Fitness is a gradual process

Fitness is not always about losing weight. Our body is the very first home we have and it deserves to be treated in the best way possible. With this thought, Jayesh Chiniwar, 27, an Equity Research Analyst from Mumbai, started his fitness journey. “My job requires me to sit at one place for nearly 12 to 14 hours. I want people who have a sedentary job, to understand the importance of being fit,” he says. 

THE TURNING POINT
Once you understand your physical requirements and what needs to be done for it, that’s the turning point in your fitness journey, Chiniwar says. “I started gymming in June 2014, right after my engineering. I was too skinny, I weighed only 43 kg and people used to ask me if I was going through any health issue. More importantly, I wanted to beat the body type I had and be stronger and better,” he recalls.

Chiniwar started working out in the gym with the help of his friend. “I had seen a lot of changes in my friend ever since he started working out and that motivated me. Also my friend was quite knowledgeable about fitness, so he helped me and that gave me a push,” says the MBA graduate. 

Initially, due to his friend’s help, things were easier for him, but Chiniwar also made sure that he read articles on fitness to build his own understanding about it. “I read a lot and saw videos that helped me realise what I needed to inculcate. My sources were the ebooks and fitness videos from bodybuilders like Kai Greene, who is my role model, Lazar Angelov and Arnold Schwarzenegger,” he says and adds that he started seeing results after six months of consistently sticking to his fitness routine. 

STRIKING BALANCE
The results for any workout routine are best achieved when the time is optimally balanced. How did he divide his time? Says Chiniwar, “This is a very tricky part because gym is not a place only to lift weights, a lot of it is about how you mentally train yourself. A lot of determination goes into this. So even if I am tired or late from work, I make it a point to work out at least for 45 mins to one hour. Also, the best thing is that I don’t have cheat days as I can eat anything I want and can burn calories easily.”

The youngster takes a very gradual approach towards his workout. He focuses on a single body part every day. At times when he is running out of time, his go-to workout is upper body circuit which takes an hour and 15 mins. In that case, the next day, he focuses on legs. Chiniwar says that the moment he enters the gym, all his lethargy deserts him.

DIET
Fitness is nothing without a proper balanced diet. Chiniwar sticks to simple home cooked meals that are well balanced. “I always try to maintain my weight around 65 kg and for the same, I follow a four meal-a day programme. My day starts with a heavy Indian breakfast. For lunch, I eat a thali that comprises three to four chapatis, one small bowl of sabji and dal and a little rice. In the evening, I have a small snack like a sandwich or milkshake before I hit the gym. Post which I consume protein supplements and finally for dinner, I eat chapatis or half a bowl of rice with some dal. I believe in keeping the meal light before going to sleep as the body needs a lot of time to digest it.”

He concludes with a small note for those who are working to achieve their fitness goals. “It’s your responsibility to keep your body fit. If you are consistent in the gym, especially those who have desk jobs, it keeps you healthy and falling ill. I strongly believe in dedicating around 30 to 45 mins daily for any physical activity to keep yourself fit,” he says.