What You Don’t Need in Fitness (And What Actually Works) – Advice from Ryan Reed & Nikki

What do bikini competitions, stripper heels, and brutally honest fitness advice have in common? In this episode of Nacho Fitness Coach, Sarah introduces us to Nikki, her stage-ready alter ego, and we deep-dive into real (and fake) fitness guidance with one of our favorite no-nonsense influencers: Ryan Reed.

Let’s break it down 👇

🎭 How an Alter Ego Helped Sarah Rock the Bikini Stage

Fitness competitions can be intimidating—tiny bikinis, posing routines, four-inch heels. For introverted Sarah, getting into that spotlight meant tapping into a bolder, sassier version of herself. And that’s how “Nikki” was born.

Why Nikki Exists:

• Sarah's middle name is Nicole, and when it came time to strut across the competition stage, Nikki stepped up.
• As an introvert, Sarah didn’t naturally crave the spotlight—but Nikki? She owns it.
• Caleigh’s now inspired to come up with her own stage-ready alter ego (Taylor, perhaps?).

💬 “You can be yourself… just with different variations depending on the situation.” – Sarah

Fitness & Identity:

• You don’t need to be one-dimensional. It’s okay to show different sides of yourself—mom, competitor, friend, professional.
• Whether it’s a competition stage or just showing up at the gym, sometimes you need to channel a different energy—and that’s not fake. That’s powerful.

💪 The Fitness Influencer Who Tells It Like It Is: Ryan Reed

Let’s talk about a real one. Ryan Reed (@ryanreedthrive) is a fitness coach who’s gone viral for cutting through the crap in the fitness world. His videos are fast, funny, and fiercely honest.

🚫 What You Don’t Need in Fitness (According to Ryan Reed):

• Macro counting & obsessive calorie tracking
• Glute activation warmups
• Waist trainers, detox teas, or motivation
• Overpriced supplements
• Spending hours at the gym
• Soreness as a success metric
• Skinny teas or MLM “miracles”
• Overanalyzing your protein intake

✅ What You Actually Need:

• Proper form (especially for glutes)
• Flat-soled shoes for lower body training
• Squatting below parallel (for glutes)
• Lifting 3x a week
• 6+ hours of sleep
• Cardio & consistency
• Cutting alcohol if you want results
• Taking care of your stress
• Continuing workouts—even when you’re mentally off

🍑 Hip Thrusts, Pregnancy Jokes, and Form Fixes

Ryan’s hip thrust tutorial went viral—not just for its killer glute tips, but for its thirst-trap-meets-education vibe. Women in the comments were joking they were pregnant just from watching.

Key Takeaways:

• Most people use a bench that’s too high (18" is too much!) for effective glute activation.
• Lower the bench, nail the form, and you’ll actually hit the glutes.
• Also… maybe avoid eye contact at the gym while thrusting. Or go full Nikki and stare someone down for fun.

🏋️‍♀️ Fixing Your Squat Form (and Your Knees)

If you’ve ever said “I can’t squat because of my knees”—this section is for you.

Here’s the deal:

• Poor squat form taught in high school (feet forward, chest up, knees forward) is bro science and causes pain.
• Proper squat technique often includes:
• A wider stance
• A slight toe flare
• Adjusted knee positioning

💬 “You CAN squat—you just haven’t been taught how.”

Sarah emphasizes that squatting is essential to maintaining lower body strength as we age. If you lose that strength? You lose mobility—and that leads to early dependence.

🎤 Final Thoughts: Find What’s Real, Be Who You Need

Whether it’s becoming “Nikki” to strut your stuff or following no-BS coaches like Ryan Reed, this episode is about owning your version of strong—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

What we learned:

• It’s okay to have multiple sides of yourself.
• Confidence can be built—even with clear heels and zero fabric.
• Stop wasting money and energy on gimmicks. Do the basics well.
• Find voices you trust—and block out the noise.