Jaideep Ahlawat who was last seen in ‘Jewel Thief’ alongside Saif Ali Khan is known for a variety of roles and loved. He’s now hailed as one of the best actors we have and in a recent interview Jaideep also spoke about his food habits and how he maintained his weight despite eating well. For those not in the know, Jaideep had also given fans a glimpse of his drastic weight transformation for his role in ‘Maharaj’. In a candid conversation with Kunal Vijaykar on the YouTube show Khaane Mei Kaun Hai, Bollywood actor Jaideep Ahlawat opened up about his childhood eating habits and the active lifestyle that kept him remarkably fit. Reflecting on his early years in a village in Haryana, Jaideep shared how his robust appetite was perfectly balanced by a physically demanding routine. “Until 2008, my weight never crossed 70 kgs, even though I am so tall. And I used to eat at least 40 rotis in a day because you are eating and burning it all,” he said, recalling his incredible metabolism and the intense physical activity that came with growing up in a rural setting. Skipping traditional lunches wasn’t unusual for Jaideep. Instead, he would head straight to the farms to snack on seasonal produce. “We would have sugarcane, carrots, guavas, or whatever was the season’s produce,” he recounted. Mornings typically started with hearty meals consisting of chane, bajre ki roti, or missi roti, served with lassi, homemade butter, and chutney. As he put it, “Just that. And we would have dinner after that. Lunch was prepared but the idea was that in case someone is hungry they can have it, but this wasn’t a thing.” Milk held a special place in his daily diet. Jaideep recalled, “Milk was an essential part of my life. Half a liter at least thrice a day. During those years when we were growing up, we weren’t allowed to have milk in a glass. Either have it in a lota or jug. And this was very common.” Even after more than a decade in Mumbai, Jaideep’s preference for simple, home-cooked meals hasn’t changed. “I have been in Mumbai for 15-16 years now, and I still like eating at home. Even when I go for parties, I come back home and eat my home-cooked food,” he said, highlighting his deep-rooted connection to his upbringing and traditional food habits. Jaideep had confessed he had gained weight during lockdown and was asked to get in shape for ‘Maharaj’. He shared a post on Instagram and said, “From 109.7 Kg. to 83 Kg. in 5 month 🤪🤪 That’s the Physical Transformation for the Role of Maharaj.” He further spoke about it during a chat with Hindustan Times and said, “I used to workout 3 times a day towards the end period. I was on a calorie deficit with a high protein diet. In the beginning, my trainer didn’t make me withdraw too much from food because I didn’t know how to follow any diets. Pehle din aadmi ne 10 paraanthe khaaye ho and agle din use ek bhi na mile toh vo paagal hosakta hai, so my journey was gradual. The target for calories deficit with high protein foods. Thankfully, I don’t crave sugar or sodas in my daily routine, what’s bothersome was ghar ka khaana na khaana, like pav bhaji, chutney, lassi, chole bhature and paraanthe. Mujhe chatpate ki craving hoti thi bahut zyaada.”
