More than a Bollywood celebrity, Shilpa Shetty Kundra is also a successful businesswoman who takes her fitness and well-being very seriously, reflected in her fitness, cooking, and healthy living videos. Here she discusses how she manages to stay fit while keeping everything in balance.
Personal Fitness
“My aim is to be fit so the form doesn’t really matter— it can be yoga, it can be core strengthening, high intensity training; anything that improves my strength and agility, and flexibility is the form that I enjoy; I also enjoy doing weights for my legs because this works very well for me. And with age, you need to strengthen your muscles as there is a loss of bone density muscle mass.”
Specific Diet
“I start off the day with a big meal and by the end of the day, I eat like a pauper. For breakfast, I try to include something raw in the form of a fruit or avocado. I do not indulge in or encourage any added refined sugar or refined flour in my food or my meal plans; and yes, I do eat carbohydrates contrary to popular belief. But I try to minimize my carbs by the end of the day. Breakfast is eggs, and lunch is also fish, chicken, or meat or some high protein vegetables. In the night I have a clear soup with some boiled beetroot, sometimes chicken or grilled fish, and some stir-fried vegetables.”
Timings
“While I don’t complicate my meals, the only difference is that I eat my last meal between 7 to 8 pm. It is very important to stop eating at least three hours before you go to bed.”
Coping with Stress
“Being a full-time mom, I try my best to get in three days of yoga/weight training; but I try to concentrate on my breath at the end of the day when I meditate. While I try to get in three days of weight training, one or two days a week, I let go of any kind of regime for my body to rest, rejuvenate, and recover from my workout. Travel also takes a toll so sometimes you need to give your body rest. I actually give sleep and rest as much importance as my gym regime.”
Nourishing the Spirit
“Yoga is the only holistic form of exercise that not only helps you physically, but also mentally. It definitely makes you more flexible and helps in toning. This helps in your overall fitness and wellness because if you are mentally fit, you are calmer. Also you are able to think in a more positive way and essentially, you can only come away with positives when you start to do yoga. Also, Pranayamas, or deep breathing, help me stay in top mental health.”
