What do you get when you take five talented, good-looking bad boys and put them in a singing group? The answer: International superstars The Wanted—a British band consisting of Max George, Nathan Sykes, Tom Parker, Jay McGuiness, and Siva Kaneswaran. You can’t turn on the radio in the US without hearing their #1 hit single “Glad You Came.” In addition to the massive US success of “Glad You Came” the group has had several Top 5 albums and numerous Number 1 singles in the UK and Ireland. Now, they have their own TV show on E! called The Wanted Life which will follow the band as they move into their new Hollywood home where they live, love, laugh, and of course, party
I have had the pleasure of working with The Wanted the last couple of years, so I know that in addition to partying, they also have some healthy habits in their routine; Max and Siva have the most active and consistent fitness programs. While we were all backstage at a May concert in San Diego, I asked them to share their healthy secrets.
Max George
Max loves push-ups and since that is basically a full-body workout, he knocks out a few hundred every day—and one of the great things about this workout is you can practice anywhere. Max also gets in an additional cardio workout running around on stage. As far as food, his favorite vegetable is broccoli; here is a delicious recipe Max recommends. (It can be made with regular or vegan cheese.)
Max’s Baked Broccoli
Ingredients
2 bunches of broccoli, diced, and lightly steamed
1 package of shredded cheddar cheese or 2 cups shredded (can substitute vegan cheese)
¼ cup of mayo (can use Vegenaise®)
½ lemon, freshly squeezed
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Combine the cheese, mayo, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.
Mix with lightly steamed broccoli.
Place broccoli and sauce in a casserole dish and bake for approximately 45 minutes until bubbling.
Siva Kaneswaran
Siva (who has an identical twin brother) makes exercise a priority. He loves to run and usually gets in 30 minutes at a time. Siva also chooses three different exercises to include in a work-out, such as sit ups, push-ups, pull-ups, or moves with a focus on the core; he completes three sets of 10 every day, rotating them among different work-outs to mix it up. His favorite healthy recipe is vegetable curry.
Siva’s Vegetable Curry
1 tbsp sesame oil (or coconut oil)
1 chopped onion
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 ½ tsp curry powder
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 ½ cup diced tomatoes (or 1 can diced tomatoes)
3 cups diced vegetables (or 1 pkg frozen veggies)
1 cube vegetable bouillon and 1 ½ cups water (or 1 ½ cup vegetable broth)
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In a large saucepan, heat oil and then sauté onion and garlic.
Stir in curry powder and tomato paste and simmer for two to three minutes.
Stir in tomatoes, vegetable bouillon cube and water (or vegetable broth), and veggies, salt, and pepper.
Simmer on stove approximately 30 minutes until veggies are done and flavors are marinated.
Remove from stove and garnish with cilantro before serving.
I enjoy working with and getting to know these fun and talented boys. Be sure and catch their TV show on E!, The Wanted Life …and try Max’s broccoli recipe.
Lori Rischer is a veteran music business executive, the KISS-FM health and fitness spokesperson, and yoga instructor. Rockstar Health & Fitness shares the healthy secrets of celebrities Check out her weekly blog at KIISFM.com keyword “Rockstar” or visit: LoriRischer.com
Lori Rischer is a music business promotion and marketing executive. In addition, she is the health & fitness spokesperson for KIIS-FM, a yoga teacher and certified yoga therapist. Rockstar Health & Fitness shares the healthy secrets of celebrities. Check out her blog at KIISFM.com keyword Rockstar or LoriRischer.com and listen to her workout playlist on icHeartRadio iheart.com/original/Rockstar-Health-Fitness.