Yes, you can still eat parathas and desserts! This and more of Akshay Kumar's fitness secrets.
Photograph: @akshaykumarofficial/Facebook
Akshay Kumar has just turned an exceptionally fit and fabulous 50 -- a testament to decades of healthy living.
In Akshay's own words just a month ago, "I have only one job in my life, and that is to make films."
Other than that, he said, "all I have to do is take care of my family and workout. I avoid getting stressed, and hold onto happiness."
He added, "There is no science to this. All you have to do is try to live a simple life."
We break down Akshay Kumar's simple-living fitness mantra into 7 easy-to-follow steps.
1. Early to bed and early to rise
Photograph: @akshaykumar/Instagram
He has said this often: "I sleep very early, by 9 pm. I wake up very early, by 4.30 am."
2. Everyone can find 1 hour
Photograph: @akshaykumarofficial/Facebook
Akshay Kumar finds it unbelievable that people are unable to carve out just 1 hour to exercise each day, and is often blunt in his response if people suggest that they cannot do it.
3. His regime
Photograph: @akshaykumarofficial/Facebook
Akshay Kumar has often said that he has no set routine beyond making sure he gets a regular workout into his schedule.
As someone dedicated to fitness, he has experimented with multiple kinds of exercise routines, including parkour.
He also prefers exercises that require him to pick up his own body weight -- like swinging and climbing trees as children do -- than ones that require him to lift artificial weights.
If you are looking for specific advanced recommendations, here are some of Akshay's go-to exercises for upper body training:
- Roman Rings for shoulders
- The Human Bucket or pommel training for the triceps (pictured above)
- And hand stands for ultimate shoulder strength.
4. It's not about six packs and eight packs
Photograph: @akshaykumarofficial/Facebook
Akshay Kumar has repeatedly spoken about how fitness should not be equated with the goal of sculpting your abs into six or eight packs.
He had told the Times of India, 'Despite practising for 32 years, I still don't have more than 6 pack abs. You need to be patient, you need to experience your muscle growth. Now they just want to pump up their muscles in three months. That cannot be done without resorting to many artificial and harmful things.'
His recommendations for slowly and steadily building up those abs:
- "Stomach Beats: 50x5 sit ups with heavy pad beats between each rep."
- "Leg raises to the bar: 20x5 reps; this is one of the few skills that actually targets lower abs."
5. Eat natural
Photograph: @twinklekhanna/Instagram
He has said, "I don't follow any particular diet. I just eat my food on time. My dinner is by 6.30 pm. That's the most important thing."
Also, he recommends, "Trust more in the parathas made by your mother than in protein shakes, pills and supplements... Don't take steroids."
In fact, he not only cooks desserts -- pictured here whipping up a souffle and layered white chocolate mousse -- but also eats them, but in his own words, "control mein."
6. Think positive
Hear this mantra straight from the Khiladi.
7. His no-nos
Photograph: Pradeep Bandekar
"I don't smoke.I don't drink.
"Actually, you will be surprised, I have never tasted tea or coffee also."
