July Featured Bootique Client – Danielle
Congratulations Miss July!
We are proud to announce Danielle as our Featured Bootique Client!
This month’s feature is even more dear to me as I just had the honor of attending her wedding last month. She made a beautiful and radiant bride!
Danielle’s incredible energy was evident when she started Bootique but even so, she has blossomed before our eyes! Her 50 lb weight loss is wonderful, but that’s not what makes me the most proud of her. It’s her confidence and leadership as she takes on the front of our Dance Fitness Party classes! It makes me so happy to see her shine! (especially when she’s saving me from making my own choreography mistakes (again! 🙂 )
A true part of our Bootique family, Danielle has joined us on many Bootique get-together’s. She’s brought Maile and Lex into our family too (love them!). More importantly, she gave Bootique’ers the honor of celebrating her special day! It was beautiful!
She’s quick to make new Bootique’ers feel welcome – we appreciate that! Read on to see more of why Danielle is our featured client!
What would you like our community to know about you?
I grew up in Orange County, CA, just about halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego, though I’ve lived in SD since I came down for college in 2006. I’m the oldest of three girls; my middle sister is in college in Camarillo, and my parents and youngest sister still live in my childhood home. We’re all very close, and see each other regularly.
We grew up with an adventure/exploration-focused mentality, taking annual vacations out of state and camping locally at every opportunity. As a result, I’m a true nature enthusiast. I love being outside, and spend any time I can hiking, camping, kayaking, and snorkeling. I’m tackling backpacking in a couple weeks, and I hope to take on the Pacific Crest Trail at some point in the near-ish future. I’m so dedicated to the theme, in fact, that I got married a couple weeks ago on a hiking trail in Kings Canyon National Park. Fortunately, my new husband shares the same sense of adventure, so he didn’t mind.
When I’m not elbows-deep in the outdoors, I work in Learning and Development, developing and implementing training for a workers’ compensation company. I enjoy meeting new people and I’ve found that I’m fairly adept at teaching, so it’s been a good fit. I’m also an avid baker, and I enjoy tinkering with new treat recipes regularly.
Tell us an interesting or unusual fact about yourself.
When/if I have down time, I like doing old-lady crafts. I’ve been cross-stitching since I was 7, and I also knit. It came out of needing time-intensive projects when I was younger, since all of my family vacations were taken by car. (The furthest distance was from CA to FL, which I’ve done a few times.)
How about sharing one of your guilty pleasure?
Supernatural, it’s this cheesy sci-fi tv drama featuring these gorgeous me–oh, you mean food? Whipped cream and Swiss chocolate.
How long have you been training with Bootique Fitness?
I’m coming up on my 1 year anniversary July 15, which I find shocking. Time really does fly when you’re having fun!
What was your life like before Bootique Fitness? How is that different now that you train with Bootique?
Ugh, I was a blob. Kidding, but really–I’d get into these phases where I’d really want to get healthy, but I struggled with keeping a regular workout routine. I had the access, but I kept finding excuses to avoid the exercise. That, plus a sub-par diet, and I was perpetually out of shape and frustrated about it.
Something finally clicked with me and I realized I needed that extra push to get healthy, which is where Bootique came in. Checking in for classes keeps me accountable, and I enjoy being challenged in every class. As a result, on top of losing inches (and weight), I’m much stronger now and more confident in myself.
What results have you seen since coming to Bootique Fitness? How do your results make you feel?
Well, I’m about 50 lbs lighter, which feels phenomenal. I’ve developed muscle definition, and I have much more energy throughout the day. My posture, balance, and flexibility has also improved.
Tell me about your experience with the trainers.
Bootique’s trainers are all absolutely wonderful. They set challenging, but do-able, exercises, and it’s always something different in every class. I also really like how they’re quick to provide modifications to accommodate old injuries and/or ability. Plus, they’re all just plain fun to be around.
What is your favorite/least favorite exercise?
Burpees. I love and hate them simultaneously. They provide an awesome, full-body workout (which also means they can be really tiring). Other than that, I’ve found that I generally love dance and yoga.
What do you enjoy the most about Bootique Fitness?
I love the sense of community. We’re this whole network of ladies that are all here with compatible goals; we celebrate each others’ successes and support each other through rougher times.
What would you say to someone on the fence about making a change & committing to their goals?
Have you ever regretted working out? Despite the soreness involved, there’s a sense of accomplishment and pride that goes along with it. The same goes for committing to your goals. It’s going to be difficult at first–all great things require effort–but it’s so worth it.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
One of my favorite quotes is, “A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.” There are many similar sayings out there, but this one speaks to me: small changes, if repeated over the course of time, can have huge impacts long-term.
