Adriana
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Tina: [00:00:00] Hi everyone. Welcome back to another episode of Tina's Arena. Today I have on my friend Adriana, and she's here to tell us a story

Adriana: hi Tina. I coach midlife women who are looking to make a change in their nutrition and fitness. I wanna bring you back to how it all started and where I am today. So. 2000 COVID. I was like working out maybe five, six days a week that kind of decreased, but I was

frustrated in my progress. I felt really strong, but I couldn't see the fruits of my labor. Like I couldn't see the muscle. I didn't have the, figure that I wanted, right? Like we all have our own version of what it is that we wanna see in the mirror. I was super frustrated and the only thing I could bring it down to was my nutrition.

So I decided to hire a nutrition coach, and it completely changed the way that I show up for myself. Prior to COVID I was doing group workouts and like all kinds of things like that. And then COVID shut that down it allowed me to focus on, like individualized strength training, workouts and nutrition and like nutrition was the.[00:01:00]

Piece that kind of like pulled it all together. Mm-hmm. So I went through a fat loss phase with the coach and felt really great. I still have this coach today, but through the process, I really wanted to understand. What she was doing for me, like, I wanted to understand why she was telling me to hit these specific numbers.

How it worked with the goals that I have, how it supported my strength training. So I did a course and the course was to certify me as a nutrition coach. I didn't have a plan to do any coaching, but in order to get the certification I needed to coach like two beta clients. Mm-hmm. So I threw it up on Instagram and I was like, Hey, I am doing this for free.

Who wants in? I had three people say, I'll do it with you. So I had to coach them through a 12 week nutrition program. At the end of that, I had to like, um, summarize all of my data, send it in, and at the end, one of them said, can we keep going? And I thought, what does this even look like to keep going?

And so that's how it kind of like started, it started this snowball [00:02:00] effect. I started an Instagram account and just sort of. Started talking about what I was doing, how I was getting healthier, because I'm all about, practicing what I preach. I'm doing the work with my clients and doing that.

So I started coaching this woman and developing strength training programs for her. I got my personal training certification in the process, right? 'cause she really wanted that for me. And just sort of learned along the way. How to run a business. Now fast forward five years later, I have 10 plus clients that I've been working with for two, three years, some of them, and taking them through all of the places that I have been, right?

And so, just like thinking about where I started, if you asked me five years ago, would you be coaching women in their nutrition and fitness? Would you, you know, I have a podcast now. Would you have a podcast? All of that. Would've been something that I would laugh in your face over because it's like, why would I do that?

I'm a teacher [00:03:00] full time. I love teaching. But this really excites me and it's something that, I don't get bored of. When a woman succeeds or when she tells me their win or this amazing story, it's like, yes, I see the possibility. I want you to continue on this path.

What I've learned in all of this is that just like in teaching my students, I can't want what they want more than them. They have to want it for themselves and do the work themselves. Just like I have to do the work myself as well, this whole journey has been, almost like a reawakening of sorts for me.

I just turned 47 this past weekend and, coming into my forties I didn't feel my best. But now adopting this lifestyle and, helping other women. It's just like thriving in the sense that I love, I love doing this. ~Mm-hmm. Yeah. ~

Tina: ~Uh, ~I was just with some friends or family, friends this past weekend, and one of the ladies, she was older, I don't know, maybe seventies.

She said the best decade of her life was 45 to 55.

Adriana: Really?

Tina: Do you see that [00:04:00] being true?

Adriana: Yeah. When I turned 40, I remember I put like this post up and saying, you know, I was really, nervous and ob not nervous, but just like.

Not excited about turning 40. And I remember a friend said to me, she's like, there's a lot of people who don't get the chance to turn 40, right? Mm-hmm. So just like that, really, like that one sentence really changed my perspective. It's like how lucky I am that I'm 40 and how lucky I am that I've turned 47.

And I'm more confident now. I feel like I look better I'm more about. Taking care of myself and taking care of my family and all the things I have to do, but really doing the things that make me happy. You own what it is that you want in your forties, I feel.

Tina: Mm-hmm. I dunno. So I've actually known you through this whole journey that you've been on. To become the nutrition coach. Mm-hmm. And I had no idea that you kind of just fell into it.

