When Virat Kohli said he ‘felt embarrassed’ looking at the mirror, decided to take the fitness plunge with diet, workouts: ‘I used to finish two packets of 40 toffees each…’

"I had no clue how to do training. I thought practice was enough," said Virat Kohli

New Delhi | May 12, 2025 01:30 PM IST

4 min read

When Virat Kohli refelcted on his fitness transformation (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

Sometimes realisations make you do things that were never on your checklist. That’s what happened with Virat Kohli once, compelling him to become serious about his fitness. In an endearing conversation with Aamir Khan and Aparshakti Khurana in 2018, the ace cricketer — who announced retirement from Test cricket Monday — admitted, “I was in a bad shape till 2012”.

“After the Australia tour in 2012, we came back and went to Bangladesh for the Asia Cup. In a match with Pakistan, I got my highest ODI score of 183. That phase went well. So, I felt that in the Indian Premier League (IPL) season, I had to dominate because I did well in international cricket. I went. But this is a sport. It is not what you expect will happen. I had a string of failures. I couldn’t make runs in the first 6-7 matches. I hardly reached double figures. I got so mentally disturbed,” added Kohli, further sharing that he wasn’t serious about diet and training then.

“I had no clue how to do training. I thought practice was enough. Apart from that, I didn’t know what to do in the gym, how much to run, body weight, or fat percentage. Nothing. Meetha khaana…(I used to eat sweets)…I used to finish two packets of 40 toffees each that were available in the hotel room’s mini bar in a week. I had no pattern of eating. I had no idea about food and drinks. I got over the IPL with much difficulty. I went home,” he continued.

That’s when the realisation dawned “on me”, he recollected. “I came out of the shower, and I felt embarrassed looking at myself in the mirror. How can a person look like this, being an international cricketer? That was the day. Turning point. From the next day onward, sab khatam (Everything completely stopped). My total diet plan changed. I used to work out in the gym for two hours daily. I changed my diet,” Kohli, who is part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad in IPL, recalled.

Reiterating that the first six months were challenging, he said, “The Initial phase was really tough, but once it is executed, then it is smooth sailing.”

Also Read | Sameera Reddy’s fitness coach Ashwyn Barreto reveals her lifestyle, fitness, and diet routine: ‘Despite her consistent, rigorous training, she struggled with fat loss’’

Reflecting on Virat’s statement, Delnna Rrajesh, psychotherapist, healer, and life coach, said, “it may sound simple, but this one mindset can radically change your life. Transformation begins when you’re clear about what you will no longer tolerate.”

It’s all about mindset (Photo: Freepik)

According to her, being radically honest with yourself and working on yourself helps. “What you say NO to defines you more than what you say YES to. When you’re clear on what doesn’t align with your values, your energy, or your growth, you stop outsourcing decisions and take charge of yourself,” said Delnna.

So if you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or lost, don’t ask, “What should I do?”

Story continues below this ad

Ask instead:
“What am I doing?”
“What am I no longer willing to shrink for?”
“What am I finally ready to own?”

“Clarity isn’t about controlling the future. It’s about finally listening to yourself. And once you do that, courage follows. Because the moment you say no to what isn’t you, you create space for everything that is,” said Delnna.

From the homepage