Rein in the weight

The Racing Season has begun in Pune,and the jockey and the horse are probably the fittest man and beast in the city! Jockey Imran Chisty nods,“It’s very important for jockeys to eat right as we have to maintain our small frame.” Luckily for Chisty,he’s blessed with a thin frame and doesn’t have to go through the rigour of fasting before the races. “I don’t follow any particular and specific diet but there are jockeys who need to. In fact,two or three days prior to the races,jockeys need to starve themselves. A liquid diet is what’s recommended. Juices and salads become the only meal,” he reveals.

However,that does not mean that they get weak. Instead,they constantly exercise to be physically fit,and during the off-season,they ensure that their diet comprises a balance of protein and carbs. “A gym is a must for jockeys. We need to build muscle and stay strong,” Chisty says.

He has been in this profession for the last 13 years. Though based in Pune,he has raced at other cities as well. And when he’s on a break,he enjoys simple home-cooked meals. “I generally skip breakfast. If I do eat anything,it will be a slice of bread,” he says. But then he makes up for that during lunch and dinner. “For lunch,I have one roti,a little rice and a mix of non-veg and veg food,” he says. While he maintains the meat and vegetable balance for dinner too,he never eats rice at night. “Only rotis,” he adds. All year round,jockeys have to avoid sweets as much as they can. “Anything fattening has to be kept away,” he quips.

Injuries are a part and parcel of their racy life. Chisty recounts,“In 2002 or 2003,I suffered a major spinal chord fracture. I was under bed rest for three months and could hardly eat. Then,later,I was given the healthiest combinations of food – basically a nutritious,balanced diet – to recover.”