Fitness Model Nancy Di Nino Talks With Simplyshredded.com

How did you get started with bodybuilding?

I started competitive gymnastics at the young age of 6, which also included dance training, and once retiring from gymnastics I took on my dance more seriously whereby I studied hip hop, Salsa and Latin Ballroom Dancing.

My love for Salsa dancing allowed me to become a Professional Salsa dancer and part of a professional dance company where we had the fortunate opportunity to be invited to perform at the Bacardi World Salsa Congress in Puerto Rico. (Similar to an invite to compete at the Arnold Classic). I love dancing …it sets my soul free. During this time I still kept my gymnastics conditioning and I was approached by someone in the gym who suggested that I try fitness competitions since I already had the conditioning from gymnastics and such an entertaining dance background. When I initially heard the suggestion, I laughed and thought there was no way I could get my “booty” to look like those girls on stage.

That person said to me…”are you saying you can’t”…And that was all the ammunition I needed to set foot on stage….never challenge me to the word “can’t”. Once I graced the stage for the first time, I was addicted and so were the fans around me.

Where does your motivation come from?

First and foremost, my faith in God and my belief in myself. If you don’t then who will? And I can’t forget the support of close family and friends. The sense of accomplishment is the best feeling in the world. Success is an on-going journey, not a destination. It’s something you work at everyday so it’s a mindset that you must embrace, to live in the “now” and not tomorrow, or the next day or next year. I am one who has strong spiritual convictions and am a firm believer in karma in that whatever good you put out into the world comes back to you in multiplicity. I never want to look back and say, I wish I would have , or wish I could have….you might as well shoot me now! My inspiration/motivation comes from within.

I always tell people that “success starts on the inside, not from the outside”. It is this mindset and an attitude of gratitude that motivates me each day. It is my courage to take risks and to never say I can’t , but rather “ how can I”…

What workout routine has worked best for you?

My training regime is ever changing depending on what I am getting ready for. It is pretty intense regardless of whether I am training for a show, photo shoot or appearance. I like to always maintain a physique that is fit, marketable and model friendly, in so that I am able to cater my physique to whatever projects or goals pop up whether it be a competition or modeling assignments in either the fitness, urban or Latin industries. Yes I am a two-timer! I like to have the best of both worlds. (wink! wink!)

Cardio is my best friend and I do 1 hour of cardio , 5-6 mornings a week on an empty stomach. If I am prepping for a show I also add a 35-40 minute cardio session in the evenings 5-6 days a week. I also like boxing classes and conditioning as it really is a great workout that targets total body conditioning as well as cardiovascular activity. All cardio segments do involve shape and conditioning movements as well.

As far as weight training goes. I continue to train 4-5 days as week, training one body part a day. I no longer train with heavy weights, rather I do lighter weights with higher reps to maintain conditioning. Ironically most people are killing themselves to put on muscle whereby I am doing my best to maintain or even lose muscle especially in my legs. I carry a lot of muscle that was developed over the years from my competitive gymnastics and dance. In effort to bring my legs down, my trainer incorporates a lot of plyometric movements and conditioning activities that will “shrink” them down. Now if I am preparing for a competition, the intensity and frequency is increased.

I give myself lots of time to prepare, minimum 14 weeks and cardio is often increased to 3 times a day, which would include running stairs, long runs and sprints around the track…..only the beginning ….

If you have to pick only 3 exercises, what would they be and why?

Walking Lunges – I could lunge forever and a day and the good thing is they are one of the few things that are able to help with glute and leg conditioning. And to be blunt..The only thing that will get this booty small!
Lateral Raises- I think having nice shoulders really sets the outline for a great physique
Boxing- I love the pump I get in my upper body, especially my shoulders

What is your diet like?

I eat 5-6 meals a day, every 2-3 hours….and yes, I do eat carbohydrates! (the good ones at least.) My first 3 meals I consist of a balance of low glycemic carbohydrates
(e.g.-oatmeal, yams, Ezekiel bread), proteins and fats (EFA’s). Fuelling my body properly early in the day, prepares my body for the long day ahead. The carbohydrates and food, break down slowly throughout the day as well as burns fat .My last 3 meals are proteins and fibrous carbohydrates, such as green vegetables..

I also drink about 5-6 litres of water a day and tend to stay away from wheat, gluten and dairy products which are replaced through supplements.

They say that the pre and post-workout meals are the most vital meals for the day, what do yours consist of?

The meals vary as I always like to switch things up, however, an example of a pre work out meal would be 4 oz chicken with ½ cup green beans or ½ a grapefruit. Sometimes I will have a shake with some oatmeal. And similarly the most important meal is your post work out meal making sure you eat within 45 minutes of weight training to replenish those glycogen stores. I usually have a protein, low glycemic carbohydrates and some fibrous vegetables (e.g. 4 oz chicken or orange roughly fish with 4 oz yam and 4 asparagus spears)

Yes…a little boring but believe me after a hardy work out it tastes like gold!

When trying to cut down do you prefer to use HIIT or just normal cardio?

Usually HIIT. Although I do mix it up and most my cardio combines a variety of things including the intervals and leg shaping exercises. But HIIT does burn the calories!

What is your supplementation like?

Quite a list of things as most are familiar with if they train hard. Muti vitamin, Vit C, B 50 complex, Flaxseed oil, glutamine (can’t live without that, I really find the difference in my muscle repair and recovery. Calcium Magnesium, L Carnitine

Favourite Bodybuilders?

My favourites in the fitness industry go back to the early days of Monica Brant, Amy Fadhli, Mia Finnegan..(Yes I am aging myself) …and more recently Davana Medina. I really liked the look back in these years as they really had an equal blend of femininity and lean muscular tone. I also have so much respect for Monica Brant because of her longevity in the sport.

No matter what happens on stage , I respect Monica for returning to the stage each year and marketing herself over the past 15 years, regardless of political interventions etc.

And for fitness models…fellow industry friends Ava Cowan and Jamie Eason.As for bodybuilders, Shawn Ray on and off stage for his continued attempt to stand up for what he believes in. For being outspoken, for helping make change for others in the sport and doing his best to give back to his fans. Dexter Jackson …and of course the all time icon Arnold!