Anna Heinrich should be exhausted. There are business meetings, toddler tantrums, her husband’s 40th birthday party – and none of it is going to plan. Yet she’s unfazed. After years of struggling with imposter syndrome, Anna now knows that whatever comes her way, she’s got this.
Nine years have passed since we were introduced to the now-35-year-old on Australia’s first season of The Bachelor in 2013. A full-time criminal lawyer back then, she met her future husband – actor and chiropractor Tim Robards – and the two welcomed a daughter, Elle, in November 2020. Their love story might have played out on the screen as one of romance, roses and cocktail parties but, for Anna, the experience saw her confront her own vulnerability and self-doubt.
“If I had never met Tim, I felt like I probably would’ve stayed in law, been at the same firm, never kind of ventured out, never tried to do anything else because I just felt at ease,” she tells WH. “That’s one of the things that I’ve always said is you want to surround yourself with positive, uplifting people because they definitely rub off on you.”
Since then, Anna has traded law for entrepreneurship by launching her own health brand, Intu Wellness, and even surprised the nation earlier this year when she beasted her way through gruelling challenges (running while on fire, anyone?) on SAS Australia. And did we mention she did this only 10 months after giving birth to Elle? She still has moments of self-doubt, sure, but it seems Anna has found her inner confidence. Here Anna – a friend of the brand, Seafolly – talks wellness non-negotiables and why alone time is an integral part of her self-care.
How does your fitness approach change in summer?
Anna Heinrich: It’s more about lifestyle. You’re out more, you’re doing more and I’m lucky to have Tim who is extremely active. Where I sometimes prefer to sit on the couch, he’s like, ‘No, let’s go for a walk.’ I’m not someone who exercises every day or has a plan; even when it comes to food it differs every day. I just try and balance my fitness, my health and anything I put into my body. Now that I’ve got an [almost] two-year-old, exercise is just when I can fit it in. The main thing is I know my body now and I know when it’s not feeling great. So I’ll say, ‘OK, what do I need to change to feel better?’
Listen to Anna Heinrich on our podcast Uninterrupted by Women’s Health Australia on Apple and Spotify. Post continues below.
How does that differ to training for SAS, which you only had four weeks to prepare?
Anna Heinrich: When I agreed to go on the show, I honestly was just pushing the pram around the back streets where I live, that was pretty much the extent of my exercise leading up to the four weeks of training. Tim created a plan of what we were going to do and to mimic everything that we had actually seen on the show prior. We went down to the kids’ playground and we were doing a lot of the monkey bars and a lot of grip training. Every night I was either doing a certain number of push-ups and sit-ups in front of the TV, and then I’d carry my husband around the house.
What did you take away from your experience?
Anna Heinrich: It’s helped me be more open to opportunities and to push myself, because I know good things happen when you put yourself out of your comfort zone. I’ve gained more confidence in my ability; with starting the business it’s helped tenfold.
Photography: Steve Baccon. Anna Heinrich wears: Seafolly Take Flight bikini top, $129.95
You revealed on the show that you struggle with imposter syndrome. Tell us about that.
Anna Heinrich: I think when you’re older you understand it a lot more, but it stemmed from when I was young. I felt like I always had to prove myself because I thought people were looking at me thinking, ‘Oh, she’s got blonde hair, she’s not going to be smart.’ In my mind, I had to prove to everyone that I was better than what they thought, that I was more capable.
Your brand Intu Wellness has the tagline ‘Where there’s wellness, beauty follows’. How does this manifest for you
Anna Heinrich: Sleep for me. It was only when I was pregnant that [sleep] became probably the most important thing to me because I started not having the best sleep, which is basically why we started the brand. It’s that knock-on effect [on] your skin, the way you work out and how you interact with your friends and family.
What have you learned since launching the company?
Anna Heinrich: There are so many bumps along the way. There are things thrown at you from every angle and I guess, over time, I’ve now learned that it’s going to happen and anything that comes your way, you can’t get mad or angry about. You have to learn to get over it in the most efficient way.
Photography: Steve Baccon. Anna Heinrich wears: Seafolly Gia bikini top, $109.95, and bottoms, $109.95
You’re also working with Seafolly as a friend of the brand. What excites you most about this?
Anna Heinrich: I’ve worn Seafolly for as long as they’ve had a kids’ range. I’ve always been a huge fan of the brand – it’s so iconic to Australia and I think almost every woman has owned a Seafolly bikini at some stage.
Do you have daily practices to take care of yourself?
Anna Heinrich: I like spending time alone, whether that’s having a magnesium bath and shutting the door. I tell my husband, ‘OK, I’m having a bath. Don’t come in.’ I also love foot massages. It’s the best. Tim and I like to go for walks with our daughter – we try and get out every day. Sometimes that’s on my own but it’s really about finding those moments where you can switch off.
What advice in the last year has had the biggest impact on you?
Anna Heinrich: Any advice I can give is just about putting yourself outside your comfort zone. Whether or not you’re able to do something, it’s about what you learn from the experience.
Photography: Steve Baccon. Styling: Nicole Adolphe. Hair: Max Serrano/DLM. Make-up: Lei Tai/Vivien’s Creative
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