I Have To Do It!!!!!!!

30 minutes- Intense Jumping Rope, Dancing, & Cardio
2 sets of 10 push-ups
2 sets of 20 bicep curls
5 sets 20 ab exercises
2 sets of 30 calf raises
2 sets of 15 lunges & Squats

And Today's Motivation Pic to make sure I do it is none other than Mel.B!

ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION.....HOW WILL YOU LOOK IN YOUR SWIMSUIT THIS JULY???

Going To Workout out now, Peace cuties.
Nikki :)

Love Your Figure Again: Stomach Pt.2♥

So your doing crunches and your watching what you eat but you still can't seem to get rid of the fat pouch that you call your stomach!

Belly fat is the hardest thing to get rid of......BUT it is possible.

The key is CARDIO, CARDIO, CARDIO; Not crunches and abs exercises.

I say this only because Cardio exercises (jogging, bicycling, stair stepping, dancing, etc.) burns fat while ab exercises strengthens your abdominal muscles....so even if you do 100 crunches a day, you won't see your six pack if it's hidden under the fat! You have to combine A HEALTHY DIET, WITH REGULAR CARDIO, AND A COUPLE SETS OF AB EXERCISES PER WEEK.

The best and most effective way to get a flatter stomach is to exercise at the proper intensity. Your workouts should be challenging. You should feel your heart pumping faster and you should build up a sweat. Try to maintain a good intensity for at least 20 minutes to kick in to your fat burning zone!

Nikki Tip: After cardio do 3 sets of 20 crunches and 3 sets of 15 squats to maintain a sexy figure.
PEACE :) NIKKI♥

Love Your Figure Again: Stomach Pt.1♥

Many of us tend to gain weight in our stomachs. It sucks because it's hard to get rid of and it DOES NOT compliment our figures.

Wikipedia says that in practice only 8% of women have hour glass figures and that became very obvious to me as I looked around today and noticed bulging belly's on the majority of women I saw.

So what can we do to stop secretly drooling over the great, fit, curvy, toned, and tamed figures we see strutting around all over television.....well lets start with turning off the T.V lol. ♥

Secondly you will have to get serious about being active throughout the day and eating smaller and healthier portions of food. You will see a reduction in belly fat when you start burning more calories than you take in everyday.

Go to this website and use the Women's calorie calculator to find out how many calories you should be taking in per day based off of your desired weight: http://nutrition.about.com/library/bl_nutrition_guide.htm

I will follow up with another post shortly, but lets deal with one thing at a time. You can and you will obtain a body you can be proud of on a beach, in a sexy sleek dress, and naked in the shower. It's all up to you.

kisses Nikki :)

p.s If you have a post request, put it in a comment of the most recent post. It will take a week or so to reply. Thanks Sweeties!

♥PUT YOUR BEST BUTT FORWARD♥

So I'm doing another butt post because its a hot topic nowadays! Every Lady knows that having a nice butt is an asset (pun intended)....Lol, told you guys I was corny! Anyways its not about how Big it is, but how toned and shapely it is!...remember the whole Quality over Quantity theory, yes that applies to Body parts as well :). ( and those of you who have seen big unflattering butts :( and nice smaller ones:) know what i'm talking about here.) So as I embark on a lifelong mission to maintain a fit, toned and shapely figure, it makes me happy to share the many different techniques I utilize on a daily basis with you My Fabulous Followers! :)

So Today's Beneficial Butt Technique will be: DONKEY KICKS!
The donkey kick is a calisthenic exercise that targets the gluteus(butt) and lower back muscles. These two parts of the body are trouble spots for both men and women. While women usually look to tone their tush, men frequently are victims of lower back pain so share this with your Boo's.♥
At A Gym: Begin by placing your left knee on the bottom of an incline bench. Bend your elbows and place your forearms across the top of the bench so they support your body weight. Slowly raise your right leg as high as comfortably possible, keeping it straight throughout the move. Contract your glutes and then reverse direction, returning back to the start position. After performing 8-12 repetitions, repeat the process on your left.
At Home: Get on all fours on mat (hands under shoulders, knees under hips). Keeping right knee bent 90 degrees, flex right foot and lift knee to hip level. Lower knee without touching floor; lift again. Do 8-12 reps. Switch legs; repeat.
♥Wear 5 pound ankle weights while doing either move to achieve greater resistance and better results.
Sources:http://www.howtobefit.com/10-best-butt-exercises.htm, http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/thighs/exercises/sexy-in-shorts-workout/?page=2
Kisses Nikki :)

