1. Tell us more about you and your Profession and your journey ?
I am a Software Engineer at Microsoft (Redmond, USA) who has tremendous passion and curiosity in the domain of personal growth and fitness. I started my fitness journey in January 2017 and progressively lost 50lbs while building a strong science-backed knowledge base through the NASM PERSONAL TRAINER certification program. My goal has always been to get stronger mentally and physically along with hitting milestones of marathons, hikes and challenges. I am currently publishing daily videos on my YouTube channel as a part of the I WILL DO IT - November 2020 Challenge! Join the community and let’s get stronger together !!
2.What is your fitness mantra?
My fitness mantra is "Fitness is Forever and is not built in one month or year". Through my Youtube channel "The FitGrit" I share complete workout videos that help my athletes (followers) understand how to live a fitness lifestyle and sustain their progress forever.
3. What are some of the major misconceptions about diets and exercises?
Fitness is often misunderstood as a 3-month program and accomplishing a number on the scale. It is considered as a "crash course" and often forgotten once the desired number on the scale is achieved. This is a misconception because even after reaching that number you may not look or feel fit. You will not understand how to stay at that number once the program is over. A lot of people like to rush the process by setting unrealistic timelines.
I decided to take up the 100 Week Fitness Journey to learn how to live a fit lifestyle for the rest of my life. This helped me develop a deep passion for self-care & stay disease-free for the rest of my life. In an attempt to achieve their goals faster, a lot of people start opting for shortcuts like fad diets, fat burners, excessive cardio, starvation, etc leading to malnutrition, low energy, and a damaged relationship with the concept of fitness. Several studies indicate that fad diets are not sustainable and have no long-term benefits.
4. How can one maintain a healthy lifestyle?
Having a fundamental understanding of the benefits of regular workouts, good nutrition choices & the relentless pursuit of optimistic thinking is the perfect recipe for maintaining a fit lifestyle. You don't need an expensive coach, gym memberships, or supplements from foreign brands - all you need is a strong WHY.
Your WHY is a series of reasons that help you understand why fitness is important for you. Personally, fitness helps me improve myself every single day. It helps me stay mentally alert & happy, physically fit, and energetic to able to pursue a new sport (Badminton), and improves my skin, sleep, hair. Aim for 4-5 solid workouts in a week, 80% of clean meals (fresh fruits, veggies, grains, seeds, non-processed foods), and an outlet for negativity such as meditation or journaling. These 3 areas form the "circle of self-care" and will propel you to transforming your mind and body.
5. How can one build a successful career in your field?
My recommendation would be to get a strong base in understanding human anatomy through a globally recognized fitness certification. Some of the options are NASM, ACE, ACSM etc. It is important to keep in mind that being a good coach requires constant learning and exploration. Acquiring a certificate is just the beginning.
As a Fitness Trainer, you need to keep brainstorming ideas & processes to help your clients adopt a fit lifestyle no matter what their current circumstances & thought processes are. In this day and age, there are many fitness coaches but not all are good coaches. A good coach will help the client un-learn the bad habits, help build good healthy habits at a pace comfortable to the client, develop a growth mindset, and provide some support even after the paid coaching may be over.
6.What is one piece of advice you would like to give someone who wishes to lose weight?
“Stop looking for a quick fix. You have to live healthily to get healthy. Fitness is forever !!" When I started my own fitness journey, I was a little over 75 kgs and pre-diabetic and suffered from severe low confidence about my body. I wanted to get rid of these problems forever. I wanted to learn to live like an athlete. I was not looking for a quick fix and did not chase any deadlines.
I wanted to be an athlete for the remainder of my life. Progress is measured in your mind first rather than a scale. Adopt an optimistic "I WILL DO IT" approach, workout 5 times a week, and clean up your meals of any processed junk foods. Focus on how you feel rather than just how you look. Enjoy the workout. Enjoy the feeling of eating simple nutritious meals and getting 7+ hours of sleep. Strive to get fit the natural way as that indeed is the right way.
7.How do diets and exercise contribute to overall well being and happiness?
As a Software Engineer at Microsoft (ex Cisco) I can understand the mental energy demands of a 9-5 corporate job. It is not easy to wake up with a smile and give it your all at the desk every single day. But after going through 100 Weeks of Fitness and completely changing my old habits towards food, sleep, workouts, and thinking - I see a stark contrast and elevation in energy. Pursuing fitness helps you build a stronger mind. It pushes you to improve, even if you voluntarily don't want to. This translates directly into your day-to-day life as you will start seeking areas where you can improve and grow in.
If you are not mentally growing, you are not going anywhere in life. Eating nutritious foods will help you stay disease-free and avoid any medical issues that come along with a sedentary job. It will boost your energy levels and you will be able to accomplish everything without getting tired like before. Regular exercise also regulates your sleeping pattern leaving you feeling refreshed every single morning hence improving your daily performance at fulfilling responsibilities.
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