Nikki Walter’s life hasn’t been short on hardships: Her father died when she was a teenager and she lost her 35-year- old husband to leukemia. But every challenge she faced only made her want to be stronger. She decided to turn her life around using her love for fitness and healthy living and is a six-time NPC first-place bikini athlete. She is also a Food Prep Coach, Personal Trainer, certified Les Mills Body Pump and Group Fitness Instructor, and a Bodybuilding.com Team Athlete. Nikki and her daughter travel the country to help change lives through speaking engagements, seminars, boot camps, and their company, Clean Eating Parties, LLC.
Women Fitness asks Nikki Walter Top 10 Fitness Questions, that everyone wants to ask a trainer!
1. Your favourite form of exercise for weight loss?
I enjoy good old-fashioned circuit training. The ability to keep a variety in a workout and keep a workout short while being effective is key for any busy schedule – stair stepper and cycling are my favourites.
2. Your favourite motivational quote?
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4.
Or…
“Enjoy your body, use in every way you can don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it is the greatest instrument you will ever own” – Bazz Luhrmann
3. 5 reasons why boot camps are incredible for weight loss.
- Depending on the type of Bootcamp, they are designed to provide a variety of exercises or perfect a few, either way there is always a goal for the end of the course. For example: My daughter and I co – Instruct a Family Bootcamp allowing parents and kids to work our together and still get an intense workout!
- Group fitness is a commitment to show up – commitment and accountability for showing up allow just enough pressure to stay consistent
- Goal setting – Goal setting for a Bootcamp is fun because it allows us to work for the goals we set for ourselves or take them to the next level by beating them.
- You have an Instructor to keep you moving! Most Bootcamps allow minimal breaks – mostly for time restrictions.
- Less burnout- most Bootcamp sessions are four week commitments – so if you decide to switch up your routine you will not become burnout and can always return at the beginning of s new session.
4. 3 tips on becoming a bikini athlete.
Be ready to put your training as a priority over everything in your life for the first few competitions. It gets easier the more you train and compete but the first competition peeps are very hard for energy and time management. Luckily there are many groups that support the sport, finding a good group of athletes on a local team is Good for support. Don’t forget your friends and family too, a good support system is helpful when making such an incredible commitment.
5. One weight loss myth that most people believe.
On an exercise perspective- many still believe excessive cardio is needed and spot training is possible with out cardio. Together the two can create great results! Doing squats every day and kickbacks without cardio may feel intense but cardio is needed for lean BMI.
6. Why fat loss is more essential that weight loss?
Weight Loss. You want to lower your body-weight, the sum weight of your bones, muscles, organs, body fat, …
Fat Loss. You want to lower your body fat, the amount of fat your body carries. Healthy goals are 10% body fat for men and 15% for women. Carbs bind to water. So eating less carbs will make you lose weight- water loss.
Muscle Gains & Fat Loss. You’ll gain muscle while losing fat when you get into strength training. But on the weight scale it will look like you’re not making progress. Don’t get lost in the numbers – monitor your physique by the way you feel and how your clothes fit!
7. How can one achieve inch loss?
Fasted cardio and HIIT Training provides fast results. Most of the initial inches removed is water weight.
8. 5 Items that are a big non-no in your regular diet.
I never deprive myself of anything, unless I have a strict diet for prep. But there are things I choose to keep out, especially because I have food allergies. I also try to keep a clean diet throughout the year for the health of my daughter.
- Any Dipping sauces and dressings . Those are extra calories I don’t need and not necessary for me to enjoy my food.
- Bread and Pasta because they are not my favourite.
- Butter.
- A ton of red meat. I prepare grass fed red meat options, but I still keep it to a minimum.
- Dairy – I restrict dairy and do experiment trying vegan cheeses and keep organic milk on hand.
9. 5 tips to food preparation for healthy weight loss.
- Steaming food: not only is an insta pot amazing for fast cook times, but it is wonderful because it keeps the nutrients in the food. And if you are a challenged cook such as myself it’s easy for cooking fish because I can never get it right on the grill!
- Crockpot Prep: Is extremely easy and effortless! Plus the aroma and taste of home-cooked food is the best!
- Keep it simple with sauces & sodium- use mrs dash, or fresh herbs, veggies, apple sauce to give food flavor. Keep salt to a minimum.
- Actually measure portions! Guessing is NOT accurate. I’ve often heard “size of your fist” everyone I different in size – the food scale is the most reliable tool to use.
- Pre package food ahead of time. If it is too tedious for you to measure out each meal for each day of the week, prep your food and keep it in large containers- then measure it out daily (or evening before) so you don’t skip your meals! I travel a lot with a cooler and will sometimes bring my measuring cups and food scale and measure each day.
10. 5 essential core exercises for a flab-free tummy.
Good diet is #1 when leaning out the tummy… Abs ARE made in the kitchen! In addition to cardio and good posture I love the following Abdominal exercises
- Plank: this can be done anywhere – with no equipment, and my favorite place…. the sauna!
- Yoga Ball crunch: easy on the back and I can roll back stretch in between.
- Bicycle crunch
- Oblique Medicine Ball/Dumbbell Twist
- Cycling classes