love your body

February 9, 2015 No Comments

Hi friends! I’m keeping today’s blog post short and sweet. Obviously I’m a “hard work” enthusiast. No grit no pearl. However, I want to clarify that I believe hard work is necessary to be my best self and to live my life to the fullest. It’s never a good idea to work myself into the ground out of self-hate. For instance sprinting my butt off on the treadmill while calling myself a “fat cow,” is not productive. In fact, when we are mean to ourselves, we are more likely to sabotage our healthy lifestyle efforts by binge eating and convincing ourselves that we aren’t worthy of success. Don’t fall victim to the negative self talk.

It took me a long time to really love and accept my body. I have an apple shape, short torso, long legs and a flat butt. But you know what, I’m super fit! I can do 14 pull-ups, I’ve run 2 half marathons, teach 13 fitness classes per week and my body fat percentage is ideal for my height. I’m no J-Lo, but I love my body and I’m proud of myself for keeping it healthy and fit so that it can serve me.

Remember taking up a consistent exercise regimen, eating healthy foods and thinking positive thoughts are all ways that we show love to our body. Work hard because you LOVE your body, not because you hate it.

xoxo, Brit

Inspiration & Motivation

Love Your Body Day #5: Eat Good to Feel Good

February 8, 2013 10 Comments

We ARE what we EAT…. You’ve heard the saying over and over again but most of us (including me) still struggle to maintain a healthy, nutritious diet. Since today is the last day of my “love your body” series I figured I’d talk about the #1 way to love your body = nourish it with healthy food!

Here’s 10 fantastic foods that make you FEEL & LOOK good courtesy of bbcgoodfood.com:

BLUEBERRIES The ultimate immune-boosting food. Rich in anti-oxidants.
BROCCOLI Guards against cancer and is rich in a wide range of anti-oxidants, vitamins C and E, folate and iron.
CARROTS High in carotenes, known to boost the immune system.
LETTUCE AND SALAD GREENS Tangy varieties, such as chicory and endive, stimulate the liver, making them great detoxifiers. Most lettuces contain valuable amounts of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.
BEETROOT Bursting with minerals and has anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, immune-boosting and detoxifying properties.
BRAZIL NUTS You only need to eat two or three a day to benefit from their great combination of immune-boosting nutrients: vitamin E, selenium and B vitamins.
GRAPEFRUIT Has immune-boosting, antiseptic, wound-healing and anti-bacterial properties.
GARLIC Strengthens the heart and blood, and has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. Also thought to help lower blood pressure. A key ingredient is allicin, which has cancer-fighting potential.
CRANBERRIES Best known for helping to prevent and treat urinary tract infections, especially cystitis, in women. They have both anti-fungal and antiviral properties.
GINGER Stimulates the immune system and circulation.

Love your body today by eating well. We can’t out exercise a bad diet #GRIT

Inspiration & Motivation

Love Your Body Day #4: Shake what your mama gave ya!

February 7, 2013 No Comments

Life is hard…and serious…often more serious than it should be. Personally, I struggle with taking myself too seriously and causing unnecessary stress on my body. Exercise is a good stress reliever for me, but sometimes I even get stressed over workouts (what gives?). However, one activity that NEVER stresses me out is dancing. I think it’s impossible to be irritated while bustin’ a move 😉

That said, today I’m encouraging you to take some time to free yourself, pump up the music and shake your groove thing. Not only is a good ole’ dance session liberating, it’s also good for your BODY.

“Studies show that dance can help you lose weight, stay flexible, reduce stress, make friends, and more.”

Here’s my Top 5 Health Reasons to Hit the Dance Floor!

