Many of you have sent emails and wondered what’s next for me. 2006 was a great year with my Emmy award winning MTV show “Made” (episode 701) scoring top ratings and chosen as season premier. The success of this show moved me to New York city and established me globally as a top boxing trainer. 2007 brought along the birth of my company, “Code Red” and it’s sister company, “Code Red Fitness.” My website was then created along with hordes of new photos. My business snowballed including picking up celebrity client Katie Couric, who called me after “hearing about me.” (who knows what the heck that really means, but nice, uh?) Fall of 2007, I began training with Nigerian boxer Ngo Okafor to make my re-entrance into professional boxing after a long layoff. I also signed with Boxing Kid Management president David Selwyn to filter the political bullcrap of boxing and sift through opponents. 2008 started off with an enormous BANG after I was chosen as the “Best Trainer in New York” and featured in the Jan. 2008 issue of Allure magazine. Code Red Fitness was flooded with calls from clients all over New York. Meanwhile, I was lucky enough to land a spot on a card at Madison Square Garden for a St. Patrick’s Day fight. Every fighter’s dream to fight at MSG and I made history by getting that chance. My point is, every time I think things can’t get better, they do. I have enormous plans for my company. First off, Code Red will introduce a line of Code Red products starting with clothing and moving into accessories, gifts, supplements, etc… The first prototype shirt with the Code Red logo has been produced and is going through the final changes before they’ll be available for purchase. Code Red Fitness will be producing DVD’s with a boxing-based training concept to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to working out in one hour. I have also written the book, “Maintaining in Manhattan” (designed for people specifically living in Manhattan) along with it’s sister book, “Maintaining in Madness” (for people in other big cities across the country). These books give readers a guideline of do’s and don’ts and ways to maintain their fitness level while running the rat-race of city life. (Release date TBA). Later on this year, I will release a book of memoirs from my childhood of being a farmer’s daughter to a New York entrepreneur. I will also be adding a video blog to my website so you can watch me talk about whatever the heck I feel like. I am also currently booking keynote speaking engagements for 2008 and 2009 at various venues around the country. One of the greatest joys I have is telling my “rags-to-riches “story and the lessons learned so far along the way. And last, but not least: boxing. The biggest question I’m asked is when will I be back in the ring? Without going into too much detail, I’m staying in fighting shape incase something comes up. I was extremely disappointed with my performance in the last fight and I want the first chance to get back in and make it right. I don’t know when that will be but when I know, you’ll certainly know. Sorry this blog is so long. I hope you all are doing well. Feel free to contact me with…you know… whatever is on your mind.
Archive for March, 2008
the future of CODE RED
My parents in New York
My parents flew to New York for the fight and stayed with me for a week. It was absolutely wonderful having them here. Despite my 500 sq ft one-bedroom apartment, we all got along fine and had a good time. After the first night of Dad’s snoring keeping us up (bless his heart), Mom and I devised a plan to stick Dad on the blow-up bed in the other room while mom and I slept like the dead in MY bed with the door shut. Worked like a charm (with the help of a little Benedryl). After church on Sunday, we all came back to the house to take a nap. All 3 of us were so tired that we just fell on my bed, curled up together and crashed. 3 grown adults spooning on a double bed. Picture that. Let me tell you–my place is so small (New Yorkers, you know what I’m talking about) that we had to turn sideways just to get past each other. It was like, “Pardon me; excuse me; pardon me…” Sheesh.
My dad is so cute because he was so excited to ride the subway. His eyes would light up as the train approached. And mom is so friendly, she was smiling and greeting the fellow New Yorkers, who don’t even like to be looked at, let alone spoken to. I almost got into a fight in a bathroom when a woman smarted off to mom, who was trying to help the woman! We would stop at the street side vendors to buy some of their stuff and mom would ask, “How much?” The guy would say, “20 dallas.” Mom would say in her sweet voice, “OK! Larry, can you please give him 20 dollars?” I almost threw my back out doing this slow motion move like Neo from the Matrix as I launched myself between the guy and mom screaming, “Noooooooooooooo!” From then on, mom let me do the negotiating. We went to Coney Island for a world famous Nathan’s Coney Dog. The first thing dad does as we walk down the pier is help some poor sap who’s got his fishing line caught on something. (Of course, anything to do with fishing has dad’s full attention).
