From crash dieting during COVID to building a healthier relationship with food, actor-creator Aabir Vyas shares why fitness works best when guilt, restrictions, and extremes are left out of the equation.
Aabir Vyas lost 17.5 kilos in three months during COVID-19. Strict diet, intermittent fasting, no junk food. He got results. Then he realised that kind of discipline was never meant to last forever.
Originally from Jaipur, Vyas grew up with no connections to the film industry. He taught himself to act, write, direct, and edit, posting videos online as a teenager before eventually landing his first major break on the Facebook Watch series Dare or Dare, produced by FilterCopy. He then used earnings from content creation to fund his own training at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York, one of the most respected method acting programmes in the world.
Since then, he has performed in off-Broadway productions and award-winning short films and has built a following of over 400,000 across social media platforms. He splits his time between Mumbai and New York, describing himself simply as a jack of all trades and master of some.
His content, however, keeps coming back to one theme: staying fit without making food the enemy. No guilt, no extreme rules, no cutting out the meals that actually make life enjoyable. For a country that runs on comfort food, it is a message that lands.
In this conversation with Best For Him, Vyas talks about the phase that changed how he thinks about fitness, why calorie counting beats crash diets, and what balance actually looks like when you are living between two cities.
1. You’re into fitness but also clearly enjoy food. How do you personally strike that balance without overthinking every meal?
I believe balance comes from sustainability. You can’t give up your favourite foods forever, so it’s important to create a lifestyle where you can enjoy them without guilt. For me, it’s simple—if I’m consistent with my workouts and running, I don’t overthink the occasional indulgence. As long as I’m active and burning what I consume, I’m in a good place.
2. A lot of people feel they have to give up their favourite foods to stay fit. Do you think that’s actually true, or just something we’ve been made to believe?
I think it’s a bit of both. There are phases where you might need to be disciplined, especially if you’re working toward a specific goal. But long-term, completely cutting out the foods you love isn’t realistic. The key is balance—knowing when to be strict and when to allow yourself flexibility.
3. When you look at a meal, what’s your first instinct—thinking about nutrition or just enjoying it?
Earlier, it was purely about enjoyment. But now, I do think about nutrition—especially protein intake. I also look for smarter alternatives, like choosing a less sugary dessert or a healthier version of something I enjoy. It’s about making better choices without losing the joy of eating.
4. Have you ever gone through a phase where you were too strict with your diet? What changed after that?
Yes, definitely. I grew up as a heavier kid, and during COVID, I lost about 17.5 kilos in three months. That phase required extreme discipline—no junk food, only home-cooked meals, and intermittent fasting. It taught me what consistency can achieve, but it also showed me that such strictness isn’t sustainable forever. That’s when I started focusing more on balance.
5. What’s one “healthy eating” habit people follow that you think is either unnecessary or misunderstood?
A lot of people believe you need to completely avoid carbs or stop eating at night to stay fit. In my experience, that’s not necessary. Fitness ultimately comes down to calories in versus calories out. You can make progress without following extreme or restrictive rules.
6. Your content makes fitness feel doable for regular people. Is that a conscious effort, or just how you approach it naturally?
It’s very natural to me because that’s how I live my life. I enjoy my meals, I go out, I attend events—but I also stay consistent with my workouts. I think people relate to that because it feels real. Fitness shouldn’t feel like a punishment; it should fit into your lifestyle.
7. With so much fitness advice online, do you think people are now more informed, or just more confused?
Honestly, both. There’s a lot of valuable information out there, but it can also be overwhelming. My approach is to learn from different sources but ultimately listen to your own body. What works for someone else might not work for you.
8. When you’re hitting a wedding or travelling, how do you manage your meal choices without feeling restricted?
I don’t restrict myself in those moments—I fully enjoy them. Whether it’s a wedding or a trip, I believe those experiences are meant to be lived. Once I’m back to my routine, I get back to training and balance things out.
9. India, by far, is a country of foodies… If someone wants to get fit but doesn’t want to give up comfort meals, what’s the first thing they should focus on?
Start with small, practical changes. Look for healthier alternatives—like switching to low-sugar desserts, cooking more at home, or using tools like an air fryer. Try to include protein in every meal and stay active daily. You don’t need to give up comfort food—you just need to be smarter about how you consume it.
10. Your Instagram bio says that you are the jack of all trades and master of some. Outside of food and fitness, what else are you drawn to?
I’m an actor by profession, working between Mumbai and New York. Storytelling has always been a big part of my life, whether it’s through acting or content creation. Creating content is something I’ve done since I was a kid, and it’s still something I genuinely enjoy—it never feels like work to me.
