Renu Kalsi, founder of Sohumm Yoga, a wellness centre in Mumbai has over a decade of experience with teaching and has trained many celebrities like Ada Khan, Kajal Aggarwal, Shibani Kashyap, Ritesh Batra, Tina Ahuja and Neil Bhoopalam. Renu, a strict vegetarian, believes in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and making the most of natural and organic ingredients that have multiple benefits. Here’s what Renu eats everyday to stay fit and active.
Renu’s Daily Diet
Breakfast:
Renu’s day starts at 5AM. “I love mornings as they are so peaceful. My yoga practice starts on the bed itself. I do deep breathing exercises and some simple stretches. This gives my body and brain more oxygen and helps me think clearly,” says Renu.
Once up she has a glass of warm water along with one tablespoon of seeds: chia, white sesame, flax, cucumber, watermelon, fenugreek or muskmelon seeds (she keeps rotating them every day). “This provides my body with omega 3 for the joints, increases hemoglobin levels, and calcium. It also replenishes the required vitamin levels that are essential for healthy hair and body,” adds Renu. She then eats a bowl full of oats along with organic honey.
Mid-day snack:
She drives to work by 6AM so she has to carry a mid-day meal to keep herself fuelled. This consists of a protein shake along with dry fruits such as almonds, walnuts and raisins, which are really good for the skin. She also carries two seasonal fruits with her. She eats these in between her yoga classes while she does her stretches and Surya Namaskars with clients. “I practice 50 to 60 Surya Namaskars everyday and by the time I am done, I am starving,” says Renu.
As soon as she is back home around noon, she heads to the kitchen to prepare a detox juice for herself. The juice is a smooth blend of carrot, beetroot, amla, pudina, ginger, raw turmeric and celery and helps cleanse the digestive system and kidneys, increases immunity and even works on the skin, lending it a bright glow.
Lunch:
Since Renu loves cooking she prepares her own food which consists of multigrain uttapa with green coriander and mint chutney, or one multigrain roti with veggies or a vegetable khichdi with curd.
Her afternoon meal is usually divided into two parts since that keeps acidity and indigestion away. So an hour after lunch she has a glass of chaas along with a salad which comprises olives, lettuce, red radish, cucumber, seasonal salad leaves and a dressing of lime, oregano, nutmeg powder, black pepper and mustard sauce. This keeps the sinus clear and allergies away. She also has a cup of green tea, mid-afternoon.
Dinner:
Renu has dinner by 8.30PM and prefers to keep it light and healthy. It usually consists of vegetable soup with a multigrain toast and a slice of cheese, paneer or tofu. Before going to bed, she has a glass of warm water with two prunes, and meditates for a while.
Weekend indulgences:
Weekends are the time to indulge and Renu ends up eating out a lot, but makes sure to stick to smaller portion sizes. Thin-crust cheese pizza is her favourite but even when she is eating that, she keeps it to a maximum of three slices. After she has eaten to her heart’s content she comes home and has hot water with ginger, lime, honey and black pepper this helps deal with digestion.
