Meet FRÉ Ambassador Danielle Natoni, a former teacher turned full-time fitness professional.

@daniellenatoni

About me: I was born in New York, grew up in Florida, and now live in Las Vegas. I’m a hardworking, energetic wife and mother who is obsessed with living my best life and helping others do the same.

My journey from teacher to full-time fitness professional

I went from loving dance to loving fitness. At the same time, I put myself through college and became a teacher. After work, I always went to the gym—it was where I felt most like myself.

At the time, I was in a difficult marriage, in debt, with two young children, and life was chaotic. I needed a second job to make ends meet. I didn’t want to waitress again; I wanted to do something I loved. I thought about teaching group fitness classes, so I got certified and became obsessed with teaching! I taught fitness classes before and after school and had private clients on the weekends. Essentially, I was still a teacher, but my audience was different.

"What began as my personal journey has grown into a community of over 22,000 men and women who are getting healthier every single day through our at-home workout programs."

Team Fit and Funky

I’m part of Team Beachbody, and when I joined, I started sharing everything with my community on social media. What began as my personal journey has grown into a community of over 22,000 men and women who are getting healthier every single day through our at-home workout programs. I’m so proud to lead this incredible community!

"I feel like Tourette syndrome was a gift the planet gave my daughter to make her stronger and spread a message of positivity."

Tourette Syndrome

My daughter Bianca has Tourette syndrome. She isn’t worried about what others think; she always marches to the beat of her own drum. She has a confidence that makes everyone around her smile—it’s beautiful to witness. When she was 7, I noticed rapid eye blinking and shoulder shrugging. This progressed to face slapping, punching her stomach, and some audible sounds. We realized she had Tourette syndrome, and I immediately knew I wanted to be an advocate and learn as much as possible.

Bianca is a competitive volleyball player, and the more focused she is, the more manageable her tics are. When she’s nervous or has a test, they become more frequent and pronounced. Food can affect them, so we avoid gluten and food dyes. In 2018, she shared her story on national television. We’ve also lobbied Congress twice. Bianca is now a representative of the Tourette Association of America, and I speak at the national conference each year.

The media has made it seem as though Tourette syndrome is just people violently cursing, but the truth is that there are probably more people you know living with Tourette syndrome. It’s important to remove the stigma and see my daughter’s beautiful face—a strong, resilient, and beautiful child. I feel like Tourette syndrome was a gift the planet gave her to make her stronger and spread a message of positivity.

Fitness tips

Check out my IGTV workout videos and yoga flows! @daniellenatoni

My number one tip is to just start! You have to do something. And when in doubt, walk it out. Every day, my husband and I take a 30-minute walk. People really underestimate the power of walking. I always recommend that people start by cleaning up their nutrition and walking. It’s easy to take on too much too soon and give up.

Resilience tips

1. My number one tip comes from Whitney Cummings: “You’ve gotta feel it to heal it”. We’re told to stay positive and that things will be okay. But you have to feel it first. If you’re anxious, scared, or depressed, feel it—sit with that feeling before moving forward.
2. I meditate with the Calm app every single day.
3. Reading is so important; getting into a good morning routine is essential.
4. Give yourself some grace—these are uncertain times, and no one knows what’s going to happen. We need to think as a global community and also focus on the positives.

Skincare

I’m one of those annoying people who hasn’t really had skin problems, but living in Las Vegas gives me dry skin, and FRÉ is great for hydration. I’ve gotten A LOT of compliments lately, with people telling me my skin is glowing, and the only difference is FRÉ. My favorite FRÉ product is GLOW ME—I use it every day. I rarely wear a full face of makeup, and I also go out in the sun every day. GLOW ME covers imperfections, has SPF 15, and feels light. It’s the first thing I put on after washing my face in the morning.

Rapid Fire:

• Favorite exercise? Dance
• What does sweat mean to you? Sweating out negativity
• What comes to mind when you think of FRÉ? Clean
• What are you most excited about in life right now? Even though the world is crazy right now, I’m excited by all the possibilities
• What’s something you’d still love to learn? Another language
• If you were a hashtag, what would you be? #dontbegross
• What is your mantra? Never settle for less than I’m capable of
• What’s the best advice you’ve ever received in your life? Always do the right thing, no matter what
• What is an issue you wish we spoke about more often? What we put into our food
• What does women’s empowerment mean in 2020? We continue to fight and stand up for equality and what we believe in. I hope to see a female president in my lifetime! We are strong, beautiful, capable creatures.