Fashion designer Sheetu Gochhwal Digani loves to party and enjoys shopping, like any ordinary girl. But what sets apart this mommy from others is extraordinary will and determination to be fit. She is a gym enthusiast who has also inspired many other mommies to take fitness seriously. What’s more, she has even participated in a fitness pageant...
Sheetu begins by sharing with us her weekly fitness regime at the gym and otherwise...
Early morning: My fitness regime starts early morning with one litre of warm lemon water followed by green tea. I prefer to workout on an empty stomach as I want to utilise my stored fat into energy. I am dead against using supplements and steroids. It’s a big no no for me. So, a cup of strong black coffee is my pre-workout miracle drink.
Monday- the leg day: The first day of the week is dedicated to working out my legs.
Tuesday- upper body day: This is followed by working out my entire upper body the next day
Wednesday- functional: The mid day of the week is all about working on bodily functions such as endurance and balance
Thursday- Cardio day: I spend an hour everyday on cardio training
Friday- the whole body day: I workout my entire body on Fridays.
Weekend- Test days
Alternate Days- Abs: I workout my abs every other day. Abs is something I love doing!
Many of us train like a beast at the gym but fail to moderate our diet accordingly. Sheetu emphasises the significance of eating and of course, drinking right, “Always be true to your body. It’s like a temple that you will always worship, so listen to what it is trying to tell you. Never over eat nor over train yourself. If you are too tired in the middle of the week, take a day off and relax.” “Needless to say, we are what we eat. Always be hydrated enough.Try different juices, salads and try to experiment with your own meals. treat yourself to your favourites at regular intervals.” And what about her own diet chart? She answers the question, “I don’t believe in cheat days. I eat what I love, be it pizza, pasta or brownies, but I make sure I indulge myself in small quantities that too before 6 pm.” She adds, making a lot of sense, “Well, I won’t lie by saying that I eat proteins, salads, fruits. I am a normal human being and have cravings. However, for me, it is the quantity that makes all he difference, such as a slice of pizza works well enough for me when it comes to satisfying my taste buds. But remember, it’s all in the mind. Train your mind and it will train your body.”
Being the fitness enthusiast that she is, Sheetu decided to give a go at a fitness pageant for ladies, “There are zillions of bodybuilding and/or physique contests happening but the sheer format of this contest was enough for me to consider it seriously!” Wait till she tells you about the qualification criteria, “seven gruelling rounds testing an amateur woman on strength (upper and lower body), endurance, flexibility, confidence, stage presence, core strength and over and above everything else, her grit and determination! For me this was a challenge in itself.”
But the real challenge was yet to come, “The preparation was built around ‘periodisation’.
I broke all my training cycles into short training cycles of one month each, giving.priority to each component of fitness as planned during that time. This was planned keeping in mind the final goal. Weight training formed the foundation while cardio and SLRT (Special Light Resistance Training) assisted it.”
Fitness has changed the way I look at people and the way people look at me. It has brought about a huge confidence in me, helping my self esteem
Sheetu says, “Through the pageant, I learnt that essentially each one of us female, participating in the competition is a winner already. And why not, imagine all of these women, including me, were both parents and home makers or working professionally.
To juggle our family life and to participate at a national level requires not only physical strength but also immense mental perseverance. Thank God for the competition, which has served us, a springboard for me, giving me more confidence and making me more focussed than ever before.” She goes on to give out invaluable fitness tips to women.” All women must (the word ‘must’ in capital letters!) strength train regardless of their age; Never substitute a good diet with supplements. Instead supplement your diet with such aids.
Be patient, keep focussing on small improvements and one day, you will get there. Stay fit!”
Sheetu signs off by telling us how she perceives fitness, “Fitness has changed the way I look at people and the way people look at me. It has brought about a huge confidence in me, helping my self-esteem. Once you dedicate yourself to fitness, your mirror image improves. Needless to say, I am strong and as they say, strong is the new sexy.”
by Namrata Gulati Sapra
