BREATHE IN WITH GUNNAR PETERSON + DR. CEDRIC JAIME RUTLAND

We're always promoting ways of optimizing your health and being able to bring you the best advice and tips on how to reach and push your goals. Each person has their own challenges and paths to getting there. This month we talk with Celebrity Fitness Trainer Gunnar Peterson and pulmonologist Dr. Jamie Rutland about asthma and how this condition affects this community when it comes to them engaging in fitness and sports, how they can approach these activities, the importance of checking in with your doctor and LungZone which both are participating in.

For avid readers of Athleisure Mag, Gunnar Peterson has shared his insights in a number of our issues. As a trainer to Khloe Kardashian, Kanye West, Hugh Jackman, professional athletes and more, he has always been focused on his clients reaching their fullest potential. It's great to get his perspective when it comes to training and working with those that have asthma and to also provide tips to those he isn't working with and has this condition so that you can set yourself up for the best success when navigating this portion of your journey.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We’ve had the pleasure of interviewing you for Athleisure Mag and I always like getting your insights. What muscles are necessary specifically when it comes to breathing?

GUNNAR PETERSON: When you think about the muscles that are important for breathing, you want to think about the diaphragm, abdominal muscles and those in the chest and back that support lung capacity and postural awareness. The pectoral muscles, for example, are important when inhaling and exhaling. When I say postural awareness, I mean things like sitting up tall with your shoulders back and your chin is up high with an inhale and steady exhale. It's important to focus on deep diaphragmatic breathing, not shallow throat breathing, so that you can get more out of the body whether at rest or play.

AM: What exercises can we do to open our airways and strengthen the muscles that help us to breathe?

GP: Anything that challenges you from a cardiovascular perspective is a good exercise to open your airway and strengthen your muscles. In fact, you can visit JoinLungZone.com for my Get Moving class that provides movements and sequences in a way that will challenge you from a cardiovascular standpoint and help prioritize your lung health. Exercises include a push up with a t-raise – which strengthens your pectoral muscles – or a pull down – which opens you up in the front while you're taxing the latissimus dorsi muscles. All those things can help you to think about steady breathing during your resistance training. I should note that my class on www.JoinLungZone.com is for people living with moderate-to-severe asthma, and they should consult with their doctor before taking any of the classes. Each person should take classes based on their own fitness level -- you don't want to jump in particularly if you are coming in from a completely sedentary lifestyle. Once you get the green light from your doctor, then you can progress accordingly. Listen to your body. It’s something that everyone should learn to do, even those who might consider themselves advanced.

AM: What are routines that one can do to have a great workout while navigating a busy lifestyle?

GP: First, you need to determine your goals. Everyone has different goals. Your goal may just be to get up and get off the couch three times in one day. That’s ok. You must start somewhere. Once you determine your goal, you must create a plan and stick to that plan. You want to do something on a regular basis so that it’s consistent because it’s that consistency that keeps you going. My biggest piece of advice is to find something that you can consistently incorporate into your lifestyle. My “Get Moving” class provides exercises you can consider.

AM: Growing up, my sister had severe asthma that placed her in the hospital many times from the time she was 3 until her middle school years. At that time, going to gym class became a battlefield as the teacher didn’t understand the severity of her ailments or how to create programs that she could do – just recently she started running and was shocked that she could do it. As someone who has trained athletes, celebrities, etc., who live with asthma, are there things that you look out for and lean into so that they are still optimizing what they need to do while being mindful of their condition?

GP: First off, thank you for sharing that with me, and hats off to your sister for not losing interest in running despite what could have been a difficult experience when she was younger. I could easily see her throwing in the towel or checking out, but good for her for pressing on. We certainly have grown to understand how asthma can impact a person and have more resources available to us. Everybody is different and you can't push everybody at the same pace and same level. For many people with asthma, exercise can seem intimidating, especially when you are worried about having an asthma attack. But staying active is important, and certain exercises can help people focus on their breathing in a positive way. As a personal trainer, I’ve spent my life helping people focus on their physical well-being. Getting in shape is not something that happens overnight, and that’s true for lung health, too. That's why we have created a starting point for people at JoinLungZone.com.

AM: How important are personalized workouts to you when you’re working with your clients?

GP: Personalized workouts are everything to me when I'm working with my clients. That’s why they bring me in. They don't want something cookie-cutter. They don't actly what the person before them did, even if they had similar vitals and goals. When you think about sports teams not everybody does the same workout. Individualized workouts are very important to me, but they are also important for people living with moderate-to-severe asthma. Even if you are doing a group workout, there should be levels that fit various needs you should have a way to progress so that each person walks away feeling like they got the most out of it.

AM: Please share tips on how asthmatics and those who may be navigating related lung issues can still get a great workout.

GP: I know I’ve said this a few times now, but I am saying it because it’s important. Before trying a workout class, people living with asthma should speak with their doctor about what is right for them. Don't just jump in on your own. Think about your body as a whole-- don't try to isolate and narrow down to single, small muscle groups or single joint movements. You want to think about the broader picture and overall lung and cardiovascular health because that's what's going to carry you through the demands of your day. — whether that's biking or playing pick-up soccer with your kids or even just getting through the daily tasks of running your household, there are demands in all of those activities. Life is a sport, everybody's an athlete, so train accordingly.

AM: Tell me about LungZone and why you felt that this was something that you wanted to participate in.

