Journalism of Courage
A high protein diet and regular exercise keep table tennis player Divya Deshpande fit for the game
Divya Deshpande comes across as a regular,college student. What sets her apart is that she is a national level table tennis player. Her busy schedule includes balancing her studies,college life,attending national camps,participating in national and international level tournaments and of course practising her sport everyday without fail. And all this can’t be accomplished without a healthy diet,she says. I have always been thin. I don’t tend to put on weight. Thus,I have a high protein diet,that includes dals,sprouts,rotis and whey proteins, she says. Proteins give her extra stamina during matches and practise sessions. My diet is always regulated and I follow a strict time table when I am away at training and practice camps. Breakfast is usually bread and eggs and a glass of milk and whey proteins. Lunch and dinner comprise rotis,dals and sprouts. I also have chicken twice a week, she adds.
Playing in the city is not easy because there aren’t many players and the schedules are conflicting. Most of the time,my meal and work-out schedules go for a toss because of these reasons. The training camps are more disciplined in every aspect, she says. In order to de-stress,Deshpande completly cuts off from the game. I love to dance and to listen to music. If I weren’t a table tennis player,I would have definitely been a dancer, she says with a smile.
