Interview with Tani Correia
Rising Star of the Month - March 2010
Interviewed by: Angie Courduff
WP: Tani Correia has always been very active growing up. She has been health conscious and very much into fitness. Tani was a Certified Fitness Instructor and trainer in her early twenties and plans to become certified again in the future.
It wasn't until February 2009 that she decided to kick her fitness up a few notches and found her true passion in fitness modeling. She has accomplished many things since then.
"The hardest thing for me in the beginning was food preparation. I realized I had to pack my meals, or at least plan them out, if I'm going to be successful in my training and fitness goals.”
WP: Hey Tani! For those readers that don't know you yet, can you give us a brief run down about you?
TC: Hi Angie! I'll be happy to! Well, I live a healthy and fit lifestyle. I've always been pretty active growing up. Fitness is a huge part of my life. I eat, breathe and am fitness. If I'm not exercising, I'm thinking about exercising. I also love getting others into this lifestyle. Through fitness modeling, one of my goals is to inspire other men and women to be the best they can be and to feel great about themselves. I've done other types of modeling: shoe modeling, showroom and promotional modeling. However, I plan to make some dents in fitness modeling and the fitness industry.
I'm also an artist who makes baby dolls from clay which is quite fun. It's a hobby that became an internet-based business. I'm quirky, silly, and quite goofy. If you don't know that already, you will learn that to be true very quickly. I’m very passionate about everything I do and love!
WP: You really do lead a fit lifestyle! You began personal training and aerobics instructing in your early twenties; what got you interested in fitness?
TC: I admired the fit bodies I saw in magazines and I desired that, too. I've always been active and played sports as a child, and I believe fitness was always in my blood. I enjoyed motivating others and, in turn, that kept me going.
WP: You started fitness modeling last year. How did you get started?
TC: My first “fitness style” shoot was with Walt Ostarly in September 2009. It was a great experience that made me realize this is the path I want to pursue. I found my true passion in fitness modeling. Walt Ostarly must be my good luck charm because great things really started to happen after shooting with him. Yay! Thank you, Walt!
WP: We adore Walt! Can you tell us about some of the work you’ve done? Have you entered any modeling competitions?
TC: I've been on the cover of Register Magazine (Editor's choice for new talent), was featured in Red Skye Comic Book as Xian, The B.L.O.O.D Slayer, and had a feature/interview on Model Vanity. Since September 2009, I was featured in MyBikiniBrazil (an online swimwear catalog), modeled for Halcyon Blue’s Micro Bikinis swimwear line, and graced a page in Planet Muscle Magazine (March/April 2010 issue). I entered the BodySpace/Ironman 2010 Spokes Model Competition and was a semi-finalist. I was quite proud of myself for making it that far and have all my friends, family, supporters, and online voters to thank for that! Thank you!
WP: You really have made a splash in the fitness modeling industry in such a short time! Do you plan to compete in other modeling competitions?
TC: Yes, I certainly do. I have my eye on the Flex Magazine competition and the Status Magazine Competition, as well. So, please keep an eye out and vote for me during the online voting! Woo hoo!
WP: We definitely will! Can you tell us which photographers you’ve worked with? Are there any you’d like to work with?
TC: I've worked with Nadine Raphael, C. Yohance Deloatch, Steve Azzara, Dave Alan, and most recently Walt Ostarly. There are quite a few photographers I'd like to work with: Wendi Satio, Mike Byerly, Brent Allen, and definitely Walt Ostarly again and again.
WP: Hear that, Walt? I think Tani’s pretty satisfied with your work! Tell us about your diet and training. Do they change at all when you’re preparing for a shoot?
TC: Yes! But, not too much as I try to maintain and stay focused. I try never to sway too far off from a clean diet. What I do differently is limit my consumption of fruits in the evening and increase my cardio a bit. Um, and NO cheat meals!
WP: Can you give me an example of your current workout?
TC: Certainly! I usually start every workout session with 6-10 minutes of a warm-up on the treadmill, bike, etc., to get my blood flowing and to prepare my body and muscles for weight lifting. I also have a few days where I do cardio after my weight training. If I’m preparing for a photo shoot or event, I’ll have an extra cardio session. Ok, and if for some reason I got a little carried away with my "cheat meal", I'll throw in an extra cardio session! Of course, I’m always changing up my routine to keep my muscles guessing and keeping sessions fresh and fun. A typical workout for the week looks something like this:
Monday- Shoulders & cardio
Tuesday- Back, biceps, calves
Wednesday - Off day or make-up day
Thursday- Legs (quads and hamstrings) & shoulders
Friday- Chest, triceps, cardio
Saturday- Glutes, calves, abs
Sunday-OFF
I usually work my abdominal muscles in between sets with almost every workout. My “rests” are active rest, and I use that time to work my abs. An example would be doing a set of bicep curls and during my rest period I'll do crunches on a ball with a weight. Then, I go back to my bicep curl set. It’s great because it keeps me moving. Cardio is usually on a spin bike (yes, I have the cute, little spin shoes) or other cardio equipment for 30 minutes using a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) method, or I do a series of plyometrics for 20-25 minutes. I finish off every workout with stretches for a great cool- down.
