Shikhar Dhawan is a name to reckon with in the Indian sports industry. Besides being a fabulous cricketer, Shikhar Dhawan is also a fitness icon for all his fans. While we know that he follows a rigid workout regime, Shikhar Dhawan also credits his healthy diet for staying fit. And to our delight, he shared some of his diet secrets in an exclusive Q&A interaction with NDTV FOOD. Keep scrolling for all you need to know about Shikhar Dhawan's daily diet routine and get inspired to imbibe them into your diet too.
Here's how Shikhar Dhawan's regular diet looks like:
1) How does your daily diet routine look like? What do you usually have for breakfast, lunch dinner?
For breakfast, I usually prefer something healthy- Poha, Chilla, Avocado Toast/ Chilla and Tea.
For lunch, I prefer homemade and simple food - Rajma Rice, Yellow Dal, Beetroot Roti & Missi Roti. And for dinner, I always keep it as light as possible - Tofu, Japanese or Continental food is what I tend to go for.
2) What is the first thing you eat/drink in the morning?
I am an early riser; as soon as I get up, I follow this diet on daily basis- Almonds, Mixed Fruit with Watermelon Seeds.
3) What kind of snacks do you prefer to have when taking a break from practice?
Searching for healthy snacks isn't always easy. My go-to snacks would always be sandwiches or anything that is not fried. I am very specific on the same.
4) If you were to have a cheat day, what is the first thing you would love to have?
If I am on a cheat day, I always prefer desi khaana like Aaloo Prantha and Curd. It's a guilty pleasure. Then I do not discriminate. When it comes to favorite snacks, I just hit all the major food groups.
5) Which food keeps you energised during matches?
During matches, I always prefer something light and healthy, and plenty of water to keep me hydrated.
6) What is the one food you don't like to have?
Food that I don't like has to be Brinjal & Non-Veg foods.
(Also Read: Exclusive: Soha Ali Khan Reveals Her Daily Diet, Favourite Snacks And More!)
7) What special diet do you follow during match seasons?
A special diet, which I follow during matches, is Sattu ke Laddoo, Til ke Laddoo or protein bars. Body Performance on game day will depend on the food eaten over the past several days and weeks. You can boost your performance even more by paying attention to the food you eat on the game day.
8) One food you just can't do without
One food that I can't do without has to be Boiled Eggs or Omelette.
9) One dish that you love but avoid having for fitness reasons?
Food is something that you just can't avoid but one has to ignore a lot of it if you're on a healthy diet. Most of the time, I avoid having Dal Makhni & Lachha Parantha, which I actually love.
10) One diet/health tip for aspiring cricketers
One should have a balanced diet and keep a count on calories and protein intake. Include a wide variety of foods like wholegrain cereals, vegetables (particularly leafy green varieties), fruits and low-fat dairy products to enhance long-term nutrition habits and behaviors that enable athletes to achieve optimal body weight and body fat levels for performance. Replenish carbs, minerals, and water during long exercise sessions.
11) Health Warning:
Please be safe, wear a mask, wash your hands regularly, follow social distancing, always eat healthily and have a balanced diet.