Ritesh Bawri has rewritten his health story. At 51, the founder of nirā balance has achieved what many think is impossible. He lost 28 kg in just four months. More importantly, he reversed his Type 2 diabetes. His journey proves that metabolic health comes from sustainable habits, not quick fixes.
A sedentary existence that finally caught up
For 25 years, Ritesh avoided exercise entirely. Between the ages of 15 and 40, his life revolved around his MBA studies and his career as a high-flying entrepreneur. He worked long hours, faced high stress, and ate for convenience. He often rushed through meals, even eating while standing in the kitchen to save time.
“My diet was mostly processed carbs like sandwiches and pizzas,” he told Mint. “I drank several cups of coffee a day. Quantity mattered more than quality.”
By age 40, his weight crossed 87 kg. His internal health was failing. His metabolism slowed down, making even small meals lead to weight gain. He soon faced a host of issues: Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and asthma. His VO₂ max, a measure of how well the body uses oxygen during exercise, was a dangerously low 27.
The wake-up call: Why success couldn’t fix health
The diabetes diagnosis was alarming, but his physical decline was the real shock. “I had a chronic cough and chest tightness,” Ritesh says. “I felt short of breath just climbing one flight of stairs.”
Evenings were particularly difficult. He also struggled with 5 PM “brain fog”. He later learned this was reactive hypoglycaemia, or a sharp crash in blood sugar levels. What he thought was “emotional eating” was actually a biological imbalance.
At 40, he chose to listen.
From a weight problem to a system problem
At first, he started out with easy walks. But there was no structure. No system.
The breakthrough came when it dawned on him that this wasn’t just a weight problem; this was a systems failure. His whole operating system, food, sleep, stress, breath, and movement, was out of whack.
Rather than chasing extreme diets or miracle pills, he worked on rebuilding his base. “I was reading more than 700 books and 6,000 research papers. I became my own doctor, nutritionist and coach in many ways,” he says. Because no one had a bigger stake in his health than himself, he understood.
Healing with food: A shift from processed to purpose-driven
The first major change was nutrition. Ritesh cut out processed carbs, seed oils, and sugary snacks. He replaced them with whole foods: vegetables, fruits, lentils, healthy fats like ghee and fermented foods like yoghurt, kefir and kimchi.
His fibre consumption soared, from 15 grams to 40 grams a day. As a vegetarian, he made sure to get nearly 100 grams of protein every day.
“Breakfast turned from many cups of coffee to protein-heavy meals. I even swapped my morning coffee for a turmeric wellness shot consisting of turmeric, ginger, black pepper and lemon,” he says.
The changes were not radical — but they were steady. And consistency proved transformative.
Movement as medicine
Ritesh started with simple walks. Exercise evolved gradually. “I started walking, then graduated to 20–25 km rides”. Soon, strength training became the focus — squats, deadlifts, presses, rows and pull-ups — built muscle, corrected posture and fortified his cardiovascular system.
The results were palpable. Energy levels soared, breathlessness reduced, and his body composition shifted.
In the subsequent four months, he managed to shed 28 kg. But more significantly, his metabolic markers changed radically.
Today, his diabetes is in remission. He has been free of asthma for 11 years. His blood pressure stays at a healthy 110/70.
Discipline over motivation
Ritesh believes weight loss is about mending lifestyle “fault lines”. He now wakes up at 4 AM to meditate and exercise. He prepares his own meals and carries home-cooked food when he travels. He regularly fasts, goes to bed by 8 PM, and tracks his health metrics daily.
A different approach to the body
Now, at 51, Ritesh Bawri sees health as an ongoing practice, not a destination. The body is not “set” in stone. It is being managed, revered and fine-tuned all the time, he says.
Ritesh’s journey from metabolic dysfunction to remission illustrates a powerful truth: the body is highly self-regulatory when provided with the right inputs.
“It is not only 28 kilograms of weight loss. It’s about regaining agency, reversing chronic disease, and creating a sustainable health system that grounds itself in awareness and consistency,” he says.
“Your health is not something you can delegate,” Ritesh says. “It must be lived.”
- (Nivedita is a freelance writer. She writes on health and travel.)
