Why Milind Soman says that fitness is personal in the book Keep Moving

How did the book come together?

Milind: The idea came from Juggernaut. The most important thing was that the three voices should be distinguishable and their personalities must come across. People often think that because I am a model, I have access to dieticians and trainers, but that’s not the case. Each one of us does the exercises and consumes a diet that appeals to us and that’s what we wanted to highlight — each body is different, therefore, one can’t have a plan that suits everyone. Ankita took some convincing, Aai really didn’t want to do it. She had questions like, “What would I say? Who’s interested?”

Ushaji, what pushed you to embark on your fitness journey?

Usha: I had always been walking – to school, to buy groceries, to pay electricity and phone bills, to the railway station to board a train to work… Retirement made me go for purposeless walks. And it was purely for pleasure that I started going for morning walks.

You are now an inspiration.

Usha: It was only when people started coming up to me and telling me that it registered. People find it impressive that every day I get up and go for a walk, but it is something that I do regularly because it is the only sort of exercise that keeps me fit.

Milind: What happened was that I was running from Ahmedabad to Mumbai sometime in 2016-17 and she came to meet me somewhere on the highway. She was dressed in a sari.

Usha: It was such a beautiful day, the weather was good, and he had been asking me to run for some time, so that day I decided to join him. Because it was raining, I removed my chappals and became a ‘barefoot runner’. But, I don’t like running barefoot, except when it is on grass.

Milind: She must have run for half a kilometre, but a video of it made it to the internet and went viral.

The book is not preachy. Was that a conscious decision?

Milind: Yes. In fact, initially Juggernaut wanted it to be a book of ‘do this and do that.’ We refused. Our philosophy is that everyone should discover what works best for them. The book encourages introspection: what’s the best for me, what foods suit me, what lifestyle fits me? Tap into your own understanding; you don’t always need external advice.

Ankita, you spoke about a time when you contemplated ending your life. How did you come out of it?

Ankita: This was when I was younger. But it is those tiny little rays of hope that you have to hang on to; you have to know that it gets better. I also took professional help. But the feeling never completely goes away; it’s always there in the background. So you have to constantly keep telling yourself that you have done it before and you can do it again.

Through the book, you also spoke about nurturing your mind. Are there some tools that you employ in your daily life?

Ankita: Yes, affirmations! I have learned over time that one should be kind to themselves and accept that you’re not just the person you see from the outside but that there’s also a person living inside you. Nurture that person.

Ushaji, women in India are often seen doing everything for everybody but neglecting themselves. How would you encourage them to start their fitness journey?

Usha: I am also one of them. I would say, don’t think about your age. Think about what you can do and do it. Don’t start with ‘I can’t do it.’ First, try, and maybe you’ll succeed, and you will do it. Once you do something that you thought you couldn’t do, then you are always open to doing other things that you might want to do.

Milind, you run barefoot, even on concrete, which experts say is not advisable. What led to it?

Milind: Who are these experts? (laughs). When I started running barefoot almost 15 years ago, I felt that it helped me run more efficiently — not faster, but more efficiently and effortlessly. That’s why I started running barefoot more and more. However, if a situation demands it, such as running in the desert where the temperature is 50 degrees and the sand is like a frying pan, I wear shoes or sandals. For those who say that running barefoot was okay in earlier times because there was no concrete, the thing is that your body responds to the surface. It runs lighter where it has to and heavier where it has to. So it’s not about the surface but the technique itself.

What’s one tip that you would give to somebody who is procrastinating on starting their fitness journey?

Ankita: I’m a big procrastinator (laughs). I would say start small.

Milind: People have this idea that to be fit, you have to go to the gym for hours, have the right clothes, and have a trainer. But if you just start moving and try different movements, that’s a great beginning.

What’s the biggest life lesson that you have learned through your fitness journey that goes beyond the physical aspect of it?

Ankita: Endurance. I think ultra-distance running has changed my life completely. It’s about understanding how much your body and mind can tolerate. Your mind is the first to give up. So you just hang on to that tiny little voice that says ‘yes’, shut out the loud voice that says ‘no’ and keep going with it.

What are the things that you would say are essential to build an active family?

Usha: Pay more attention to sports and outdoor activities, not just academics. And please don’t give children mobile phones.

Milind: You have to lead by example. Many people tell me their child admires me for running. I ask them, ‘Why don’t you run? Your child will admire you.’ Parents must demonstrate a good life — show respect, humility and all the values we want our children to embrace.