A friendly helping hand was the secret sauce in Manu Chandra’s 2019 diet

Chandra's buddy motivated him to wake up at 6 am and hit the gym, gave him better energy and focus.

By Glynda Alves, ET Bureau | Jan 20, 2020, 08.53 AM IST

Chandra’s biggest aim of the year gone by was to get his fitness and health in order.

Chef Manu Chandra is a one-man army in the kitchen, but when it came to his exercise routine, it looks like he needed a little help from a friend. Chandra’s biggest aim of the year gone by was to get his fitness and health in order. “I had promised myself for years that I would, if time permits, dedicate time towards exercise. But year upon year, with the lifestyle of a chef, this didn’t work out,” he said.

A little help from a friend went a long way. “A wellbuilt friend of mine implored me to join the gym round the corner to where I live. He promised to come and help me get started, and held on to his end of the bargain,” Chandra said.

The next few months saw him wake up at 6 am, something that wasn’t easy, given that his work day ended only about five hours earlier. But he stuck to it, and it’s been a year. “The results are fabulous. Not only do I look better, but I also have better energy and focus. I want to continue this plan, and hopefully I’ll grow from strength to strength,” he said.

5 Simple Exercises To Calm Your Muscles At Work

1/5

To undo some of the stiffness, start by placing your feet flat on the floor. As you slowly bend down move your pelvis forward and back, focus on working out your core muscles to feel that your body is getting loose.

Maintain your breathing while you perform the exercise and tilt the top of your pelvis back, drawing your belly button toward your spine like one would in a cat pose. Repeat it several times for better relaxation.