The world of fitness changed in 2004 when Nia Shanks received her Personal Training certification, and it hasn’t been the same since. Ever since then, Nia has been transforming the lives of both men and women with her straight-up approach to changing your lifestyle.
Her programs such as Beautiful Badass and Lift Like a Girl take you back to the basics, and instill a mindset of hard work and dedication. Was there really ever any other way? Exercise.com is proud to present you with all the wisdom that is Nia Shanks in this interview.
Exercise.com is proud to present you with all the wisdom that is Nia Shanks in this interview.
What would you say is the first step in turning around one’s lifestyle?
Owning where they’re at right now, no matter what that means. It doesn’t matter if you’re overweight or you’ve never picked up a weight in your life. Own where you’re at, love yourself the way you are NOW (I know this sounds really stupid, but it’s important), and realize your true potential.
Other than that, have a game plan, eliminate every possible excuse (there are tons, and none are good), set yourself up for success by following a workout program and nutrition regimen that matches your lifestyle, personality, and preferences.
Don’t force yourself to follow something unrealistic on any level.
What inspired you to create Lift Like A Girl and your other various programs?
My main goal is to reach and help as many women as possible achieve their health, fitness, physique, and performance goals with simple, no-nonsense workout and nutrition methods.
I can only train so many people in person and with distance coaching, so putting all of the information in a downloadable program is a great way to deliver the information I use with my clients to others.
Plus, it’s a much more cost effective alternative to those who don’t want to fork out the money to work with me on a monthly basis.
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Was it difficult to change your mindset from needing to lose weight to wanting to improve your performance?
Actually yes. For many years all I thought about was “I need to lose fat!” and “I need to improve how I look.” My workouts and eating habits were driven and fueled by those negative motivators.
As a result, I was depressed and constantly worn out, mentally and physically.
When I changed my mindset to focus on nothing but my performance, I started to love and look forward to my workouts because they were fun. Focusing on my performance was a positive motivator.
And what’s awesome is that by adopting that mindset, I started to get the body transforming results I craved in the first place. Fat loss and looking better was just a great side-effect from constantly improving my performance in the gym. It was a win-win!
What would you suggest to someone who wants to start strength and performance training to improve his or her physique, but is unsure of what to do?
Follow a smart training program and be realistic about the time you have to workout. For example, if you know you truly have time to workout three days per week, then follow a program that has you working out three times per week.
People often make the mistake of trying to force more workout days into their schedule than what’s truly practical for them.
What would you say has been your biggest or most rewarding accomplishment throughout your career?
Helping people achieve their goals and rid their life of fitness and nutrition insanity. Every message and email I get from women who say I’ve helped them means I’m achieving my goal.
For example, I just got this message today, and I couldn’t stop smiling for about half an hour:
Nia, I wanted to tell you that you probably saved my life! Well, not literally, but really…Since I started your Simple Strength Program (in Beautiful Badass), changed my approach to lifting and eating, and focused more and more on my health and performance, I feel sanity and happiness coming back to my personal life and my life in the gym. Thank you for the great work you are doing! Keep it up.
Exercise.com wants to thank Nia Shanks for this amazing interview! If you’d like more information on Nia and her services, visit her website, and be sure to like her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter, and watch her on YouTube!
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