84 matches, 2 months of IPL 2026, midnight hunger: Nutritionist shares simple diet tips to avoid weight gain

The IPL season is around the corner and cricket enthusiasts must be waiting with bated breath to watch their favourite team in action. If you are not out in the stadium cheering for your beloved player, then you must be at home watching the match unfold on your phone screens or television, perhaps surrounded by friends or family, chatting endlessly and binge-eating lip-smacking snacks, only sleeping when the game is over. If this is your plan, then Mumbai nutritionist Sanya Wadhera warns of the possible health consequences of following this lifestyle every day for 2 months, until the season ends.

In her latest X-post, Sanya Wadhera has highlighted how making mindless wellness choices during the IPL season can take a toll on your body later on. She has also revealed a few steps on how to take good care of your well-being during this period.

Nutritionist warns about poor habits during IPL season

Sanya Wadehra listed some common practices IPL-lovers tend to engage in, which include sleeping at 12 am after the match ends, ordering food from online food delivery apps during every timeout, skipping the gym, cracking open beer cans at 8 pm on a Tuesday, and digging into a plate of butter chicken at midnight, all while analysing the diet, recovery and fitness routine of star players like Virat Kohli. But this 2-month cycle has its consequences.

Sleep collapses

As per Sanya Wadhera, going to bed past midnight for 60 days resets your body clock, spiking your cortisol, lowering your testosterone and increasing your fat storage. The damage can only be felt in June, but you blame the heat for your low energy, claims the nutritionist.

Poor eating

Since you are ordering food from Swiggy or Zomato just because the match is on and it ‘feels right, you unconsciously consume 60 extra meals your body didn’t ask for.

Gym streak dies

Skipping gym sessions due to the match schedule leads to a loss of consistency. As a result, starting over in June feels impossible until you push it to the next month and sometimes even procrastinate until the next year.

Easy ways to take care of your health during IPL season

As per Sanya Wadhera, simple steps can help you enjoy the match while also ensuring that your health isn’t compromised. These include

• Pre-deciding what to eat before the match starts. On-the-spot food orders or ones made during a timeout at 10 pm are always the worst ones.
  
• Paying attention to your protein intake before the match, as it fills you up. This ensures that you snack less, order less frequently and don’t end up eating 2 dinners by midnight.
  
• Don’t compromise on exercise and hit the gym daily to maintain consistency and avoid guilt.

IPL 2026 is scheduled to begin on March 28. The first match is between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, at 7:30 pm.