BCABBA Bikini Champion, fitness trainer and a fit mom of two, Harj Hadani is one of the most popular fitness trainers on Instagram. This mother of two is also a nutritionist and is a motivation for all those moms who want to lose weight the healthy way but can’t find the time to hit the gym. Harj Hadani’s fitness and diet tips are surely going to be your motivation.
Namita Nayyar, President WomenFitness.Org catches up with Skinnyroti.com Founder Harj Hadani.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You are a Certified Sports Nutritionist, Fitness Trainer, NASM, sponsored athlete & Reflex Brand Ambassador. Walk us through your incredible journey and tell us how it all began?
Ms. Harj Hadani:
Well it all started after being diagnosed with post partum depression after having my son. I was still breast feeding and refused to take the chemical medication the doctor prescribed so I started looking for natural ways to cure myself. I found fitness, my love for lifting weights, and so much creativity in the kitchen. I started a healthy Indian cooking blog called Skinnyroti and that was the birth of my fitness business. I went on to receive my certifications in personal training and sports nutrition.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Introduce us to a day in your life.
Ms. Harj Hadani:
I am a creature of habit. I wake up at 4:30 am every day of the week. I start off my morning with coffee, meditation, cardio then yoga: all in that order. By then it’s time to wake up my kids for school, make breakfast, pack lunches for them and drive them to school. Then I will head to the gym for my weight lifting training. After this I usually have about 3 hours to cook dinner, clean, and mostly spend time emailing back clients, doing check-ins, shipping out products, work on marketing and product development. After I pick up kids from school they have activities and then dinner and homework and mom duty until kids are in bed. Once everyone is asleep I usually get back on my computer to work until 10/11pm.
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar, President womenfitness.org and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2017 Women Fitness Org
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine?
Ms. Harj Hadani:
I think I answered that in #1-meditation, yoga and weight lifting. Cardio about 5 days per week and weight lifting 6 days per week. I take 1 rest day but it’s active rest with the family: so we go swimming or go for a hike or bike ride. We are a very active and fit family. My weight training consists of training back, shoulder, legs 2x week, glutes and arms.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Tell us about the daily diet that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?
Ms. Harj Hadani:
I am a true believer in eating whole foods, real food and eating with no restrictions on those foods. Meal timing and portions are most important to set for your individual goals. I eat 6 small meals a day for a total of about 2500 calories-yes I eat a lot. Each meal will have about 25g protein, between 25-75g carbs and about 5-10g fats. Breakfast for example (meal 1) is oatmeal, protein powder, blueberries, added fiber and greens, 1 tsp cocnut oil. I do not restrict or count calories of fruits and vegetables, I believe they should be eaten to the hearts desire-they are not making you fat, the sugar making you fat is from processed foods, not real foods.
I also drink about 5 liters of water every day.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Share with us your food substitution tips for a healthy weight loss, post pregnancy.
Ms. Harj Hadani:
I think the main focus should be on eating a balanced amount of protein, carbs, and fats in each meal. Don’t under eat. Especially post pregnancy, you need to focus on healthy habits as your children will mimic your habits. Start by eliminating processed foods. How? If it comes in a box or can, it’s processed. Try to eat whole grains like oatmeal, rice, sweet potatoes for carbs. For protein keep it lean: fish, chicken, seafood, lentils and beans. For fats coconut oil, avocado oil, and nut butter.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Also, tell us your fitness tips for women doing a 9 to 5 job.
Ms. Harj Hadani:
My best tip is to practice waking at 5am. It’s hard for 2-3 days but once your internal clock adjusts, it’s a life changer. After work we are just too tired, either physically or mentally. Also, by working out in the morning you will be more inclined to stick to your diet all day, you rev up your metabolism to burn more fat throughout the day (especially if you’re at a desk job sitting all day), and you are free after work to still have time to spend with friends and family, more time to cook and prepare your meals for the next day. That is the next tip: meal prep, prepare all your weeks meals by planning 2 cooking per week. I cook on Sunday and again on Wednesday. I weigh out and portion all my days’ meals so it’s easy to take to work and stay on track.
Proper preparation prevents poor performance. My 5 P’s of success.
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar, President womenfitness.org and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2017 Women Fitness Org
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You have competed for various Bikini Fitness Competitions. How do you prepare for these competitions?
Ms. Harj Hadani:
Competition prep is extremely tough. Especially with kids. My family and business (clients) always come first. Training is very tough. Usually I spend about 2 hours day between weight lifting, cardio, meditation, and yoga. When training for a show I don’t have time for yoga. Usually I’m weight training about 1.5 hours day and then another 1.5 cardio-split into 2 sessions so training 3 times a day. I usually wake up at 3am and this starts about 8 weeks out from a show. My diet also gets very strict so where in my off-season I don’t worry too much about weighing my food in prep every bite I eat must be accounted for to reach that stage level low body fat. So there is definitely more stress as I spend a lot more time in the kitchen daily as well. As your body goes below “normal” body fat percentage it is similar to pregnancy brain. You are forgetful, extremely tired as your body wants to rest and repair, short in patience. To sum it up you’re sleepy, hungry, and cranky 🙂 I could never do it without the support of my husband that lets me focus on training and myself in the final 2 weeks.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You are also the creator of Insta-Waist. Tell us more about this popular endeavor of yours?
