My uncle is 65. He plays football twice a week, pickleball twice a week, swims thrice a week, cycles from time to time and walks for about 30 minutes every single day. He also walks and takes public transport to the college to deliver lectures or meet friends. But he refuses to go to the gym despite knowing that he needs more muscle to maintain a good quality of life as he grows older.
For now, his solution is having a protein shake after playing sports or swimming. On the metro ride home after a game in mid-April, he says, “My cardiovascular health is up to the mark. I need to do something about my muscle mass, but I really don’t like the gym and weights. Can you show me some body-weight exercises that can help me build muscle?” I showed him push-ups, burpees, squats, lunges and some pull-up variations, and told him he needed to perform a combination of any three, with at least one lower-body exercise, at least thrice a week. He made a mental note, but I doubt he has managed even a single session yet.
In Coonoor, Chandana Roychoudhury, 52, has been making enquiries about Ozempic pills after she came across an ad on Facebook. She meets no criteria for obesity or being overweight but she wants to lose 5kg to improve her health. Roychoudhury wrote to her nephew, a doctor in Navi Mumbai, asking if she should buy what the company on Facebook was offering. “Exercise and diet was what he texted back after two days,” says Roychoudhury sounding almost sad.
My uncle and Roychoudhury are among the millions who know what they need to do to take charge of their health, but are not doing it. Add to that the millions who believe adding more protein to their diet or taking supplements, without changing their sedentary lifestyle, will improve their health and fitness. On the flip side are those who think going to the gym or doing an endurance sport like swimming, cycling or running gives them the license to eat and drink whatever they like.
Despite the massive strides made in medicine, any honest medical or fitness professional will tell you there are no shortcuts to fitness and good health. The truth is, if you want to age well, stay fit and enjoy good health for a better part of your life, you will have to regularly do a few things you don’t like. Here are five hard truths worth keeping in mind:
1. Weight-loss drugs aren’t effective without lifestyle changes:
Semaglutide- and tirzepatide-based weight-loss drugs are highly effective and have multiple benefits beyond weight loss. These drugs are pivotal for India due to its escalating obesity epidemic, says Dr Sanjay Khare, director of bariatric medicine and visiting chief and senior consultant for internal medicine at Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai. However, these drugs are not a substitute for lifestyle changes such as regular exercise and a balanced diet.
“The drugs are valuable adjuncts to diet, exercise and overall health management. Without significant lifestyle modifications, the drugs are unlikely to yield lasting results. While they are effective for weight loss, they do not replace the need for a balanced approach,” explains Dr Khare.
Those considering taking Ozempic, Mounjaro or similar medicines merely for cosmetic reasons should also note that these drugs come with side effects. Common side effects include nausea, constipation and loss of appetite — all of which may be exacerbated in cases of improper use or misuse, he warns.
2. You can’t eat your way to fitness
One of the most convenient ways to fool yourself into believing you are getting fitter is by increasing your protein and nutrient intake while reducing carbs, unhealthy fats and sugar. Another preferred route is intermittent fasting, which leads to calorie restriction and also offers benefits such as improved metabolism and enhanced cellular repair. Since it does not focus on specific food types, it is often simpler to follow. However, merely improving or restricting your diet is unlikely to lead to overall wellbeing.
“Intermittent fasting is not a magic solution. While it can be a valuable tool for weight management, improved insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular health and overall health, it’s essential to combine it with regular exercise and other healthy lifestyle practices,” advises Bhakti Samant, chief dietician at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai. Without exercise, increased protein intake offers limited health benefits.
3. An active lifestyle isn’t an all-access pass
Just as you can’t eat your way to fitness, you can’t exercise your way to your ideal weight. Sounds complicated? The logic is actually quite simple: exercise and food complement each other, working in tandem to ensure good health, an ideal weight and overall wellbeing. In the paper Hunter-Gatherer Energetics and Human Obesity, published in 2012, researchers found that though hunter-gatherer tribespeople were far more active than their typical Western counterparts, both groups showed similar average daily energy expenditure.
“If we are truly seeking an answer to weight loss, a combination of exercise, a healthy and balanced diet, and first-level lifestyle changes is essential,” says Dr Sukhvinder Singh Saggu, director for minimal access, gastrointestinal and bariatric surgery at CK Birla Hospital, Delhi. So, for all those thinking they have earned those extra-large fries after a 10km run or a Hyrox simulation workout—you probably have not.
4. Ignoring strength training is a mistake
While cardiovascular health is important, it would be folly to ignore muscle strength, which can only be addressed through strength training — especially for those approaching or crossing 40. This is the phase when the body’s muscle mass starts depleting. Low muscle mass and weakness increase the risk of injuries and bring more of those niggling aches and pains. For endurance athletes, proper strength training not only improves performance but also reduces the risk of injuries.
“Apart from building muscle, strength training helps maintain bone health and triggers the release of hormones that improve mood,” says Dr Amit Chaudhry, consultant at the Fortis Bone and Joint Institute in Gurugram. Chaudhry recommends that adults do muscle-training exercises focusing on all parts of the body at least twice a week.
5. Walking is just the first step
Walking is the world’s most popular exercise. However, it may not be enough on its own. Everyone believes that completing 10,000 steps a day is good for health and fitness, says Gagan Arora, Delhi-based coach and founder of Kosmic Fitness. “While racking up a certain number of steps in a day is good for your health, believing that it is also going to make you fit is a folly,” he adds. Kaustav Baruah, a Level 3 CrossFit coach from Bengaluru, doesn’t mince words when he says, “Walking doesn’t make anyone fit or healthy… it’s just a start.”
Once you are comfortable walking for 30 minutes at a stretch, take things to the next level by introducing some jogging and simple body-weight exercises such as squats, step-ups, lunges and push-ups. Aim for 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical activity, apart from your daily walk.
Shrenik Avlani is a writer and editor and the co-author of The Shivfit Way, a book on functional fitness.