NikkiFitness's Archive:
Crunch Manhattan Group Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer
NikkiFitness is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, writer and publicist living in New York City. She started as a cheerleader at Syracuse University, but became certified in fitness before her beach wedding so that she could get back in shape. Laura, a graduate student, working mom, and military wife, inspired Nikki's Military Wife Workout (MWW) for all military wives. Find more articles by Nikki at her Military Fitness Center archive. Learn more at www.nikkifitness.com.
Learn more about NikkiFitness' line of fitness DVDs. including the Military Wife Workout and Booty Camp:
NikkiFitness Faves: Summer Products
Feel and look great this summer from what you eat, to how you sleep and what you wear with my new NikkiFitness Faves!
SUMMER CLEAN EATING
Gardein – Why spend an hour chopping and cooking when you can spend 30 minutes working out and 30 minutes showering and getting gorgeous for dinner? When I don’t have time for a workout and a home-cooked meal, I go for these great-tasting, meat-free protein options for people looking to live a healthier lifestyle. If you are trying to limit your red meat consumption, and include more fat-belly fiber in veggies, try these quick meals. They are low-calorie too. Find them at a grocery store nearby by visiting www.gardein.com and putting your zip code into their handy store-locator.
Women’s Health Slimnastics Travel Workout
Summer can be a nice break from every-day life, but that also means traveling, which can hurt your workout. I recently did a sample routine for the June issue (on stands now, pg 72) of Women’s Health Magazine. It’s a “No-equipment-needed 15 Minute Body-Weight-Shape-Up” for when you are staying in a hotel, flying through airports, sitting in traffic, and trying to stay on track with your fitness routine this summer. Summer fitness is especially important with beach season and bathing suits that show so much skin!
Editor Caitlin Carlson wrote about my book and DVD called The Slimnastics Workout , “This equipment-free body-weight routine, created by Glor, combines plyometric and cardio moves (think jumping and kicking) with ones that improve your balance. You’ll burn calories while building strength, flexibility and stamina.”
Summer Travel Workout Tips and Moves
Ever take a few days off from the gym that turned into a week, then two weeks, then a month? By the time you mustered up the motivation to go back, your body had to start from scratch. You felt sore muscles and fire in your lungs from lack of endurance, and it had you cursing your workout instead of enjoying it. The only reason you pushed through was the pounds packed on around your middle and the giggle in your arms that you just couldn’t live with.
Avoid this scenario and don’t take a vacation from your workout just because you are going on vacation. On my last trip, I ran four miles, took a spin class the next day, did yoga outside the next, worked out to a DVD the day after, and so on.
My Fit Travel Workout DVD was shot around the world to prove you can get a workout anywhere, and my tips include wearing your sneakers on the trip to save packing room, and doubling your pajamas as workout clothes (sleep in your leggings and tank top then work out in them the next morning.) Once you have the gear, do these three things…
Move of the Week: How to Get Guns with One Fast Move
Multitasking is the way to save time and lifting is the way to sculpted arms. If you don’t have a lot of time, my 6 count combo move will hit your biceps, triceps and shoulders simultaneously! Bonus exercise — adding a squat targets quads and gluteus too! All you need is a pair of weights heavy enough for you to lift 15 times and feel challenged. I use 12 lbs weights.
Here are some photos from a segment I did on WCBS The Couch in NYC.
Be on National TV for Military Spouse Appreciation Day!
Mother’s Day Workouts To Put Your Health First
Military Spouse Appreciation Day is Friday, May 10th. If you live near or are visiting the NYC area and want to be on national TV, email nikki@nikkifitness.com. Fox & Friends is doing a segment with my Military Wife Workout DVD, and if you participate, you get one for free after the show! (Get more info on the 30 minute multitasking toning and cardio workout at http://www.nikkifitness.com/dvd-military-wife-workout.php)
If you are ceelbrating Mil Spouse Day and Mother’s Day this weekend, but can’t join me in NYC, here is a Fit Minute workout you can try to put your health first while being pampered this weekend (even if just for a few minutes).
I recently did a prenatal workout from my (Baby Bootie Camp DVD i shot with my baby) on a NYC show called The Couch. Here is a link to the video so you can try this move. It is save for any trimester (works abs when you can lay on your back anymore), works your back, arms, balance, core, chest and more. Its also a great move to include in your every day workout if you are not with-child. It supports good posture, and tones your back and abdominal muscles. I do it every week.
Running Tips for “Spring” in Your Step
If you’ve been busting your butt on the treadmill over the last few months and need a change of scenery, it’s time to head outdoors and hit the pavement running! Here are a few tips that’ll prep you for the differences and help ease the transition.
