How This CrossFit Queen Is Changing the Game
Fitness professional and athlete Danielle Brandon is a prominent woman in the workout world. The former NCAA athlete was an elite gymnast and competed in swimming, diving and track and field. Her tenacity and determination earned her a track and field scholarship to Sacramento State University, where she held the school record in the pole vault for three years. In 2019, Brandon qualified for the CrossFit Games and has qualified each year since. She has earned herself much-deserved fame, yet she’s incredibly down-to-earth. Brandon gave us her top-five tips for building muscle and staying fit—plus what fitness equipment from Tru Grit she swears by. Crossfit Games Danielle Brandon
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1 | Move Your Body
Regardless of physical activity level, Brandon recommends moving the body at least 3-5 days a week. This movement can be as simple as walking around the block or using Tru Grit’s Foam Competition Soft Plyo Box. In addition to being active, Brandon says a sleep and wellness routine is essential. “It’s probably the highest priority—eating right, feeling right and sleeping right.” She ensures she gets nine to 10 hours of sleep per night.
Crossfit Games Danielle Brandon
2 | Track Your Food
Tracking food, whether through an app or a written journal, is not only incredibly important to Brandon but one of her biggest tips for anyone who wants to live a healthy lifestyle. ”Write everything down,” she stresses! Even if it’s something small, write it down. In the morning, after walking her dog, doing some conditioning and having a coffee break, Brandon eats a bagel, cream cheese, spicy honey and two eggs. Depending on the season, she’ll add oatmeal. It’s the perfect fuel!
Crossfit Games Danielle Brandon
3 | Be Honest With Yourself
Creating goals that are unsustainable and abrupt are not realistic. Brandon recommends keeping it balanced—you can still go out with friends while eating healthy and exercising. “Eat right and for fuel,” she suggests. “Don’t create lofty goals or be dishonest with what you can do given your time and resources.” Brandon likes to keep things simple by using a set of Tru Grit’s Hex Rubber Coated Dumbbells for muscle building. “You don’t always need a big fancy gym,” she says.
Crossfit Games Danielle Brandon
4 | Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously
Brandon has learned throughout her career the importance of not taking herself too seriously. “It’s going to be hard, and you’re going to fail—and that’s okay,” she remarks. Any fitness journey is challenging, but Brandon recommends to simply “start small.” With this concept in mind, one of Brandon’s favorite go-to pieces of equipment is Tru Grit’s Air Resistance Exercise Grit Bike. It’s simple to use and easy to hop on any time of day for any duration.
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5 | Ask for Help
Regardless of where someone is in their fitness journey, asking for help is fundamental. Brandon says it’s important to “have an accountability partner; there are people who are willing to help.” Even for fitness professionals, help and support are vital. “The journey that I’ve had to go through in my athletic career and even in my fitness journey, as easy as it could be to say I’ve had an easy time with weight loss or fitness, I still struggled.”