Stress Relief – Grabbing a partner, pumpin’ up the music and hittin’ the dance floor has shown to reduce stress according to a study by Journal of Applied Gerontology.
Lift Your Spirits – People who participate in group dance activities suffer less from depression and have a more optimistic view on life! Even if you’re “dancin’ by yourself” you can still benefit from a mood boost.
Have Beauty & BRAINS – A study by The New England Journal of Medicine, shows that dancing may boost your memory and prevent you from developing dementia as you get older.
Blast Calories – Because dancing is a form of aerobic exercise, it raises your heart rate and ultimately burns lots of calories! Here’s to shakin’ away some excess pounds!
Bring Sexy Back – If you’re like me, you don’t actually like to dance in front of people – I usually feel really self-conscious. However, the more I do it, the more comfortable I feel. By getting out of my comfort zone I’ve released a who new level of self-confidence and sexiness 😉

(below – me & my childhood friend Brett, 2 steppin’ & twirlin’ back in Texas)

Love your body today by blastin’ the music and lettin’ loose – free yourself! #GRIT

Just for Fun

Love Your Body Day #3: H2O FLOW

February 6, 2013 2 Comments

It’s Day 3 of my “Love Your Body” series, and today I encourage you to Drink Up (water that is). H2O is vital for your vigor. On days that you exercise, drink at least 2 liters (4 over the counter-size bottles) and on days that you don’t exercise shoot for at least 1 liter. Doing so allows you to reap lots of luscious health benefits.

Love water to love your body…

Faster Metabolism. “Eight glasses of water a day not only prevents dehydration, but increases resting metabolism.” – University of Utah Study
Regular Digestion. The right amount of Fiber and Fluid keep you “regular.” My magic cleanse formula has always been 1 apple and 1 bottle of water 😉
Calorie Control. Being well hydrated makes you feel full, so you eat less. Also, since water has zero calories, you can keep your mouth busy with no penalty.
More Energy. Water energizes your muscles so they can fire away in your workouts. On the flip side, dehydration makes you lethargic.
Temperature Control. Adequate H2O keeps your body temperature in check. This is especially important when your working out or in a hot climate.
Balanced Bodily Fluids. Your body is 60% water which mostly consists of bodily fluids. These fluids are critical for executing your bodily functions. Stay hydrated to keep your bodily fluids in balance.

Love your body today by staying hydrated and letting the H2O FLOW! #GRIT

Home Workouts

Love Your Body Day #2: FLEX & PUMP

February 5, 2013 2 Comments

Show your body some love today by hitting the weights! Your body is resilient, efficient and thirsty for a challenge. Include weight lifting in your exercise regimen to ensure your muscles are strong and able to support your body. Resistance training helps prevent injuries, increases muscle definition and accelerates the rate your body burns calories while resting (a good look)!

In honor of Love Your Body Day #2, I put together this total body weight lifting workout for you to enjoy. After your workout, take a moment and be grateful for your body – 2 good arms, 2 good legs a heart and lungs that work!

Love your body today by FLEXIN’ those sexy muscles and PUMPIN’ some iron #GRIT

Inspiration & Motivation

Love Your Body Day #1: Get HATE out of your HEART

February 4, 2013 1 Comment

love your bod image 3

Happy February! Today marks the beginning of my “Love Your Body” series. For each of the next 5 days I’ll share a healthy, body-lovin’ tip. Our health is essential to our being, so cherish your precious temple of your soul – your BODY!

Lots of luv,

Brit 🙂

Get HATE of out of your HEART

Let the grudge go. Holding a grudge does NOT cause any pain to the person who hurt you (they couldn’t care less). Your grudge only causes pain to your body. Several university studies have proven that holding a grudge is bad for your health. Joseph Neumann, PhD, a clinical psychologist explains, “When I treated patients with cardiovascular disease, I was struck by how many were bitter, angry, and depressed,” says Neumann. “It clearly affected their health and their ability to heal.” On the flip side, a study by Harvard Women’s Health Watch found a link between forgiving and improvements in heart rate and blood pressure.

The reality is that life isn’t fair. People will treat you unfairly, hurt you, cheat you and, on top of that, get away with it. But we must CHOOSE to not let our pain or anger ruin all of the good things we have in life. Eventually, we reap what we sow. So don’t worry about getting back at that awful person, just let the grudge go!

Love your body today by forgiving and letting old hurts be history #GRIT