Saina Nehwal shares her fitness and diet secrets for staying in top shape: ‘My go-to cardio hack for weight loss…'

Hindustan Times

30-05-2025

Saina Nehwal, ace badminton player and Olympic medalist stays at the top of her game through disciplined workouts and a well-balanced diet that also includes cheat days. In a May 10 interview with Fit Tak, she shares her insights on managing cheat meals, cardio routines and strength training to stay fit and competitive. (Also read: Dr. S Jaishankar's daily routine for staying fit at 70 includes yoga, morning squash, 30 minutes walk )
Talking about how she manages cheat days, Saina shares, "If you want to indulge, you can do it on Wednesdays and Sundays. And if you have the time, it's even better to do a light workout 2–3 hours after your cheat meal. That way, you burn some of the calories, enjoy your food, and still feel satisfied that you balanced it out with exercise." As for how often one should have a cheat day, Saina recommends limiting it to once a week for better results and discipline.
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Saina also shared her go-to cardio hack, revealing that she prefers incline walking over regular walking. "It's more effective than a normal walk because you burn more calories in less time," she explains. She also recommends incorporating running into your routine, ideally for 20 to 30 minutes. "Running is always fun. When you sweat, you feel good and sleep better too," she adds.
When asked which is better for weight loss, running or incline walking, Saina says both have their place. She suggests incline is tough. It's not easy, and doing it every day is difficult as it causes leg pain. But you can alternate one day of incline and the next day running.
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Saina also recommends incorporating weight training into your routine for overall strength and conditioning. According to her you gain strength from lifting heavy weights, while running helps tone your body and makes you feel strong as well.
She advises starting slow and lifting according to your capacity, saying there's no need to aim for 100 kg right away. It's important to lift what you're comfortable with, begin with something light and gradually increase the weight as you build strength.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.