Malayalam actor Prithviraj Sukumaran’s wellness kit is powered by “water and black coffee”. During a recent interview, the Varanasi actor revealed that when it comes to travel, he likes to keep it clean and simple with “some form of easy-to-eat protein”. His workouts have shifted from six days a week, with one off, to “three on, one off” and “two on, one off” now that he is in his 40s.

“Mainly lifting sessions with some steady-state cardio at the end,” he told Hollywood Reporter India.

How do they each help? We spoke to health experts and decoded Prithviraj Sukumaran’s wellness routine:

Black coffee

Deepalakshmi, a registered dietitian at Shree Balaji Medical Centre, Chennai, says that black coffee is a source of antioxidants, caffeine, and essential nutrients like B vitamins. “The caffeine acts as a central nervous system stimulant, blocking adenosine receptors in the brain and promoting the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine,” she tells indianexpress.com.

Easy-to-eat protein

According to her, most airport or railway station food is calorie-dense and nutritionally poor, and therefore Sukumaran’s choice to carry a homemade meal is “lighter, hygienic, portion-controlled, and cost-effective”, aka qualities that matter when you are on the move.

Deepalakshmi believes that when you travel, eating something rich in protein helps you “stay full and energised for longer, avoid discomfort, and skip the expense and heaviness of processed fare”. She also recommends some healthy options, such as roasted chana, peanuts, trail mixes, energy bars, dried fruits, yoghurt, and whole-grain sandwiches during travel.

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The actor is focusing on low intensity cardio. (Source: Instagram/@therealprithvi)

Weightlifting and steady-state cardio

Personal fitness expert Deepika Singh adds that once the body enters midlife, it begins losing muscle mass and strength, and becomes more susceptible to injury. Therefore, even routine workouts can lead to strains or overuse injuries if not approached with adequate progression and recovery.

Singh says that in your 40s, you cannot approach fitness with the same intensity as you used to in youth. “Do not skip structured warm-ups, mobility work, and do not measure progress in terms of weight or intensity,” she warns.

“Continue lifting weights as that can lower the risk of developing chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and osteoporosis,” she says, but at the same time, Sharma reiterates the importance of cardio workouts in one’s routine.

Sukumaran also mentions easing into steady-state cardio, which is a low-intensity exercise that involves walking or jogging to cycling or swimming, for a duration of 45-60 minutes. Sharma adds that it helps “burn fat, improves blood flow and endurance”.

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