Upgrade your running shoes. You don’t want to run on a road in worn out shoes and end up hurting from shin splints. Upgrade your shoes by going to a store where they watch you run. One of my favorites is Fleet Feet. I first discovered them at their Syracuse location and still go back on my trips from NYC. They just suited me up in the new Boost shoe by Adidas. My run feels lighter, which is critical when going from the treadmill to tougher outdoor routes where you deal with different types of terrain and weather patterns.
Train first. Because jogging outdoors is generally more intense than the belt assisted forward motion of the treadmill, you need to train your body to adapt. Instead of jogging 6 miles per hour at an incline of zero, you should reduce your speed and increase your incline. When you bring your speed down to 5.5 and run with an incline of 2–3, it will simulate running outdoors where you’re the one who pushes the ground away under your feet, not the machine.
To Bar or not to Bar: “Nutritional” Bars Put to the Test
Nutrition bars are increasingly popular. but you may need to take a closer look at the labels. You might be consuming more sugar and calories then you would from a candy bar, you might be surprised to see what else is in them! Check out my Fox & Friends First segment for what to look for if you are supplementing your diet with these bars.
My advice, skip the bar for real, non-processed food like hard boiled eggs, apples, milk, yogurt and almonds. The only bar I lift is a barbell.
Sitting is the New Smoking: Office Workout Moves
Ever wonder how bad sitting behind a desk all day is for you? Maybe you used to be in the field and now think that your 30 minutes at the gym is enough to combat 8 hours behind a desk? Studies show that you are better off working out at the office several times a day than sitting and then hitting the gym!
Do my suggested office workout several times a day and you will fight that sitting disease.
Take Your Winter Workout Outside for Spring
Warmer weather is here, and if you’ve been hiding inside the gym on machines all winter, here are some ways to get outside without crashing your workout.
1) Treadmill to Running Outside: When you run keep the incline at 3 on the treadmill to simulate outdoor track where the ground doesn’t automatically move away from your feet. Add hills and inclines to 10 height for about 60 seconds, then back down to 3. If you like doing intervals on your treadmill, you can buy a timer. I like GymBoss.com. Its smaller than a beeper and made for fitness interval timing.
2) Spin to Biking: Make sure you do those “hills” in spin class or if you do stationary bike alone, be sure to add hills where you have to stand up on your pedals. Outfit yourself in reflective, warm and breathable clothing. Like to read a magazine or book on the bike? Try MacMillan Audiobooks. They have a “Listen while you work out campaign” where the books like Family Pictures have timed chapter tracks so you can figure out how many calories you burn per chapter!
Tighter Portion Control for a Tight Body
Staying in shape only works when you combine workouts with good nutrition, and even if you eat healthy foods, you might be eating too many of them.
A way to safeguard your weight is to use tools that battle the supersized meals in our society. Here are some of my favorite tools and two segments from Fox & Friends where I demonstrate how to use them.
Get Over the Winter Blues and Spring Into Shape!
My latest workout DVD, which will launch next winter is called “Slim and De-Stress.” Think of the initials S.A.D in my title to replace Seasonal Affective Disorder, also know as S.A.D. The new workout is 30 minutes of high intensity interval training, also known as HIIT. I use plyometric moves with winter themes, like snow angels, snowflakes, snowballs, the nordic track, ski lunges, mountain climbers, speed skaters and more.
The best part? It’s shot on location at a Caribbean beach so your mind gets a vacation, and some sunshine, while your body gets a de-stressing, endorphin-boosting workout.
For the Guys: How to Pick up a Girl at the Gym!
The gym is a great place to meet other like– minded fitness fans, and dating partners. I could never marry a couch potato, and if you feel the same, you might get help finding the girl of your dreams with the advice in this Men’s Fitness article I participated in.
Got more tips? Tweet them to me at @NikkiFitness.
Fitness-fit it in your dating life too! –Nikki (Married to my jogging partner for life)
Wake Up Your Muscles to Sleep Better at Night
Anyone who has ever had a hard workout, and then wanted to nap a few hours later, won’t be surprised by a new survey by the National Sleep Foundation (http://www.sleepfoundation.org/2013poll)
It found that about 80% of participants who worked out hard at any time during the day had a good night sleep almost every night. However, 50% of those who did not work out reported waking up during the night.
What a great reason to add to your list of why you should do that fitness DVD (try my 30-minute, intense routines at www.nikkifitness.com) , hit the gym or go for a run today. It may help you avoid lying awake at 4am, staring at the ceiling and counting the hours left before the alarm goes off or kids wake up. If you can’t get in a sweat session, the study’s researchers also recommend sitting less and walk! ing for 10–20 minutes during the day.
