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Neera Pal is a professional bodybuilder and also an IBBF athlete. Neera gives personal training and guides bodybuilders. She has more than 97 k followers on Instagram, where she guides, motivates and influences people to work hard and lead a healthy lifestyle by exercising and working out.
Icy Tales is in conversation with Miss Neera Pal on her body-building journey, stereotypes about women having dreams to join athletics, tips on fitness and body-building, and much more.
Q) Give us a brief glimpse of your journey and how you started?
Neera Pal- My journey started in 2015, not as a professional bodybuilder but just to become fit. I just wanted to do gym and workout and become fit. Gradually, day by day, my passion for fitness increased, and my mind became certain that I wanted to do something in this field only. So, my professional journey started in 2017 when I participated in the first competition in Haryana.
From there, the door opened, and I participated in many other competitions and won many trophies, medals, and cash prizes. During this time, I was side by side doing a job; after winning these competitions, I left my job and entered this field fully and professionally.
Q) Pre-workout supplements are considered bad for the heart and gives jitters. How much of that is true?
Neera Pal- Everything has its pros and cons. If we consume it in a limited form, it is truly beneficial for us; on the other hand, if we take an overdose of it, it will obviously prove to be harmful. For example, If I talk about our meals, then also, if we overeat, we will not be able to digest, so it will not give you benefits. Rather, it will deteriorate your health.
Similarly, it is with the pre-workouts. In my perspective, if you want effective and heavy training, you require a lot of energy. That energy can’t come naturally from the carbs. For that energy, you need some caffeine provided by the pre-workouts. So, yes, it is necessary for heavy training, but you should make a good choice when it comes to the brand; some brands have more caffeine in their formula, which can give a lot of side effects too. Therefore, consider these things while you choose a pre-workout and consult your trainer.
Q) Did you face any gender discrimination in your entire career? If yes, how did you overcome that?
Neera Pal- We can’t escape from the fact that we live in Indian society; to date also, I am facing this problem. People in India are hypocrites; judgments about girls can never stop. Body-building in itself is a unique dimension for a girl to try. I faced a lot of negativity when I joined this field, and now I am facing it continuously because we can’t stop what every person says. So instead, focus on your goals and eliminate negativity around you. I salute all the female athletes for having the guts to make a career out of this field.
Q) How many Body-building Competitions have you done?
Neera Pal- I have already participated in more than 12 body-building competitions and am researching a different plan. Nowadays, youth wants to be fit in 3 months or so, but they don’t have patience and don’t want to study fitness, so they are opting for quick ways, which proves harmful to them. So, currently, I am planning to develop a community mainly focused on females. In this community, I want them to study fitness and train them.
Q) How much is tracking food habits important in the fitness field?
Neera Pal- The fitness field’s most important aspect is only food. Our body reflects the same whatever we feed to it. Our muscles depend on how much protein, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients we give our system. Without proper food habits, you can’t be fit. You need to monitor your food intake and discipline your food habits. And if I talk about food discipline, trust me, there is a lot to study in this.
Q) What is the advice you would give to budding Bodybuilders?
Neera Pal- Body-building is a very expensive game; you need to be financially strong and have your family’s support. If you don’t have these two aspects, I would advise you to concentrate on being fit rather than be in a body-building profession. You can influence and inspire others through your fitness also. We often hear that knowledge is the power, and it certainly is so that you can inspire others through your knowledge.
Q) Who was your biggest cheerleader or supporter?
Neera Pal- The biggest supporter is my mentor and my teacher only. My elder brother was also my pillar of strength throughout my journey. Initially, the family was reluctant towards this profession, but now they are also very supportive. I would highlight here that my teacher, whom I often refer to as Guru Ji, is my biggest supporter; he has been there from the start till date. Without a good mentor, I don’t think any student would be able to do it. The guidance of a mentor is very important even if the student has taken all of the knowledge.
Q) What was the one thing that inspired you to keep going?
Neera Pal- To be honest, I am my biggest motivation. You can’t get motivation from others until you understand yourself. You can see a lot of motivational stuff online, but that’s all waste if you are not motivated by yourself. In my opinion, self-motivation is the biggest and most important factor. Talk to yourself, know yourself and help yourself to pick up. If I talk about myself, then my whole day looks like giving training to people day and night and also self-training myself, So sometimes I feel like giving up, but then I make myself understand that life is nothing but this only. I need to gather myself and do it.
Neera Pal is a recognized and popular bodybuilder. She has won many body-building competitions, is now a certified IBBF athlete and influences people. She believes in giving 100 percent to your desired field of interest. Neera is planning to build a community of women in the fitness domain.
Last Updated on by Himani Rawat