Producer and host of Indian Fitness League, Tarun Gill, is not just a fitness guru but also a storyteller. And his stories inspire lives. His talk show ‘TG Talks’ has featured over 500 Indian athletes cutting across all sports including bodybuilding, wrestling, kabaddi and athletics. Recently, Gill helped reconnect an orphan kid with his parents after 15 years. Here he talks about fitness, spreading positivity and more. Excerpts:
What is it that inspired you to help the kid meet his parents? How challenging was the journey?
TG talks media is a platform which features athletes and people to put forth their story before people. Their story reaches millions which not gives them the much-deserved recognition but also help them find their loved ones.
You are not just a fitness guru but also take interest in changing people's life. Was it a conscious choice?
I’m not a fitness guru but a storyteller who tries to inspire people to follow their passion. The seamless transition happened organically.
Do you have a favourite story among the many that you have showcased on TG Talks?
Any story which can help the featured person on TG talks earn a living becomes my favourite story. Because that gives your content a bigger and deeper meaning helping people earn their livelihood.
The ones into bodybuilding always look for quick results, what is your advice to them?
Easy come easy go, easy and quick results don’t last long. Fitness is a marathon not a short sprint. The idea is not to stay fit for a few weeks but to stay fit for a lifetime. Shortcuts may give you the results but you won’t be able to maintain them. Go easy, slow and last long.
How was the lockdown for you and how did you utilise your social media skills to stay connected?
Lockdown gave us an opportunity to focus on ourselves. We used social media to spread positivity. The fitness industry was severely hit with gyms shutting down. We took responsibility to interview as many trainers online to give them hope that everything will return to normal soon. As social media influencer, it is our responsibility to use this platform to help as many people as we can.
Five tips to get a healthy body.
A. Eat only when you are hungry, the idea of eating every two hours is not practical nor feasible in today’s day and age.
B. Eat as much natural food as possible, you can’t be on food supplements for the rest of your life.
C. There is more to fitness than six-pack abs. Fitness is about being functional, not lazy and stiff. I have seen many guys with six-pack abs who are extremely stiff and reasonably for guys with no six-pack as extremely agile and quick. So put a stop to six-pack obsessions.
D. Fitness is not just about eating right but also feeding your mind with positive thoughts. A great physical appearance with a negative mindset will speed up the ageing process and make you look dull and rusty. Feed your mind by reading great books and meeting positive people. Eating clean is not good enough anymore.