This week our Stronger U Member Spotlight is shining down on Tina Andrews, who has been working with Coach Syndi Acampora. Congrats, Tina!
What’s your name? (First and last names, pretty please)
Tina Andrews
Who was your Coach?
Grateful to say I am still working with Syndi Acampora
If there was one thing you could say to your Coach, what would it be?
A very sincere thank you, for being my accountability partner, and for challenging, pushing and encouraging me!
Tell us a little about you. Where are you from? Are you a parent? What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I am divorced, with no kids. Dating again thanks to my rediscovered Stronger Me confidence! I am passionate about the most vulnerable in our society, primarily elders and animals. I am an animal nut and advocate, and I have an affinity for hanging out with crazy old people. I live in Denver, originally from Honolulu, Hawaii!
What was the moment that made you decide to join Stronger U?
I saw a picture and it was a huge eye-opener. my sister in law and a dear friend had great results with SU, so I hoped this would give me the tools I needed.
Is there anyone from the SU community you would like to shout out?
Mike, for starting this program and this amazing community, and my coach, Syndi, who is a friend for life!
What dieting experience did you have previous to Stronger U?
I have worked with a nutritionist, and tried weight watchers, neither worked. I am a Type 2 diabetic, so was careful about what I ate, but didn’t understand the balance needed.
What were your eating habits like before joining Stronger U? Did you prep your meals? Did you eat out regularly? Did you think you were already eating healthy and in moderation?
I never ate enough protein, and surely didn’t pay as much attention to portion/serving sizes as I should have. I ate a lot of Lean Cuisine but didn’t eat out that much. I am now a pre-diabetic, and thanks to SU, I am aiming to “diet my way right out of diabetes” and get off all meds. I am already off Insulin!
Why do you think Stronger U worked so well for you compared to other programs or diets?
This program is so much more about what you CAN have versus being restricted. I needed the tools and the magic macros! The coaching and accountability helped me get in the right headspace, and prove to myself that I can indeed do hard things! Another amazing aspect that has really helped me is the SU Facebook group. It’s full of great ideas, support, and encouragement!
What was the biggest challenge or change when you first started with Stronger U?
I was not excited about weighing every day or tracking. Those kinds of numbers used to be a downer to me. Now 710 plus days later, I find the tracking to be a great framework to work within, and I have learned the daily scale number is only a data point. I learned to take the emotion out of it.
What was something you regularly ate while on Stronger U that people wouldn’t expect you to eat on a diet?
Dark chocolate kisses and Yasso Greek yogurt bars!
What does your typical week of eating look like? How many days a week do you meal prep? Do you have certain meals you make most often?
Eating the same things often works best for me for tracking and prepping. Sunday is meal prep day, mostly cutting up all the goodies for my big ass salads!
If you exercise or train for a sport, did Stronger U have any impact on your training? Or did Stronger U have an impact on your decision to start exercising or training for a sport?
I have always enjoyed walking in the park, but now I aim for a minimum of 10k steps a day. I have a rower in my tiny condo’s living room, it’s like a piece of furniture. That has absolutely been a decision driven by the new stronger me. My coach’s influence and encouragement was a big factor in asking for that gift from my family for my 50th, it is obviously great for my health: physical and mental!
How much weight did you lose with Stronger U?
So far, I have lost 70 pounds, still going!
How did your waist measurements change with Stronger U?
So far only 4 inches, oddly enough, but more to come!
What were 3 major non-scale victories you experienced with Stronger U?
Finding my self-confidence again, proving to myself I can do hard things and make a commitment to myself and stick to it! My blood sugar has gone down significantly. I got off all Insulin and meds are being cut. I love to be able to encourage others with my success and encourage them to join, feel better and also have awesome success!
Outside of the scale, inches, and previously mentioned NSV’s, how has your life improved thanks to your time with Stronger U?
This has been so much more than a weight loss program, it is more like an internal and external overhaul. Overall, I am more mindful, aware, disciplined, happier, confident, proud of myself and present in the moment. One of the best realizations is the importance of positive self-talk, ditching the notion of my “comfort zone” and truly committing to myself and my wellness!
What are 3 tips, based on your experience, that you’d give to new members of Stronger U to help them see success early on?
- Listen to your coach and trust the process/your macros.
- Track everything so you can really see where you are/what you are eating.
- Celebrate and record your NSV’s, so awesome to recognize success outside of the scale number, which is a data point only.
If someone is thinking about joining Stronger U, what advice would you give them before beginning their journey?
The time will pass regardless of what you do with it, so I would remind them they ARE worth the time and the investment. They will be so proud and grateful that they did. Dive in with both feet. YOU ARE WORTH IT!
