Praveen Nair is the man behind some of the best transformations in Bollywood. With celebrities such as Sushant Singh Rajput, Shraddha Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapur as his clients, this small town boy has surely come a long way. What started off with a desire to look good has today made Praveen one of the biggest names in the fitness industry.
What’s the best piece of advice you received when you started your fitness journey?
Discipline! Leading a healthy lifestyle is all about discipline. It’s about being punctual and having your meals on time, exercising regularly without any excuses and learning to lead a disciplined life.
Has your approach to fitness changed over the years?
When I started off my aim was to build muscle and look good. With time, the journey became more about feeling fit and performing better rather than just looking fit. For instance, athletes constantly focus on getting better and beating themselves each day, and looking good is just a byproduct of the hard work they put into it. I adopted the same approach in my training.
One mistake that you see a lot of people make when it comes to fitness and nutrition that they should avoid?
I have often noticed that people take up fitness without educating themselves about the subject. For instance I see a lot of people go to the gym and do only cardio, especially women and overweight people, to lose weight. This can be counterproductive.
Also, I feel like a lot of people don’t know what to eat according to their goals. It’s important to treat your health as a subject and educate yourself to make sure you’re on the right path. Moreover, don’t hesitate in approaching trainers at your gym for advice.
How was your experience training Sushant Singh Rajput? What was his training regime like for his upcoming movie where he is playing Dhoni?
I trained Sushant for the first time for Kai Po Che and I must say he is the most dedicated person I have ever trained. He loves kickboxing and is great at it. I also trained him for three months for his upcoming movie, Dhoni: The Untold Story. The work out regime involved a lot of functional training. We combined martial arts and weight training to get the exact look that the role demanded. At the end of each training session both of us used to be drenched in sweat. I had a great time training him for the role!
What would you say is your greatest achievement so far, in the fitness industry?
I started my professional journey as a freelance trainer. It was a bit challenging initially to create a name for myself and to stand out. You have to constantly be at your best, whether it’s your own physique or your knowledge. Today I am proud to say that I have reached a level where I am opening up my own CrossFit and hot yoga training facility in Goregaon West, Mumbai. That I would say is my biggest achievement so far.
What does your post work out meal consist of?
Right after my work out I take liquid amino acids, multi vitamins primarily C and E to boost recovery and a few glasses of plain water. Then within half an hour of my work out I eat my post work out meal with consists of six egg whites and brown rice or sweet potato.
Any fitness hacks you’d like to share?
FitNut! The fitness industry is evolving and people are also becoming more aware and conscious about their health. FitNut is going to be the next big thing to happen to the healthcare industry.
Featured image courtesy: Fitnut
