Happy Monday Morning ! Even though it's still freezing out, I think the universe is giving us more time to prepare for our bikini bods :-)
I had the opportunity to sit down with Editor in Chief, Tiffany Godoy, of The Reality Show Magazine. She is a wonderful lady and even hand delivered me a copy after my Friday 9am class ! She spends her time between Paris and China (super chic) and of course knew half of the amazing artists that attend my fitness classes in NYC!
Here is the full interview, where I share the importance of intention, energy, and what lies beyond fact.
Newsflash: The more you connect with your inner self, the better the booty. I inspire you to reshape your body and chakras for power house strength and confidence.
Enjoy !!
The Reality Show Magazine
Body Work
By Tiffany Godoy
“The body is a physical representation of your mental and emotional well being.”
Nicole Winhoffer
For Nicole Winhoffer, the fitness industry’s newest power player, sculpting the body, mind, and spirit is key.
We love her for a few other things that set her apart from the pack of body beautiful gurus: her workout fashions outdo any club kid’s look. Her art fetish inspires her as much as Richard Simmons and Flashdance do. She’s danced on Broadway, and kick ball chained her way to coaching Madonna’s tour dancers to being personal trainer to the eternal goddesses herself. With a freshly inked deal as adidas global trainer and ambassador for the adidas by Stella McCartney collection, and a new DVD series in the works, Nicole is ready to help target our problem areas, one chakra at a time. She joins us between workouts from her gym in New York City.
Tiffany Godoy: Your focus is on sculpting the mind, body, and spirit- can you describe the "The Winhoffer way to Strength and Beauty"?
Nicole Winhoffer: Women have a lot of responsibilities on this earth. With the pressures to look good and be successful, I wanted to find a solution that allows us to feel beautiful, strong, calm, powerful all whilst looking good. My philosophy targets the body, the muscles, the chakras, the skin, the mind, and the spirit. As everything is connected, I wanted to create a workout that targets the problems areas that I heard all women complaining about and give the permission for women to be powerful and free from negative thought. Every woman deserves to feel and look like a goddess. My philosophy is the solution.
TG: Tell us about your interest in chakras, and how you apply this to your fitness philosophy?
NW: The body is energy. Each chakra, there are 7 total, focuses on certain areas of the body, mind, and spirit. If one is blocked, it can cause disease, injury, infection or excess weight. I noticed that a lot of women have excess weight around the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th chakra.
The 2nd chakra is sensuality and is located at the lower abdominal and hip region. Women complain of excess fat, untoned abs, and a saggy bottom. Women need to feel there sensuality and know it is ok to be sexy. They must open this chakra and feel comfortable in their own skin. My exercises around this region are targeted to open this chakra and tone these regions of the body.
The third chakra is the ego and self esteem. It is located in the stomach region. Women complain of their abdominal fat and often fat is stored there because they might want to "hide" and not be seen. This area is crucial to my development of the women's body. Through exercises and working the abdominals in many different ways, women begin to open up and find results in their abs and their life.
The 4th chakra is the heart located around the ribs-front and back. This is where we block ourselves if we have been disappointed or feeling alone and abandoned. The mid back is tight, we are unable to twist and rotate and women complain of their under arm fat and "bingo" wings. I tell my clients to open their hearts, trust, and be love while developing exercises that tone these regions.
My clients see fast results because it is the intention behind the movement that gives them the power and precision to change their bodies and their lives!
TG: How does the mind affect the body, and the body affect the mind when it comes to weight loss, making changes, motivation for clients and for yourself?
NW: They are connected. What the mind believes the body will follow. What you create in thought will manifest in life. Yoga, meditation, and mantras are important to society - I agree. But sometimes to control the mind only can be difficult for some in our fast paced world. Some need action, motion, movement to feel like they are changing.
This is where I have adopted the philosophy of movement to change the mind. Physicality can bring change to the mind. Through specific movements and patterns, the body learns through action and repetition. I want to re-teach the body and mind to reset old patterns of muscular and thought behaviors.