Adriana: Totally. Just fell into it. Yeah. I did like I wanted to learn because I wanted to understand what she was doing for me.

Yeah. And there was probably an inkling that thought, maybe I could do [00:05:00] this, but I'm always like this planner, like, I need to know the path before I take it. But there's no knowing of this path. It just kind of evolves as I continue to take action towards things that I like.

~Um, and ~so I did, she said, she wanted to continue, and I thought, okay, what does that even look like what would a program look like? How long should a contract be? Like, I have no education in business. I'm an engineer by trade. Mm-hmm. So this whole world of business is so new to me.

So, it's just. A rinse and repeat, right? What may have worked with somebody is not gonna work with the next client and so on and so forth. So yeah, I totally just fell into it.

Tina: Yeah, that's really amazing. I think that is the best kind of job or best form of growth as well, especially in the business sense, is when it's not forced and you're just doing things slowly,

still like forcing yourself to take the action. But your growth isn't forced. It seems like it's been pretty organic. I know you're working very, very hard Yeah. To grow the business, ~you're saying. ~

Adriana: ~Yeah. ~

Tina: But, it seems like it's this attraction energy [00:06:00] versus forcing it to happen.

Right? Yeah.

Adriana: I was saying this the other day, I don't wanna force anybody, even to get clients, there's this whole sales idea in marketing. I don't wanna force somebody to work with me. I don't wanna have to convince you that you need to work with a coach for accountability.

It has to be like a mutual thing. You have to trust that I've walked the walk, that I've done it, and that I know the path forward for you. And if you don't trust that, then you're not gonna buy in, right? Mm-hmm. You're gonna go back to like. Like the flashy quick fix that everyone is selling. That's the thing because I really believe true growth, no matter if it's in health or business, and you know, this too, is so uncomfortable.

Mm-hmm. Because you have to put yourself in places that you've never been. And that's what I do on the daily. I get up at five during the year when I'm working, I get up at five o'clock to go to the gym for five 30. There's never a day that I say I love getting up at five 30. Right. It's just a habit.

That I've formed. And it's just automatic now, some days are harder than others. You [00:07:00] have to do the work, whether it's in health or business, in order to see yourself moving forward, right? But yeah, and you know, I sometimes I struggle with, you know, I have this full-time job as a teacher, so it's like, okay, I have a, a good amount of clients.

I feel busy enough. I feel like I'm making a difference. Is this enough? I struggle with, do I need more clients or can I be happy at this point? I don't always have that answer. Some days I'm like, yeah, this is great. And then some days I want more. I want to be able to affect more lives and, create abundance for myself and my family in multiple ways, financially, spiritually and mentally,

because the high I get. From somebody else's journey and somebody else's progress, is amazing. I just had a client, she just turned 50 and we celebrated with a photo shoot in Toronto. Mm-hmm. And like, I've been working with her, just over two years and she's lost a total of like, almost, almost 40 pounds.

To [00:08:00] think of where she was when she started and now brings me so much joy, but also that she's trusted. She's just been like, tell me what to do. She has questions, but it's like, I know that you're doing all the work. Just tell me what to do. You know?

Tina: How did she feel about the photo shoot?

Adriana: Her photos? So I've done a few of them and she's always commented. She's sent me pictures before, of like, just in poses. And I'm like, you're ready to do a photo shoot? And she's always like, no, not yet. Not yet. Not yet. Uh, and then finally I'm like, it's time. Whether you think you're ready or not.

It's time. When do women. Truly celebrate themselves, it doesn't have to be through a photo shoot, but I'm always behind the camera. I'm always looking for the moments, right? Mm-hmm. To capture my chilDrin, my husband, just things that are happening. No one ever really, not that nobody ever does, but you know what I mean?

Yeah. It usually doesn't happen that way, at least in my world. And so when I first stood in front of a camera with a photographer and had my very first photo shoot, it was like, [00:09:00] oh my. God, this feels amazing. Right? You get your makeup done, you look so much different. I'm not always done up for all the things and somebody is telling you the entire time like, wow, that's awesome.

