We caught up with the brilliant and insightful DJ Frai a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, DJ thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

The mission of DJ Frai Fitness has evolved over the years. The company is just shy of 2 years old, however this is not my first run at starting a coaching business. In the beginning, my mission was to share my fitness journey of losing 95 lbs, and I hoped to inspire others to begin their journey as well. At the time, I was more set on my own personal journey and did not have the head space to help others in the way I should be. Actually, in looking back now, there was so much more that I needed to learn.

The 2nd fitness company was at the start of the pandemic and I did not know how to navigate between what was going on in the world, my own personal health, and running the business.

It was after this point that I put a real focus on my fitness education and zeroed in on what is it that I want to accomplish in the fitness industry. Yes, I want to get people the best results possible, but I wanted to help them with the mental aspect to this process. You see this was my biggest struggle personally and one I can relate so much with my clients on. I needed to coach in a way to show that there was not a “quick fix”. We needed to create a sustainable lifestyle, one in which they could stick with for the long term.

What did this mean though? It meant that there was not going to be one program that helped everyone. When I work with someone, it is my mission to fully understand what it is you would like to accomplish both in the short term, and long term. It is helping you to remember these goals, long after that initial moment of motivation has left, and for you to develop the discipline needed to keep moving forward.

This mission grew though at the end of 2022 to now. My passion for awhile has also been to help develop young athletes. I stepped into the role at my old high school, Trumbull High School, where I volunteer with the Lacrosse team to develop their strength and conditioning program. This is not something the program could pay me for at this time, but I believe in giving back. I want to be the coach that I always needed in high school to help get me to the next level.

With the addition of the strength and conditioning for athletes I now had the platform to help the kids not only get better at the sport they loved to play, but teach them the mental aspect. I could teach them skills that go well beyond lacrosse and a mindset they could take into college, the workforce, and any other sport they wish to pursue.

You see this mission grew to teaching others that you can achieve anything it is you want to accomplish. It begins with taking action and remaining consistent through the process.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is DJ Fraioli, and I am 33 years old, from Trumbull, CT. Fitness was not always a part of my life. Sure I grew up playing sports, but it was during my parents divorce that I turned to food as a coping mechanism. I found myself in 2012 at 245lbs, and depressed, not really seeing my full potential. I had started and stopped many fitness programs to get in shape, but something changed on 12/31/12.

I was at home with my Mom and it was a few hours before New Years Eve ball would drop. I went to the 2nd floor of the condo, into my bathroom, my hands on the counter and I looked in the mirror. I could not tell you who that person was looking back at me. I had fully lost myself. That night it was not a resolution to get in shape, but a promise to myself.

The next day I started Shaun T’s Insanity. I grinded for the 2 months and was down to around 185 lbs. I finally felt confident enough to join a gym again. This is where I started researching how to program a proper fitness program and reading in detail about proper nutrition. It was at the age of 22 that I finally took control of my life and saw that I had great potential.

Fast forwarding 11 years. I hold my personal training certificate through NASM. I am a Sport Performance Specialist, as well as a Certified Nutrition Coach, and I have been published in Status Fitness Magazine. In September 2023 I will be embarking in my first 1/2 Ironman, which has been something completely different from my bodybuilding background.

In addition, to teaching my clients about mindset and pursuing their dreams, I continue to pursue my own. This is not only for myself, but to show them that it is possible. To show them that once overweight, shy kid, has turned himself into a hybrid athlete, started his own coaching company and pursuing a career also in fitness modeling.

What sets me apart as a coach is that I follow what I teach. When I step onto the practice field with my lacrosse boys, they see a coach who is in shape and follows the process. When I speak with one of my online clients that see me holding myself accountable with my own goals. I very much believe in leading from the front and that if those I coach see me leading by example, it helps them to push harder toward the goals they want to achieve.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Honestly, there is a lot I have gone through up until this point in my life, but a big accomplishment has been this prep for my 1/2 Ironman. I was always the slowest all throughout grade school and into college. Sometimes my mind still goes there, but I can pretty quickly now shake it off.

In this Ironman training those memories of being the last to finish the school mile, or last during sprints during sports practice, flooded my mind. I would wonder if I was good enough to complete this large of a race. For the last 5 months, I have pushed through these feelings. I’ve taken it day by day and pushed hard through every training session. I am now 1 month out from the event (70.3 New York, on Sept. 23) and I feel so prepared.

I could have easily thrown in the towel and made every excuse why to not move forward with this race, but now the days almost here and I’m so happy I pushed through. It’s going to be a huge accomplishment for me, but I’m more excited to show others the journey and inspire them to push for anything they want.

If my journey to this Ironman inspires just one person, every training session will have been well worth it!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I think my reputation in the fitness market came with my consistency. You see when I started out in 2013, people saw my initial large weight loss, but I think the more impressive thing is now 11 years later and they see my continuing to share my fitness knowledge and now being able to help coach others to achieving their fitness goals. It is through consistency that people will see results in their journey, and it is in my continued consistency that I will be able to help more and more people to achieve their goals.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.djfraifitness.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/coachdj_frai

Image Credits
Joseph Humphries