I Encourage My Clients To Have A ‘Treat Meal’ And We Don’t Call It Cheat Meal: Celebrity Fitness Expert Namrata Purohit – EXCL.

Namrata Purohit may not need an introduction as you have likely seen multiple reels of her training celebrities like Sara Ali Khan, Janhvi Kapoor, and Kareena Kapoor Khan, both on and off Pilates machines. We caught up with her during her recent Delhi trip to talk about fitness, workouts and secrets to better health. Here’s a lowdown of our chat

Have you noticed any shifting trends within the fitness industry?

I have seen a shift in people’s mindset towards fitness. I would now say people are less into trends and fads and more into understanding their body and doing what is right for them. Especially post pandemic, I think people have understood the importance of health and mindfulness. Therefore, many have now understood the value of mindful movement and training smart.

What do you think about the eagerness of people to mimic celebrity workout routines?

I think it is great to take inspiration and get motivated by all the hard work they put in, but at the same time it is also important to understand one’s own body and not compare it to anyone else’s body or journey. Make your fitness journey your own and be the best version of yourself.

Do you believe in the notion of constantly varying workout routines to shock the body for results?

No, I do not believe in this, consistency is important. Scientific studies have shown that a muscle takes anywhere between 40000-50000 repetitions of a certain motor task for it to become second nature, for there to be complete stabilisation and automation. So doing a certain task multiple times could help make that move close to perfect only over time. I do believe it is important to keep a routine interesting and fun, work the muscles in multiple different ways and planes of motion, but this doesn’t mean that every few days or weeks you need to completely change your fitness regime or style of training. In fact, stick to something and build on it.

How do you view the shift from the traditional “breakfast like a king” approach to intermittent fasting and starting the day with bulletproof coffee?

I have always said this, simply do what feels good for your body. There is no one size fits all. Personally, I think having a balance in life is important, in all aspects, including the way we eat. We need to make food our friend and use it the right way. Food should nourish us, it is important not only for weight gain or loss, but also for skin, hair, gut, and overall health.

Can you share about a celebrity client who consistently attends sessions, one who achieves results effortlessly, and another who strictly adheres to their diet (no cheat day)?

There are a couple of our celebrities who are extremely regular and work very hard to achieve their goals like Sara Ali Khan, Janhvi Kapoor, Khushi Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Ishaan Khatter, all of them work hard to stay on track and stay healthy and fit. At the studio we believe it is important to have a treat (cheat) meal, we do not call it a cheat meal, but instead a treat meal, I must add not a day but a meal. I think all of them stay on track with their food but also indulge themselves every now and then which I think is good for the mind and hence the body too.

As for Pilates, what aspects of Pilates remain unexplored in India?

While I think Pilates has come a long way, I think there are many avenues in India that have not yet been tapped upon. For example, pre and post-natal Pilates is still not widely understood or explored. It is such a great way to train during and post pregnancy but awareness about it is still low. Another aspect is its ability to work for sports people and in fact the importance of Pilates for sports people to not only get fitter and stronger but also to prevent injury, and in case of injury it helps recover efficiently and effectively. This aspect is finally being explored a bit as we have more and more cricketers, Olympic athletes etc. training with us, but it is still at a novice stage and we have a long way to go.

If you had to plan a quick 15-minute workout for a busy person, what all would it have?

Everything! Fifteen minutes is a good time to squeeze in a good full body burst. If you do EMS training, 15-20 minutes twice a week is all you need for a great workout and to at least give your body some tough work. However ideally one should workout 4-5 times a week for 30-45 minutes each time, depending on the intensity.