Live Life, Anil Ambani Style

The marathon-running tycoon is an inspiration for those who want to lead a healthier, fuller life

Eisha Sarkar
Posted on Hello Wellness on  Sep 5 2010 7:55AM

An enthusiastic blogger writes, "I just got the complete details on what Anil Ambani gets to eat every day. Apparently, he gets up at 5.00 am, jogs till 6.30 am, and begins his day with a banana and some cereals washed down with protein milk at 8.00 am. At lunchtime, he gets to be a little hungry and so indulges in some sprouts, a cup of dal and two chappatis. He repeats the same menu for dinner. He goes to bed at 10.30 pm sharp. What’s the point in accumulating all that wealth amounting to Rs 50,000 crore, if all you get to eat are some meagre sprouts and an uninviting banana? Can someone explain?"

It is hard to understand why the chairman of the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group would want to run 100 kms a week or not down a glass of champagne at a party. But how many billiionaires actually run marathons? Money can’t buy you health. You have to earn it yourself. And Anil Ambani inspires those who find it difficult to balance their health and wealth aspirations.

In a 2002 interview, Ambani narrated an incident that changed the way he looked at himself. He was at an investor meeting in New York where one of the investors after the presentation was over said, “Well, Mr Ambani, the company looks in great shape and we have great confidence in its future. But have you looked at yourself recently in the mirror?” Ambani responded, “Well, that's a personal question, can we discuss it separately?” The investor didn’t budge. “No. I have the guts to ask this question in front of everybody, so I need the answer now.” Ambani said, “No I've not looked at myself recently in the mirror.” The investor remarked, “If you are not in a good shape, I don't think your company can be in good shape.” After the presentation, Ambani looked at himself in the mirror. He was 103 kilos in weight and he said, “I look awful.”
 Thus, he started a ‘change in lifestyle’ programme. He shed 35 kilos and changed his complete lifestyle to sustain himself and he continues with it till this day.

So how do you live like Anil Ambani (minus the billions)?

Be on the run: Wake up at 4.00 am like Ambani and go for a long run. You may even go trekking, hiking on trails or play polo.  Besides exercising those muscles, it will help clear your head and even bring you 'some of the best business ideas'.

Go vegetarian: Though Ambani swears by pav-bhaji (without oodles of butter) he follows a strict pure vegetarian diet. Before noon, he eats only fruits and drinks juices. He takes no white products – no iodised salt, no refined flour, so sugar and no milk products. He prefers crushed rock salt and uses honey instead of sugar. He never mixes cereals. No dal-roti sabzi-chawal for him too but a bajra or jawar roti. He always eats fruits before meals and never mixes sweet and sour fruits.

Be disciplined: Rujuta Diwekar, who trained Ambani for a year for the 2005 Mumbai Marathon, says Ambani has a strong sense of responsibility towards his fitness. He always finds time daily to train, run, stretch and eat right. And you don't have to be rich to do that!

Sleep in rhythm: Though Ambani sleeps just five hours a day he manages to start the day afresh. So it doesn't really matter how many hours you sleep - six, seven or eight - but how well you sleep.

Abstain from alcohol and nicotine: Teetotalling may have something to do with Anil Ambani's clear-headedness and foresight and you may want to follow his example to live life king size.

Invest in not just wealth: As Ambani says, "I think you have to work with people, and when I talk about managing relationships, don’t think the derogatory 'managed relationships'. It is a question of sharing emotion and feelings. The common denominator of everything can’t be money, and it should not be money."