I was not interested in training when I was a child, which shocks people because I believe a personal trainer should have a passion for movement. In fact, I just ever did PE at university and, as soon as I got my time, I would ask my mum to mark me off from most training.
I was ignorant of the importance of training for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Due to being West Asian, part of that. Despite our race being twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease and six times more likely than the typical white people in the UK, no one who appeared like me promoted the benefits.
Because I was obviously thin, I was very bad, but I managed to get away with it. Then in my late 20s, after matrimony, I gained quite a lot of fat. After giving birth, my belly increased even more as my metabolism slowed and I ate for two more. I don’t use scales, so I can’t tell how much weight I’ve put on, but my husband and I were both easily two sizes larger than they are now.
My sedentary existence was to blame for both my poor nutrition and dieting. I enjoyed working as a worldwide project director for BP, but it required constant reassurance and frequent journey, which made it difficult to eat properly and exercise effectively. In terms of training, I would get some ways in on my walk but that’s about it.
In my first 30s, I decided to concentrate on raising my younger family.
Next I started to feel unsatisfied with my. My self-esteem was impacted by many of my clothing’s fittings. After giving birth, I decided to wear big, loose clothing instead of maternity clothes for a while. I had low energy and felt slow. As I watched loved people get diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and, as a result, I became more conscious of my total wellbeing. This was the turning place for me, and it sounded the alarm.
When my three children were all in kindergarten or school, I started taking group exercise classes at the gym to improve my levels of exercise and shed some pounds. However, I found that I wasn’t really being consistent or making much progress.
Therefore, I decided to get myself a private trainer. They introduced me to and I quickly saw a physical, as well as intellectual, conversion. Even though I wasn’t motivated to follow my new diet, it helped that I allowed myself to work out at home and ate plenty of protein to keep me full longer.
I loved seeing myself progress from lifting nothing my entire life (apart from sacks and suitcases) to being able to perform push-ups and barbell squats very readily and, finally, pull-ups and deadlifting one-and-a-half times my body weight. I even became much more inspired and resilient in dealing with life’s problems, juggling apartment life, living as a joint home, ageing parents and pain following the unexpected death of my father-in-law.
However, I was moreover improving my meal and better, swapping my sweet breakfasts of bread and jelly, croissants or grain for protein-rich eggs and vegetables or and fruits. I feel more full for longer while taking protein, which helps my blood sugar levels stay much higher, which is amazing for my mood, productivity, and energy, as well as lowering my risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
A healthy diet is all about balance and getting some inspiration from, which is rich in olive oil, vegetables, lean protein and whole grains, as opposed to the typical modern South Asian diet, which is high in carbohydrates, sugar and deep fried foods.
Food is such an important part of my culture and I still enjoy traditional Gujarati curries, which contain spices like turmeric that are good for us, but I replace the white rice and Indian breads with complex carbohydrates like quinoa, sweet potatoes, vegetables, salad, beans and lentils. I make my plates as colourful and diverse as possible (focusing on eating the rainbow) and opt for home cooked foods, rather than shop-bought ultra-processed foods.
For snacks, I’ve swapped Bombay mix (which is awful for weight and cholesterol management) for homemade protein balls, nuts, seeds and edamame. I’ve also stopped eating cheese and crackers before going to bed because it gives me more stomach rest after a long night of snacking. I follow intermittent fasting, leaving a gap of at least 12 to sometimes.
My diet has always been about nourishing my body rather than denying myself anything. If I dine out at a lovely Italian restaurant more frequently than before, I still enjoy pizza and pasta. I love my food and I’m still a big foodie.
I’ve also been drinking kombucha (a) from a champagne flute for the past seven years as opposed to a glass of wine at parties. I’m not bingeing because I don’t eat anything at 2am after a night out with friends, which also greatly improves my sleep. Not drinking is better for my health.
How much weight have I lost so quickly? I would take a guess that it was around 10kg (22lbs), based on photos and my old clothes. I’ve reduced my current dress size from 12 to 8 to my current 12 to 14. Most important is the change to my body composition. My body fat has reduced and my muscle mass has increased, leaving me with more muscular definition.
I became fascinated by how the weight was losing and the advantages of muscle building after a few years of health overhaul. It helped my overall health, mental health, and weight loss.
I made the decision to pursue training to become a personal trainer after turning 40. I only disclosed to my immediate family that I was taking these exams because I had no idea what I was doing to advance my own knowledge.
But I eventually found myself wanting to share my knowledge and awareness with as many people as possible so that they could also benefit from it. I also realized how effective short periods of exercise, even just a few minutes, are.
I began offering free exercise classes on my Instagram and YouTube channels as well as building up a following. Earlier this year my first book, The Feel Good Fix: Boost Energy, Improve Sleep and Move More Through Menopause and Beyond, was published by Penguin. It is all about lifestyle, mind and exercise snacking and became a bestseller.
I hope I’m removing the costs, motivation, and time barriers to exercise and providing a flexible plan that will benefit people. It’s about having good physical and mental health and knowing how to prevent chronic illnesses.
It’s not about how I look when I move right now; sometimes my belly feels squidgy. I’m considering my long-term health and my desire to remain as independent as possible.
Alongside my fitness journey, my husband, Menal, 52, has also transformed his body through diet and exercise. Being able to move around with my children is amazing because it makes me feel like a normal person, something I didn’t have when I was younger.
She’s my fitness buddy in my online exercise classes. It is so important to stay moving with age, as it increases muscle mass, protects against osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, dementia and Type 2 diabetes, and benefits the brain, bones, heart and mental health. It’s amazing to see how others who are in my life benefit from exercise.
I’ve already proven it’s never too late to begin exercising, which is encouraging. Reframe your approach to exercise and your lifestyle so that it doesn’t focus on how it makes you feel. Focus on the weight you’re lifting, rather than the number on the scales, and exercise for “sanity, not vanity.”