Pooja Batra and Kim Sharma reveal secrets to their fitness after 40

Pooja Batra and Kim Sharma. Pics/Instagram

Day after day, interacting with celebrities who've defied age to flaunt enviable physiques, it is evident to this writer that the seeds to good health are sown early on. For Pooja Batra, who is set to feature in Zee5's upcoming actioner, Squad, it was from childhood. For Kim Sharma, an exercise routine became part of the lifestyle 15 years ago.

Pooja Batra

Batra grew up watching her parents indulging in a game of squash, and her brother taking to swimming lessons, each day. At a time when few understood the relevance of sports, her parents ensured that the kids took to an athletic activity after they returned from school. The efforts bore fruit as Batra went on to compete in national level sprint races, including 100 and 400-meter dashes.

Later, in Los Angeles, she took to mixed martial arts. "I trained three days a week for six years, and acquired a brown belt with two black stripes. I find MMA good for your physical and mental health. When you learn a routine, and execute movements using both sides of your body, you are joining the dots in your brain, and keeping it active for a long period of time," says Batra.

The art form, she says gives its practitioners the tools to enhance themselves and live a life that is more composed and disciplined. "In order to thrive as a human being, you need to have satva, the Sanskrit word for balance. Yoga and MMA lead you to live a balanced life."

When the pandemic-induced lockdown put the brakes on her MMA training, Batra found herself drawn to yoga, pranayama and kriya practice. "I am now a certified yoga teacher, and did my first yoga retreat in Nosara, Costa Rica, in August."

The actor was led on a path of holistic wellbeing. Her wellness credentials extend to a certification in Integrative Nutrition Health (IIN), which taught her that the "body is an alchemy of all the things you put in it". "If you put gold into your body, you become gold. Knowing the dynamics of intake versus [expression] makes it simple to monitor the weight. Fitness is needed to stay happy. I'm also a hiker, and have hiked to the base camps of Mount Everest, Mont Blanc, and Mount Baldi, Yosemite."

Kim Sharma

When Kim Sharma was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Disease 15 years ago, she was given two options that could work as antidotes - medication and exercise. She picked the latter, and vowed to make it part of her lifestyle. Today, a bunch of activities, including functional training, pilates and cardiovascular work form the crux of her wellness routine. "I also enjoy pole dancing. It has many advantages for the upper body and core. For me, it's a refuge from weekly [chores]. During the one-hour training session, I do not look at my phone, talk to anyone or laugh. It is a special time in the day for me."

Until she turned 40, Sharma says she was fortunate to have been able to maintain her figure despite her large appetite. She had to learn to minimise her carb intake as age-related metabolic slowdown began to take a toll. "I avoid white rice, sugar, and maida, which has never been beneficial for anyone. But, I do have a cheat meal because I think abstinence doesn't get you too far. I am watchful of what I eat, but I don't deprive myself, because deprivation becomes evident on your face."

While she gave a go at capoeira, she says the MMA form she enjoys is kick-boxing. "But, post 30, I focus on preservation over exertion. I want to train for long, and I won't take to activities that could [hamper my progress]."

Kim Sharma's fitness tips:

. The most important thing is to have body acceptance. Be okay with [how you look] and work from there.

. It's important to have both, a smart diet, and smart exercise regimen. Remember that you train for one hour, but can ruin your regimen over the remaining 23 hours [due to a bad diet]. Also, I've seen people train for three hours without achieving anything. So, a smart routine is crucial.

. Fat burners, supple-ments, and things that mess with the body, will also mess with the mind.

. I can't stress enough on the importance of water in a weight-management plan. Also, lack of sleep reduces your BMR, which is cause for concern.

The Cheats: Aahana Kumra

What's your cheat meal:
Chole bhature and rajma chawal

How often do you indulge:
Twice or thrice a week

Cheat meal vs cheat day:
Usually, I stick to one [serving]. But during festivals, I can indulge all day long

Do you compensate for it:
Yes, I do. On the day that I indulge, I do a bit of extra exercise. I also train harder in the gym the next day.

On my playlist: Kalki Koechlin

Mac Duncan
Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Radiohead
Sufjan Stevens

Fitness tip that works for

Shreyas Talpade
I include a combination of training methods into my routine. I couple cardio with weight-training, functional training and sports. I mix-and-match to avoid getting bored.