Core Exercises for Back and Six Pack
Crunches are not just for bikinis. Men and women, old and young, should strengthen this area to avoid injuries.
I have a stress fracture in my 5th lumbar spine that never healed properly from an injury that occurred during college athletics, so I know how debilitating a back injury can be. You can’t do much without using your back and abs, not even sneeze or laugh.
Military Officer magazine interviewed me for the February issue in an article about the importance of core exercises. They quoted me as advising, “ Strong core muscles act as shock absorbers and substantially reduce the chances of spinal injuries and lower back pain.”
A Workout Customized for Your Blood Type!
Imagine if your doctor, nutritionist and personal trainer all got together with a plan to help you lose weight and de-stress.… this dream come true is a brand new workout system just launched that is a customized for your DNA, and it has never been done before.
The blood type is a powerful genetic fingerprint, and there is a chemical reaction to food you eat, workouts and your blood.
The Blood Type Workout (www.bloodtypeworkout.com) has just launched this month. The kit contains a blood type test, stability ball, sand weights, exercise bands, and at least 3 DVDs for each type A, B, AB, O, and advice from doctors and nutritionists, Dr Joseph Christiano and Dina Khadar who wrote the Blood Type Diet.
I had the pleasure of creating an original workout video for one of the types, I did a walking-based cardio workout for one of the type AB DVDs. Here is a segment from Fox & Friends showing some of the moves.
Food for the Warrior
I grew up in northern Pennsylvania, where many of my high school friends went into the military. One of them, Tanya Kabes Lauro, was originally turned away by the Navy for being “overweight” by their standards. She took the Navy training program (with 4am wake up workouts) and lost 60 pounds. Now a Navy veteran, Tanya is pursuing a career in health and fitness. She recently wrote a book called “Food for the Warrior: Mission to cook healthy.” All proceeds from the digital book go to the Wounded Warrior project too!
I asked Tanya to share a healthy recipe from the book that you could have it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. This is great for those without time to make breakfast in the morning, because you can prepare it Sunday night and eat it for the rest of the week’s breakfasts. The secret to successful weight loss is being prepared.
Two Moves for Glutes and Abs: Belly and Booty Camp
Only have 10 minutes but want to work your butt and abs? Try these two moves I featured on WCBS in New York City. Repeat them three times for a quick 10 minute workout that even gets your arms and cardio in the mix.
Move 1:
Running lunges — stand on your right leg and lunge the left leg back. Quickly pull the left knee into the chest 20 times. Do another 20 bending your right leg more and getting lower. Do a final 10 as low as you can go. Switch legs and repeat on the other side.Use jogging arms like pictured here to add to the cardio calorie burn.
Products to Keep Your Resolutions Alive!
I have heard it said that Feb 7th marks the time when people give up their New Year Resolutions. Don’t let that happen to you. If you need some extra help, you might find these products will bring your goals a little closer to reality! I did two product segments recently on Fox & Friends First and Fox & Friends weekend, incase you missed them, here they are:
Segment 1:
Products: fashion, food, yoga mats, undergarments, bathing suits that do double duty!
Two Moves to Pack When You Travel
Photo courtesy of The New York Times
The cold winter weather might be keeping you home, away from the gym, or sending you out of town, packing for warmer climates. I was recently reviewed by the New York Times about moves for the busy business traveler, but you can do them anywhere, for any travel reason, or just at home in your living room.
The two they featured are (photo attached, curtesy, NY Times):
1) The Incline push-up. When feet are higher than the hands, you get a different challenge for those pectorals. Do 5 sets of 20 reps, for 100 a day. View photo.
2) The reverse fly with hydrant. This works the upper back (trapezius and rhomboids), which is the opposing muscle group to the pecs, so they are perfect to do together. Don’t have a weight? Fill a hotel iron with water and that will do for 20 or more reps! The move also targets your abs because you are off balance, and your outer thighs as you lift your opposite leg out to the side. View photo.
Award-Winning Fitness Moves for Your Red Carpet Event
This one’s for the ladies…
It’s awards season, which means it’s the perfect time for a Red Carpet Workout!
As a former red-carpet publicist, I spent years prepping clients for big events. But what they really wanted to know about was my personal training secrets.
Working out for the Red Carpet, or for any big formal event, requires a lot of work, but you can cut that workout time in half if you focus on sculpting the six areas that see the spotlight the most in your dress: the triceps, biceps, shoulders, chest, upper back (for posture) and calves (for short dresses).
If you multi-task your toning moves and add some cardio to it, you get a 30-minute workout that slims while you sculpt these critical areas.
