Hey Friends – Happy Monday! To compensate for my recent posting hiatus, I’m coming back strong with 2 blog posts today – yeah buddy!
I’m so excited to announce that this Sunday (Sept. 27th) my fitness studio GRIT Fitness will be the official Dallas leader of Lorna Jane Active Nation Day! Join me and fellow GRIT instructors Annabel and Emily as we lead you through a super special “Shake, Sweat, Sculpt: GRIT Mash Up Workout” = Dance Cardio + Turbo Kick + Body Sculpt! The class is 100% free and open to the public – it will take place next Sunday at Dallas’ NorthPark – Center Park Garden at 10:00am. Shop styles from Lorna Jane NorthPark and enjoy healthy bites along with your sweat session! ****BRING YOUR YOGA MAT****
“Active Nation Day is a movement created in 2012 by Lorna Jane to inspire women, their families, communities, cities and the world to live a more Active Life!” (Lorna Jane). You can learn more about Lorna Jane’s Active Nation Day at http://activenationday.com
Get excited! I can’t wait to see you there! xoxo, Brit
Have I mentioned that I LOVE Spring?! (almost as much as I love Summer) Check out the beautiful tulips I got for my studio – they instantly put me in a good mood. I also love rockin’ fun sports bras when teaching my classes. Recently I went on a mission to find fitness gear and heathy treats to help me “Spring Into Shape!” Here are my 5 healthy finds to get you in tip top shape this Spring!
Honest Fizz zero calorie beverage (perfect mixer with vodka)
GIVEAWAY: My friends from Honest Tea hooked me up with some goodies – yay! Post a comment below sharing 1 healthy find you’ve discovered this Spring. I’ll pick 2 winners this Friday to each win a case of Honest Fizz – ENJOY! xoxo, Brit
Loving this yummy, zero-calorie beverage from Honest Tea
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.
Hey guys! I hope you’re staying warm and dry! It seems like 80% of the US is covered in ice and snow – even us Texans! However, we are still bringing the heat at GRIT Fitness! Yesterday, we kicked off the week on a positive note by NOT canceling our scheduled classes despite the rain/ice storm. That turned out to be a great decision because several of our clients popped in the studio ready to sweat. We had an awesome time and definitely brought some heat to the his cold weather!
Our member, Kelli, showed her GRIT by rolling to Turbo Kick class during yesterday’s ice storm in her hubby’s big body truck!
It’s been a while since I’ve posted, so here’s a quick run down of what happened over the weekend…
On Friday, I taught my usual noon Turbo Kick class. Shout out to my friend from the Junior League of Dallas, Emily, who’s also a fierce member of our fit family at GRIT fitness (in the middle of the photo below). She took her first Turbo Kick class last Friday and loved it. In her own words, “This is what is must feel like at a rave…with music blasting and lights flashing”…she also suggested we start using glow sticks during Turbo Kick classes and turn the lights off. haha. I like it!
My Turbo Kick rock stars! From left to right: Lew, Jenny, Emily, Me, Kelli
On Friday night I enjoyed a fun yet healthy dinner with my girlfriends at Dodie’s Cajun restaurant in Dallas. I had a decision blacked salmon salad and several glasses of Pinot Grigio. Perfect way to wind down after a long week!
My yummy blackened salmon salad from Dodie’s on lower Greenville, Dallas, TX
On Saturday I taught my usual spin class at BEYOND Pedaling and PiYO (now “Flexin’Flow”) class at GRIT Fitness. My friend Jackie, fellow instructor from my days at 24 Hour Fitness, did the honors of guest teaching our Dance Cardio class – it was a hit! Here’s a link to a little video clip of the fun: Post by GRIT Fitness.
Midday I did a little dance of excitement because the new business cards I ordered finally arrived – yay! What do you think?
My new biz cards with my fitness photo on them! Not sure if photos on biz cards are tacky, but whatever, I like it!
Later I stopped by Dallas North Park Mall because THE Lorna Jane, founder of Lorna Jane Active, made a pit stop in Texas. It was great to chat with her and get a little photo op. I loving meeting fellow girl BO$$’s – very inspiring!
Me and THE Lorna Jane posing with my LJ Diary at Dallas North Park mall
I wrapped up my Saturday by doing absolutely nothing. Sometimes going on chill mode is a great thing, right? On Sunday I slept in, went to brunch with some friends and then get back to work making playlist, writing our weekly newsletter and preparing for the awesome week that I’m now enjoying.