TG: What would you say is the body ideal people are looking for now?
NW: Of course all women want to be “skinny". I see a beauty in curves. I like to mold and shape my women into beautiful hourglass shapes: the V shape. Men need a bit of curves! My workout follows this shape and aesthetic. It's fun ! I'm like da Vinci sculpting the female body! My male clients love my workouts too, it makes them look fit.
TG: What are your daily rituals?
NW: I love rituals. I am a Scorpio!. I wake up. Meditate for 13 minutes with my tape. Write down my ideas. Say thank you to the universe. Make my coffee and breakfast. Eat. Put on my gym clothes. Train myself. Answer emails for one hour. Meet with my assistant. Train my clients. Practice, study, create for 2 hours. Go to Yoga. Stretch at home. Take a bath. Mediate before bed. Write in my journal (I have my best ideas at night time.) and sleep well.
TG: Favorite workout music for pumping up your game at the moment?
NW: Love FKA Twigs “Two Weeks”, KlangRussell “Sonnentanz”, Basement Jaxx “Lights Down Low’”.
TG: Favorite fitness moments in fashion, film, music videos-looking at your instagram I feel a Flashdance vibe?
NW: Haha. Love the 80s!
Janet Jackson “Pleasure Principle” the best video ever. This is what I feel like when I'm dancing in the studio and practicing on my own!
Janet Jackson - “Control” performance 1988.
Cyd Charisse movies - her legs and feet are epic.
Madonna Confessions on a Dance Floor, “Sorry” and “Hung Up” tour performances.
Britney Spears’ 2000 VMA performance super amazing.
Mya - “Case of the EX” music video.
Missy Elliot - ‘She's a bitch’ music video.
Aaliyah “Are you that somebody?” music video - I will never forget this.
Flashdance the movie - J'ADORE!
TG: One thing that sets you apart is your interest in integrating art and fashion with fitness (thank you!), what art, fashion you are interested in?
NW: Feelings and emotions are a huge part of my work. Fitness is not just "Do this exercise and get this result". My process includes the idea and creativity behind it. I gain my inspirations from fashion TV film music icons art and anything that moves me.
Salvador Dali, Alfred Hitchcock, Jeff Koons, Marilyn Minter are a bunch of artists that I love and that move my work. Art imitates life.
TG: The fitness industry may have more trends and it-body designers than fashion, what fitness videos, or fitness "gurus" have inspired you we are partial to the old Cindy Crawford videos…
NW: I owned every fitness video as a child. Billy Blanks Tae Boe, Kathy Ireland, Cindy Crawford, 8 Minute Abs, Richard Simmons, Jane Fonda. I did them all in my basement as a chile !
TG: Do you think that in these times of intense stress people are using exercise to fuel a potential stress addiction- to harden with armor, rather than to escape and get in touch with the inside?
NW: I believe that people need something to turn off their minds. The American way is to go go go - to work hard, take no vacation, and achieve the dream. Having a grueling workout allows one of shut off their mind, focus in the NOW, and release the stress through physical activity. This is what I create for my clients as well. When you suffer in the room or are faced with challenges, it dictates how you will handle your life outside the studio.
TG: A new gym in New York, a new series of DVD's, and of course the new gig as an adidas global trainer and ambassador for adidas by Stella McCartney, basically you are on fire! Other ambitions?
NW: I have so much I want to do. And new projects are always coming up as well. Among others, I’m now working closely together with adidas. It is so exciting! I’m an adidas global trainer and ambassador for the adidas by Stella McCartney collection. So I’ll be involved in creating unique training sessions, testing product as well as attending events for the brand, where I’ll have a chance to share my knowledge in training exercises to bring its performance and style credentials to life. Can’t wait for it to go life as we have been working on really great content to be shared very soon. I am an artist so the ideas keep coming in. Sometimes I have to tell my brain... Stop! One thing at a time! What I am learning is to just go with the flow. The universe has me and will guide me the right way. I am listening more and talking less.