Pandemic-induced lifestyle changes push Kolkatans to walk more

A few months back, actress Sayantani Guhathakurta had to rush out on an urgent errand. She decided to walk 5 km to her destination. “I even walked back home. It was so refreshing that I started doing it almost every day,” said Sayantani, who now prefers to leg it to any destination that’s reachable within an hour.
And it’s not just her. Many in the city are avoiding public or even personal transport to move from A to B.Walking, for most of them, is not just safe but also healthy, given their lockdown-induced sedentary lifestyle.
WFH routine affecting health

South Kolkata-based Debdoot Pal and his wife Rumela Roy recently bought a car but have hardly driven it. The couple prefers to walk rather than drive around. Debdoot, an IT professional, told us that usually, his workday starts from 9am and continues till 9pm or beyond. “This work from home schedule has been constant for the past one and a half years and it has taken a toll on my mental and physical fitness,” he said.
Besides gaining a few kilos, Debdoot said he started feeling lethargic and developed a nasty back pain. “So, we started walking. The regular morning or evening walks are not our thing, so we started walking to the restaurants. We love to eat out, so we simply walk to the desired place and get our food packed,” said Rumela, an interior designer. The longest they have walked till now is from Thakurpukur to Golpark. She said their ‘walk to eat’ routine
started showing its benefits within a few weeks. “We’ve lost weight and it was also refreshing to walk around the city at least once a day,” she added.

Sayantani now goes to the local market almost regularly to buy groceries and fish. And in the process, she is getting regular exercise. “I haven’t been to a gym for more than a year now. Now finally, I’m doing a fair amount of cardio by walking every day. It’s not as good as going to the gym but good enough,” she said.
Walking is safe and reLAXING
For Sreyasha Ghosh, a fashion blogger, walking is safe — a means to avoid crowds. She started avoiding public transport last year and continues to do so. “Be it visiting a friend or going on a shopping trip, I always prefer walking. I don’t remember the last time I’d taken a rickshaw. It helps me stay fit and also avoid crowds,” she said, adding that she feels she has started becoming more cheerful because of the daily exercise. “I find it very relaxing and that, in turn, helps me write. I don’t think I am going to change this habit anytime soon,” she said.
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