Food, fitness tips for women right off the bat – The Hindu

Jelly Belly is for women in dire need of a dose of wellness. After Skin Deep, Aparna Santhanam has launched her latest book for women who have no time to tend to their health as they juggle multiple commitments at work and home.

In keeping with the fitness theme, Sachin Tendulkar, who set exacting standards on the field over two decades and more, and his wife, Anjali, struck up a conversation with the author at the book launch, hosted by comedian Vikram Sathaye, last week.

To everyone’s surprise, the cricket legend, in the glow of retirement, let the audience in on a secret. “Both of us [his wife and he] hate the gym and that definitely brought us together. There is partnership on the field, but there is definitely partnership off the field and you have to help each other to stay fit and healthy. After my retirement, I would take it easy and wake up late and then find Anjali in the gym upstairs. So I would feel guilty and join her,” he said.

Dr. Santhanam, who has known Dr. Anjali since college, discussed the writing of the book. “Both Anjali and Sachin really helped me brainstorm ideas about fitness and healthy living. We all love food and it brings us together, but we also believe in fitness. Moderation is key.”

She said everyone should be educated on ways to be fit and healthy and not necessarily worry about the “skinny body image that the media promote”.

Dr. Anjali said: “I think as women, we tend to focus on our duties as wife, mother and if you have a career then you are trying to make it all work. Most often, you forget to take care of yourself and your needs. It is important to find some time for yourself and do things that make you happy and also take care of your health. I do not like the gym, but I do it because I want to be healthy and I believe that prevention is better than cure and I have a family history of illnesses so you must work out and eat right.”

The master player called Adrian Le Roux the best trainer he had worked with during his career. “I really enjoyed training when Adrian from South Africa joined our team. He never forced us [to work out]. ‘Whenever you like to, you come to gym. I will monitor you,’ he would say. Training became an addiction to me. Even after fielding in hot conditions in Sri Lanka and West Indies, I would go and cycle for an hour after that,” he said.

Even after retirement, Sachin trains. “For every sportsman, the body will give a message if something is going to go wrong or you are pushing too hard. Towards the end of my career, I realised there is nothing better than training hard and that is the integral part,” he said.