Fitness is a lifestyle not just a habit

As an entrepreneur, you’re always hustling and grinding to make your dreams a reality. You’re constantly putting in long hours to get your business off the ground, and sometimes that means sacrificing your health. This is the story of every entrepreneur, who is trying to make a mark for themselves. But what if I told you that being healthy and fit could help you in your entrepreneurial journey? And I speak this from experience, says Patil. He started his entrepreneurial journey six years ago and at that time his biggest and only focus was to meet his short and long-term goals and tick off the everyday tasks on his to-do list. Fitness was not one of them. Coming from a middle-class family where life threw financial challenges almost every day, he was desperate to make money right from the beginning, and all his actionable plans revolved around making this happen. In his drive to achieve his goals asap, he worked day and night, sometimes without even bothering about if he has had his meals. “I have always been an efficient worker, and especially when I commit to something I have to make sure I see it through but I remember about three years back I started losing focus and felt burnt out. I was just 27 years of age. I had put on a lot of weight, I weighed around 100 kg and it had started affecting my performance. I panicked because this wasn’t a part of my plan”, recalls Patil. He attributed this to his bad lifestyle and no focus on any kind of fitness or physical activity as a part of his everyday schedule. This realisation was a turning point for him in his lifestyle journey. He first identified the root cause and then took steps to fix it. He incorporated a fitness regime as a mandatory part of his day and followed it religiously. The results started to show, not just on his physical health but his mental health as well. Patil comments: “It wasn’t easy in the start but I was driven by the results these lifestyle changes were showing me. I had better clarity of thought and I started feeling more energetic with every passing day. I can’t begin to explain what this shift in my lifestyle did to accelerate my entrepreneurial journey.” Patil highly recommends having a fitness regime that not only includes physical activity but a proper diet as well. “As an entrepreneur, your time is precious. You are always hustling and grinding, trying to make your business a success. This can take a toll on your physical and mental health if you're not careful. That's why it's so important to make fitness a priority in your life.” Exercise helps reduce stress, improve sleep, and boost energy levels. All of these things are essential for entrepreneurs who need to be at the top of their game at all times. A healthy lifestyle also sets a good example for employees and customers. So, don't just view fitness as something that you have to do to stay in shape. Instead, see it as an investment in your business and your future success. Make time for it every day, even if it's just a walk around the block or some simple stretches at your desk. Your body and mind will thank you for it! A healthy lifestyle doesn’t just mean eating right and exercising regularly (although those things are important). It also means getting enough sleep, managing stress, and staying hydrated. A journey that started three years back has become a passion for this fitpreneur. Patil not only talks about the unlimited benefits of being fit and staying healthy but also helps his teams in breaking the myths around fitness through his weekly series on his social media channels called - Fitness Myths busted. When we asked for some tips to make fitness a part of one’s daily routine, Patil shared:

Schedule time for it: Just like you would schedule a meeting or a conference call, schedule time for your workout. This will ensure that you actually make time for it and don’t just push it off until later.

Make it a priority: If you want to make fitness a part of your daily routine, you have to make it a priority. This means making choices throughout the day that support your goal of being healthy and fit.

Find an activity that you enjoy: It’s important to find an activity that you enjoy because then you’re more likely to stick with it.

Set goals: Having specific goals will help keep you motivated and on track with your fitness.

Today the success story of this young achiever who made it from Mumbai to the UAE is motivating hundreds of fellow Indians and youth all over the world. His success tips are followed by thousands of people worldwide and one thing that he highly recommends is to view fitness and health as a lifestyle and not just a habit.

Ammar Tarique is the content strategist at Teamology Softech and Media Private Limited.

• KT Network