Before I go, I want to share this new Tabata workout I created! At Fossil corporate HQ, I recently started teaching a Tabata bootcamp and I LOVE IT! Tabata is a form of High Intensity Internal Training (HIIT) created by Japanese scientist Dr. Izumi Tabata. You can CLICK HERE to read more about the history of Tabata. 1 Tabata circuit lasts 4 minutes, but it’s super intense. The structure of the 4 minutes is as follows:
Workout hard for 20 seconds
Rest for 10 seconds
Complete eight rounds
Brit’s Total Body Tabata Workout
I highly encourage you to give my Total Body Tabata workout a whirl. It consists of 5 Tabata rounds and can be completed in 30 minutes. Expect to burn up to 500 calories – woo hoo! Enjoy! xoxo, Brit
Hey gang! Happy Wednesday. I hope your week is off to a great start! Things are good on my end. We are cracking away at GRIT Fitness leading classes and having a blast! I’m especially looking forward to this weekend because, THE Lorna Jane, founder and creator director of Lorna Jane Active is visiting Dallas! She is definitely a GIRLBO$$ I look up to. I got to connect with her last Summer at IDEA World Blogfest and she was SUPER nice and SO inspiring! So that’s one event I’m looking forward to. Additionally, I received the honor of leading a 2 group fitness classes in the Active Living Room of Lorna Jane West Village, Dallas – yay! I’ll be teaching PiYo next Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 7pm and 7:30pm at Lorna Jane West Village 3700 McKinney Ave, Dallas, TX 75204. Come out and “move, nourish, believe” with me!
And just for some added Lorna Jane fun, here’s a flashback to some of my all-time favorite LJ outfits…
Wow, I can hardly believe that 2014 is coming to an end. I hope you celebrated a relaxing, fun-filled Christmas with those you love. I did! Here’s a fun photo of me and my immediately family after dinner on Christmas Eve (eve).
From left to right: Kortani (sis), Austin (bro), Me, Duane (dad), Kay (mom)
My family and I are actually celebrating Christmas over 4 days. Our festivities began with family dinner on the day before Christmas Eve and then carried on to the next day during which my parents hosted their annual Christmas Eve party. We had over 60 friends and family at our house for food, drinks, dancing and singing carols. It was really fun (and really loud). Nonetheless, there’s nothing like being with family for the holidays.
On Christmas Day we drove to Tyler, TX to visit my dad’s side of the family and ate another huge Christmas Dinner. I still have a food baby from all of the pies, ham and sweet potato casserole I’ve inhaled over the past 3 days. Finally, today we are ending our 4 days of Christmas celebrations with a “family bonding” day at my new fitness studio, GRIT Fitness. I’ve persuaded my mom, dad, brother and sister to give me 1 day of free labor to help touch-up paint, clean and get the changing room set up. #winning
OMG – I’m SO ready for the grand opening party on Saturday, Jan. 17th. If you live in Dallas, you MUST come. Here’s a link to the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/900120126707617/
Okay so let me get back on topic: Fitness Fashion Friday! Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed this new weekly ritual I started this year. I plan to carry it forward into 2015. But before I bust out my cool new Winter activewear in the 2015 editions of Fitness Fashion Friday, I want to share a quick recap of my 4 favorites outfits from 2014…
My favorite activewear outfits of 2014! #gritbybrit
Here’s links to details of my outfits above (from left to right):
Image: Showing off my “washboard abs” during a styling session at Lorna Jane (love this outfit BTW – I wear it to teach cycling all the time)
Hey hey – happy Workout Wednesday! As promised, here is your workout of the week – Washboard Abs. I’m getting floors installed at my studio, Dallas Grit Fitness, today . Yay! This is the last major renovation milestone before I can start decorating and, ultimately, teaching classes. I’ll be hanging out at the studio all day, so I plan to knock out this ab workout while “overseeing” contractors. Should be good fun.
It’s been a while since I posted an ab workout, so today I’m bringing you my most comprehensive, complete, core exercise routine. During this workout you will engage your abdominals in 3 different positions: 1) Standing Up 2) On you hands and toes in the plank position 3) In the traditional position, on your back. This helps ensure we work the complete core for washboard abs!
Warning: This workout takes about 25 minutes to complete. You can’t rush through it. BUT, I promise you will feel the burn. For best results, do this workout 2-3 times per week for 4 weeks along with rigorous cardio workouts.
Give it a whirl and let me know how it goes. If you have any questions about the exercises below, just post a comment and I can explain. Have a wonderful Wednesday! Love, Brit
Happy Monday gang! The holidays are just around the corner – can you believe it? That means it’s time for my annual Holiday Gift Guide blog post! I’m super excited about the products that made my list this year. If you need even more gift ideas, check out last year’s Holiday Gift Picks list and my 2012 list. I hope you love everything as much as I do – happy shopping!
