Forward Motion

2020 changed our way of living life, our jobs, routines, the way we interact with other humans and unfortunately, many of us lost those whom we love due to this pandemic. My life as I knew it changed dramatically. I sold my house, left a long term relationship, saw my business morph into something entirely different, watched as gyms closed and classes disappeared. It was chaotic, crazy and somewhat unbelievable. During the chaos I took time to refocus and live for myself, by myself, during a pandemic, protests and global unrest. It wasn’t an easy year, for anyone. With 2020 almost over I step into this next one humbled.

2020 can be summed up simply by two words, “Letting Go”.

Nothing about 2020 was normal.

Major change is overwhelming and freeing. Sometimes I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to share, or how, or with whom. I wasn’t sure how to proceed and I felt lots of self-doubt. I was doubtful if gym’s would reopen again and wondered how the future would be for all of us fitness folks. I worked with the clients via Zoom rooms and in person if they were up to it. Nothing was the same and I knew everything was changing.  I knew I wanted to travel but I couldn’t. I wanted to get back to making art, get back into the gym for myself, I wanted to write, I wanted to be back teaching to groups in person, I wanted to just go to store and not have it be a three hour ordeal. I wanted to do a lot of things but life was on pause. Over the months I came to realize that fitness is NOT all that I am and that I had to take care of myself the same way I tell my clients. I give good advice and I take good care of people. I realized in 2020 its in my best interest to follow my own good advice.

Time away from the gym and clients gave me a renewed perspective. It’s given me insight into how I want to move forward. I don’t know what the future holds for me, this country or the world. Living with uncertainty is  human experience and change is the only thing we can count on. I’m looking forward to another year to begin again and I’m GRATEFUL for my health. I’m proud of myself for overcoming a difficult time of challenges and for landing myself in a new place with new people and new beginnings. I’ve had the happiest holiday season in six years even though Covid made it weird. I’ve found new friends, renewed passions, and peace. You can’t put a price on peace of mind and ANYTHING that interferes with peace is worth examining. Life is short, there’s no reason to settle. Be honest with yourself and others and work toward finding peace and joy in your life.

I know from experience that everything can and will work itself in time. I started my business Fit Body Integration (Body By Dani) on the premise that living a good life isn’t just about being in the gym and looking good; it’s about feeling good IN your body and IN your life. It’s about mental health, physical health, spiritual health and how all of those things need to be in balance in order to feel and look your best. I’ve had some intense periods of unbalance in my life and I can say that as I step across the threshold into 2021 I’m feeling momentum, change and hope for the future. I feel like I have come full circle and that the best is yet to come! Change doesn’t happen overnight and sometimes you don’t know exactly where to start. However, if there’s one thing this pandemic has given me is the opportunity to move forward.

I hope a balanced life finds you well into the New Year and beyond!
Peace and Love to all the lovers out there 🙂

When is the time right

Today I wanted to address the idea of accountability. I’m known for teaching motivational classes where you are going to work hard and sweat but when it comes to a session I want to leave people with something to think about and take away more than just perspiration.

My thoughts today center around our will (ideas) vs. our work (actions). This mantra or simple statement is a call to question “Am I putting in the work for what I will (my ideas) in my mind. We all have thoughts about what we will do. I will go to the gym… I will quit smoking/drinking, I will be kinder to myself and others, I will take better care of myself, etc. The question is what are you doing to work towards what you will… What steps are you taking today?

How are you holding yourself accountable? With this post I want to bring attention to the fact that we can’t just pay lip service to our goals. We can say we want change, but change takes effort, it takes energy, it takes WORK. Anything worth having is worth WORKING for. Don’t forget that!

— Dani

Working with an Injury

I’ve been a group fitness instructor, personal trainer, dancer and athlete for over ten years. I’ve suffered my fair share of injuries. Its never easy to lose mobility or to stop moving. When you love to move, the idea is that you will always be able to.  Injury and immobility are frustrating.

