Opinion The Third Edit: Calories in, guilt out

Calories in, calories out. When Bertrand Russell said that mathematics contains not only truth but also supreme beauty, he couldn’t possibly have known how burdensome the seemingly simple maths of weight loss would be for the health-conscious individual today. From calculating how many more steps one needs to walk in order to lose X number of calories to weighing out the exact quantity of protein needed after a gym session, numbers have taken on terrifying new dimensions. Not helping matters, arguably, is the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), which has put “calorie counters” on the staircases in five Metro stations in the capital in an effort to promote “healthier commuting habits and environmental consciousness”.

The DMRC, no doubt, means well. Climbing stairs certainly burns more calories and uses less electricity than taking the escalator or elevator would. In a country that is battling pollution while labouring under the growing burden of non-communicable, lifestyle-related ailments like diabetes and heart disease, the numbers pasted on a Metro station staircase could well prompt a shift to better habits. But at a time when the pressure to lose weight is everywhere, from “fitspiration” articles to Instagram reels, and when even restaurant menus display calorie counts alongside prices, a gentle reminder could well become an admonition that causes shame and guilt.

Advertisement

The commute is an exhausting fact of everyday life. Yet, the minutes, even hours, spent getting from point A to point B can open up room to breathe, or to plop down and pull out one’s phone or book, or to simply allow the mind to drift. Metro stations symbolise this much-needed pause in the daily bustle. One can choose the lazier, less healthy option, or scarf down a kachori or samosa while at it. In other words, calories in, guilt out.