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Heavenly bodies: Mohit Raina, TV Actor, 30

The actor shares how he transformed from a 107-kg teenager to Indian TV's muscular god 👏

Playing god isn't easy. Ask Mohit Raina, who plays Lord Shiva in Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev. Despite a 15-hour work schedule every day, he takes time out for his body, which the role demands. "Considering that I am playing Mahadev, I need to look fit all the time. To achieve this, I workout six days a week," he says.

He wasn't always the muscled god that he is now. When he was still in school, Raina, who is from Jammu, weighed 107 kg. "I love eating and would eat a lot back then," he says. Burning calories was an alien phrase. "Gyms were not in fashion then. A brisk walk or a game of badminton was my idea of fitness," he adds. The transformation came when Raina decided to participate in the 2005 Grasim Mr India.

From flab to fab
I always wanted to become an actor. I was told that the contest would provide me a platform to launch my acting career. That prompted me to shed weight. I started running and working out. I turned vegetarian. By the time I participated in the contest, a year later, I had lost 29 kilos. I didn't have six pack abs or a shapely chest, but I made it to the top five. It's only now that I have learnt to sculpt my body. Even now, if I indulge in too many carbs and fatty foods, my body is quick to absorb and store them as fat.

I start my day at 5.45 am. I work out for at least an hour. However, the last couple of weeks have been hectic. I am playing the role of Shiva and his lookalike Jalandhara and have been working round the clock. I was skipping workouts. To fix that, I got a make-shift gym set up on the set.

My diet
I plan my meals according to my body weight. Right now I weigh 81 kilos. I consume three grams of proteins per kilo of my body weight. I maintain a 60:40 proteins-carbs ratio in my diet.

I start my day with a glass of warm water. I eat a sweet potato before my workouts and later have a protein shake.

Breakfast is 50 grams of oatmeal. I have a bowl of fruits a couple of hours later. Lunch is pulses, chicken, three multigrain chapattis and lots of green vegetables. In the evening, I have a couple of egg sandwiches. Dinner is soup and salad.

Listen to your body
I believe nobody but you is a better judge of what works for your body. I have discovered my body over a period of time and I train accordingly. However, I wouldn't advise others to follow my regimen blindly. My workout schedule is:

MONDAYS: 20-minute run followed by 45 minutes of exercises for the chest and biceps

TUESDAYS: One-hour run followed by a 20-minute workout for calves

WEDNESDAYS: Back exercises with lots of pull-ups and push-ups, plus a 20-minute run

THURSDAYS: One-hour run

FRIDAYS: 20 minutes of running followed by workout for shoulders and triceps

SATURDAYS: I work on my legs with 20 minutes of running

Note: When I say run, I don't mean the treadmill. I mean the park or the beach. Also, I don't like listening to music while working out. It interferes with my concentration.

Bulking up
To play Jalandhara, I gained two kgs of muscle in three weeks. I increased my carb intake. I doubled the chapattis and trebled the oatmeal I consumed. I drank an extra glass of protein shake in the evening.

I crave...
Rajma chawal is my all-time favourite dish. I am not a rice person, but if I cheat it's with rajma chawal. The only sweet dish I like is kaju katli. I can finish packets.

I admire...
Sylvester Stallone. He has inspired me to a great deal.

My fitness advice
We live stressful lives and to beat that some kind of physical activity is necessary. Even a walk will do.