Aamir Khan’s Extreme Transformation- Fat To Fit!

A million crazy followers, single movie release in a year and unprecedented anticipation among masses, that’s Aamir Khan for you! When it comes to portraying characters on-screen, Aamir has yet again proved that he can go to any lengths to prove his mettle. In his latest movie Dangal, Aamir is seen playing the role of a well-known wrestler- Mahavir Phogat. It showcases his journey of a young wrestler to an aging, pot-bellied yet strong-built father to teenaged girls. In Aamir’s words, he was very scared of serious medical implications because of such radical and extreme physical transformation. But Aamir managed to create magic yet again.

Aamir says, “I suggested to the director that I should put on weight first as 80% of the film revolves around my fat avatar. Also, if I shoot those parts later then I will be left with no motivation to shed the extra kilos“. While gaining weight was easier as he could eat whatever he wanted but difficult as he still had to do his intense bench press and squats to look like a wrestler. For a man weighing roughly around 97 kgs it is difficult to workout in the gym to look like a wrestler albeit an old one.
But his fitness Dangal started when he had to lose weight and reduce his 38% body fat to a fit 9%.
Aamir says he gave himself 5 months to get in the shape of a wrestler in his younger days. Aamir told the famous wrestler Sushil Kumar that his aim was to get a body like Sushil’s for Dangal.
Though his training in the gym is unbeatable and can easily give any wrestler a run for his money, Aamir says that, “Diet is no.1 in changing body. It doesn’t matter how much you exercise – if your diet isn’t right, the results won’t show”.

According to Aamir, a fit body is-

• Diet –  50%
• Workout – 25%
• Rest & Sleep – 25%

One must sleep for 8 hrs, to get maximum results.
To lose 22 kgs in a short span of time, Aamir stuck to the time-tested method of calorie intake count. Aamir explains that in this method of weight loss, if you consistently intake lesser calories than what you burn, you are bound to lose weight. So for example, you will lose 500 calories if you intake 2000 calories and burn 2500. By maintaining this you will typically lose 3500 calories in a week which is equal to losing half a kg. A person can multiply these results if he manages to increase this daily calorie reduction.
Diet plays a pivotal role here, a person needs to take a balanced diet in order to achieve the above. Aamir informs that a balanced diet consists of

• Protein – 30%​
• Healthy Fats – 20%​
• Carbohydrates – 50%​

This is the correct and most effective approach to losing weight, there is no magical pill or shortcut to health as such.

Aamir’s nutritionist, Dr. Nikhil Dhurander, gave him a diet which oscillated between 1800 to 2500 calories. He took 8-10 small meals in a day. Aamir believes, we are what we eat. To keep up his metabolism, Aamir drinks 3-4 ltrs of water everyday and sleep for 8 hrs everyday.

Aamir’s Dangal Diet Routine

• Breakfast – He would eat 25 gm of Upma with 100 gm papaya. That would be followed with a protein shake and tuna sandwich of just a slice of bread.
• Lunch – There were rotis made of 30 gm of whole grains along with some vegetables.
• Dinner – Any food option including natural protein sources, like fish( Aamir took a brief break from his vegan diet, as instructed by his trainers)

His physical trainers Rakesh Udiyar (who is also Salman Khan’s trainer) and Rahul Bhatt (veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt’s son) helped with his gym workout schedules.
To lose 22 kgs in a span of 5 months, Aamir started with 6 hrs workout in a day.
In the first 3 weeks of his weight loss journey, his daily workout schedule was-

• Weight Training – 1 hr
• Hiking – 3 hrs
• Cycling – 2 hrs
• Tennis – 1 hr
• Swimming – 1 hr

He slept for 10-12 hrs during this period. Aamir says that he lost around 2 kgs every week during this period.

According to Aamir, legs are the toughest body part to work on. Squats is the toughest exercise for him. Aamir’s trainers mention that there were days when he was too tired to do anything but his unrelenting passion and dedication towards his craft kept him going. Even on his most tiring days in the gym, he did better than before.

Aamir’s physical transformation story is one of commitment and dedication. It will inspire millions of fans to overcome limits and boundaries to achieve their goals. For a 51 yr old man weighing 97 kgs to play a young wrestler in his 20s, losing and gaining 22 kgs in a span of few months is awe-inspiring. For his fans, Aamir adds nobody should undergo such an intense training and diet plan without expert guidance.