A Journey From Being

HEALTHY TO FIT

Runbaaz Couple Runner Story For Amartya Sinha (51) and his wife, Nutan Sinha (46), residents of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, the internet was their fitness coach, and having each other’s company was all the support and motivation they needed. They both decided to come into fitness when they did a routine blood check-up for Amartya in 2018. The duo decided not to just feel bad about the health but choose to accompany each other. With Nutan being a housewife, she decided to be a life partner who encourages and helped Amartya in becoming healthy & fit again.

As a ‘foodie’ he ate a lot of fried food and weighed over 100 kilos. However, after a blood test, the doctor pointed out that his blood pressure was too high. He suggested to take medicines to keep it in control. But, he decided not to depend on medication. So, he requested him to suggest a natural alternative. To support her husband, Nutan also decided to exercise with him regularly. From then on, there was no turning back.

Initially on his journey to lose weight and become healthy, he started to casually walk around the park in the evenings. Afterwards he watched videos on YouTube and began doing some stretching exercises. Eventually, he tried running around the park, on the road, but could never cross 500 meters. Apart from this, he found it difficult to keep up with the exercise routine regularly. Since he exercised in the evening, if there was extra work in the office, or if he met his friends after office, he would skip the workout. That is when he approached a few senior runners to get some advice. They all suggested the same — workout in the morning and said to make it a routine. So, the couple made a workout chart for themselves and began their practice at 5.30 am in the morning.

As a housewife, Nutan had to cook breakfast for her 23-year-old son who would leave for college at 8.30 am. So, she would wake up an hour before her workout to do the preparations. Three months of constant motivation and support from each other helped the couple stick to a routine, and Amartya even started to lose weight. Nutan says that the workouts helped her stay active throughout the day. From running around the park, the couple started to run longer distances of up to 10 km and, eventually, they started following a cross fitness training method to improve their endurance. This included alternating between running, strength training, yoga, cycling and more.

This is a journey that turned this couple runners into couple marathon runners and won many prestigious prizes. Within their schedule they decided to go cycling once a week. Doing this helped them improve their stamina and even gave us the confidence to participate in their first marathon in Lucknow in 2018. They ran the 10 km race, where Nutan placed first in her age category. Amartya completed the race in a decent time but needed to practise more. And even though he did not win a podium place, the biggest victory for him was that he did his first run.

Following this, the couple continued working out on their own and following workout regimes they found on YouTube. They even made a switch on their diets and stopped consuming food cooked in refined oil, all purpose flour, and deep-fried items. Not only this, they also made sure they have their food on time. In 2019, they participated in more marathons which were 42 km or 21 km. Today, Nutan is a long distance runner and the brand ambassador for marathons organised in Lucknow. Amartya now weighs 84 kilos and is an ultrarunner, which means he participates in 50 km runs.

Now Amartya no longer have high blood pressure or sugar, and he is also the recipient of a PROCAM-SLAM medal. This is awarded to participants who have run 10, 21, 25, and 42 km races across four cities in the country — Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai, within a stipulated time. In one of the race, Nutan completed 46kms while Amartya completed only 38kms. Amartya agrees and always says that his wife will always be a better athlete than him. If anyone who wants to have fitness knowledge who are starting their fitness journey, can join Runbaaz.

Here are some quick tips from Amartya and Nutan for beginners:

Always do your workouts in the morning.

Invest in a pedometer that tracks your progress and shows you your heart rate. Amartya says this is crucial for those above 45.

Wear comfortable shoes.

Start with short workouts but maintain consistency and regularity.

Work out with a group or a friend to stay consistent.

If you wish to follow their journey or know more, follow them on Facebook or Instagram.