From ‘treating his body as a dustbin’ to being ‘fat-free at 43’, Ankur Warikoo has come a long way

Forget the stereotype of the workaholic entrepreneur chained to their desk. Defying this categorisation is Ankur Warikoo — the man wearing many hats; that of the entrepreneur, investor, content creator, and bestselling author, who most recently also added an Audible audiobook for his book ‘Make Epic Money’ to his professional checklist.

But, he was in the news for something else too: At the impressive age of 43, Warikoo defied expectations by undergoing a remarkable physical transformation — a chiselled “fat-free” six-pack physique.

Scrolling through social media, we’re bombarded with images of sculpted figures and dramatic weight-loss stories. They promise a quick fix, a one-size-fits-all path to a “beach bod” or a “dream body.” But the reality of such a transformation is far more nuanced. It’s a demanding journey paved with challenges, plateaus, and setbacks; and Warikoo’s voyage was no different.

As such, we caught up with the multi-hyphenate to talk about what it was like being on this journey, why he even decided to take it in the first place and his advice to those looking to tread this path.

Read edited excerpts here:

Q. How (and when) was the seed of undertaking such a physical transformation planted in your mind?

Ankur Warikoo: The genesis of this was nearly 10 years ago. At the age of 33, I got my first six-pack abs. The reason wasn’t my vanity, but my hip. At 32, I had been diagnosed with a medical condition called Avascular Necrosis. My right hip bone had started decaying because the blood supply to it had stopped.

Before that, I had frankly treated my body as a dustbin. I ate sh*t — whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted.

The diagnosis is when it hit me like a bolt that this body is the only thing I truly have. It’s unfortunate that we, only through these setbacks, realise the most important things in life. I’m glad I went through this early on. That’s when I undertook a physical exercise and diet routine that I have stuck to for the last 10 years.

Q. Why did you decide to become, as you have said, ‘fat-free at 43’?

Ankur Warikoo: Back in 2016 or 2017, I had seen actor Farhan Akhtar gracing the cover of a magazine. I remember the photoshoot and his six-pack abs, and the cover was called ‘fat-free at 43.’ I made up my mind to undergo this transformation at 43 right then, especially because it would also be the 10-year anniversary of the turn my life took.

Having a six pack abs is more like stretching yourself. A lot goes into making it happen. So, I certainly don’t want to do it every day of my life simply because I don’t need to and I don’t want to. But every 10th year, I promised to challenge myself and get my body and mind aligned to get to that point. So 33 was the first time, 43 was the second one. And then I hope to do it at 53, 63 and so on, till I can.

Q. How have you remained at a fitness level where you can go back to your six-pack abs every 10 years?

Ankur Warikoo: A combination of diet and exercise. But most importantly, there has to be a permanent shift in your mindset, especially if you plan to maintain your fitness level. It shouldn’t be about your ego or your vanity, but about your health and long-term happiness.

Several people asking if I am on TRT or took steroids.

I frankly had to google TRT to know what it is. So no I didn’t :)

And no steroids – why would I do that to my body?

Video will explain everything :) https://t.co/47nbIEaTXL pic.twitter.com/fMHiTsPvAp

— Ankur Warikoo (@warikoo) April 16, 2024

Q. What does your current diet entail?

Ankur Warikoo: The biggest shift has been the percentage of protein that I’m taking in naturally, and also through supplements. Mostly, the Indian diet is extremely fat-heavy, and the protein takes a backseat. I’m very conscious of the kind of food that I eat and now my diet is more carb and protein-rich and not so much fat-rich.

Q. What was the most difficult part of your transformation?

Ankur Warikoo: I have the biggest sweet tooth. I cannot simply give it away and I certainly don’t want to, as well. But, I do agree that it’s addictive, so I had to carve out my life in such a way that I can still have my sugar, to whatever extent I can, while getting to this point.

Q. What shocked you the most when you were on this journey?

Ankur Warikoo: The biggest trap you will see on Instagram, YouTube, is all these people with these perfect bodies just exercising – shoulder exercise, thigh exercise, abs and what not. Isse koi farak nahi padta. (It doesn’t make a difference.)

The exercise will only mold your body, not make the muscle surface. The only way that happens is the right diet. Every fitness regime will tell you the exercise because it wants you to believe that exercise can get you there. But the truth is, 90% is just diet. And that also makes it the hardest thing.

 

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A post shared by Ankur Warikoo (@ankurwarikoo) 

Having a samosa right now will give you joy for like five minutes, 10 minutes. To burn that samosa, you will have to run on the treadmill for 30.  That doesn’t mean you never eat samosa. But if you’re going for the second and the third one, just bear in mind, there will be a mega investment on your part to just burn this thing up, while it may be easier to just resist it.

Q. One advice you have for someone wanting to go down this road

Ankur Warikoo: The most important thing people need to recognise is when it comes to fitness, or, for that matter, any other change that you make in life – whether it’s reading books, for example, or audit, managing your money, you have to do it in a manner that’s natural to you.

You don’t have to force yourself to become somebody else because the rebound will be just as harsh as the first step to get there.

It’s not that the world has never been to the gym before. It’s just that we go for a week and we’re so sore that we never want to go ever again. Being active is more important. So ask yourself: “Can I play a sport? Can I go for a walk? Can I run with my pet? Can I go for a swim? Can I cycle?” What can you do for you?

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