Okay. Today’s interview is so inspiring and I know I say this every week but like I’m not even being dramatic. You HAVE to keep reading.
Today is all about how we begin creating a positive ripple effect in our lives. How do we do this? Patience & mindset people. I’ve desperately been working on patience lately. It’s been a major issue for me (still is ngl) – I would start so many projects or get super pumped up about something and then just quit because 3 weeks in I didn’t see my end result. “I ate healthy AND worked out for 8 days in a row and I don’t look like Bella Hadid? She must have gotten surgery” Sound familiar? Thought so.
In today’s interview I’m bringing on Danyelle Opp – the 22 year old South Cal native who is inspiring us all with her online fitness guides (available here) and unique approach of starting with mindset first. One thing I absolutely love about Dany’s interview (besides the pictures of her rockin bod) is how much emphasis she puts on thoughts and mindset. We talk about how damn important it is to realize YOU are the only person in the entire world who can change your life and it all begins with how you talk to yourself. She also chat’s about the importance of discipline and how motivation can only get you so far (sad but true).
Lastly, we get on the topic of thinking long term vs short term. I used to always go for the short term pleasure – food, drinks, saying yes to everything. And yes I preach to live in the moment and I still believe you have to let go of expectations/worries you have about the future but you also can’t completely forget about 10 years down the road and where you want to be. If you can tell me you’re 100% happy with your job, body, health, and relationships then congrats! You have cracked the code to life and also why are you reading this lol. But sadly, like 99% of us can’t agree with this statement, myself included.
The small changes and habits you make today can dramatically change where you are even in 3 short months. Think about 1 year from now? 2? Where do you see yourself? It’s perfectly okay to go MIA to start building a future for yourself, if not who else is going to do it for you? You still have a life if you’re focusing on yourself. It’s about aligning your present choices with your future goals, but also making sure you’re enjoying yourself along the way. I know guys, but if it was easy everyone would be living their dream life. You’re allowed to want more out of life than being average and you shouldn’t have to apologize for this.
Dany says “I’m in a portion of my life right now where my days are jammed packed and I don’t have time to sit around, and I am 100% okay with that. All the grinding now will pay off in as little as six months.” and I couldn’t agree more.
Now enough of my babbling. Let’s get to it.
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How did you realize health & fitness is what you wanted to pursue?
This question is kind of a long one for me to answer. It started out in High School. Like many kids I am sure, I was pondering constantly what I wanted to do for a career in my life. I tried sooooo many things in the last few years- interior design, graphic design, I played with the idea of dental hygienist, getting my business degree, etc. All of which are unrelated to fitness, I know – and none ever stuck. However, fitness has played a side role in my life since I was 15. As a teen, I was kind of an outsider and really did not like the school scene. Fitness completely became an escape for me. It started as something to potentially help me with my insomnia (which, it completely did). Then it became a total mental and physical release for me. I still to this day look forward to my workouts for the peace and clarity they bring me. I hope to show other people this peace that working out brings. In 2017, I had a major surgery and had to overcome some health problems. Thankfully, I am completely healthy now. I am so grateful for this experience as it reignited me in my fitness journey and my love for my own body and health. This is really when I started thinking I could turn this side hobby into a career. I saw all of these girls making livings on social media INSPIRING people to become healthy and fit. If I could make a career out of bettering not only my own body, but also the bodies of others, that would be the ultimate dream. I’m still in college, and finishing up my communications degree in the next 6 months. I still wanted to pursue my degree because it deals with marketing and I think that efficient communication and marketing skills in any profession is a major asset to have. I also plan on getting my CPT certificate after
Once you realized health & fitness was what you wanted to pursue, what was your first step into making your thoughts become reality?
Well, I kind of went about it a round-a-bout way to be honest. People were constantly asking me what I eat and what workouts I do. One day I posted a poll on my private Instagram account asking if I should start a fitness account- overwhelmingly the answer was yes. So I just started it completely as a hobby. However, summer of 2019 I got really into it and it became a passion of mine. I posted every day I possibly could. I was working out 6+ days a week. I was completely grinding, and missed out on the beach quite a bit to pursue this goal (I live in Southern California, so this is what most people do with their summer). I started to connect with so many girls in the fitness and health industry that are making livings online and in person through their fitness journey. I have always wanted to be self employed and work from home, so I decided this is going to be something I give my all and see what comes of it. It is definitely not my sole career yet, as I am still a student. However, this is something I 100% want to do. I want to help others with the knowledge I have gained in fitness and health. I want to help guide people with motivation, and be a role model for an attainable healthy lifestyle (I say attainable, because I want people to know you don’t have to be an extremist about food and fitness in order to be incredibly healthy). I also want to help people develop a love for their body, for I believe when you love your body it is more inclined to work with you and see amazing results from fitness and a healthy lifestyle. Mindset is everything. This is also why in my fitness guides I include mental motivation focuses for each day, to get your mind thinking on the right track.
What were the fears you had to overcome to get you where you are right now?
I would say I still struggle with fears. My first fear was judgement from my friends and family for putting this all out on the internet- but I would say everyone has been for the most part really supportive. Your true loved ones will support you on your healthy journeys- if they don’t I strongly urge you to reconsider having them in your life.
