Inspiring Women – Andreea Tina

Interview with Andreea Tina

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you do, you will succeed.

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you do, you will succeed.” As Albert Schweitzer stated, passion, determination, persuasion, vision, and hard work are essential qualities for individuals who have achieved their goals in their career and personal life.

Andreea Tina fits perfectly into the category of successful people. Andreea’s story is a series of experiences and trials in a world that, ten years ago, was not called “home.”

Who is Andreea Tina, actually?

Andreea Tina is a Health & Fitness coach, a professional athlete, and an entrepreneur at the same time. Based on the experience gained over 10 years in the fitness industry, I can proudly say that I take pride in the set of specializations in sports that I have acquired over time, which have resulted in positive outcomes for clients following my guidance and support in adopting a healthy lifestyle.

What motivated you to choose London, and how did the beginning of your ascent unfold?

“You never know where life takes you!” – a saying with such a real substrate. I did not intend to live in London; London simply “came” to me through my private life, and it was a kind of depressive acceptance until I got used to everything around me and “found my place.” In the first years of living there, I put into practice the experience accumulated in Romania in the field of Marketing, PR & Events, but I have had a passion for sports since a young age. Not finding myself in the world of marketing and PR, I decided to focus 100% on my passion for health and fitness, setting a target that I ultimately achieved.

In 2014, you won the WBFF title in Denmark. Describe in a few words the volume of work behind your success.

The amount of work for the competition in Denmark was enormous because I set out from the beginning of the preparation to win the competition and become a pro athlete.

The training included two daily sessions and a very strict diet based on macronutrients, all prepared at home by myself. It was not easy, but it is not impossible! When you truly desire something, you have to visualize the target and outline a plan that you will adhere to, with everything else taking a secondary role. It’s all about mindset and focus, really!

I know you are constantly preparing for everything new in the fitness market, and in this regard, you have taken several specialization courses. Which of these courses has particularly caught your attention?

I enjoy providing clients with the best and newest information/solutions for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, for transforming or maintaining an optimal body condition, and in this regard, I prepare intensively. We can never claim that we have nothing more to learn. Among the specializations that I consider important are the Personal Trainer certification, which is mandatory for every trainer, Strength & Conditioning Coach specialization, which allows me to train high-performance athletes from various sections, nutrition certification, and currently, I am studying functional medicine. I also regularly participate in seminars and workshops that discuss healthy lifestyles and fitness. However, the course that has particularly captivated me is, by far, the Biosignature course.

The idea of a healthy lifestyle is becoming more and more popular. What exactly does a healthy lifestyle entail?

When we talk about a healthy lifestyle, we need to understand two things:

• Physical health
• Spiritual health

When we refer to physical health, we think of everything that involves movement (physical exercise) and a healthy diet. Physical exercise should be adapted to the objective we have set and our age. We are different entities, and each person has their own goals, such as weight loss, performance and strength-based goals, or aesthetic goals. That is the main reason why training should be adapted to each individual’s goal and fitness level.

A healthy diet primarily consists of eliminating processed foods from our diet, as well as major allergens (gluten, lactose, soy), sugar, and fats. In practice, we should focus on consuming proteins from animals raised in an organic environment, without hormones, eggs from free-range birds, fish or seafood from natural habitats instead of farms, etc. Oceanic fish is preferable, and an important aspect to remember is that the smaller the size, the healthier the fish. Oceanic fish of larger sizes, such as tuna, contain mercury and should be avoided as much as possible.

Vegetables and fruits should also come from organic farming – without chemical sprays or injections.

Fats should not be misunderstood. “Fats don’t make you fat. Processed fats and sugar make you fat.” It is ideal to maintain a balance between saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats (e.g., Omega-3 from fish oil).

Carbohydrates, a frequently discussed topic, should be consumed correctly. The body needs healthy carbohydrates at the right time, ideally after exercising – rice/brown rice, quinoa, gluten-free oats, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Eliminate grain-based products. Gluten is the cause of many health problems, and I do not recommend including it in a regular diet.

Spiritual health is very important because it provides us with inner peace and tranquility, which we need in an increasingly chaotic and stressful world. Meditation, prayer, positive thoughts, and gratitude are crucial elements for maintaining a calm and peaceful mind and spirit. Many people neglect these aspects, but if we think a little more about “the big picture,” things would be much simpler, and we wouldn’t stress about minor things. “God is good, and He does miracles!”

You are a personal trainer and an entrepreneur at the same time. What motivates you?

I have always wanted to help those around me make a positive change in their lives regarding their bodies (the aesthetic aspect) as well as their mindset and making the right choices for a healthy lifestyle. This motivates me a lot, it’s my passion, and when I see a transformation, it makes me happy. As a personal trainer, I achieve these things on a small scale, and as an entrepreneur, I aim to materialize the aforementioned aspects on a larger scale. When you can bring about a positive change in people’s lives, you feel motivated, fulfilled, and empowered.

Many people believe that diet is the answer in the battle against weight. What is your opinion, and how important is physical exercise/movement?

Indeed, diet (properly understood) is the answer in the battle against weight. It is widely known that diet plays a role of about 70-80% when it comes to losing weight/unwanted fat. However, without exercise, we cannot achieve a toned and

aesthetic physique or the feeling of being energized throughout the day. During physical exercise, various chemical reactions occur in our bodies, hormones are released, and hormonal regulation takes place.

The main advantages of exercise are:

• Longer life
• Improved immune system
• Reduced risk of stroke, heart attack, and osteoporosis
• Restful sleep
• Increased self-confidence
• Reduction of body fat
• Improved posture
• Body toning and shaping

A call to movement – a message for the readers!

Dear friends, be as active as possible! A minimum of 30 minutes of sustained physical activity per day is necessary for a healthy body. Choose your favorite type of physical activity, whether it’s a sport, dancing, or going to the gym, and practice it regularly. Treat your workout as part of your job or business. Schedule it in your weekly program. Health is wealth! “Do not neglect your health to accumulate financial resources because you may use that ‘wealth’ to regain your health!”