"I'm very natural. I want to see where my body can take itself on its own."
Competing at 2017’s BodyPower Expo, DESIblitz got the chance to speak to the inspiration that is Chandni Ravalia.
From Leicester, UK, the athlete hails as a remarkable individual. One who embraces fitness by taking regular exercise and keeping a healthy diet.
In a special interview, we ask her all about her workout routine and diet. Plus we also explore the perfect body image with her and the temptation of steroids.
Take a look at what this gorgeous bikini competitor had to say.
Chandni’s Exercise Regime
As a personal trainer, Chandi knows all too well the importance of workouts. She jokes: “Pretty much my life is in the gym.”
This particularly shines for in her preparation for a competition. She will commit to 2-3 training sessions a day.
Her first session of the day consists of fasted cardiovascular exercise in the mornings. This is then followed by 1-2 sessions of weight training later and extra cardio.
Chandni tells us her favourite exercise is the pull-up. She adds: “I know that sounds weird coming from a girl and I can’t do many, but the ones I can do, I love them.”
Though she says she is still working on improving them, she manages impressive 10-12 reps “on a good day”.
Diet and Supplements
Emphasising the importance of consistency when it comes to your diet, Chandni gives us a breakdown of the meals she eats during her competitions.
She states that she will eat extremely “clean” foods, such as chicken, wholewheat pasta and sweet potato. It is imperative for her to consume healthy portions of protein, carbohydrates and vegetables in each meal.
However, she does understand how difficult it can be to maintain a strictly healthy diet, saying: “Dieting is the hardest part for me.” Chandi even admits to indulging in the occasional cheat day herself to “refuel” her body.
“The amount of stress we put our bodies under, it needs some bad food sometimes. It’s more of a ‘refeed’ … to give ourselves energy.”
This does not mean that she will alternate between eating healthily to neglecting her diet completely. She highlights that this “yo-yo dieting” causes the body to respond in “awful ways”.
Her approach involves easing into a routine of consistently eating a mixture of healthy meals along with the occasional treat.
The competitor also highlights that it is vital to be consuming foods that you find enjoyable to eat so that you are more likely to stay on track. She says:
“You don’t have to make it boring. It doesn’t have to be chicken, broccoli, veg and rice. Make it what you want to eat!”
Giving advice to vegetarians, she states that there are numerous ways to increase protein intake. Her suggested foods consist of lentils, egg whites, fish, Quorn foods, tofu and soya.
For those of you who are not a huge fan of these, then Chandni simply recommends using seasoning. This allows flavours to be altered to a taste more suited to you.
When asked about steroids, Chandni acknowledged the temptation of taking them at times where her progress reaches a plateau. “I’ve had moments where I thought: ‘I’ve dieted and dieted and done everything I can and it’s just not working’,” she reveals.
However, she reiterates that steroids are a definite no for her: “I’m very much against it.”
She emphasises: “I’m very natural. I want to see where my body can take itself on its own.”
Pressures of Body Image
Addressing one of the biggest challenges that many in the fitness industry face, the model explains the pressures surrounding body image.
There have been many occasions where she has come across social media posts that have promoted the need to look good. She says: “[Social media] make it so important that we all look good, but it’s not.”
Although she agrees that having a good looking body is an “advantage”, she places a greater importance on feeling good on the inside.
“You need to be comfortable to be happy,” Chandi explains, “I do this because I love that stage feeling. I don’t do it because of the body I have.”
She adds that “as long as you’re comfortable in your own skin” and “you’re happy with how you look”, then others’ expectations of how a body should look are irrelevant.
In her final opinion, body image “is not everything” and this is the positive message she carries with her at all times: “You’ve got one life, just live it.”
Watch our interview with Chandi Ravalia here:
Chandni Ravalia is set to take the fitness world by storm as she continues to work hard to achieve her goals. And her tips for those considering joining these competitions? She recommends to give it a go “if you’ve got the dedication”.
She also suggests to “give yourself a target”, which she applied to her own preparation. With this, she eventually appeared on the stage, impressing many with her physique.
We can’t wait to see what lies ahead for this phenomenal British Asian bikini athlete.
Stay up to date with her upcoming competitions and follow Chandni on Instagram and Twitter. Plus, discover all the highlights at BodyPower Expo 2017!
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