Two weeks ago while teaching my indoor cycling class I felt a pop in my left hip. Immediately I knew something bad happened but I had a full room of 40 people so I kept on teaching. I went home and applied ice, laid back and took an Aleve. I stretched, foam rolled, and then kept teaching as normal until about five days later I was in pain just from walking. My body was sending me the signal, “hey you, slow down and pay attention!” 

Intuitively I knew that something serious going on. I went to my chiropractor, started PT shortly after and I’m still going for treatment. I’ve had to modify the way I teach my classes for the time being. During training sessions there are some exercises that I can’t demonstrate without pain. My clients have been so supportive. I’m the one who is frustrated, and ready to be back to normal!

Working through injury is what I want to address because at some point ALL OF US will suffer from one, or another health issue that may keep us from doing what we love at the capacity we are used to doing it.

What I have learned over my time in the fitness industry is that we MUST MAKE TIME FOR OURSELVES. Giving back to yourself is the ONLY way you can continue to give to others. For those of us who make a living helping others, balance is key. If you can’t create balance for yourself, the UNIVERSE will create that balance for you. Your body will create balance for you. Injury, illness, fatigue, stress are not things we can avoid forever. If we push and grind ALL the time and create NO SPACE for mental health, relaxation, rest, meditation or inner work (or if we get away from these practices), eventually our body will talk to us.

Pull back and slow down when you encounter an injury. Pushing through pain will never help the healing process. Modification, rest, therapy and patience is where your mindset needs to be. Learn to work WITH your injury rather than fight it. Use the set back to learn about your body, and yourself. Learn to breathe, create space and find new options to train your body back to optimum health. The reality is that nothing is permanent. Injury doesn’t last forever, good health doesn’t either. How you work through the flux makes all the difference. Some injuries are permanent and they require a lot more focus and determination to get through- I’ll be addressing that in a later post. For now, stay positive out there and listen to your body!

Peace,

Dani

A Cycling Class that Delivers- Prime Cycle Hoboken

This past weekend Prime Cycle hosted an outdoor block party on the Hoboken waterfront. It was an awesome day of music, exercise, inspiration and plenty of good vibes!  If you haven’t been into class with me yet, and need an inspiring, fun and motivational boost to your cardio routine I HIGHLY recommend trying a class out!  Prime Cycle studio is located in Hoboken next to Path at 70 Hudson Street. This makes it convenient to reach from New York City, Newark and Jersey City. I teach Mon 6:30 &7:30p Wed 5:30& 6:30p  First time riders are complementary on Wednesday 5:30P Visit http://www.primecycle.com to schedule a ride in one of my classes!

Hey guys ! The push -up is an exercise you can do anywhere, any time. There are literally, no excuses. You can do these moves in a small space, gym, outdoors or at the beach! Check out the video below for variations on the basic push-up and take your workout to the next level ! Any questions, ask!

Watch Celeste ?try to mess me up ? Here's more #pushupchallenge #variations that focus a bit more on #balance and #flexibility ???????? Remember to watch your form, modify when you need to and don't hurt yourself???? Break it down into sets, complete 100 reps. You have 24 hours to #makeithappen… #GO +Downdog pushup +Side leg sweep pushup +Squat hold pushup +4 point pushup +One arm pushup • • • • • #fitnessmotivation #fitnessanywhere #coredeforce #catsofinsta #trainertips #personaltrainer #inhometraining #dothework #healthyhabits #strength #persistence #gains #summerbodyready #inspiration #motivation #thecat #bodyweighttraining #fierce45 #goodvibes #bonuscat ? Fitness fashion by @onzie ??

A post shared by Daniela (DANI) (@body_bydani) on May 15, 2017 at 9:55pm PDT

Five Tips to Keep You Present and Positive

Be PROACTIVE not REACTIVE.
Proper planning prevents poor performance. That was my Mother’s favorite saying.
Prioritize.

We’ve all heard the above advice countless times, but do we always listen to the clichés and sayings we’ve grown up hearing our whole lives?

