Mindset, Surgery Recovery and Rest Times: Nikkiey's Q&A

Nikkiey: What's up, WarriorBabes? Hey, everyone. It's WarriorBabe Wednesday. I am so excited to be here right now. This is the first live Q&A since I basically came back from the dead. Thank you, Jesus. I am back and I am so excited to be here with you guys tonight. I feel like I haven't hung out with you guys in legit a month.

I am stoked right now. So stoked. Missed you guys so much. I love seeing you guys still kicking it in the group, still showing up for yourselves. And even with the holiday, you guys still made a point to be mindful and be with your family and friends, but still be smart about your choices. I can't say how fucking proud I am of you guys. I'm stoked and really excited to be back here right now. Hi, guys. Thank you, everybody. I appreciate every single one of you.

I know Pluto's not a planet anymore, but to Pluto and back. You guys have been so amazing while I've been sick and down and out, messaging me and DMing and commenting here inside the Facebook group. So thank you, guys. I'm excited to be back. As you're joining, please tell me. Say hi. Let me know that you guys are here. Hi, Gail. Hi, Pam. Hi, Emily. Hi, Amy. Hi, Karen. Hi, Dawn. Let me know you're here. Say what's up.

I love the hearts. Remember, the more comments we keep inside our thread here, it kicks this video to the top of our group inside Facebook so that all the babes can see that we're live and jump right into this live Q&A. So keep commenting. Keep saying hi. If you guys are watching this on a replay, give me the hashtag replay. And please leave all of your questions that pertain to this Q&A here so that Kate and I can come back and answer all the questions in one thread.

Hi, guys. What's up? I am just so stoked right now. It's legit unreal, my excitement. If you didn't catch my IG story before I got on here, I was literally jumping around, just so stoked to be on here live and do this Q&A. We'll get started in a few seconds. If you have any questions for me, you can start dropping them in the comment area and we'll kick off this Q&A in a little bit. But before I dive in, I'm overwhelmed with so much gratitude for you guys.

So many of you decided to up your membership this past weekend, jump in on our special and commit yourselves to lifetime here with WarriorBabe. That is so fucking amazing. I am so grateful and proud of you for doing that, because that's a commitment on your end that you're going to show up for yourself and that you are in it to win it. Legit. So number one, I'm proud of you guys. I'm so grateful and so honored to be able to say that I'm your coach and help you out.

It's amazing. Literally from the bottom of my heart. And number two, welcome to all of the new WarriorBabes. I am stoked that you're here. You are literally a part of this amazing fucking community. So empowering, so supportive, with thousands of women who are on the same journey as you: getting toned and becoming strong, more confident versions of themselves. Every single one of you is becoming a strong, more confident version of yourself every single day.

And WarriorBabe is where strong is your new sexy. I'm slowly getting back into my groove too. Yes, I'm back, babes. I missed seeing you guys on these lives. That was rough. And if there's anything I could share with you from my Instagram story and you being a part of that ride, it's that I'm real. I'm human and I'm here. We all struggle. We all go through it.

But what matters most is that you remember why you love this. You remember why you chose to make the commitment to yourself to embark on a new lifestyle, to become fit, to become healthy. And you have to remember that you made that choice for yourself to do something about your struggles. I could have probably weeped until January 1st, 2020. But I didn't, because I remember why I love being in the gym. I remember why I love showing up for myself. And I chose to do something about feeling bad about myself.

After I got better, I got back into it. So remember that. We're all here to support each other. So if you have any questions, guys, ask me. I want to kick off our Q&A, so I'll wait for some questions to come through. But on top of welcoming all the new WarriorBabes, and you veteran WarriorBabes are probably like, here we go, seriously, the blast off emails are so important.

If anybody can shed light on them here in the comment section, let the new WarriorBabes know that they cannot be ignored. They are there to set you up for long-term success. They're there to help you with the lifestyle changes we all have to go through to really commit to the lifestyle we want to lead for ourselves. You can't just jump into a fucking program and be excited about the meals, which is awesome, and be excited about the workouts.

