The world of fitness is not new to the name of SHWETAMBARI SHETTY. A banker-turned-fitness trainer-turned-entrepreneur, Shetty has spent the last decade changing the face of fitness in the country by making it more available, accessible and affordable through health and fitness chain, Cure.Fit.
The fitness expert released her book this Monday, Get Moving! through which she shows you how to incorporate more beneficial movement and exercise into your day-to-day activities, without devoting extra time to them. Get Moving! will help you design your own training programme according to your goal — whether its weight loss, muscle gain or just better fitness — and how to enjoy the exercise you do. With workouts already outlined for each day, simple illustrations to guide your form, and helpful tips about what to eat before and after a workout, this book will help you see results and become the best version of yourself.
In an interview with SAURABH TANKHA, Shetty says the human body is “designed to move, not to sit on the couch or at a desk all day”. And it is time you Get Moving!
Why do you think is an average Indian so laidback when it comes to staying fit?
Fitness is a luxury in India and not a necessity yet only because we have always been taught to be functionally fit more than usage of gyms. By functionally fit, I mean doing a lot of household chores (sweeping, mopping, cleaning, washing clothes/ utensils), using ground toilet, being very active. This is the life our parents (the previous generation) lived and it worked wonderfully for their health and fitness.
Today, however, everything has changed with the desk jobs we have. Movement has become limited with almost zero household chores. This ideally has to be balanced out with exercise. But our people don’t see the need for it, until they see that some of their clothes don’t fit them anymore or there is a threat of lifestyle disease. So a lot of what we do with our fitness today is a trigger from this and not because we want to make it a lifestyle and so this book is really to help people understand that it’s really not so hard to make this a habit.
What is that one thing which can make an average Indian move? How challenging can this be?
It’s simple – make it easy. To get them started, make movement or exercise easy to implement without any dependencies. When it’s easy, it will help them to do it on a regular basis. Doing this on a regular basis will deliver results and finally become a habit. This is why I always start with incorporating the good old walking. Human body is designed to walk and it’s the easiest to implement indoors or outdoors. Taking on any ambitious goal without really getting the basic right is the challenge. So start slow, keep it simple, make it easy.
Human body is designed to walk and it’s the easiest to implement indoors or outdoors. Taking on any ambitious goal without really getting the basic right is the challenge
When did you decide to change the face of fitness in India and how have you gone about it?
The first class I conducted for a member back in 2011 made me decide that this is what I want to do as my profession. Help people adopt a fitter lifestyle, that not only sets on the path of health but also makes them happy. So I started with group fitness sessions at different fitness centres in Bangalore in 2011, to starting my own fitness club in 2014 – The Tribe Fitness Club (first exclusive group exercise club in India) with then business partner Sudeep Kulkarni to getting acquired and becoming a part of the biggest chain of fitness in the country – Cure.Fit. Our offline and online presence is targetting millions across the country and abroad and I couldn’t be in a better place living my dream of a fitter, healthier India.
Is fitness a fad in our country?
It’s a real necessity. With diabetes, heart disease, obesity on the rise, movement, exercise, eating right, must become a daily habit. It has to be incorporated into everybody’s routine just like brushing, bathing, eating. And it can be done with incorporating the most simple and easy habits like walking more every day.
A majority of people have this question when they meet a fitness expert – how quickly will I get to see the results of training? Your take.
Consistency will meet progress and results. Goal or no goal, when you exercise regularly, minimum three days and maximum six days a week, you will start seeing results in the first month. After that, it’s really about maintaining that pace and keeping a strong workout routine and of course, eating clean.
What transformations did you have to introduce in your life to make this change?
It was a complete transformation, passion to profession. From accounts to biology, from sitting at a desk 10 hours a day, to jumping around many hours a day, from wearing saris to workout clothes, from late nights to early mornings, from eating for the sake of eating three meals to eating mindfully. The change was massive and the one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Two things that remained the same was “people management” and “salary”. And also I loved my bank job and I loved fitness even more.
Between every class or session, use your quick break to get moving. Make sure to walk five to 10 minutes every one hour or 10 to 15 minutes every two hours in the room or around the house
Tips for people, especially students and teachers who are spending long hours sitting in these days of pandemic.
The most important thing for students and teachers today is to incorporate more movement into their routine. Walking is the first activity that should be picked up. Between every class or session, use your quick break to get moving. Make sure to walk five to 10 minutes every one hour or 10 to 15 mins every two hours in the room or around the house. It is very important to release all the stiffness that sitting brings to the joints and muscles and is good for blood circulation too. Track your steps, get around 8000+ steps and you are good. The human body is designed to move and sitting long hours can cause serious harm.
An advice for the readers of www.lifeandmore.in.
Movement is the natural ability of the body. Choose any activity that you love, sports, walking, dancing, training. Whatever it is, choose to move more often and age gracefully. In the end it’s just about that, it’s not a skinny body or big muscles, it’s just about being strong to do everything you want to do as long as you live.
