20 Questions with Cover Model Tina Jo Orban

1. Please introduce yourself? What makes you special? Who is Tina Jo Orban?

Tina Jo Orban, I am exceptional athlete, and former model, having competed completely natural, and as a vegetarian, in Miss Galaxy,  and Natural Shows like INBA. I actually won the Miss World All Natural title 2005!  I am former Playboy model & I help put Michael Scott Modeling Agency on the map—along with Kim Paul—Hmm well maybe mutually we put each other on the map.--- I have been on ESPN’S Fitness Show Training & Nutrition 2000. I also have done more swimsuit issues in the late 90’s than I can count!  Including, Musclemag, Ironman, Muscular Development, Planet Muscle, Muscle Elegance, American Curves etc....  I also have a liberal studies degree Notre Dame De Namur, A medical lab tech license,  and medical aesthetician license, as well as of course two personal training certifications.  For those of you who know my bio, you will recall I used to own TJ’s Mobile Fitness, in the Bay area!

2) Please tell us a bit about your family, friends and surroundings?  

Cute whip smart husband “MAN OF STEEL”  Kurt Orban of the world renowned International Trading Company KurtOrbanPatners.com  My good close friend is an entreprenuer, and former school teacher, best of all she is a role-model mother. She does everything!  She is available for her child almost always. She keeps her body up, looks beautiful, and is a volunteer at her daughter’s school and even cooks and bakes! She is a real role model mom.  
I have plenty of photographer friends, as one can imagine, including some of my favorites: “JC” aka Juan Carlos the master flash--- photographer from HARD FITNESS!  And John Stutz, Alex Ardenti, Bill Dobbins, Ken Marcus, Kim Mizuno, Rich Shcaff, and Michael Scott, Mike Eckstut.

3) How did you start in the world of Fitness?  

I actually have always been an athlete, it’s built in. I was into soft-ball in grade school, and don’t laugh bowling!  I also, as some who have read my previous bios, was the winner in former president Ronald Reagan’s (whom I love!) exercise events they implemented in schools back in the 80’s.  In the fifth grade I was able to beat out everyone in my entire school  for the longest held chin up. I think it was over two minutes.

4) What is your personal policy (not what the judges want) about conditioning and muscularity when coming into a show? Soft or hard?  

I don’t compete anymore, but I love the ripped girls!  I love belly veins, it is so hard for me to achieve that though, although I am complimented on my mid-section as phenomenal when I “lean-out”  I never get it just the way I want it. I guess that is why I look pretty tight, because I am never satisfied!

5)  What is your idea of what judges want in a Figure competitor? Do you think judges are clear enough with competitors about how they want you on stage? It seems in Europe they are very clear unlike in the USA.

I don’t compete in that circuit, so I cannot answer, but ask Jenny Lynn—she seems to be dialed in on what THEY want.  I love her by the way—she ROCKS!!!

7) What is your typical training routine in the gym (per day, include sets and reps!) How much cardio do you do before a show?

Typical training is hard-core, I am mean.  I don’t play around, I am not a social butterfly—ironically I belong to one of those Hoity-Toity exclusive— social Athletic Clubs.  But when I train, I am so focused.  I zero in on the muscles moving, the stretch, the flex the pain. I love it! I have loved it for 20 years. I started when I was teen!  Prior to a show or important shoot that I need to be “ripped” for my cardio is increased to an hour a day---to sometimes one hour in the a.m. and then another half hour in the p.m.!

8) What is your pre-contest diet? (per day, 1 week before the show)  

Typically egg-whites spaced out two every few hours, I will use some veggies for carbs, and salt-free, rice-cakes. I tend to dink tons of water to flush the extra-cellular fluid, and fill out my muscles.  I do try to cut out carbs a good two days before, then re-introduce them the day morning of in small amounts, and man that makes my muscles swell!  They just fill up!

9) How do you go about dropping your water before the day of the show? How much water do you drink the day of the show. Please be specific.  

That was addressed above, but again I ma all natural. I decrease all possible forms of salt intake, then just pound the water, I don’t know maybe a about 1/2 gallon per day.  I am very intuitive with my own body, so I just go with how I look. Sounds vain, but I check constantly my physique days before the show, I mean a few times per day, see what is going on with the abs etc....

10) What motivates you to train/diet and compete? Are there any competitors you looked up to?

I was built to build.  I love to be powerful!  My motivation is built in.  I look up to:
Cory Everson, she inspired me to start. I also love McLish.  I have always loved Marla Duncan, there has never been a body, and face like that in the business! She is a goddess.

11) Please tell us an interesting experience you had at a show recently, be it a fun thing or something rather not so fun?

A recent show, and the last show I did, is a competitor asked me out back-stage. I gently let him know I was married, but appreciated the gesture.

12) What is your personal opinion about the figure, fitness, bodybuilding industry we are in? Anything you would like to see changed?  

No real opinion on it. I like to watch it evolve.  I don’t mind big muscular women-in fact I enjoy looking at their powerful physiques. I love figure models too.  I also love the fitness girls, wow what energy!!!  I don’t like skinny mini-waif models! They suck they teach women and young girls to starve themselves!  It’s disgusting!  Women can play sports, be powerful, and still be beautiful. Just look at Jamie Eason, or Valerie Waugaman---man she will kick your ass!

13) What has been your hardest challenge to overcome either in your personal life or competing career?

Well I will be brutally honest, I have had some miss-carriages, and well that has bee the most difficult thing in the world to deal with. But we overcome, heal, and move-on. Life has it’s reasons for the cards we are dealt.

14) Having been on Playboy at some point in your career what did you learn from it or get out of it?

Hugh Heffner is a true American Entrepenuer. He has capitalized on the fact that BEAUTIFUL girls & women always wonder “Am I pretty?” I met him very smooth guy.  Anyhow great experience, glad I did it. I must say there sets (photo-shoots) are the most incredibly professional, accommodating I have ever worked on.


15) How is modeling for you now that you are on a different stage of your life?

Well I  am happy that I have managed to keep my self looking like a role model of fitness for so long. I am amazed in some ways!


16) How do you balance your family life with modeling and dieting for shows? Do you have a support system around you (family, etc...)?

I push my self,  I will do what ever it takes to make it all happen. I actually work as my husbands personal assistant, I volunteer for any school activities my daughter school requests.  I manage to get my daughter to: ballet, Little Gym, Swimming lessons, culinary classes, and playdates. I am driven everyday to squeeze the most out of a day!  I do have breaks though so I  am not totally compulsive.  I vacation like the rest of us.

17) Please tell us about how you were raised and did you have any interesting experiences while growing up?  

Raised as a tom-boy.  Competed with boys all my life, but still love love them.

18) Do you have an athletic background? Gymnastics, soccer, volleyball or what?  

Bowling yeah you read that right, Cross-Country, Cycling Mountain Biking Motorcycling. I have tried golf, I hated it.

19) What is a typical day in the life of Tina Jo Orban? From waking up to until going to bed?  

The classical piece called “the flight of the bumble-bee” sums up my days. BUSY.

20) What is your current occupation? Please tell us more about it, what do you specifically do in your job?

I do all sorts of things, I started a little e-tail business a while back  TJ’s Jeans Bar.  
I work part time for KOP –steel importing company, &I work full-time for my 4 year daughter Jo. No more personal training, or real full-time modeling for me. I will be working as a spokes-model for:
youlookunhappy.com this up coming year, and also touring to promote John Stutz’s new book FIT GIRLS Volume One, which can be purchased at Johnstutz.com

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