Rahul Dev on sculpting a new look

Actor reveals his journey from a junk food junkie to a fitness guru

Well-being of the ‘self’ and the environment interest me deeply. So, as we head toward the much-anticipated resurgent India, just how strong do we look in terms of health and fitness? Pretty weak, if you look at the statistics.

About 20% to 30% of public school children in Indian metros are overweight and obese. Unfortunately, in India, parents don’t encourage their children to take up sports due to various reasons.

However, I was lucky enough as a child to receive encouragement to chase my love for cricket; it helped develop confidence. I represented Delhi at the state level for the under-15 Vijay Merchant trophy and the under-19 Cooch Bihar trophy.

After their graduation from college, people get caught up in chasing their dreams. In this quest, they end up with little or no time
to exercise.

The midriff gets rounder, there are bulges around the waistline and hips. Remember, “No pain no gain”. Get started. Set a target.

It began similarly for me. From an enthusiastic cricketer weighing at 80 kg in school to an inactive life as an engineering student — my physical appearance changed rapidly. The mirror stared hard at me. I was eating all sorts of junk food in the college canteen and my weight had shot up by 7 kg.

Until one day I thought that enough was enough and that it was time I got into shape. And I did.

The mind is the most powerful tool that humans possess; the body will never fully respond to your workouts until you train the mind as well. A lot of times fear and insecurity stops us from reaching our maximum potential, be it in life, career or in fitness.

“Where the mind goes, the body will follow” is something that I have firm belief in.

I can apply myself effectively in daily chores if I am in a calm and happy state of mind. Then whether it’s developing my brand of gyms, Breathe, playing father to a beautiful boy or working in the movies, I am up to it.

I am a self-confessed fitness addict. I don’t mean the six-pack, big-bicep kind of fitness, but an overall feeling of well-being and good health that makes you feel you are flying. I am definitely not a gym-junkie but I do tend to indulge in physical activities.

They could be as diverse as an outdoor run in solitude at an unusual hour of the day (sometimes at 11 at night) or attending a boot camp (I just came back from one on the Table Mountain in South Africa). My philosophy towards well-being covers all facets — strength, stamina, endurance and flexibility governed by a strong mind.

For the last 19 years, my weight has been consistent, between 75 and 78 kilos, with focus on muscularity and flexibility. My waistline has been rock steady at 31 inches, which gives me a great deal of satisfaction.

Keeping fit, my style

* 19 years ago I joined one of those humble fitness centres in Delhi — a place called Powerhouse. I had a 6-day-a week routine (three days in the gym followed by a day of rest and then another three days at the gym, repeated cyclically).

* I used to begin with basic stretches integrated with breathing for four to six minutes before beginning any dynamic activity.

* I believe that the breath is the foundation of life, the beginning of all activity. On the road to achieve physical, mental and spiritual fitness, the first principle is to breathe
correctly.

* Deep breathing prior to any strenuous activity helps to focus.

* Whilst starting out on any kind of fitness programme, irrespective of age, gender, body type, medical condition or relative fitness levels, we need to have a clear goal to visualise the final outcome of our efforts. One way to help ourselves is to pick an idol, someone we want to emulate, or better still visualise one’s own self, post the transition.

* The world is full of movement and there’s a frantic pace to our lives. Standing, sitting, throwing, lifting, pushing, pulling, climbing, running, and, of course, punching are part of our inherent design. These natural, primal movements must be the essentials of a fitness programme designed for optimal results. I believe in getting the fundamentals right, from the foundation upwards.