“MAKE STAYING FIT A LIFELONG GOAL”

Sanil Sachar is a founding partner of Huddle, a leading incubator in New Delhi, India, which has incubated over 30 agnostic startups in the consumer, blockchain, electric vehicle and health sectors. A national best-selling author of four books, he is also the co-owner of the global sports brand, Tru, under which Trusox, which is the brands’ patented high-technology performance socks are worn across nine sports and across the globe. Sachar’s work in the world of literature traverses through prose, poetry, short-stories, scripts and couplets that have been critically acclaimed and received by readers around the world. With over 200 works of published poetry and short stories, Sachar is one of the few Indian authors to be published in all forms of literature. Known for his work on realism, Sanil has co-produced the New York Film Festival award-winning Bollywood film, ‘Mantra’, as part of his love and contribution to the world of art. As part of his work, Sachar is a highly-acclaimed columnist, triple Ted speaker, addressing international audiences, apart from his material on innovation through creativity, with the likes of Google, JCB, TCS, and Wipro. An artist and innovator, with a goal to drive change, one word at a time. In an exclusive conversation, we get to understand his health and wellness philosophy

Corporate Citizen: Your philosophy on fitness/wellness?

Sanil Sachar: We are as good as our habits. If in our habits, staying fit mentally and physically is inculcated as not only a day to day regime but a lifestyle, then we are bound to strive for greatness at all times, because staying fit and well teaches you to constantly keep improving yourself.

CC: Your mantra about keeping fit?

Set bite-sized goals of where you want to be when you think of fitness. Nothing unrealistic and don’t push yourself to churn results each day. It’s key to listen to your body. Having said that, even if it is for 15 minutes, I ensure I get some physical activity done during the day, just so there is a pattern and discipline. My mantra to keep fit is always concluded by breathing and meditation techniques, to help sustain the overflow of adrenaline and energy. This is also done to ensure there is no sudden drop in energy to create a low. To keep fit is a longterm goal that needs to be pushed further and further with newer goals, which is why we need to set targets of fitness, mentally, physically and spiritually, to make this a lifelong goal.

CC: What keeps you fit and healthy

It’s a trio of measures, starting from, (A) working out in order to divert the mind into an element of concentrating only on body movements and breathing patterns. Physical exercises that push the body, help us in reaching a stage where we can sweat off negativity as well. That’s how I feel when I am exercising. The channelising of the body to reach short-term targets helps kickstart the day.

B) Absorbing information is a key step that helps dictate our day as well. Which is why post working out in the morning, I choose to read 2-3 articles that don’t necessarily have to be in a field I am aware of or study. This helps build perspective and creates engagement to draw parallel lines and learning into tasks that are important.

C) When I eat is the third element. I ensure my meals are more than three and broken down every two and a half hours, to ensure I am never ever too hungry or close to starving. This is important because until the body doesn’t have the prerequisite energy it needs, we will constantly be distracted and will end up consuming our time without working out, by not prioritising a constant effort to learn and eating more than what is needed.

CC: Your stress busters?

Writing, writing writing! I love writing for the very reason that it helps me transport into a new world, one that is far away from the universe of work which piles up the pressure, stress, which isn’t bad to have, but it can have the better off you if you let it compile into a burden that seems too large to overcome. Therefore, I have a notepad and on most days, a section in my notes where I write fiction, and literature with no agenda of turning it into a book, or for that matter, no plan for anyone to read it either. The stress is overcome when I hit the flow, where what is created helps form a perspective into why the stress was built up in the first place, and as a breather to go back to tackle and overcome this stress, with the energy that writing generates within me.

CC: Your food philosophy?

Don’t starve yourself of food or craving. I don’t believe in eating junk food but at the same time, we shouldn’t subside cravings because it can ruin the process of wanting to work consistently on your fitness and wellness goals. Which is why I love having hearty Sunday breakfasts and brunches, with all sorts of food I crave and I don’t feel bad about it because the rest of the week and meals are calculated. The method is to ensure no carbs post lunch and have a hearty dinner with enough fibre and protein, before three hours of sleep. This way when I wake up, I am nice and hungry, and start my day with a tall cup of cold-brewed coffee, fresh juice, fruits, and some Chia seeds and dry fruits. I am almost constantly nibbling on food, just so I don’t reach a stage of starvation in the day, because that’s when I don’t think twice before eating and the best way to eat is being mindful of what goes in your body and the methodology above is discipline not only sustainable but ensures I can treat myself each day.

"I ensure I get some physical activity done during the day, just so there is a pattern and discipline"

CC: Your exercise fundamentals?

During the lockdown, I miss going to the gym and working on pulling and pushing exercises with my trainer but these days it is 1000 skips and running on the spot for 15-20 minutes a day led by some pushing exercises without any weights. I can’t wait to get back outdoors and run longer durations, whilst being guided by my trainer!

CC: Your diet fads?

I don’t believe in many dietary fads but I follow the regime mentioned on the EVA app, which is built by a portfolio of ours at Huddle, and when I need to cheat mid-meals, I eat Wellversed Essentials cookies and biscuits, so there is a higher protein intake and fewer carbs in my body. Sustaining diets seem a bit hard for me because I come from a home of phenomenal chefs, and I love playing taster to their food.

CC: Your fitness regime?

The regime is to work out at least once in a day, and ideally the beginning of my day, at sunrise. This way when it is time to work, I have enough hours to myself and body is washed out with any mental stress as the adrenaline and serotonin in the body help create positive energy for meetings and work. The best days are when I get to de-stress at the end with a shorter exercise, and there is no pattern in the second exercise, as it is more so for the mind than the body. I ensure stretching for 10 minutes before and after exercises and have become much more particular about my routines to have breathing exercises involved in them, just so the movements I make aren’t half-hearted and there is improvement and development in the repetitions I can do. I love weight-free exercises, and push-ups, across variants, are my go-to workout when I have less time, space or just need to stay fit.

CC: How should one motivate oneself?

The most important element what makes us contented is how we treat ourselves, which is why our goals need to be short-term and constant, rather than long-term and big. The former approach is not only achievable and hence, motivating to keep growing but long-term and infectious for others around us to grow with us, as we help them learn from our way of development. I believe helping those around us can come in two ways; one is by being the best you are by doing the best you can for yourself via mental and physical exercises, and second, helping them learn from your ways and enabling them to implement it as well. Be a good trendsetter. We should strive to achieve both.