Nia Shanks is a coach and writer with a BS in Exercise Physiology from the University of Louisville. She specializes in helping women “unleash their awesome” with an empowering approach to health and fitness. Nia’s philosophy revolves around strength training programs with a focus on getting stronger and flexible, obsession-free, nutrition principles.
Through her popular blog and online coaching courses, Nia has helped thousands of women look beyond “quick weight loss” and discover the amazing body they never knew they had.
Lets get some more health and fitness tips from the coach herself Nia Shanks.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You are a Health and Fitness coach with a degree in exercise physiology from the University of Louisville. You’ve been strength training for over 10 years now and have featured in Greatist, Burn the Fat Blog, Tribe Sports, Breaking Muscle, Experience Life Magazine, EliteFTS, Muscle and Strength, Contributor to TNation, Beautifully Hardcore, BodyBuilding.com and many more. You are the leader of the Lift Like a Girl revolution. You reached the pinnacle of success by running your website and training program called the Beautiful Badass (http://www.niashanks.com/beautiful-badass-consulting/) and has been providing useful information to women on health and fitness. Tell us more about your journey that took you to the world of fitness?
Ms. Nia Shanks:
My passion is helping women reach their health and fitness goals with simple, sustainable, no nonsense principles. I want them to realize that restrictive dieting and obsessive workouts habits are not mandatory. That health and fitness should make you feel great about yourself, and improve your overall life.
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Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Elaborate your life story on how you conquered the battle with ‘eating disorder’?
Ms. Nia Shanks:
I struggled with disordered eating habits and binge eating for a period of about 3.5 years. These habits developed from obsessive diets that restricted certain foods in addition to counting calories, weighing my food, etc. Now, it’s important to note that not everyone develops negative eating habits from counting calories and the like, but I certainly did.
Part of the reason is because I’m a perfectionist (or a recovering perfectionist, as I now like to say) and if I strayed from whatever diet I was following, I felt like a failure. Then I’d punish myself with extra workouts or restrict my food intake as much as possible. This only made the binge eating much worse.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What is your motivation to take a multi-faceted personality of an exercise physiologist, coach, fitness trainer, fitness writer, nutritional expert and an online fitness blogger?
Ms. Nia Shanks:
Health and fitness is about so much more than how you eat and how you work out. It’s a lifestyle. An attitude. I believe that when women focus on becoming the best version of themselves, eating well in a simple way (e.g., avoiding fad diets and sticking to simple, flexible guidelines), move their bodies in ways they enjoy, and appreciate their bodies for what they can do (instead of obsessing over how they look) that amazing things can happen.
Health and fitness is a combination of eating well, moving often, maintaining a positive self-image, and doing these things consistently.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
How would you describe your “Strength Training Philosophy” and why is it of utmost importance for women?
Ms. Nia Shanks:
Strength training is a wonderful tool. Most women thing it’s just about losing fat and toning up, but getting stronger has way better benefits than improving your physical appearance. It builds you confidence, allows you to shatter self-imposed limitations, allows you to appreciate your body for what it can do, and so much more. As I like to say, building a better looking body is just a side effect from proper, progressive strength training.
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Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Kindly share your exercise routine and diet plan that you follow to maintain such a perfect physique?
Ms. Nia Shanks:
I wouldn’t say I have a “perfect physique.” My body is my body, and I love it because it’s mine and I’m grateful for the life experiences it allows me to have. Again, being lean and healthy is a byproduct of striving to be the best version of myself, moving in a way that makes me feel great, and getting stronger. Generally I perform about three total body strength training workouts each week, walk my dog a few times per day, and engage in as many outdoor activities as I can, depending on the seasons (e.g., hiking, kayaking, mountain biking).
And my nutrition is super simple. I eat mostly real foods, eat when I’m hungry and stop when satisfied (but not stuffed). For more detailed information check out my article, The Diet That Has No Name.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What according to you are the Top 3 Nutritional Tips for women to start with an easy fat loss program?
Ms. Nia Shanks:
First, forget about some fad diet that promises fast results. Your goal should be to develop simple, sustainable habits. After all, you want to not only lose weight, but keep it off long-term, right? Second, begin by changing just one thing, and do it every single day for 30 days straight. Something like eating a real food breakfast, or eating a good source of protein in each meal. Third, invest in tools that make cooking delicious, healthy meals like a slow cooker or blender.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Tell us more about your famous podcast – ‘The Nia Shanks Show’ ?
Ms. Nia Shanks:
It’s an extension of the articles I write, but it allows me to share the information in a different medium. It’s all about helping women become the best versions of themselves through discussions (and occasional rants) about health, fitness, and lifestyle stuff.
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Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You have been featured in the list of 50 Bloggers Making a Difference in Fitness, Health, and Happiness on Greatist.com and also in 60 Must-Read Health, Fitness, and Happiness Blogs for 2015 on Greatist.com. What additional responsibilities these recognitions bestow upon you towards the fitness community?
Ms. Nia Shanks:
I don’t think they give me any more responsibility. I simply focus every day on doing the best I can to provide useful (and hopefully entertaining) information.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What pearls of wisdom can you give to the inspiring and budding fitness ladies who all are your fans and would like to know from you for their climb to ladder of success in the fitness industry?
Ms. Nia Shanks:
All of my programs revolve around my “Lift Like a Girl” philosophy: use the best exercises and focus on improving your performance. It really is that simple.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What do you wish to say about the website Womenfitness.net and message for its visitors?
Ms. Nia Shanks:
Be yourself. Use your voice. Tell your story.
- https://www.niashanks.com/
- https://www.instagram.com/
niashanks/ - https://twitter.com/niashanks
- https://www.facebook.com/
BeautifulBadassFanpage/
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All content on this site is copyright of Women Fitness and no part of any article found on this site may be reproduced without an express permission and highlighted, do follow link crediting http://www.womenfitness.net/ or preferably the original page as the source. This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2017 Women Fitness