Fitness is not just about losing weight. It is about having a healthy body and mind. Reducing stress, increasing energy, boosting confidence and so on, fitness has multiple benefits. So for many, fitness is a way of life and not just a hobby.
We speak to Pune-based fitness enthusiast and a software engineer Jitendra Sharma to know about his fitness mantra.
Sports led to fitness
Telling us about his journey into the world of fitness, Sharma says, “When I was in college, I used to play basketball and cricket. But after completing education and taking up a job, sports took a backseat due to lack of time. But then I felt guilty, so I enrolled at a gym and started working out regularly. Gymming has helped me to stay fit.”
He realised the importance of fitness when he couldn’t give time to sports and was searching for inspiration to be in good physical shape like he was in college.
But restarting your fitness journey can be tough. “Initially, I was not serious about my workouts at the gym. Later, in order to get some inspiration, I followed Ral Fitness by Ralston D’Souza on Instagram and Guru Mann on YouTube. After going through their posts and detailed explanations, my fitness journey was on track,” he says.
Sharma was able to relate to Ralston D’Souza routine. He says, “I follow Ral Fitness as they tell what it is to be in shape. It is not always about having heavy proteins or rigorous training, but it’s about starting from basics. I like that approach.”
Sharma does not believe in sticking to one particular style of exercise. So, he practises strength training, yoga, dancing and boxing. To increase stamina, he goes for running once a week. He further says that boxing has helped him stay motivated in his fitness journey and it is also a new skill set for him to learn.
Balanced diet
According to Sharma, diet plays an important role in your wellbeing. He starts his day at 7 am with two boiled eggs before going to the gym. “After coming back, I have a heavy breakfast that includes whey protein with fruits and boiled eggs. My lunch and dinner are almost the same, consisting of carbohydrates and required fats like chapati, subzi and salad that has more green vegetables. Also, I believe in having a balanced diet. I have seen many people having four to five chapatis in their meals but I prefer to balance it out with salads as they are filling and are healthier options. Fifty per cent of my meal consists of chapati and subzi, and the rest consists of salad.”
Speaking about the fancy diets that people follow these days, he says, “These diets yield only short term results and cannot be followed forever. Once you stop, you are back to square one. It’s best to have homecooked food since we consume it since childhood. We can add a few healthy options. Also, this can be followed for a substantial period of time and keeps the diet routine more interesting.”
He concludes by saying that he follows the 80/20 rule, which is ‘80 per cent diet and 20 per cent exercise’.
