Nishant Bhalotia has a vision. The city-born industrialist who is a gold medallist in Business Management from XLRI, Jamshedpur wants to touch one crore lives by 2020 and guide them to a fitter spectrum. The founder of Fitamins, Bhalotia recently launched a book Fitness For You ‘N’ Me, giving a new momentum to his bigger vision. We got the TEDx speaker talking about fitness designed for the common man, writing more books and more. Excerpts:
What egged you to pen down a book at a time of digital revolution when everything is there in the form of video. audio and text?
A book is a book. It’s the digital age and this being a boon is also a bane. There are overloads of information out there and this leaves the common man confused. Anyone without any authenticity can make video/audio/text. However, a book brings in proper authenticity and thereby a feeling of trust in the readers. This book also tries to clarify all issues for which there may be conflicting information on the "net" from the perspective of a common man. Further, there is always an audience which is not yet exposed to the digital world as the target audience of the book is 30 years to 55 years. And lastly, there are book lovers who can help spread the message of good health.
Tell us more about the book and the aspects that it touches.
The book specifically deals with the health and fitness of a "common man". By common, I do not mean ordinary in any way as we all are unique and special in our own way. By the common man, I only mean those of us, like me, whose profession does not demand a certain level of fitness - like in the case of movie stars, sports stars or army for that matter. A common man like you and me’ are bound by work commitments on the one hand and family responsibilities on the other and within all this how we can easily and effortlessly manage our own health and fitness. This is what the book is all about.
What does fitness mean to you?
Fitness is far beyond six-packs and/or size zero. It really means a fit mind, a fit body and a fit soul. Generally, fitness is looked in isolation as the fitness of the body alone. However, it is common sense that we can’t look at any of these three - mind-body-soul in isolation and only a holistic approach towards fitness can give us long-lasting health and happiness.
With things getting back to normal and gyms opening plus a commitment to online classes for fitness, where do you see the fitness industry going in 2021?
While the pandemic has been bad for all of us, the one good thing it has done is that it has made people conscious of their health. I feel we are definitely going to see exponential growth in the fitness industry in 2021 be it the gym or online classes or even for lifestyle coaches like me.
You are an industrialist, what convinced you to venture into the fitness industry?
Being an industrialist, I am aware of how important it is for an industrialist to remain healthy and fit as so many lives are dependent on him/her. Just imagine if Aditya Vikram Birla had lived as long as Dhirubhai Ambani. This is without taking anything away from Sri Kumar Mangalam Birla as he is doing phenomenal work, but experience has its own value. Ironically, the industrialists don’t find time for their own health as its a 24/7 job. Same was with me early in my career and that's when I was 20 kgs overweight, had developed joint pains and my cholesterol had crossed the permissible limits. Fortunately, I got this health scare at a comparatively young age of 32, when the body is still young and responds well to any efforts you put it. I chose lifestyle as medicine and started working on myself without relying on pharmaceutical medicines. It was then I found my hidden passion for not only pursuing fitness but also inspiring others to take up fitness. The immense benefits I got pleasantly surprised me and I was able to reverse all of my above conditions in a span of 1-2 years that too completely naturally. I thought it would be unfair on my part not to share the magic of healthy lifestyle with others and while this thought was the seed sown back in 2010, I could formally launch a fitness venture only in 2017 in the shape and style of Fitamins.
Future plans?
Firstly, the book-writing bug has hit me hard. So, I have already started working on the sequel to this book and have already conceptualized my third book. The main purpose behind all my efforts is to reach out to people (common man) and make them aware that there exist simple and sustainable ways to pursue own health and fitness without compromising on work and family front. My mission is to touch One Crore Indian Lives by the end of 2022. After all, a healthy nation is a wealthy nation.