"Body Language" (Westside Today May 2005)

“When I was younger I was a little skinny weakling.” That's hard to believe looking at Danny Connolly today, but this Brentwood personal trainer insists it's true. “Because I was skinny in high school, the girls didn't pay any attention to me, and it really hurt me. I was like, ‘Man, I want to go out with the cheerleaders.' So I started hitting the weights and in college I started going out with the cheerleaders.”

After graduating from Texas Tech in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science in exercise and sports sciences, Danny moved to Dallas to work at the prestigious Cooper Aerobic Center, where he trained members of the Dallas Cowboys and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Then he moved to Los Angeles to work as a personal trainer and pursue an acting career. Danny says, “Over the past 20 years, I've been studying growth, rest, and recuperation, and transferring that to my clients. Some of my theories may just be my own, but they work.”

How often should you work out? “Three days is a conservative number. Now, if you do two days of weights and two days of cardio;four on-days versus three off-days is a favorable ratio, so I really like to recommend four days to my clients. Anywhere from 35 minutes to an hour and fifteen minutes (per day).”

What is the best exercise? “I believe the push-up is the best exercise ever invented. Your neck, low back, stomach, shoulders, triceps, chest, butt, legs, toes, fingers, and everything works on the pushup. My mom is 70-plus and she still does three sets of ten pushups every day.”

Which diet really works? “Small portions of carbohydrates, maybe a handful of pasta or rice, or one slice of bread (whole wheat) with vegetables and a good protein source are great. You get the most protein from an egg. For people who are on the run, you can hard-boil them at night and have them waiting for you in the refrigerator in the morning. Each egg has about 5 to7 grams of protein, so two or three of those and you're good for three to four hours.

Creatine or Supplements? “I'm not a big fan of supplements as far as diet. I believe what we get from the earth: chicken, vegetables and grains is always better than a pill or a supplement that was created in a lab. I don't take any supplements.”

Secrets to losing weight? “There is no secret. These movie stars may be working out in the morning, afternoon, and the evening. There's no secret to that, that's 4 or 5 hours a day, that's hard work. The more you put into it, the more time, the more pain, the faster your results come. We have the power to change our bodies.”

Why do people give up? “I think people get discouraged because they don't see immediate results; whereas what's really going on is inside the body. Beneath the skin, the organs are getting stronger, so internally your body is evolving. Eat a healthy diet, put in the time (exercise), and one day you'll look up and, ‘wow!' someone is checking you out at the beach.”