THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: From gasping for breath after 10 to 15 steps to running full marathon not once but thrice, life has changed unbelievably for Viswanath Harikumar. About two years ago, the 30-year-old techie was 112 kg-plus. Going by his height of about 6 feet, Viswanath’s ideal weight should have been 79-80. His cholesterol had gone up alarmingly and there was a feeling of suffocation all the time.
Obesity-related gastrointestinal problems forced him to have frequent appointments with doctors and undergo endoscopy. Even after he started working in a Technopark company, his sedentary lifestyle continued. There was severe pain in the knees when he tried playing badminton; even moving was a big struggle.
The rising cholesterol levels landed him in a gym. “I concentrated on cardio section, managed to bring down the weight to 100 kg, I cut down on sweets and fried items. The weight came down to 92 kg but hit a plateau. It was then I started preparing for the 10 km Trivandrum run,” he recollected.
Abhay Kumar who is the founder of Trivandrum Runners Club and who brought down his weight from 100 kg to 78 all by running, was an inspiration. Now Viswanath himself inspires people through his motivational lectures. “If I can do it then anyone can do it. I was like a bubble about to burst. I wanted to do something that would change my life. Running gave me the answer as it also helped to connect with people,” he said.
Viswanath ran full marathon in Hyderabad, Kochi and Mumbai and many half marathons. His rigorous daily training regime suggests that many more are to come. A sedentary lifestyle cuts across professions. Not just techies but government employees too are taking the route to fitness. Akash Ravi, a government employee, recollected his story.
“Five years after my return from the Middle East, I touched 98 kg. There was no exercise. I was just enjoying the government job. In between tried dieting, but weight remained on the higher side. It was then Arun Nayar, a friend, introduced me to running.”
After joining Trivandrum Runners Club, Vishwanath Harikumar guided him and gave a lot of confidence. Slow running did the magic. “Now I am 84 kg which is okay with my 180 cm height. Apart from running I do Zumba dance in the evenings for three days a week. With all these activities I have converted my pot belly into a flat stomach,” he said.
“I am not a gym kind of person who can do heavy exercises or workouts to stay fit. Running was less intense for me. To me it was an easy way to stay fit. Now I run 6 km everyday,” Anjana Nair, another techie, said. According to her, running was more productive. “It made me feel like I accomplished something. Weight loss and fat burning were a bonus. I was able to lose 1kg every month. My slow running was actually burning more calories and fat than heavy exercises I had attempted earlier at fitness centres. In 7 to 8 months I lost 7 kg.”
“Only recently did I come across an article that said that running slow burns more calories and is good for weight loss. The best way to run and keep running
is to get a hold of your mind. What has worked for me is setting my
mind on a target time (for some it is distance) and making my way through running in a slow pace and achieving my target.” Her target: “I would like to run a few 10 km and then after some practice try a half marathon.’’ The state has the highest incidence of lifestyle diseases in the country and the situation is turning worse. It goes without saying that amid this grim picture, these stories will inspire people to do their bit for staying fit.
