Meet the man who walked 7300kms in a year
Covering a distance equivalent to the distance between New Delhi and Reykjavik, Iceland, Rohit Sakunia shares his journey with us
Over the course of 365 days, Rohit Sakunia has successfully covered a distance exceeding 7,300 kilometers which is equivalent to the distance between New Delhi and Reykjavik, Iceland. The 39-year-old runs an independent full scale advertising agency called ARTE Media.
Sakunia was walking 20kms every single day of 2023. Talking about the purpose behind this, he says, “The overarching goal was to instill fitness through unwavering discipline and consistency. In the hectic schedule of a busy individual, carving out time and ensuring a commitment to regular activity pose significant challenges. The fundamental objective was to reclaim the fitness levels I had a decade ago, emphasizing the importance of achieving this not hastily, but through a sustained and disciplined effort every day for an entire year."
In the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, he is seamlessly integrating a balanced diet. “I consume a generous portion of greens and lean protein. Complementing this, I've adopted intermittent fasting, recognizing its role in enhancing overall well-being. Underlining the importance of balanced nutrition, I conscientiously manage the intake of sufficient protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats, striving for a comprehensive approach to my dietary habits. Hydration, a cornerstone of my routine, involves consuming approximately 3.5 liters of water daily. To track and motivate my water intake, I rely on a Hidrate Spark bottle, its app providing real-time updates and encouragement, even lighting up to keep me on track. This focus on hydration is especially crucial given my daily walking goal of 20kms.”
His journey started in 2018. “I have not always been into fitness or walking or moving of any sort. Those who know me from about 6 years ago have seen me in different shapes and forms. I wore loose clothes to hide my growing body and ate whatever I wanted to eat, whenever I wanted to eat. I didn’t know about fitness nor did I care about it. But around the end of 2018, a personal incident threw me off my game. It left me feeling lost and I didn’t know what to do or how to cope. Alcohol may have been easy but I don’t drink. So basically, I was anxious, depressed and clueless.”
Clueless, he took to walking. Just as a way to let out his pent up frustration. “I felt so much lack of control in life that walking for a few minutes gave me a sense that I could control some situations. Started with 3000 steps a day and gradually moving to 10000. I recall a lot of folks making fun of me then. ‘You are blindly following some number popularised by a Japanese marketing campaign’, they would say. So be it! I’m not doing anything harmful, I would defend my self. This 10000 per day had gradually increased to roughly 15000 per day over the years.”
At the end of 2022, he was in Shimla for almost a month to wrap up a marketing campaign and with not much to do for, he took to walking. “I used to walk 30 kilometres per day, sometimes 25. It gave me hope and belief, that I could do more. It soon became a norm for me."
He has incorporated various strategies to enhance daily physical activity. “These include parking farther from the office, taking stairs, and walking during meetings.. A consistent routine entails an additional 6-8k steps post-dinner, concluding by 8 pm, showcasing my unwavering commitment despite work obligations. This comprehensive and holistic approach ensures a harmonious blend of physical activity and nutritional well-being in my daily routine.”