Shark Tank India judge Kunal Bahl opens up about the ‘constant burden’ of weight struggles: ‘Jab main school me tha, 118 kg ka tha’

“Long-term weight issues shape identity, self-worth, social behaviour, confidence, and even how safe a person feels in their own body. People who grow up overweight often carry an invisible backpack of experiences: being watched, commented on, joked about, advised, compared, or silently judged. Over time, the body stops being just a body. It becomes a public subject. And that creates a deep, ongoing mental pressure,” described Delnna.

The phrase “constant burden” is important here. “Because the burden is not just about food or fitness. It is about vigilance. Constant self-monitoring. Constant awareness of how one looks, sits, walks, eats, speaks, and exists in space. Even after weight stabilises, the nervous system remembers years of threat, shame, and scrutiny,” said Delnna.

Another hidden layer is the relationship with control. For someone who has lived with weight issues for years, food is rarely just food. “It becomes comfort, rebellion, reward, regulation, and sometimes the only place where agency is felt. That’s why simplistic advice like “just eat less” or “be disciplined” misses the point entirely. Discipline without emotional healing often turns into punishment,” noted Delnna.

What can help you?

*Separate body worth from performance. Your value is not conditional on consistency or outcomes.
*Work with the nervous system, not against it. Chronic stress keeps the body in storage mode.
*Address shame before habits. Shame blocks sustainable change.
*Build identity beyond appearance. When life feels meaningful, the body follows.
*Replace punishment-based routines with care-based rituals.

Most importantly, acknowledge that maintaining your weight after years of struggle is not just a matter of discipline. It is emotional labour. It is resilience. It is a lived experience, said Delnna.