Fitness mode on! Mona Singh resumes her wellness journey with yoga

When it comes to chronicling the experiences of artistes who donrsquot fit the stereotypical lsquosizezerorsquo mould Mona Singh appears to be a misfit ldquoI have always got work My figure has never restricted merdquo says the ebullient actor who made her debut with the offbeat and immensely successful telly drama Jassi Jaise Koi Nahi 2003 and subsequently forayed into films and web showsldquoI have never believed in being size zero I have always been healthy even a little plump at times I have been fuller but I always wanted a fitter body and to be more agilerdquoIt was however a professional requirement that brought about Singhrsquos recent physical transformation Having been asked to shed seven kilos for a project she needed to return to her fitness regimen that had been suspended after a shoulder injury ldquoI approached a yoga instructor for my shoulder injury because a few friends said Irsquod benefit from mobility exercises The intention to adopt yoga wasnrsquot to lose weight but to heal myself so that I could begin training again But my body reacted to it beautifully I began shedding kilos because my trainerrsquos style of yoga is intense He teaches Ashtanga yoga which is among the toughest forms of the discipline One must hold postures for about four minutes and breathing becomes laboured My body hadnrsquot experienced something like that before and I loved it When I started to meditate I enjoyed the rhythm of yoga Suddenly I was 10 kilos lighterrdquo she says crediting her trainer for also doubling as a nutritionist who helped her ldquoinclude a lot of gheerdquo in her diet and taught her to ldquobe mindful of my choice of foodrdquoAcknowledging that she had ldquotried everythingrdquo in the book to become fitter Singh once a gym goer admits that the ldquoblaring musicrdquo at such facilities was dissuading ldquoI wanted quiet and peace and enjoy slow mornings Yoga offered thatrdquoShe is quick to add though that several factors helped her achieve this feat at the age of 42 ldquoI was never mindful of what I ate I wanted to be thinner but never worked towards it So it also depends on your will Today the way I look has boosted my confidence I enjoy the kind of clothes I wear for promotions because this is something I have not experienced in several years But the concept of being size zero is overrated The way I looked has never worn me down mentally But I used to tell myself I wish I could wear something else I was fed up of seeing myself in salwar suits and lsquocomfy clothesrsquo at all times If you notice thatrsquos what I have worn in most of the shows Irsquove done Now in my 40s Irsquom reinventing myselfrdquoAsk her if she manages to adhere to her diet and she responds with a laugh ldquoI am very disciplined You see only after a lot of burns butchery and sweat have I been able to achieve this I wonrsquot take it for granted Recently I went on a vacation with my husband and was very careful with my food choices But I donrsquot starverdquoTo the women who believe achieving such a feat in their 40s is cumbersome Singh offers words of encouragement ldquoRecently my mother underwent surgery and I noticed that only women were there at the hospital I asked the surgeon what was going on and he said lsquoMona women donrsquot look after themselvesrsquo Women should start taking care of their health Your body changes even as early as in your 30s The worst thing that we experience is muscle loss because we donrsquot eat clean and exercise Our bone density goes for a toss It is important that we put ourselves firstrdquoMona on her dietIrsquove been told to include ghee coconut water chaas and dahi in my diet Today I am predominantly vegetarian And if I must I will be a pescatarian A lot of my protein comes from vegetables pulses and curd I donrsquot have protein powders or supplements I also follow a satvik diet and eat according to seasons I donrsquot eat fruits and vegetables that are available throughout the year because I have been told that they are not healthy So in the winter I eat different kinds of saags In the summer I will have foods that are cooling for the body I substitute wheat with ragi and may have white or brown rice Because I follow intermittent fasting my first meal is lunch and usually comprises one roti dahi ghee dal and lots of salads In the evening I indulge in nuts and black coffee or may have a fruit I have dinner early at about 730 pm If Irsquom shooting I will carry a bowl of clear vegetable soup which I mix with rice and ghee Sometimes I carry cottage cheesemdashone that is high in protein contentmdashor may take a piece of salmon with me As for supplements I take a pill of ashwagandha I also take magnesium and Omega 3 and 6 And I use krill oilThe Cheats Amyra DasturWhatrsquos your cheat mealChilli cheese naan and dal makhaniHow often do you indulgeMore often than not it is once in a week and usually on SundaysCheat meal Vs cheat dayIt is a single portion I would feel too guilty to indulge all dayDo you compensate for itI usually do not train on the day I have a cheat meal I will only do 15 minutes of cardiovascular work before the meal The next day I will train a bit harderOn Mouni Roys gym playlistBleeding loveAttentionI knew you were troubleTaki takiFitness tip that works forAnusha DandekarYour body responds to things that make you happy Do that and you will see your body change For me running on a beach or playing tennis is liberating