How I Keep Healthy: No Breakfast. No Lunch. No Apologies

Most people assume the day of a hospital chairman begins with a gruelling workout and a carefully planned breakfast. For Dr G Anil Krishna, CMD, Medicover Hospitals, it starts with something far simpler: a cup of black coffee and an hour-long conversation with his wife. “That one hour sets the tone for my day,” he says. “We talk about everything and nothing. It’s the most important part of my routine.” For a man leading a network of 26 hospitals, wellness is less about trends and more about consistency.

Coffee first, meals later

Dr Krishna follows a form of intermittent fasting, though not by design. “I don’t eat breakfast. I don’t eat lunch either,” he says. “Until evening, it’s mostly black coffee and black tea.”

His first meal comes around 6 pm and focuses on protein, fibre and low-carbohydrate foods. Dinner follows a few hours later, with no snacking in between. “What you eat determines how you perform. If you’re constantly feeling sluggish, it affects everything.”

The workout he enjoys

Exercise is non-negotiable, but it doesn’t have to feel like a chore. On busy days, he fits in a brisk walk or a gym session lasting 30 minutes to an hour. When time allows, he prefers badminton or tennis. “You enjoy the game so much that you don’t realise you’re exercising.” For him, fitness is not about chasing records. It’s about maintaining the energy and stamina needed to perform at his best every day.

Carrying the weight of decisions

Leading a healthcare network comes with pressures that extend beyond business targets. “The outcomes you carry aren’t always clinical. They’re human,” he says.

Every decision affects employees, hospitals and patient communities. While successes are celebrated, setbacks often become lessons. “When things don’t go well, you analyse what could have been done differently. That’s how you learn and avoid repeating mistakes.”

Sundays belong to family

Despite a packed schedule, Sundays are reserved for rest and family. “I sleep in, slow down and spend time with family,” he says. It’s also the one day he allows himself a small indulgence. “Usually around 5 or 6 in the evening, I’ll have ice cream or cake. That's my cheat meal.” The pause, he says, is necessary. “A leader who never rests is a leader who eventually burns out.”