I like to think that I am my own competition.
Dear Reader,
Is it just me or did March also sneak up on you? Being a new month, I had to send some motivation your way by publishing a feature that will show you that dedication and consistency is all you need to hit your fitness goals. Welcome back to episode twenty of Tizi Talks with Rushabh Shah. He is currently based in California as a Senior Consultant at Deloitte working in the Advisory Practice. Despite the fact he is doing impeccably well in his career, his fitness lifestyle is also impressive! We got to chatting and this is what he had to say...
TIZI: How old are you?
RS: I am 25 years old.
TIZI: How long have you been working out?
RS: To be honest, I’m not sure. I have always lived a very active lifestyle from swimming and playing soccer from the age of 9 up through college. But with respect to being a diligent member of the gym, I’d say for the past 5 years.
TIZI: What made you start?
RS: I have always been pretty athletic with swimming and playing soccer in high school. After moving to California for university and focusing more of my time on my education versus sports and extra-curricula’s, coupled with the extensive amounts of partying and drinking associated with my first year of university, I soon found myself slithering away from the lean physique I maintained throughout high school. My true passion for working out came about when a few friends and I booked a spring break trip to Cabo, Mexico and gave ourselves a few months to get into shape. The results were addictive and that gave rise to my commitment to living a healthy lifestyle.
TIZI: Do you feel like it has made a difference in your life? If yes, how so?
RS: Absolutely! Besides bettering myself mentally and physically, I developed more confidence in myself. I don’t think “looking better” was the root cause of my increase in confidence (it surely helped). The confidence I gained came from conquering the short term goals I set for myself. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle has involved applying various forms of discipline, challenging myself, and working outside my comfort zone. Prevailing through the countless nights of discomfort, body aches and fatigue has taught me to always challenge myself and apply this level of discipline, dedication and goal setting to other aspects of life, which has been very rewarding and improved my overall outlook on life.
TIZI: Can you please take me through your daily fitness routine on a weekday? And the weekend?
RS: During the week, I usually wake up at 5.30 am and try to get to the gym at 6 am. I normally spend about 1 hour 15 mins to 1 hour 30 minutes working out in the morning before heading to work, which frees up my evening to allow for more social events. Lately, I have incorporated a much higher intensity training program in an effort to change my routine and shock my body with the hope of achieving the muscle growth and fat loss goals I have bench marked. I have also found working out in the morning to be extremely beneficial as it sets the tone for the rest of my day and keeps me mentally stimulated for a greater part of the day. Over the weekend, I typically use either Saturday or Sunday as a rest day and spend the other day incorporating a workout inclusive of weights, cardio and abs.
TIZI: Do you find it difficult to include your workout in your daily routine?
RS: Not at all. Working out is a part of my daily routine.
TIZI: What keeps you motivated?
RS: The continuous need to always better myself! Having attainable short term goals and continuing to compete with myself. I like to think that I am my own competition. There’s something about reaching short-term goals that makes you to feel accomplished and motivates you in other areas in your life as well.
TIZI: What can you advise people who want to start their fitness journey?
RS: Be realistic. Invest in a training program so that you always know what you have to do when you get to the gym, and to ensure that what you are doing is tailored to suit your body, level of experience and specific fitness goals. Remember, this isn’t going to be easy! Most people want a quick fix and the work done for them. The sooner you can embrace the struggle and the fact that it’s going to be hard, the sooner you can consistently apply yourself to getting it done.
Yours in Wellness
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