~BIGGER Butt, SMALLER Waist~

A good friend of mine asked me how to achieve this last night....and I immediately thought about Genetics, Exercise, & Diet and how all 3 play a role in achieving this look.
So before I get into this let me first say...LEARN TO LOVE YOUR FIGURE! I can't say that enough. Don't get brainwashed by music videos, rap songs, and hater comments. Confidence is key. Now, If your simply looking to get in shape, i.e..a little shapelier...well that's another story. Let's do it!
~Genetics- Not every woman's figure is genetically designed to achieve a large butt with a small waist; HOWEVER, I do believe that every woman can achieve a sexy & toned figure. Just take a look at the figures in your immediate family, then take a good look at your own figure...this will give you some idea of what's possibly in store for your body. I say possibly because its up to YOU to become fit and stay fit.
Choose Your Shape:
Hourglass: Women with an hourglass shape are often envied by all of their friends. This is because hourglasses have well-proportioned upper and lower bodies, with a distinctively narrow waist. However, if you are an hourglass, you may find that you tend to gain weight all over your body, particularly in your hips and chest area.
Pear: Pear-shaped women tend to have larger lower bodies and smaller upper bodies. If you are a pear, you will find that your hips are slightly wider than your shoulders and that you tend to gain weight below your waist. Pears usually have small chests and flat stomachs.
Apple: Apples are generally bigger on the top half of their bodies than on the bottom half. They commonly have slim hips and a large chest and stomach. Apples tend to gain weight above the waist or along the backside.
Ruler: Women with a ruler shape tend to be waif-like and slim. Rulers have no large differences between the size of their hips, waists, and shoulders. Rulers tend to put on weight in their stomach and backside, while maintaining slender arms and legs.
Okay, Pear and Hourglass figures can achieve the Big Butt-Small waist look easily by eating a nutritional diet full of protein and exercising 3-4 times a week. Sessions should consist of at least 30 min of cardio and 2 days of weight training. Butt exercises like squats and lunges work great at accentuating their curvy features.
Now for the Apples and Rulers!
These are the ladies that request this look the most! Apples and Rulers tend to over eat to achieve this look, but end up having a big stomach to deal with in return. So I say CHANGE YOUR FOCUS to wanting a fit toned body in stead of certain exaggerated features. :)
Here are some basic tips that will lift and tone the Butt and Shrink the Tummy, and give you an overall nice figure. Focus on exercising 3-4 times per wk. 30min-1hr sessions and utilize the techniques below.
~Stair climbing burns tummy fat, tones butt.
~Walking on an incline builds shapely legs.
~RUNNING!- this burns fat all over the body mainly the tummy and builds up the legs.
~Squats, leg presses, dead lifts, lunges, and hamstring curls (note: Do about 10-12 reps using heavy weight, this helps to Bulk muscles causing them to grow bigger.)
~As for your diet- Remember Protein is your friend! Even a good healthy protein shake after a workout will assist in building nice strong glute(butt) muscles! Also eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday with 2-3 snacks in between. Working out too much without nourishing your body will only make you feel weak & scrawny.
Enjoy this tips! KISSES♥ Nikki
Resource:http://www.epigee.org/fitness/body_shape.html

Read This If You Hate Exercising....

So as I'm teaching my fitness class I ask everyone to raise their hands that don't like exercising and about 25% of them raises their hand. After speaking with each of them I began to realize that its not so much the Exercise that they dislike...Its Simply the word Exercise! So if you don't like Exercising, Do any of the Activities Below Instead :)

Dance your heart out! I don't know about you, But I LUV Club music and when I'm alone the inhibitions go out the window and I'm instantly in a Luke video...lol...im kidding (a little). Dance to about 4 songs and then chill out with some Aqua.

Go Skating with Ur Sweetie. What's more romantic than holding hands and falling all over each other.

Go Swimming with the Fam. Swimming + Loved ones equals lots of fun.

HollaHoop! Yes take it back to the ole skool and get a tummy like Beyonce's.

Box. punch and kick at the air until you tire out, and relieve lots of stress!

Play Frisbee with your Dog. why just walk him? have fun with him.

Play Wii! These games are fun and there are so many things to do on it.

Take a bike ride somewhere nice. Check out the scenery.

So forget Exercise, Just have fun and engage in any of the activities I listed.

Peace & Healthy Kisses♥ Nikki

Summer's almost HERE! R U Ready?!?!

Mel B.: OUR GET RIGHT GET TIGHT INSPIRATION!!♥


FIRST DAY OF SUMMER IS June 21, 2009: ONLY 65 DAYS AWAY!

JUST DO IT -Nike

kISSES♥~Nikki~

FitFriday's♥ 7 Reasons You Should Just Do It!

improves your mood.

combats chronic diseases.

helps you manage your weight.

strengthens your heart and lungs.

promotes better sleep.

can put the spark back into your love life.

it can actually be fun and enjoyable!

JUST.......

♥EXERCISE♥

To read the breakdown of each of these points, read the article here:http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ01676

~FITNESS Friday's ♥~

Bicycle Kicks ♥ love, Love, LOVE THESE!

Starting Position

Begin by lying on your back, placing your hands behind your ears.

Do not put your hands clasped behind your head.