GP: LungZone is a program – which you can learn more about at JoinLungZone.com – that aims to guide people with moderate-to-severe asthma toward better lung health. I’m excited to participate in this program and be here today on behalf of Sanofi and Regeneron because this is really all about inclusion. Once people know that they at least have an entry point, the sky's the limit. LungZone gives you everything from mindful breathing practices with Kelley Green who is a meditation expert to common questions about asthma that are answered by Dr. Cedric "Jamie" Rutland, and my Get Moving class so you can start anywhere on that continuum, and you can progress it or regress it as needed.

AM: How can we prioritize our lung health regardless of whether we have issues or not?

GP: The lungs are fundamental organs, and there are steps we can take to focus on better lung health in a very real way. Exercising, meditating for stress reduction, and practicing deep diaphragm breathing to train your body to breathe better are important ways that people can contribute to their lung health.

I believe first and foremost you should find a way to enjoy exercise. If you can find a way to enjoy it, you're more likey to stick to it, and if you stick to it, you're more likely to benefit from it and make it something that you can always build on.

AM: Are there any projects that you have going on that we should keep an eye out for?

GP: In addition to my work on LungZone, I try to always have irons in the fire. I have some upcoming work with F45 Training which is a global workout company. I am really aligned with their philosophies and really like that they design their classes for all levels so anyone can do it. Again, that’s in part why I was excited to also participate in LungZone because it’s that same mentality.

IG @gunnarfitness

Gunnar shared how he is involved in LungZone and why this is important for those that are living with asthma. We wanted to take a step back and to take a look at asthma. It's important for us to take a step step back and look at what asthma is, how this condition affects the body and the areas that it targets specifically. Dr. Cedric "Jamie" Rutland, a pulmonologist, explains more about this to give us a better understanding about this and what are common triggers. It's impossible to think about asthma and its affects without asking about how COVID can also play into this condition and the importance of receiving the vaccine. He also shares his involvement in LungZone as well.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we delve into asthma, LungZone etc, I’d like to know about your background as you’re a fellow Big 10 alumni. Why did you want to work with those who have pulmonary issues?

DR. CEDRIC "JAMIE" RUTLAND: It's a great question. The way that I ended up at a Big 10 school, University of Iowa for medical school, was really that it just happened to be a top 10 medical school. So when I got accepted, I decided to go there. When you think about a Big 10 school in the Midwest in general, that area of the country is very well educated. All the students within that area of the country are so talented, and so good at being a student that I picked up a lot of different skills from others in the process. That experience truly allowed me to understand what pulmonary and critical care offered me, which was the opportunity to not only specialize in a certain field of medicine, but also experience other parts of medicine that I enjoy because when you're an ICU physician you see everything. I still like to help people with kidney problems, liver problems, and GI tract problems. ICU medicine also gave me the opportunity to communicate with families and patients in critical situations. It allowed me to explain things and teach, which is something that I really like to do, and I think without the help of a Big 10 school, like the University of Iowa, I wouldn't be where I am today.

AM: For our readers that may not be familiar with asthma, can you talk about what it is and the areas of the body that are affected?

DR. CJR: Let’s first talk about the lungs and how it's structured. The lung is essentially a bunch of pipes that lead to a bunch of balloons stacked on top of one another. When you take a deep breath, that air travels down your windpipe and further down into smaller little pipes called the bronchi and bronchioles. Those bronchioles lead to the balloons where oxygen is picked up by your blood and used to keep your body functioning properly.

Asthma is an inflammation of those pipes. More specifically, it's inflammation of the smooth muscle layer of the pipe, which leads to airway narrowing. That means people have trouble taking a deep breath in, and more specifically, even have trouble releasing a deep breath out. We want to calm that inflammation down so people can breathe easier and feel a little bit better.

AM: Are there various categories or groups as I’m sure that not all asthma is the same for those that have it.

DR. CJR: Yes, there are different categories and different treatments depending on the type of asthma you have. If a patient comes in and tells me they are short of breath, I quickly determine what type of inflammation may be present in their body. Those patients might need an inhaler. But, often times, it's not just a localized type of inflammation. It's often a systemic type of inflammation, something we call Type 2 inflammation. When you identify that more systemic type of inflammation, then there are certain treatment options that work to block that inflammation, like Dupixent® (dupilumab). In clinical trials, Dupixent improved lung function in as little as 2 weeks and helped reduce asthma attacks by up to 81% when compared to standard of care alone plus placebo. I should mention that people shouldn’t use Dupixent if they are allergic to it or its ingredients, and it can cause serious side effects, including allergic reactions and inflammation of your blood vessels. So, it’s important to talk to your doctor to see what type of inflammation you have and what type of treatment may be right for you.

AM: What are the symptoms of asthma and are there seasons where it can be more prone to happening?

DR. CJR: Common symptoms of asthma are shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing. Those symptoms tend to happen as soon as you're exposed to irritants or anything that you are allergic to. If you go outside and its springtime and all that pollens around, and you start coughing or wheezing, that's going to be your trigger. If you are going outside during the wintertime, and you feel like your airways are narrowing or you start coughing then cold is your trigger. All these things can trigger your airways to become inflamed and that leads to airway narrowing, mucus production, shortness of breath and wheezing which are the classic symptoms of asthma.

