The way people approach fitness today is deeply influenced by numbers, trackers, and online approval. For many, exercise slowly shifts from a tool for health to a performance, something to be displayed, validated, and applauded, sometimes at the cost of physical and mental well-being. Bhumi Pednekar has spoken candidly about going through a similar phase. In a conversation with Soha Ali Khan on her podcast, she reflected on how her relationship with exercise wasn’t always healthy. Recalling how she was introduced to strength training by Akshay Kumar, Bhumi said, “This was right before I started shooting for Toilet: Ek Prem Katha. He has a wonderful trainer he works with named Jenny. I told him, ‘Sir, main toh gym se bhaagti hoon’ (I run away from the gym). He was probably shocked, and Jenny helped me a lot.” What began as a positive shift eventually took a problematic turn.
Opening up further, Bhumi described how tracking metrics and social media validation began driving her workouts. “I love lifting now. It gives me a sense of achievement. Also, because I had a phase where my relationship with working out was problematic. She continued, “I was obsessed. I kept checking the number of calories I burned per workout, and then I would put it on Instagram and get validation from the people following me.”
She revealed how far this obsession went: “There was a point where I was burning up to 1300-1400 calories in a session, and then I fell sick because it wasn’t sustainable. It was really stupid. I was doing it only for validation.” Today, she says she works out far less — about 70% less than before — having realised that a 40-45-minute session is enough and more effective for her than spending 2-3 hours in the gym.
How does constant tracking of calories, steps, or workout duration affect our psychology around exercise?
Counselling psychologist Athul Raj tells indianexpress.com, “Constant tracking changes how people relate to movement. The body slowly loses its voice, and numbers take over. What begins as motivation can turn into monitoring and self-judgement. I often hear people say they weren’t actually tired or injured, but felt compelled to push because the data suggested they should. It crosses into obsession when rest feels uneasy, when missing a workout brings guilt or irritability, and when exercise stops being a choice.”
At that point, he adds, movement becomes something to complete rather than experience. It’s no longer about feeling better — it’s about proving discipline, control, or commitment, often to an invisible audience.
How can people rebuild a healthier relationship with fitness?
A healthier relationship with fitness starts by lowering the volume on performance. Raj notes, “Movement doesn’t need witnesses to be valid. This may mean exercising without tracking some days, stepping back from posting workouts, and letting rest happen without justification. It also means choosing routines that fit real life — work hours, family responsibilities, festivals, travel. Fitness that demands perfection won’t survive Indian realities.”
“Consistency grows when movement supports energy, mood, and daily functioning. When exercise helps people live better rather than perform better, validation shifts inward–and becomes steadier than any number on a screen,” conc.udes Raj.
