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From having a sweet tooth to cutting sweets completely for almost two years, Kartik Aaryan went through a major transformation to prepare for his role in Chandu Champion, a sports drama based on Paralympics gold medallist Murlikant Petkar. In a recent interaction, Kartik discussed facing withdrawal symptoms after quitting sugar and shared his vegetarian diet plan, explaining how he incorporated protein.
Kartik’s before-and-after photos showcasing his transformation recently went viral, shocking fans. When asked how he gained so much weight in the first place, he told Filmfare, “I allowed myself to eat whatever I desired, particularly sweets, as I have a strong inclination towards them. Incorporating something sweet after meals became a habitual ritual for me, making it challenging to break.”
Kartik admitted facing withdrawal symptoms after quitting sugar completely, with occasional lapses. “I experienced withdrawal symptoms when I made the decision to cut out sugar completely, recognizing it as my adversary,” he said. Initially, the actor found it was tough, and he succumbed to temptations, but after about 15 days, he began to appreciate the absence of sugar in his diet. “I realised that I didn’t need a sweet fix after every meal and that consuming sugar was detrimental to my health and well-being. This realisation wasn’t just for the sake of a film role; it became a personal conviction that indulging in sugar was detrimental to my own body. Over time, my mindset shifted, and I abstained from sugar entirely for a year and a half,” he said.
Kartik only tasted sugar again at the wrap-up party of his film when Chandu Champion’s director Kabir Khan broke his sugar fast by feeding him ras malai on set. However, Kartik admitted he didn’t like the taste of sugar after avoiding it for one and a half years.
As a vegetarian, Kartik had fewer protein options, so his nutrition expert devised creative recipes and new ingredients. Sharing the same, he said, “I switched to having soup for dinner and replaced rice with Cauli Rice for lunch—a concoction made simply from grated cauliflower. It wasn’t rice, but it provided fibre and eliminated carbs, making meals like tofu and Cauli Rice conducive to weight management. I embraced a diet rich in salads, beans, lentils, and paneer.”
Achieving an athlete’s body is no small feat, and Kartik did so naturally without steroids. He also emphasized the importance of getting eight hours of sleep and how cutting out sugar improved his sleep quality. He said, “Adhering to a routine where I prioritised eight hours of sleep became paramount. Cutting out sugar not only aided in weight management but also improved my quality of sleep. Although daunting at first, I gradually found enjoyment in this lifestyle shift.”
He added, “I firmly believed in avoiding steroids due to their detrimental effects. Despite the considerable effort required, we remained committed to the natural path.”
Also starring Bhuvan Arora, Yashpal Sharma, Rajpal Yadav, Aniruddh Dave, and Vijay Raaz, Chandu Champion will hit the screens on June 14.
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