At 45, a mother of three has built a powerful physique through weightlifting, but her journey to self-love has been met with a torrent of online abuse alongside admiration.
From 'Skinny Fat' to Super Toned
Tina Fernandez, a single mum from California, USA, has completely reshaped her life and body. She describes a historically "turbulent" relationship with food and her appearance, where she was "never happy" with how she looked. This struggle intensified after her first pregnancy, during which she gained 75lbs.
Her initial foray into fitness involved regular gym visits focused solely on cardio. "I had two more babies and embraced pregnancy, but worked out and only gained 35lbs with both of them," Tina explained. Despite this, she felt her body was just 'skinny fat' and yearned for a more toned physique.
The Turning Point: Lifting Weights and Gaining Confidence
The real transformation began when she made a pivotal New Year's resolution. "I was scared of food," she admitted. "[So I set a resolution] to eat more and lift weights, and change my body extremely and gain confidence."
This shift to serious weight training was the key. "That’s when I took it seriously and was determined to feel great in anything I put on. My confidence now is through the roof and I'm so happy and proud," she said.
Mixed Reactions: Street Praise vs. Keyboard Hate
While Tina now sports an impressively muscular and toned physique, the reactions to her body are starkly divided. In person, she often receives positive attention, with people stopping her for selfies or compliments.
Online, however, the narrative is frequently toxic. "I get so much love and compliments but I also get an extreme amount of hate – mostly from men but women too," Tina revealed. The abuse is often vicious, with trolls labelling her "repulsive" and "hideous," and even telling her that "nobody would want" her. She has been subjected to cruel remarks telling her to harm herself and criticising her parenting.
"People love trying to humble me – but it doesn’t work. I’m just confident and that seems to bug insecure people," she stated.
Rising Above the Vile Abuse
Thankfully, Tina's hard-won self-assurance acts as a shield against the trolling. Having been "severely bullied" in her youth, she now approaches the hate with a different perspective.
"I don’t let it bug me, I just feel sad for them. I actually grew up severely bullied, so now I’ve been on both sides but I’m still bullied," she reflected. "Now, I laugh about it and I have a tremendous amount of empathy. I don’t need attention... I’m very much true to myself."
Her story stands as a powerful testament to finding confidence on one's own terms, proving that the only approval that truly matters is your own.