AM: For those who are living with asthma, what do you suggest that they should be aware of when it comes to living a 360 life in terms of fitness whether they’re an enthusiast or an athlete?

DR. CJR: I think if you are an athlete or a fitness enthusiast who lives with asthma, then you have to understand your disease and listen to your body when it’s telling you that you don't have your disease under control. It's very important for people to be aware of their symptoms because the last thing you want is for that persistent inflammation to continue which could lead to a hospitalization, severe asthma attack and potentially death. If you're using an inhaler and you're still coughing or short of breath when you do things like going up a flight of stairs, you need to tell your physician – whether it's your primary care physician, your pulmonologist, or your allergist – that your medication isn’t working and see what else is out there.

AM: Can you tell me about what LungZone is, why you wanted to be involved in it and how you’re participating with this program.

DR. CJR: LungZone is a virtual community created by Sanofi and Regeneron to allow patients and their family members the opportunity to become educated about what asthma is, what inflammation is present in your lungs, and potentially how to treat that inflammation appropriately. The reason why I'm involved in LungZone is because as a doctor, it marries two things I'm in love with. One is immunology, which is the study of white blood cells and what they do in the body when there’s inflammation present. And the other thing is communication. I think it's very important for patients and their family members to understand what the body is going through. What I have found, is that people who understand what's going on in their body tend to tolerate their disease a little bit better, and they feel empowered by learning what's going on in their body and understanding how they can help control their disease. I think that that is something that is extremely important, and it's something I'm passionate about.

AM: How can our readers participate?

DR. CJR: Your readers can participate by going to JoinLungZone.com and taking my "Help Manage Your Asthma" class or take the other more dynamic classes from Gunnar Peterson and Kelley Green. I think what's good about these classes is that they truly help people understand what their body is going through, what they maybe need to ask their physician and other ways to strengthen their body and manage their systems.

AM: As we have all been navigating these past months due to COVID-19, can you share any information in terms of those who have actually battled COVID while being asthmatic or for those who have not had COVID but do have asthma how this may affect them?

DR. CJR: What's interesting about asthma is that there are different subcategories of asthma. Depending on the type of asthma, a person might deal with SARS-CoV-2 differently. Asthma leads to airway inflammation, and so does COVID-19. If asthma-related inflammation is uncontrolled, then COVID-related inflammation can be really problematic. If there's one thing that I've learned, it is making sure that a person's asthma symptoms and the inflammation are under control.

AM: Do those who are not asthmatic but have gotten COVID experience some of the issues that are similar to asthma?

DR. CJR: Yes, you can. Again, when you have that inflammation of lungs, whether it's caused by smoke, pollen, or COVID, the symptoms are going to be the same. I have had people who have never been diagnosed with asthma, that now have asthma due to this persistent inflammation in the post-COVID setting.

AM: For those that may not have received the vaccine for COVID and are asthmatic, what is your message to them to encourage them to get it?

DR. CJR: I love this question and I will tell you why. If you're a patient of mine, you're going to understand what asthma is and how it works. We talk a lot about targeting inflammation. The whole point of a vaccine is to calm down inflammation and not allow the immune system to overreact and cause more problems. It’s a lot easier for my patients to understand how and why a vaccine works. We also talked in the earlier questions about what complications COVID can cause when you have asthma, and that’s also what I discuss with my patients.

AM: You are a busy man without a doubt. You're the founder/ownder of West Coast Lung. Can you tell me more about this and why you wanted to launch your own office?

DR. CJR: When I was a young doctor, I understood that the most important people to be able to communicate with were not my colleagues, it was my patients. There was a particular incident when I was in the hospital, and a colleague of mine couldn't get a patient to open up. This lady looked exactly like my grandma. So, first thing I said to her was, "Good Afternoon Mama." And she just opened up to me. My colleague said to me, "How did you know to call her mama?" I said, "She's an African American female so she's mama, that's just who she is.” That's when I understood that I needed to make certain I knew how to communicate with patients. So, when I started West Coast Lung, I wanted to focus on messaging and education amongst patients and their family members, so they can understand what is going on with their bodies. I think it empowers people and allows them to more easily deal with what they have, and perhaps make some changes to their diet and exercise that helps them feel better in the long run.

AM: You’re also the VP of the Association for Healthcare Social Media. What is this organization and how are you involved?

DR. CJR: We knew that social media was going to be a place where people were going to get health information. We knew that 50% of people got their health information from social media, which was astonishing to us, but we also know with social media that you can post anything. We understand our role with messaging and how to combat misinformation, and that's what we are continuing to do. Our role in social media is continuing to evolve, and we partner with YouTube, Pinterest, and are always looking for other media partners to be able to express our message. We have physicians that discuss gastroenterology, fertility, and obstetrics. So, we really all understand the impact that social media has and as a company you want to be able to deal with it in a very positive way.

AM: You’re also the National Spokesperson of the Lung Association! What do you to bring awareness to lung health and how long have you been in this role?

DR. CJR: I've been involved with the American Lung Association for about four years. What I like about being a spokesperson, is that it gives you the opportunity to show that there are doctors who look like me on a national scale. I think that there's a lot of kids that look like me that may not know that they can be a doctor, or they can become a doctor, so I think that showcasing that was important to me. It also allows me to practice my craft around messaging and teaching on the national stage and explain things in a way that everybody can understand, which again I think is really important. Being in this position allows me to be that bridge between science and your everyday person.

