Though she’s blessed with the genes of her sportsman father Prakash Padukone, Deepika Padukone never ever slacked when it comes to taking care of her body. Obviously she’s one of the fittest and hottest actresses in Bollywood. In a recent interview with DNA, DP spoke at length about fitness. Here are some of the things that you might want to make a note of if you are struggling to shed some extra pounds or just trying to embrace a healthier lifestyle in general.
- I come from a sports family, so I understand the importance of health and fitness as an athlete. It was a part of my growing-up years. My daily schedule consisted of waking up at 5.30 am and leaving for the badminton academy where I would play badminton for two hours after which the bus would drop me off home. I would have my breakfast and then leave for school. My dad being an athlete and mom being a fitness freak, I know how important it is to start your day with a workout. I play badminton as much as possible. An athletic lifestyle leads to a super shape!
- I had signed Cocktail and I had to wear clothes that my character demanded. I wanted to feel 100 percent confident while wearing those outfits. It was at that point of time that Yasmin Karachiwala came into my life and explained to me why doing pilates was so important to get the kind of body and level of fitness that I wanted. I have been hooked on pilates ever since. The kind of lifestyle I lead, I work 12-14 hours a day and get exhausted very quickly. Pilates opens up the body and I feel refreshed and energised after doing it. When I am not shooting I try and work out around six times a week. The beauty of pilates is that you never get tired of it.
- I don’t control my food but eat everything —from coconut malai to rice. People think they put on weight when they eat rice, but I eat rice and even sweets but in moderate quantities… Food reacts differently with different people. The trick is not to consume enough calories. Eat what your body needs and not what your eyes are eating. Yasmin always tells me to eat smart. The worst thing you can do to your body is to starve or do certain things like build six-pack abs in 10 days.
- Love your body and set realistic goals. Sometimes putting on weight can be beyond our control, including hormonal changes. Two years ago, I had put on 5 kg. Instead of going on some drastic diet I accepted the fact that my body had undergone some changes due to some hormonal imbalances and started planning out my exercise routine. Everything fell into place after that… Be fit because you deserve it.
We do! This interview has inspired me a lot!
You can also read my open letter to all the girls who are trying to lose weight, Bhumi Pednekar‘s weight loss tips and Parineeti Chopra‘s weight loss secrets.