Srinagar, Aug 6: When people wake up to relish namken chai and kander tchot, a rhythmic thud of sneakers on gym floors echoes through a modest fitness center tucked away in posh Rajbagh.
Inside, 24-year-old Insha Ahmad (name changed) wipes the sweat after completing another set of squats.
Just six months ago, Insha was curled in bed, exhausted and frustrated from irregular cycles, facial acne, and unexplained weight gain. The diagnosis was PCOD—Polycystic Ovarian Disease—an increasingly common condition among women in the valley.
“I thought something was wrong with me, that maybe this was how my life was going to be. Then a doctor friend suggested that I should join the gym. Look, how it changed my life. I was desperate enough to try anything,” she said.
Insha isn’t alone. Scores of women who suffer from PCOD have joined health clubs to cure themselves.
Fitness coach Farhaan Muneer said that gymnasiums, once a space dominated by weightlifters and casual gym-goers, now welcome an increasing number of women battling PCOD.
“It’s no longer just about losing weight. It’s about healing. These women come here looking for answers—and they’re finding them in movement, discipline, and community,” Muneer said.
He added that the fitness plans are tailored to each woman’s needs, often incorporating doctor-recommended routines. “They take natural supplements, focus on strength training, and we educate them on how fitness helps regulate hormones. It’s a proven approach.”
Ovais Ahmad, a fitness enthusiast and trainer, said his gym is also joined by many women who turn to fitness to live a healthy life.
The gym manages Zumba sessions, cardio, and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) to help the gym-goers get desired results.
“The training for women is being overlooked by my wife, Isra Liyaqat. She is a well-trained fitness expert and knows different training programmes for women who complain of various health issues due to a lack of fitness,” he said.
Pertinently, health experts across Jammu and Kashmir have raised concerns about the growing prevalence of PCOD, particularly among young women.
Experts said that the hormonal imbalances, coupled with sedentary habits, are key contributors.