The overlying thing is the mindset, and really committing yourselves to the goals and the commitments and the why behind doing this. That's what the blast off email sequence does for you. It's built to help you not just now, but by focusing on where you're going and what you're here to accomplish. So remember that, babes. All the new ones, don't ignore the emails I'm sending you. Please take action on them and complete the tasks daily.

Thank you, babes. One last thing. Guys, let me know if you have any questions. I'm really excited to be back and to dive back in, so please don't hesitate to start dropping your questions in the comment area. All of the new WarriorBabes, I'm saying this loud and clear: please don't ask questions that can be found inside the application. Because I, and the WarriorBabes here inside the group, are just going to tell you to go to that specific area inside the app.

Find it on your own so that you can learn and know exactly where it is. We're here to help you, but you also have to do some work on your end too. If you can't find your answer inside the app, then go to the frequently asked questions resource page, which is in the description above our video. That is an entire platform we've built out, and we're constantly adding all of the common questions we get from you babes.

We put them in there and answer them thoroughly to help you get your answers super fast. Now, if you can't get your question answered in the app or in the frequently asked questions resource page, that's when you come to the Facebook group and chime in: hey, babes, I need some help. And I guarantee you, no joke, that in a matter of about 10 seconds, somebody is going to respond to your comment and help you out.

That's how amazing this community is. I love you guys so much for that. Then if you don't feel like you're getting a thorough answer from the babes, you can tag Kate or tag me. But the last resort should be support. It should be handled inside the Facebook group before you even go to support for macros or workout questions. Support is more for the technical side of things: membership support, app support, that kind of stuff. So remember that, okay?

All right, let's dive in. I don't have that many questions from you guys yet. Megan says the blast off emails make this journey possible. Yes, you're speaking right to the new babes. Two weeks in is nothing compared to the rest of your journey. Exactly. So I watched this thing on Netflix last night called Explained, and one of the episodes was about why diets fail.

I got so hyped from this, because it's so true. Diets fail because people cannot adhere to them. Maybe you've tried them all and you just cannot adhere to them. It's not your fault, but you feel like you've failed yet another program or another diet. It's not your fault. The fault lies with the marketing and the ploys thrown at you about how easy it looks to lose weight.

These people are in these testimonials, like, 49 pounds lost in seven weeks. It's so ridiculous that they make it look so easy when they fail to tell you that you have to create lifestyle changes in order to get the body you want. Lifestyle changes like your eating habits, or understanding what food triggers you have. Those are lifestyle changes those people don't fucking talk about, and they're hard to do.

That's why I created the blast off email sequence, because inside those 14 days are lifestyle implementation tasks for you to implement into your life that are going to help you create long-term success. Okay, enough about blast off. I've talked about it pretty much this entire time I've been on with you guys. But keep it in mind, because that's the way you're going to succeed. You're supposed to be here focusing on one thing, which is WarriorBabe and nothing else. Once you do that, you eliminate all of the confusion of what everybody else is saying to do or try, which may or may not work.

Here you're not eliminating everything, and you're finding balance with the lifestyle you want to create. So remember that. Thank you, Janet. Megan asks: when I do AM cardio first thing, what should I eat afterwards? Let's dive into this. If you do AM cardio first, then you would have your breakfast meal immediately after. It can be toast. It can be egg whites.

It could be eggs. It can be whatever you want after you do your morning cardio. Abby says: Jumping back into everything and struggling with a negative mindset and self-image. I struggled with an eating disorder when I was younger that has now led to being fluffy. Any suggestions on turning the mindset around? The babes have been great, but getting over the mental part is the hardest. It is. It's the hardest part. I am still working with one of my star VIP babes.

She was one of the first babes I ever started working with, and she struggled with the same thing, Abby. A lot of women do. And it still comes back. Those little demons still come back, however many years later. But the way to get over that is realizing that you are in the moment now, and anything you lived in the past is not even real anymore. It's just your mind trying to relive those moments to bring you back into a negative state.

