Up Close With Antonia Da Cruz

Antonia left the corporate world for something more active that allows her to wear athleisure clothes to meetings. Antonia is the General Manager of fitness community and platform, GuavaPass. She oversees all the operations from business development and corporate partnerships to social media, PR and events in Hong Kong.

GuavaPass gives members access to a community of fitness studios and healthy-living experts, offering unlimited classes at premium fitness studios, exclusive events with wellness experts across Asia and the Middle East.

Tell us a bit about yourself. 

I suppose I'm your typical third culture kid! My father is Portuguese and my mother is Singaporean but I grew up in Hong Kong and studied in the UK. I attained a Bachelors degree in Law but after I graduated I moved back to Asia. I worked at stock brokerage CLSA for 5 years, followed by a short 1.5 year banking stint at RHB Bank in Singapore. 

What is your favourite part of your job?

Working out and getting to wear athleisure all day every day even when I'm not in the gym! I mean, not many people get to rock up to a meeting in flip flops! I don't even know what normal clothes are anymore. 

How did your daily routine change after joining GuavaPass? Has it motivated you to become healthier?

Well I definitely have the luxury of allocating more time for workouts.. a luxury I couldn't afford in my finance stints. I showed up to a meeting with wet hair once after a lunch session and it did not go down well. But yes otherwise, I am more aware of my body and what I put into it - but sadly I just have too many cheat days! It's also motivated me to do my 200 hour YTT (yoga teacher training) which I completed earlier this year.

We see you love to travel! What are your top 3 tips for staying fit while travelling?

It depends on the destination. If I'm headed to the beach then I'll engage in some water sports or go hiking. (I recently got my Advanced Open Water divers license, yay!) If it's winter - then I'll go skiing, or if it's a new city, I usually spend my days walking around exploring the sights. Otherwise, if it's somewhere like London then shopping is my cardio!

What are your 5 favourite healthy restaurants in Hong Kong? 

Kale
Passion
Pololi
La Rotisserie
MANA 

What are your bucket list destinations and why?

If it was an economically viable option - SPACE! Otherwise, all of South America as I’ve never been! I want to learn to play polo in Argentina, head up the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, run across the Salar de Uyuni (salt flats) in Bolivia. I also want to do the Polar Plunge in Antarctica, see the wildebeest migration in Tanzania, maybe do a car rally around Central Asia...the list is endless. Because.. why not! You only have one life.. might as well live it to the fullest!

Follow Antonia on Instagram @dacruza