With strict diet plan, fitter Suryakumar Yadav shed 15 kg post surgery to get in shape for World T20
New York: Suryakumar Yadav is looking leaner and fitter than ever since his comeback to competitive cricket and much of it could be attributed to a regimented diet plan along with rigorous strength training to cut at least 12-14 kg he had gained after sports hernia surgery. World's No. 1 T20 batter Suryakumar was out of competitive cricket for close to four months after undergoing an ankle operation in December last, followed by a sports hernia surgery.
For an elite sportsperson, coming back to peak fitness is always a challenge and a strict diet plan is foundation to that.
"If you look at him, he is looking much leaner and stronger and little muscular, and diet was planned with supplementation to achieve that goal. Coordination between recovery rate and muscle gain rate, so we adjusted to achieve that in record time," dietitian Shwetha Bhatia, founder of 'Mind Your Fitness', who has worked on Suryakumar's nutrition for some time, told PTI during an interaction.
"Overall by now, 14-15 kg, there was slight increase in his weight after surgery, which is a natural medical reaction not because he was off diet," Bhatia explained.
"Out of 15 kg that he shed, Dexa machine will confirm that 13 kg will be fat," she added.
At the National Cricket Academy (NCA), there is a Dexa machine to check a player's body composition and that gives break-up of amount of muscle mass gain and fat loss and amount of abdominal fat.
A strict diet plan in place
As much as one indulges in rigorous S&C training, one needs to also keep an eye on diet and that's where Bhatia came into the picture.
"Post his injury, we made his diet plan a bit stricter, because when there is no activity, you don't increase food directly like that but there was more focus on his recovery with vitamin supplements," she said.
"He was at National Cricket Academy, more strength training was incorporated so that he has a better comeback. We don't get into his rehab programme but we need to co-ordinate with NCA in terms of his recovery rate because if it is going slow then it is falling short somewhere.
"Mutually it was agreed that strength training would be the focus and cricketers don't get a lot of time for strength training when the season is on and usually get time when matches are not happening and mostly they practice their core skills."
More than calories, normally the amount of protein, carbs and fat that the athlete needs is computed. In recovery phase, the athlete needs an increase in the calorie intake and specially the protein has to match, because activity levels go up.
"The calories are increased keeping in mind that you don't want fat gain to happen during that period, to make sure muscle mass is maintained," Bhatia explained.
So, how was Suryakumar's meal structure?
"Basically, he was on three-meal structure and three went on to became four, when activity resumed.
"All meals had good quality protein like eggs, meat or fish and he is not fond of dairy products and that was excluded. When activity was much lesser, we had reduced the amount of carbohydrates, grains, dals were lesser, it was low carb diet.
"He doesn't eat rice and uses substitute flour (not atta) for his rotis. He eats nuts and seed based low carb flours. Vegetable and fluid intakes were high with soups and chaanch. Nuts and avocados based on availability was also in his plan."
Of late, players like Suryakumar, Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant have had personal chefs accompany them on various tours as more and more players are being careful about their meals and would consciously avoid hotel food.
The elite athletes are now spending significant amount of money from their own pockets to have their respective chefs on board and also book them apartments where they cook their meals and bring it for the players at the team hotel. The practice is more prevalent on long tours.
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National Herald case: Shivakumar to seek time next week to appear before Delhi police
New Delhi/Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday said he will ask for time from Delhi police to appear before them next week, to provide required information as part of the probe into the National Herald case.
He said he will seek time after the ongoing winter session of Karnataka legislature ends on December 19. He will also ask the Delhi police to provide him the FIR copy.
Shivakumar, who is in the national capital, had earlier said that he will appear before the Delhi police on Monday. But, he postponed the plan in order to rush back to Karnataka to participate in the last rites of veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa, scheduled later in the day in Davangere.
"I had to go (to appear before the Delhi police), but I have to go back urgently. I'm asking them for time, stating that I will come next week," Shivakumar told reporters in New Delhi.
"They (Delhi police) have not attached the FIR copy while issuing notice to me. I need FIR copy, because we had already given all the required replies to the ED. I don't know what the FIR says, I only read in papers. They have given notice, I will ask for a FIR copy. I will come next week after the Assembly session."
The Delhi Police had issued a notice to Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress chief, seeking financial and transactional details as part of its probe into the National Herald case.
The notice issued by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) states that Shivakumar is "supposed to be having vital information" pertaining to the National Herald case registered on October 3 this year, against top Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
In the notice dated November 29, the EOW had asked Shivakumar to appear before it or provide the requested information by December 19 latest.
Investigators have sought details about his personal background, his association with the Congress party, and a complete break up of funds allegedly transferred by him or associated entities to Young Indian.
To a question on meeting AICC General Secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, amid the ongoing power tussle between him and CM Siddaramaiah over the Chief Minister post, Shivakumar said when he comes to Delhi, he usually meets every one.
"Whether it is Surjewala or Kharge (AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge) or Venugopal, I will meet everyone. During lunch yesterday I met Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. I have met everyone. What's wrong?" he asked.
Shivakumar was in Delhi to take part in Congress' "Vote Chori" rally on Sunday, and had also participated in the lunch organised by the party for its leaders.
Responding to a question, whether any meeting is planned with leaders today, the Deputy CM said, he and Kharge will be travelling together to Karnataka, to pay last respects to Shamanuru Shivashankarappa.
Asked if he will seek time for a separate meeting with Congress leadership including Rahul Gandhi, during the next visit to Delhi, Sivakumar said, "such things will be there between us in the party.... you don't worry."
