I am a #GameChanger! Are you?

“Research your own experience, Absorb what is useful, Reject what is useless, Add what is specifically your own.” - Bruce Lee

January 2020. My company, Corporate Gurukul had formally embarked upon an ambitious journey to transform all our students from #GoodtoGreat using the ancient gurukul system.

However, over the last 6 years, I had been personally struggling to move from even average to good. My energy, focus, and speed had deteriorated. Though I don’t have any identified medical condition, I was not feeling my best. I was not exercising regularly, no yoga, was on a poor diet, and no focus on nutrition. I had the knowledge but wasn’t able to put it into practice. I knew what was slowing me down but like billions, I didn’t act and follow through. In simple words, I lacked DISCIPLINE.

Moreover, I was feeling extremely guilty of not being able to follow a learning pedagogy that I had myself institutionalized in Corporate Gurukul - Know, Practice, Perform and Reflect. I just did not have the discipline to Practice and Perform.

26th February 2020. My marriage anniversary. I had just returned home to Singapore after more than a month of overseas travel. I stepped onto the weighing scale. It was a shocking 99.5 kgs.

For a national (junior) 800m athlete and 4th Best NCC Cadet of India – this was not just shocking but extremely shameful. Though I love cricket, I dreaded scoring a 100 here!

In any crisis, I had always gone back to basics and reflected upon my learning during my formative years at school and college. I would ask myself, in these circumstances, what would have been the advice of my national coach, my NCC commander, my teachers, and my parents.

Upon reflection, the clear answer was discipline, exercise, and nutrition.

Though I don’t watch cricket these days, I do follow Virat Kohli. What I really admire more than his cricket though is his incredible discipline towards fitness.

I remembered Virat’s tweet in October 2019 - “Saw game-changers on Netflix. Being a vegetarian athlete has made me realize what I have believed all these years regarding diet was a myth. What an amazing documentary and yes I’ve never felt better in my life after I turned vegetarian.”

I immediately watched the documentary on game-changers and there was no looking back! I wanted to be #GameChanger myself!

My wife got me in touch with a good nutritionist. I told my nutritionist about my workout plan and she signed up to consult. The journey towards personal transformation and being a #GameChanger started on my 19th marriage anniversary. ?

On 26th February 2020, my first 4.66 km jog and walk at 99.5 kgs took 49' 04". It was an awful and extremely demotivating experience.

With advice from my nutritionist, I switched from a 3-times/ day non-vegetarian diet to a 2-times/ week non-vegetarian diet. It was a big shift for a non-veg lover like me! It was tough! Plant-based food was the core of all my meals. I also completely gave up on alcohol.

I started jogging 4 km about 5-6 times a week. Slowly, I felt good, stronger, and better. I built on my stamina and speed. The good part was, I didn’t feel the need for recovery time even though I was running 4 km every day. Maybe WFH in COVID times helped. ?

In retrospect, I had never ever felt so fit in my entire life. Two months on, at sub 6 mins/ km, my 4 km timing today is close to the timings I used to frequently clock in 2014. Today, I constantly feel good after every run and feel like doing more.

However, I am careful to not injure myself on this journey of recovery.

Finally, at 88 kgs (11.5 kgs lighter) and 2 months, 51 runs (4.19 km/run average at 7’51”/km) later, I attempted my first 10 km yesterday on 25th April 2020. I clocked 1 hour 12 mins 38 secs.

A huge mental and physical barrier was broken on the road to recovery!

My personal best for 10 km in 2005 has been 48’ 32”. I feel confident of surpassing my personal best in the next 1 year.

Today, I feel much better and energetic than ever before (even better than when I was a national athlete). My recovery after every run has been super-fast! Last week I could a 100-hour work week after 6 years! A 90% plant-based diet has worked for me! I am on my way to becoming a vegan!

I would like to thank my wife (already a vegetarian), my family, my friends, and my colleagues at work who have been a constant source of inspiration to get me back on my fitness journey.

With an eye to expand Corporate Gurukul to 20 countries, this transformation was long overdue! Today, in these tough times, my team needs me more than they ever did. I am hopeful of delivering with that extra energy and zing! :-)

I am delighted to be a #GameChanger like James Wilks, Lewis Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jackie Chan, and several others!

You can be too! Explore - https://gamechangersmovie.com/food

However, as Bruce Lee says - “Research your own experience, Absorb what is useful, Reject what is useless, Add what is specifically your own.”

#GoodtoGreat #BuiltToLast #GameChanger