Criss-crossing the Indian wildlife sanctuaries, riddled with bouncy uneven terrain and rivers, is wildlife filmmaker Mike Pandey’s idea of remaining fit. After all, this Kenyan-born activist is in the midst of animals more often than he is in the company of his own.
Rummaging in the jungle in a heavy duty jeep to film a tigress waiting for a kill or playing with her cubs not only gives him a high but also helps him to remain fit even though he is pushing 64.
“Most of the time I am in the jungle and I guess this has kept me fit. While growing up in Kenya I moved around the countryside and this increased my stamina and energy level. I also did weight training there as well as in London but discontinued when I came to India in 1975. Gyms with scientific equipment didn’t exist here.”
Now, this over six foot tall wildlife expert does yogic, stretching and isometric exercises.
To maintain his physique, Mike takes a sufficient number of calories. He is not fastidious when it comes to food but makes sure he eats right and that too at the right time. His diet is predominantly vegetarian, gluten-free. The only exception is fish, which gives him omega 3 fatty acids. “But that too I take occasionally,” he says.
“I eat dal, chawal and seasonal vegetables like gourd, karela (bitter gourd).” He adds that he avoids wheat, “because it is not an Indian grain; it is a colonial import.”
During winters, he takes plenty of broccoli and cauliflower. When it comes to rice, the staple Indian diet, he takes the unpolished kind. Naturally, this nature-lover has his preferences clear.
He takes a moderate amount of alcohol too, as he believes that the secret to a healthy life lies in moderation.
“To balance my equilibrium, I take 60 per cent of alkaline and 40 per cent of acidic. I eat enough fibrous food; there is no ban on eating anything. I take an egg, with the cholesterol rich yolk, in a day. But do not take more than two or three eggs in a week.”
