‘Hrithik Roshan’s diet for ‘Fighter’ mostly comprises six meals a day, one protein shake’: Personal trainer Kris Gethin

In an exclusive interaction with indianexpress.comGethin talked about his journey, the role the pandemic played in making people understand the importance of exercise, people’s obsession with weightlossand training Hrithik for his next film fighter – whose premiere is scheduled for January 2023, in which he stars alongside deepika padukone. Extracts:

Tell us about you.

I have been a personal trainer since the mid 90’s, and in my career of over 20 years, I have trained professional athletes, bodybuildersmotocross etc. As a transformation expert, I have also transformed hundreds of people with online resources like my website, krisgethin.com, and millions through my transformation video series.

How would you describe the current generation’s awareness of fitness?

I would say inspiring. I think today’s generation is curious to be fit, exercise and perform better. But at the same time, it’s worrying that the younger generation is looking for instant gratification. They get inspired by looking at photos and videos on Instagram and want immediate results. This is definitely not healthy and many people end up injuring themselves in the process. Another problem I have run into is standard fitness programs designed by personal trainers. I truly believe that in fitness, you can’t follow a one-size-fits-all approach. Programs should be designed with your body type, preferences, lifestyle, time constraints, goals, etc. in mind. This is the philosophy that we also follow in our gyms. So I think some aspects are good and others can be better.

Did the pandemic somehow get more people on the fitness bandwagon?

I definitely think more people are turning to fitness now. Many people are building home gyms, exercising at home, controlling their environment, especially here in India. I have noticed when I am walking on the beach at 6:30 in the morning, there are many people who are working out – some of them run, walk and others do yoga. In fact, some are taking sports classes on the beach. This scenario is really different from what it used to be 10 years ago. At that time, the beaches were almost empty. I think that the pandemic has made people realize the importance of health, so they are paying more attention (to their health) and taking advantage of the outdoors for the same. However, at the same time, I still think that there is a majority of people who still follow unhealthy habits like eating junk food and drinking. So I think we have a long way to go.

But do you feel that there is an unhealthy obsession with losing weight in the shortest possible time?

It is my constant effort to encourage and educate people to do it the healthy and right way for longevity. My advice to them is that if you want to keep it up long term, you need to follow the right process and give your body the time it requires to achieve the goals you want to achieve.

Tell us about your association with Hrithik Roshan.

I flew to India in 2011 for one of my book launches, body by design (now called Guide to your best body). My friend and now business partner Jag Chima gifted a copy of that book to Hrithik. After reading that book, Hrithik wanted to consult me. So our initial conversations happened over the phone. Then some time later I flew to India to give him a consultation in person. At that moment, Hríthik he was bedridden for three months due to a ruptured disc. He was eating a lot of food and following unhealthy habits. So we started working together and within 9-10 weeks, he totally transformed for the movie. krish 3.

Tell us about your experience of working with the actor?

Hrithik has not undergone a major transformation in the last two years. This is why he came to India to help you prepare for his next movie. For the past few years, I’ve helped him get in shape online, but not in person. But, this time we’re really going to take his body to the next level to Fighter. In the process, we’re dealing with a lot of injuries, but we’re working around them for this transformation.

How is your current exercise routine?

Many times, we train two body parts in one training session, but sometimes, it’s just one. We train for three days regularly and then we take a day off. The duration of your training session is almost an hour for each training session. Then make a steady state cardio workout every day for about 20 minutes.

…and your diet?

Hrithik eats six meals a day and currently consumes about 4,000 calories a day. He is eating a lot of food right now as we are building muscles at this point in time. Most of your meals are made up of protein. Protein sources are poultry, fish, egg whites, protein powder, etc. And then there are the carbohydrates that come from potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, and oatmeal. He is also eating some roti along with vegetables and some healthy fats like nuts, egg yolks, and a little olive oil. Then finally you are consuming a protein shake. So right now his diet consists mainly of six meals a day along with a protein shake.

What is Hrithik’s cheat meal like?

I don’t allow Hrithik to cheat. You often have sugar cravings, like chocolate or cake or anything sugary. But, sugar is very addictive and I don’t like to flavor sugar. In fact, there have been many rodent studies that prove that sugar is more addictive than heroin.

How important is mindset when it comes to fitness goals?

It is of utmost importance. Without the right mindset, you will not achieve any goals in life, be it your career, relationship, spiritual goals, or fitness goals. One thing I have noticed as a coach is that you are as much a psychologist as you are a physical trainer: you have to get into the mind of the person you are training to create discipline. I believe that fitness is driven by discipline and not by motivation because motivation often fails. When we don’t feel good or tired, emotion sets in and that dampens our motivation. Therefore, to achieve your goals related to fitness or anything in life, you must rely on discipline, motivation may or may not exist.

All set for a quick fire, Kris?

Between celebrity training and others, how do you find time for yourself?

My favorite activities are weight training, camping, going to music events, and motocross events. I also like to ride a mountain bike. I compete in Ironman Triathlon, Ultra Marathons and Spartan. On top of that, I have a couple of international companies that I run and none of them seem to work. Everything has taken time for me. I also read almost four books a month and that’s all my playtime consists of.

What is the optimal age to start training and why?

I think 17-18 is the optimal age to start training as you finish growing in that age range. So, around this age, anyone can start doing more resistance and weight-bearing exercises.

How do you get through a lazy day?

I usually make it through my rest days by taking an ice bath first thing in the morning or a cold shower. I don’t like to always rely on caffeine. So taking a ice bath usually beats a lazy day for me.

Mental health is just as important as physical health, do you agree?

It is extremely important. Especially in a social media-driven world where we constantly compare ourselves to others, which can make us feel vulnerable and inadequate. In addition, the diet we consume today affects our mental health. When we consume these inflammatory foods like fried foods, refined vegetable oils, sugar, etc., all this inflammation in our body leads to a chemical imbalance in our brain. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to prioritize mental health.

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