yoga – Page 2 – GRIT By Brit

Get FIT and WELL with an Outdoor Workout

May 14, 2013 1 Comment

It’s Spring – yippee! The sun is shining and skin is showing, so take your workout OUTSIDE. A recent study showed that exercising outdoors improves “mental well-being: compared with exercising indoors, exercising in natural environments was associated with greater feelings of revitalization increased energy and positive engagement, together with decreases in tension, confusion, anger and depression. Participants also reported greater enjoyment and satisfaction with outdoor activity and stated that they were more likely to repeat the activity at a later date.” Source: Outdoor Fit

Above: Me teaching PiYo on the Wet Deck at the W Dallas Hotel last Saturday

Not only are outdoor workouts fun, they also provide lots of extra health benefits. Here are my top 3 reason you should take your sweat session out doors this Spring:

Burn More Calories – Running and cycling outside takes more energy due to overcoming wind resistance and balancing on uneven terrains. Also, people are naturally more enthusiastic when they workout outdoors and put more energy into their works resulting in higher calorie burn 🙂
Get some Vitamin D – UV rays from sun exposure give our bodies lots of Vitamin D which increases energy and vitality. Soak up those rays but don’t forget your sunscreen!
It’s FREE – Unlike working out in gyms or fitness studios, most outdoor workouts are absolutely free! Like my Pilates/Yoga class that I teach every Saturday morning at the W Dallas Victory hotel. Several yoga studios and boot camps offer free outdoor workouts in the Spring and Summer so keep you eyes peeled for special events. Better yet, try a track workout! And when in doubt, nothing beats a good old-fashioned run in the park with a jammin’ playlist 🙂

Enjoy the outdoors! xoxo, Brit

Dallas, TX

PiYo all Summer long at W Dallas – Victory

May 7, 2013 6 Comments

Show your body and your self some love this Summer by joining me for FREE PiYo classes! In case you’ve never heard of PiYo, it’s a Pilates / Yoga fusion workout. Click here to learn more about it.

I’ve partnered up with the amazing W Dallas Hotel – Victory Park to bring this free fitness gift to you. It’s going down every Saturday morning at 8:30 am on the glorious 16th floor Wet Deck – breathtaking views are in abundance!

So grab your yoga mat and a friend and be ready to sweat. I guarantee this is the BEST fitness class Dallas has to offer. See you on Saturday! (All details are in the flyer below)

Inspiration & Motivation

We can always quit…why start now?

April 18, 2013 4 Comments

Happiest Thursday to you! I saw this quote on Twitter, “We can always quit, why start now?” It made me take a step back and reflect on decisions I’m currently facing in my own life. I gotta be honest….I’m TIRED. Work is demanding. Traveling is draining. In addition to that, the effort it takes to plan my workouts, blog, volunteer and consciously spend time with the people I love, leaves me with very little in my “Energy Budget” at the end of each day. BUT I’m happy to say that even though it seems like I’m “running on empty” at least I’m still running. And that, my friends, is a blessing!

So, I write this blog post for both selfish and selfless reasons:

I hope it motivates you to keep pushing
I needed to give myself a pep talk 🙂

Have a wonderful day – you got this!

Lots of luv,

Brit

Workout Reviews & Ratings

Studio Review: Uplift Studios NYC – Get UPLIFTED!

April 2, 2013 6 Comments

Last weekend I discovered yet another NYC fitness gem, Uplift Studios! It’s a women’s only gym that provides personal training and group fitness classes (no standard gym equipment to workout on your own). Long story short, it’s a smaller, higher-end version of Lucille Roberts or Lady of America. While scoping out the scene, I took a Cardio group fitness class. Overall, I was VERY pleased with my experience. Here’s the low down…

The vibe of the studio is VERY welcoming and peaceful. Boutique fitness studios in NYC can often be snobby, which makes me feel super uncomfortable. This certainly was not the case at Uplift. I was greeted with a HUGE smile from the front desk staff and received several compliments on my Nike Pro leggings 😉 Also, the group fitness class instructor, Steph, went out of her way to introduce herself to me and push me individually during the class.

Now, this studio is NOT for you if you like to workout on your own with no guidance or if you want to engage in some hard-core competition. On the other hand, the studio is GREAT for ladies who are new to working out. There’s no anxiety about being the “worst person in the class” or men watching you exercise. As you can see in the pictures above, the studio tries to generate a very “uplifting” group atmosphere. Cardio dance parties and encouraging, intimate group fitness classes are the core of the studio. The fitness classroom is very small and can only hold about 15 people. Also, the personal training is great if you’re getting ready for a big event, like a wedding! Training sessions are private and the trainers seem really patient.