Ms. Harj Hadani:
I developed this product after having kids my waist remained in a square shape. I had no waist. After a year of product development I had the perfect solution. Here is what the waist trainer does in a nutshell:
Not only do you lose 3-4 inches off your waist instantly, this quality compression garment is used to:
- Lose 3-4 inches permanently in 30 days
- Accelerate fat loss
- Support your lower back and correct posture, relieves back pain
- Extreme push-up effect with your chest/bust
- Instant hour glass shape
- Interior latex fabric helps to increase fat loss and target your midsection by heating up your core while doing cardio and weight-lifting
- Eliminates love handles/hides fat roles
- Post-birth Reshaping-It is also excellent tool for new moms. It is intended to reduce water retention and swelling of the uterus while supporting that unwanted “baggy baby skin”
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Would you like to tell us about the changing scenario of fitness in our country over the years?
Ms. Harj Hadani:
I believe over the centuries as people are becoming less active, foods are becoming more processed and toxic, obesity and nutrition related diseases are on the rise. I think people are finally realizing that the way our granparents ate, the quality of their food and their activity level will not work for us in our lives. So as people are learning they are making conscious efforts to be more active, to eat better. I think everyone knows this, it’s just a matter of changing the habits. If you cant be strong enough as the cook, the shopper, the role model to make that change your children will have it far worse than you.
Instead of putting the burden of poor health and lifestyle choices on your children and forcing them to go through major changes in their adult lives to live healthy and disease free lives, make the change yourself today. That way your children don’t develop those poor eating habits and only know to live eating whole nutritious foods. So the shift is being made but I think people need to stop looking for magic in a pill. It can only be attained through proper nutrition. Period. If you see my 28 Day Shred program transformations you will see major weight loss through diet alone-my clients don’t work out, only eat right.
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar, President womenfitness.org and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2017 Women Fitness Org
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Advice and motivational words to the inspiring and budding fitness trainers who all are your fans, they shall like to know from you, what they should do for their climb to ladder of success in this field?
Ms. Harj Hadani:
I believe you need to be in it for the right reason. For the love of the sport or the love of transforming and helping others change their lives. If you are in it for social media likes, money or fame you will not last. Do not get into it because it is a fad in your life right now. It is a long term commitment to a lifestyle and that is the way to succeed.
Also if you are a fitness trainer, you need to be in shape. I’m amazed how many people will pay an out-of-shape trainer?? To me if you can’t be motivation for your clients, if you can live what you teach how do you expect your clients to do the same?
Spend time learning proper form, rehabilitation, yoga, spin, TRX, Pilates, nutrition so you can expand your services. Never rely solely on one source of income, have several related services you can offer.
Specialize in something. Know your target market and what are they lacking? Is it lack of nutrition knowledge, is it vegetarian or vegan diets, power lifting? Specialize in 1 thing but dabble in many.
In this industry results get you new clients. So once you have a client do everything in your power to help transform that persons life. One transformation at a time you are building your name and reputation in the industry.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
With an audience of over 42.3k followers on your Instagram account @skinnyroti you’re a social media sensation and a leading fitness star. How does it feel that you are able to influence the healthy lifestyle of so many individuals?
Ms. Harj Hadani:
I really don’t see how I can influence others. I have people messaging me telling me I motivate them or inspire them to do more. It’s honestly very humbling because I never set out to motivate anyone. I was a depressed new mom looking for a outlet to find motivation for myself. I think for this reason people, especially women and new moms can relate to me. I don’t have a chef, housekeeper or nanny. I don’t have full makeup done and perfect hair everyday. I show my struggle being a women trying to manage so many duties. I am just an average middle-class woman facing the sames time constraints as everyone else. I manage to make it work. I don’t make my life look perfect. I am just real about the struggles and this makes me relatable to everyone out there struggling.
I know through my Detox & Shred program the number of lives I’ve helped change, diseases I’ve helped people recover from, families I’ve helped get their mom back, relationships repaired because now the client has their confidence back and the future of all these people who will now age in good health, this can only be the work of God. I am just doing the work that God has intended me to do. I truly believe I have found my calling in this life and am truly blessed to be able to change lives and support my family in doing so.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What do you wish to say about the website Womenfitness.org and message for our readers?
Ms. Harj Hadani:
What a great hub of information for women on a huge variety of fitness related topics. I wish you all the success in helping women to also take that first step into changing their lives. All it takes is one step in the right direction, educate yourself and always keep learning and growing. Be active, be healthy in your nutrition choices and the weight loss will happen as a natural side effect to the lifestyle change. Change your lifestyle, change your life.
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Women Fitness Org Team extends our heartfelt gratitude to Harj Hadani for taking out time from her busy schedule and doing this interview with us.
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar, President womenfitness.org and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2017 Women Fitness Org