Lift your legs in the air and bend your knees so that your legs form a 90 degree angle.

Action

Move your legs in a bicycle motion.

When your left knee is closer to your body, reach your right elbow to it.

When your right knee is closer to your body, reach your left elbow to it.

Try performing the exercise for 60 seconds in 2 sets.

Muscles Worked: Abs, Obliques

Do about 3 set of 25 seconds! KISSES♥

Reference:http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/exercises.asp?exercise=12

ABS WORTH A HUNDRED ♥

Hundred's
No Machines, No Accessories! Just your own body and some determination! This is one of My FAVORITE Ab exercises. Everyone should try this Today :)

COMBINE THIS WITH AT LEAST 30 MINUTES OF CARDIO 4 DAYS A WEEK AND YOUR ABS WILL LOOK PRICELESS♥

♥Operation Beach Body! Fit Fridays

Spring is around the corner! That means its NOW time for OPERATION BEACH BOD!

Every week (Fit Fridays); I will post a Fitness Article that focuses on EASY ways to GET FIT(ter)♥ for the SUMMER :)

Im EXCITED, I don't know about you all but when I LOOK GOOD, I FEEL EXTRA GOOD lol. So here is This Fit Fridays Tip!

♥Planks= Tighter Abs & Stronger Core Muscles!

The plank exercise is a great way to build endurance in both the abs and back, as well as stabilizer muscles. To do it right:
1. Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor.

2. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows.

3. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.

4. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air.

5. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps.

I ♥ PLANKS! You can do them anywhere at any time and they work! I do them before and after my workouts! If your new to planks, build up on the time, for example start with holding for 15secs then after 1month you should be able to hold for 1min!

Who Needs A Push-Up Bra?

WHEN YOU CAN DO PUSH-UPS! LOL♥

Nikki Note: These are Modified Push-ups, which are pushups with more stabilty than the normal ones. I LOVE these push♥ps! Say Goodbye to the flab when you wave and Hello to a GREAT looking upper body. I say swap up those machines and hit the floor! I get more benefits from these pushups than any other tricep, chest, and shoulder exercise that I have done. Plus I can do them anywhere anytime :)
Starting Position: Begin by getting down on yours hands and knees with your hands just outside shoulder width and slightly forward of your shoulders. Your knees should be directly aligned with your hips. Keep your abdomen tight and your spine in a neutral position.
Action: EXHALE: Bend your elbows and lower chest to 90 degrees at the elbows. INHALE: Push up so that your arms are straight, making sure your elbows aren’t completely locked. Try doing 2 sets of 10-12 repetitions.
Special Instructions: If you can’t go to 90 degrees at the elbow, just go to a comfortable position until you can work up to 90 degrees.
Muscles Worked: Chest (Perky boobies by building underlying chest muscles), Triceps( Goodbye-to wave flab), Shoulders ( shape the shoulders and look great with or without sleeves!)

Reference: http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/ex/exercises.asp?ID=36

Exercise Tip♥ CARDIO

How Often Should You Exercise?
When it comes to cardio, it's up to you and your goals how much you do and how often. For weight loss, most experts recommend 60 or more minutes of moderate intensity activity most days of the week, but if you're a beginner, you may need to start at a lower level of exercise. For beginners, you might start with three days of cardio exercise for 20 or more minutes, adding time each week. If you're an intermediate or advanced exerciser, you can do cardio anywhere from 4 to 6 days a week, keeping in mind that varying your workouts and doing different activities, intensities and durations will offer great weight loss results!

Some of my favorite cardio exercises are.....drumroll please...

Dancing!

Swimming (or playing the water lol)

Jogging

Jumping rope

Groupd exercise classes (kickbox & step)

Don't forget to:
Warm up and cool down for each workout
Drink lots of water (take a sips throughout your workout)
Stretch after your workout
Eat a small, well-balance snack an hour or two before you hit the gym.

Reference:http://exercise.about.com/cs/weightloss/l/aa022601b.htm

~ TYRA & FITNESS!~

Even though I'm not a Fan of the word FIERCE...lol, I'm sure that many of you are. So here is Tyra in her workout/dance outfit being no other than herself! :)

Tyra Quotes♥

"I get so much mail from young girls who say, 'I look up to you, you're not as skinny as everyone else, I think you're beautiful, So when they say that my body is 'ugly' and 'disgusting,' what does that make those girls feel like?"

"I still feel hot, but every day is different. It's when I put on the jeans that used to fit a year ago and don't fit now and give me the muffin top, that's when I say, 'Damn!'"

"I feel more comfortable when I'm lighter – I sleep better, I snore less, I have more endurance when I work out, my arms look better,"

"I look at myself and pick out the things I don't like. No matter how much I work out, I never get muscle tone in my butt and hip area."

"I want to be like the athletes who seem stuck in time. When you see them at 50, you say they probably can still run like a champ."

"I'm competitive with myself. I always try to push past my own borders. "