Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli is celebrating his 30th birthday today. Virat Kohli is celebrating his birthday in Mumbai with wife Anushka Sharma. Virat became the first ever Indian cricketer to score three consecutive tons in ODI. His formidable form has made him the talk of town, which is why when Indian team stepped out without Kohli for Sunday's T20 match against West Indies, the nation was evidently missing its hit machine in Virat. Virat Kohli is also one of the India's most loved poster boys for fitness now, but did you know that Virat used to be a big foodie back in his teenage years? His love affair with fitness is only a couple of years old, and boy, is he committed?! In an interview, Virat admitted that once he came out of bath and looked at his belly sticking out and wondered if this is how an international cricketer looks like. On that day, he decided that he needed to change the way he led his life. Out went all sugary candies and butter chicken and in came protein-rich salads and grilled veggies. Virat said that the journey was tough initially, he craved taste and was tired, but he eventually adapted to the new lifestyle. His game also benefitted immensely due to his new fit avatar.
On his birthday, here are a few diet secrets of the Indian skipper you may love to steal:
1. Virat Kohli recently turned vegan. It must be recalled that his wife and actress Anushka Sharma, who also happens to be an avid animal rights enthusiast, also turned a vegetarian two years ago. Virat, who used to rely heavily on animal protein for his muscles until very recently, made a move towards a vegan diet couple of months ago and feels that it has helped his game. Kohli's current diet includes protein shakes, vegetables and soya. He has given up eggs and dairy products.
2. Virat eats multiple small meals through the day, as opposed to big meals. Virat loves to indulge in a lot of seasonal and fresh fruits, and dragon fruit, papaya and watermelon are some of his favourites.
3. On 'Breakfast With Champions', a show hosted by anchor and actor Gaurav Kapur, Kohli admitted that he often carries his own collection of nut butters that he has with gluten-free breads.
4. Virat is a big fan of green tea, an obsession he has passed on to his teammates like Hardik Pandya too. He is said to consume over 3-4 cups of green tea with hint lemon through the day.
5. Green tea is not the only way he keep himself hydrated. He also drinks a lot of vegetable broths and soups made of fresh veggies like spinach and beetroot. He also eats a lot of grilled veggies.
Here's wishing Virat Kohli a very healthy and happy birthday!