This 41-year-old single parent fought autoimmune disease with sheer willpower, can now lift 100kg on deadlift

Fitness journey: Nupur Sharma's life transformed 3 years ago when she started working out daily and transitioned into lifting heavy weights (her highest personal record (PR) was 100 kg on a deadlift)

For close to 10 years, PR professional Nupur Chandra fought a prolonged health battle that never seemed to end. She had a hernia, weak health readouts, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and constant joint pain. These issues, combined with the demands of motherhood, made everyday life a trial.

“I had all kinds of diets. I was doing some brisk walking every day, bicycling — everything until my hernia surgery,” she told Moneycontrol. “But I was very scared because I’ve been told by someone that if you put pressure on your stomach, a hernia can come back,” she added.

Her autoimmune condition made things worse — flare-ups left her fatigued and susceptible to other illnesses. Even though she tried to maintain an active lifestyle, her cholesterol and sugar levels hovered in the marginal zones, maintaining a vicious circle of anxiety and physical unease.

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Finding Strength in Fitness

Three years ago, her life transformed when a fitness-enthusiast friend inspired her to take the lead in a different way. Reluctantly, she signed up at a local society gym with a trainer. Slowly she transitioned from just working out to lifting heavy weights and her highest personal record (PR) was 100 kg on a deadlift.

“You have to be very careful when you lift heavy, because it’s easy to get hurt,” she said. But the feeling of accomplishment drove her deeper - she also took part in adventure challenges such as the Devil’s Circuit and Hyrox.

She was inspired by the videos of Hemant Kumar, the founder of Caliclan Academy. “All night I just dwelled on it, part of me knew and the other part was still terrified,” she said. Curiously, although her gym workouts kept her vitals under control, cholesterol and sugar levels hovered around the borderline. But it wasn’t until she started the bodyweight workouts at Caliclan that her health really began to change. Today, all her vitals are excellent (with high energy to match), where she can now boast of being strong plus lean muscle as well.

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“All these years, the maximum weight that I lost was hardly 6–7 kg, but my strength level went up immensely and I gained a lot of muscle mass, shrunk in inches, became healthier and I have all the energy now,” she said proudly.

Discipline and Support

As a single parent in an industry where communication is key, it’s been discipline and prioritising that really got Nupur to where she is now. “I make sure I wake up early and have delegated tasks that can easily be performed by a house help. I only give my time to my child and cook nice meals for our family and friends. I make sure I have clean food, go to bed and get up at the right time,” she said.

Now she is progressing in Calisthenics by  exercising  five days a week, and is part of a motivating fitness community to eat clean.

Looking Back, Moving Forward

Nupur describes her fitness journey as an inward process and a professionals' guide. Structured exercise, balanced living and outside support not only gave her physical strength, but she also developed mental resilience.

What she once experienced as a difficult journey now serves as a powerful reminder for her to stay resilient. That journey from being sick and broken to vibrant and balanced is now a core part of her story.

Disclaimer: This article, including health and fitness advice, only provides generic information. Don’t treat it as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist for specific health diagnosis.