A celebrity nutritionist, fitness enthusiast, and an advocate of a healthy lifestyle, Neha Sahaya wellness is a Lifestyle Nutrition Firm incepted by Neha Sahaya.

Neha has always believed that you can only achieve the desired body or a certain fitness level if you really want to and if you constantly make an effort to change your lifestyle in ways that best suit you.

She also firmly believes that there is nothing like a quick fix for lifestyle diseases and weight loss as that hampers an individual’s health in the long run.

Speaking exclusively to PeakLife, Neha shares her experience as a fitness enthusiast and beyond.

What was the whole idea behind Neha Sahaya Wellness and how did the idea for your business come about?

Maintaining a healthy number on the weighing scale had always been a tussle; my love for food and struggle with excess weight went hand-in-hand. In school, I was the most overweight girl in the room and I had trouble accepting my body for what it was. With enough body-shaming from family and friends, by the age of 13, I became obsessed with the idea of losing weight. Unfortunately, the concept of gyms and working out at that time was very uncommon and information on the internet was sparsely available.

That left very few options to turn to. Here began my first stage of fitness disaster. I took it upon myself, used my basic knowledge, and did what an ignorant person would do – ate nothing and walked a lot… and yes, I did drop weight to go from 80kg to 59kg, in a matter of 3 months. But I knew something was amiss, my skin was loose, my skin did not glow and hair was falling– I was thin, yes, but was I fit? Then top it off I was diagnosed with PCOS and thyroid. Didn’t want to take medicines at an early age especially contraceptive pills to regularise my periods.

I decided to make food my medicine and there began my curiosity with nutrition and fitness. With my knowledge, I manage to control and reverse my health issues along with glowing skin, a toned body, and long shiny hair. Everyone especially close family and friends started to notice the difference in me not only physically but also mentally, I was much more confident and a happier person with a very positive outlook to life. This knowledge of food was to be shared to everyone who needed help and there began by a career as a nutritionist.

Neha Sahaya Wellness was launched and become a health and wellness company. The concept of the company is to eat for the body you want and not for the body you have. The idea is to become and healthy and fit, let the by-product be fat loss.

What motivated you to be a celebrity nutritionist?

You don’t become a celebrity nutritionist out of choice, it happens over time when A list and Bollywood community starts coming to you, and all of a sudden one fine day you are called a celebrity nutritionist.

Please share your experience/journey with us?

While eating right and working out are the cornerstones to a healthy mind and body, a change in lifestyle is what makes it sustainable, and eventually permanent.

My mission is to simply motivate and help the thousands like me, through my experience, to achieve their desired body, feel fit and healthy and most of all… make it a lifestyle.

I’ve found peace in my mind, body, and soul.

The early days of Maintaining a healthy number on the weighing scale had always been a tussle; my love for food and struggle with excess weight went hand-in-hand. In school, I was the most overweight girl in the room and I had trouble accepting my body for what it was. With enough body-shaming from family and friends, by the age of 13,I became obsessed with the idea of losing weight. Unfortunately, the concept of gyms and working out at that time was very uncommon and information on the internet was sparsely available. That left very few options to turn to. Here began my first stage of fitness disaster. I took it upon myself, used my basic knowledge, and did what an ignorant person would do – ate nothing and walked a lot… and yes, I did drop weight to go from 80kg to 59kg, in a matter of 3 months. But I knew something was amiss – I was thin, yes, but was I fit?

• Round two

At the peak of my teenage years, I decided to sign up at the Gym which had recently opened its doors very close to my home. That’s when my second stage of fitness disaster occurred. The trainers lacked knowledge, they didn’t understand my body and what it needed. I was convinced that as long as I was working out for hours, I could eat anything I wanted. And so it went on, for 12 long years, slow destruction of my health. I looked thin, but again, I was not fit. I weighed 53kg and looked good enough with the right clothes on, but under those perfect-looking clothes my skin was sagging and my muscles lacked definition. I was also diagnosed by this time with PCOS and thyroid.

• The final straw

The third and last stage of fitness failure began post-delivery. I was a proud mother of a beautiful child, but I didn’t feel beautiful. I had gained weight, just as any new mother would, but accepting my 70 kg heavy body was a real struggle. I hated the way I looked in the mirror. Something had to be done, and the time was now.

I went down to 53kg from 70kg. It wasn’t merely losing weight, but a slow and steady progression of getting fit. I began reading and researching everything I could, on concepts and ideas of nutrition and fitness. Concepts like BMI (Body Mass Index), body fat percentages, macronutrients, lean body mass, etc. were all things I could work with. I worked on nutrition and invested time in my workout.

I am proud to say that I have, finally, made healthy eating and fitness a lifestyle. Today, I feel and look stronger than I have ever been, and each passing day I strive to be better. I’m taking one step at a time towards peak physical and mental wellness.

Who or what has been your motivation during lockdown?

I am blessed with great self-discipline, for me, my biggest competition and motivator is the person in the mirror. For me being healthy and fit is a part of my lifestyle. I simply follow 80 / 20 percent rule. Where 80 percent of the time I follow a healthy eating pattern and 20 percent is where I let loose.

How do you see the role of the health and wellness sector evolve post pandemic?

More consumers shopped for health and wellness products amidst the ongoing second wave, cutting back on discretionary purchases such as apparel, beauty, and alcohol, according to a survey of urban Indians by international research and data analytics group YouGov. The simple reason being is the fear of catching the deadly disease Covid. Covid affects the people with poor immunity first, especially with co morbities.

I have seen the disturbing reality of serious lifestyle diseases afflicting the older and younger generation alike today. Most people today are suffering either from PCOS, insulin resistance, fatty liver, diabetes, and blood pressure, or are simply obese And this is only a very minuscule list.

The main reason underlying these diseases is a bad lifestyle, fad diets and blissful lack of awareness. People have realized in the long run the best way to fight covid is just not the vaccination but also by a healthy body and more people according to me, in the long run, will start becoming healthier and fitter. Due to this, the health and wellness industry has grown immensely.

Could you tell us about the culture in your organisation and how did you establish it?

My organisation works on the principle of personal touch. All my clients work with me directly where I invest time in understanding their lifestyles and make tailored made diets for them after assessing their physical and mental state of mind, Approach towards each person is different as each body type and lifestyle of every induvialis not the same. My personal interest and understanding them has resulted in the growth of my brand, my focus is to make them healthy and fit not simply vanity and weight loss.

If you had to suggest 5 must read health and wellness books during the pandemic, what would they?

My favourite 5 books,

1. In the flo by Alisa vit

2. Eat yourself healthy by Dr. Megan Rossi

3. Glow by Vasudha Rai

4. Bigger leaner stronger by Michael Matthews

5. The complete fasting guide by Jason Fung

What key activities would you recommend entrepreneurs to invest their time in?

Self-improvement it can be from mental wellbeing, communication, physical health, doing something you love. Next according to me is the most important thing is Time management especially during the pandemic when you are working from home. Manging home, family life, and work at one time require some great skill and time management.

Any advice you would give for our budding entrepreneurs in the health and wellness space?

My advice would be first to become healthy and fit yourself, so you can understand the importance of it. Have determination and work hard in this industry, if you are honest with your work people will notice and trust you. Don’t give up on your dream because they do become real.