by
Essiba Small of the Trinidad Express
Nicole Carter looked at her body in the mirror one day, didn’t like what she saw and actually did something about it.
“As a young lady in my teens, I was overweight and very addicted to sugar,” she said. “Being young, overweight and in school wasn’t much fun. The stretch marks started to set in, then the acne and chubby cheeks, my self-confidence began to plummet as I became aware of my body. I decided to take my earnings from working after school as a supermarket packer to join a gym.”
Carter, who now lives in Trinidad and Tobago, had a strict exercise routine and started eating healthier. She worked hard at it, fell off the wagon a couple times too, but her transformation meant she had what it took to help others lose weight and adopt healthier lifestyles. She became a professional athlete and later a qualified personal trainer and certified nutritionist.
“I moved to Trinidad five years ago. I believe life is meant to be adventurous, after all, we only have one life. I’ve travelled to many countries as both an amateur and professional athlete. I’ve been to Grenada, Bahamas, Bermuda, California, Jamaica, Aruba, Puerto Rico, Omaha, Louisiana. I first came to Trinidad in 2007 and won my title as Miss Fitness Eastern Caribbean.
In my lifetime as an amateur athlete, I won five titles: Miss Barbados Bridgetown 2007, Miss Figure Barbados 2008, Miss Fitness Barbados 2009, Miss Fitness CAC (the Pro Card winner at the Central American Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships in Aruba in 2010).
“In my first five fitness competitions, I came in at the last spot. I listen to TD Jakes every day and he always says that growth always happens in the valleys and seemingly dark places. I guess that’s true.
“At 25 years old, I won my pro card and I started my professional career. My best placing as a professional athlete was back in 2015, Louisiana Women’s Physique, where I placed ninth of 22 athletes. My focus changed four years ago because I wanted to help people to adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle. While my focus has changed and I have temporarily closed that chapter of my life, I do believe I will return to the stage once I have completed my PhD Studies.
“I came to Trinidad to continue my career as a professional athlete, but God had a different plan. Right now, my main focus is providing the right combinations to aid clients in improving their health status.
“As an American College of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer, the National Exercise and Sports trainers Association certified nutrition coach and certified lifestyle and weight management specialist, I’ve combined my knowledge from these three certifications to develop Nictrition, my own programme.
“In my 16 years of experience working with clients, I’ve provided meal prep services for weight loss, virtual healthy cooking classes, customised nutrition programmes, work group seminars, nutrition counselling, nutrition, lifestyle and body assessment.
“I truly give God thanks for being able to combine my experiences as a competition prep coach, my knowledge from various nutrition and personal training certifications and my education in psychology, sports and nutrition.
“I was first certified as a personal trainer in 2010 and my nutrition certification came one year after.
“When I started the UWI Cave Hill Campus in Barbados, I was doing law, then I changed my degree to psychology because I wanted to understand human behaviour. I am happy though, that I did the psychology as it really helps me when I do my nutrition counseling sessions with my clients.
“I did my executive Masters in Sports Management at UTT Corinth Campus, Trinidad and I’m now doing my PhD in Integrative and Functional Nutrition with Saybrooks University, a private institution in Oakland, California.
“Just before the gym closed last year, I introduced my clients to virtual training and I never went back to the gym, so I was not affected by the second lockdown, in terms of delivering my services.
“I must admit that while my income is not at the same as pre-COVID, as a Christian woman, I give God thanks for whatever I make each month.
“The road to maintaining a healthy lifestyle isn’t straight, instead, it’s filled with days when you break your diet, then you’re so stressed with life that eating healthy seems unimportant, and then there will be those weeks when the numbers on the scale will decrease. I don’t penalise my clients or talk down to them, neither do I chastise them when they fall off their programme.
“I consider myself a brilliant observer. I can tell when clients start to lose their way and I know what to do to keep them on track. Sometimes, it might be a video call, a special invite to my monthly group support weight loss seminars, weekend cooking classes, some new exercise movements during training sessions, and announcements of their transformation results.
“My mother is my number one role model and the love of my life. She provided health services as a nurse in Barbados. Without her, there would be no me. She provided the perfect example of hard work, persistence, discipline and a master of self-control.
“Losing both parents to cancer has also motivated me to focus on helping people to decrease the development of chronic illnesses.
“My clients are a big part of my life. They are God’s gift to me and proof that this is the work He has called me to do. The feeling I get when clients reach their final transformation stage is priceless.”
“I truly give God thanks for being able to combine my experiences as a competition prep coach, my knowledge from various nutrition and personal training certifications and my education in psychology, sports and nutrition.”
Nictole teaches her clients how to meal prep effectively
