Dilpreet Bhattal grew up playing sports such as soccer, badminton, cross country running, and sprinting in Track and Field. Her father put her into these sports because he came from a sports family, and she expresses her gratefulness to him. She learnt so much through sports such as leadership, teamwork, confidence and hard work. But, when it came to the second year of her university, there were no sports and she felt completely lost, with no sense of purpose.
She discovered weight training in towards the end of her second year in university. And fell in love with the way it made her feel. She had been struggling with her focus, energy and mood from the pressures of being a student, but when she started to exercise consistently in the gym, it transformed her.
Now her focus was sharper, her grades also went up, her confidence was higher, she was happier and more energized, feeling healthy! This is where now 28 years old Dilpreet from Winnipeg, Canada, started to challenge herself by lifting heavier and she tested herself on how much muscle she could build up. She was proud of herself for having a tiny frame, being petite, yet lifting heavier than guys at the gym!
She was inspired into fitness by one of her professors in the University. She was taking her Exercise Science degree and learned how to lift weights from her classes. She was also in incredible shape and very strong – this inspired Dilpreet to see what she was capable of in the gym in the near future!
Dilpreet is a woman of colour, being Punjabi Sikh, when she got into fitness it was looked down upon because people in the community were not used to seeing an East Indian female participate in bodybuilding shows (at the time from 2013-2016); it was not considered feminine to lift weights and have muscle. Her parents and she were told that this look of hers was unacceptable, that she looked manly and that women are not supposed to do this, that no one would marry her!
It is ridiculous how far people take their prejudices towards women even in the 21st century. All this was tough to hear, but she didn’t let people’s words stop her and kept pursuing her fitness goals. She wants to and have been trying to help break these stereotypes about women weight training and having muscle. Exercise helped her staying strong mentally and physically as well as turned her outlook towards positivity, which is why she highly believe in good exercise and nutrition.
Here, she shares her workout regimen:
Currently, my workout regimen in the week is:
- 4 Total Body Weight Training days = 45-60 minutes each.
- 1 High Intensity Interval Training Day = 30 minutes.
- For cardio, I mainly do outdoor biking or skipping, and hiking once every 1-2 weeks. My goal is to get at least 10,000 steps per day.
I schedule my workouts in the day and make them a part of my non-negotiable routine. In the weekdays I will aim to do cardio in the morning after I get up (about 20 minutes) and I will do weight training in the evening (45-60 minutes). We have 24 hours in a day and working out is such a small part of our day! During those workout times, that is my “me” time where there is no screen time, I blast my music and enjoy that time away from everything.
Here, she shares her diet and nutrition:
At the moment for nutrition I will eat intuitively. Since I have years of meal prep experience, it is easy for me to eyeball foods and portions. I eat 3 main meals a day, each consisting of a protein source – vegetarian (lentils, beans, protein powder) or meats (chicken, fish and sometimes sirloin steak), and 1-2 snacks (protein shake, nuts, and fruit).
In her message, Dilpreet states:
“If you are starting on a fitness journey and have set goals, please ask yourself why those goals are important to you! Find clarity in your purpose as to why you want to achieve those goals and be ready to work for them. It is important to enjoy the journey and the progress. Celebrate those victories - no matter how big or small they feel – because progress = happiness! Our goal is a destination; when we reach that destination the happiness and satisfaction may last for some weeks, days or hours; which is why is it important to enjoy the ride on your journey where you discover your deepest strengths! Just take it one step at a time so you do not overwhelm yourself. Believe in yourself and unlock your potential!”
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