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Mohit Raina shares how he transformed from a 107-kg teen to Indian TV's muscular God
Ankit Ajmera
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 work out 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 kilos. "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 5.45am. I work out for an hour at least. 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 chapaatis 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.
BULKING UP
To play Jalandhara, I gained two kgs of muscle in three weeks. I increased my carb intake. I doubled the chapaatis and trebled the oatmeal I consumed. I drank an extra glass of protein shake in the evening. I crave for
some kinds of food at times; 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 ADMIRE…
Sylvester Stallone. He has inspired me a great deal.
FITNESS ADVICE
We live stressful lives, and to beat that, some kind of physical activity is necessary. Even a walk will do.
THAT'S HOW HE GETS THOSE CUTS
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.
Mohit Raina
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