Aussie cricket legend Glenn McGrath, reveal how to stay fit after you cross 40. Actors Rana Daggubati and Gautam Rode also divulge their fitness routine
Glenn McGrath, Gautam Rode and Rana Daggubati
We caught up with 45 year-old Aussie cricket legend, Glenn McGrath, who was recently in the city as the brand ambassador of Australian wine company, Hardys.
Q. What do you start your day with?
A. My children go to school and it takes about an hour to get there. I get them up at about 6 am and get them ready by 7. So, I like my breakfast in the morning — cereal, may be eggs and toast. If I get a chance, I like to go to the gym. A bit of weights, some cardio work on the rowing machine, I have my set of equipment. I generally try and stay active through the day, do things with my children.
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Pic: Suresh KK
Q. Do you enjoy gymming?
A. I do. It was a big part of my life when I played cricket, not only to keep me physically fit but, I think, mentally fit as well. I always come back with a better attitude when I hit the gym, it helps getting in the right frame of mind.
Q. What's your gym routine currently?
A. Nothing specific, I don't work with a trainer anymore. I have worked with a trainer pretty much my whole career, so now I like working at my own pace. I go one day and do just upper body weights and next day, I do just legs and cardio is right in before hand.
Q. Other than the gym, what do you like doing outdoors?
A. I do diving, a bit of scuba diving. I play some golf, occasionally. I like getting back out to the bush. I also enjoy getting my motorbike out; not that I get to more often. I've got a farm in western New South Wales. I've got a motorbike out there and it's good to take the bike off-road.
Q. How have you stayed fit consistently through the years?
A. It's moderation in a lot of things. I don't eat to live exactly, I probably live to eat more, but it's in moderation. I like to enjoy myself. When I can I go to the gym but I like to be fairly active and have healthy lifestyle. My wife's Italian (Sara Leonardi-McGrath), and she's a great cook. She likes to cook a lot of healthy, fresh food.
Glenn McGrath exercising during a tour of Sri Lanka in 1999. Pic/Getty Images
Q. What are the food items you can't refrain from?
A. My energy source, when I played, was chocolate. Chocolates are one thing that I love and I love them in the freezer, straight out of the freezer rock hard. My wife thinks I eat too much chocolate; I've got a little bit of sweet tooth (laughs).
Q. What kind of wines do you enjoy?
A. I like my whites and reds. I like Chardonnay and Sauvignons in white and Shiraz in red. I am starting to like Pinot Noirs.
Q. How can one stay fit post their 30s and 40s?
A. It's about lifestyle more than anything else. You've got to stay active, feeling good, eating good, go to the gym — all lead to a healthy lifestyle. Get into good routines and maintain discipline when you are younger and that will carry you through the rest of the life.
Q. What are your favourite things to do in India?
A. I spend a lot of time in India these days, I am in India at least six weeks a year. I am doing a bit of coaching for the MRF Pace Foundation, which I really enjoy. I use it as a bit of break as well. Occasionally, I bring my family over and we go for a little look-around. We went to Delhi, Agra, Udaipur and Jodhpur last year, and hopefully, I will do something similar in the near future. India's such a contrast to what we have back home. I enjoy the food here. I love it more than the first time when I was here in 1992.
Q. What tips would you give to young sportsmen today?
A. The harder you work, the luckier you get. Lead by example. Prepare to put the hard work in. Sometimes, I feel, people these days want to start at the top and work the way down. You got to put the time in and try to learn as much as possible. Enjoy what you do.
Glenn's mantra for you
The harder you work, the luckier you get.
Gautam Rode, actor
> Breakfast fix
Glass of water. My normal breakfast includes skimmed milk, one protein shake, almonds, sunflower seeds, oats, muesli — mix of everything in a bowl.
Gautam Rode
> Lunch
Brown rice, dal, chola, anything will do with very less oil. And yes, green vegetables are an important part of this meal.
> Mid-day snack
Brown rice, poha and green tea (I have 4-6 cups a day).
> Dinner
Salads, tossed veggies and sometimes, soup.
> No-no food items
Starch and wheat.
> Number of exercise days a week
I try to exercise daily, for at least an hour.
> Favourite forms of exercise
I normally concentrate on my shoulder, back and legs. They are my favourite target areas.
Gautam Rode in character for his TV show, Maha Kumbh
> Tips for fab abs like Rode
Abs are made in the kitchen and not in the gym! So eat right.
> Miracle food items
Try to substitute white rice and rotis with brown poha and brown rice as that cuts down the starch going into your body.
> Exercising red flags
Don't exercise too much. Anything done too much is not good. Try to create a balance in your regime.
> Diet and exercise secrets
Maintain a healthy balance — eat healthy and work out daily for the right body. There are no shortcuts in life. It takes time to achieve the right body and it's even more difficult to maintain it. So work hard towards it.
> Fitness idol
Sylvester Stallone!
> Exercise routine
I do circuit workout these days as I haven't been getting time due to shooting. And hence I club up exercises for different body parts.
> The area of your body that you find most difficult to work on
Inclined chest.
Gautam's mantra for you
There are no shortcuts in life. It takes time to achieve the right body and it's even more difficult to maintain it.
Rana Daggubati, actor
> Rise up and shine
On most days I start my day with some high intensity cardio as soon as I'm up, on an empty stomach, and then have protein shake or breakfast post that.
Rana Daggubati
> Food for bulk
What I eat changes based on my goals. During Baahubali (film slated to release this year), I was fully bulking, and would eat a minimum of six meals a day, with a three-hour gap between meals, from the start of the day.
> Food to avoid
I don't eat any sweet, in any form. Otherwise, I do a good load of carbs till probably 4 pm and then just stick to protein from then on.
> Number of exercise days a week
Six days a week.
> Favourite forms of exercise
I like all forms, but I am a big fan of heavy lifting and mixed martial arts.
Apart from bulking up for his forthcoming film, Rana Daggubati practises mixed martial arts as part of his fitness regime
> Exercise routine
I usually split them by muscle groups — chest tricep, back bicep, legs, shoulders, bicep/tricep again. This is usually how my six-day schedule appears.
> For arms like Rana's, you should
To each his own. Once you start following a basic routine, you'll start understanding your body better and then focus training will begin.
> When not in the gym
I do lots of mixed martial arts and boxing.
> Gymming no-nos
> Never train before warming up.
> Never lift heavy weights without assistance around you.
> Fitness idol(s)
Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
> When gym's out of reach
Basic running and push ups, and I carry some bands with me.
> The area of your body that you find most difficult to work on Legs. Firstly, because I'm tall and then my multiple knee injuries make it harder.
> Rana's take on fad diets
I never stick to extreme, strict diets. Don't believe in them.
Rana's mantra for you
Find time to train, and be at it, everyday.
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