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.