Post pandemic, there is a rush to be the most ‘fit’ and ‘healthiest’. In this rush, what is often left behind is logical, well-founded wisdom on health, as people run after shiny fitness trends, ‘Insta’ famous gurus and quick diets. While this was the case even before pandemic, post Covid- era has accelerated this chaos.

While fitness is a huge need in an individual's life, pursuing fitness the wrong way can be lethal. There is a lot of clashing information out there which leads to confused and wrong choices. This is what pushed, certified fitness and nutrition expert Yash Patel, founder of Askknatural to take up this as a profession in the first place.

Starting with just a dream, he?has been able to make a dent in the industry with his commitment to find answers and his curious bent of mind in a short span of time.

Although Yash has always been a fitness enthusiast, he never thought fitness would be his main career path. He explored CA studies and even tried his hand at an MBA. But all through his academic pursuits, he always made time for fitness no matter how hectic the schedule. ?“I never missed out on my workouts, even if I had little time, I would squeeze it in. It is the only thing I would do with utmost focus and passion” says Patel.

But that was not what made him realize that this was the path he had to pursue.

“I had a lot of questions, none of which I could find satisfactory answers to or well researched logic around” says Patel. Having started off with just a handful of clients, today Yash guides the who’s who of the entertainment industry and has client’s world over with his venture Askknatural.

He talks about his eventful journey in the industry, from a just a fitness aficionado to a full-time expert guiding people to healthier lives.

We know now that fitness was never on your mind as a profession, but when did that conscious shift happen?
Honestly consciously I felt the need to pursue it, when I failed to get well substantiated answers to my questions. I googled, read blogs, watched YouTube videos, everything… I then took up studying biology to get answers. The human body fascinated me and I wanted to learn the science behind fitness.
So that is when I decided that I will pursue it full time. I started off as a personal trainer, but I soon realized fitness is not just found in gyms. I took up nutrition and fitness as a combined approach, and interestingly nutrition interested me more. So, the shift was not instant, but more of a journey of searching for answers and one’s self.?

What helped you make a dent in the industry and gain influential people to follow you?
I don't look at this as a mere business. I look at it more as a knowledge sharing experience. I want to guide people towards holistic living. ?
I do not promise or say things people want to hear. Rather I invest time and energy into explaining and giving them reasons behind my suggestions. This approach has helped me build trust. People who are really serious about being fit, healthy and living a better quality of life resonate with what I am saying. Most of them have tried out ‘trendy’ techniques and yet have unanswered questions. I am able to give them those answers and long term do-able, healthy lifestyle shifts.?
Also, the fact that we were able to shift to online training before the pandemic hit, made sure we operated smoothly. Online training was not a rushed area for us like most other companies. This helped me and my team guide people from around the world over.

What is one advice you would give to people with regards to fitness?
I will say stay away from ‘quick fixes' and misinformed decisions. Always know the why behind what you do.
Patel founded Askknatural in 2019 and ?now has clients across the world.
?