You look beautiful, this and that. And then you see the pictures and you think, oh my goodness. That's me. You see yourself in a light and it totally transforms the way you look at yourself. Mm-hmm. You know, you're not as hard on yourself it's just a boost in confidence.

And I know that has happened for her, when the two hours were done. She's like, that's it. She's like, I'm just getting warmed up. I need to do this more. I'm like, yeah, it feels so good. Right? It's like another facet of being a woman, right? Because we're so multifaceted.

So this is just a chance for somebody to dive into a little part of themselves that they don't always show that they don't always, embody, right? Mm-hmm. I'm not walking around in a bikini all the time, or lingerie and trying to look sexy, but, but there's, that's a part of every woman, right?

Yeah. That we wanna feel that way and [00:10:00] this makes you feel that way.

Tina: Mm-hmm. Because if you can just feel it sometimes, and you know, like that feeling exists. Yeah. You can draw back on it ~moment to type ~

Adriana: ~or, you know, ~she's like, I'm gonna. Plaster my picture on the wall when I'm 70 and be like, look,

look at me. Or when I'm 80, I'm like, you're still gonna look like that at 70. Right. But that is also a part of who you are, not just how you show up every single day in ordinary life, which is also wonderful too, but yeah, so many different facets. ~Yeah.~

Tina: ~Mm-hmm. Um, ~so back on your point about when is this enough? I was actually just listening to a book this morning. The Obvious Choice by John Goodman, and he said that one of his mentors said as long as you're not forcing yourself to do anything you don't want to do. Yeah. That's when it becomes too much.

Adriana: Okay.

Tina: So, well, when I talk to my clients, I'm always talking about the pendulum swing. Mm-hmm. Where, we do things and it's good and then at one point it becomes not good. But you don't know until you hit it. Until you hit it. Yeah. So you just have to keep [00:11:00] going and hit it. Right. And then be like, oh, okay.

Well I'll just go back the other way now. Yeah.

Adriana: Yeah. That's actually a really good point.

Tina: That's how I learn. I have to hit the extremes. Mm-hmm. And then I'm like, oh, that didn't work. Let me go back.

Adriana: Yeah. Yeah. I think that makes so much sense. You're right.

You just don't know. I'm at this crossroads where I want to do more, but how much can I really? Sustain while raising a family, doing all of the things, maybe it's like having to put systems in place or, setting it up so that when I retire from teaching, I can slide into this a little bit more specifically.

Right. It doesn't feel like a job. It doesn't feel like so much work. I never am angry that I have to do a check-in, that I have to get on a call. None of that is pulling, like energy wise. Mm-hmm. So I know that. I can still add where I'm at, and balance appropriately. There's sometimes that are busier than others, but I think that's with everything.

It's like being intentional about planning, not just, working with the clients that you have, but also nurturing those that might wanna work with you and [00:12:00] building systems and processes that could help everybody that comes into your world.

Tina: Yeah, I think so. And maybe just defining for yourself.

What might be too much? If I start behaving in this way, maybe I'll take that as a sign, right? ~Yeah. If I'm ~

Adriana: ~like, if I'm, or even ~if I'm just not spending time with my kids too, right? ~Yeah. Um, ~like I don't wanna be so busy that I'm missing the most important years when they're around, you know? So it's like being very intentional.

I don't think it's about the amount of time, it's about the quality of time. Yeah. I agree. Right? You know, my parents were super busy when I was growing up. They ran a restaurant, my dad worked evenings. So, you know, the time that we spent together was quality, but it wasn't all the time ~kind of thing.~

~You know, ~we did vacations, we had weekends, but, I think that that's what my kids are gonna remember the most. Yeah, I love that. So what are you working on these days? So I just launched what I call the first pour, like, pour a glass. The whole brand is like a cup of Dri. A glimpse into my life and all of the things I [00:13:00] do in terms of my habits.

And then I have a 16 week signature program, but sometimes that's scary for people to want to dive into 16 weeks with a coach. So I called like a four week jumpstart called the first pour. So, you know, what, what does it look like to work with me? Um. Clients will come in and do some.

