Born and raised in Bulgaria in a traditional family, I've always lived by a few simple rules:
Consistent habits lead to lasting changes in your life.
Care about people.
Trust your intuition.
You can achieve anything if you desire it strongly enough.
As I know myself, I always want to help people in some way so they can be a better version of themselves.
2010
In 2010, I earned my master’s degree in business. My plan at that time? I really didn't have one. Like many other '80s kids, I was brought up to believe only a few career paths were available to me. So, like any lost and confused university graduate, I started somewhere. I began working as a secretary at a private school. In Bulgaria, job experience is often valued more than academic degrees. After a year, the school owner promoted me to school manager.
At 25-26 years old, I managed people, projects, and almost everything else. I learned a lot, especially that I'm a good listener and motivator and can achieve goals efficiently.
I met my husband, a Bulgarian living in the USA for over 18 years. And I took a significant risk, leaving my successful career, family, and country to move to the U.S. This decision completely changed my life. I struggled with:
English: I only knew basic things and honestly, it's still challenging to share videos publicly because sometimes I worry about what people will think of my English. But helping others is more important than these worries. I just follow my heart.
Experienced culture shock.
Developed food allergies (the food in the U.S. is quite different from European cuisine); Mostly, the sauces are sweet or heavy, and even the bread is primarily sweet.
Began to feel depressed and anxious; I didn't have friends, and the only close person was my husband, whom I didn't know very well. I don't want to complain, but can you imagine for a second how I felt?
So, because of all these things, I started to face health issues, including a breast lump, knee pain, weight gain, dry skin, and menstrual problems. These issues didn't all appear at once but accumulated over three and a half years. So yeah, I struggled a lot for almost 4 years. It became clear that I needed to CHANGE SOMETHING.
At 34, I began caring for myself because I realized nobody else could do it. My body and soul were suffering, and I needed to take action. I started to look for information and to find answers to many questions, such as:
How can I heal my body?
How can I improve my well-being?
How can I sleep better?
How can I have more energy?
How can I lose weight?
How can I achieve glowing skin?
I realized that the answer was moving my body and cooking. I was a member of my high school's basketball and running teams. My love for cooking began in childhood when I was taught by my grandmother, who made delicious Bulgarian meals. So, I really wanted to do something that would bring me joy. Back in the U.S., living in Orlando, FL, where it's challenging to walk outside due to the weather, I promised myself to walk early in the morning or evening for at least 15 minutes. I'm not a fan of gyms, so I began working out at home for 20 minutes. Within a week, I felt better inside and out, becoming more energized and motivated. I experimented with different recipes and became mindful of what I consumed and how food impacted my well-being. After three months, my breast lump disappeared (I realized excessive caffeine was harmful to me), my skin improved, and my knee pain significantly reduced due to correct movement. I was amazed at how diet and exercise could profoundly affect one's health.
In 2021, I became a certified personal trainer and nutritionist.
After looking at how to heal my body and mind, I recognized that even though I can find info easily nowadays, it can also be overwhelming and confusing. There are so many misconceptions about health, nutrition, and fitness. The truth is that everyone needs to feel good both inside and out. Each year, I learned more and experienced more, and started to help my family and friends. And then, I decided to study to become a personal trainer and nutritionist. In 2021, I was officially a certified personal trainer and nutritionist. And honestly, I was scared to share my knowledge because there are a lot of experienced health coaches, trainers, or nutritionists out there. How could I reach their level? So, who would want to listen to me?
But after seeing people's results, I realized that I could help others to feel great inside and out, not only because of my personal experience, struggles, and knowledge but also because of my firm belief that, in simple ways, I can coach people to start feeling great and most importantly to begin listening to their bodies. Because, let's be honest, you can't simply say if you drink this or eat this, your problem will be solved — not at all. You need to understand your body's needs.
My goal is to provide practical tips for understanding your body. So, after nearly six years of helping both known and unknown primarily women, I decided to focus my career on this field.
I continue to learn new things about what it means to feel good inside and out. My journey continues, and I'm here to serve with my free content, online training programs, food recipes, and anything else I might offer. I'm in this to make a difference and to help you build healthy habits for a strong mind and body through workouts, mindset, and nutrition. Whether you're just beginning your journey towards a healthy lifestyle or seeking to elevate it, I'm here to help you reach your fullest potential and provide the tools and practices to improve your health.
If you've read this far, thank you. I hope this is just the beginning of our relationship. I’d love to learn more about you.
What's next? If you're ready to feel good inside and out and build healthy habits for a strong mind and body, just sign up below by entering your name and email.
Sign up for exclusive content, emails & things Galina doesn’t share anywhere else.
With all my love,
Galina
“Thanks to Galina's professionalism and support, I've successfully embraced a healthier lifestyle. I started by gradually increasing my daily activity — like hitting that 10,000 steps mark, which felt impossible at first but now I'm loving it! Then I made better choices with food and ingredients, and worked on a more positive mindset.
The result? I feel so much better about myself and my body. Galina's guidance has been invaluable, and I'm truly grateful for her help!!” –– Elisa
“Because of Galina, I began to enjoy working out again. Her practical guidance helped me through tough times. She encouraged easy steps that made a big difference. For 10 days, I lost 5 pounds. I take 10,000 steps daily and cook for me and my family, mostly using her recipes. Moving to “The Health Boost Challenge,” I learned about overall wellness, including diet and lifestyle. Galina gave me the tools to live healthier. Thanks for everything, Galina” –– Francis
“Galina helped me to change my perspective on health and fitness. Her unique approach showed me that eating well and staying active can be enjoyable and sustainable. And being healthy doesn't mean having a restrictive life. I subscribed to her newsletters and her YouTube Channel and since then I've been receiving valuable content which helped me gain self-awareness about my habits and learn how to improve my routine."
–– Luciana
© Copyright 2024 - Galina Penev Health - Privacy Policy - Terms of Use