I also believe in the law of attraction. If you are constantly fearing things- you attract those same things you fear back into your life. For this reason, I try to be conscious of my thoughts and focus on the positive and attracting what I want. If you want to learn more about this, I strongly recommend reading the book “The Secret”. This book I read at a really dark place in my personal emotional life, and it changed everything for the better. My romantic relationships, friendships, personal goals, fitness and health goals, and everything else I desired I realized I HAD the power to change, and did so. I still use the secret everyday of my life.
What’s your #1 tip on keeping up a fitness regime with a busy schedule/how do you make time?
First of all, stop saying you don’t have time. I don’t mean you specifically, however this is something I hear over and over again. This is more of the law of attraction in place. If you constantly say you don’t have time, you won’t. If you verbalize you do have time, you will. Once you make fitness a goal of yours and consistently workout and start eating clean nutritions foods, it becomes a habit like brushing your teeth. When you were a kid, you had to be reminded to brush your teeth. Now, you feel weird when you forget (or at least I do). The same thing goes for working out. Now, I feel strange and out of place when I am not on a consistent schedule. I recommend keeping a planner, and scheduling movement 5 times a week. Also know that rest days are so important- so don’t skip out on these. You can even do moving rest days with stretching and yoga to help your body recover. Remember- you do have time, and it takes discipline and also finding workouts you enjoy to stay consistent. You only need at least 30 mins a day to get active (however, I love my hour long workouts). You can even do at home workouts- I have plenty posted on my page HERE to get you started.
What steps do you take to make sure you’re consistent + disciplined?
This kind of goes along with the question about fitness regimens. Use the law of attraction by directing your thoughts that this is what you want and WILL accomplish. You gotta want it and know that you’re bettering yourself. You have one life, take care of this body you’ve been given. Beyond that, try to stay organized. I plan out my weeks every Sunday in a planner that has everything I need to get done, including my workouts, each day. I also know it helps many in the beginning stages to plan out what kind of workouts you’re going to do. As far as weightlifting goes, planning out days for legs, glutes, abs, arms, and back can help you stay organized. I also know it helps to go in with a plan- many people save my workouts on my Instagram and go back to do those workouts in the gym (never underestimate the power of an IG workout lol). You’ve also got to tailor your workouts to your goals. Right now, my goals are core muscles and glutes/legs, so I make sure I am specific about getting in those workouts. I also find that after planning these workouts for a while, you get into a natural rhythm with your body about what muscle group you want to workout. For example, I do not plan out my muscle groups throughout the week anymore for I have a memory bank of what kinds of workouts I want to do and listen to my body. If my legs are feeling sore, I’ll go for an upper body workout. To circle back around to the original question- do not rely on motivation for motivation comes and goes. Stay disciplined and think of this as a responsibility to yourself and your body, and you’ll remain consistent.
How tf do you balance your family, friends, fitness, and have a life?
AHHHH I still struggle with this one. Again, plan that bitch out. I plan everything throughout my week on Sundays- including friends and personal time. Also, something I am getting really comfortable with is letting other things take a backseat in the quest for my goals. True friends and family members that support you will be okay with you taking a little step back (not a complete step) so that you can focus on priorities. Realize its okay to spend your $50 at Sprouts instead of on drinks at a bar. It’s okay that you can’t go out tonight cause you’ve got to get up at 7:30am to get a bunch of stuff done. It’s all part of your life- you are having a life, it is just a life with priorities and goals. I am in a portion of my life right now where my days are jammed packed and I don’t have time to sit around, and I am 100% okay with that. All the grinding now will pay off in as little as six months. All your successes today are most likely from choices you made months ago. It is a ripple effect of making good choices.
I also find that many people like to clog their days with “productive” little tasks. These little tasks are easier to accomplish than your big goals, so it makes you feel productive in the moment. Challenge yourself to let those little tasks slide, and start going for your big goals. Prioritize and balance your life around those big goals, and get comfortable with shifting priorities.
Of course we know that everyones different when it comes to what they eat but what’s your go to meal you can always count on when you’re looking to keep it healthy?
I honestly eat a lot of the same things because I love fast, easy, and delicious food. For breakfast usually oatmeal. I have a free download on my website for a “7 Days of Breakfast” book that has the recipe I use for a nutrient packed bowl of oats. My go to lunch is usually a salad with some form of protein like salmon, tuna, or chickpeas on top and maybe some grilled potatoes. My favourite dinner is red lentil pasta (sold at Trader Joes) with pesto or tomato sauce and grilled veggies as well as sausage (vegan or not) on top. I’ll also sprinkle some nutritional yeast on it too for some Vitamin B12. Protein and carbs are my best friends on my fitness journey right now.
Go to snack?
Smoothie with flax meal, almond milk, frozen spinach, frozen berries, and protein powder. I really like Designer protein powder (sold at Trader Joes).
Who do you always stalk on insta for motivation?
@SarasDay is my ultimate inspiration. I love how she shows an attainable healthy lifestyle, with healthy food ideas as well as workouts and life tips. Also a huge fan of her podcast.
My all time favorite motivational speaker/person is Ed Mylett. He does have an Instagram but I am a huge huge huge fan of his podcasts.
Where can all readers find YOU on social media?
@danyopphealth on IG and healthbydanyelle.com for workout guides, recipes, and my blog! Thanks for having me!
Still in Progress 