Fitness and indulgence definitely do not have to be sworn enemies for a healthy lifestyle, and who could prove it better than the iconic veteran model Milind Soman, now a passionate fitness icon, and his wife Ankita Konwar, who is equally dedicated towards fitness as the key to health and wellbeing? As the couple dropped by for a freewheeling chat with t2 ahead of the JBG Kolkata Marathon in association with The Telegraph, the two shared a bunch of fun anecdotes from their journey together, talked about their favourite cuisines and how enjoying one’s fitness graph can become a more successful drive to stay healthy than rigorous discipline.
Milind shared a few thoughts about Kolkata’s growing fitness culture expressed in frequent marathons at the start of our conversation. “I have been coming to Kolkata quite a lot, and for the last five years, have seen the JBG Kolkata Marathon grow. Of course, we always need more events like this that are dedicated to fitness, but yes, it feels amazing to see the growing culture around running in the city.”
“I have been associated with the marathon for three years, and I am really happy that they have introduced a pacer program dedicated to women. Women’s participation in most endurance events is only about 15-18%, hence it feels great to see women being pushed to perform in big events like these,” said Ankita.
The couple emphasised that it is very important to enjoy one’s fitness journey in order to achieve all-round wellbeing. “Discipline has never really been a goal for me,” said Milind, “as I believe that only comes from the things that you do not want to do. I enjoy everything that I do, and for me, that is the key to true wellbeing,” he added.
From push-ups, marathons and swimming, the conversation turned to the couple’s journey together, and the fun dynamic between them. “I think I was always quite mature, even as a young girl, so Milind’s maturity really won me over. Our relationship never felt different from any other, in spite of the big age gap between us,” said Ankita. Milind shared how their first dance at a hotel party brought them together, and how they were already discussing whether or not they wanted children on the very first date!
The biggest revelation brought in by the couple was that fitness and indulgence are not inversely related when it comes to achieving a healthy lifestyle. “There is no particular cheat day for us, because we are trying indulgent dishes that are specialties at every place we travel to. What matters most is self-awareness, and whether you are feeling confident from within,” explained Milind.
