They joined a gym on Jan 1, not for weight loss but muscle gain: Is there a fitness reset among young Indians?

Pooja Singh, a 30-year-old operations team lead in a Noida-based firm, Tia Bagga, a homeowner and designer nearing 40 based in South Delhi and 19-year-old Nishant Mohan from Malviya Nagar did something on January 1. They signed up for a gym. Not to lose weight, though conversations around weight loss medication have dominated much of last year. Rather, they wanted to maintain their weight, keep muscles intact and build strength and stamina for longevity.

Not that they do not have a layer of flab here and there, but these three young people believe in keeping themselves disease-free in the long run. And committing to an exercise discipline that outlasts any New Year’s resolution and outruns every logic that has circumscribed fitness within the arc of weight loss.

Singh’s motivation is medical. She suffers from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal condition characterised by irregular periods, excess male hormones and cysts in ovaries, which affects roughly one in every five women in India. She has begun training with her brother four days a week. “My doctor said strength training helps reverse some of the symptoms,” she says as she packs her bag, retiring after three hours at the gym. It has helped her boost insulin sensitivity, regulate hormones and manage weight.

For Bagga, a member at Anatomy Lifestyle Fitness in Hauz Khas, maintaining a gym routine is about reclaiming control over her health as she approaches 40. “Fitness is a long-run investment,” she says. She focuses equally on building muscle mass and endurance. For 37-year-old Reena, a regular at Greater Noida’s Cult Fit, gymming is about motivating herself to keep her weight stable with group workouts. “Work, kids and even being a homemaker are all full-time jobs for women. It’s difficult to stay committed individually,” she says. As a new member at the Gold’s Gym branch in the vicinity, Nishant’s reason is even simpler: He wants a well-defined and toned body to look good. “Mental discipline is the topping,” he adds.

Gym managers and trainers are quick to point out that people are “much more health-oriented” than they were a decade ago. And the New Year joinees are all looking for holistic health. “Finally, Indians have caught on to the idea of strength training as something non-negotiable. Everyone is now focussed on gaining muscle mass and building strength. Clients looking for short-term weight loss goals are only a minority,” says Aman Makhija, a K11-certified trainer and manager at Anatomy Lifestyle Fitness in Delhi’s Hauz Khas area.

Piyush Sharma, managing trainer of Spartan Fitness in Greater Noida, puts it plainly: “I wouldn’t say that weight loss is no longer a motivating factor. Of course, given India’s rising obesity graph, everybody wants to see the number on the scale go down. But it is being packaged as a subset of overall wellness, which involves effort rather than taking the shortcut of a pill or its detrimental effect on muscle loss.”

Trainers are uniformly sceptical of weight loss drugs impacting muscle mass. “You lose muscle mass along with fat and that’s counterproductive to actual health. While there’s curiosity about their effectiveness, we strongly advise against their use.The short-term benefits don’t outweigh the long-term harms,” says Makhija. Sharma echoes this. “Exercise is a much better alternative. These medications might give you quick results but they don’t build the discipline or lifestyle changes that actually last.”

Muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat, meaning it burns more calories even at rest. Preserving muscle mass is vital for maintaining a healthy metabolism, which makes long-term weight maintenance significantly easier.

Studies have shown that a year after stopping weight loss medication, participants who also exercised during treatment, were better at maintaining their weight loss compared to those who only took the medication. This highlights the importance of exercise in building sustainable, healthy habits. As far as Indians are concerned, regular exercise offers several health benefits that even drugs cannot promise. Both aerobic and resistance training help improve heart function, lower blood pressure and manage cholesterol levels. Physical activity, especially strength training, increases bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis, a concern as rapid weight loss can decrease bone mineral density. Exercise stimulates brain chemicals that improve mood, reduce stress and anxiety, can improve sleep quality and restore energy levels.

Social media has fundamentally altered the public perspective on fitness. Singh credits transformation stories on Instagram and YouTube for finally pushing her to join. “When you see others achieving their goals and living their best life, you start thinking, ‘If they can do it, so can I,’” she says.

This visibility has helped demystify fitness in some ways, by normalising strength training for women and making gym culture more aspirational instead of intimidating. It has also brought about an awareness of other wellness markers like diets, one’s energy needs and sleep.

Sharma notes that his gyms see a footfall of 150 to 200 individuals daily, the numbers having climbed steadily post-pandemic. “People realized how fragile health can be during Covid. That changed a lot of things,” he mentions.

Meanwhile, the likes of Singh, Bagga and Nishant are choosing to work their bodies to keep that pill box away.