AM: Going through your Instagram, it’s evident that you’re passionate about pulmonary issues and making it approachable through your videos. Why has this been important for you to share this kind of information socially?

DR. CJR: You have to be able to explain it in a way that people can understand. If you can't, you've done nothing. For example, with the COVID vaccines, within a year we went from having nothing to "go get the vaccine." We had a year to teach immunology.

I think in that moment I understood and said, "You know what, I am just going to teach how the body works." If people can understand that, maybe they can get to the conclusion of how a vaccine works. I teach why the vaccine may work, but I also teach about Onesimus, who was the African slave who brought the concept of vaccination to this country in the 1700s. I discuss why Onesimus had this belief in how smallpox should be treated and how that concept came from Africa to Boston during the smallpox pandemic. I want people to understand, and I use their language to make it happen.

AM: In addition to using your platform for health, it also looks like you enjoy having fun like your appearance on Game of Talents this past spring and sharing your wall of Js. How important is it to you that you have that work life balance as well as sharing that doctors come in many forms and can literally be a cool guy that you’d want in your friend group?

DR. CJR: I think it's important for people to be themselves and embrace who you are. I've done game shows with my friends. I'll still go out with my wife and my kids and coach them all the time. I think it’s just doing the things that I enjoy. Being a professional doesn't mean you need to ignore certain aspects of your life. I spent a lot of a lot of time learning that saying no doesn't mean you don't have to be you, it just means that you're focused on what you're trying to gain. I was focused on gaining my medical degree, my fellowship and ultimately my career. I'm just not going to let go of being me.

AM: As we get closer to the end of the year, are there any projects that you'd like to share that we should know about?

DR. CJR: In addition to my partnership with Sanofi and Regeneron on LungZone, another major project I am working on is developing a television program in which we educate people in a barber shop setting. There's a lot of education that happens at the barber shops. You know, I always have a dry erase pen with me so I can draw the science to help people understand, and I think taking that to a broader audience is extremely important. Being able to educate in any setting gives people the power to understand, and exposure to others who made them think about something in a different way. We have some prominent Hollywood producers and musicians involved and I think it’s going to a really positive platform that allows people to ask questions and find answers in an easy-to-understand way.

IG @DrJRutland

PHOTOS COURTESY | LungZone

Read the OCT ISSUE #70 of Athleisure Mag and see Breathe in with Gunnar Peterson + Dr. Cedric James Rutland in mag.

COMMUNITY IS THE VIBE WITH D-NICE

As we embrace the reopenings that have taken place all over the world, we remember those days when we were in the thick of lockdown and we all found ways to maintain a sense of community and connection with others as we did it apart. For us and millions around the world, we found dance and music through a global couch party that had the biggest celebrities from Madonna, Michelle Obama, Nile Rodgers and more that popped in every night. We were all brought together by DJ D-Nice who created a daily (sometimes marathon sessions) IG Live event known as Club Quarantine!

Even though we're past those dark days of 2020, he continues to lead his virtual parties while also bringing the next phase with his Club Quarantine Live tour that took place to much success and we can't wait to see his Club Quarantine festival that will take place in LA in 2022! Before he brought us Club Quarantine, being a major event DJ for brands such as Hennessey, he is also an artist who has released solo projects and was a founding member of Boogie Down Productions with the legendary KRS-One and the late Scott La Rock.

We're pleased to have D-Nice as this month's cover and with a schedule that is constantly on the go, as we talked with him between soundchecks for his performance at YouTube's Advertising Week Show with Mary J. Blige at The Apollo Theater, he talks music; the creation of Club Quarantine and its continued evolution; the importance of musical accessibility; campaigns and how he continues to push his brand while being mindful of the community.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with music?

D-NICE: I fell in love with music when I was around 6 or 7 years old. I remember where I grew up in the Bronx, my aunts – both of them used to collect a lot of records. It’s so crazy because the artists that they would collect would be Melba Moore and Diana Ross and like Earth, Wind and Fire and obviously, you know, that I'm not lying because that was the thing in like the 70’s.

So when you fast forward to like, Club Quarantine and I’m like hanging out in there in this virtual space with Earth, Wind and Fire and Melba Moore is in there, everyday – it’s kind of full circle to me from my childhood which makes this experience for me so incredible.

AM: For those who may not be familiar with your music career prior to Club Quarantine, can you tell us a bit about your background? You were one of the founding members of the Boogie Down Productions with KRS-One and the late Scott La Rock.

D: I grew up in the Bronx. One of my cousins worked as a security guard at a men’s shelter in the Bronx. He asked me to bring him some food and one night, I walked over to where he was working and he decided to introduce me to his friend that worked there as a social worker, which was DJ Scott La Rock. Scott La Rock introduced me to a homeless guy, which is the legendary KRS-One. From the first meeting, I was 15 and Scott looked at me and he must have felt this energy where he immediately said, “you’re going to be in this group.” That’s how I became part of the Boogie Down Productions crew.

AM: Think back to last year, which in many ways feels like 7 years ago, we were all in this gut-check moment. From a magazine perspective, we shot our last in-person cover 2 days prior to when NY went into lockdown. It was that moment of trying to figure out how we would still do what we do and to still produce everything – in a new way virtually; which we did and it was intensely challenging, but fun and full of artistic growth. So, to do Club Quarantine, how did this come about? It was like the musical and mental health that we so needed to get us through what we didn't even know how much time we'd be going through!

