Stigma Nor Sacrifice: No Hurdle Can Deter Syed Asifa From Bodybuilding Goal

Syed Asifa starts her day before the break of dawn. Her daily routine includes about seven hours of workout sessions spaced throughout the day, paired with a meticulously planned diet. This is in preparation for the 15th World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships in the Maldives. The Hyderabad-based professional bodybuilder stands at the precipice of a landmark achievement. She is one of the 14 athletes chosen to represent India at the coveted event from November 5 to November 11. 

From training in secrecy to balancing numerous responsibilities in her career and family, Asifa has withstood many challenges to come this far in bodybuilding. For the past few months, she has stayed away from family - including her school-going son - to stay closer to her coach's training centre. Asifa shared her bodybuilding journey in an interview with SheThePeople.

Start Of Fitness Journey

Syed Asifa grew up loving various sports from swimming to horse riding but her family encouraged her to fully focus on academics. After her undergraduate studies in pharmacy, she got married to an Indian Army officer and had a baby boy. When her son was a year old, Asifa moved to Jaipur to pursue her MBA at the Indian Institute of Health Management and Research. 

It was there that her passion for sports and fitness was reignited. While her initial goal was to shed maternity weight, she quickly discovered a deeper drive within herself. "I started running in my university. Initially, it was difficult even to run 500 metres but I had friends who had completed marathons overseas, so I got inspired by them and started running with them."

Asifa recalled how her husband supported her passion for fitness. "I belong to a middle-class family. My husband wanted good branded shoes for me and got local shoes for himself. He was like, 'You're staying with good friends. You are surrounded by some affluent students. So, you should be maintaining some things.' That is something I appreciated about my husband."

A Secret Champion

Asifa ran in professional marathons for about two years before switching to bodybuilding. "My husband got posted in Ladakh so I was the only one to take care of my son. But my practice time and my son's schooling time did not match. He is my first priority so instead of running, I thought of going to the gym. There, I got exposure to army bodybuilders," she described.

"I loved lifting weights but I never discussed these things with my family because, in my community, it is not common or acceptable for women to go to the gym. But when I got to know that professional bodybuilding is a thing, I told my parents that I wanted to pursue it. Initially, my father said, 'Why bodybuilding? Your career is going well. You have a son and your husband is working.' But I asserted that I wasn't asking [for their approval], I was informing them. I really wanted to do this professionally."

For at least four years, Asifa trained without letting her husband and in-laws find out. "For many years, I did not eat with them because I was following a strict diet, even during Eid. During the bulking stage, I ate about 20 eggs per day - just the whites, I could not eat the yolk - I had red meat and chicken. They would be shocked at all this. So it was a challenge for me."

Asifa would wear a burqa everywhere she went so her family would not find out about her body changes. She would only eat in her office and go to the gym straight from work. "I'm sure they knew something was up because I looked different. They would always question me, but these small matters never bothered me as my ultimate goal was to represent India," she expressed.

Eventually, Asifa's husband found out. "Initially he did not accept it but when he saw the results, he saw his colleagues and seniors also appreciating me, he told me to do whatever makes me happy." Asifa participated in various local and state-level competitions where she earned laurels. "I took my son for competitions as well. He always sat in the audience and cheered for me."

For the World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship selections in May 2024, Asifa travelled to, Ernakulam Kerala, with about 14 other bodybuilders across the country. "Luckily most of the events fall on weekends so I told my family I had a work event and went," she said. Asifa said that she is the only woman selected from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

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Striking A Balance: Career, Family, Self

Besides bodybuilding, Asifa has a full-time career as an associate sales manager at the multinational pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk. She thanked her seniors and colleagues for supporting her bodybuilding passion and understanding the balance she strives to achieve. Moreover, her young child is her biggest cheerleader who drives her to keep pushing forward.

"Not only me but my son also sacrifices many things. I don't have time to play with my son or go out with him. I do household work, go to the office and gym, and after coming back I just sleep. I don't give much time to him; but he always says, 'Mumma you are working, you're a bodybuilder. I'm so proud of you!' He has learnt so many things like what kind of food we're supposed to eat. He goes and tells his friends in school. That makes me so happy."

Asifa's desire to represent India globally has motivated her to overcome any roadblock. "After doing household work and office work, you get exhausted. I am also human, I get a lot of pain, and I have a lot of responsibilities. But whatever hurdles come in between, my goal is clear and I want to achieve that. All these other things are minuscule compared to that," Asifa said.

Stigma Around Women And Fitness

In India, many women shy away from focusing on their health due to societal stigma, countless responsibilities, or fear of judgment. However, Asifa maintained that this challenge must be overcome with determination and commitment. She also busted some misconceptions that have long discouraged women from focusing on their fitness goals.

"In India, many women skip breakfast -- be it homemakers or working professionals. They first give priority to their family. They cook for everyone, let everyone eat, and then have whatever is left over. They don't eat at the right time. Women often take pride in such [sacrifices] but they don't realise that this is affecting their health. If they are healthy and happy, the family will be happy."

For Asifa, fitness hasn't been just about her health but also about her emotional wellness and empowerment. "Initially, when I went to the gym, the men used to say, 'This is a Muslim area, you cannot work out with us. This is not the ladies' timing'. That is what they have learnt from their families. They see that women don't go out and are usually working at home."

However, Asifa's determination and resilience broke social barriers and changed this gendered belief. "I want to change the mindset of at least my surroundings, at least one or two people out of 100," she said. Asifa also talked about how fitness has been a game changer for her mental health, as the hours she spends working out are fully focused on herself and her goal.

"At the gym, my concentration is fully on my workout, I don't get distracted. Fitness has taught me to be down-to-earth, to be focused, to be accepting. It has given me a lot of confidence, personally and professionally. In sports, you face both success and failure so it has made me very disciplined and very patient. This has made me able to make decisions wisely, Asifa expressed.