Last but not least, the studio itself is very nice, clean, modern and well-kept. GREEN is key color and luckily that day I had green nail polish, so I fit right in 😉 Showers, hair dryers and free lockers are also available. In regards to cost, Uplift classes are on the high-end (market rate for boutique fitness studios in NYC). Expect to pay $32 per 1-hour class.

Ultimate Verdict: I personally, won’t be going back because I’m very value conscious. For $32 dollars I would rather go to SoulCycle, CrossFit or Barry’s Boot Camp because the atmosphere and culture are more intense. However, I’m a really competitive person and realize that many people don’t share my fitness preferences. Nonetheless, I highly recommend my GRIT Girls to try out Uplift, especially if you typically only do Pilates/Yoga workouts and want to explore new cardio and strength training classes. Get “Uplifted” – enjoy!

Lots of luv,

Brit

Inspiration & Motivation

It’s not over…

March 31, 2013 3 Comments

Hope you guys had a very happy Easter weekend. What a wonderful holiday – I’m always encouraged after Easter because it reminds me that ALL things are possible with God. If death can be conquered, then I know I can certainly conquer my goals or any obstacles in my life.

As I was sitting here in my room preparing for my work week and planning the workouts I want to post, I had an urge to change it up and to just share some good old-fashion encouragement with you instead. It that alright?

So here it goes…

Be encouraged this week! You may feel like giving up, you may feel hopeless, you may feel like you’ve been working your butt off and nothing is paying off. But guess what? It’s not over for you or for me. We got gotta hang in there and keep pushing! We are closer than we think we are. Be strong this week. Work harder than you’ve ever worked before. Be more kind and more forgiving to others than you’ve ever been before. Today is a new day and you are almost there. Be ENCOURAGED and NEVER EVER QUIT. You got this! You’re stronger than you think you are #GRIT

Lots of luv,

Brit

Arms, Back, Home Workouts

Tone it Up Tuesday: Upper Body Workout

February 26, 2013 5 Comments

Michelle Obama arms anyone?

Here’s an upper body toning workout I designed in aspiration of getting first class guns just like our fierce first lady. The workout focuses solely on the biceps, triceps, shoulders and abs. You don’t need hand weights and can do this workout right in your living room – yay!

The entire workout takes 30 minutes and burns about 200 calories. I’m going to give it a whirl tonight along with 30 minutes of cardio. Try it for yourself and let me know how it goes – enjoy!

Lots of luv,

Brit 😉

Workout Reviews & Ratings

PiYo STRENGTH: Pilates/Yoga Fusion Workout

October 25, 2012 14 Comments

Last Sunday I finished the course requirements and am now a certified PiYo STRENGTH Instructor – woop woop! (That’s me on the right in the back row with my hair lookin’ a mess; long day so don’t judge, hehe). In addition to teaching my weekly Turbo Kick classes, I plan to now teach a mind/body fitness format.

PiYo is short for “Pilates Yoga.” It’s a group fitness format available at most major health clubs, especially 24 Hour Fitness and women’s gyms. Long story short – get involved with PiYo. Here’s why I love it:

I have (self diagnosed) ADD – If you also have a limited attention span, you will love PiYo because it’s fast paced. Throughout the workout you flow swiftly through a variety of yoga poses and Pilates exercises which prevents boredom.
I like sweating – If I’m not drenched after a workout, I’m not convinced that the workout was productive. Because PiYo is fast paced and the moves are challenging, you start breaking a sweat within the first 10 minutes.
I dislike awkward situations – PiYo has no spiritual element, it’s solely a mind/body WORK OUT. I always feel super awkward in traditional yoga classes with serious spiritual cultures and chanting – not my thing. PiYo has a fun group atmosphere where you can let loose and truly relax.
I like to JAM – PiYo is set to music, and not spiritual chanting or anything like that. I’m talking Top 40 and R&B jamz. Not only is the music great, but there’s also a dance element to the workout so you can shake your groove thang 😉
I need to be more flexible – As you can tell, most of my workouts are high intensity interval training or long cardio sessions. However, I often skip the stretching and mind/body relaxation that my body needs. In fact, flexibility is the most overlooked element of fitness! PiYo lets me work on my flexibility without feeling like I’m wasting time.

