Ann Tom is the daughter of actor Tom Jacob, a noted serial and film actor. She decided to carve her path away from the glitz and glamour of the film industry and is now scaling new heights in the world of fitness after quitting her nursing job. By bagging the 2023 Global Recognition Award, Ann made a mark in the field of fitness.
Ann Tom Fitness wins ‘2023 Global Recognition Award’
Myself and my husband Anoop together started Ann Tom Fitness. At first, we had to endure a lot of hardships but then things began to fall into place. I believe we got this award today as a result of overcoming all the challenges and moving forward. So, I am very happy to have received the recognition.
How Ann Tom took to fitness?
At a very young age, I had to face a lot of hardships as a result of society's view imposed on me that the female body should be in a particular way. Since society pressured me like that, I was really worried about what others would think if I gained weight. It exhausted me emotionally and mentally. I often starved because of the unnecessary fear of gaining weight. I had no hesitation in going to any extent for having a lean body. I had walked a lot, even when I ate less food because I felt I should reduce my weight. I faced a lot of health issues as a result of being extremely self-conscious at an age when I wasn't very obese.
So, while studying in Class XII, I faced hormonal imbalance, and I went into a condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome, and I suffered from depression, too. I took to this venture to share the pressure that I had experienced at such a young age and to find ways to escape from it. Through this initiative, we aim to bring back to life the people who are over-dieting or over-exercising, comparing themselves to some others in society. “Let’s not let them fall into depression and let’s bring about a big change in them. That was our objective behind starting this institution.”
Ann Tom's metabolic mastering method of fitness
It is a program that understands the liking of a client and then helps her keep up with a good diet and exercise pattern for the rest of her life. Metabolism refers to the processing of calories in our body. As we get older, the level of metabolism in the human body decreases. Metabolic Mastering is a program that explains what metabolism is and how the calories in the human body can be converted into energy through that action.
Hormonal changes occur after delivery. Can it be changed through post-delivery care?
There are certain things that I disagree with when it comes to maternity care. One of them is three months of bed rest. All I want to say is that if a normal delivery takes place without complications, the woman can go for short walks as per the doctor's instructions. The fact is that lying in the same bed for three months, following the old pattern, never benefits the female body. Perhaps it had benefitted the mothers of the past a lot. Today, the lifestyle and food habits have changed a lot. The weight gained during delivery can be reduced in four or five months. If there is no movement of the body after delivery, it is also difficult to lose the weight gained during delivery.
Moreover, the food consumed as part of maternity care becomes calorie deposits in their body. What I understand is that if we eat food in the right quantity and also exercise in the required measure to digest that food, we can keep the postpartum stage of depression at bay to a certain extent. At the same time, it is important to recover the nutrients lost during delivery. For that, you can prepare a balanced diet and eat it.
A question that often arises is as to whether it is possible to lose weight in one part of the body alone. Your take on that…
Men and women alike store their weight in the middle part. Moreover, this fat deposit is present around the neck, arms, and legs. I have seen many methods of working out in those areas alone to reduce fat. It can never be said that all of them are right or wrong. The results vary depending on each person's body type.
Just as there are changes in the body as periods begin, there are changes when the periods end. The journey to menopause begins when a woman crosses the age of 30. That journey is called perimenopause. A lot of changes are seen in women during this period when sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone undergo change. One of the most important of these is the fat redistribution in the hands and feet. In most people, it accumulates on the side of the stomach. Such hormonal imbalances often add to the momentum of fat deposits. And the other thing is that we can never destroy fat cells. A fat cell is one like any other cell in our body. It's just that we can reduce the size of that cell.
It can be through diet or exercise. If the fat cell is compared to an inflated balloon, all that we can do is squeeze out the air in it, but we cannot break it. It is only when the fat cells are reduced that we feel that we have lost weight. If asked whether exercise can reduce this fat cell, all I can say is that only 10 percent can be cut down. The remaining 90% of the fat cells can be reduced only through our diet. It is wrong to say that weight can be reduced through exercise after having fat-rich foods. That is only possible through proper nutrition. Many people who often make content videos don't say these things. It is only when one does the exercise and follows the diet in the right measure that he/she gets the body shape that they desire. Otherwise, perhaps the body will thin out like a dry potato.
To those looking for shortcuts to fitness?
I don't know if everyone knows; our stomach is our second brain. We have a lot of good micro bacteria in our stomachs. Processed food and lack of exercise destroy the good bacteria in the stomach. It also harms our health. Often, as a result of our stomach not being healthy, there occurs a decrease in immunity and diseases inflict easily. Many of the packed foods are processed. This processed food can also alter our blood sugar levels. By avoiding all of them, we can stay away from diseases to an extent.
At the same time, we need to keep our body active by following the exercise method that we love. Just as momentum creates more momentum, movement creates more movement. As I started eating and exercising properly, it made a big difference in my life. Look at fitness as a journey. Try not to ever see it as a destination. It is when we see it as a destination that we make efforts to get to it quickly. Avoid it and instead see fitness as a full-fledged journey of life. Don't ever stop it. Understand what our body needs, find a suitable trainer for it, take their advice, and then move on.
You are a mother of two children and an entrepreneur. How do you feel doing all these at the same time?
It's a challenge managing everything. And I've been a risk taker from early in life. If I feel the need for something, I will strive for it from that moment onwards. It is never postponed to a later period. Whether the decisions are right or wrong, usually come as a result of that effort. I learned this risk-taking habit from my father. Daddy is someone who tries to get things done quickly. I'm a nurse by profession. I started Ann Tom Fitness quitting it at a time when I had a good income. It was a risky one. When I was sure that I was starting a firm, I decided to study everything I needed for it. All this challenge was taken up when my first child was born. I delivered the second child when the business started to become stable. I understand that Ann Tom's Fitness is doing well today only because I acted without waiting for a particular moment. Everyone is waiting for a good moment. We're waiting for someone to come and rescue us someday. So many people have been waiting for a long time in such a fashion. I am not for waiting with the belief that someone will bring something good.
You should take risks in life and move on. If your goal is to lose weight, you should work on it instead of waiting for it. It is my husband who has given me all the support and stood by me in this endeavor of mine. He has been there to support me in my business as well as in matters at home. We're sharing things among ourselves. For me, it's a huge support. If you have desires in life, you have to keep trying to achieve them. I understand that even if you feel fumbling and falling, it is only the leap forward that makes life a success.
Your father is an actor. Why did you take up the nursing profession without following his path?
I have been fond of modelling since I was a child. But I didn't feel that much of an interest in acting. And I loved to study science from a very young age. That's why I just chose nursing. From a tender age, I wanted to become a brand that benefits people in my own way. I realized that I wouldn’t produce some stuff and do business through it. I decided on this institution when I thought about being useful to people by pursuing my passion. So, I believe that there is science and service, and at the same time, there is my passion, for this venture.
Ann is settled in Canada, with children, Luca and Leo.
