Good food and exercise are the two things that have kept me in shape throughout. And because I treasure my fitness, I have taken the pains to read books and magazines to keep myself posted. Frankly speaking, I do not like to consult too many experts and doctors — it can confuse you like crazy. I think I know my body best and decide what suits its needs through trial and error.

I have a small gym at home. I work out for an hour at least, regularly. This routine of course is interrupted when I am shooting outstation. But I make it a point, even while shooting outdoors, to either swim or run. Before exercise, I do an elaborate warm-up. Stretching is a very good way of gearing up for the workout.

I do crunches, treadmill, rowing — all the usual things one needs to do for all-round fitness. I would love to do yoga on a regular basis. I have received some training in this but that is not enough. I intend to go on a yoga regimen for at least five days a week. But that’s not possible until I finish shooting for Sahib, Biwi aur Gulam.

There’s one more thing I do everyday. Meditation. I take five minutes off from my schedule and just relax with my eyes closed. I do not practise any breathing exercises during meditation. It’s just a way of de-stressing. I get sound sleep after that. I have realised the importance of practising meditation over the years. My career demands too much of my time and energy. I feel drained out quite often. And meditation helps me bounce back into form. Apart from that, music has had a big role to play in my fitness routine. I need music when I am running on the treadmill. It perks me up. So be it ghazals or trance, my workout is incomplete without music.

I have also had a long affair with sports. I was the games captain in school. I also learnt karate for a long time and even got a brown belt. That apart, I was hooked onto riding. I lived close to Juhu beach as a child. I loved playing with the horses that strolled on the beach. It’s here that my training in riding began. I still love riding but don’t get time to ride the way I did as a child.

Swimming is another favourite. It’s not just a good way of keeping fit but also refreshing. Given a chance, I can stay in the pool the whole day. I play water games occasionally. As I don’t have a pool, I visit a club in my neighbourhood.

Gourmet affair

I have always believed that fitness is a holistic concept. If I am unhappy, then an hourglass figure is of no use. And I cannot stay away from food in order to get the right curves. It might help my body but my spirits will droop. Therefore, I do not believe that a strict diet can help me. I eat — quite a bit — but with caution.

My day begins with two glasses of water. Thanks to my husband, I am cultivating healthy water habits now. He drinks tonnes of water throughout the day. I am learning from him. I now carry drinking water to work, which was not the case earlier. I also drink milk shakes and fruit juices very often. I also take a lot of nimbu pani and nariyal pani. And no matter how thirsty I am, I do not touch aerated drinks.

After taking water in the morning, I eat a handful of almonds. I finish with my breakfast in the next half an hour. Breakfast is usually the same everyday — wheat bread, poached eggs and seasonal fruits.

For lunch and dinner, it’s dal, subzi and fish curry for me. I have them with either roti or rice. I don’t take red meat at all. And I don’t eat chicken very often either. Actually, I am a fish freak. My favourite dish? Smoked salmon. I also love grilled fish and shrimp. If you have noticed, my favourite food items are not rich or spicy. All these fish delicacies can be cooked with little or no oil.

Next to fish, my favourite is salads. Caesar salad is the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted. I love to experiment with salad dressings and sauces. I admit that some of the dressings can be very rich in calories. But I still indulge in these — once in a while — to satisfy my craving. I also love pasta and Mughlai food. Once or twice a month, I do some serious pigging. You can’t survive on just health food!

I don’t eat sweets too much. They never agreed with my system. Of late, however, I am taking them in small portions. Touch wood, my body is now responding well to sweets.

I make it a point to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, especially carrots and cucumbers. And last but not the least, I always include yoghurt in my meals. It’s highly nutritious.