The Other (Fit) Shroff

Krishna Shroff 28 works out twice a day if she can muster up the energy ldquoAnd I always do seem to have the energyrdquo she quipsHer day starts at the gym where she works out for two hours either doing strength training or practising MMA Mixed Martial Arts The evenings are reserved for cardio exercises like boxing Itrsquos no surprise then that she has been looking the way she does showing off her chiselled abs during heavy lifting in the pictures that populate her Instagram accountShroff may not be an actor like her father rsquo90s hero Jackie Shroff and brother action star Tiger Shroff but she is quite comfortable in the spotlight as she basks in the love of 945k followersThis she says is the result of gruelling discipline ldquoI was an overweight teenager and kids are cruel arenrsquot they That stayed with me At 23 I decided I needed to transform myself So now in a way I am my own inspiration Once I started off on my fitness journey it has not just been about a new found confidence in who I am but also about the focus and calm it has brought to my life I am now okay with missing out on a boozy brunch or a Saturday night out just so that I can work out the next dayrdquoHer fitness ambitions extend beyond herself Her entrepreneurial venture with Tiger and mother Ayesha MMA Matrix a brand of gyms launched its newest franchise in Lucknow ldquoWe have managed this in the middle of the pandemic when gyms have been hard hit I think people believe in our vision We have believed in my dreams so deeply that everyone around us can see itrsquos going to workrdquo she saysShroffrsquos first brush with MMA was when she saw a fight in Delhi and admits to getting caught up in the adrenaline What drew her to the sport was the ability of its practitioners to play with mental strength ldquoTiger coowned a team in a MMA league and when I saw the live fight I was blown away What a rush I wondered how the guys in the cage would be feeling The dream now is to watch an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight internationallyrdquoShroff with Alan Fernandes coach and Operations Head at MMA MatrixWhen they launched in 2018 Shroff says they grappled with lack of exposure Across the world it may be the fastest growing sport but here in India awareness was yet to catch up ldquoPeople look at it and think itrsquos a blood sport The first thing they teach you in MMA is respect Ever since I started practising itrsquos been empowering As women itrsquos so important to be aware of selfdefencerdquoShroff has negotiated messages from fans about women losing their oomph value if they lift dead weight But she thinks the tide is gradually turning ldquoI used to get that reactions a lot in the beginning But now I think most people will agree that being strong is sexy A lot of my women followers tell me that they are inspired by my transformation and my body Itrsquos no longer about being skinnymdashall kinds of body types are acceptable and thatrsquos greatrdquoHaving said that she doesnrsquot mince words when she admits that itrsquos tough for a woman to pursue physical strength because of how her body is built biologically The bloat is real she laughs No one seems to lsquosee itrsquo ldquoItrsquos a mental thingrdquo she says about how her body transforms during menstruation And once fitness becomes part of your lifestyle you learn to dive into cravings but with conditionsrdquo You can stop at one cookie is how she puts itPractice what she preachesPortion control Give in to cravings every now and then but control the quantity of what you eatConsistency Keep going donrsquot stop and one day the results will suddenly showThink positively about your body Your body feels what you say and think about it So be grateful for it It will blossom