But as I roll my eyes at my dad behind his back for giving change to a homeless man or scold mom for giving up her seat on the train to a drunk bum, I am reminded once again that my parents are servants in the truest sense of the word. Servants, you ask? Yes. Servants to mankind. Servants of God. Giving of themselves to everyone in every way. Even in a city so driven by material needs, selfish acts and monetary value being the only value, my folks still find ways to bless people every where they go. They are truly the light of Jesus and they let that light shine constantly. Even after 31 years (well, 32 next week) of being on this earth, it never seizes to amaze me how wonderful my parents are. I wish it hadn’t taken them almost 2 years to visit me in New York and I sure hope it’s not another 2 years before they return.
Cristy Nickel–A “Sirius” Threat
Time is running out (and so are seats) to get your tickets to my fight at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden on March 15th. Go to http://www.thegarden.com and click on “Celtic Gloves Boxing.” And thanks again for the support, guys. I’m really excited!
Code Red on SIRIUS RADIO
I will be on “The Wiseguy Show” on SIRIUS RADIO promoting my upcoming fight and talking trash on Wednesday, March 5th at 8:30PM EST. You can find it on Sirius Raw Dog Channel 104. The Wiseguy Show is a comedy talk show hosted by actor Vinny Pastore (Big Pussy from “The Sopranos”, currently on “Celebrity Apprentice”), along with several of his Italian “wiseguy” cohorts including Brooklyn’s Joe Causi (WCBS-FM); The Mayor of Mulberry Street John “Cha-Cha” Ciarcia (The Sopranos), Joe Rigano (Analyze This; Mickey Blue Eyes; Casino) and comedian Uncle Floyd (Uncle Floyd Show). It has been on Sirius for over three years, airing live across North America on Wednesdays 6pm-9pm eastern time, plus a replay on Saturday at 4pm on Sirius Raw Dog Channel 104 . It is Executive Produced by Steven Van Zandt from The Sopranos and Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band.
CHEW ON THIS!!!!
Sorry for the cheesy title but it seems so appropriate for this topic. So, I went to my nutrition session today with Anna Marie Nelson. (I swear–it’s like therapy for me). Today one of the things I learned is how important it is to chew your food. So, you’re thinking, “Yeah, Cristy, I knew that. I learned that in, like grade school!” Yeah, you learned to chew your food but you didn’t learn why. All you remember was that if you chew your food, you’ll get full faster and therefore eat less. YES! That’s true. But there’s more to that: digestion actually starts the second you LOOK AT and SMELL food. It triggers gastric juices to start flowing, your mouth starts watering (especially when the pizza guy rings the doorbell; it’s like Pavlov’s tuning fork) and your body prepares for food. OK. But get this: when you CHEW your food thoroughly, that’s when the nutrients are absorbed–in your mouth! Most of us (my family wins first prize for this) inhale our food. (my uncle actually coughs when he eats because his airway is blocked by the food going in so fast). Most of us hardly even chew at all because we’re literally SHOVELING the food in as fast as we can. So our food goes right to our stomachs where the super high acidic juices break it down immediately and the nutrients are destroyed. So what’s the friggin’ point of eating when you can’t get the nutrients from your food? And! The longer you chew your food, it actually tastes sweeter because there’s an enzyme that is released. I don’t remember which enzyme, but who cares? I’ll take anything that tastes sweeter. How cool is that? So look, you need to start chewing each bite of food like 50 times. I know that’s a stretch but try it. Try something, for crying out loud. And while you’re at trying new things, try taking 5-10 DEEP BREATHS before you eat. Slow your body down and enjoy your food.
BLOG 