Post Wake Forest graduation with a degree in Exercise Science, coach Dani Monroe came to GRIT BOX Fitness in 2015. Since then, she has started coaching bootcamp, kickboxing, and rocksteady classes. Coach Dani makes it a point to know each and every member who walks through the door–she’s truly the life of the front desk party.
As most of our members know–everyone starts somewhere. As new members join the gym, each and every one has goals in mind. Whether that’s performance or weightless, each goal depends on a healthy to succeed. This brings in all of the questions concerning diet. AKA the hardest part of shifting into a healthier lifestyle. Considering the fact that there’s about 1,000 mind-blowing new diets spiraling around the media right now, causing your head to spin every time you do a little online research. This makes it almost impossible to decipher which diets actually work. What’s real and what’s fake?
This conversation goes a little like: Paleo? Cut the carbs? Add more carbs? What about that new intermittent fasting thing? And of course, Dani’s most received question, “What exactly do you eat in a day?”
Dani’s day usually starts at 6:15 AM and doesn’t end until sometimes around 8 o’clock that night––yes, she is indeed the definition of energizer bunny.
Energizer Bunnies need some serious fuel. So how does she stay energized and ready to coach all day long? It’s not just coffee that keeps her going, Dani believes in fueling herself with wholesome nutrition derived from veggies and lean protein.
Her day goes a little something like this:
6:15 AM
Most mornings start out with Dani coaching a bright and early 6:15 AM class. Before this she usually fuels herself with something light, such as a banana to get her through the early morning.
8:00 AM
After she’s done coaching and conversing with her favorite members, Dani makes herself a smoothie at the FIT Bar. Her AM shake is made up of: coffee iced cubes (a genius idea to add a little extra energy to your morning shake), blueberry & raspberry blend, chia or flax seeds, organic protein, and spinach.
12:00 PM
Around lunch time, Coach Dani usually eats a bowl chalked full of whole food goodness. Her favorite lunch consists of a little bit of rotisserie chicken, veggies (usually spinach), sweet potato, avocado, and tomato. Simple, yet effective as this meal gives her the energy to push through that mid-day slump.
4:00 PM
Dani’s favorite time of day: SNACK TIME. Her favorite thing to snack on (even all day long) are peanut butter and rice cakes. She may or may not survive off of these. When she needs a little extra kick, this little pairing is her all-time-favorite go to.
8:00 PM
Dinner comes along right when Coach Dani gets off work. She usually throws together whatever she has in the fridge––of course whatever she chooses to sauté together is always Chinese inspired, as she’s the stir-fry queen ’round these parts.
10:00 PM
This time of night is when we all can get into a bit of trouble. We’ve all had those nights where just a few bites of Ben & Jerry’s turns into an entire pint––no shame, it happens to the best of us. Dani keeps fresh berries in her fridge to snack on when hunger strikes late night. Her favorite antioxidant filled berries are strawberries and blueberries.
Of course, it’s important to keep in mind that everyone’s body functions entirely different therefore, everyone’s diet should be tweaked accordingly. As you can see, Coach Dani believes in a diet full of lean protein, fruits, and veggies (& rice cakes). If you have questions regarding your diet, the coaches at GRIT BOX are more than happy to help guide you on the right path.