I dream of being the fittest person on earth. In fact, fitness tops my priority list. As a child, I was heavily into sports. Also, I have always been dancing. But ever since I have been in this profession I have had to train under qualified instructors. This is imperative, especially because as an actress I have to bend my looks for the roles I play and it is only a trainer who can help me improve my looks and abilities.

Though I am from south India, I am based in Mumbai. Since I have a very busy schedule and often can’t make it to the gym, I have no option but to depend on a personal trainer and a personal gym. That gives me more freedom and allows me to schedule my exercise sessions accordingly. For the last one month or so, I have been in Calcutta. I find Calcutta ideal for fitness freaks, especially because there are good trainers, ample facilities as well as the opportunity to add variety to one’s regimen. For instance, in Calcutta, I have been training along with athletes and squash players. The enthusiasm around is quite inspiring. Interestingly, I was surprised to find women of all age groups visiting the gym.

Power yoga

As far as my fitness regimen is concerned, I prefer power yoga or vinyasa yoga because it suits me best. Power yoga is popular in the West, especially in Hollywood. Whenever I am there, I train under well-known power yoga trainers such as Bob Green. The best thing about fitness is that it is much more than just slimming down. In fact, you keep learning new things every day. Take for example the body fat percentage of which I was not aware. When measured, I found I had 25 per cent body fat, which was fine considering the Indian standard. But I soon realised that I needed to reduce my body fat to 18 per cent, which is the minimum requirement according to international standards.

Extra punch

I start off early at 6 or 6.30 am and train for one to one-and-a-half-hours. I ensure my regimen is full of variety. My trainer finalises my work out plan well ahead of time and I train in a group. This works as a motivator because I take it up as a challenge to outdo others in the group.

I pull up and belt press with 40lbs on my own without any help from the trainer. I love to express my feelings when I complete the exercise session. On certain days, I train in the evening for one-and-a-half-hours, apart from massaging and swimming. Since I dance a lot, I often skip a few exercises as and when necessary.

Food factor

I prefer more food in the forenoon, less food in the afternoon and no food at all after 8 pm. I sleep for about eight hours a day and make it a point to go to bed by 10.30. Since I am from south India my staple diet is rice. But I am not taking much rice nowadays. I take measured food, as required to attain certain standards. Rather than sticking to three meals a day, I prefer four to six small meals a day at an interval of two to three hours. At present I am taking low carb meals and high protein food. I enjoy lots of almond fish, chicken and fruits. I love rui machh and miss it when I am in Mumbai. I love sweets, especially Bengali sweets. I feel they are the best in the world. Occasionally, I take gur sandesh or gur rasogollas. I also take honey and chocolate once a week.

Tips from Sameera

A correct approach towards fitness is important. Young people nowadays visit the gym in order to look good. Their only aim seems to be to lose weight. But apart from losing weight, it is also important to enjoy a fitness programme. The best thing about pursuing a fitness programme is the feel-good factor associated with it. Make sure you listen to your body. Take a specialist’s advice if you can. Women and men should be aware of the body fat percentage and should try their best to restrict it to 25 per cent. Don’t take drastic steps to reduce your weight or get skinny. Ideally, I feel everybody should do yoga. It not only helps you to stay fit but also enables you to stay calm and take life as it comes.