WP: How is your current regiment different from before you started modeling?
TC: Well, my focus now is still to be healthy and fit. However, I'm taking it to another level. My weight training is more intense and I lift heavier. I also try my best to eat clean and my cheat meals are far less now, too! I embrace this lifestyle that I have grown to love.
WP: You really have embraced a healthy lifestyle and it’s paying off! What are the key factors that dictate the way you train?
TC: Definitely my strong mind, discipline and my love for fitness. Being in shape was always important to me, but it wasn't until late February 2009 that I decided to kick my fitness up a few notches. I liked how my body responded to a different level of weight training, so I kept at it and changed my diet and nutrition. With that passion and drive, my body changed rather quickly, and I continued to set small short term goals for myself. Reaching my fitness goals keeps me going strong! I love it.
WP: What does your usual daily diet look like?
TC: I typically eat 5 or 6 times a day just about every 3 hours. I chug lots of water all day long. I always start my day with a good multi-vitamin. Depending on when I wake up and go to sleep, here is an example of my diet:
8 AM: Chopped onions and peppers with egg whites and 1 piece of toasted Ezekiel bread with “I can’t believe it’s not butter” spray or 1/3 cup of oatmeal cooked with water and sprinkled with cinnamon for taste.
11 AM: Protein shake (slow-releasing), handful of raw almonds
2 PM: Grilled chicken with steamed veggies and half portion of brown rice
5 PM: Protein shake, homemade protein bar and an apple or banana
8 PM: Grilled salmon/fish, small sweet potato and 1 cup steamed broccoli
Bedtime: Slow-releasing protein shake
WP: Thanks for being so thorough! Do you take any supplements?
TC: Supplements are a vital part of my training and diet. I take a multi-vitamin with extra Bs and Spirulina. Before my workouts, I take BCAA’s, glutamine and a slow-releasing protein shake. Immediately after my workouts, I take BCAA’s, glutamine and a whey protein shake. At bedtime, I take a slow-releasing protein shake to keep my muscles fed throughout the night and to prevent catabolic muscle wasting.
WP: What is the hardest thing you’ve had to deal with when it comes to your diet?
TC: The hardest thing for me in the beginning was food preparation. I realized I had to pack my meals, or at least plan them out, if I'm going to be successful in my training and fitness goals. Other than that, I'm pretty disciplined, so it has now become second nature.
WP: What has been your stepping stone to get where you are today?
TC: It didn't take me long to know where I wanted to be at this point in my life. I did, however, have to figure out the best way to get there. I knew this would take some time, but I had the desire and drive to pursue it and I continue to do so. I'm still in my journey, but my true stepping stone would have to be shooting with Walt Ostarly. Not only did it help me realize the true passion I have for fitness modeling but great things have come along since. I've been published in magazines, online catalogs and industry people have taken notice.
WP: You have a very interesting hobby. Tell us about it!
TC: In 2001, I became intrigued with a local artist in Mexico who sculpted figurines from clay. As I have previously dabbled in other artistic things such as writing and painting, I decided to try my hand at sculpting with clay. I started by making characters such as puppies and bunnies and then a light bulb came on in my head: I would make little 3 inch human babies that would look realistic. It came to me so naturally. It was amazing to me how a BABY would almost seem to develop on it's own from a ball of clay. Who knew?
WP: You are one talented woman! Any future projects in the works?
TC: Well, Justin Timberlake asked me to be in his next video...JUST KIDDING!! Ok, so I always secretly wanted to be in a Justin Timberlake video. Think JT is reading this? I'm looking into the modeling competitions I mentioned. I also have a couple more features/interviews lined up.
WP: Don’t we all secretly desire to be in a JT video? Well, at least you and I do! Do you have any pet peeves?
TC: Oh, yes, yes, yes! In the gym, it KILLS me when someone sweats on a bench or machine and doesn't wipe it down. YUCK! People, puh-leeez use a towel! In life, I absolutely dislike when people are dishonest and, even worse, when people make promises they can't keep.
WP: Any shout outs?
TC: I would like to thank my family and friends for their continued support. A special thanks goes to my boys: Nick, who keeps me positive and is very encouraging; Jeff, who motivates and supports me tons and supplies me with supplements (yes, it's true); John, who encourages me and believes in me; George Pino, who trained me, pushed me and believes in me as well. And, to Gina Ostarly and Jamie Eason for the inspiration and encouragement; thank you, girlies! Also, to Walt Ostarly for his killer work, and to my supporters, online friends, The TEAM at World Physique, including Tammy Renee’ (one super cool chica!), and a big thank you to you, Angela, for this great interview! Thank you for all the love. I appreciate all of you.
WP: You are very welcome! It has been a pleasure interviewing you! Best of luck in your future modeling competitions!
TC: Aw, thank you so much, Angela. The pleasure was all mine!
