From Everest to AG1

From Everest to AG1: What Fuels Tingting Peng

I never thought I’d be talking about creatine especially after years of associating it with bodybuilders and protein-shake bros grunting through the gym. But when someone I truly respect says something has transformed their energy, strength, and focus, I listen.

That someone was Tingting Peng, and our conversation completely reframed how I think about strength - not just the kind we build in the gym, but the kind it takes to lead, evolve, and, yes, slow down.

Because real strength - physical, mental, emotional - has a funny way of showing up where we least expect it.

Sometimes, it’s in a five-gram scoop of white powder (legal, I promise) that’s quietly connecting some of the most powerful women in investing and changing how we show up for ourselves everywhere from the gym floor to the boardroom.

Which brings me to Tingting whose resumé reads like someone dared her to live ten lives, and she simply said, “Challenge accepted.”

MIT grad. Investment banker. Hedge fund trader. Real estate developer. Yoga teacher. Global advisor. Mother.

It’s giving boss babe meets institutional alpha energy with the calm focus of someone who knows exactly when to push and when to pause.

The Climb

Tingting’s career took off with the kind of momentum that would leave most people breathless. From M&A at Morgan Stanley to the Global Macro Fund at Fortress, she spent the early part of her career helping optimize portfolios, chase returns, and build success stories…for others, and eventually, for herself.

But like many who’ve checked every box on the ambition list, she eventually hit the question no one warns you about in undergrad econ:

At what cost?

Spoiler: your sleep, your nervous system, your joy. (Take your pick.)

The Shift

After years of running at full tilt, Tingting found her turning point the way many of us do - when her body finally spoke louder than her schedule. Yoga, teaching, movement, breathwork - they became her new KPIs.

And while she didn’t trade her edge for ease, she learned how to hold both.

She mentioned that people assume wellness is soft but it takes a lot of discipline to slow down…to actually listen to your body instead of pushing past it.

Today, she’s weaving wellness not just into her life, but into her leadership and community work. Whether she’s advising investment firms, mentoring others, or leading wellness sessions from Everest Base Camp to TIDE Barcelona (oh ya!), she’s living proof that performance doesn’t come from grind alone - it comes from alignment.

Wait, But Creatine?

Enter: the unlikeliest wellness hero.

Tingting started taking creatine not to bulk up, but to recover better, stay sharper, and build real strength. “Once I turned 40, I noticed my usual gym routines weren’t delivering results,” she said. “I began learning more about how women’s bodies and hormones shift during this stage of life.”

She now takes 5g of creatine monohydrate every morning with her AG1, has cut coffee, and focuses on eating her body weight in protein daily. The result? “The difference has been night and day. I recover faster, feel stronger, and avoid the injuries I used to get.”

If you’re picturing a neon tub of powder next to a shaker bottle and chicken breast, think again. Creatine isn’t just for the bros.

Research - and Tingting’s own experience - show it supports women’s brain health, energy metabolism, bone density, and mood stability.

Creatine has helped Tingting with energy and mental clarity. She believes it’s one of those things more women should know about - especially those of us juggling a million things.

What We Can Learn From Tingting

Tingting’s story isn’t just about creatine or capital or career reinvention.

It’s about embracing the full portfolio of who you are - your body, your ambition, your boundaries, your peace.

It’s about exploring your capacity without punishing it, and remembering that excellence doesn’t have to come from exhaustion.

Sometimes, your next level of power really does come in a five-gram scoop of something you stir into your matcha.

(Disclaimer: Creatine, not cocaine.)

So if you’re tired of being tired - or optimizing yourself into burnout - maybe take a page from Tingting’s book. I know I will.

Lift heavier. Recover smarter. Lead softer.

And yes - fuel yourself like you’re the CEO of your own energy.

Because you are.

Coming Soon…

Tingting and I are teaming up to bring this mindset to life.

We’re planning a TIDE Wellness Retreat - a real-deal reset for ambitious investment professionals to recharge, reconnect, and rediscover strength on their own terms.

Think strength and stillness. Think sunshine, service, and soul work.

Who’s in?