Housing.com CEO Dhruv Agarwala sheds 71 kg in 2 years, opens up about weight-loss journey
Housing.com CEO Dhruv Agarwala overhauled his lifestyle, from what he ate to his working out regularly. He was at his heaviest, at 151.7 kg, in early 2021.
Dhruv Agarwala, the CEO of Housing.com, underwent a remarkable transformation, shedding 71 kg in a span of two years following a health scare in 2021. Going from nearly 152 kg to 81 kg, the Singapore-based entrepreneur prioritised exercise and made significant dietary changes.
Agarwala, 53, was on a work trip in India when he had an episode of heart burn in October 2021, that landed him in the hospital emergency room.
“My heart was racing, I had palpitations. I felt I was going to die,” he told South China Morning Post (SCMP).
“I kept thinking ‘One day I will lose weight, one day I will become fit,' until one day I landed in a hospital emergency room. I remember that moment clearly, lying in the hospital bed, when I resolved to take charge of my health."
Over six months before the health scare, Agarwala was at his heaviest, weighing 151.7 kg. He was pre-diabetic, had sleep apnea and was on medications for high cholesterol and blood pressure, according to the SCMP report.
By November 2021, Agarwal, who is the group CEO of realty portals Housing.com, PropTiger.com and Makaan.com, was off all medications.
“My cholesterol and blood pressure levels are normal now, I am off the sleep apnoea machine and am no longer pre-diabetic,” he told the publication.
So how did Dhruv Agarwala lose 71 kg in two years?
Agarwala undertook strength-training sessions thrice a week with a personal trainer in Singapore. He completed 12,000 steps a day, going up from 10,000.
Agarwala’s trainer Ahmad Zaki said that he motivated the top executive by mentioning tennis legend Roger Federer.
“A fan of Roger Federer, he wanted a physique like his. I planted the seeds in him that he would look fantastic if he reached Federer’s body weight of 80kg,” Zaki told SCMP.
On the diet front, Agarwala cut his daily calorie intake to 1,700 calories. Used to eating high-carb foods such as samosas, dosas and cheese toasts, he cut out alcohol, processed and fried foods completely, and ensured he ate protein in every meal. He also practiced potion-control.
To control hunger pangs, he ate healthy snacks such as nuts, carrot, cucumber or yogurt.
Housing.com is one of the leading full stack proptech platforms for homeowners/home seekers, landlords, developers and real estate brokers. It offers listings for new homes, resale homes, rentals, plots, commercial spaces and co-living spaces in India.
It was founded in 2012 and acquired by REA India in 2017.