Booty poppin Nikki Pebbles

HELLO Fit Girls, Nikki Pebbles here! I am a booty poppin’, hair whipping, Beyoncé loving entrepreneur….. did I mention that I LOVE food too? In all seriousness, I am the Founder and CEO of Power(FULL) Girl, a place of power for women of ALL ages. I am driven by the notion that all women have a voice and its time to hear us roar! I am also a group fitness instructor, personal trainer, foodie, native New Yorker and blogger! If you’re ready to shake, smile, move your way to a more powerFULL self, come check out my blog, Instagram, and Twitter!

 Girls can do anything boys can do!

“TAG YOU’RE IT!!!” was the game that changed my little kindergarten attitude and my view on life. I was playing tag on the playground with all my friends; it was a beautiful fall day. I was standing by the slide, plotting my game plan when Kenneth** ran past me. I jumped at the chance to tag him out and as I reached to touch his shoulder, he pushed me and said, “ You can’t tag me out, you’re a girl!” My six-year-old self was taken aback! I thought to myself “ Who does this short kid think he is, I just saw him picking his nose in the corner!” I firmly stood up for myself and yelled the words I will never forget “ ANYTHING BOYS CAN DO, GIRLS CAN DO BETTER!!” I felt an angry bubbly sensation under my skin. From that point on, it was my mission to make sure that girls had the same opportunities that boys did. O, by the way…. I ended up tagging him and he lost the game...

Imperfect is the new perfect
Although I was a fierce 6 year old, by the time I reached the age of 12 my confidence went down the drain. What was frustrating about my body was I looked like I was 21 at the age of 12. While everyone else was begging their mothers for a training bra, I was layering sports bra to flatten my boobs down. I didn’t look like everyone else and it bothered me. It bothered me so much that I was diagnosed with anorexia in the mid year of the sixth grade. I thought that if I could lose weight and be “skinny” like all the popular girls, that everyone would like me. I could have a boyfriend and be invited to parties. I thought if I could lose weight, I would be happy.

My body image issues continued all through high school and my first two years of college. I would lose weight and then gain weight. It was a roller coaster. At the age of 20, I was my heaviest at about 160 pounds (I’m only 5’3). I was sick and tired of hating my body, so I did something about it. I had some money saved so I went to my local gym and hired a personal trainer. I knew that a diet wasn’t going to cut it. I needed to change my lifestyle. The power I felt when I worked out was indescribable. No longer did bagels and donuts sing sweet nothings as I walked passed when in the supermarket. I preferred the humming of the treadmill as my feet pounded against it. It took me a year, but I ended up losing over 45 pounds. I was so inspired by the process of losing weight that I decided to help other women with their journey of loving themselves. I wanted to show women that being imperfect is the most perfect way to be.

A Place of Power
After my college graduation, a co-founded a dance fitness company called Kerboomka. I wanted to inspire the world through movement. It was my first taste of the business world and I was addicted. I soon realized that being a woman in a world where men and business suits rule, was a bit of a daunting undertaking.

A friend bought me the book. “Lean In” and instantly had a flashback to my kindergarten playground showdown . Every word jumped off the page and into my determined soul. I experienced the stereotypes, the non-believers, and the anxiety of being a woman in the business world every day. I wanted to “sit at the table” with the power talkers and big money. But just like elementary school, it felt like the popular kids were having a party…. And I wasn’t invited. Instead of sitting down and feeling sorry for myself, that fierceness kicked back in and I PUSHED BACK!

Power(FULL) Girl
Power(FULL) Girl is my way of screaming to the world that women are FULL of so much more than you think. We are FULL of power, passion, wisdom, and intelligence! Power(FULL) girl is a place of power for women of all ages. It is a community of girls who want to help each other. We help build leadership skills, business opportunities, new career ideas and showcase the women who are kicking butt in their industries today!

It's time to ROAR and make yourself HEARD!
Every young girl deserves to know her potential and every grown woman deserves to know that she can do anything she puts her mind too! I hope that through this growing community, we can change the way women are treated in the work place and in life. My goal is to show women that the power is within. Your voice is there… it's time to ROAR and make yourself HEARD!

The official launch of the Power(FULL) Girl website will be in Dec 14’. Stroll on over to my website to check out even more woman empowerment articles, exercise tips, and recipes. I would LOVE to hear from you, so make sure you follow me on Instagram and Twitter and say HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!! Until next time… stay power(FULL)! #hearmeroar

XOXO,

Nikki Pebbles