Q1. Tell us about how you first became involved in this fitness journey
Even as a child, i was actively involved in sports. By the age of 10, I solely started focusing on my biggest passion-swimming. I participated in national and international competitions and bagged numerous prizes for the same. But gradually, I began losing weight as a result of my rigorous training and started feeling too skinny. In 2015, swimming exhausted me. It drained me physically and mentally. So, I decided that swimming wasn’t for me. My enthusiasm for physical activity persisted even after I gave up swimming. So I began going to the gym and lifting weights. I went from swimming 9 times a week to going to the gym 5-7 times a week. I researched about nutrition and made efforts to improve my diet along with my exercise routine. I liked going to the gym so much that I started uploading videos on Youtube and very soon started getting recognised by the people. I find my new lifestyle to be very rewarding and even though it was challenging for me to quit swimming and initiate something like this, I am so grateful that I did.
Q2. What words of wisdom would you provide to somebody else beginning the same journey?
My first advice to young people would be to not get demotivated by anything or anyone. I understand teenagers and young adults particularly suffer from body dysmorphia and are easily effected by other’s remarks. But ignoring comments by the rest of the world is what is absolutely essential. I also believe that we should workout, not for becoming ‘slimmer’ or ‘taller’ or ‘heavier’ or to achieve some sort of beauty standard but to achieve internal peace, relieve stress and attain a body that brings us satisfaction and happiness. In the end, you are working out for yourself. Thirdly, I am aware that for someone with no experience, entering the fitness profession can be extremely scary. But it is important to remember that all of us start from level zero and we have all faced challenges at some point in our lives. But to get somewhere, you need to start from scratch so keep going!
Q3. What keeps you inspired to stay on track?
Whenever I think about giving up, I instantly remind myself of the girl I used to be. Before I started working out, I hated my body. I was an insecure girl with extreme levels of anxiety and very low self-esteem. But being physically active made me feel confident and fall in love with who I am. My anxiety levels declined significantly. The determination to not go back to being who I was is what drives me to get up and work out every single day.
Q4. Naturally, people would have found your videos to be extremely helpful after the pandemic, but how did you manage the disturbances to your own workout routine during lockdown?
At first, the lockdown really took a toll on my mental health. I am someone who likes to go out and socialise with my friends and family and I hated not being able to do any of that. Getting locked inside our houses was extremely frustrating for me. But as the days passed by, I realised how much I needed that time to myself. I tried my best to keep myself on schedule, wake up on time, eat healthy and work out regularly. I actually got more time to exercise, direct and upload more videos and develop new techniques for working out. I started engaging with my followers and audiences more via social media. The lockdown actually proved to be very productive for me.
Q5. What kind of workout plan do you usually follow?
I do different work outs on different days. Every exercise session is focused on a different muscle group. I train with weights 6 times a week. On Monday I do workouts of back and cardio. Tuesdays are for Hamstrings. On Wednesday, i exercise for my arms. On Thursday, its Glutes and Chest day and Friday, I work on my shoulders. On Saturday, its leg day again. Sunday for me is recovery day. I usually have one rest day in a week but I often skip training sessions when I feel that my body needs to recover. I do cardio separately 3-4 times a week. I prefer fast and intense HIIT like sprints rather than extended and boring cardio sessions like treadmill running. I like to plan my sessions in advance. When I train, I exactly know how many reps I’ll do and how long my workouts will last. I don’t follow a strict diet plan but I try consuming 2000kcal per day. I consume about 40% carbohydrates, 35% proteins, and 25% fat in her daily caloric intake.