Fitness Model Nikki Blackketter Talks With Simplyshredded.com

Quick stats:

Age: 25
Height: 5’1” – 155 cm
Weight: 105 lbs – 48 kg

How did you get started with bodybuilding?

When I was 18 I was a real ‘party girl.’ I was pretty much lost and had no direction in life and didn’t have any good role models to look up to. I finally decided that I was tired of going to school every day with a hangover. I hated the way my body looked and felt. I always thought that lifting weights would make me look ‘bulky.’ Once I found Jamie Eason and some other great fitness models, I decided to try it out; it was fun and I started to see results pretty quickly.

I became addicted to lifting weights, and I haven’t looked back since!

Where does your motivation come from?

My motivation comes from external sources but at the end of the day for me it’s a mental game. Since day one I’ve been recording my journey on social media and quite honestly I don’t want to let anyone down. I want to be a positive and healthy role model for girls to look up to.

I want to show them that they can live a healthy fun-filled, adventurous life and eat a variety of foods while staying fit at the same time!

What workout routine has worked best for you?

I have pretty much always done a five day split with three leg days and two upper body days. The first few years, I focused on building a solid foundation. Now I do a lot of isolation for my legs and glutes. I add in cardio here and there when I feel I need it, but I love tossing in plyos to keep my heart rate up.

Full Routine:

Monday: Glutes

Circuit 1

Squats 3 x 10
Super Wide Leg Press 3 x 10
Cable Kickbacks 3 x 10

Circuit 2

Barbell Hip Thrust 3 x 10
Walking Lunges 3 x 15
Single Legged Leg Press 3 x 10

Tuesday: Hamstrings

Circuit 1

Stiff Legged Dumbbell Deadlifts 3 x 10-12
Lying Leg Curls 3 x 10

Circuit 2

Glute Ham Raises 3 x 10
Lying Ham Curls with Exercise Ball 3 x 15
Seated Leg Curl 3 x 10

Wednesday: Upper Body

Circuit 1

Pull Ups (Resistance Band Assistance) 3 x Failure
Seated Cable Row 3 x 15
Dumbbell Renegade Rows 3 x 10

Circuit 2

Dips 2 x 10-12
Front Raises 2 x 15 (Superset)
Side Lateral Raises 2 x 15
Cable Crossovers 2 x 10
Push Ups 2 x 10

Thursday: Quads

Circuit 1

Front Squats 3 x 10
Narrow Stance Leg Press 3 x 10
Leg Extensions 3 x 10

Circuit 2

Dumbbell Walking Lunges 3 x 15
Dumbbell Step Ups 3 x 10 (Each Leg)

Friday: Full Body/Plyos

Circuit 1

Front Squats into Shoulder Press 3 x 20
Jumping Lunges 3 x 20
Kettlebell Swings 3 x 20

Circuit 2

Burpees 3 x 20
Alternating Med Ball Push Ups 3 x 20
Box Jumps 3 x 15

Saturday: Active Rest

Recovery

Sunday: Active Rest

Recovery

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

Step Ups: They are great because they hit my glutes and quads nicely and keep my heart rate up.
Squats: This is an excellent full body compound movement and I have fun hitting new PR’s.
Lunges: Never seem to get easy, but are great for my quads and glutes. I also love the variations you can do with these.

What is your diet like?

I follow an ‘IIFYM,’ or ‘flexible dieting,’ diet. I love the balance it creates, and I never feel super restricted! Since I have switched to this type of diet, I have a very healthy relationship with food.

Daily Diet:

My diet varies greatly, and I have a lot of fun with it!

Meal 1: 2 Whole Eggs, 2 Egg Whites and 2 packets Sugar Free Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal
Meal 2: 4 ounces Chicken, 1 slice Turkey Bacon, 2-3 cups Spinach, ½ cup Strawberries, ¼ cup Reduced Fat Feta Cheese, handful chopped Tomatoes, handful shredded Carrots, 1 tablespoon Olive Oil and 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
Meal 3: 4-6 ounces Chicken, 1 cup chopped White Potatoes, 3 ½ ounces Asparagus, and 1 tablespoon Reduced Sugar Ketchup
Meal 4: 80 calorie Light and Fit Greek Yogurt, 5 ounces Bell Peppers and ½ cup Strawberries
Meal 5: 1 serving Kodiak Power Cakes, 1 Whole Egg, 3 tablespoons Peanut Butter and ¼ cup Syrup

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

I usually prefer normal cardio, but when I am really pushing for results, I’ll do HIIT. HIIT provides me with results more quickly. When I keep my calories low, I prefer using the Stairmaster.

What is your supplementation like?

I only take two supplements daily. Biotin, Vitamin C and occasionally I’ll take BCCA’s and a pre-workout if I really need it, but usually it’s just a Starbucks!

What are some of your favorite places you’ve travelled to and where do you plan to go next?

I love Australia, Thailand, L.A., Toronto and Canada. Those are probably my top places. I enjoy the people and the sights.

In the future, I would love the opportunity to travel to Italy and Greece to see some of the culture and history. I would also love to go to Hawaii for the beaches!