Sagarika Ghatge: I’ve benefited from an alkaline diet

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Sagarika Ghatge instantly talks about adhering to an alkaline diet when discussing the nutritional principles that have kept her in good stead. "As soon as I wake up, I have ash guard juice. It has changed the way my gut functions because it maintains an alkaline [environment] in the body. Although I eat everything, I consume some foods that are [part of the] alkaline diet," says the Chak De! India actor of the diet that assumes that different food groups affect the body's PH differently. "I try to avoid sugar, but indulge in a treat once in a way. At home, we eat non-vegetarian food, and entertain many guests. So, to strike a balance in my eating habits, I consume ash guard juice, and switch my second cup of coffee in the evening with tulsi tea."

Former Indian cricketer Zaheer Khan's wife has spent most of her childhood indulging in athletic activities, "I grew up in a family where playing sports was encouraged. It inherently made me an active person, and taught me skills that I could use for the rest of my life. I participated in riding camps, and played hockey at the state level, and was even selected for the nationals. So, I've grown up with knowledge. Today, although running outdoors is not always feasible, it is something I enjoy doing, and I also head for a swim once a week. On four days a week, I execute weight training and functional training. I enjoy fast-paced movements that spike my heart rate," she says, adding that of late, she has also included yoga in her practice.

Ask her what her athlete-husband taught her about fitness, and she says, "He taught me the importance of understanding your own body. You need to know yourself well enough to understand when your body needs training, and when it needs rest. When it tells you that you shouldn't do something, you must listen. You can't be an enthusiastic person who keeps on training without giving your body adequate rest. Having trained professionally for as long as he has, he is self-aware. He also gives a lot of importance to stretching, and foam rolling, something that many trainers avoid. They are as important as lifting weights."