Vitamin Dee: Nutrition for Weight Loss & Improved Fitness


Nutrition and Fitness. Fitness and Nutrition. Either way you look at it, both are important to achieving your health and wellness goals. Here are a few top frequently asked questions about the nutrition debacle when thinking about turning up your fitness.


Why is nutrition and what foods you are consuming important?


Food is what makes the body run: it is how you can blink your eyes, move your fingers, your digestive system to move, heart to beat and well, for you to breathe, the list goes on. With proper nutrition, all the internal systems function efficiently, thus showing you the benefits with the outer physical changes you see in the mirror. As they say, you can’t out work bad nutrition, and it is the truth.


How can I begin eating better to catapult my fitness goals? Do I have to give up the foods I like?


You can begin to eat better by ‘cleaning up’ your current nutrition and developing new ‘healthy habits’. Unless you have a specific goal that requires intense training and specific nutrition, start slowly by changing some of your daily habits, adopting new ones, and building from there. Not drinking enough water? Get yourself a gallon jug. Need to cut the sugar? Cut your soda/cookie intake (cut, not eliminate). Eating out constantly as you tend to work late and are tired when you get home/don’t want to cook every night? MEAL PREP.


What are healthy habits and how can I start making better food choices?


Healthy habits are developed by discovering what your current routine is, implementing some new goals in that current routine, and creating a plan to build the foundations of change towards bigger achievements. Making these little changes first and creating a new routine are beneficial as you won’t feel as overwhelmed as you move forward with more complex nutrition and fitness goals. These are the foundations. Cut back on your favorite delicacies, versus total elimination. WHY? Total elimination at the jump more than likely will create a backpedal for you as you move through a new routine. Changing too much too soon more than likely leads to frustration and derailing of your plan. Focus on the little things first, then move into bigger ones. Health and wellness are for the long haul. Losing weight is one thing but keeping it off is another. Small changes over time with focus and determination over the quick, fast and in a hurry plan always wins.


You can start Making better food choices is recognizing what your current intake is and how to make a plan UNIQUE TO YOU (this is important) and understanding the importance of food groups (macros) and how to efficiently and effectively create meals for yourself each week. By meal prepping, you are taking the guesswork out of the busy week, less trips to the drive thru, Wawa, etc, and saving money during the week by making your own meals is a win! If you are unsure how to start this process, Vitamin Dee (Coach Danielle) is more than happy to help! It is always a challenge at first, but once you find your rhythm and the new habits are formed, the possibilities are endless.

Danielle D. Trainer at Prime Intensity Training

ABOUT DANIELLE D.

Personal Trainer/Nutritionist


Bachelor’s of Science–Nutrition and DieteticsIndiana University of Pennsylvania–2008
Associate’s in Applied Science–Health and FitnessMontgomery County Community College–2013

  • NETA
  • CPTACE
  • Group FitnessACE
  • Fitness Nutrition Specialist
  • AEA
  • Aquatics FItnessBarre Instructor
  • CPR/AED


Why you love fitness/PIT:

Danielle has been a Personal Trainer and Nutritionist since 2013. She started working at a YMCA in Pittsburgh, Pa, until she moved back to the Philadelphia area in 2014 (Philly is home!) Since then, she has taught a variety of different fitness classes and absorbed numerous hours of personal training experience since then. She has completed numerous 5ks, 10ks and the Tough Mudder in 2013. She has also been coaching and teaching nutrition clients for the past five years, teaching them the “why’ food is important, how food works, and how to properly prepare meals to keep accountable during the busy week.


Nutrition has always been an important part of her fitness goals, as well as for her clients. She believes ‘sustainable’ nutrition for the long run will continue to push your fitness goals forward for years to come–there is no quick fix to achieve goals. It is about consistency and hard work; no matter how much you work in the gym, it is impossible to get to where you want to be without proper nutrition to accompany the gym. You can still enjoy what you like, just everything in moderation! There are no ‘diets’ with Danielle. Just consistent meals paired with a badass fitness routine.