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Spotlight on NPC Figure Competitor: Danielle Lenardo
Category you compete in: Figure
DOB: 5/15/72
Hometown: Bayonne, NJ
Career: Public School teacher/ Les Mills Master Trainer/ Group Fitness Instructor
Competition History:
NPC South Jersey Championship July 13, 2013
Took first place in Novice, Open, Masters, and Overall. Earned my status as a Nationally Qualified Athlete/Competitor
2013 NGA New Jersey Bodybuilding, Physique, Figure, & Bikini Championships October 12, 2013 Took first place in Open, Masters, and Overall. Earned my NGA Pro Card.
Next Competition: 2014 NPC Atlantic States, Tribeca, NY
How has your life changed since you adopted this lifestyle and started competing?
I have always had a compet
itive edge, which started with cheerleading when I was young. But, Figure competing has lit a new spark in me and has allowed me to take my passion for fitness to a whole other level. I love the focus, discipline, and hard work it takes to transform my body into what I like to think of as a work of art, a physique that is worthy of standing on stage!
What have you found to be the best way to balance family, friends, career, and this lifestyle, etc...
This is a great question for me because I am still trying to figure it out! It is certainly not an easy task but I am learning as I go. One thing I have learned, however, is that there is no room for negative people in my life. The people that do not understand or at least respect the importance of fitness and competing in my life, and the ones who try to bring me down, are people that I choose to not surround myself with. The important people in my life, the ones that truly love me, believe in me and my dreams! Those are the people I keep close to my heart and within my inner circle. I am blessed to have an amazing support system in my family, especially my husband!
If you could change places with one competitor for the day, who would it be and why?
I would change places with Erin Stern because she is super strong both mentally and physically and she looks amazing! I admire her strength and work ethic! And of course, the fact that she is a Figure Olympia Champion is quite appealing to me!
Name two of the most inspirational people in your life and tell why they inspire you.
The first person who comes to mind is a friend of mine who passed away from breast cancer 10 years ago. She was very young, too young to be taken by this horrible disease. She was one of the first young woman I met when I was first diagnosed at the age of 29. She was strong, smart, beautiful and passionate about raising awareness about breast cancer in young w
oman. She helped me put my diagnosis into perspective and channel my fears into something constructive by introducing me to the Young Survival Coalition. She helped me get involved with advocacy and awareness. She left behind a legacy of young woman who will forever be indebted to her for her kindness, wisdom, and guidance in fighting this disease.
The second person that inspires me is not so much a "person", but a group of people. They are the members of 24 Hour Fitness Soho, the gym that I teach group fitness at. Every Monday and Wednesday night they come to my classes and give me their blood, sweat, and tears! They push themselves beyond their limits and give 100%. Their energy is what gets me through teaching back to back classes after working all day! I love what I do and sharing my passion for fitness with them is a privlage!
Tell one recipe or supplement you cant live without.
Protein pancakes would definitely be a recipe I can't live without! I can even adapt the recipe to fit my competition prep guidelines! I wake up every morning looking forward to my pancakes for breakfast! The recipe is simple:
1/2 cup oats, 1 egg, 4 egg whites, 1 scoop of whey protein powder (flavor of choice) 1/4 cup non fat Greek yogurt, splash of almond milk, Stevia (for sweetness) cinnamon and anything else you want to add, like bananas, pumpkin puree, strawberries, blueberries, etc. The possibilities are endless!
The supplement I can't live without would definitely be my BCAA's!!
Tell about a typical training day for you.
No training day for me is ever typical! My trainer and I mix it up constantly to keep my body guessing! I incorporate everything into my training regimen, such as free weights, machines, kettle bells, sand bags, body weight exercises, TRX training, etc. You name it, I do it! We in
corporate Tabata training on certain days and heavy lifting on others. Usually my workouts consist of complexes of 3 different exercises done as super setting. Typically I do 10-12 reps of 3 sets before I move on to another complex. One thing I love to do is squats!!! I also do kick boxing and Muay Thai training.
In closing, who would you like to give a special shout out to?
First and foremost, My husband, Tony for his unending support not only with my competing, but with everything I do in life. I would also like to give a shout out to my long time trainer, Patrick Mingoes, who pushes me past my limits every time we train. He is the best of the best! Another shout out to my competition coach, Mike Martino who helped me transform my body in a way I never thought possible. His guidance led me to achieving what I have in such a short amount of time. And finally, a shout out to my posing coach, Dana Fallacara, who taught me the importance of stage presence and the little details that make a huge difference!
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