BEN YOSEF: Congrats to you on your amazing success at the Southwest Grand Prix! That was a long time coming! How do you feel about your package and performance that day?

DANIELLE PELA: I felt redeemed from my previous show, so I am very proud of what I had accomplished.

BEN: Your last show was in October 2020 in Arizona, a year prior. At that contest you placed 3rd in Bikini Masters (40+) and 6th in the Open. What changes did you make between shows in order to make such improvements?

DANIELLE: I had just started personal training above and beyond my usual gym schedule and my coach and I specifically worked on bodybuilding with her from July 2020. Oct 2020 was too soon, so not enough time to see results. But for the September 2021 show, I had a year of solid bodybuilding along with CrossFit and a pretty decent dialed in nutrition plan that I found worked for me. High protein and carbs and low fat.

BEN: Love it! How did the bodybuilding training differ from the training you had been doing prior?

DANIELLE: CrossFit is more cardio and all over body. Not necessarily targeting specific muscle groups. And I needed to grow the glutes and hamstrings! We focused on glute/hamstring exercises and she varied them up so that I wasn’t doing the same exercises from week to week.

BEN: You are now 12 weeks out from your next IPL competition. What can we expect to see from you this time around with regards to your physique and presentation?

DANIELLE: I just hired a nutrition coach from my gym because I am looking to get as shredded as possible. Goal is 10% body fat. Still training with my other coach on bodybuilding. Hoping this will be my best physique yet.

BEN: Awesome! Well, I am looking forward to seeing what you bring to the Arizona Championship! It’s gong to be an awesome show! Any final thoughts?

DANIELLE: I got into this sport in 2019 and have stayed in it for two main reasons. Number one, it’s the only thing that’s motivated me to hold myself accountable to my diet/fitness goals and number two, the IPL has been a community of athletes who support and encourage each other no matter  where each person is in his or her fitness journey. GAINZ