POP SPOTLIGHT: Fitness Trainer Nikki Glor Dishes About Celebrity Bodies, The Best ‘Flat Belly’ Foods, and Her ‘Slimnastics’ Workout

It would be easy to look at Nikki Glor and assume that she has always looked this good. The 35 year old mother became hooked on fitness as a college student at Syracuse University while cheering on her college basketball and football teams. And while she continued on with her commitment to looking and feeling good beyond college, life threw her a curve ball in 2009 after she gave birth to her son Jack. Not only was she recovering from a C-section, she also had an inexplicable numbness in her foot long after the delivery, making it nearly impossible to do many of the activities she loved, let alone run and jump. Doctors couldn’t tell her how long it would take for that numbness to subside. While she admits to wondering if her fit lifestyle had come to an end, eventually (months later) the numbness did go away – but then she had to tackle getting in shape in a way she hadn’t before – as a beginner, aching every step of the way. In the end, it provided insight into the challenges facing a newcomer that’s trying to get into shape.

Today, Glor is back in peak form, with a workout program called Slimnastics, which is available in book and dvd formats. And while it’s not for the faint of heart – (you’re definitely going to feel this!) it’s also something that a beginner can tackle with the right motivation. We chatted with her about the workout plan, celebs that are striking the right kind of fitness balance, and the go-to foods for eating and living slim.

WHEN DID YOUR PASSION FOR FITNESS BEGIN?

It really started out in college. I was a Syracuse University cheerleader, and cheering was a nice way to get in my fitness without forcing myself to go to the gym. I was used to going to a fun practice with all my girlfriends. After college, I wanted to find a way to replicate that – I was living in Syracuse, and it was snowing all the time, and I needed all the motivation I could get, so I decided to get certified to teach fitness classes. Now I get paid to work out and I have 30 of my friends waiting for me! So that’s a great part of it.

EXPLAIN WHAT ‘SLIMNASTICS’ IS.

Slimnastics is a fusion workout – It’s yoga with cardio and gymnastics muscle toning throughout… combined with plyometric cardio intervals.

Plyometrics is when you do muscle toning within the Cairo exercise by jumping.  Instead of doing a jumping jack and just hopping in the same area – plyo is getting low to the ground in a lunge or squat and exploding up – jumping to the sky. It’s much more toning and athletic, and it’s four times as hard. It boosts your metabolism an your afterburner though, so your workouts can be shorter. 

There’s a book and a DVD – its’ definitely an athletic workout. Like a p90x workout. But I do have steps for new people who are just getting started.

ISN’T GETTING STARTED THE HARDEST PART, AFTER ALL?

As bad as you feel starting out, you’re going to feel doubly good once you get over that hurdle.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN STAYING FIT YOURSELF?

When I was pregnant (in 2009) and had a baby I had had a c-section, and ended up with a numb foot for two and a half months. No one could tell me when the numbness would go away. I thought I would never exercise again. When I got that feeling back – I had to start my cardio from scratch. It was the recovery from hell… But I was lucky because I knew there was a light at the end of tunnel. For people starting out, they probably think the intense pain is what working out feels like all the time – but it doesn’t.  You just have to take it slow every day, but do it, and soon you’ll love it.

WE DO A LOT OF TALKING ABOUT ENTERTAINMENT AND CELEBRITIES HERE – AND HOLLYWOOD CAN REALLY SEND OUT SOME CRAZY MESSAGES ABOUT WHAT IT IS TO LOOK GOOD AND BE FIT. WHAT CELEBS DO YOU THINK ARE REALLY HITTING ARE THE RIGHT MARK FITNESS-WISE?

Cameron Diaz has an athletic look that I think is great – I think its important to have muscle, not just be skinny. Jennifer Aniston is fit and looks great. Katy Perry also has a nice fit look – you can tell that she works out. Beyonce looks great after having a baby.

WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF ALL THE SCARY-SKINNY CELEBRITIES OUT THERE?

 The days of the Paris Hilton look, The Olsen Twins, being super skinny is gone. People want to be fit. Maybe not as extreme as Madonna, but people look up to her because you can tell she didn’t starve herself you can tell that there’s hard work behind it.

WE SEE A LOT OF FITNESS PRODUCTS OUT THERE – BUT YOUR PROGRAM NEEDS NO EQUIPMENT – JUST YOU!

The best workouts I have ever done don’t need any weights whatsoever… your body weight is enough.  With Slimnastics you can use your entire body weight towards strengthening everything! Your upper back, your core, your arms, your legs and your booty.

WE ALL KNOW DIET IS IMPORTANT – SO WHAT DO YOU EAT! WHAT ARE YOUR “GO-TO” FOODS?

My go-to foods are fruits and veggies. Fiber is the key and you get it there. You can also get it from high fiber breads and cereals – as a snack I like the Fiber One bars. If you’re craving chocolate they have some good ones.  I don’t drink so much milk anymore. I stick with rice milk and almond milk.

WHAT’S YOUR TYPICAL DAY DIET-WISE?

A typical day is fruit for breakfast, and vegetables for lunch. By lunch I’ve got my five servings of fruits and vegetables already out of the way. That’s your recommended daily allowance. They’re flat belly foods. They have tons of fiber and multivitamins.

So… for breakfast I have some of my almond or rice milk – pretty colorful fruits, and later on I have a small snack. Then for lunch, eat as much vegetables as as you can… and for dinner I love to have fish. Maybe some whole wheat carbs (quinoa, brown rice) and then you can have more fruits and veggies, and then if you wanna’ have a little treat you can because you were good all day. Everyone wants a flat belly and that’s the way to get it.

WHAT DO YOU FIND IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT DIET AND EXERCISE?

One of the biggest ones is that people say to themselves– “I ran for 45 minutes on the treadmill, now I can eat whatever I want today.” People – a lot of women – overestimate the number of calories they burn.

For men, red meat is a problem. Guys eat too much red meat. Proteins like fish, beans, soy and chicken are the way to go. Lean proteins. 

THIS WORKOUT WON’T BE A WALK IN THE PARK – WHAT DO PEOPLE NEED TO REMEMBER WHEN THEY TACKLE IT?

Getting started is always the hardest. But after starting any workout, once you get done with the first two weeks you start to crave it.

I’ll say it again – As bad as you feel starting out, you’re going to feel doubly good once you get over that hurdle.

For updates from Nikki follow @NikkiFitness on twitter!

Buy Slimnastics on Amazon HERE.

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