D: The thing about Club Quarantine that’s special is that it was birthed out of the same fear that everyone was experiencing! I was quarantined alone at home in Los Angeles. I was gearing up for a tour with Jill Scott. I was locked in for 10 dates on her tour and when we were forced to quarantine, what was difficult about it, which other people experienced as well, was that none of us were prepared for this – including myself! So, when the quarantine hit, I had to send back deposits because they were cancelling the festivals – they were cancelling Essence Fest, Miami Music Week where I had gigs there, I had SXSW gigs. So all of those gigs, I had to send the money back. I was sitting at home, stressed out, like everyone!

Because I had friends that worked with the former administration, they kept saying, this thing will go on for longer than 2 weeks, man. They said that I should prepare myself. I didn’t even understand how to prepare to not work for a year/year and a half. So that was difficult. CQ was birthed out of the sadness and having a desire to still be connected to people. When I started playing music, I wasn’t even DJing initially. I was just playing music and sharing stories and I started noticing the numbers that were rising on my account from one day being 240 people in there to the next day having 800 people in there. Then, the 3rd day, I did a marathon set with like 2,000 people. Initially, it was a very selfish thing, finding ways to stay connected, but by the 2nd day when I was reading the comments, I knew that it was actually helping people feel connected. I just wanted to continue to do it to keep people inspired.

AM: Speaking back to what we were talking about before with the music, I was born in 1979 and grew up with this music. When I listen to a lot of the songs, it reminds me of cleaning the house with my mom and sister before Soul Train came on. How is it to run the hottest global couch party that has ever existed?

D: Wow yeah, that’s literally it – the hot test global couch party! I mean there were times when I literally didn’t look at it that way. It was one of my buddies, Donnie Wahlberg, every day he would say to me, “dude, I don’t think you understand what’s happening.” I didn’t, because remember, I was home alone! I was playing music, I was at home. I wasn’t dancing with other family members, wasn’t dancing with my mom or kids and I wasn’t having parties on the other end. All I could do was just read comments. I would see hearts and that kept me going. But the other thing that kept me inspired was music! It was the love of music where I felt that I finally had the chance to play music the way that I wanted to hear it anyway from my club days. As a DJ, you kind of lean towards what the promoters wanted, what the fans wanted, but when the world stopped, the fans wanted and needed music that kept them inspired. It just so happened to be the music that I love. To have a chance to play David Bowie and mix David Bowie in with Madonna and all of a sudden, Madonna is in my IG Live. Then I could play a Stevie Wonder record and then throw in a JAY-Z and rock Rihanna and then all of a sudden, Rihanna is in there! There’s no better party then that! Everyone had a chance to feel the music and still be inspired and it was awesome. And it continues to be awesome!

AM: Which I think is awesome and I love the versatility of the music. I mean, I love all kinds of genres, my great uncle was the late tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson so I have my jazz elements that I love and I love EDM. I remember when you had David Bowie to Madonna and then you had Nile Rodgers that popped in which I had styled him a few years ago for a project which was awesome to see him come through.

D: I mean, Nile Rodgers, when he came in it was beautiful!

AM: I’ll never forget when I was in his apartment on the UWS and he was showing me his music sheets of his work with Madonna and he was like, "I did this and I did that." I just remember feeling that I was standing in the room of greatness at that moment.

D: Yes absolutely.

AM: The fact that we have actually been able to see how you have evolved CQ from the at home sessions to performing to major moments that you were part of from encouraging people to register to vote, having people vote, social justice movements and then moving that into bringing it live in person such as launching at the Hollywood Bowl and being on the tour for that too, what’s it like to evolve the brand?

D: I felt that it was my job to protect the brand. Protecting the brand meant not keeping the platform to myself and to include other people. It was about authenticity and making sure that what I did online translated well into the live space. My desire to play the Hollywood Bowl was birthed out of seeing so many people in there. Early on in the pandemic, I was trying to figure out what place that this would feel like and would make sense. I wanted to give everyone something to imagine and look forward to when the world opened up again. I just threw it out there and said, “one day, I’m going to play the Hollywood Bowl and be the first show!”

A year and a half later when I received the offer to play the Hollywood Bowl, I was excited! But it didn’t really hit me until the morning that I announced that the tickets were on sale on IG Live and I said, “I have something to share with everyone. My gosh, we got the Hollywood Bowl, tickets are on sale in one hour.” Within that first hour, we sold 10,000 tickets. It was very emotional. To know that something that I did just out of the love of music that started in my kitchen – literally in the kitchen, went on to become something where we sold out 15,000 people in the Hollywood Bowl in 3 days! It's a very humbling feeling and it's beautiful to know that people want to listen to music the way that I do. You have to want to be there to hear the music, the fans want to be there, the art ists want to be there – there were fans that bought tickets to all of the CQ Live shows and we kept it limited. Obviously, we’re still dealing with this pandemic so we didn’t want to be reckless by doing a full on tour. But for all of the shows, there are people like hundreds of people that attended all 3 of them. It’s something special that’s happening right now. The music is secondary when it comes to Club Quarantine. It wasn’t just about the music, it was about community. To me, that’s number one – about people staying connected. By the way, there’s some cool music being played right now and we’re going to dance together as well!

