With Anju Bobby George, athlete
1. What does your daily fitness and diet look like?
I eat four eggs every day for protein. For breakfast, maybe two idlis; for lunch, two scoops of rice with fish; and for dinner, mutton, chicken, or beef. I do strength training almost every day. Being in the gym is like living my life.
2. Women face many transitions—motherhood, ageing, career breaks. How did these affect you?
When I started, people called athletics a ‘manly game’ and said I would look masculine. Then, during my first pregnancy, I went up to 105kg. I got back to 65kg in six months, but after my second pregnancy, I hit 107kg and it took five years to [bring my weight] down. People criticised me for the weight gain, not knowing the issues I was facing. Now in my 40s, I am fighting new physical challenges, but I have learned to love myself and find space.
3. What goes through your head when you aren't able to perform as expected?
I always allow myself to process it naturally. If I want to cry, I cry. Then, I sit down and fix my next goal. I try to focus on daily, weekly and monthly goals because long-term goals can be difficult to accomplish if they are too far away.
4. What is your strategy for handling setbacks?
I always have a Plan A, B and C. If you only have one plan, you feel like life is over when it fails. With a backup, it is easier to tackle problems.
5. Any health mantras?
Drink lots of water, eat protein-rich food and find me-time. For me, that’s watching movies. And you can cheat [on food and fitness] sometimes; we have to live our lives!
