It has been over a decade when Sushil Kumar first won his Olympic medal in 2008 Beijing. That podium finish by the then 25-year-old Kumar had put India on the international stage in wrestling. Four years later he created history by becoming first Indian wrestler to win two Olympic medals. Today he is 36 and is still working hard to make a comeback for the Tokyo Games. But what has kept the veteran going for all these years? The secret behind it is his healthy and nutritious diet.
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Just like most wrestlers in India, Kumar too is a vegetarian. It means instead of getting protein from a non-veg diet like chicken and fish, the Indian grapplers relies on dal (pulses), almonds, and buffalo milk. He also focuses on hydration and makes sure that he gets enough glucose. Moreover, he includes a lot of oranges or lime juice too, as per KreedOn report.
Sushil Kumar’s diet to stay fit:
-He wakes up at 4:30 in the morning and drinks a glass of vitamin-rich beverage.
-Before a workout, he eats ragi (finger millets) with 500ml mil and dry fruits especially almonds.
-Post-workout he has his protein supplements.
Breakfast:
–He eats four to five paranthas, a big bowl of curd, and a big glass of orange or lime juice for his breakfast.
-Post-breakfast, he drinks 600ml of almond milk.
Lunch:
–For Lunch, the two-time Olympic medallist has a bowl of rice, four to five chapatis, pulses and vegetables.
-In the evening, before training, he drinks a glass of juice. During the workout, he takes his sports drink and after post-workout, he takes a glass of whey protein shake.
Dinner:
Contrary to the common conception of eating light dinner, Kumar eats a heavy one.
-He eats four to five chapatis, a bowl of curd, rice, pulses and vegetables for dinner.
-At bedtime, he makes sure to have a glass of almond milk.
Sushil Kumar’s Diet Plan:
1)3kg milk + 1 big bowl of white butter daily
2)300-400 grams of almonds which add up to around 15kg in a month.
3)Sprouts, fruits, fruit juices, other dry fruits, and some green veggies.
4)Eggs are occasional.
5)Protein shakes, two to three bowls of curd are part of the daily diet.
6) Five to six Paranthas at breakfast and five to six chapatis at lunch and dinner plus rice.
7) Two big bowls of pulses and white rice.
Sweets: Kumar is not a foodie and neither has a sweet tooth. But in winters, he relishes Gajar ka Halwa (carrot pudding), prepared in clarified butter and fresh milk. He makes sure to add a handful of almonds to it.
Calorie Intake: According to the KreedOn report, when in training mode he intakes a total of 3700 calories which drops down to 1700 when he is in rest mode. As per KreedOn report, Kumar’s favourite food is paranthas.
Tips from Sushil Kumar’s diet:
-Avoid junk food at all cost and eat healthy homemade food.
-For vegetarians, eat wholesome grains and have dry fruits in your diet to get stronger.
-Drink at least four litres of water.
-Sleep minimum for eight hours.