AM: It’s undeniable that live shows have an amazing vibe to them. What are your plans on the virtual side of things as we continue over the next few months, will this still be part of your portfolio or are you looking to segue completely to back where we were prior to 2020 where we could comfortably be together in person?

D: I want to continue to have the virtual space to be part of it. It’s an important element because not everyone can afford to travel to these cities, not everyone can afford to buy tickets. Let’s be realistic. People lost jobs and people are still trying to recover from that. To me, it would be a little bit unfair to just pull that away from everyone and I want to continue to share my love of music with people and to inspire community, so it’s important for me to do this for at least another 6 months or as long as social media will allow me to play. You know, things change, people are outside now so it may not be as exciting, but for me, it’s always important that whenever I return to Los Angeles, I need to play 1 or 2 sets to at least get it in. By the way, I’m not just doing it for the people, I happen to like playing music!

AM: You can tell!

D: Yes! I love playing music, so if I can share music when I log on and there are 30,000 - 50,000 people at the end of the set, that means there is still a need and desire to hear music that way. I just want to be able to fill that need and to continue to keep people inspired.

AM: I love music festivals and it was great to see that here in NY, Governors Ball and Electric Zoo came back. Do you envision CQ having a physical festival?

D: Oh no – it’s not even about envisioning it, it’s actually happening! It’s happening Aug of 2022. We’re literally in the planning stages right now, planning the artists that I want to perform with. That’s happening. August of 2022, the festival happens in Los Angeles.

AM: Earlier this year, you dropped “No Plans For Love” with Ne-Yo and Kent Jones. How was that working on this single and are you working on an album?

D: Releasing the single was fun. It was a different process because we were doing everything remotely with Kent and Ne-Yo was interesting. I wasn’t in the studio with Ne-Yo when he recorded his vocals. It was almost like, when he finished the demo of the song, by the time I heard it, they said Ne-Yo had cut the song. I listened to it and I was excited about it. That song did well, top 5 for R&B for the single. I’m deep on working on the album right now. It was important to me that when we put the record out, we had something to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of Club Quarantine and that’s why we didn’t have an album to follow it up. It was just about putting that single out for people to have a song that they would remember during the quarantine. I’m really happy that the single did well and I am looking forward to completing this project.

AM: You’ve amassed an amazing platform and I’m sure that you are constantly wading through offers of things that you want to do. What's your process in terms of thinking about brand synergies. I loved the Band-Aid campaign that you were part of. What are you thinking of when you know that the brands are interested in D-Nice?

D: Everything that I have done has been important for the synergy to be there. I have to be mindful of a couple of things right? 1. I’m not just a DJ that’s happening right now. I do have history and I have to be respectful of my history. Everything that I participate in, you want it to resonate with the younger generation, but I am respectful of the legacy that was already built and the people that listened to my music back in the day who are still jamming to my music right now. The first project that I worked on during the quarantine was the Apple commercial and that was great because it had Oprah and all of these celebrities in there.

The 2nd campaign I worked on was for Budweiser which was based on the old commercial of “What’s Up” and people checking in on each other. So it was me, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Candace Parker. That was great!

Then I did the Ford Commercial and what made that so authentically me was that, not only was I DJing in the commercial, did the voiceover for it, I was in it – but my record from back in the day was also a tie in. I thought it was an awesome thing for people to see the evolution of me being a recording artist in 1990 and here we are in 2021 with a commercial that’s updated but still using the essence of who I am which was great.

With Band-Aid, I thought it was awesome to be a person of color and never having Band-Aids that could match our skin tone! It was great to be part of that campaign and to be able to show! But on the other side for me, to see that Corporate America and these big brands actually trust me to be part of what they’re doing and I didn’t take that lightly either.

Throughout my career, what I did was to be able to sustain in terms of how dedicated I have been to do the right thing with people. To work with Michelle Obama and to raise awareness with voter rights and voter registration. Raising money for the Apollo Theater, Breast Cancer Awareness, raising 100s of thousands for HBCUs – it’s important to always use that platform to do some good. Even with those campaigns, I always have to be part of something that wouldn’t just be a good look for me, but to be a good look for people in general.

AM: What is the best piece of business advice that you have received?

D: Honestly, it wasn’t based on any advice that one person gave me, it was based on what I felt in my heart. In the beginning of quarantine, people were offering me millions of dollars and I didn’t accept any of it and it’s because it didn’t feel good to me. It's not that I didn't want to make money, let’s be honest, I am a business man and this is my business, I am an artist. But in that moment, in those very early weeks of the quarantine, to all of a sudden monetize something right before everyone’s eyes when it was something that people needed – it didn’t feel right to me and it didn’t sit well with me. I didn’t want that on my conscious. I wanted to do something that was truly about keeping people inspired and I remember that one of my DJ friends called and he’s a huge DJ, he’s globally known. He called me and said, “hey man, this is the first time that I could actually dance with my family and I appreciate you!” I’ll never forget conversations like that and there were multiple ones like that. I knew that this was something special and all I wanted to do was to play music.

Now, it did become a business months later. We can’t deny that! But even in terms of it being a business, it was important to do things that didn’t push success into anyone’s face. It wasn’t about the money. It wasn’t about diamonds and cars – it wasn't about buying things. It was about keeping people inspired.

