Arjun Kanungo reveals how a kidney issue led him to gain 30 kg in 6 months

People visibly treat you differentlyrdquo says Arjun Kanungo with affliction mirroring emotions that are unfortunately far too familiar with individuals tackling obesity Itrsquos among the few moments in which the revered singer lets us in on the mental toll that an 18month arduous journey took one that had him first gain and subsequently shed 30 kilosFor the most part of this conversation Kanungo hits us with data numbers and scientific jargon that are testimony to the research he put into healing himself after a kidney issue and a subsequent hip fracture put his health in jeopardy Well aware of the role played by each of the 20 supplements he takes the inflammatory markers in his body and the statistical numbers relating to kidney functions Kanungo is as he says more ldquohealthliteraterdquo than the average person What then we ask led an individual as informed as him to suffer a kidney issueldquoI was doing stupid thingsrdquo he confesses earnestly ldquoI wouldnrsquot say that protein supplements alone caused kidney damage I was also taking creatine and drinking a lot of alcohol But the final blow came in the form of antibiotics that I needed to take All of this contributed to what they call acute kidney injury Thankfully itrsquos not permanentrdquo A statelevel basketball player Kanungo was supported by his athletic background when he decided to build his frame in 2021 ldquoI decided to bulk up and was training hard I was eating 4000 calories and gained 14 kilos in the period I was in great shape and felt indestructible That made me try new things like preworkout drinks with a lot of caffeine and fat burners some of which I wouldnrsquot want anyone to taketodayrdquoBeing bedriddenKanungo surely endured a significant health setback but the problem had a definite solution Under the guidance of nutritionist Luke Coutinho he would adopt a vegan diet get his parameters under control and return to routine That however was only the beginning of what was set to be a difficult journey as Kanungo subsequently suffered a hip fracture during a vacation ldquoThe thing with vegan diets is that itrsquos easy to consume a lot of carbohydrates on them You can be vegan and still eat a lot of unhealthy foods Also because of my kidney issues I could not take any painkillers The only way I could be happy was by eating I was eating a lot of chocolate One believes raw cocoa canrsquot be bad but the calories add up I also had to reduce my protein intake from 170 grams to 60 grams so my muscles were not getting adequate nutrition and were disintegrating All of this led me to gain 30 kilos in six months Weight piles on really fast Two months in I noticed a paunch and four months later I noticed that my stomach had grown largerrdquo Ask him if his nutritionist raised an alarm over his rising weight and he says ldquoAt the time my priority was to reduce the level of creatinine in the blood Until that is lower than 12 mgdL one isnrsquot even allowed to exercise The weight was piling on but it wasnrsquot my immediate concernrdquoEasily among the most celebrated artistes of the independent music industry Kanungo grew his league of followers with a brand of music that was unique Considering that his looks have often earned appreciation from his followers we wonder if the desire to get back into shipshape had to do with retaining an identity his fans had come to admire ldquoItrsquos a good question but unfortunately the answer isnrsquot a yes or no When I looked in the mirror I did not see a person I recognised It was more important for me to return to how I saw myself than how others perceived me When I say I wanted sixpack abs again it doesnrsquot come from a place of wanting to look good Itrsquos a metric that people understand and a good representation of how I want to feelrdquoRebuilding himselfTurning to Coutinho for advice he had to reduce his caloric intake to half of its initial value ldquoFor about 14 months I had only 1500 calories a day My vegan diet comprised salads and vegan salads and cheese which I think are bogus products considering how processed they are When my kidney functions returned to normal I could have curd and other protein options For several months I did not have a single cheat meal It was hard because if yoursquore accustomed to eating a large amount of calories and then drastically reduce it your hormonal balance changes Your body doesnrsquot stop craving food just because you decided to stop eating it But for me it was do or dierdquoUnder the guidance of his physiotherapist Tamara Zweck he graduated from performing strength training exercises to mobility work kickboxing and eventually weight lifting He recalls being reduced to tears when he ran for the first time following the injury ldquoAs someone who has been into sports all my life I was taken aback when I was told Irsquod never be able to play again So to be able to run without pain made me very emotionalrdquoKanungo is now on a diet comprising 160 grams of protein and has dropped his body fat percentage from 31 to 9 Looking back at his journey he expresses gratitude for the team of professionals that guided him to good health especially Zweck who encouraged him to dismiss the suggestion of medical professionals who claimed he needed hip surgery ldquoPeople think a hip fracture is just an injury Nobody understands how serious it is Even my family didnrsquot call or visit me because they didnrsquot think it was serious One of the biggest struggles was simply using the wash room The physiotherapy though painful was the easier part Struggling with a task as simple as relieving yourself was difficult It was those embarrassing undignified moments that were tough to deal with Also I can tell you that when you donrsquot look good your work suffers too Nobody calls you or wants you to be on their show My own management told me lsquoDude yoursquove become oldrsquo I was like Irsquom 30 But they insisted that my age was showing People judge you quickly and point out what they see But just because you donrsquot like what they see doesnrsquot mean itrsquos not true Itrsquos a lonely journey and my wife was the only one who had to bear it all It was eyeopening and showed me what I am capable of I am much smarter nowrdquo117kgArjun Kanungorsquos weight at his heaviestThe Cheats Shalini PandeyWhatrsquos your cheat mealChocolate cake is my ultimate comfort dessert A flavourful biryani is another optionHow often do you indulgeFrequently because I am an active person If I am travelling I indulge a lotCheat meal Vs cheat dayI donrsquot plan this It can be either and depends on how my week has panned outDo you compensate for itI do compensate for any indulgence by ensuring that my diet on most days consists of clean and nutritious foods I exercise regularly and also pay attention to portion sizesInside Dino Morearsquos FridgeYogurtIce creamCoconut milkChocolateFitness tip that works for Maniesh PaulManiesh Paul Cardio is not a tool to be ignored You donrsquot need to run but a 45 minute walk is beneficial Even if you canrsquot lift you can continue to walk to stay fit