The Best Plan is to Not Plan: An Interview with Danny J
Danny J (real name, Danielle Johnson) was born in Walnut Creek, CA (Bay Area) but was pretty much raised in Las Vegas, NV. A lot of people think that’s kind of crazy, since there aren’t many people that actually “grew up” there, but she did, and honestly, she mentioned “when you LIVE in a city like Vegas, a lot of what makes Vegas ‘Vegas’ doesn’t really appeal to you.”
Don’t let her looks fool you, Danny’s got a lot going upstairs. She went to Community College of Southern Nevada and then earned her Bachelor’s in Physical Education at UNLV. She made a “deal” with herself, that if she stayed in Vegas for college, then she would go away for the summers (wait, what? Leave Vegas? Why? Haha). Her first summer in college, Danny spent living in England with a good friend and spent one of the months traveling all around Europe. It was that summer that she made a goal for herself to see 30 countries by the time she was 30. She plans on getting to number 30 this December (going to Thailand, Vietnam, and China).
Right after college graduation, she auditioned to be an acrobat in Sea World San Diego and got the part. So she moved out there and LOVED the whole scene. It was at that time anyone ever MENTIONED competing to her. Danny J was very lean from all our practices and a lot of people asked her if she competed, but that thought was put on hold for a few years. Then something scary and life-changing happened to her. She ended up getting e. coli that hospitalized and paralyzed her for months (she got it from the contaminated water at Sea World). So, she ended up back in Vegas while her family took care of her. Her motor skills slowly came back after time but it was her determination to never give up that sped up her recovery. Danny J eventually started coaching gymnastics and got her personal training certificate. A couple years later she made a decision to give competing a shot. She did some research, hired the best and then Danny was hooked (for a few years).
Getting in Front of the Lens with Danny J
It wasn’t long before the camera lens fell in love with Danny J. Photo after photo the shots kept getting better and better and before she knew it she had photos all over the place. It seemed to happen so fast. She never expected to have this life nor was it ever something she always wanted to do. The funny thing is, growing up, she didn’t have the best self-esteem or self-image and she wouldn’t even ALLOW anyone to take a picture of her for years, let alone actually TRY to look good or pose for one. I guess for the sake of all of us we lucked out that she got over that phase of her life.
Danny J feels very honored to do something now that makes her feel good and that also gives her a platform to be able to address some of those issues that she had that she knew a lot of women have and don’t get to talk about.
Stepping on Stage
On top of the success she found in front of the camera, she did find her way to the stage. Danny J was first a figure competitor and she did rather well. She then qualified nationally from her first show and then did two more after that and placed 3rd then 1st. Danny J started competing nationally and after a few seasons of that she tried out the new division, bikini, for a few shows. She did extremely well and enjoyed the freedom of posing. Now, however, competing has taken a backseat and she doesn’t even really identify herself as a competitor—she considers herself as a spokesmodel even more than a model. She has co-created a brand, The Sweaty Betties, with fellow model Aubrie Richeson-Faxon and that has become her #1 priority.
They really strive to talk with everyone about the importance of exercise and nutrition and making it a part of life rather than the ONLY thing in life, which is what they were starting to feel was in the competition world. Unfortunately, they do see a lot of women (and men) get so obsessed with competing and obtaining a certain physique that they see them lose their friends, spouses and any support they ever had. The Sweaty Betties want to keep the LOVE for the sport and the reason they started in the first place because it made them feel good.
Related Article: Interview with Aubrie Ann Faxon
While Danny J was competing, her training was very “Standard” 5-7 days a week of cardio (usually Stairmill, it’s still her favorite machine) and a 4-day split hitting one to two body parts per week. Now, since she doesn’t have any upcoming deadlines, she likes to mix it up a lot more. She joined CrossFit for a while and definitely created many CrossFit inspired workouts and challenges. She also has added more outdoor hikes, stair runs and jogs to her cardio—she even has done a few Bikram yoga sessions to mix things up a bit. Danny believes the more variety you have, the better.
Obviously, diet can make or break a physique. Danny J admits that her diet is pretty boring. She eats oatmeal and egg whites every day. She has been eating the same thing for about 8 years with about 4 months this year where she skipped oats but started eating them again. Chicken and veggies are her mainstays for at least 2 and up to 4 of her meals each day. She loves fish and will add that in once in a while. Red meat and dairy aren’t her favorite things to eat so she tends to stay away from them. Danny J mentioned she finds herself having cravings more often when she’s been really strict on her diet for a long time or when she is stressed or anxious (which is normal). When she does have cravings, it’s usually for something like a candy bar or chocolate.