AM: You recently became an investor at Maison Marcel. Why did you want to enter this space and will you do anything that is outfaced with the brand?

D: I invested in it because obviously, I’m a wine drinker and I have been looking to get into the space for years. Even before working with Maison Marcel, I was a brand ambassador for Hennessey for nearly a decade of being involved with them. The natural progression would be to own your spirits company or to one day own your wine company. When the opportunity presented itself to be a part of it, I jumped on it. I was first introduced to the brand by my buddy Hassan Smith, who works with John Legend. It wasn’t even about investing, it was, “hey, would you like a glass of wine.” I enjoyed it and he was like, “I invested in this.” Then 2 years later, I became an investor. I’m not sure what we will do in terms of forward facing involvement. I didn’t want to be a spokesperson because I didn’t want the brand to be about me. I enjoy my wine, so I am always going to talk about it. I enjoy the product – so we’ll see.

AM: How do you take time for yourself when you’re not in the midst of playing music, creating music building your brand and all of the things that you do?

D: Honestly, I have to figure that out! The one thing that I am doing is spending more time with my kids. Especially now that school is back. I have 2 daughters. One graduated from law school and I have a younger daughter she’s in the 4th grade so that’s important. Other than that, I enjoy – I mean people think that I’m exhausted. There are times that I am, but I don’t feel burnt out because I truly love what I do!

AM: Your impact on this global pandemic that you gave to people and the impact on the culture throughout your career has been immense! Over the past few months, you have received a number of accolades from Webby Artist of the Year, Shine A Light Award from BET Awards, NAACP Image Awards for Entertainer of the Year and an ASCAP Voice of the Culture Award – what do you want your legacy to be?

D: That’s a tough one. You know, when I think about it, I just want people to know that it’s ok to be a nice guy, no pun attended. It’s ok to be a good guy. What’s happened my entire life over my career was not solely based on talent. It was based on being kind to people and being there for people. So when you think about Club Quarantine, none of this happens overnight. You’re talking about 35 years of relationships in the music industry. Michelle Obama wasn’t on my IG because she heard that I was DJing. That was because I made a phone call and the only reason why I could make that phone call is because I have worked with them and I have been kind to people. In that moment, that was the first time that I recognized that

people came to something because I was doing it. For decades, I was always there doing things for them. To me, it was important that I make sure that I put kindness into everything that I am doing and with one another. Hopefully, that will be part of my legacy.

AM: For #TRIBEGOALS, we talk to trailblazers in the industry and ask them who are 3 people that have influenced you to be where you are today.

D: The 1st person would be Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for obvious reasons. Obviously, he was Black and dealt with the plight of Black people, but it was also important for him to represent human beings period and that has always been an important part of growing up for me.

The 2nd person would be Stevie Wonder. His music, the storytelling in his music and the feeling in his music has always been an important part of my growing up and even including him in my sets now. Even knowing Stevie and having dinner with him, it's been one of the highlights of my career.

The third person would be, Barack Obama. From the moment that I met him, I'll share a story. One day I was DJing an event that he was hosting, he was still President at the time and we were on Martha's Vineyard. We were in a small tent, maybe 50 people people in total were attending. I was a guest and also DJing and there was this one moment, which was in his last year of his presidency, where I saw him sitting in a corner by himself, people were dancing and I looked over at him. I remember thinking that to see someone who probably had the weight of the world on his shoulders in that very moment, but he was still able to be present with his family and friends was inspiring to see that no matter how much work you have going on in your life, it’s still important to maintain that love and respect for your family and friends. I never forgot that moment and I’m truly inspired by Barack Obama!

IG @dnice

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | D-Nice

Read the OCT ISSUE #71 of Athleisure Mag and see Community is the Vibe with D-Nice in mag.

Hear DJ/Producer D-Nice on our show, #TRIBEGOALS - which is a part of Athleisure Studio, our multimedia companion podcast network! Subscribe to be notified when the episode drops. Listen on iHeartRadio, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts or wherever you enjoy your podcasts.

MANAGING THE ANXIETY WITH HEATHER CENTURIONI

We are living in the midst of times that we couldn't create out of the most vivid of our imaginations! With so much uncertainty, we checked in with Heather Centurioni of CODE RED to talk about how being an athlete has fueled her career, how to motivate others to make good choices as they sustain their fitness goals as well as their mental health. She shares insightful tips that are worth noting as we continue to navigate our new reality.

ATHLEISURE MAG: You grew up as a junior elite level athlete in downhill skiing and suffered a horrific downhill ski race accident - how did that shape your focus in living a healthy lifestyle?

HEATHER CENTURIONI: As a young athlete, I could eat whatever I wanted. I could get away with a lot. We were taught to carb-load, etc. I don’t think I ever realized the power of food until I became overweight and nothing was working. I wanted to be healthy, but I had no idea where to start. I knew I was addicted to sugar and carbs. I knew I didn’t need another diet. I needed to learn how to eat. How to fuel my body. How to take care of myself. I also wanted to feel good again, like I did as a young athlete.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted to work in the wellness industry and become a health and wellness coach?

HC: I always have felt the pull to help people. I knew it was my calling, but I struggled for years to figure out what that meant and what it looked like. I am a mother hen at heart. I am at my best when I am lifting others up.