Or to bring you back into pain, which a lot of us just love to sit in. Humans are emotional, and pain is usually what a lot of people feel. So anything in your life that has created that pain will always come back and surface. It's just about how you handle it now, in the moment. You can detach yourself from that mental side of things and play a talking game with yourself: okay, I understand this is coming back up again, but how can I love myself.

And love these moments and take them as a teaching instead of listening to the negative side of things, if that makes sense. Like I always say, in every part of your journey, you have to love yourself. Every aspect you go through, you have to love yourself. And those negative things will come up. They will never go away. It's just about how you handle it now. And each time moving forward, you handle it better and better and better until you detach yourself from that old character and realize the new person you are becoming.

So I hope that helped you, babe. Another thing is writing down affirmations. To a lot of people that sounds so fucking stupid: affirmations, writing and saying positive shit out loud. But let me tell you, it's not fucking stupid. That's just your ego trying to get in the way and saying you don't need that shit. Whatever you can do to better yourself, like saying, I am confident, I can do this.

It's one of your blast off emails. You can always revisit them, guys. Always go back and listen to those blast off emails, especially the affirmation one I'm talking about. You always want to write I am and whatever you want, or I am and whatever you need to overcome, but never have a no or a negative inside that statement, because your mind will attach itself to that negative. It has to be a positive thing moving forward. I am confident. I am strong. I feel sexy. And here's another thing.

You can't merely say a statement. You have to add an emotion at the end. I feel confident in my body. I feel amazing. I feel grateful. And let me tell you, those things are really hard to do, especially when you first start. But it's just like building muscle. Your mind is the same thing. You have to do it every single day. And when you do it every single day, that's where that bicep muscle gets stronger.

That's where that mind muscle gets stronger. I hope that helps so many of you, because it's so true. Sometimes it's not just about exercise. It's not just about diet. Mindset is one of the key things, and it's what so many of us struggle with. It's something I am obsessed with. I love mindset on top of strength, because the only way you get confident and get stronger, not just physically but mentally, is by overcoming this shit.

That's why you guys are becoming stronger, more confident versions of yourselves, because each day you're tackling this. You're dealing with what a lot of people just get comfortable with. You're going outside of your comfort zones. This shit amps me up. Okay, back to questions. Hi, Nikkiey, glad you're feeling better. Thank you, babe. I feel bad asking such an individual question, but here it is. I've been doing WarriorBabe and my macros since July, working out six days a week. I've lost 11 pounds and I'm seeing great results.

Yay. In January I have to have a hysterectomy with a full abdominal cut, and I'm not allowed to work out for six weeks. I'm so afraid of undoing all my results. How do I adjust my macros while I can't exercise but still need to be healthy to heal? I have endometriosis. Okay, babe. You just gave me chills. I think it's because I just experienced this. Not to the extent of surgery, but just being down and out.

So, first of all, I love that you're sharing this. Anybody is going to gain from that question. Number two, amazing job on your results. That's awesome. And number three, the surgery. Being down and out is more of a mental game. You know you need to rest and recover, but your mind's going a mile a minute and you feel like you should be doing more. So what you need to do is allow yourself to recover.

Mind, body, everything. I think this is going to be more of a spiritual call right now. Just allow yourself to heal. Allow yourself to get stronger by healing. As for adjusting your macros: babe, when I was sick, in my mind I was scared shitless that some of my gains would be lost. And yes, I did lose some gains. But know that it will come back. This week, being back in the gym, I feel so much stronger.

I look at myself and yeah, I look a little bit smaller. But it's okay, because that shit's going to come back. I know it's going to come back because I have the determination and dedication to make it happen. So as long as you rest, recover, and then get back at it as soon as you have the ability to, all is good. For adjusting your macros, just listen to your body in that time. Seriously, listen to your body. If you can't eat, don't eat. For me, I barely ate, and it sucked. But if you can eat, then just lower your macros.

I would suggest the 1.32 modifier. I'm sorry that took so long for me to answer, but I would suggest the 1.32 modifier for that. And just be strong. Jennifer asks: before the new app update, there was a hypertrophy for home workouts area. If you're doing hypertrophy at home, do you recommend using the HIST home workouts? There was never a hypertrophy at home section in this application. It's always been the gym, because I firmly believe you need that equipment and that strength inside the gym.

