Want a makeover like Anant Ambani’s? Here’s how to do it :Anant Ambani’s incredible weight loss boggles with its numbers — 108kg in 18 months. His before-and-after photos will surely inspire those struggling to shed those extra kilos. Though the wisdom on diet and exercise is constantly evolving, Purnima Sharma spoke to nutritionists and fitness experts to distill some wisdom. Here’s how you can also do it.
1. Set a goal
Give yourself a real reason — like an upcoming wedding or birthday — to lose weight, says nutritionist Shikha Sharma. Anant is believed to have started out by keeping his 21st birthday in mind. The ‘why’ should be more important than the ‘but’ (which is usually followed by excuses).
2. Mix it up
Anant exercised 5-6 hours a day. His routine included a 21-km walk, yoga, weight training, functional training and highintensity cardio exercises. Walking is a great form of low-slow cardio that works well to get rid of initial weight but this has to followed by the other forms that increase your heart rate and make you sweat as they burn calories, says Leena Mogre, a fitness trainer who has coached the likes of Madhuri Dixit-Nene, John Abraham and Bipasha Basu. A personal trainer may be expensive but it’s an investment worth making if you want to lose big. “A trainer adds an element of fun every few days through new challenges, workouts and, of course, counselling to keep monotony at bay,” says Kiran Sawhney, a Delhi-based fitness trainer.
3. Find an exercise/ gym buddy
Seek out friends or family members who’ll make good running or exercise partners, says Ishi Khosla. In an interview, Nita said she followed Anant’s regimen to the T. “A child does what his mother does, so I couldn’t be seen eating while putting him on a diet. Whatever he ate, I ate. Whenever he exercised, I did too. If he went for a walk, I would go along,” she said.
4. Eat small portions slow and oftenAnant followed a zero-sugar, low-carb diet along with adequate fat and protein. This diet is an absolute must. Processed foods, transfats, and any kind of junk food should be an absolute no-no, says Khosla. According to celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar, replacing three large meals with several smaller ones helps while Mogre adds that slow eating goes a long way in bringing down weight. Chew each mouthful 32 times. And remember — quality matters, not quantity.
Fitness bands, apps and several online programs can help you monitor your progress. You can count your steps — try and achieve a target of at least 10,000 steps a day, monitor your heart and pulse rate, diet and calorie intake — depending on your weight, gender, age and activity, says Mogre. Set alarm bells that ring when you cheat
