Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 24, 2018)

Three days ago, Ranveer Singh sent social media into a frenzy by sharing an image of his lean avatar from his upcoming drama, Gully Boy. That his dramatic transformation follows his stint as Alauddin Khilji in Padmaavat, which saw him pack on several pounds of muscle, makes it noteworthy.

While the actor was training under the guidance of celebrity coach Mustafa Ahmed while shooting for Padmaavat, he embarked on his weight-loss journey without assistance. A source says Singh shed 12 kilos over three months to acquire the chiseled look of a street rapper. Shedding light on his regimen, the source says that the actor put down his weights and took to the streets to burn calories. "While Ranveer had taken to heavy weight-lifting during Padmaavat, he returned to his usual routine comprising two hours of intense cardio sessions. He would kick-off the day with an hour-long bout, and follow it with another in the evening."

The cardio sessions involved running and swimming, the latter justifying his multiple spotting at Bandra's Otters Club recently. Even though the actor kept an arm's length from the bigger weights, he performed moderate weight-training exercises, coupling them with functional movements like push-ups, burpees and squats, to maintain his physical fitness.

Like his fitness routine, Singh took charge of his diet too. He kept a watchful eye on the consumption of sugar and salt, continuously attempting to minimise the latter. "His meals were cooked in less salt. He also eliminated sugar from his diet. Given that he has a sweet tooth, and harbours a love for chocolate, this was tough." Singh, we hear, reduced his carbohydrate intake, which helped him shave off the kilos faster. "He had a high-protein diet, comprising egg whites. At breakfast, he accompanied that with fruits. For lunch and dinner, he consumed meat or fish with a bowl of stir fried vegetables."