January 27, 2025
By Chloe Arrington

For Devesh Ranjan, Eugene C. Gwaltney, Jr. School Chair and professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, the inspiration to address his health and wellness was not part of a new year's resolution or fresh start; it was a commitment to a happy and healthy future.

Towards the end of 2024, Ranjan knew he needed to make some changes regarding his health. Though he had been looking for a new fitness plan, a routine visit to his doctor helped him see the potential health risks he was heading toward.

"I went to see my doctor, and he showed me a chart of my weight over the previous five years, and it wasn't ideal; you could see it had gone up, and up, and up," said Ranjan. "The scarier part was that not only was it increasing, but I was also experiencing high cholesterol and high blood pressure. It hit me then that I needed to do something dramatic for my health."

That something dramatic he decided to try was CrossFit, a fitness regimen that involves constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity, broken into three sections. Ranjan had an idea of the program thanks to Ankur Singh, Carl Ring Family Professor in the Woodruff School, but he was still shocked.

"The first time I did it, I thought the warm-up was the workout. It was that intense," said Ranjan. "After the warm-up, there is a strength training section, followed by the actual workout."

Though he had participated in other exercise programs, Ranjan had never done circuit training like CrossFit. He knew he had to be realistic about approaching the new routine.

"My first goal was just to last the first ten minutes of the workout," he said.

Now, after consistently doing CrossFit three times a week, he can complete the entire hour-long workout and has reversed some of the health complications he was facing, including taking himself out of the pre-diabetic range, an issue several members of his family deal with.

His focus has now shifted to maintaining these healthy habits and the results he has seen, and accomplishing future goals.

"I know that if I stop, I will go back to my old ways," said Ranjan. “Even if I can't make it to the gym, I will at least try and do something at home."

He also credits the support of his family and friends for keeping him motivated and helping him make the time to go to the gym amidst the busy schedule that comes with being a school chair.

Though Ranjan has found a match with CrossFit, he has some advice for those looking to change or start a new fitness routine. "CrossFit is not for everyone, it's not. But, you must make sure you do something. Find something that works for you. Do something for an hour to make sure your body, not just your brain, is what you are working on. That's my advice for anyone."

Ranjan set an ambitious goal to lose 44 lbs by his 44th birthday—and he’s well on his way to achieving it. Now, with that milestone nearly reached, he’s already planning his next challenge: running a marathon.

“I’m starting with a half marathon, but the full marathon is my ultimate goal. I’m also excited to take home the win in the relay at the next Woodruff Games,” he said.