it all off. After college, that wasn’t the case anymore, and real athletes don’t treat their bodies with diets full of ice cream and bagels! It’s taken a really long time to listen to all the advice I’ve been reading about for years. I have lost 20 lbs since then and countless inches. I was a size SAD, now I’m a size SASSY! Never give up, your journey will take time! I wish I had listened back then and stopped eating all the foods that made me sick. Without the right foods I wouldn’t be such a ray of sunshine!

My biggest motivation was striking out on my own. The move to Texas was really hard! I didn’t know anyone. My fiance still lives 6 hours away, and so I had to learn to cook for myself! I needed a community, a place to call home, and friends who enjoyed the same things I did. I was tired of having acne, not fitting into my clothes, and I knew if I was going to make new friends I first needed to feel confident in my own skin. So, I decided my health would be the #1 priority in my life. I found community in all different fitness groups!

Ariana & the Tone it Up Babes! Being a part of a healthy community increases accountability!

I set out to make some goals for myself! The Tone It Up (TIU) BIKINI SERIES was extremely helpful to set goals. I challenged myself with different cardio workouts like Turbo Fire, and T25, and TIU running routines. Each week, you have to keep yourself accountable, and remember that every small change yields large results! An easy goal to start with, I added something green to each meal. The following week I added more cardio. It’s so important to go slow and have a vision for your journey or you will be overwhelmed and give up. It’s the sum of your choices that makes a radiant person. Goals are the key to loving life!

Did I have set-backs? Yes! It has been a two-year journey to get where I am now. Between a devastating breakup, the loss of a dozen friends who were once my support system, and family struggles, there were times that I wanted to focus on other things, and help everyone else. But the biggest thing you can do for your family is to be a constant example of positivity. It took a long time for me to find a job in Texas, and then I was finally able to get connected to a great group of girls! I dove right in, making sure that I had a new support system if I was feeling helpless or tired. My journey would not have been possible without my #tiusisters and #teamuproar

I’m going to continue to follow the Tone it Up Plan and my new lifestyle for life~ eating the right things at the right times is going to help me keep up with my kids (someday ;)! I always tell my friends that each day adds up, so even if you only have 20 minutes to be active, that makes 140 minutes per week. I take it day by day, and set goals each morning. I never feel guilty for indulging once in a while because what I do 85% of the time keeps me right on track.

Ariana now feeling good, looking great and still staying connected to her fitness community

You can keep in touch with Ariana on Instagram @Fitgirlmechanic or email at [email protected]