On chef Vikas Khanna's bucket list: A run on the streets of Philadelphia with Sylvester Stallone

Chef Vikas Khanna on how family and focus help him stay fit mentally and physically.

Body
“I think living a healthier life is important. Fitness along with a balanced diet helps all of us. With my travels and schedules, I still try to work out three times a week. I love doing free-hand exercises, swimming and stretching. Although I am not very disciplined due to my travels, I try to work out in the mornings. When it comes to food, it might surprise people that most of the days, I eat exactly the same food. It helps me to focus more on my work which also includes a lot of tastings all day. These days it’s seafood biryani with barley or quinoa. Nuts are always in my laptop bag with granola bars and I make sure I drink lots of water. Protein and fibre are very essential for me. Fitness becomes an important part of enjoying life.”


Mind
“Music, books, writing, being curious, travelling to lesser known places and discovering their food helps keep my mind sharp. I think mental health is equally important as physical health. I have been through major rough times and failures when my mind was paralysed. To fully function in life, mental health is very important.”'


One activity you want to try
“Skiing.”

One opponent, any sport?
“I would pick Sylvester Stallone to go for a run with. Obvious reason is to run on the steps of Philly.”

Soul
“Over the past three decades, I have figured out that staying calm helps you make better decisions and better food. You tend to create better team functioning if you are balanced. Music and focus on projects helps me keep my soul at peace. Spending time with my parents and travelling also helps feed my soul. Creating something new and focusing on work always helps.”