Waiting until the last minute to make a move, or a decision rarely works out well. If you want to maximize your results in the gym, or in life, it pays off to be proactive and have a plan. Believe me, I’m all for spontaneity and improvisation. I often have to think fast when I am with my clients and make adjustments to workouts on the spur of the moment. However, I always come with a plan. Many of my classes have improvisational elements to them, I constantly have to adjust to the energy and level of fitness of the group I am working with on any given day, but I always have a plan of what my workout will be like ahead of time.

Here are my five tips for maximizing your time and staying ahead of the game, in life an in the gym.

1) Look around.
Take notice of what is going on around you. What do you want? Ask yourself questions, and take time to wait for answers to come to you. From there, develop your mindset to match your goal. You need to align you mind with you body. Your actions are like your posture, the more neutral and less tense you remain, the easier things flow.

2)Vibe.
Look on the bright side. Gaze up at the sky. Step forward and keep your eyes open. Get your head out of your phone, computer, social media and EXPERIENCE the world around you in real time. Don’t wait for vacation to take a picture of the sunset, or for a funeral to be grateful for someones presence. Don’t wait for a diagnosis to be happy with your health. NOTHING IS PROMISED. Wake up and be present in the moment you have.

3)Prepare.
As a fitness instructor in the industry over 10 years I’ve learned and seen a lot. In order to be on top of your game you have to come prepared. Prepare for what you are going to do. I don’t care if you are a yoga instructor or a fashion designer, if you have a project due or a class to teach- PREPARE FOR IT. Know what you want your message to be, what you want to impart to others and how you want to come across.

4)Listen.
If someone with experience, knowledge and competence offers you advice. LISTEN to it. If you start your relationships in life with trust and respect there should never be a reason to not listen. Listening is the key to success, in my humble option.

5) Pause.
Think before you act. We’ve ALL been there; speaking or acting before we’ve clearly thought something through. When coupled with frustration, fear, or anger, impulsive decisions fail on a grand scale. Many of us are not even in touch with our emotions so we tend to react before thinking. Road rage anyone? It happens to the best of us! In the heat of a moment take a step back and before you make the impulsive move, take a breath. Ask yourself: Is this really worth it? Will this matter in five years? How will this effect me in the long run?  A moment of pause can make a huge difference in the course of your life.

We can’t be perfect but we can be better. Take a breath, a few seconds, regroup, re-process and then make you’re moves and decisions. Stay in the moment and hell, if you’re super frustrated: Stop drop and do some burpees! 

????

Dani

FIND YOUR FIERCE

MY 6 tips for Finding your FIERCE again or locating it for the first time 🙂

1)MIND OVER MATTER. Get into the right mindset because being FIT and FIERCE starts upstairs, in your brain. What we think about we bring about! Keep those good vibes and positive flowing and if you cant generate them on your own, find a studio where you can get your group fitness on and be in the company of others who are looking to vibe on a higher level.
2)Music IS the ANSWER. Seriously folks. Turn up the volume to your favorite tunes and vibe out to your favorite jams. Music is a mood lifter! Tune in on your favorite instructors playlists (you can follow me here https://open.spotify.com/user/1214798123) or follow your favorite artists for inspiration. Better yet, make your own playlist for your next workout and turn up the intensity for yourself! 🙂
3)NO FEAR, NO FAIL… If you haven’t been in the studio , gym or at your practice lately its  ?OK. Return with a beginners mind and give yourself a break. While you’re getting back into your routine focus on posture, form and using your breath with your movements. Get back to the basics and take the pressure off yourself. There’s never anything wrong with beginning again, think of it as an opportunity to reunite and unify your body, mind and spirit.
4)BOOK A CLASS If you’re having trouble getting off your A$$ my best advice is to a group class in your local area ASAP. You will not only have someone to motivate you, you will also find others who are there for the same reason, and make connections. Its a win-win situation!
5)HIRE A PROFESSIONAL. Let someone else take over, seriously. Find a fitness pro in your area who is certified, recommended and experienced who can program design for you. All you need to do is show up and LISTEN. The best way to learn how to exercise and execute movements correctly is from someone who has the experience and knowledge to show you how. Put down the magazines, stop obsessing over fads or listening to friends who claim to know it all. Get together with a professional who can tailor a program to meet your individual needs and cut the fat!
6)DIG a LITTLE DEEPER. Seriously. Nothing is worse than being the roadblock to your own success. Sometimes we don’t even realize that we are our own problem. Take a step back and break away- from the news, from family, friends, social media, everyone’s opinions and ask yourself what it is that YOU want the MOST. Create a list of goals and post it where you can see it every day. Then commit to working on those goals daily. Remember the idea here is to create momentum and forward motion!

