Anyone who’s ever met Danae will tell you that she’s an energizer bunny! Up before the sun, gets her work done before most people wake up, takes care of her daughter, and makes time for herself at the gym. When she came looking for nutrition help, I was ecstatic to help her out.

She was already very lean, so her goal was to stay lean but to get stronger. I told her it would be a long journey. I’ve been coaching her for 3 months, and the results are very visible. By increasing her caloric intake with a specific ratio of carbs to fats to proteins, she actually lost weight that her body was holding onto as she was unknowingly underrating for her activity level.

When you chronically under eat, your body tends to hold onto fat. It is in a state of constant stress as it’s trying to support not only the everyday functions of the body, but also the physical activity. It is no wonder that when people try to cut calories on their own they have a tough time losing fat. I’m talking about pure body fat, not water weight or muscle loss.

By adding in more food to her diet, we were able to cut down her caffeine intake and improve her sleep quality. She was feeling energetic from the extra food. Her strength went up, performance at the gym, recovery times, and general wellbeing.

She has learned valuable information that she can apply to her life nutrition going forward.

Remember, there are no shortcuts in getting the body you want. You can go on juice cleanses and detoxes, seaweed wraps, or plain out fasting, but that is temporary weigh loss. You need to change the way you eat DAILY, you need to build good habits, you need to understand what types of foods your body requires. This is a lifestyle change, not a quick weight loss scheme that will only to harm to your body.

Danae has built up some great habits, and I know she will be successful on her own going forward.

What was your experience like working with Coach Stacey on your nutrition?  What did you learn?     

I can’t express enough how eye opening this was for me.  I learned a whole new relationship with food, not one of avoidance but of understanding, viewing it as fuel for training and feeling good overall.  I trusted her completely, when it got hard she told me the things I needed to know, not as an empty pep talk but true information that made me know I was on the right path.

How training at CrossFit 201 impacted your fitness physically, mentally, and emotionally?

    Doing the workouts, following the programming, getting to train alongside these amazing athletes helps me celebrate the small successes while always striving for more.  I have learned to trust in myself and my capabilities and to welcome being tested instead of running from it.

How has your training at CrossFit 201 enhanced the quality of your life outside of the gym?   

I have seen a decrease in my stress level, an increase in my energy, focus, and in my confidence in myself enough to try new things.

What can you now do that you couldn’t do when you first started?   

There are plenty of milestones along the way (double unders, legless rope climbs, bar muscle ups, handstand pushups).  The reality is at 39 years old I can look back at my 20 year old self and know none of this would have even seemed possible to me then.  That is the best gift, the knowing I am working toward a better me every day.

Can you share a little bit of your story and how fitness became a part of your life? What motivated you to start and what keeps you coming back?   

I have always enjoyed fitness, but after having my daughter I lost a lot of weight too fast and then put more than that back on.  I wanted to reclaim the old me.  Now I don’t want that, what keeps me coming back is the me I haven’t yet become.  But I have my eye on her 🙂

What pieces of inspiration can you share with other people to inspire them to make a positive change in their lives?

    I will never say this journey has been easy, but it has been worth it every day, fun, exciting, and challenging.  I feel like I found a part of me I didn’t know was there.  We are worth the fight, the struggle, the time to put into ourselves when most of our time is doing things for others (work, family, etc.)  Don’t let others make you feel guilty for making yourself a priority, you can only be good to others if you take care of yourself first.  There will be questions and judgment, no question, but know why you are doing it, remember that everyone gets to make their choice.  Own yours and be frigging proud of yourself!