So tracking is a really big thing. Tracking of your food, that has to happen. So if somebody doesn't wanna track their food, then I'm not the coach for them. That has to happen. Mm-hmm. And then I get some idea of what they're eating and then I give them a plan. Here are your macros. And we work together on what that even means.

Like what are macros? How do you put together meals? And then there's some strength training involved and it's sort of just like dipping your toes into the structure of the program from there. So that's what I've been rolling out. I'm also. Launching a photo shoot experience.

So for current clients and anybody really, it doesn't have to be somebody that's working with me, they can sign up for this photo shoot. I'm calling it reawaken her. Mm-hmm. So it's like a reawakening of any [00:14:00] part of you. So whether you've had, you wanna celebrate something or you want, you've had weight, fat loss or weight loss or just whatever it is you just wanted to do a photo shoot in the here and now with wherever you're at.

It's just sort of like reawakening that part of yourself that you don't allow to peek through all the time. That's amazing. When is the photo shoot day? Have you decided that yes, it's November 22nd. Okay. And if that fills up, then we have the 23rd as well. We're looking to, shoot five women each day if possible.

And is that in Toronto? Yeah, it's in Toronto. Yep. Okay.

Tina: That sounds like a lot of fun. Maybe I'll look into that. Yeah, you totally

Adriana: should. It was so much fun. I love it. I shoot every single time because it just gets funner and funner.

Tina: You might as well, you're already there. I know.

Adriana: So when I brought this last client, normally when I do a photo shoot, I will go into a fat loss phase for a photo shoot.

But this time I didn't, so I was about 10 to 12 pounds heavier than I normally am when I do shoots. I was [00:15:00] super uncomfortable. Even though to the outside it didn't look like I looked that much different. But to me I was uncomfortable with it. Mm-hmm. But I did it anyways and it was like another sense of how you can show up beautiful in all stages, you know?

Mm-hmm. It is not about the number on the scale. And so I'm learning at the same time through this evolution, through coaching other women. What? Truly matters and what makes sense. As I continue to go through this journey,

Tina: ~Um, and ~I actually was just on your Instagram page earlier. And I love the post that you wrote about your clients teaching you more than you would've ever expected. Yeah. Can you talk more about that?

Adriana: Yeah. It was like, I don't know it yet, but they're giving me more than I think I'm giving them just in terms of, ~you know.~

~The, ~the power of the human spirit, their resiliency, their ability to conquer the challenges. And it's like a mirror, you know, they're mirroring what I went through and what I still continue to go through, what they're challenged with. I still have challenges, but the voices a lot quieter, right?

Their voices are just a [00:16:00] lot louder. So just the amount of, job satisfaction. That seems so like masculine, but just, you know, what I gain from working with each and every client is like priceless. I can't even describe it as you can see. I can't find one purpose.

Tina: I love that though.

'cause I think that just says how much of a fit that this job, career, whatever it is, is for you. Mm-hmm. And it just shows the level of impact that you're also having on other women. I think that's awesome. ~Mm-hmm. ~

Adriana: ~Yeah. ~I love it. I love when. Somebody has a win. You know, like I fit into this pair of jeans, or I haven't been able to wear this Driss.

Or I walk into my closet and everything fits. You know, just like that feeling. I know what it feels like, to walk into a store and know that you're gonna look good in what they have and not that you have to shop in a certain section or, you know what I mean? Mm-hmm. Like you have to limit yourself.

And again, that's different for every single person, but I want everyone to have that feeling, whatever that means for them.

Tina: Mm-hmm.

Adriana: Yeah. Amazing.

Tina: [00:17:00] So I know you said your brand is Cup of Dri. Mm-hmm. So your Instagram is Cup of Dri?

Adriana: Yep. It's COF dri, and then I have, a podcast. It's called A Cup of Dri.

So it's, five to 15 minute episodes I don't have guests right now. But it's just me talking on my way to and from the gym in the morning. The thoughts that I'm having while I'm working out or things that I see. And then I have a website, www.cupofDri.com where you can find all of the things that I do.

Tina: Amazing. So I'm gonna link that into the show notes, so if anyone is feeling called to reach out to you and have a conversation with you, it'll all be there. Perfect. And thank you so much for being on the podcast today. Thanks for having me.

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