Personal Training and Writing
As mentioned early, she isn’t just a smokin hot chick—she’s a smart cookie. She has started up a very successful business that she is very proud of. No Excuses Fitness is her personal training business as well as her online coaching business. Danny’s husband is also a trainer of No Excuses and they have clients in a small private studio in Las Vegas. She also trains/coaches a number of clients from all over such as in Australia, Canada, and of course many states other than NV. One of her most accomplished online clients is Jason Adams, who lost 125 pounds last year—all while living in Ohio.
Being a writer, the next part puts a smile on my face. Danny J loves to write and has kept journals since she was 5 years old. She was the local women’s fitness examiner for Examiner.com and she’s also been a contributing writer for LiveSTRONG.com. Danny J was asked by the editor of Max Sports & Fitness to contribute a workout back in Aug 2009 and since then she’s been published in that magazine around half a dozen times, which is amazing, and she feels honored every time she’s asked to contribute.
Speaking Engagements
Along with all her writing, Danny J has been giving speeches. She doesn’t get to speak as often as she’d like, so in 2012 she would like to work on being able to present more. Speaking is something Danny J has always been very comfortable with and she realized this the first year she applied to become the Bodybuilding.com “Bodyspace Spokesmodel”. In fact, it was there, that she realized she felt much more comfortable being a spokesmodel than just a “picture model.”
It isn’t even that she is a fantastic speaker (though she’s trying), but she taught gymnastics for so many years and her original degree was in teaching as well as her background as a performer that speaking in front of groups is very comfortable. Her last “big” speaking engagement was for a large convention in Vegas where the woman that hired found her doing a search on the internet. Danny J did a PowerPoint presentation to a group of computer programmers about traveling and staying healthy. Then at the same convention, they had a boot camp every morning. The convention was a great success and she had many of the participants emailing her after it was all over. Danny J also speaks at schools 2-3 times a year—from health fairs to career days and anything that she can. Danny mentioned that she has a love for speaking to kids.
What’s Next for Danny J?
Danny J has some cool things coming up in the near future. She and Aubrie (her fellow Sweaty Betty) are traveling to China, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia from Dec 15-31st which will get her to her 30 countries goal. She also has some big news that she is leaving her hometown and her family in Las Vegas and is moving up to Utah in order to put more of her time and effort into her new project. She will move as soon as she gets back from China, which will be Jan 1, 2012.
When asked where she sees herself in 10 years she thought long and hard. Danny J mentioned that it’s a tough one and it seems to always change because if you’d have asked her even one year ago, she wouldn’t even expect to be saying that she’s going to Asia this year leaving Vegas. So, Danny’s plan is to never plan. The adventures in her life are always more exciting than all the plans that she’s ever had. She must say this though; her goals are to make a difference, whether it’s through videos, more writing (possibly have her first book published), speaking, etc. Danny J wants to continue to spread a message of loving life and living in health. Her main goal is to reach as many people as possible and feels like the creation of Sweaty Betties will allow that and she hopes it continues to grow exponentially as it already has.
In closing, I asked Danny J if there were anyone she would like to thank for helping her get to where she is today. Her response was, “Of course, I have all of my bad choices to thank for teaching me the lessons that my stubborn self would have never learned. My amazing husband Nate, I would never even make it out the door in the morning if it weren’t for him making sure I find my shoes, my keys and whatever else I misplace while my mind and ideas race a million miles a minute.
I’d also thank my two BFF’s Aubrie and Matt Faxon, for in such a literally short amount of time, I’ve been able to find two people that I just trust, that get me, and that accept me for me and that have a vision WITH me that maybe no one else gets but us. My mom and dad, because after all we’ve been through, I can say we’re finally friends now. My clients, who I literally feel blessed to work with day after day and seriously they bring me so much joy. Danny Fittro for spotlighting me and making me think I’m interesting enough to interview.
ActivewearUSA because they saw Sweaty Betties at the beginning and were smart enough to snatch us up and they have some badass clothes that we get to rock! And probably a million other people that I’m totally forgetting and I’m sorry.”
*I conducted this interview with Danny J on behalf of FitTreasures Magazine who has now gone out of business. The interview and title image was approved for use through its original use on the FitTreasure Magazine website.*
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