Ugly truths behind looking good in the entertainment industry
Twenty burpees. Lift your vest up. Stare in the mirror, rub your sweet packs. Forty climbers. Lift your vest up. Stare in the mirror, rub your sweet packs. Switch to chest press. And repeat!
This was practically the scene at every fitness center I went to. I’m sure most of you reading this are familar to the same sight- men and boys alike who have ably shaped their bodies are more concerned about appreciating their torso's beauty than actually working out.
It's almost like once you have those abs, you are entitled to publically appreciate them - randomly pout and stare at yourself in the mirror and rub your abs like sweet baby tush.
I mean it's funny for anyone to see a bunch of grown-up men in a row pulling up their tees every few seconds to reassure themselves that their eight packs of gold are safe and sound. Its almost like they believe after every set of a workout, their abs have the ability to look better.
I won’t lie. Working out for me was partially passion but largely a disciplinary measure. Of course, given a choice, I would any day choose to eat that one large bowl of Belgian dark chocolate ice cream, but like it or not, when your looks pay your bills, you better leave those lustful dreams of ice cream far far behind.
Am I propagating that one cannot indulge once in a while? Absolutely not!
Like any "normal" individual, I too wished at the start of my goal towards a fit body, that I could eat all I want without ever gaining an ounce. I started off skinny - a fresh college graduate who wished to be part of the glamour industry.
I knew with my size and shape, I wouldn’t make the cut and hitting the gym came only naturally, rather forcefully to begin with. I would pump in hours at the gym only hoping to see a cut here or a muscle there in some corner of my body.
It was when I moved to Mumbai a different reality struck me. I was blatantly exposed and introduced to steroids, surgeries, pills and the many new increasing ways to get what many call the "perfect" body.
It's common knowledge that women are under a lot of pressure to get the perfect body, but not many speak and acknowledge the insane pressure a guy, especially in the modeling and acting world, is under to look better and fitter.
In this rat race for impeccable abs and chiselled jawlines, most people land up making uninformed decisions. I remember one of the fitness trainers once recommended, "Sir aap thoda steroids maar lo, dekho phir aapki body kaise banti hain." (Sir, why don't you try some steroids. You will get a fitter body in no time.)
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| Working out for me was partially passion. |
Once when I was hitting the bylanes of a famous destination for audition calls in the suburbs of Mumbai and one reputed gentleman recommended to me, "Gaurav, you should think of a surgery to get a more well V-shaped body. Why don’t you go see a doctor."
Every single time I would go back mulling over these thoughts and be left thinking: Should I really go see a doctor? Should I really go buy myself some pills to look better?
Luckily I almost never did fall for any of these things. Except for this one time when I got some pills to increase my muscle building capabilities, but I was lucky to never pop one.
But I see it everyday around me - behind every single assignment or backstage of a fashion runway, men and women altering their bodies, encouraging addictions to get a better body, a better asset, a better anything.
I feel this is due to the urge created by these brands. These service providers make us believe that one can always look better than we are.
It has lead to people believing and accepting that artificial alterations to one's body are perfectly acceptable. Thus a growing numbers of people, sometimes as young as 15, if not less are now accepting these so-called "alternative accelerators" to a fitter body and better looks.
I cannot preach a healthy way of living except share my personal experience. Getting a great looking body isn’t easy, but is it worth it? Absolutely. However the larger question is how healthy does one feel, regardless of how fit they may appear in front of that evil mirror.
If you think you do feel fit, you need not add any glorified alternative to become any better than you are. Just find a reason to move yourself. Find something healthy that gets your tastebuds as roaring as does an ice cream. Find a reason to wake up every morning and take that 60 minutes to a fitter body.