Fitness content is consumed globally by millions of people. There are always quality content creators who not only provide amazing fitness content, but also entertain their audiences. Simmi Sakhuja is one such creator! She goes by the name ‘Desi Punjabi Simmi’ on her Instagram handle and trust us, her material will entertain and inspire you. We always believed that it is very important to follow a trustworthy fitness creator and Simmi and her material is here to protect you. So, if you want to change yourself in this 2021, then you should see what Simmi and its contents are!
We absolutely love his stuff, it’s not just about fitness. You will find your work entertaining and lively as well as practical. A Punjabi at heart, Simmi is not only a certified fitness instructor, but also a blogger and a radio jockey. She currently has 17.8k followers on Instagram, her page only growing by the day.
Missmalini had the opportunity to dig deeper into her journey. Check it out!
1. Before we dive in, tell us more about what attracted you to start your digital journey as a content creator?
I was living in New York and I was snowed in, with a huge snowstorm. That’s when it all began in 2014. I picked up my phone and made my own documentary in Punjabi, giving an account of how the whole city had frozen. The format was a Govt. Of India films division documentary of the eighties. I was rolling in laughter myself mimicking the documentary style. A friend of mine, who was heading Colors, sent me a text saying, you are a natural at this. Must do more of these and I started to enjoy creating more videos and enjoyed the growing traction I got.
2. Tell us how you managed to stay healthy and happy during the pandemic?
I am a certified fitness instructor in many different forms of exercise. Exercises come naturally to me. I create my own workouts given any situation that I am thrown into. Throughout the pandemic, I was lucky that I and my family were stuck in our Delhi home which has a garden. So, I would start the day by cleaning the garden with a jhadu and pick up all the pots and rearrange them. This 2-hour activity was more than any cardio or strength training. It also brought to light that our day to day life offers us enough opportunities to create a workout in our functional life. We don’t have to seek a gym or a class to do exercises. The housework added to more physical activity and hence more calorie burn apart from my own scheduled pilates mat workout.
3. If I asked you to describe yourself in three words, what would they be and why?
Extrovert – I am a people’s person
Unapologetic – I say things as they are.
Progressive – I want to grow in life always as a person and move with the times professionally too
4. Were you always into fitness? Tell us more about what ‘Slim with Simmi’ is.
As a kid, I was always more into outdoor activities and games than studies. I come from a very small town, Ludhiana in Punjab. I have grown up in an environment of outdoor spaces with a lot of physical activities such as cycling, badminton, swimming and playing outdoor games. I try to bring elements from outdoor life to create exercise movements that help in building a strong body, stabilise muscle groups in sedentary life and are fun while you burn calories. ‘Slim with Simmi‘ is about fitness tips and exercise. It’s to help tweak our daily activities in small ways to remain fit and avoid getting fat. My aim is that everyone should be made aware to be constantly physically active especially in their work lives. One doesn’t have to be a gym rat to be exercising. Our time pass activities can help us stay fit.
5. Speaking about ‘Slim with Simmi’, can you give us a few tips about a healthy lifestyle?
Creating a healthy lifestyle is not complicated… it’s about enjoying exercise form that you like on a regular basis. If it’s ingrained in your mind that the human body is designed on the basis of physical activity to stay healthy, fit and disease-free…then you don’t give ‘laziness’ a chance. You should be on the move most of the time. Regrading food, everyone, especially all adults without any exception, need to consult a nutritionist so that they understand that everything that is called healthy food can not be eaten at the same time. It needs to be distributed according to their lifestyle needs in small amounts throughout the day.
6. We absolutely love how you maintain your cultural identity as ‘Desi Punjabi Simmi’ with your content. Tell us more about it.
I am Punjabi inside out. I thrive in the fact that I was born and brought up in Ludhiana. It was only in my late twenties I realised that the rest of the world does not talk or behave like us. People are different. The whole world is not Punjabi. So I decided to share how Punjabi’s walk, talk, think and behave. We are quite a novelty as compared to the rest of the world. As a Punjabi, my own casual conversations, beliefs, mannerisms make me laugh. There is no such thing as a sophisticated Punjabi, we are just different in slight shades. Some of us have just mastered the art of being politically correct but in reality -at home, we are all the same.
7. Other than fitness tips, we also see you create entertaining content and interact with your fans. What according to you is the best way to connect with your audience?
Just be your self. Don’t try and create something that is not you or go down a path that is trending. Trends are very transient. ‘You’ are a unique factor.
8. Did you face any challenge while creating fitness or entertaining content on social media? If yes then how did you tackle them?
Yes, initially some members of my family ridiculed my Desi Punjabi Simmi content. But, then who lives to please others. Shut those unhappy doors and move on. I was lucky that my kids and my husband were always very encouraging and giving me new ideas.
9. According to you how is radio communication different from social media? Which one do you prefer and why?
I love the radio. I will always want to be on the radio. You can be what you want when you want. Having said that, social media is an ocean, you are your own writer, actor, director, makeup person, hairstylist and editor. Its a lot of fun. On the radio, no one can recognise you, but social media gives you instant recognition. Also, if you are working at a radio station, you get your monthly salary but there is no such thing as a salary on social media. In social media, you hope to reach a point where you will be asked to endorse from soap to cooking oil. I am waiting to reach there!
10. In the near future, what can we expect from you and your content?
On social media – I am a fitness instructor and an actress. Come for the fitness tips and stay for the laughs.
Simmi has always managed to blow us away with her material and we love how she is able to entertain people as well as inspire people. If you are looking for a big fitness inspiration, you should check out her profile!