Bodybuilders struggle as eggs cost more and food prices soar, unlike their spirits

Inflation is not just crazy, it is positively eggcentric, that is what the city's swathe of bodybuilders say. They have been especially hard hit by the escalating prices of eggs, their primary source of protein during competition months.


Shyam Rahate with son, Dheeraj at home

On an average, a competitive bodybuilder consumes at least two dozen egg whites a day, but, with eggs going up by nearly 75 paise per egg, the future does not look as bright as an egg yolk for Mumbai's striated, six-pack set.

Says Suhas Khamkar, current Mr. Asia whose grocery bill is climbing along with his ascent of the bodybuilding ladder. "When I am in training, in peak season my food bill has gone to a whopping Rs 2,200 per day.

We are struggling to fulfill our dietary requirements -- from eggs, to chicken, fruit and even the humble vegetable like tomato or onion, tell me which essential has escaped inflation? A bodybuilder needs a minimum amount of protein from dietary sources, the other comes from supplements."

Khamkar who is training hard (it is bodybuilding season now) downs 24 egg whites daily, "If I am targetting a lower weight category, which is below 70 kgs. If I am preparing to compete between 70-75 kgs which I did during my Mr. Asia title contest in Bahrain last year, then I would be eating 45 eggs a day."u00a0

Right now, Khamkar has broken up his egg consumption into four segments, "six eggs before training in the morning, six eggs post training. I once again have six eggs in the evening, pre-training section and six eggs post-training in the evening."

Says Khamkar, "I have been competing as a bodybuilder since the past 12 years and it was always a struggle to meet dietary requirements, but nothing like it has been now because the cost of living has gone up so sharply."

Khamkar, a Sion resident who thinks the windows of the world have opened up to him because of his sport, believes the view outside is not particularly rosy.u00a0

It shows how Indian bodybuilders are treated compared to their foreign counterparts and it is notu00a0 a pretty sight. Khamkar says,u00a0"The competition in Bahrain was some of the toughest in my life, because there were so many bodybuilders from other nations.

I was also struck by how some bodybuilders had vital crutches like a doctor, a masseur and a coach with them, while we cannot afford that kind of support staff."

Khamkar says bodybuilders raise money through well wishers to compete abroad, "yet rising prices make it more difficult for us," He explains, "Last year, I was to go to the US for a competition. I did not get a visa as I had an inadequate bank balance."

Suhas Khamkar shows off those biceps, when egged on

Khamkar's daily intake with some variations goes like this:
24 eggsu00a0
1/4 kg of chicken
900 grams fish
4 kg apples
Other fruits like oranges and mosambi (sweet lime)

Khamkar says bodybuilders must be, "tension free" if the, "government can help us monetarily with our food bills, then, a lot of our problems would melt away." Khamkar, a Central Railway employee earns
Rs 12,000 a month as his salary and though he is all praise for his employers says he spends nearly thrice that on his diet. "A lot of the money comes from prize money, we earn at competitions. Yet, it is only the top bodybuilders that win prizes, the beginners are still struggling."

Khamkar thinks the bodybuilding coffin is shutting as rising food prices are forcing bodybuilders to re-think their choice of sport, "They have to be given solid incentives like a national level medallist must be given a Class I officer's job," says Khamkar who believes, "even a pat on the back by the government, some kind of recognition would be great."

With the strain telling on his purse strings, Khamkar says, "those eight-hour training sessions are fuelled purely by adrenaline and love for the sport. When I go on stage and compete it all seems worth it."
u00a0
In his off-season, Khamkar admits to indulging in gajjar halwa, but right now, the going in anything but sweet for the Ticket Checker, (TC) who laughs as he says, "People usually try to evade TCs but they pose with me for pictures at the station, especially after my Mr. Asia win."u00a0u00a0