Hoda Hajirnia on CrossFit, Real Estate, and Overcoming Eating Disorders
'Real Estate Wars' star Hoda Hajirnia beat anorexia and bulimia with deadlifts and squats. Now she’s moving property and iron on the reg—and bravely sharing her transformative tale.
Peruse these photos, and you’ll see a strong, stunning woman who heaves big weights as confidently as she closes big deals on Bravo’s latest reality hit, Real Estate Wars.
Hard to imagine Hoda Hajirnia was once consumed by multiple eating disorders, a sub-100-pound dead woman walking, right?
Hoda Hajirnia on CrossFit, Real Estate, and Overcoming Eating Disorders
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Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
“I would basically restrict from eating throughout the day and then do all this cardio and then binge and then regret it and then purge,” the 31-year-old recalls. “It was the craziest vicious cycle ever.”Brought on by feeling helpless about her mother’s life-threatening illness when Hajirnia was in high school, that cycle continued through college at Cal State Fullerton and an ABC-affiliate newsroom gig in Los Angeles. Five years ago, the Southern California native was so thin she could hear her heartbeat, sense her mortality—and see the pain in her family’s eyes. “That was my wake-up call,” she observes. “That really triggered me to say, ‘You’ve got to get your shit together.’”
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Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
So, after coming clean to her family and doctors—and getting into CrossFit—Hajirnia began reclaiming her life. It wasn’t easy. “I was frustrated because I wasn’t seeing the progress everybody else was seeing,” she explains. “But the moment I started to appreciate my body and love myself and just think, ‘I’m my own competition,’ I started to see the change. But I did put in a lot of hard work. I went the extra mile.”Hajirnia continues to progress with conscientious meal prep, protein shakes, and 6 a.m. training sessions (before her clients wake up), plus lighter-impact routines later in the day. She went deep with M&F about her training and nutrition, but just glance at these shots or her suggested workout to be certain she lifts hard and eats right.
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Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
It may seem time-consuming, but Hajirnia says she relies on fitness to power up for her other passion: real estate. With a family background in the biz, she switched careers a few years back and quickly began securing multimillion-dollar deals. “Home buying can be overwhelming and stressful, but the end result gets me so excited,” she now raves. “It’s the most gratifying feeling to help somebody with the biggest investment of their life.”And appearing with the otherwise male-heavy McMonigle Group on Real Estate Wars sure hasn’t hurt. “It’s awesome,” she says. “I’ve been getting positive messages, business inquiries, fitness questions. A lot of people want to know what I’m eating, and I don’t blame them because of my past.”
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Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
Which brings us to her third passion: Since going public with her story last year, she’s been thrilled to inspire others through traditional and social media. “With this platform, I’d love to help as many people as I can,” says Hajirnia, who’s also now happily engaged. “I want to discuss how I got into fitness and how others can overcome their disorder and work toward the body they’ve always wanted.”As far as we can tell, this rising star is off to a pretty promising start.
Take advice from a pro, and selling or buying a home won’t be such a hassle.Tidy up: “Declutter as much as you can,” Hajirnia says. “If you’re a hoarder, use a room as storage or sell or donate items to clear them out.”Improve the outside: “The curb appeal is the determining factor for somebody wanting to attend an open house or schedule a showing. So the exterior paint, driveway, and landscaping are very important.”Repaint: “If you have a room that’s dark, a fresh coat in a neutral tone will go a long way. It’s a blank canvas, letting the buyer envision giving it their own style.”Figure out finances: “For buyers, have your preapproval from your lender and your down payment ready. It’s good to know your budget, because why spend five months looking at places that are much higher or much lower than your price range?”
“I would basically restrict from eating throughout the day and then do all this cardio and then binge and then regret it and then purge,” the 31-year-old recalls. “It was the craziest vicious cycle ever.”
Brought on by feeling helpless about her mother’s life-threatening illness when Hajirnia was in high school, that cycle continued through college at Cal State Fullerton and an ABC-affiliate newsroom gig in Los Angeles. Five years ago, the Southern California native was so thin she could hear her heartbeat, sense her mortality—and see the pain in her family’s eyes. “That was my wake-up call,” she observes. “That really triggered me to say, ‘You’ve got to get your shit together.’”
So, after coming clean to her family and doctors—and getting into CrossFit—Hajirnia began reclaiming her life. It wasn’t easy. “I was frustrated because I wasn’t seeing the progress everybody else was seeing,” she explains. “But the moment I started to appreciate my body and love myself and just think, ‘I’m my own competition,’ I started to see the change. But I did put in a lot of hard work. I went the extra mile.”
Hajirnia continues to progress with conscientious meal prep, protein shakes, and 6 a.m. training sessions (before her clients wake up), plus lighter-impact routines later in the day. She went deep with M&F about her training and nutrition, but just glance at these shots or her suggested workout to be certain she lifts hard and eats right.
It may seem time-consuming, but Hajirnia says she relies on fitness to power up for her other passion: real estate. With a family background in the biz, she switched careers a few years back and quickly began securing multimillion-dollar deals. “Home buying can be overwhelming and stressful, but the end result gets me so excited,” she now raves. “It’s the most gratifying feeling to help somebody with the biggest investment of their life.”
And appearing with the otherwise male-heavy McMonigle Group on Real Estate Wars sure hasn’t hurt. “It’s awesome,” she says. “I’ve been getting positive messages, business inquiries, fitness questions. A lot of people want to know what I’m eating, and I don’t blame them because of my past.”
Which brings us to her third passion: Since going public with her story last year, she’s been thrilled to inspire others through traditional and social media. “With this platform, I’d love to help as many people as I can,” says Hajirnia, who’s also now happily engaged. “I want to discuss how I got into fitness and how others can overcome their disorder and work toward the body they’ve always wanted.”
As far as we can tell, this rising star is off to a pretty promising start.
Take advice from a pro, and selling or buying a home won’t be such a hassle.
Tidy up: “Declutter as much as you can,” Hajirnia says. “If you’re a hoarder, use a room as storage or sell or donate items to clear them out.”
Improve the outside: “The curb appeal is the determining factor for somebody wanting to attend an open house or schedule a showing. So the exterior paint, driveway, and landscaping are very important.”
Repaint: “If you have a room that’s dark, a fresh coat in a neutral tone will go a long way. It’s a blank canvas, letting the buyer envision giving it their own style.”
Figure out finances: “For buyers, have your preapproval from your lender and your down payment ready. It’s good to know your budget, because why spend five months looking at places that are much higher or much lower than your price range?”