Well HELLO 2017 !

Happy New Year EVERYONE!!! As a fitness professional I suppose my first focus should be on exercise, diet, New Years resolutions.. However this year, is different. With all that has transpired in the last few months around the recent election and all the emotions swirling I feel that my focus shifting inward. One of the things I say to clients and if you’ve ever trained or taken class with me you already know is; “Working out is nothing more than working within.”
I’m calling upon that phrase as we kick off this year to encourage all of us to dig a little deeper. Lets be a little more mindful of our bodies, of our stress levels, of what we allow to lift us higher and also what effects us negatively. One of my steadfast rules to working out has and continues to be, “no negativity in the workout”. That being said, my own personal goal this year is to stay engaged politically as a female but not be consumed with worry, frustration or anger. My goal for my clients is for you all to commit to a solid workout program and FOCUS within. Consciously connecting to what our bodies do and how we FEEL during the day makes a huge impact because it keeps you aware IN the moment. Take the five extra seconds and really focus on that extra rep in the gym, or that extra few seconds holding a sprint during a cycling class, and use your mental capacity to turn your thoughts into a positive rather than a negative.
I work out six days a week, and no matter how I feel I am in session with clients or on a bike instructing a room full of people. REGARDLESS of what has happened to ME during the day, I put my worries, fears, frustrations, joy, pain, into the workout! I USE what is happening within my life to work(out) my life.

We all have the capacity to SHIFT our energy and make choices that will either result in a positive or negative experience. Its all about mindset and aligning yourself in the direction of your desire. Set a goal, set an intention and go after it. Focus on that goal fully, feel the energy of your full capacity to MOVE, be grateful for every chance you get to use your body fully (some people don’t have that luxury) and commit fully in the moment.
Show up in class, be in the gym, mind your diet, meal prep, do what YOU need to do that will help YOU. Here are my five tips on how to reset and bring the focus back :

1)LOG OFF. Get off social media. Instead of posting every gym selfie and hashtag under the sun FOCUS on your workout, how you feel and what your body is doing. The time you take posting, applying filters and finding the right angle could be better used into program design. Book a session with me, and I’ll show you what I really mean about optimizing time 😉

2) After you log off, DON’T LOOK BACK. Give yourself a set amount of time where you will commit to the basics and grind on your workouts. Go forward, and don’t beat yourself up over things in the past that you can’t change. Work with me or your own trainer to set up a plan for yourself. One week, one month, six weeks of a solid commitment to being in a workout routine. Know what your goal is, map it out and execute!

3)SHOW UP. With the exception of being ill or an emergency, show up to your workout. Show up for yourself. Instead of a resolution, make a commitment and stick to it. Do not over commit. Start small, and go forward from there.

4) Ditch the negative. If there’s anyone or anything in your life that is deterring from your progress, listen to it less. I can’t make the blanket statement to just ignore it because some of us have to help those who do not hold our values. However, we can filter, re-frame and move forward. My idea here is for you to FIND YOUR FIERCE and move in the direction of your desire.

5) DO YOU. Seriously. Mind your business this year. Try not to compare yourself to anyone but yourself. Strive to BE your BEST and grab your personal gains on your own time. Comparing yourself to anyone else is never a good idea. Keep it simple, enjoy your process and give yourself the chance to allow change to happen.