Living One Love Headbands ($16) – I discovered these headbands at IDEA World fitness convention in August. I met the owner of the company who personally designs them and she was super sweet. I like these headbands because they are wide (to cover my giant forehead) and come in TONS of different prints and colors. I wear one to every single class I teach – highly recommend
1-yr Membership to Dallas Grit Fitness & Dallas Fit Body Boot Camp ($TBD) – In the spirit of self-promotion, I must include a shameless plug for my new fitness studio opening January 2015! Over the past 3 years, I’ve visited over 100 different fitness studios and reviewed so many classes. Now, I’m able to offer all of my fav fitness formats and at a single studio – so excited. We are having a Black Friday/Cyber Monday pre-sale for 1 year memberships. Stay tuned for details! (dallasgritfitness.com)
Lorna Jane Inspirational Sports Bra ($63) – Lorna Jane is another brand that I’ve become a fan of just recently. Now that I’m 30 and more confident about my body, I rock sports bras and leggings to teach my classes (no shame showing midriff). Lorna Jane is my go to for sports bras that provide enough overage, support and style to be worn solo as a top.
Nike Free Train Sneakers ($150) – Nike Free sneakers have made my list 3 years in a row – I’m officially an addict. The reason is that these provide the best support for group fitness classes. Notice I’m not recommending the Nike Free ‘Run’ sneakers, but rather the training version. They come in so many super bright colors and styles – perfection.
You are a Badass ($10) – We read this book in my book club last Fall. It changed my life. Ladies, if you are trying to make it to the next level in your career, relationship or simply boost your self-confidence, this book will provide the encouragement you need all while making you laugh out loud. It’s a wonderful affordable gift for your girlfriends.
Lululemon Vinyasa Scarf ($51) – This scarf is everything. It compliments any outfit and can be worn a variety of ways. I wore my black vinyasa scarf in a recent Fitness Fashion Friday post, and you seemed to love it as much as I do. I’ve been searching for the berry/heathered bordeaux (red) color and can’t find it anywhere 🙁 Let me know if you find it. And if you do, buy it!
Vitamix($300-$500) – I’ve been wanting a Vitamix for the longest. I became a fan back when I was doing the Dr. Oz cleanse which required preparing 3 smoothies every day. I tried to depend on my basic blender, but it took too much time and my smoothies weren’t as smooth as I liked. I think it’s time to bite the bullet and buy a Vitamix.
Peleton Bike ($1,995) – I’ve always been into cycling, but now that I teach BEYOND Pedaling, I’m really into it. I just heard about this start-up company in NYC, Peleton, who created this narley home bike that has a live screen to stream classes from your favorite instructors. How cool is that? It’s not cheap, so I’ll have to depend on Santa to get this one to me.
Sociologie Wine Pack ($20-40) – First off, how cute is this wine bottle? The bottle alone is enough to make me want a Sociologie Wine Pack. Better yet, it comes in 3 refreshing Sangria flavors. I just tried Socioliogie wine last year and immediately became a fan. You can buy Sociology at most liquor or wine stores in Texas. Sorry if you’re out-of-state, Socilologie should be expanding your way soon!
Onzie Two Tone Leggings ($65) – I just got these leggings as sample from the Onzie Winter collection – I’m obsessed. I’ll show them off on an upcoming Fitness Fashion Friday. Meanwhile, go get you some. They are affordable, fit well and look amazing!
Happy Fitness Fashion Friday! Coming to you today in a simple, yet fun ensemble from Lorna Jane and Lululemon. First off, I’m obsessed with this Lululemon Vinyasa scarf. I wear it at least 2-3 time per week. I can even unbutton it and wear it as a vest. In LOVE!
I paired the scarf with the super comfy Lorna Jane racer back tank. It’s strategically “worn out” which makes it super soft. I really like the long racer back opening that that shows off my arms and shoulders 😉 It comes in a ton of colors – think I’m gonna get some more soon! My leggings are oldies but goodies from TJ Maxx – I got them for $15. YES!
Last but not least, it wouldn’t be a legit Fitness Fashion Friday without showin’ off my backside – HEY! The long fit on the this racer back tank covers my bum and but is still fitted to maintain a sexy look. What do you think?
Happy Friday and I’ll catch up with ya next Monday!
Image: Red Tank and Matching Headband (Lululemon); Black shorts with white polka dots (Lorna Jane)
Happy Fitness Fashion Friday! I think the title of the post pretty much sums up my look. Any Minnie Mouse fans in the house? I wanted to rock these polka dotted shorts before it gets too cold. I’ve worn them with several solid color tanks and really dig the look. I was hesitant about buying them initially because I thought they looked a little immature, but I’m glad I went ahead and made the purchase. There’s nothing wrong with unleashing my inner child. Have a wonderful weekend – I’ll catch up with you on Monday!
Love the cross back of this Lululemon tank. I have it in yellow too. It’s an oldie but a goodie.
