What do Shakira, Hilary Duff, Karlie Kloss, Kelly Ripa and Sarah Jessica Parker all have in common? They're trained by world-renowned fitness expert, dancer and choreographer, Anna Kaiser, of course! With knowledge and experience in professional dance and sports medicine, she has a reputation for producing results in a super friendly and fun way. Kaiser is also the founder and CEO of AKT, a recognizable brand and chain of luxury fitness studios located in New York City, East Hampton and Connecticut.
Her Campus recently chatted with Kaiser about her favorite new breakfast item, Pure Protein breakfast bars, what she recommends for busy college women who can't find time to do an intense workout every single day and more.
Her Campus: Let’s start with the beginning of the day, what are your mornings like?
Anna Kaiser: Oh man, I am the mom to a very active one-year-old, so if he's up, I'm running at like 110 miles per hour. Then, I'm off to juggle meetings and train clients and teach classes and create content, so my day is packed—and I need to be ready for anything. The most important thing is to make sure I get a really fantastic breakfast with protein and tons of nutrients that's going to help fuel my morning.
HC: When you’re shopping, what are the most important things you look for in a breakfast?
AK: First, it needs to taste good, right? So that we make that sure we reach for it. Second thing is that it's nutritionally complete, so I know that I'm getting everything I need for whatever's thrown my way. Then, it makes it feel good! It gives me the energy I need to be able to do anything. Recently, I discovered these Pure Protein breakfast bars. They're delicious and come in four flavors—my favorite is the blueberry oatmeal. My husband's favorite is the chocolate almond. It tastes like dessert, but I don't tell him it has 12 grams of protein in it and it's so good for you. It has really good ingredients, like oats and flax seeds and chia seeds and quinoa, which are important to me as a mom and a trainer. I know I'm putting really good food in my body.
HC: When it comes to fitness, is there an optimum time of day for your workouts?
AK: I really love working out first thing in the morning. I make sure I make time for myself and get those good endorphins flowing, and I feel more focused and alive and excited for my day. But the most important part of that is the 45-minute window after you finish that workout, so that you make sure you get enough protein to help muscles recover and help build new lean muscle and fuel your day, so that you don't get that post-workout crash. Recently, I was out in Barcelona with Shakira. She's going back on her world tour, and I wanted to bring treats with me because she has a crazy sweet tooth. I found these Pure Protein birthday cake bars. They actually taste like the birthday cake with the sprinkles in it, and they have sprinkles on top. They have 20 grams of protein and are really low in sugar. Whether you're having a sweet tooth craving or it's right after your workout, you can just throw that in your bag and have it available wherever you are—traveling, jumping from home to work. It's an amazing trick.
HC: What advice would you give busy young women in college who can't seem to find time for a full-fledged workout every day?
AK: It's not about how long you're working out, it's about staying consistent. I have an app called AKT On Demand, and we have all sorts of workouts on that app, ranging from 10 minutes to 90 minutes. Regardless of where you are, you can work out with the amount of time that you have and just stay consistent. It's just about doing a little bit five or six days a week. It could be 10 minutes. As for nutrition, I remember when I was in college that it's tough to find good food, and you're constantly being offered alcohol and pizza and all these things that may throw you off track. It's great to have options to take with you, like the birthday cake bar, to help keep you on track and help you keep you moving toward those fitness goals.
HC: Sometimes the hardest part can be getting started, how do you stay motivated?
AK: Find something that you love to do! I love to dance and look forward to my AKT workouts every day. But whether it's running, mountain climbing, whatever that is, find something that you love because it's really about showing up. Showing up is 80 percent of the game, and then once you're there, we take care of it. It's the same thing with food. You want something that tastes good and makes you feel good, and can take with you anywhere.
HC: Balance and moderation are key! Where can people go for additional information?
AK: All of these products are available on Amazon.com, and for more information on Pure Protein, you can head to PureProtein.com.