Every week, I speak to one accomplished global expert in the longevity space on the science and practice of what we can do to improve healthspan and lifespan. My guests have included the Chief Design Officer of Oura, a longevity physician from Stanford, a top-10 Tour de France cyclist, the founder of Color Genomics, an Ayurveda practitioner, the CEO of Aditya Birla Health Insurance, an endocrinologist from Penn State, an orthopedic surgeon from Sancheti Hospital, a US-trained breast onco-surgeon, and a South Asian diet researcher at Stanford, among many others.<\/p>\n
This week\u2019s post shares key takeaways from my conversation with\u00a0Saiyami Kher, a two-time Half Ironman triathlete, state-level badminton and cricket player, and critically acclaimed actor.<\/p>\n
When you first meet Saiyami, it\u2019s easy to focus on her accomplishments: actor, sports commentator, and triathlete. But spend ten minutes listening to her, and you realize her real strength isn\u2019t in\u00a0what\u00a0she does, but rather it\u2019s\u00a0how\u00a0she does it.<\/p>\n
1. Build your support system<\/p>\n
Saiyami credits her father, a half-marathon runner and adventurer, for instilling in her a love for movement. \u201cEvery 8-year-old girl\u2019s first hero is her dad,\u201d she said. But it wasn\u2019t just her childhood influence; at every stage of life, she found new reasons to stay active: from state-level badminton to cricket, and now triathlons. When you surround yourself with people who share your goals, health becomes less of a lonely pursuit and more of a shared journey. You need cheerleaders to keep up momentum and consistency, and your tribe or community provides exactly that.<\/p>\n
2. Integrate fitness into life<\/p>\n
The film industry, Saiyami says, is \u201csynonymous with unpredictability\u201d, due to the erratic schedules. So how does she train? By running back from film shoots instead of taking a car. By waking up early, before the day gets away from her. By carrying resistance bands so she can train anywhere.<\/p>\n
Her philosophy:\u00a0time isn\u2019t the barrier; priority is.\u00a0She\u2019s proof that keeping things accessible and weaving short bursts of activity into daily life is more doable than waiting to find 45 uninterrupted minutes.<\/p>\n
3. Mental endurance > physical endurance<\/p>\n
Before her first Ironman, the airline lost her bike and gear. During the race, she missed a turn and nearly got disqualified. She was severely dehydrated after missing a hydration station during her bike ride\u2026..Yet, she finished.<\/p>\n
\u201cEndurance sport teaches you to find solutions, not stay stuck in problems,\u201d she said. \u201cThe race is just a celebration of the training.\u201d Her mantra? Play the hand you\u2019re dealt. Endurance training teaches you to stay calm amid chaos.<\/p>\n
4. Training is therapy<\/p>\n
When her first film didn\u2019t perform well, Saiyami ran a marathon to process the disappointment. \u201cEvery time I\u2019m pushed against the wall, I turn to endurance sport. With every mile, my thoughts get lighter.\u201d Running or cycling long distances, she says, forces you to face yourself. \u201cYou can\u2019t run away from your mind. You have to stay with it, kilometer after kilometer.\u201d<\/p>\n
I have seen, as I am sure many of you have as well, that one of the best ways to clear your mind, especially when you are down, is to get some exercise in. It could be in the form of a walk, a run, or a gym session. As I have written previously, the most powerful pill known to humankind is exercise because of the release of endorphins and myokines that drive the \u201cfeel-good\u201d factor.<\/p>\n
5. Forget motivation, build consistency<\/p>\n
Her line of the day: \u201cMotivation is like the Wi-Fi in my Nashik home\u2026 when you need it most, it\u2019s down.\u201d Consistency, not motivation, is the secret. \u201cJust show up,\u201d she says. \u201cEven if it\u2019s for two minutes. Wear your shoes. Walk to the next tree. Do it every day, and it compounds.\u201d<\/p>\n
Eight months after breaking a rib and struggling to run a mile, she completed a Half Ironman, which is a 1.9 km swim, 90 km bike, 21 km run. How did she do it? She showed up and set a goal of improving by 1% each day. For those wondering how improving by that small an amount translates to results, here\u2019s the math: a 1% increase every day for eight months compounds to roughly a 12x gain in output \u2192 a mile run grows to a 12 mile run!!<\/p>\n
6. For women, training needs to be different<\/p>\n
Saiyami spoke about training through PCOS and unpredictable cycles: \u201cI trained even when I was on my period so my body knew how to handle it on race day. You don\u2019t need to be brave; just listen to your body.\u201d<\/p>\n
She also learned that what works for men doesn\u2019t always work for women. Workouts in a fasted state, for example, left her depleted, until The Longevity Lab nutritionist, Sneha, helped her fuel smarter. \u201cA date or a bit of sugar before a session made all the difference.\u201d Dr Stacy Sims has written extensively on why a woman\u2019s physiology must shape training and recovery; not simply mirror what works for men.<\/p>\n
7. The joy of training \u2014 Beyond the numbers<\/p>\n
Saiyami uses wearables and heart-rate zones, but she\u2019s equally comfortable running without her watch. \u201cSometimes, you need to leave the numbers at home and run for the joy of it, like you did as a 10-year-old.\u201d Because in our data-obsessed world, it\u2019s easy to forget that health isn\u2019t just about optimization, it\u2019s also about enjoyment. Frankly, this was a great reminder for me to not let data get in the way of living in the moment and enjoying the experience.<\/p>\n
8. Being healthy doesn\u2019t have to feel like a sacrifice<\/p>\n
Her takeaway: \u201cFitness should be a celebration of your body, not a punishment for what you ate yesterday.\u201d She doesn\u2019t follow a strict diet; she eats bhindi sabzi, dal, and the occasional pizza or ice cream. Food should provide both fuel and joy. This is a philosophy I subscribe to and live by. If one is willing to do the basics right, from exercising to sleeping well to eating nutritious and wholesome food, and having a clear purpose, then the occasional Nutella crepe, ice-cream, and chocolate shake should be consumed without guilt. That balance is key to long-term sustainability, results and happiness.<\/p>\n
Whether it\u2019s your first jog, your first 5K, or your next Ironman, focus on showing up and finding joy in the process.<\/p>\n
As always I welcome your thoughts and would love to have you share your experiences in the comments.<\/p>\n
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Disclaimer<\/p>\n
Views expressed above are the author’s own.<\/p>\n
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