Harshavardhan Rane, known for his roles in Bollywood films such as Sanam Teri Kasam, has garnered attention not only for his acting but also for his impressive physique. Rane emphasizes a holistic approach to fitness, combining a disciplined diet with a diverse workout routine. He notably avoids sugar in his diet and focuses on maintaining agility and overall well-being.
The ‘Paleo’ Diet and its Principles
Rane follows the Paleo diet, a dietary approach that mimics the eating habits of our hunter-gatherer ancestors. This means prioritizing whole, unprocessed foods while excluding those that became common with the advent of agriculture.
Key tenets of the Paleo diet, as followed by Rane, include:
- Emphasis on Meat, Vegetables, and Fruits: The core of the diet consists of lean meats, a wide variety of vegetables, and fruits. These provide essential nutrients and energy.
- Exclusion of Processed Foods: Packaged snacks, sugary drinks, and refined carbohydrates are strictly avoided.
- Elimination of Grains and Dairy: Grains like wheat and rice, as well as dairy products, are excluded due to the belief that they are not well-suited to the human digestive system.
Rane has been following the Paleo diet for approximately five years. Initially, he found it challenging, but his body gradually adapted to the changes. When he entered Bollywood, he was advised to get in shape, and he adopted the Paleo diet after seeking guidance from actor John Abraham. Rane replaces rice and pizza bases with cauliflower and focuses on filling his stomach with animal proteins, vegetables, and fruits instead of overindulging in potatoes, rotis, or rice.
Saying “No” to Sugar and Alcohol
A cornerstone of Harshavardhan Rane’s diet is the complete avoidance of sugar. He is also teetotaler.
- No Sugar Policy: Rane has a strict no-sugar policy. He understands the detrimental effects of sugar on health, including its contribution to aging, heart disease, obesity, and tooth decay.
- Healthy Substitutes: Instead of refined sugar, Rane opts for natural sweeteners like dates, jaggery, and stevia. He also prefers dark chocolate over milk chocolate.
- Avoiding Alcohol: Rane avoids alcohol, believing it leads to unnecessary weight gain, dehydration, and various health issues.
These choices reflect a commitment to long-term health and well-being, rather than a quick fix for achieving a certain physique.
A Balanced Workout Routine
Harshavardhan Rane’s fitness regime goes beyond traditional strength training. He focuses on a balanced approach that incorporates agility, functional fitness, and flexibility.
Elements of Rane’s Workout
- Agility: To enhance agility, Rane incorporates activities like badminton and sprinting into his routine.
- Functional Fitness: His functional fitness workouts include exercises like burpees, hurdles, jumps, and squats.
- Flexibility: Yoga is a crucial component of Rane’s routine for improving flexibility and promoting relaxation. He believes that physical stiffness can translate to mental stiffness, making flexibility essential for overall well-being.
- Strength Training: While he does go to the gym for strength training, Rane emphasizes that it is just one aspect of his overall fitness goals.
- Nature: The dreamboat spends time in nature for good mental health.
- Breathing: He works a lot on his breathing and does Wim Hof breathing techniques.
- Home Chant: He does a home chant every day.
Rane’s workout philosophy revolves around the idea of not limiting oneself to just one aspect of fitness.
The ‘Caveman Lifestyle’
Rane follows what is known as the “Caveman Lifestyle” to stay fit and healthy. This involves eating real food, avoiding supplements, energy drinks, and protein bars, and integrating the caveman diet into his busy lifestyle. The caveman diet does not require counting calories.
Key Aspects of the Caveman Lifestyle
- Real Food: Rane focuses on eating whole, unprocessed foods, similar to what cavemen would have consumed.
- Whole Body Exercises: He engages in whole-body exercises like running, trekking, and swimming, simulating the physical challenges faced by cavemen.
- Muscular Challenges: Rane practices whole-body lifts such as squats, presses, kettle-bell swings, sit-ups, and pull-ups.
- CrossFit: His workouts include CrossFit exercises like kettle-bell swings, rope climbing, box jumps, and battle rope workouts.
- Shuttle Badminton: Rane occasionally plays shuttle badminton.
He works out until exhaustion and is not specific about counting numbers even with fitness.
Rane’s Fitness Philosophy
Harshavardhan Rane views fitness as a commitment. He emphasizes the importance of a balanced lifestyle, including a strict diet and regular exercise.
