How a Hong Kong couple shed 50kg to be role models for their son after he asked for pizza

When her seven-year-old son returned from school and announced, “I am very stressed, I want pizza for lunch,” Chinchak Satapathy was stunned. “I realised that my son had begun associating food with coping with stress” from watching his parents, she says. “I thought, ‘What are we teaching our child’?” The moment, in October 2023, was a wake-up call for Satapathy and her husband, Himanshu Thakur. The corporate executives had moved with their then-toddler Ameya to Hong Kong from New Delhi in India in 2018. Both had been physically active while growing up, but began putting on the pounds once they started working – and even more during the Covid-19 pandemic. “We were stuck at home and found ourselves trapped in a cycle of stress and unhealthy eating. The stress fuelled the unhealthy eating, and the unhealthy eating created more stress,” Satapathy says. They were drinking alcohol three to four times a week either socially or alone at home. “While we were not happy with the way we looked or felt, our friends kept telling us that this was normal, this is how we age. Our life seemed to be stuck at ‘live to eat’,” Thakur says. It was about to get unstuck, and quickly, after their son’s announcement. “We wanted to be role models for Ameya. That day we both sat down and asked each other, ‘What can we do to become our best versions?’,” Thakur says. They jointly decided to take control of their health and fitness, and within a year shed 50 kilograms (110 pounds) between them, Thakur losing 32kg to weigh 70kg and Satapathy shedding 18kg to reach 50kg. Both their families have a history of diabetes and high blood pressure. During the pandemic, they felt helpless seeing their parents suffering and unwell. That further motivated them to get in shape for Ameya. They had weighed even more – he had reached 110kg and she weighed 72kg – before they tried fad dieting and managed to shed some of it. Now they were committed. Thakur consulted personal trainer Hemant Rao in India, who explained the importance of tailoring a fitness routine to specific goals to maximise results and prevent injuries. Our gym time is non-negotiable. We often joke that we ‘got remarried’ in the gym. Chinchak Satapathy For Thakur, who had been strength training for a couple of years and following generic workout plans, this was a turning point: he went on to became a certified trainer himself. Thakur started coaching Satapathy in strength training in their building’s gym, focusing on compound movements such as squats, dead lifts, pull-ups and bench presses. She trains in the gym for an hour five days a week; he goes six times a week. “Our gym time is non-negotiable,” says Satapathy. “We often joke that we ‘got remarried’ in the gym.” They took up stationary cycling three times a week, and running, clocking 10,000 steps daily. They also overhauled their diets, focused on eating enough protein, quantifying and tracking their macros – the amount of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates they were having – and “smart snacking”. “Following a calorie-deficit diet or cutting carbohydrates completely from one’s diet is not sustainable,” Thakur says. Rather than skipping breakfast as they once did, they often enjoy shakshuka – tomatoes, onions, garlic, spices and gently poached eggs – with guacamole and sourdough bread or oatmeal. Lunch and dinner used to be Indian curries and fried Indian food with rice, or a burger with fries; now it is grilled chicken or fish with vegetables and rice. They also have protein powder, and Omega 3, vitamin D and magnesium supplements. They seldom drink alcohol now and have cut back on sugar and desserts. They snack on seasonal fruit, Greek yogurt and dark chocolate instead of cookies and savoury Indian fried snacks with sugar-laden Indian tea. They were committed, despite challenges. “Between work, family and social obligations, carving out time to exercise required planning,” says Satapathy, who squeezes in training sessions in the early mornings or late evenings. If they miss a day, Ameya pushes them to go to the gym. Even when it got tough, we kept cheering each other on. My goal is to beat daddy’s record very soon and have more muscles than him Ameya Thakur on a 100-day plank challenge with his father “He would say ‘Mummy is in charge of nutrition, daddy of training, and I am in charge of bookkeeping your activities’,” Satapathy says. “When I was feeling low, he said, ‘Mummy you can do it. After your workout I will make your favourite blueberry smoothie.’” Loved ones were not always supportive, she says. “Friends would say, ‘A shredded physique is not possible at 40, why don’t you stop and enjoy life? What will you gain by doing this?’” When she could, Satapathy would bring a healthy dish to share at social events, which ensured that they had something nutritious to eat and encouraged others to explore wholesome options. They created a board to highlight their goals. “Our family vision board was simple – live to move, eat to live. My goal was to do unassisted pull-ups, Himanshu’s was to squat more than his body weight – and Ameya’s was to hold a hand plank for two minutes, all of which we achieved,” shares Satapathy, who can now do eight to 10 unassisted pull-ups. Thakur and Ameya did a 100-day father-son plank challenge, in which they held a plank position for two minutes every day. “Even when it got tough, we kept cheering each other on. My goal is to beat daddy’s record very soon and have more muscles than him,” says Ameya, who is now nine. They sought out new sources of inspiration, listening to fitness podcasts such as The Huberman Lab and The Rising Father, and reading motivational books such as How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy by Paul Chek, The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, and The 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferriss. “Our commitment to each other made the journey enjoyable and less daunting. We set shared goals and celebrated small victories. Each obstacle taught us about perseverance and the importance of community,” says Satapathy, who counts a 70-year-old neighbour who trains in the gym among her new friends. When we see our son filling his plate with protein and vegetables, we feel like winners Chinchak Satapathy on their son, Ameya “We wake up each day with energy and enthusiasm,” Thakur says, and they have new-found confidence to pursue activities they never imagined they would – from hiking breathtaking trails to taking part in fitness events such as 10-kilometre (6.2-mile) races; the gruelling 75-day 75 Hard Challenge – two 45-minute workouts a day, sticking to a diet of your choice, drinking 4.5 litres of water a day, reading 10 pages of a non-fiction book per day; and the Hyrox mini challenge, a condensed version of the full Hyrox race, in which participants run 1km, then do a set challenge at a workout station, repeated eight times. The two plan to take part in a full Hyrox race in 2026. They have inspired friends to become fitter, too. But they are most happy about leading by example and showing their son how to achieve health and fitness. “When we see our son filling his plate with protein and vegetables, we feel like winners,” Satapathy says. Their suggestions for others who want to lose weight are simple. “Understand your ‘why’. Once you know the ‘why’, the ‘how’ will follow. Stay patient and remember that weight loss is a journey, not a sprint,” Satapathy says. “Focus on making sustainable changes rather than quick fixes. Embrace variety in your workouts and meals to keep things interesting and enjoyable. Most importantly, celebrate small victories.” Like what you read? Follow SCMP Lifestyle on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also sign up for our eNewsletter here.

How a Hong Kong couple shed 50kg to be role models for their son after he asked for pizza

A child’s request for pizza to relieve stress was a wake-up call that set his parents on a quest to become the ‘best versions’ of themselves