Peace & Love,

Dani

Summer’s Over, It’s Horrible!

Or is it? I’m not one to look forward to shorter days, colder temperatures and gloomy grey skies. I like the heat, sun and would wear a bikini everywhere I could if possible. But lets get real, I live in NJ not LA so the reality is we have a change of seasons and guess what? Change is good! Just like I change up my clients workout programs to keep them in the mode of progress I look at the change of seasons similarly. Here are my five tips for my fellow beach bums to get through the changes and stay happy and healthy!

1) Supplement with Vitamin D, it’s a well known fact that many people in our region of the country are Vitamin D deficient due to lack of exposure to sun. Shorter days can bring on mood changes and whats know as SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder, a condition that causes depression and lethargy that coincides with lack of sunlight. Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin and acts as a hormone in the body and is responsible for keeping your mood stable, provides energy and creates systemic balance. Be sure to check your Vitamin D levels first OR you can stock your fridge with cruciferous greens that contain bioavilable Vitamin D! Just be sure not to over cook them! Broccoli, Spinach, Kale, Bok Choy and Swiss Chard are some of my favorites! Get them at your local farmers market or choose them at your foodstore when they are first delivered for maximum freshness, be sure to eat them within two days of purchase to ensure you maximize nutrient availability!

2) Get outside during the day. Look, I know the joy of sleeping in and I love to any chance I get, however, when the days get shorter I make certain to set an alarm and get outside during the day especially when I’m not working. Its easy to fall into what I call “VampLife” once the sun starts setting early. I’m not and never have been an early riser so I can tell you that waking up late in the fall and then having only a few hours of sunshine is maddening. Open your blinds in the house, let the light in, get your booty out of bed even if you’re tired and get outside. Go for a walk, go get coffee, go to the park and sit on a bench, keep rocking your outdoor workouts! I know my early risers won’t have a problem with that , this tip is geared toward those of you who are more like me 😉

3) Seasons change and so do we. Seasons changing can be a great time to clear your spirit, clean out your closets, release negative energy , let go of whats not working in our lives and reboot the system. It may sound cliche but just like we take out the trash on a regular basis we also need to take out our own mental garbage and clutter. If you don’t have mental space and clarity of mind I can tell you that you’re less like to succeed on a fitness program or reach peak performance in any endeavor. IT ALL STARTS UPSTAIRS. Fitness and success start with what you believe because as humans we ACT in the direction of our belief systems. If you’re bummed out about not being able to spend the weekend at the beach try this; Take an area of your life thats a bit unorganized and devote at set amount of time to organizing it. Watch the way you feel before and then after you complete your task. I know when I attend to the things in my life that I’ve been procrastinating about getting done I feel an instant surge of energy and accomplishment!

4) Shift your energy. Instead of being sad, get glad! Life is short and sometimes we just need to get a grip! We can think about what we can’t do , don’t have or what used to be and get stuck in the past OR we can embrace change and move forward! Change of seasons means that there are new events and activities to try, holidays to get excited for, trips to plan and goals to get! The idea here is to never forget you have options and to avoid the mindset of lack, impatience and complaint. Are we perfect? Hell no. Do we always get it right? No. But to get moving in a more positive direction, if you feel yourself going to the dark side, SHIFT gear into the lighter side of any given situation. not always easy but ultimately it’s your choice that makes the difference and creates the shift.

5) Get centered. Dissatisfaction is a signal that we need to address something (often within ourselves). If we are uncomfortable with change, if the seasonal shift bums your mood, or you just feel down around the holidays, its time to take note. Literally take notes! Grab a pen and some paper and find some time for yourself, by yourself . Make a list of what you’re feeling and see what comes up for you. Self-reflection goes a long way. Change starts within and is inevitable, not always easy to embrace and not as simple as putting on a sweater however, it ALWAYS worth the effort if we take the time to NOTICE whats happening inside us and act consciously in words, thoughts and actions.