It’s hard to be the son of Jumping Jack Jeetendra and not be fit. Tusshar Kapoor was chubby as a kid and got riled for it because his father was one of the fittest actors in the industry. All that changed when he went to the US to study. Living on his own helped him gauge a new perspective on life and he started taking better care of his body. His decision to join films further acted as a catalyst and he hired a trainer and hit the gym religiously.
He went through the phases of bulking up, ripping down, getting that six-pack and now believes in maintaining a toned body. “Earlier, when I was a teenager, people used to tease me about my weight. They said I looked more than my years. But now, I’m complimented that I look younger than my age. Life has come full circle.”
Dad’s the way
Tusshar would see his father jogging religiously every morning while growing up. That inspired him when he decided to mould his body. “Dad used to take 50 rounds of our huge garden for an hour. He was regular. Even today he doesn’t miss a single day. Now he goes with his friends to the gym at Sun n Sand to train every day. So being athletic, being fit comes naturally to me. Even my sister Ekta (Kapoor) has lost weight now. We were both plump during childhood. Dad would pinch the flab and chide us for the extra layers.
Peer factor
Film folks are fitness fanatics and Tusshar counts himself lucky that he has been getting pointers from some of the best. “When I was working with Sunil Shetty in Shootout At Wadala, he advised me to stick to just one kind of meat during the course of a meal. Just like my father, who had advised me to eat light when I’m shooting as we could be called upon to dance or fight. That would be difficult with a bloated stomach.” He adds, Akshay Kumar once pointed towards a guy during the shooting of Khakhi and asked me to aspire towards that kind of physique. He even gave me tips how to go about it. Ajay Devgn is the most chilled-out actor. He works out daily but isn’t fussy about what he eats.” Tusshar also looks upon Shah Rukh Khan and Tom Cruise, who he feels have ‘the best bods in Hollywood and Bollywood respectively’.
No to six packs
He states six packs are currently passe´. “That fad is over now. Today, the in thing is to look athletic. We dehydrate ourselvs to get six packs but your face looks parched. It’s okay if you are doing this for a specific role. But you can’t stay with that. You can’t keep avoiding water. Now, my goal is to look as lean and tough as possible. I have lost around 10 kilos for Mastizaade and Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3. There is pole dance sequence in this film. It has beach shots and bare body shots as well. I started working with my trainer Kabeer for this new look.
Training game
Tusshar currently believes in high intensity interval training. “My trainer Kabeer mixes different kind of workouts. It’s more like boot camp training jump squats, pushups, pull ups, lunges, step ups, jumping jacks etc. It’s a 45 minute session, three times a week. Gym is therapy for me. I feel refreshed both physically as well as mentally after the workout and look forward to the next session.” He also practises yoga daily and plays squash whenever he gets the time. He cautions that the biggest mistake people make is that they just land up at the gym and start doing random exercises. “Having an exercise regime and supervision under a competent trainer is important. Otherwise you won’t get the desired results and may even end up harming your body.”
No cheating allowed
Tusshar reveals he never cheats on his training. “I do take the Sunday off and if I am shooting outdoors then I message my trainer for a plan. My training is functional, I just have to do push-ups, pull ups, jump squats. I carry my light weights along if possible. I do drink occasionally. Also, I love desserts. So when I cheat, I make sure I double the effort in the gym the next morning.”
Eating right
He religiously follows nutritionist Kinita Kadakia. “I change my diet plan every six months. Nowadays, I am not trying to lose weight because I have just finished Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3 and Mastizaade. But I still limit my carb intake and avoid sugar and alcohol. I don’t eat fried stuff and rice. I order pizza when I want to cheat.” Protein is extremely essential for your body, especially when you workout hard and Tusshar just loves protein bars and considers them as a meal replacement as well. “Suppose I’m travelling I happen to skip a meal, then instead of eating junk I make do with protein bars. I also drink protein shakes after workout and maintain a high protein intake throughout the day.”