Heidi Kristoffer on Parenting, Working, and Sharing Your Authentic Self

"I share my ups and downs as a mama: on the mat and off, in the kitchen and out."

By Heidi Kristoffer June 22, 2020

Heidi Kristoffer seems to have more hours in her day than most of us. Somehow one of the hottest trainers in America (according to Shape Magazine) is raising three tiny humans with her husband in Manhattan. “I LOVE being a mom,” she says. “And I spend every second I can with my children.” This is a feat considering that Kristoffer, one of the city’s most popular yoga instructors, also created the CrossFlow yoga app, CrossFlowX™, and Microsoft Bing Fitness Yoga & MSN Yoga. She co-hosts the podcast “Off The Gram” and contributes to multiple wellness publications and platforms. Obviously, this hard-working Manhattan mama has made it her mission to make yoga and happy living accessible to everyone—including her family.

Why follow Heidi Kristoffer? Her eternal energy is infectious—we love to hear about how this powerhouse makes it happen every day.

Instagram | @heidikristoffer

Facebook | @heidikristoffer

Website | heidiyoga.com

What is your favorite thing about NYC?

That everything is always at our fingertips—we want for nothing in this magical city. It is the most convenient place imaginable. As a new mom, and even still, it makes having babies such a community event, and isolation with your newborn is never a thing. It is an incredible gift!

What do you love most about being a parent?

Snuggles and cuddles! Is there anything better?!

What is a typical day for you?

Ha! Is there such a thing?! My kiddos wake up 7am-ish, we have breakfast, get the twins off to school, then I rush off uptown to a (private yoga) client. When I'm done, I race back downtown to do physical therapy with my youngest. After that, I often fit a video, photo, or podcast shoot in, then use as many minutes before my nanny leaves to write all of my posts and respond to all interview inquiries or business calls. That's if I don't have to take one of my three kids to a doctor's appointment. I do my very best to squeeze Yoga and SoulCycle into my week. If I am being honest, I am the target demographic for the app I created, CrossFlow Yoga (moms with no time)! I need to be able to have quality routines at a moment's notice for whatever length of time I have—10 minutes all the way up to 30. So I am on my app, practicing with... myself (lol) almost every single day. I am not a narcissist, I swear (!), but none of my favorite teachers have online content available, and I put videos on my app for every mood, energy level, and time constraint, so I can always find what I need.

What’s the best parenting advice you ever received?

The days are long, but the years are short. Soak in every moment.

How did you get involved in blogging or posting about parenting?

I have been writing and creating yoga content for most major fitness magazines and media since 2010 (and until I had my twins I was also creating vegan recipes for these publications). When I had my children, I made a conscious effort to keep them out of everything I did, thinking I was protecting them. That was really challenging and began to feel very inauthentic. If we don't write or share about what we are going through at any given time, I think it becomes one-dimensional, and people feel that. I slowly started feathering my children and parenting into my content, with my husband's blessing (they are his children too, after all), and things got easier and felt more natural. I share what works for us. I don't pretend to have all of the answers, but I think every time we share something that is working in our situation, it can and will help others in similar situations. So, I share my ups and downs as a mama: on the mat and off, in the kitchen and out.

What do you think is a parent’s hardest job?

Finding balance and staying true to one’s self.

What’s your favorite off-the-beaten-path thing to do or place to visit with your kids?

We love taking our kiddos to Chinatown—to all of the vegan restaurants there—it is so fun, and we can all eat everything. After our meal, we explore the streets, and if the weather is nice enough, we will spend the next 2-3 hours wandering home, stopping anywhere that looks fun or interesting.