Man behind Aamir Khan's Dangal look to reveal secrets in book

New Delhi: The nutritionist who helped superstar Aamir Khan lose multiple kilos of fat and simultaneously gain several kilos of muscle for 'Dangal' is all set to come out with a book on fat loss uniquely designed for the Indian body.

In the book tentatively titled "The Dhurandhar Fat-Loss Diet", Dr Nikhil Dhurandhar talks of a thoughtfully- constructed, scientifically-based diet that strategically harnesses the muscle-preserving and hunger-reducing power of protein from non-vegetarian as well as vegetarian food sources.

Losing less muscle by the end of the diet means that not only are people healthier with better body strength and greater ability to control blood sugar levels, but because of a better resting metabolic rate, they are less likely to regain the fat, according to physician and nutritional biochemist who has been involved with obesity treatment and research for over 30 years.

Says Aamir about his nutritionist, "No cheat days! ... Reducing body fat to less than 10 per cent for 'Dangal' was not easy. Dr Nikhil Dhurandhar's vast experience and expertise in scientific weight loss were essential in helping me reach this difficult goal... Without him I would not have achieved what I did." Weight loss, says Dr Dhurandhar, is a misleading term.

"Based on erroneous advice, people imagine they are losing weight, but in reality they are losing large amounts of muscle tissue and water, and little fat.

"It's only a matter of when they regain the weight. Only this time, the weight will come back as fat, not muscle. And Indians have relatively less muscle, which they cannot afford to keep losing," he says.

Speaking of his experience with Aamir, he says, "In 2015, I met someone who would prove to be one of my most challenging patients ever, Aamir Khan. His film required him to not only lose multiple kilos of fat, but simultaneously gain several kilos of muscle. So I put him on a very specific, highly calibrated protein-powered diet.

"He is an extraordinarily disciplined and capable individual who, with his sustained efforts, reached the desired goal of having only 10 per cent body fat for shooting." He says the vision of his book, published by HarperCollins India, is to make practical weight loss possible for readers.

Senior Commissioning Editor for Lifestyle at HarperCollins India, Debasri Rakshit, says, "When in distress, always trust a doctor. Dr Dhurandhar's expertise in the field of obesity research is phenomenal.

"With not enough doctors on the ground to treat obesity and the rising diabetes epidemic on an individual basis, this book will address the vital need of spreading scientifically verified information on fighting obesity."

Says Dr Dhurandhar's agent Kanishka Gupta, "Not only does Dr Dhurandhar demolish several myths about weight loss in his book but he also introduces a radically new and highly-effective dietary framework tailored specifically for the Indian audience."