“Wife Guides Kerala Bodybuilder from Bar to Gym”

Kochi: When Aparna, a Haritha Karma Sena worker from Chottanikara, discovered that her husband Sivakumar had become an alcoholic, she opted for an unconventional solution.

Instead of seeking help from a de-addiction center or a religious ritual, she encouraged him to join a gym.

She even pawned her gold to ensure financial constraints wouldn’t hinder his fitness journey.

Sivakumar began going to the gym in June 2023 and intensified his workouts by September.

His efforts paid off when he won first place in the Mr. Ernakulam competition in January. This victory motivated him to compete in the Mr. Kerala competitions in Wayanad later that month, where he secured the title in the Masters category.

In February, he achieved second place in the Mr. Kerala Seniors category competition in Kanpur.

"I started drinking at a young age. As a painter, I would often drink with my colleagues, making it hard to quit. I owe my recovery entirely to my wife; she is my pillar of support," Sivakumar shares.

Aparna had observed her husband's workout routines before and believed that channeling his focus into fitness could steer him away from alcohol.

However, the journey was challenging. "Even before our marriage, he had a habit of working out," says Aparna. But he only began seriously training for competitions recently.

Initially, Sivakumar attended another gym where he was told he had the potential to compete but only if he quit drinking.

Unable to stop drinking at that time, he was expelled from the gym and informed he didn’t have the commitment required for a disciplined routine. This served as a wake-up call for him.

Sivakumar then joined MT's Standard Gym in Udayamperoor, where he began to achieve his goals.

"I go to the gym after work and stay there from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm," says Sivakumar. He also strictly follows a diet plan prescribed by his trainer, which includes two chapatis, the whites of ten eggs, 100 grams of boiled chicken, and cucumber.

At 11 am, he eats a green apple and a robusta banana. Sivakumar’s future ambition is to become Mr. India.

The couple faced numerous financial challenges during their journey.

Whenever they ran out of money, Aparna would pawn her gold to meet their needs. "We are ordinary people.

He works as a painter and fisherman, while I earn from my job as a Haritha Karma Sena worker," says Aparna.

To further support her husband, she also started going to the gym. "I helped him with the food plans provided by his trainer.

I wanted to support him in any way I could," she explains. The couple had a love marriage in 2007 and have two children.

Source: onmanorama

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