And since you’ve been so kind and read to the end, I’ll reward you with some videos of PiYo in action – enjoy 🙂
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDdekLVTIpk&w=560&h=315]
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHULk86G-2o&w=560&h=315]

Inspiration & Motivation

NEW 4-week challenge: Chi-town shape up w/Lakshmi

September 6, 2012 9 Comments

I’m kicking off a new 4-week challenge with my friend, Lakshmi. Ordinarily, I’d give you my usual song and dance about how we became friends, blah blah blah. But I think a picture is a worth a 1,000 words when it comes to describing our friendship. So get to know her, check out her diet and exercise plan (maybe even try it for yourself) and check in every week for her progress reports!

Luv, Brit

Our friendship…

Meet Lakshmi a.k.a “Lak-sheezy”

I’m a girl with good intentions, but I am easily swayed off course. I try to work out each day and am able to eat well until the mid-afternoon. Then I find temptation taking over and a handful of miniature chocolates in my hand. I’ve got some major love for starch and sugar – and I need help curbing the cravings.

My goal is to not change in the short-term, but change in the long-term. I want to fix bad habits. It would be amazing if I could drop some lbs. But mostly I just want to get tone, feel confident about my body, and feel some control in my life.

I’m a consultant with unpredictable hours and very last minute travel. I make it a priority to get to the gym. It’s not always possible, but by in large, I’m there 4 – 6 times a week. My hours are long, which makes cooking and planning meals tough.

Help me!

Exercise – I’m a class girl. Unless someone tells me what to do, I will convince myself it’s okay to stop. The meaner the teacher, the better in my world.

Also, I walk to and from work (25 minutes each way) while listening to a live stream of NPR (how yuppie is that?).

As for my diet…

Breakfast – I try to do oatmeal and coffee. Sometimes I do museli with fruit.

Lunch – Salad or sandwich and a diet soda (I know, I know). On a bad day, I add in chips. And chocolate…

Snack – This is where I falter. My company is really good about supplying snacks. No good deed goes unnoticed, so I find myself often in our snack cabinet foraging for sugar and/or salt. Lately our miniature Hershey chocolates have been by downfall.

Dinner – I like starch, especially potatoes. Today I had some leftover gnocchi. Sometimes it’s a frozen dinner. I am tired when I get home from work (usually 8 or 9), so I’m in no mood to cook for one.

Dessert – I will have a tablespoon of PB. Or chocolate covered bananas from Trader Joe’s (4 pieces)

Here are things I don’t like: Running, chicken (it’s a dirty bird), cold meat on salad (unless it’s tuna), pork, ham, lifting weights

Here are things I’m allergic to: Shellfish, walnuts

Here are things I like: Spinning, yoga, potatoes, french macarons

Also, I’m awesome at taking my vitamins everyday.

Brit’s 4-week shape up plan for Lakshmi

Dallas, TX

Studio Review: American Power Yoga (APY) – Power Yoga for “Spiritual Gangstas”

March 28, 2012 2 Comments

GRIT 001 — Brit sneaking a pic before class 🙂

Name: American Power Yoga (APY)
Duration: 1 class = 1 hour
Calories Burned: 150-350
Focus: Flexibility, mind/body connectivity
Location: Local power yoga studio in your community; Dallas APY Studio – 5400 E Mockingbird Lane
Dallas, Texas 75206; APY DVDs for sale online here!
What is power yoga? This yoga method includes Kung Fu, Tai Chi and athletic movements to really challenge your body and mind. The studio is warm (about 85 degrees) so that your muscles have the heat necessary to quickly get deep into the poses. Throughout the class you flow continuously through various yoga poses and exercises.
Commentary: If you are like me and have an attention span of about 30 seconds, the thought getting through a Bikram yoga class is as appealing as watching paint dry. Late last year I got a Groupon for APY, so I checked it out and have been going at least 2X per week ever since. I like power yoga because it’s like “yoga for athletes” – the warm room and challenging moves give me a good sweat. APY is definitely a “GRIT Worthy” workout!
The Facts: A person’s level of physical fitness is determined by 3 key factors: 1) Muscular Strength 2) Cardiovascular Endurance 3) Flexibility. You need to have an adequate level of each in order to be “fit.” Yoga is great way to ensure that you spend time focusing your flexibility. However, according to my standards, yoga DOES NOT count as one of your cardio or strength workouts – you still need to get these in separately!