In continuation to the series on “Stories of Health Transformation”, this time I bring you an inspirational story of a Punjabi foodie Munda, Mohit Anand, an aspiring actor, who once used to look away from the mirror, now romances it. He considered himself as his competition and has lost 40 kgs. 

Let me run you through his journey, what inspired him to transform himself, from an extra sweet tooth based lifestyle to a fitness-based lifestyle…

Don’t forget to read till the end to get your hands on an exclusive infographic containing Mohit’s tips for Weight Loss.

Follow him for more tips: Facebook  and Instagram 

Every evening, I go for a brisk walk on the plush walking track at Goregaon Sports Club. One such breezy evening, I bumped into my throwball team-mate, Alka. One look at her & you will never be able to tell that she is a mother of two boys who are in their twenties. We will save her story of transformation for another time. 

I was my usual chatty self, we exchanged notes about life & other stuff. Just then, this boy, with his headphones on and completely soaked in sweat, ran by us, waving to her. She smiled and waved back with pride, ‘well done my boy….keep it up’.

 

She turned to me and exclaimed: “Both my sons are my pride & joy. This one, Mohit, used to be 120 kgs and flabby. Look at him now, 80 kgs and looking fab.”

On a rainy & windy evening at the Goregaon Sports Club, Mohit & I met for the interview. While he nibbled on a fruit, I excitedly jotted down his journey. Brace yourselves! Here it comes!!

What was the trigger that made you commit to fitness as a lifestyle?

Cliché as it may sound, my father is and will remain my hero. He is the fittest in the family and I want to look like his son and not his younger brother. This was the trigger and my aspirations to be an actor has been the catalyst in this process. Another constant motivation is when I see fitness enthusiasts, who have given up things to be what they are today. I feel, if they can, I too can and I surely will.

What was your weight you started with and how much is it now? How much time did it take to come to come to this figure?

I used to weigh 120 kgs when I started and now I am 80 kgs. It has taken me 4 years to attain this and I still have a long way to go.

Every time, I looked at myself in the mirror, I felt like a kid who will never get anywhere. This was a strong trigger.

What preparations did you make before hitting the gym? Please tell our readers so that they keep these tips in mind.

I just stayed strong and away from any excuses. Just told myself that if I want to make it, I will have to accept the struggle and pain that comes along.

Did you follow a particular routine or diet?

I have adopted ‘stay-fit’ as my lifestyle and workout to be in control of everything to do with my body.

What were the lifestyle changes you made to ensure that your commitment to fitness remains intact?

Being headstrong and disciplined with my eyes set clearly on my goal at all times.

There must have been moments of frustration where you felt like giving up. What kept you going? Can you share a couple of instances?

Yes, frustrations keep springing up once in a while and try to pull me down. Once I was so discouraged that I finished a packet of biscuits with cream coffee.

 

I used to imagine myself to be like Akshay Kumar and Mark Wahlberg. fit, disciplined and in complete shape. That would help me in my acting career too.

 

 

I am a hardcore Punjabi and have all traits of one when it comes to food. I am a foodie and love eating cakes and pastries every now and then as I have an extra sweet tooth.

You lead an extremely demanding professional life. Your work as Direction Assistant at Ashutosh Gowariker Productions Pvt. Ltd. keeps you running round the clock. How do you keep going?

What keeps me going, is the fact that I always remember, where I started from and where I want to reach. I am hungry for results and I am willing to give up anything that comes in between me and my goal.  But, as John Abraham says, if you want extraordinary results, you have to do extraordinary things.

I have not even reached 20% of what I have set as a goal for myself. 

How did your family support you in this mission?

My family is my strength. They believe in me and are standing by me at all times as they know what I am doing and what I can do. They help me get special diets for me as per my exercise regime.

 

Even when I was 120 kgs, they would still call me ‘Vinod Khanna’. I dedicate this journey to my family.

Your journey is still ongoing, what are you doing so that you reach your target weight?

As mentioned earlier, I have attained only 20% success of what I have set as a goal for myself and have a long way to go. I follow a strict regime and ‘keto’ program in addition to a rigorous diet and moderate weight training.

What were the positive changes in your health that you noticed after committing to fitness?  

I love the respect and attention. I feel good, look better and love the positivity in and around me. This propels me to do more and more. Life is full of struggle, but the positive difference in weight loss struggle is what keeps me going. I know for sure that if I feel like quitting, that means I am on the right track.

 

Please give a message to our readers who are struggling to lose weight.

You need to love yourself first and respect your body in totality. People who are trying to lose weight, please remember that our legs are the foundation of our body and if they are weak, whatever we build above it are on a weak foundation.

I advise people to strengthen legs first as it serves as a pillar of strength and support to our upper body. You need to work on your entire body and not only chest and biceps.

What are some of the dos and don’ts for a person who wants to lose weight fast?

Listen to your heart. Believe in yourself. Visit professionals and inspire yourself by reading about people who achieved the impossible. There will be 100 people around you who would deter you from achieving your goals. But always remember the promise you made to yourself and just keep fulfilling it at all times.

‘Dare to Dream and Dare to Deliver’. ‘Always, compare yourself to the best, if you want to be the best’

Were there any foods you avoided, any that were absolutely part of your routine. Please share a sample diet chart if you can.

Everybody is different and responds differently to the diet they follow. I try and find what is good for my body by asking the expert dieticians and correspond it with my exercise regime.

One thing, which I follow is to stay away from sugar and salt. 

Who are the key inspirational people in your life? 

 

I always wanted to look like my father Dharam Anand. I still do. My mom Alka Anand, My younger brother Jai Anand.

Bollywood actors like Akshay Kumar, John Abraham, and Aamir Khan have always inspired me to be fit.

Professional Indian footballer Karan Sawhney’s journey from a regular Mumbai teenager to the ISL league is surely an inspiration

My dieticians Suraksha Vadhavkar, Siddhant Bhargava, Ami Turakhia, Varun Talwalkar have time and again encouraged and motivated me to keep pushing myself harder.

Last but not the least, one person whom i admire and aspire to be is the Hollywood actor MARK WAHLBERG. I am simply thunderstruck by him.

I concluded the interview feeling inspired :).

Penned by:

Mayura Amarkant

 

Here are some important tips from Mohit in the form of a downloadable infographic. Pin it to your board & begin your fitness journey!!