When I began my wellness journey in June 2017, I saw that I was going to get healthy and when I could lift others up who was on the same path, it felt really good! I saw how a high vibe tribe can guarantee success.

AM: How important is accountability in your wellness journey whether you're looking to stay fit, lose weight or other goals that involve transforming your goals based on your desired need?

HC: Listen, if we all could do it alone, we would have already done it, right? I was an elite ski racer, it was me and the clock on the course. I played tennis and golf. I tend to lean towards individual things. “I can do it on my own” type things. In high school and college, I loathed group projects. I prefer things my way. That type A, self-centered trait was not serving me well in my desire to get healthy. I was failing at every corner. I was ashamed. I managed to pack on over 200 pounds, which was far too much for my 5’3” frame. My prosthetics didn’t fit. I was a fat amputee and it was depressing. Having an accountability group was integral to my success. It required me to open up, to be honest, and to be vulnerable. Sharing your good days, right along with your bad days is as important as seeing others do the same. I came to Code Red feeling very isolated. I was depressed. I assumed I was the only one. Being part of a group that understood my feelings really made a difference.

AM: Tell us about CODE RED and why you decided to use their program when you were looking to lose weight?

HC: I was drawn to Code Red for several reasons. It was simple. I wasn’t going to have to exercise (for an overweight amputee, this was key!). My prosthetics were so ill-fitting, just walking around the house was painful. I started with an entry-level challenge. I had nothing to lose. I was deflated, depressed and quite possibly the lowest spot in all my years. The easy rules, support and no-nonsense approach drew me in. I also knew that the program had a maintenance plan. I knew I could get the weight off, but I had never found a program that taught you how to maintain. Funny enough, the end and the far future were most important to me and I knew in my heart that Code Red would give me the tools to stay healthy long term. I also didn’t have to buy crappy shakes, expensive supplements or prescription drugs. I was told to drink water, eat from a healthy food list and sleep! It’s truly that simple.

AM: Because of your success, you became a Certified Coach with CODE RED, why did you decide to work with them?

HC: I believed in the owner, Cristy Nickel and I think she saw my servant's heart and picked up on my keen ability to understand people. I learned a lot after my ski racing accident and in the years that followed. Deciding to have your leg amputated as an 18-year-old, learning to walk again, finishing high school, living in constant pain, I learned a ton about myself and the power of the human spirit. I knew how to overcome.

I knew Cristy’s no-nonsense, simple approach worked and she taught me well, so I was grateful for the opportunity to learn from her and to work alongside her. I also knew, this was it…my calling! I finally found it! The opportunity to help people lose weight, get them healthy and watch their lives change for the better, to them overcome, it has been a dream come true.

AM: What is the CODE RED Lifestyle model?

HC: Code Red is a rallying cry for every person who is fed up with the information overload, complicated diets, and extreme exercise programs. We focus on water, sleep and real food.

AM: We're living in strange times as we are staying at home to flatten the curve, our routines have definitely been altered and anxiety has become a result of these changes - how can we manage this?

HC: Good gracious, it has been hard, right? I think there are several things that can help folks:

* Be grateful and find Grace in the tough moments and the good ones.

* Stay on track with life via a list and a plan.

* Take a time out each day to just be. Being present when you are feeling anxious really helps.

* If you are fortunate enough to have the gift of extra time, use it wisely. Spend it with your family, learn something new, embrace it. When will we ever have extra time again?

AM: For those that are focusing on losing weight during COVID-19 quarantine, what tips do you suggest?

HC: * Drink water!

* Sleep at least 7 hours!

* Ditch the sugar!

* Plan, prep and schedule meal times. Don’t leave your kitchen open all day. Having kitchen hours keeps you from grazing all day and mindless eating.

* If you find yourself turning to food and drinks to soothe your soul, make a list of 12 things you can do instead of over indulging. Maybe you have some chores to tend too, maybe you have a craft to finish, maybe you want to learn something new. DO IT!

AM: Many have found issues in terms of ordering the food that they need whether there are shortages in their grocery stores, delays in deliveries that are coming to them, etc. How can they reduce their anxieties on not being able to control these issues while also staying on their plan?

HC: Keep things simple. Eating well isn’t complicated. You don’t have to be a kitchen whiz to make good food and you don’t have to spend a fortune either. Less is more. Look for vegetables (fresh, frozen, even canned), fats and proteins. Avoid the inner aisles of the grocery stores.

AM: From a mental wellness standpoint, what are some tips that you have for those that are looking to reduce the noise of everything that we've all gone through from updates on COVID, anxiety over when there will be concrete information about re-openings and going back to our routines etc?

HC: I talk a lot about the background noise in our lives with my clients. It comes at us from all directions. Currently, it is everywhere, all the time. No two reports are the same, it’s hard to have faith in anything. I encourage people to cleanup their newsfeeds, if watching the nightly news is depressing, STOP watching! Find something else to do with your time. Don’t buy into all the hysteria. If you can eat real food, ditch the sugar, drink water and get a good night’s rest, you will feel so much better. How you fuel your body will help you with deal with the uncertainty. I know that sounds strange, but you will have less brain fog and less anxiety. The healthier you are, the less likely you are to get sick. Taking care of yourself now, will keep you healthier no matter the situation.

IG @Code_Red_Coach_Heather

PHOTO COURTESY | Heather Centurioni

Read the May Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Managing the Anxiety with Heather Centurioni in mag.