After deciding to pack up and move across country a few years ago in pursuit of modeling, H-Town native Alexandra Safir created a path for herself that she hadn’t yet walked; fitness. Since moving to Los Angeles, she’s become a health and fitness coach, shot with Lance Gross, modeled for Mint Swim, started her own business, became a Nationally Qualified Bikini Competitor and became her own woman.
What prompted your move to LA?
Since I was young, I’ve always wanted to be in the spotlight whether it came from my passion for singing and music or modeling. I used to beg my mom to move us to LA in high school so that I could pursue my dreams but she wasn’t having that. I decided to take the leap a few years after graduating, leaving behind a 6 year relationship because I felt like I’d reached a wall in Houston doing all I could as far as modeling. I knew that I was destined for more than Houston could offer me. Sometimes you just have to leave and not look back and have faith that it will all work out.
What happened in your life that triggered you wanting to change your lifestyle around?
I worked at a gym in high school so being apart of the fitness world started at a young age for me. I played softball and soccer when I was younger and danced pretty much my entire life through high school. I love being active. Prior to moving to LA, I went through a phase where I’d gained weight from birth control and it really made me super self conscience with modeling and just being my normal self. I am naturally pretty self confident but I remember during that time that I didn’t like what I saw in the mirror. Despite knowing that I was beautiful no matter what, it really bothered me more than people knew. I tried so many different ways to lose weight. Whatever fad was going around, I was on it and I didn’t care if it was “healthy” or not. It wasn’t until I moved to LA when I got involved with Herbalife that I was finally able to really get healthy and fit and start loving my body again.
How has changing your physical appearance changed you mentally and emotionally?
Changing my physical appearance has helped change me mentally because I know that I can do anything I put my mind to. Yes having a great body and abs is awesome and all but the real physical change took place in my mind. I’ve mentally been able to push myself past barriers in workouts but also in personal life situations. For me, working on yourself inside is just as important as on the outside. I am so much stronger than I was 2 years ago emotionally and I know a lot of that strength came from pushing past barriers in my fitness life.
You tried your hand at many things prior to fitness-what was it that made you stick with fitness?
Fitness is something that I have grown such a passion for because it has helped me fight through lots of mental struggles and has just been an outlet for me in so many ways. It has allowed me to be used as a vessel in 100’s of other peoples lives to help them like I was able to do for myself. That’s what it’s really about. When you can find something you love that allows you to be bigger than yourself and call that work, that’s when you know you’re living in your purpose.
How has following your passion for a healthy lifestyle opened up other avenues for business opportunities?
Following my passion for the healthy active lifestyle has opened up so many doors and more new doors continue to be opened as I continue to grow in this field. I have been lucky enough to grow a great social media following which has helped me in many ways. I was able to start an online store for women’s athletic wear and since I am super into working out, I know what I like to wear and what types of athletic accessories I am interested in as a consumer which helps me cast a larger vision for the future of my brand. I currently have my first online fitness challenge that has over 100 people signed up. It’s pretty exciting to know that this many people trusted me enough to join me. On the side of personal training, I have so many other projects in the works! It’s all about evolving.
Beginning a business and/or a movement isn’t easy. What are some struggles you faced during the building process?
I think it takes [a lot of] courage to be an entrepreneur. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart. I feel like one of the main struggles isn’t anything physical. I will speak for myself but I know for sure anyone can feel me when I say that the biggest struggle is self doubt and getting rid of negative self talk when you are beginning a business or trying to start a movement. Will I be successful? Will people want to follow me? How am I different than anyone else? Am I capable of this? Do I deserve this? I’m big on manifestation and energy and I believe 100% that the things we speak into ourselves are what we become.
Tell us something that we don’t know, that we might have assumed about you.
I am a people person, I love meeting new people and I love to talk. However, I can be super shy (I know, you wouldn’t think) and no matter how myself confident I am, there are still times where I’m so hard on myself that it’s pretty ridiculous. I pretty much annoy myself sometimes but I feel like that pushes me to get better.
How do you find the motivation to get up and go to the gym everyday?
It’s my high..my therapy. I love the feeling of putting in work, sweating and pushing myself to my limits. It doesn’t have to be the gym, it can be anything having to do with being active. That’s where I get to zone out and take any frustrations or stresses I have and release them. I know how it feels to be uncomfortable in your own skin so that is a feeling that I never want to feel again and I know that by living the healthy active lifestyle, I won’t have to worry about that.
Why are you so passionate about health? How important is it and whats been the most rewarding aspect of implementing your new lifestyle?
I am so passionate about health because that is the only thing I know we can control. I’ve been able to help a lot of people get healthy whether they wanted to lose weight or gain weight or just really just start living a healthier lifestyle all around. To help others want to live a longer, healthier life makes me feel full.
What’s the best advice someone has given you to help you push past what you thought you were capable of?
I listen to a lot of personal development so I get a lot of advice from motivational speakers and doing so I’ve been able to take bits and pieces from all of them and apply them to my everyday life. Someone once told me they could see that I wasn’t even CLOSE to reaching my full potential, that I needed to push harder and open myself up to more. I took that advice and turned up on my life!
This was a little advice from a good guy friend of mine and it really made my soul feel OK.
“You’ll never be perfect and that is what makes you perfect.. perfectly flawed you are.. that will always be the strength that you carry..that no matter what happens you’ll crush goals and sometimes you’ll do some shit that just don’t make no sense.. but you’ll only learn and grow from it.. you’ve never let anything just stop you..no matter what happens, it happened, keep it moving. love and smile at the greatness that is on it’s way.. never a failure, always a lesson moving forward”
In your opinion, what do you feel is the most important key to living a happy life?
In my 28 years, I am finally really starting to understand what it means to live a happy life. For me, it is to do what you love and build your life around that. I’m a Capricorn and we are very hard on ourselves. I feel bad every second that I’m not working on something so for me, learning to live more in the present and taking time out to do little things that make me happy whether it’s taking myself to lunch, visiting friends, going to relax at the beach, going to see a movie, spending time alone at a coffee shop and getting in a creative zone is very important to my sanity.
What is your B Werd?
My B Werd is Brave. This word resonates with me because it’s something I’ve been most of my life. I had to be brave when I left my entire life in Houston. I had no idea I’d end up where I am today but had I not taken that chance, who knows what my life would be like. It takes bravery to start your own business and bravery to be a strong, independent woman in a city where it’s so easy and common to be something else. I encourage all women to be brave and stand for something you believe in!
