Ami’s Journey Part 2- About My Failures

Fitness for me is about having a healthy mind, a strong body, and emotional stability.  I believe that’s what allows me  to maximize my  potential every single day. But that realization came after 7 long years of personal transitioning & a lot of failures.

 

Fitness Fanatic They Called Me

My juggling between weight loss and work continued. My colleagues called me a fitness fanatic & I would often discuss this with my male colleagues during lunch breaks. Supplements came in the picture soon after. While people drank beers, I would opt for my protein shake. On outdoor locations, finding a hotel with a gym was a necessity. Remember I told you about the tons of magazines and research for fitness and nutrition? All that came in handy at home.  Ingredients changed in the kitchen. With every new trend and research I came across, I would end up picking that product off the market shelf.

Life as I Know It Changed

My family started seeing my love for fitness and would go the extra mile to purchase the necessary ingredients. They would pack my home cooked meals while I got ready to  rush for work. I was still nowhere near  making it to family gatherings or events, but they understood me. And what about chilling on Saturday nights you ask? Saturday nights were always about partying – at the gym!

The casual study of the human body turned into a full-fledged course. After I completed the course of study, I had a clearer understanding of the human anatomy and biomechanics. However I felt that was not it. The course was more technically oriented and without a science background it would often sound Greek to me. Add to that the lack of time due to work  laziness, I did not push myself to revise my notes.

 “Willing is not enough, we must do. Knowing is not enough, we must apply”.

I failed at  both of these. With frustrations at work and home, I took a decision again. I decided to take a month long sabbatical.

Change is Good, Hell it is Great

A trip to the US, a month and a half long stay there and a little research about how the fitness industry works there gave me a little nudge to pursue this further ahead. But that was just the tip of the iceberg.

On returning back, I resumed my work although the thoughts kept going back to fitness.  Finally, on my appraisal day, I decided to call it quits. I quit the event industry without knowing what lay  ahead of me. Leap of Faith? Maybe.

A month of sitting at home and not knowing what’s next, I bumped into a chat with the owner of a leading equipment manufacturing company – he would spot me at our colony gym pushing weights & we would exchange the usual greetings but this time it led  to a discussion in his office boardroom. That was a  breakthrough. I was hired as an Asst. Manager in a brand new gym facility and thanks to my managerial skills I picked up running the business fast enough. My interest kept me going and soon, I was promoted as a manager.

Onwards and Upwards, My Dream and I

Between handling trainers & clients – here is where I was introduced to the world of ‘bodybuilding’ & here is where I deciphered the difference between aesthetic training & training for functional fitness!

Dealing with clients every day allowed me to understand people’s perceptions about their bodies, their understanding of fitness, their issues and concerns. At the same time, I underwent training workshops and courses to keep my team up to date and ready to train!

In 2014, metabolic conditioning took on. I learnt how to work around kettle bells/ stability balls, agility ladders. I also worked in tandem with a nutritionist and a physiotherapist for the right kind of diets and  corrective exercises. All the pieces of the puzzle, all the points I struggled with all these years started unravelling and falling in place.

However, I knew there was something missing. I was still far from my goal.

---

Fitness is not a function of weight loss or gain, it is a lifestyle change. Just like you and I have our set of fears, Ami had them too. But she kept coming back to fitness, that’s all that we need to do. Through this three part series, Ami Bhatia talks about how she lives a fit lifestyle.

Ami Bhatia is a personal trainer. She gauges your specific fitness levels and helps you reach your fitness goals. In her free time she practices Kathak.

She believes that a better-looking body is only a result of a better feeling you! Connect with Ami on her blog speaks more about Athletics + Aesthetics