Celebrity chef Ranveer Brar reveals his secret for good health
Celebrity chef Ranveer Brar is known to juggle multiple projects at a time or shall we say 'always has his plate full', writing columns or working on books (his cookbook Come Into My Kitchen released recently and he's already working on his next, on Lucknow food!), traveling through different time zones for his many TV shows, running his Mumbai restaurant and consulting for a few others. To deliver on his promises, the 38-year-old says he follows a fitness regime that helps him achieve his optimum mental, physical and emotional state, his 'good health trinity'. He shares his fitness secrets with DNA
Yoga and meditation
From an intensive weight training regime, I've moved to a more spiritual fitness experience. For over an year now, I begin my mornings with half an hour of yoga. It's primary Kundalini techniques that I actually learned during my time in the US a few years ago. I begin each day with 25 surya namaskars. Another addition are the meditation routines. Recently, a friend introduced me to a world renowned Buddhist mediation group, Soka Gakai International, and we try to meet and meditate on some Sundays.
Food I eat
I consider figuring out my diet as my biggest breakthrough. Over the years, I have have figured out what kinds of food and how much of it my body needs. I never I have big meals, it's small meals every two-and-half hours for me. Breakfast is my heaviest meal of the day, and I have lots of water and fibre-foods. I do not have sugar any more, and haven't had tea or coffee for the last three years, since I switched to green tea. In fact, in my bag you'll always find green tea bags and an apple. I have had no cold drink or canned juice for eight years now. I prefer to gain natural sugars from fruits... and there has been a conscious effort to steer clear of refined and processed foods.
Gym routine
Travelling has made it easy for me to stick to my fitness regime. All hotels now have a gym, and I can workout anytime of day. I hit the gym twice a week, once for cardio and once for weights. My training regime is very functional and includes push ups, squats and indoor climbing, that allows me to workout in my house too, when I can't go to a gym.
As told to Saadia S Dhailey