Catch ’em young

lsquoHealthy eating is part of our value systemrsquoSonu Sood doesnrsquot support the notion that introducing kids to a resistance training programme at a young age could be detrimental His older son Eshaan took to one at the age of 12 even though he was exposed to other forms of fitness at age five ldquoHe was always fascinated by the things I would do It is essential to take to a training routine from an early age because it facilitates the development of a healthy mind and body unlocks onersquos true potential and channelises raw energy into something productiverdquo says Sood adding that Eshaan was also inclined to sports from a young ageldquoHe loved playing badminton and football and is undergoing training in boxing Resistance training and sports enhance body functions and bring about a sense of discipline Discipline is rewarding in both personal and professional liferdquoRegardless of when a child is introduced to fitness training Sood says essentials such as teaching the correct form and taking to a diet that is aligned with the routine is of prime importance Healthy living he says is the ldquocornerstone of our lives at homerdquoldquoThatrsquos how it should be for everyone A lot of problems of the modern world can be averted if you practice healthyliving Eat good food stay fit and give the body the space it needs to unwind Even if yoursquore pushing the limits while training you should be calculative and have a realistic picture of what yoursquore aiming for Obsession is damaging Be easy on yourself but also prepare yourself for days that demand more from yourdquoHis kids have taken to his ldquowholesome protein dietrdquo which he describes as part of the value system that is unique to each family ldquoFor us healthy living and eating is an important aspect of our value systemrdquo5Age at which Sonu Soodrsquos son Eshaan took to traininglsquoHe can do everything in the bookrsquoMy elder son literally fliesrdquo says Ahmed Khan of Azaan 20 A glimpse at his social media pages reveals that that in fact is true Like his directorchoreographer father the youngster too is a blackbelt holder in combat sports forms like taekwondo and tai chi and has been training since eight yearsldquoIrsquove trained since I was seven My sons younger Subhaan began to train at the age of seven and 12 If I had daughters Irsquod make them do the same This is a discipline that helps you become physically fit and mentally quick My wife and I enjoy fitness activities and we also had a hero in the house in Tiger Shroff who was idolised by my sonsrdquo says KhanKhan admits that Azaan harbours dreams to be an actor and has been training himself to ldquolearn everything in the bookrdquo to be physically adept for the job ldquoThe things that I learnt were basic We had moves like front and back flips Today the level of training that the kids are receiving is far more refined Also back then the trainers were not paid enough I trained from someone who is now teaching the US SWAT team Today parents donrsquot mind spending on trainers to enable their kids to become better That makes a differencerdquolsquoRysa had many role models at homersquoBhavana Pandey and RysaAnanya Pandayrsquos sister Rysa didnrsquot have to look too far when searching for a role model in the field of fitness As if actorfather Chunky Pandeyrsquos profession mdash which needed him to be shipshape at all times mdash wasnrsquot enough fitness professional Deanne Pandey wife of Chunkeyrsquos brother Chikki had inculcated in the kids a love for fitness ldquoBut a lot of Rysarsquos affection for athletics stems from the person that she isrdquo says mother Bhavana Pandey adding that the young girl had a flair for sports from a young ageAnanya Panday with sister RysaBoth the daughters says Bhavana were driven to athletics from the word go but Rysa had taken to it with more vigour ldquoThey were both trained in taekwondo Rysa is a blackbelt holder Ananya a green It was from the age of five that we began to train them and they were competitive Rysa acquired a love for football and went on to audition for the state level She has also grown up watching her elder sister develop an interest for fitness from a young agerdquoWhile Bhavana takes onus of the role played by parents in the development of their children she doesnrsquot discount the effort put in by their educators Grateful that her kids were part of a university that focused on athletics she highlights that they were compelled to ldquopick both sporting and nonsporting activitiesrdquo as electives She however draws the conversation back to the part that parents play in their childrenrsquos lives when stating that it is on them to ldquonotice what the child enjoys doingrdquo ldquoTalk to them and discuss options but donrsquot pressurise themIf they enjoy sports give them as many opportunities as you can through the school or a sportsorganisationrdquoAlso read National Nutrition Week Why one must pay attention to the nutrition table on food packaging