Sunidhi Chauhan: ‘I haven’t had a chapati in years’

It wasnrsquot until Sunidhi Chauhan welcomed her son Tegh in 2018 that she found merit in a statement that had often been said to her ldquoTheyrsquod say postpregnancy a woman acquires a body that seems new one that can be moulded as she desires Back then I did not believe itrdquo Her stage shows social media posts and press outings however suggest that Sunidhi 20 as internet users have dubbed her was able to pull off a physical transformation that is inarguably enviableIn her most recent musical piece she got Sanya Malhotramdasheasily among the fittest actors of the industrymdashto rub shoulders with her in a glamorous dance number that had Chauhan 41 and Malhotra 32 sport bikinilike attires that put their svelte frames on display Sure it is their physical appearance that was most talked about but Chauhan canrsquot help but celebrate the multifold benefits she has derived from her new routine ldquoWhile shooting that song I recall that I could dance for hours without tiring The other dancers were getting tired and would ask for breaks but I could keep going for as long as three hours My choreographer would say lsquoIrsquove never seen a person like you While others want a 30minute break after a 30minute rehearsal you only need one for five minutesrsquo I was shocked to notice that I had more energy when I was eating less Eating right is so importantrdquoIn a bid to establish her ldquocommitment to routinerdquo her fitness trainer Viraj Sarmalkar seated beside us chimes in to share that Chauhan had shed five kilos in 10 days to film the song It is one among the multiple statements he makes in this conversation that take us by surprise ldquoShe can lift 90 kilos squat with 70 kilos on her back and can pull off a few unassisted pullups At one time she completed a fivekilometre run in 25 minutesrdquo he shares While these statistics may seem incomprehensible for the layman theyrsquore certain to make a fitness buff sit up and take note Sure these achievements couldnrsquot have been possible if it wasnrsquot for the commitment that Sarmalkar previously elaborated on The singer reveals that even during her recently conducted Australia tour shersquod often return to Mumbai and pack in sessions with him ldquoOften Irsquod train with him virtually while I was in Australia too Irsquove been fit before but therersquos something different now Maybe itrsquos the kind of clothes that Irsquom wearing now it was not like that before Perhaps itrsquos the social media boom or maybe itrsquos simply the fact that I am carefree after becoming a motherrdquoFood for thoughtProd her about the most vital lessons shersquos learnt about fitness and Chauhan speaks of the importance of discipline consistency and commitment ldquoAnd keep your mouth shutrdquo says her trainer ldquoas far as the food is concernedrdquo she completes his sentence Chauhan we learn is indeed keeping her mouth shut and according to Sarmalkar consuming less than 1200 calories a day He makes a case for a calorierestricted diet as Chauhan reveals she adheres to the principles of intermittent fastingldquoThe motivation to fast was to not only lose weight but also give the intestines rest Our ancestors would hunt and eat and even go without food for days With evolution we adopted the pattern of eating three times in a day It was never a requirement All the snacking that we do is not good At times when Irsquom travelling or shooting long hours Irsquove gone without food for 24 hours I would never be hungry because my work would keep me occupied Today fasting for 16 hours is not tough I get better sleep and have better concentrationrdquoChauhan begins her day with eggs and when shersquos permitted a slice of sourdough bread ldquoIdeally you must break the fast with protein and fat They are more important than carbohydrates If I am hungry I grab a meal I only crave food at around 5 pm In the interim I may have nuts which keep me full for another three hours On the days that I lift weights which is twice or thrice a week I also have a protein shake My last meal is at 730 pmrdquoEat train repeatIn a world where the use of semaglutide drugs like Ozempic are considered the easiest way to beat obesity Chauhan enjoys the rumours linked with her name When she heard that individuals within her industry were claiming she had undergone surgery to shed the 21 kilos she gained during her pregnancy she was elated ldquoItrsquos the best compliment I could have gotrdquo she smiles going on to add that her battle with the bulge is one she has waged on more occasions than one When she first met her trainer in 2008 at the behest of her singerfriend Aditya Narayan she recalls having shed 15 kilos in six months Over the years she has subsequently gained and lost weight with each effort making her certain that she could always find her way back to her original fitness levels ldquoTraining is part of my system nowrdquo she says adding that a statement shared by her trainer has stayed with her over the years ldquoHe says exercising is like paying rent Itrsquos an lsquoeverydayrsquo thing When I am fit I find a notable difference in my performances I feel light and can stretch myself a bit more Today before a show regardless of how I am feeling and even if I am unwell I will always do a bout of cardio It makes me deliver betterrdquo