Article by Alexandru Barbu – Published Saturday, 08 November 2025, 11:57 / Updated Saturday, 08 November 2025 12:02
Alexa participated in the Antena 1 show, which is now running on TV, alongside Gabi Tamaș. An experience in the Philippines, Vietnam and South Korea. No phone, no lodging, no transportation, with only one dollar a day at your disposal.
The filming took place at the beginning of the year, when Alexa was a coach at Tunari. He asked for a break from the team with which he would promote to the 2nd League. In the summer, “Surgeon” changed clubs and signed with Poli Timișoara – 3rd League.
PHOTO GALLERY | Dan Alexa, before and after Asia Express: “I don't eat for 20 hours a day”
“Before I left for Asia Express, I weighed 92 kilograms”Alexa says. “Now I'm 79, I've lost 13 kilos. It's getting to me. I was quite fat, I'd gained weight, I didn't like it. Now when I see myself again…”.
After filming at the beginning of the year, Alexa returned to the country and divorced his wife, Andrada. “I lost weight because I wanted to. I went to Asia Express. I lost a lot of weight there, and when I returned home, another Asia Express followed, x 2(no – laughs). Now I'm stabilizing, I don't want to gain weight anymore”, mentions the former midfielder.
How did he lose weight? “I eat once a day, in the evening, I don't eat for 20 hours. I smoke a lot… I drink coffee, crack, coffee with milk, it's not really fasting. And in the evening I eat as much as I want”.
VIDEO | Dan Alexa, impressed: “They would ask for two handfuls of rice from the neighbors and give it to us to eat”
He describes contacting Asia as “the best decision of my life.” Explain why:
“Nowadays, the show is running. As an experience, as friends, as life situations, I think it was the best decision of my life, that I went there. It resets you in life, it resets you in every way. You start to appreciate the little things, that you forget. It takes you out of a comfort zone, you actually forget what the meaning of life is. We have hot water – we live so well!
We had situations where we entered people's houses, they were so poor… They apologized for not having anything to give us to eat, they went to the neighbors, asked for two handfuls of rice and gave it to us to eat. And they were happy! They were happy! You went to the houses of millionaires and they didn't even look at you. I don't regret for a second that I went. I see things differently on a human level, and I think that's the most important thing.”
FULL VIDEO | The GSP “2 to 1” Podcast with Dan Alexa:
About Dan Alexa:
- as a player he played for Timisoara, Rocar, Craiova, Dinamo, Beijing Guoan (China), Rapid and Anorthosis Famagusta (Cyprus);
- the nickname “The Surgeon” comes from the often extreme intensity with which he played in midfield;
- Alexa won 3 trophies in Romania, all in Dinamo's jersey: a national champion title (2003-2004) and two Romanian Cups (2002-2003, 2003-2004);
- has two goals in 6 appearances for the national team;
- he is the first Romanian scorer at the National Arena, he scored for Rapid in PSV Eindhoven's goal (2011);
- now the coach of Poli Timisoara in the 3rd League, Alexa has also trained CS Tunari, FC Botoșani, FC Brașov, CSM Reșita, Rapid, Astra, Dunărea Călărași, Chiajna, ASA Tg. Mures;
- promoted 3 different teams in the Superliga: Poli Timișoara, Rapid and Dunărea Călărași.
