Denise and I met under extreme New York City fitness circumstances. We had both been invited to participate in a (secret) workout at a trendy downtown fitness studio. This event was to take place at 9 pm (which is basically the middle of the night when it comes to working out) on a Friday night. We knew it was going to be super challenging given the host and the location, let’s just say sprints, box jumps and sleds were an everyday affair at this place. I remember being nervous for days before.
When we showed up, there were weighted vests waiting for us. You know, just to set the mood. Mood = make sure you put down two emergency contacts, not just one. That is where I met Denise, putting on a weighted vest in a dimly lit fitness studio is the “middle of the night”, about to have one of the most unforgettable, gruesome workouts in life. I honestly can not remember much past the first five minutes of that class, but luckily we’ve gotten to spend some more relaxed time together since then!
Denise is an inspirational, joyous, vibrant, badass trainer and super fit human who has carved out a niche for herself in the city. I am so glad she took some time to share some of her wisdom. I hope you enjoy and follow her journey.
What is your philosophy around health and wellness?
I resolve to move in some way every day. Doesn't have to be a hard core workout (which I love from time to time) - it could be as simple as walking to do my errands, doing a 30 min stretching session, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator but...in some way EVERY day I resolve to move. I also entered perimenopause a year ago and for some the symptoms are mild and sometimes pass quickly and for some it's an explosion of many things - hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, low energy, heavy periods, joint pains, etc, etc. etc I happen to fall in that later category and now more than ever I'm finding that exercise helps relieve stress and it enhances my overall quality of life.
Are you working towards any fitness goals at the moment? What guides your goal setting?
For me it's all about maintaining a good quality of life - I want to be able to move with ease for as long as I can so...not to sound like a broken record but my goal at the moment (and for life) is what I said above...I resolve to move in some way every day. I see how movement enhances EVERY part of my life so the goal is to continue to move. On a weekly basis in my journal I write out my workout plan. My schedule is busy sometimes so it's also important for me to not be hard on myself if what I planned doesn't happen - again in some way every day - so in that case I opt for a walk, pilates, stretching, etc
What do you tell your clients (and yourself) when discouragement seeps in?
That's a tough one when it comes to clients because discouragement comes in many forms. I tell them to be patient with themselves, be kind with themselves and that's when I share my philosophy with them and let them know that some movement (again it doesn't have to be a hard core workout) is better than no movement, do the best you can do and set aside the need for perfection - some days our energy won't be 100% but making an effort to move in some way is huge. I do the same for myself.
Vibrancy is a beautiful and rare gift that you exude! How do you achieve and maintain this gorgeous level of vibrancy?!
Movement plays a HUGE part in maintaining my vibrancy. I love, love, love moving and when I do that's when I feel my most vibrant (especially if dancing is involved). I also try to surround myself with goodness every chance I get.
What are your wellness essentials?
EVERY morning to make sure I start my day right I read my daily devotional. I can't say I do this every day but almost every day I write in my journal - write out something that resonated with me from the devotional, give thanks, and then brain dump. A jump rope is also ALWAYS in my bag!
How do you fuel your creativity?
For me the fuel can come from the simplest thing - taking a walk or just sitting with self. But also surrounding myself with other creative people, music, movies, museums