For Deepika Padukone, fitness is not an option, it’s her lifestyle. She says, “Instead of making diets and exercise a compulsion and driving yourself up the wall to follow them, make them a part of your lifestyle.”
The actor says little things like a 20-minute brisk walk around your building and taking stairs are good enough to maintain an average fitness level. She rues, “People take a lift to the second floor. Can’t you climb? At airports or in my building, I don’t use escalators.” Deepika also plays sports on outdoor shoots. If she can’t go to the gym, she swims or dances in her room.
As a young athlete, the actor played badminton for many years. Her routine consisted of starting the day running for forty minutes, combined with weight training, while evenings were spent playing badminton for three to four hours, five times a week. She says, “Because of excessive training, I was tired and took a break from exercising before I turned to yoga a few years ago.”
The actor has now taken to a combination of gym and pilates since a month with her trainer, Yasmin, who she says is a “complete taskmaster.” She says, “If you have someone who only gently nudges you, then you end up being lazy. Yasmin and I have only been working out together for a month and I can already see results.” Deepika adds, “I’ve never had to go through drastic weight loss, but I feel my body has the potential for a lot more tweaking and definition. Pilates helps with that as it hits the right areas.”
The actor also insists that she never crash-diets: “I never starve myself. I eat in moderation. I indulge in a small piece of dark chocolate every night so I don’t crave for a full desert.” The actor feels fitness is often misunderstood with size, saying, “Fitness doesn’t mean you have to be thin and skinny.”
What is pilates?
Joseph Pilates — the inventor of pilates — worked in a circus. He developed it during the First World War to improve posture and flexibility for dancers and performers of all ages. Pilates is designed to build your body’s core strength and flexibility. This is done gradually through balancing, stretching and correct breathing techniques.
It’s a superb anti-ageing exercise
It helps build core strength. Core muscles protect your spine and build bone density and strength. Concentrating on holding the positions during the exercise and deep breathing helps in relieving stress.
(Source - Hindustan Times)
