“I think women are foolish to pretend they are equal to men, they are far superior and always have been.” ~ William Golding
FITPASS, as an organization, understands that women are an integral part of operations. Females are at its helm, focusing all their energies to provide convenient, economical, and fun workout options to users across India. From taking calls early in the morning to sitting in meetings till late in the evening, they still find the time to manage their personal lives where they take care of themselves as well as their families.
We’re all about the women who make it possible for us to serve lakhs of people every month. They had a slow working day god knows when and yet they are active not just behind the scenes but on set too. Still, they manage to workout, which is what real inspiration sounds like. Here are some of them and their thoughts on their favorite workout routines as we take another step towards #eachforequal this women’s day 2020.
Swati
Customer Service
When she’s on call, she means business. She understands the customers and what they need better than anyone else. Nothing stops her from getting to the root of the problem and finding a solution. She is one of the first ones to enter the office and one of the last ones to leave. We often ask ourselves – where would we be without her? The perpetual click of her heels is synonymous with her drive and she chose a workout routine that suits her nature – kickboxing.
“I like to go all out when working out. It allows me to shake off all the stress that accumulates throughout the day, which can be a lot. I’m always working late and reaching home late and I felt the need to learn a little self-defense. Also, I don’t like to restrict myself when it comes to eating and that’s why Kickboxing classes allow me to burn calories at a good rate”.
Divya
Corporate Alliance
“I have been dancing since... well, forever. I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t. I just feel like myself when I dance; when music plays, I can’t help it. Yes, it helps me stay in shape but that’s not all. I get to meet all kinds of people and that keeps me going, you know? Plus, who wouldn’t want to dance to songs like Despacito? I got married recently and I’m going to get my husband to join me.”
Divya’s responsibilities extend way beyond her job description and she likes it. She doesn’t dwell on particulars because she’s busy bridging the gap between teams, employees, and clients. She’s the one holding the ropes tugged on one side by us and the other by the corporates. Somehow (we don’t know how because we can’t) she gets the eternally swamped tech team to provide her loads of data and her reports are always on time. A note for the hungry - you can always find a huge Lay’s packet on her desk - she’s the foodie. We fancy that it’s those Zumba classes and dance classes that make her the sweet, simple, and helpful person she is.
Mayuri
Customer Sales
Mayuri, like her name, is the (new) bird in our office. She settled into her role so quickly, it feels that she has been here since the beginning. She came in at a time when the customer service team was going through a big transition but things are as smooth as silk, thanks to her.
“HIIT attracted my attention because I never liked spending time on the machines in the gym except for the treadmill. I like comprehensive workouts and HIIT helps me burn calories as well as increase muscle strength. It keeps my metabolism working even though I sit in front of a desk all day. Most of all it doesn’t take up a lot of time. If I had to choose one exercise for the rest of my life, it would be the plank (and its variations).”
Ayushi
Nutrition
Now and then, a colleague approaches her desk to ask what to include in their diet and what to avoid. As diligently as she serves our customers, she does it for her colleagues as well. She walks up to our desks to note down our details and then advises us accordingly. She is the one who listens well is there to help. We are not sure if she realizes but she goes out of her way to set things right.
“I really like strength training and cardio but CrossFit is another thing altogether. I just love the explosive bodyweight movements. I like to be able to perform everyday tasks on my own and that’s why I attend CrossFit sessions to increase my functional strength. Plus, I like the challenge. It allows me to maintain a healthy weight and I can get done in an hour at the max. I can’t think of a reason to not choose CrossFit.”
Manisha
Online Reputation Management
She has a funny name/title for everyone as do all her teammates for her. She’s the office’s dog lover, evident by the number of tails wagging when she enters or leaves the office building. She is always talking to people about her “babies” and their playdates. Manisha is one of the sweetest people in our office and everyone agrees because she is on such good terms with all. She’s expecting her third child (the first human) soon and that’s why she chooses prenatal yoga classes.
“Yoga has helped me cope with my changing body. I’m a slim person and it was a challenge at first but these yoga poses are really good. My doctor said that they will prepare me for labor and delivery. Initially, I suffered from headaches and back pain along with little nausea. Performing the Trikonasana (Triangle Pose), Badhakonasana (Butterfly pose) and Vipata Karani (legs up the wall pose) have helped with these issues. However, my favorites are Savasana (corpse pose) and Yoga Nidra (yogic sleep)”, she says laughing.
And of course, there’s our chirpy CEO - Arushi - who is also into badminton and yoga (and chips). Her attention to detail is uncanny; even the most experienced designers can’t get away from her all-seeing-eye. You can hear her laughing all the time - she keeps the mood jolly and guides us at each step to make working out work out.
We are truly blessed to be working with these wonderful bearers of society. These women confirm the adage – change begins at home (office). They make our lives better and thus enable us to serve the fitness community better! Here’s to all the women who make our lives a little bit better with everything they do!