But if you can make it work at home, it totally can work at home. I wouldn't recommend doing HIST for hypertrophy, because they're two completely different concepts. HIST is for fat burning and for bringing out that muscle tone and shape. The hypertrophy side of things, the power side of things, is putting on lean muscle mass and having more of a caloric intake. So I would recommend trying to do the hypertrophy at home if you have the equipment.

But I wouldn't do the HIST at home for the hypertrophy side of things. Cheryl asks: can you talk about the importance of intensity and not taking breaks during workouts? This is a good one. Intensity during a workout and not taking a lot of breaks. I just saw this in the gym, too. There was this girl, super sweet. She actually came up to me and asked if I could help her.

It was really sweet. But the entire time, she was on her phone texting. I didn't want to be super blunt, but the first thing I would have said is stop texting on your phone. I didn't. There's a time and space for that if she ever reaches out for me to help her. Anyway, intensity inside the gym. The reason breaks are recommended for only 30 to 45 seconds is that if you go outside that window, your muscles are taking too long of a rest.

And it's going to be super easy for you to push that weight again. For example, if you've ever taken a break to chit-chat with somebody or to text, you get back into your set and it's like, wow, this weight is super simple. The concept and the intensity of it is for it to be a struggle, for it to be hard, for it to be challenging, so that you are creating and maintaining that connection with your muscles. That's the only way your muscles are going to work. You can't take too long of breaks.

Unless you're doing the muscle building and power side of things. That's a different story, because you're pushing heavy weight. But with the HIST side, the major focus is on that muscle, the major burn, keeping the intensity high so that muscle is burning, because that's what's making it work. That's what's making it decrease the body fat around the muscle at the same time. That's why intensity is super important. Do not take longer than 45 seconds of break. Do not chit-chat.

Do not be on your phone unless it's focusing on the workout. Just block out everything and do your workout. Even reading a simple text message can take your focus away from your workout. It's the little things. Little tiny things add up. Jana asks about those sideways single leg presses. Let's see if I can do this.

You're working your hamstring and your glute. You should feel it more in your glute tie-in, where your hamstring and glute meet. Jana says: you were so right, Nikkiey, those two extra pounds came right off. I drank all my water and voila. Beautiful. I love it. Seriously, guys, I know the holidays can play so many fucking massive tricks on us mentally.

Some of you babes weighed yourselves the next day just to self-sabotage. You knew that number was going to be higher. Janet was on the Blueprint Q&A and she asked, Nikkiey, when do I know if it's getting too sloppy? I gained two more pounds on top of the five pounds I've already gained. And those five pounds, which is so fucking amazing, are mainly muscle based on the measurements she's been taking. And I'm like, I'm not that concerned. It's only two pounds. I'm sure it'll dissipate if you drink a lot of water.

The holidays, it's inflammation. It's all the sugar and salt you had with your meals. As long as you hydrate and drink all that water, you're just going to pee it out. Literally, you're going to pee it right out. The same goes for cheat meals. If you step on the scale the next day, yeah, that scale is going to tell you that you gained three or four pounds. But as long as you drink and hydrate, you're going to push that sodium out. You're going to push that sugar out. Unless you have a really good relationship with the scale, I wouldn't even recommend stepping on it.

Seriously. I would just go by how you feel and how you look in your pictures. Those are the major things that matter. And Abby, you're so welcome, babe. Narcissa says: Nikkiey, I love the new hypertrophy workouts. Thank you. You're welcome. With the sets, you have a first set of eight, three sets of five, five sets of three. Should we raise the weight after each new set? Yep. Your first set of eight, the higher repetitions, is probably more of a warm-up set.

It's probably lower weight, more repetitions. Then you're like, okay, for the next set I know I can increase a little bit. I only recommend increasing about 10, 15, maybe 20 pounds for the next set, the three sets of five. And then for the five sets of three, you can go up even more. This is what I'm going to introduce into my Blueprint program, which I'm super excited about. So I'm going to introduce you to my Blueprint program.