Sophie Choudry may have looked gorgeous with a capital G when she slipped into a bikini in Aa Dekhen Zara, but there was an unhappy mind behind it all. The singer tells t2 why she is in a happy space now when it comes to looking good and feeling fit…

How much of fitness is about willpower and control?

It is completely about willpower and control when you are a foodie like me. I love to eat good food. In fact, people are shocked. A lot of my friends say that I should be like a food critic on MasterChef or something because I am so picky about food.

I don’t think you can be fit for short spans of time. You have got to be fit forever. Fitness is not about being skinny. It is about exercising regularly.

At what point of time were you the fittest?

I remember I was doing a film called Aa Dekhen Zara and I needed to get into a bikini. It was an undercover agent’s role and I wanted to be fit and skinny. I went on a month’s diet without any carbs. No rice, bread, potatoes... just fruits and vegetables. I was living on egg white and salmon for a month. By the end of it, I wanted to kill someone! I am the kind of girl who eats dessert! I eat. It was painful, working out. But I wanted to see if I could do it for myself. I remember getting my body fat percentage down to about 16.5. And an athlete’s is 14 or 15! It was the fittest I had ever been.

But that does not mean I was happy. I realised that I needed to get to a happy place, which is where I am right now. Doing cardio, weights, pilates… I was doing a lot of yoga, but I got a slip disc a while ago in my neck. It’s about stamina. I dance a lot so that helps me.

How does dancing help you keep fit?

A couple of years ago I was addicted to salsa. I learned it from Kaytee Namgyal and even if I used to pack up at midnight, I would still go and dance. I was so addicted to it! Plus, it is a huge calorie burner. I also did belly dancing for a while.

I still do a lot of stage shows. If you people do not see me too much on screen it’s probably because I am busy performing in some part of the world. My shows are usually one-two hours long and involve continuous singing and dancing. That’s strenuous.

How does one stick to his/her dream weight?

Believe that you can. For me, skinny was fun for a very short period of time. But it was not a happy place to be. I was grouchy, miserable. I missed eating certain things. It took a huge toll on my blood levels for the negative. It wasn’t good for my overall health. Now, it is just about finding that balance.

Sophie’s steps to fitness

● Find something you enjoy. If you are not the kind who likes the gym, find a sport or a partner to work out with. Go for walks, go for runs… do something you can do consistently. Not something that you will do for two weeks like crazy and then stop.

● I find the gym boring. I cannot work out without a trainer. I need someone to nag me and tell me what to do. A trainer helps you to constantly change your routine. Also, keep challenging yourself. That is very important.

● Do not harbour unrealistic goals like dropping down to a size zero or size two in a month or two. Go with a long-term plan and lose weight steadily and carefully.

● Finally, eat sensibly. Yes, I eat dessert and I do indulge. But there’s got to be a time and place. It’s okay if you want to have dessert a few times a week, but find someone to share your sins! That will help.