Never have I ever...eaten ice-cream before bedtime, had fruits with milk, or skipped breakfast? Two nutritionists catering to five celebrities between them, on things their fitness-conscious clients will or won't do
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; August 19, 2020)

Never Has Sara Ali Khan Ever, Eaten Carbohydrates For Dinner
Sara's nutritionist, Dr Siddhant Bhargava says that while the actor has never been a heavy carb-eater, she will consume it around lunch, if she must. "Sara must train as soon as she wakes up, and either eats eggs, or nothing at all, before doing so. Post-workout, she's usually hungry, and that's when she has carbs. Hence, she avoids consuming carbs at night. But, that's a preference. If one is not on a low-carb diet, carbs can be consumed at any time in the day. As long as the total number of calories consumed from protein, carbs and fats, remains constant, one's weight isn't affected," he says.

Never Will Alia Ever, Eat Boiled Sabzi
"Only yesterday, I tried to add boiled vegetables to Alia's chart, and she called to express her displeasure," laughs Bhargava, adding that as far as Sara is concerned, "she will eat everything".

"She is a foodie. She has a good relation with food. She won't go on a guilt-trip. If she is hungry, she will eat whatever is in front of her, even if that is gulab jamun. But, she has an understanding of the portions she requires. She knows she is an actor and will shed the weight she gains, whenever needed."


Never Has Shraddha Kapoor Ever, Eaten Banana With Milk
Shraddha's trainer Maahek Nair says she will not consume the two foods together since they "diminish the digestive fire, and produce toxins, which can cause problems like sinus, cold, cough, allergy, and congestion."

Bhargava says his clients, Alia Bhatt, Bhumi Pednekar and Sara Ali Khan, will not eat high-fat and high-sugar foods together. "The combination of fats and sugar delays the arrival of what we refer to as hedonic breakpoint, beyond which sweetness becomes less palatable. For instance, you can have two to three spoons of sugar, and after that, any more of it will seem too sweet to consume. But combine sugar with [saturated fats], like in the case of a gulab jamun, and you can keep consuming it without feeling dissatisfied. That's why people can eat eight to 10 of them in one sitting. So, I recommend that my clients don't mix the two."


Never Has Bhumi Ever, Left For An Outdoor Shoot Without Packing In Her Must-Have Snack
"Apart from zero-sugar brownies, Bhumi carries 20 to 30 portions of almond and hazelnut rocks, which are ideal to eat when hungry, and when meal options are limited," says Bhargava. Nair says quick-eat solutions need to be rich in protein, and also convenient to access. "Shraddha has organic protein bars, nuts and protein cookies. Fresh fruits are another option for her. Kartik carries protein shakes and meal-replacement sachets. Nuts, like almonds and walnuts, are rich in protein, and help in maintaining lean-muscle mass, while reducing inflammation."


Never Has Alia Ever, Begun The Day Without Nimbu Pani
Bhargava points out that lemon water, owing to its ability to reduce acidity, is a good way to start the day for those affected with the issue. "After that, Alia has a wholesome breakfast, including oats and eggs. We make it sweet, by adding berries, or savoury. It has an ideal mix of protein and fats."

Nair says Kartik Aaryan kicks off his day with amla juice. "It helps improve blood sugar levels, and digestion, and eliminates toxins, making it an ideal thing to consume in the morning."

Dhaval Roy (DNA; July 26, 2019)

Switching from one diet plan and fitness regime to another for subsequent films is nothing out of the ordinary for actors. But Shraddha Kapoor had to follow three different ones simultaneously for an actioner (Saaho), dance film (Street Dancer 3D) and romantic comedy (Chhichhore) each. Since her roles are completely different from one another in the three projects, naturally, her meals and workouts had to be varied as well.

LEAN AND ATHLETIC FOR SAAHO
While shooting for Saaho, Shraddha was on a diet comprising ample amounts of essential fat and moderate protein and carbohydrate. “She consumed a lot of veggies; for proteins, she used to have eggs, fish and salads,” says her fitness coach and nutritionist, Maahek Nair (below).

As for workouts, since she plays a cop and the film involves intense action sequences, the Stree actress trained heavily in CrossFit, functional training and TRX (Total Resistance exercises). “Shraddha had to be on mainly sports-specific training. Workouts combined with TRX made her look thin and gave her good-quality muscle mass,” adds the trainer. While shooting in Mumbai, Shraddha would head to the fitness gym for Pilates Reformer sessions.



ENERGETIC FOR STREET DANCER 3D
Extra care had to be taken about Shraddha’s nutrition and supplements intake when she worked on Street Dancer 3D. The aim was to also prevent issues related to her skin or hair. “It also made her look fitter and perform with the same energy because there was a lot of dancing,” Maahek weighs in. Since the Varun Dhawan-starrer and her other movie, Chhichhore, both involved hours of rehearsals and dancing, Shraddha had to consume a lot of electrolyte water to get an instant boost of energy to train hard. She also consumed a cream diet.

NO CHEATING!
While shooting in London and Dubai, Shraddha’s diet, especially for dinner, included a lot of Norwegian Salmon and asparagus. “She also had soups to make her feel fuller,” Maahek states. As the actress had to look lean and more athletic for a trained body, her breakfast was usually eggs and house salad. Shraddha didn’t feel fatigued ever or went out of shape thanks to these plans and workouts. What’s more, the Baaghi star doesn’t cheat or binge on any food. Maahek tells us that she religiously followed all the meal plans and workouts even during Ramadan in Dubai when she shot for the Prabhas-starrer. “Even though there would be lavish food like Biryani and other delicacies, Shraddha stuck to her meal,” says Maahek, adding that it was because she was always hydrated and active that Shraddha could control her urges.