IPL 2025: You can be fit only by eating home-cooked food, says KKR's Ramandeep Singh

Kolkata, May 2 (IANS) Kolkata Knight Riders batter Ramandeep Singh shared valuable insights into his fitness regimen, nutrition philosophy and daily routines that keep him at peak performance.

Growing up in Chandigarh with an international cyclist as a father gave Ramandeep a head start in understanding nutrition.

"Luckily, I have been blessed with a father who is an international cyclist. So, he has been teaching me a lot about diet from the beginning," Ramandeep revealed in KKR's fitness series 'Train Like a Knight'.

This early education emphasised the importance of non-vegetarian food and dairy products, which have remained staples in his diet.

The KKR batter revealed that he starts each day with traditional desi ghee, followed by a simple yet nutritious breakfast consisting of "2 whole eggs, 3 egg whites, whole wheat bread and curd".

This straightforward approach to nutrition underscores his belief that fitness doesn't require exotic ingredients or complicated meal plans.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of Ramandeep's nutrition philosophy is his unwavering commitment to home-cooked meals. "You can be fit only by eating home-cooked food. This is what I believe, that whatever you want to eat, cook it at home. You can't be fit by going to fancy restaurants," he emphasised.

He advocates for a simple approach to healthy eating that anyone can follow: "Sugar, fried food and flour. If you leave these three things, 90% of your food will take care of itself."

For those looking to begin their fitness journey, Ramandeep recommends bodyweight exercises like push-ups, squats, and pull-ups - the same exercises he started with as a youngster. "If we start early, there are a lot of benefits. When you are in a professional sport, you take very little time to become a professional athlete," he noted.

While many fitness enthusiasts focus solely on active training days, Ramandeep places equal importance on recovery. "The day we are not working out, we have a recovery day. So on that day, nutrition plays a significant role. The next day you are at 100%, you are peaking. So for that, I think the rest days are more important."

His pre-workout routine includes three grams of creatine, while post-workout nutrition focuses on protein with adequate fiber for proper absorption, which he gets from vegetables at dinner.

Throughout the interview, Ramandeep emphasised that fitness should be accessible to everyone. For those without gym access, he suggests simple alternatives: "You can do sprints because wherever there is space, you can do sprints. 20 meters is enough. Even if you're doing starts, that's really good."

He also shared his healthy alternative for satisfying sweet cravings - curd with jaggery and blueberries, which offers nutritional benefits while pleasing the palate.

The most important takeaway from Ramandeep's fitness philosophy is his emphasis on consistency and making healthy choices part of daily life. "In your day-to-day life, you brush your teeth every day. You bathe every day. So you should eat good food every day. You should train well."

The episode concluded with Ramandeep demonstrating a challenging single-leg squat exercise, inviting viewers to attempt the move and share their results with the hashtag #TrainLikeAKnight.

--IANS

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