Virat Kohli is unquestionably amongst the fittest sportsmen in the world and being the youth icon that he is, people look up to him. The Indian skipper has been setting fitness goals not just for the masses but also for other professional players around the world.
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What is the diet plan of Virat Kohli?
Virat Kohli’s diet keeps him invigorated during his game of cricket. In his own words, he is a foodie, but a conscious one. He's careful about choosing the correct food even when he has a yearning. It helps him keep the undesired flab at bay.
If you want fried chips, Kohli suggests wheat crackers to satiate your longings for something crispy to munch on in between your meals.
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His dietician has developed a diet based on his activity and lifestyle. Being a player, he has a low-carb, high-protein diet to maintain the fat percentage of his body. On match days, Virat Kohli's diet is changed to maintain his strength throughout the day, be it at the game or nets.
Virat's present diet includes protein shakes, vegetables, plus soya.
Kohli eats many small meals throughout the day, as opposed to large meals. He loves to indulge in a lot of fresh and seasonal fruits, with watermelon, papaya, and dragon fruit being some of his favorites.
On 'Breakfast With Champions', a program hosted by actor-cum-anchor Gaurav Kapur, Virat revealed that he usually carries his collection of nut butter that he has with gluten-free bread.
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Kohli is a huge fan of green tea, an infatuation he has passed on to his teammates such as Hardik Pandya as well. Virat is said to consume more than 3 to 4 cups of green tea with a hint of lemon throughout the day.
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Green tea is not the only way in which Kohli keeps himself hydrated. Virat also drinks a lot of vegetable soups and broths made of fresh veggies such as beetroot and spinach. Kohli consumes a lot of grilled veggies as well.
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Is Virat Kohli a vegan?
Virat has joined the veggie club of players. According to a report on a national daily, he turned vegetarian in mid-2018 and the run-machine is presently on a fresh diet plan to further refine his fitness. Also, his diet is 90% free from dairy and animal protein. Virat admitted on a show that he hasn't had butter chicken and naan for several years.
It must be remembered that his producer-actress wife Anushka Sharma, who also happens to be an avid animal rights enthusiast, also turned vegetarian in 2016. Kohli, who used to rely massively on animal protein for his muscles until 2018, made a move towards a vegetarian diet and feels that it has helped his game.
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In 2020, the Indian captain explained the reason behind him turning vegetarian. He revealed that it was a 'cervical spine issue' which pushed him to take the decision.
"Left eating meat just before the England Test series. In 2018, when we went to South Africa, I got a cervical spine issue while playing a Test match. It compressed a nerve that was running straight till my little finger on my right hand. It gave me a tingling sensation and I could barely feel my little finger. I could not sleep at night and it was hurting like mad," Virat said in an Instagram Live video session which was joined by former England batsman Kevin Pietersen.
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"Then I got my tests done and my stomach was too acidic and my body was too acidic, creating too much uric acid. Even though I was taking calcium, magnesium, everything but one tablet was not sufficient for my body to function properly. So, my stomach started pulling calcium from my bones and my bones got weaker. That is why I stopped eating meat completely in the middle of the England tour to cut down the uric acid and I have never felt better in my life, to be honest," Kohli added.
He further asserted that the advantages made him ponder why he did not take this decision earlier.
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Does Virat Kohli eat eggs?
Virat Kohli turned vegetarian almost three years ago and does not consume meat, egg, or dairy products anymore.
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Does Virat Kohli eat sugar?
Even though he hasn’t completely eliminated sugar from his diet, Virat Kohli has revealed that he takes his coffee with no sugar and all the sugar candies are out of his life.
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Which water does Virat Kohli drink?
Virat only takes Evian Natural Spring water. It’s a bottle of water that is 100% natural and is perceived to be free from any chemicals.
The bottled water by Evian is available across the globe and is shipped mainly from France. The water packaged in Evian bottles is collected from Évian-les-Bains, which is located on the south shore of Lake Geneva. It is one of the biggest lakes in Western Europe and is shared by France and Switzerland.
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How did Virat Kohli lose weight?
It takes years of hard work to get into the sort of shape that Virat flaunts. He shared how he spends two sessions plus four hours in the gym throughout the off-season and at least one and a half hours daily. A low carb, good fats-only nutrition, and exercises that ranged from high-intensity cardio plus weights were what worked for the Indian captain which was centered on strength training and conditioning.
Virat follows a stern workout routine and works out five days each week. He does a sequence of weights and cardio workouts as part of his fitness regime to aid him in gaining lean ‘n’ strong muscles. This also increased body strength and stamina, whilst also toning his lower body muscles.