“I was overweight all my childhood, so when I got into the fitness journey, it felt like therapy,” says actor, model and bodybuilder Rishabh Sawhney. He was seen playing the role of Azhar Akhtar, the villain in the film Fighter, with Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone as the lead. Sawhney’s inspiration for fitness came from Austrian and American actor and bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger. His quote: First I made my body and then my body made me. Reflecting on this, he shares how Schwarzenegger’s fitness journey resonated with him, and he was inspired to work on his body. Joining college, he lost a lot of weight and came down to 59kg, this is when he realised the need to work on one’s body and started his bodybuilding journey. “Bodybuilding is like an anchor to me. It is what keeps me sane and helps me stay motivated.” Fitness RoutineTalking about his daily routine, Sawhney says he starts his day with a warm glass of water at 8 am. He then follows his morning ritual with meditation and chanting followed by a session in the gym. Post 12 pm, he starts his work, and he makes sure to play a sport in the evening. Currently, he is interested in squash. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rishabh Sawhney 🐢 (@rishabhsawhneyyyy)]]> On the days when he is busy with shooting, he makes sure to carry fitness equipment with him on set. “Between the shoots, during breaks, I make sure to carry a resistance band or a skipping rope and try to work on that. Bodybuilding can be done outside the gym too,” he says. “I have been on a proper diet for the last nine years. I do not eat for taste; I eat to balance a healthy. My diet is simple. I eat the same thing every day,” he says. Consistency Is the KeySharing tips on fitness, Sawhney says that there is no shortcut to weight loss or weight gain. “It is important that you start with a good personal trainer as they can help you a lot in your fitness journey. What you can achieve in four years, with a personal trainer, you can achieve that in half of the time.” Sawhney’s mantra is simple: “Consistency is the key,” he says. “Your journey is not going to be a straight line. There will be ups and downs. You might have an injury, but you must be consistent towards your goal, the diet and your workout.” Beginner’s Guide to FitnessApart from having a personal trainer, Sawhney suggests that you must take up an activity that you love and continue doing that. “I see a lot of people joining the gym and once their body is built, they leave it. This is not how it works. This is why you should pick up a sport that you love and continue practising it. There are many callisthenics exercises along with weight training that can help you in your fitness journey.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rishabh Sawhney 🐢 (@rishabhsawhneyyyy)]]> Talking about his own journey of bodybuilding, Sawhney says that it has helped him in the industry. Playing Azhar Akhtar, he was asked to put on at least 10 Kg. “I was very happy about it. I used to eat 6 to 7 meals a day and work out for 2 to 2.5 hours. I had to look huge for a villainous character and I was happy to do that because bodybuilding was not something I could do while modelling,” he shares. Debunking Fitness MythsSawhney also warns beginners to not fall for anything that they see. “There are a lot of scams in the fitness industry. You must not buy anything without knowledge. Do some research, ask around and then only invest in that product.” There are myths like women who lift weight become masculine and Sawhney debunks that too. “Women’s bodies are different, and they react differently to exercise. Their bodies do not become like a man’s if they lift weight.” “My favourite one is where people say they can get abs in 3 months. It is physically impossible for someone to get abs in such a short time. It takes years and a lot of consistency to be fit and get abs,” he says.