Fit to Lead | Bollywood actor & Waayu’s Suniel Shetty: Gymming is my favourite fitness activity, it keeps me toned, fit, alert

Suneil Shetty.

Note to readers: Fit to Lead is a series of interviews with business leaders on their approach to fitness, leadership and navigating the new normal.

Suniel Shetty recently launched a food delivery app, Waayu, that is said to deliver food at a lower price than Zomato and Swiggy. In a conversation with Moneycontrol, the actor-entrepreneur-fitness enthusiast shares his fitness fundas. Edited excerpts:

You have been roped in as a brand ambassador and investor in a new venture, Waayu. Tell us about it.

It is a food aggregator app at a zero percent commission for the restaurateurs. I believe that restaurants are bleeding today by paying 20-30 per cent as commissions. So, Waayu is an app that offers this to top restaurants of Bombay at zero percent commission.

How will it compare to other food delivery aggregator apps like Swiggy and Zomato?

Swiggy and Zomato are the kings of aggregator scenarios, and we are just beginners. It’s been baby steps, but we have been successful so far because we are partners with most of the hotel associations. When you partner with the supplier, it might probably be a more seamless offer and valuable to the customer with fresh and faster food and at great prices.

Tell us about your other business ventures. 

I have invested in a few startups, and I own FTC (FTC Talent Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd) a media company. We also run a show called Horses Stable which is a spot funding reality show that helps startups get funded by investors.

What are your business interests and how do you weigh sectors you want to get into?

I have FTC, the media company, I have a few investments in startups. Wherever I am comfortable and have knowledge about, be it food tech, health tech, fintech or anything that looks interesting with great founders and a great team is what would interest me.

Tell us about your health and fitness routines. 

I always like to keep it simple. I train six days a week, yoga for two-three days. I am very conscious of what I eat, I weigh my food, quantify food. I decide depending on the week whether my meals must be protein heavy but usually it is a mix between carbs, protein and a small quantity of good fat.

What is your favourite fitness activity?

Gymming. It keeps me toned, fit, alert. Otherwise occasionally when I am at the farmhouse, I swim, play squash, cricket and try to stay active all the time.

What do you consider a tough fitness challenge?

Going to the gym every single day and not letting boredom and monotony take over is a challenge. Being consistent and as excited as working out on a Monday as I am on a Saturday, is the toughest fitness challenge. And also, not only training right but eating right is also a challenge. I believe that 80 percent is diet and the rest 20 is training. And following routines is a challenge, too. People don’t like following routines, but I have been doing it for the past 45 years pretty successfully. Getting up at 5 am despite a late night and going to the gym and giving it your best shot every day is tough.

What is your typical workday like?

I wake up at 5 am, go to the gym at 6am, and around 7.30 have breakfast. Then by 10 am, I go to work — either shooting or at the office. I’m back home by 6.30 pm. Because I stay in town, it takes me a lot of time to travel for shoots, or for media meetings, around two to three hours. I don’t waste that time worrying about traffic and the time taken to travel, so while driving I do my calls, catch up with pending work if any. I keep myself busy and don’t complain.

You are an entrepreneur, a businessman, an actor — what is your leadership style? 

My leadership style is simple, I have a strong team and I delegate. I groom them, train them and believe in them. I depend on my team and make sure that they report to me on a regular basis and stay connected, even if I am shooting. I am typically a team person who leads from the front, someone who does not prefer a desk but prefers a round table because then there is no head of the table.

Does a fitness routine help you navigate uncertainties?

Yes. Training and exercising means you are being sincere and are keen to achieve what you want, and that helps you become dependable and focused. Training in the morning helps me let the happy brain chemicals kick in and then you are on a high and very positive through the day. When you start celebrating your health, it means you are celebrating everything around it, then dealing with everything becomes easier.

Tell us about your leadership lessons in your fitness journey? 

Consistency and the fact that I challenge myself every day. I shock myself and change my routine, I’m very strict not only with my timing, but also with my food. My fitness journey has given leadership lessons and it is about being with the times, willing to move with changes and to adjust and ensure that you are constantly delivering. We work a lot with startups and it's always a bad winter, so, for me, it is about telling my team to work right, work with small units, work together, make sure there is no cash bomb and there is a definite cash flow. There may not be heavy profit, but you hold on to the cash flow and make sure that you cash positive before you get done. We look at the market and see what works for the market and the marketing and expense.

What kind of impact does your fit leader image have on your team? 

When you are fit, they are appreciative of all you do because you manage that consistency through decades. That is what leaders are all about. They lead by example. I have a team that is fit, wakes up early and they are at work on a positive note, are active, thanks to the fitness routines. My team is disciplined at work and so can handle everything good or bad at work and get through anything.

You are 62, what are your favourite fitness hacks?

Consistency and training. I ensure that I go to the gym every morning, ensure that I have a good night’s sleep — at 10 pm, I am off to bed. I stay away from all electronics towards the evening. I hydrate myself regularly. When I am working, I am always on the move, never stationary for a long time. Skincare, haircare, routines also add to how you are feeling, so that is a constant. I take care of myself, I make sure I dress well and for the occasion and season. I like to sweat it out when working out so I get rid of toxins in my body. I quantify my food; I don’t eat anything white at all. I am lactose intolerant, so I stay away from milk and milk products, I eat lactose-free yogurt, controlled salt, and sugar (less than 10 gm a day), no gluten, around 24 gm of oils or less, have the right balance of protein and carbs, good fat and avocados and chia seeds. I eat right, don’t get tempted, breakfast early, lunch around 1-1.30pm and dinner by 6.30-7 pm. I walk around after my meals. I basically have a simple but a definite routine. Everything is by the clock. I don’t drink alcohol or smoke tobacco, that really helps me stay healthy. And I do yoga and pranayama, which is meditation  for me. It helps me focus on my breathing and meditation is also listening. I cut all noise out and focus on what people are trying to tell me.