12 February,2013 09:58 AM IST | | Urmimala Banerjee
The 51-year-old lady was recently in India to promote her brand of fitness along with a spa chain. In a long chat with CS, the lady talks about Mumbai, and how fitness is a gradual process:
Promotional Feature/Editor: Janhavi Samant
Mumbai calling
This is my second visit to India. I have spent my entire life in the US (Ramona was born in the US to Indian parents). Last time when I came to India we visited friends and family, went to Goa and other parts of the city. My parents belong to Mumbai, and I was keen to acquaint myself with my culture and heritage. I love the energy and colour of Mumbai city. I would say that the fitness culture is catching up in India. I see so many people on the Worli Seaface walking, doing yoga or working out with their equipments. Slowly, the fitness culture is catching up.
Staying motivated
I would say that celebrities all across the globe face similar issues when it comes to fitness. Taking out that half an hour for fitness from their professional and personal schedules is the biggest challenge. I always tell my clients to cook their own food so that they know what they are consuming. However, it's wrong to assume that they are 100 per cent disciplined all the time. I started working with Jessica Alba since she was 17. She comes from a Latin Mexican background so she's grown up on rich foods. I had to tell her to make substitutions to maintain her figure throughout the years. Likewise, staying in shape was a challenge for Halle Berry post motherhood. Yes, they are extremely disciplined while shooting or before an event, but they too have cravings!u00a0
An early bird
I had a talent for gymnastics since I was four. My mother put me in gymnastics, and I was involved in it since 18. Then,
I joined the Los Angeles Raiders NFL team as a part of their cheerleading squad. We had rehearsals three times a week for eight months of a year. Dancing is a great form of exercise. Later, I joined a gym and entered into fitness contests. I guess being a fitness educator was my calling in life.
Woman power
Women need to build their core strengths. The first thing is getting your heart healthy. If walking up the stairs leaves you out of breath, do it twice. Likewise, sitting down and getting up from a stool puts pressure on your hip muscles. You need to move your butt muscles to improve your lower back. Start slowly, and build steadily on your workouts over time.
