As a former dancer turned chef turned personal trainer, Dean Sheremet is what you would call a renaissance man — and he just signed on to be your new Daily Burn 365 trainer. Just like all of our Daily Burn 365 instructors, Sheremet will be there to motivate you, cheer you on, and keep you accountable to your fitness goals. His secret weapon? His versatility — and his relatable approach to wellness.
When he’s not on the Daily Burn set or teaching group fitness at Body Space Fitness in New York City, you can find Sheremet in the kitchen. And this foodie at heart is not counting calories or macros. Sheremet launched his career as a chef at Jean Georges’ restaurant, Nobu 57, after graduating at the top of his class from the French Culinary Institute. And so for him, delicious food and fitness can — and should — go hand in hand. Here are a few more things you should know about your new favorite trainer.
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17 Things You Should Know About Dean Sheremet
On His Fitness Philosophy…
“I was a professional dancer so I come from a background that’s all about whole-body movement. I want to inspire people to move well and look good. People love doing CrossFit and yoga, but I don’t go crazy on trends. If you feel good — whatever road that is — do what makes you happy.”
On Why He Became a Trainer…
“I became a trainer accidentally. I was going through a breakup in my life, and my friend brought me to Body Space Fitness. I was going to do it for only a few months, but I fell in love with it. When your clients see results and your classes are getting booked in advanced, it makes you want to be there. It’s an incredible feeling to have people rely on me…Some clients will call me and say, ‘Hey, I’m going out to dinner. What should I order?’ The relationships I have with them is an important part of my life.”
On His Favorite Workouts…
“I like doing high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Anything that involves me working really hard and getting into that metabolic zone.”
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On His Workout Playlist…
“I enjoy ghetto rap music. I grew up Detroit as a hip hop kid. But it also depends on the mood I’m in and the type of class I’m teaching. Sometimes, I’ll play James Brown, Pink or Sia. I let things ebb and flow and jump from one playlist to the next.”
On His Healthy Eating Philosophy…
“The way I feel about food is the same way I feel about fitness. I don’t get dogmatic about dietary restrictions. I’m all about conscious eating and understanding what we’re putting into our bodies. Food is a gift you can give yourself, but it’s an afterthought for a lot of people. People often eat standing, in transit or during a meeting. That’s not giving the food the respect it deserves. I eat pretty clean and follow a whole foods diet. I also have lean protein, veggies and some sort of grain in my meal. I follow intermittent fasting and am experimenting with biohacking. But there’s a time and place for potato chips and French fries.”
On His Life as a Chef…
“I’ve been really fortunate that my grandmother taught me how to cook. I was a very hyperactive kid, and there were two things that I devoted all of my attention to: Being in the kitchen and in dance class. I never thought I would make a living out of being a chef. I graduated first in my class at the French Culinary Institute and immediately started working for Jean Georges at Nobu 57. Everything happened very quickly. I also wrote a cookbook last year [Eat Your Heart Out: The Look Good, Feel Good, Silver Lining Cookbook]. Being a chef has been one of the most rewarding things.”
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On His Pre- and Post-Workout Snacks…
“I don’t always have a snack before or after a workout. But when I do, I have my own nut mix, which includes macadamia nuts, goji berries, pumpkin seeds and cashews. It’s funny, but sometimes I’ll also have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich pre-workout. It’s simple and not too big of a meal.”
On His Meal Prep Game…
“I do and I don’t meal prep. If I’m traveling, then I definitely don’t. On Sundays, I’ll always roast a chicken and have things on hand to go with it. For me, I would rather have diced onions, avocados and veggies chopped and ready to be used. This way, I can easily throw together a meal on a busy weeknight, rather than prepping containers of food. I can’t eat the same thing every day. I like variety.”
On His Go-to Weeknight Meal…
“I’ll do brown rice bowls with broiled salmon and seaweed. Or, I’ll have some avocado and veggies. I’ll take a look at what I have in the fridge and kind of just throw things together, but it’s always some version of a healthy bowl.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BcTUm71hfPP/?taken-by=deansheremet
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On His Favorite Cheat Meal…
“I don’t really feel like there are cheat meals. Your body should eat what it deserves. I love pizza, and if I’m out, I like going to Artichoke Pizza [in NYC].”
On His Happy Hour Drink…
“My favorite drink is a Sazerac. It’s a New Orleans cocktail made with rye, two different kinds of bitters, absinthe and lemon or an orange peel. It’s very similar to a Manhattan.”
On His Pantry Staples…
“I always have whole-wheat pasta, homemade or jarred tomato sauce, pesto, beans, grains, mixed nuts and high-quality Spanish tuna for a tuna salad.”
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On His Morning Routine…
“When I’m coaching, I get up at 4:45 a.m. I have some bulletproof coffee and teach from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., so I’ll fast until 1 p.m. On the weekends, I get up, have breakfast or go for a run and lift weights. I’m not on as regimented a schedule as I am when I’m teaching.”
On His Bedtime Routine…
“Having better sleep hygiene and cutting out the phone addiction are two things I really worked on. There used to be a time when I would stay up just to make sure there wasn’t an Instagram I didn’t miss, and it’s all for nothing. I have a special app on my computer that cuts the blue tones so it doesn’t keep me up. I was addicted to my phone at one point, but now I avoid looking at it after 10 p.m.”
On His Goals…
“I just want to be a better version of me every year. I come from a background of being a dancer and chef, and I’m perilously hard on myself. But I’m working on being thankful for where I’m at and noticing the small victories. I’m always trying to push myself, but also realize how fortunate I am.”
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On What Keeps Him Motivated…
“I’m such a type A person that I have a fear of failure. My family and the people around me motivate me. The more I push myself, the more inspired people around me will be. Just being at Daily Burn and seeing the interactivity is nice. I’ve never seen someone from afar do my workout. I now have another reason.”
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On Finding Balance…
“I’m trying not to look at my phone so much and being more present. Sometimes, I’m at dinner and look around to see that everyone is on their phone. It’s like, ‘Why the hell are we at dinner?’ I’m just focused on getting better about putting my energy towards things that truly matter.
To train with Dean, head to Daily Burn 365 to start your free 30-day trial today.
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