I Am Realising The Benefits of Yoga and Follow Iyengar Yog: Juhi Chawla

Juhi's Diet Routine:
I am a vegetarian but we do eat eggs as well. I take three proper meals a day, lots of vegetables and juices. I avoid oily food.

I begin my day with:
A big bottle of water or lime juice with honey.

My breakfast is:
Eggs and brown bread toast/oatmeal porridge/idli sambar and a glass of fresh fruit juice or a cup of tea.

My lunch and dinner is:
Veggies, lentils and rotis with soup and salad sometimes. I avoid white rice. I eat brown or red unpolished rice. Our cook makes rotis of jowar, bajra or nachni alternately apart from wheat.

My dinner is:
The same as lunch.

My fitness regimen:
I am realising the benefits of yoga and follow Iyengar yoga. I have also started a half hour brisk walk on the treadmill when I have time. I learnt music, so it's a meditative exercise for me.

I am allergic to: Gymming! But I do hit the treadmill thrice a week. I also go for brisk walks.

Beauty regime:
I take off my make-up with Johnson baby oil. I've got an oily scalp. So, I shampoo and condition my hair frequently. Every month, I get my face clean-up to get rid of blackheads and whiteheads. I also enjoy going to spas, I pamper myself with a good body and hair massage, manicure and pedicure treatment.

Juhi's Thought for Food

My childhood memory of food: Mango milkshakes with cubes of ice on hot summer afternoons in Delhi, playing board games with my cousins, laughing, fighting and having fun.

I am not too fond off: Japanese cuisine. I find it smelling fishy.

When I am shooting: I try to carry dry fruits like kaju, raisins, pista for hunger pangs in between meals, but I forget and end up eating something useless instead.

In the evenings: I ask for a fruit or juice. I am tempted to eat a toasted snack so I have to control my urges!

In my fridge you will always find: Lots of veggies, yogurt, jams and vanilla ice cream. It's simple and nice to serve vanilla ice cream with freshly cut fruit like grapes, oranges or mango as dessert.

My Sunday lunch is: Masala dosa with a nice glass of cold chhaas.

My best dining friends: are Shabnam and Vinita. We stuff ourselves silly with Thai food. Another food buddy is my husband, Jai. When we go to a restaurant, he always ends up ordering the nicest dishes on the menu. If I am stuck about making a choice, I follow him or else I end up eating half of what is on his plate.

My comfort food: A piece of dark chocolate, almond chocolate or a brownie.

My favourite food is: Paneer Shashlik.

My favourite restaurants: In Mumbai my favourites are India Jones, Thai Pavillion and San Qi. In Delhi, its Bukhara at the Maurya. Abroad, it's Nobu in London.

My favourite beverage: Coconut water or pineapple juice.

My favourite dessert: I am not a big dessert person, but I do enjoy a well made tiramisu or a block of dark chocolate cake or a warm brownie with vanilla ice cream on the side. Maybe, even a nice hot gulab jamun, rasgulla or rasmalai.

My favourite fruits: Mangoes and grapes.

I can't resist buying: When we are abroad I pick up boxes of a cereal called Country Crisps. It's yummy and has bits of real strawberries. I also pick up juices, jams, cheese spreads and whole-wheat brown breads.

I feel guilty: After a big hearty meal at a restaurant. So I order green tea to wash away the fat and my sins!

My idea of a romantic meal: God, I am too old for this romantic nonsense!

Juhi's Favourite Recipe
Paneer Shashlik

Ingredients
250 gms cubed paneer
2 onions,
sliced1 capsicum,
sliced1/2 cup tomato puree
2 tbsp ghee
1/2 cup fresh cream or lightly beaten malai
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp sugar,
optionalRed chilli powder (as per taste)
Salt to taste

Method
Heat ghee in a pan, add onions and capsicum. Cook for two minutes. Then add tomato puree, fresh cream, salt, garam masala and red chilli powder. Cook for a minute. Add paneer cubes to the masala. Mix gently. Add sugar if you want a sweet and sour taste. Cook again for two minutes. Serve hot.

Actress Chitrangada Singh Can Eat Anything

I am: A non-vegetarian. I love mutton biryani and malai tikka. In seafood, I only like prawns.

My Diet Regime:

I begin my day:

With 10 to 12 almonds soaked overnight with a glass of fruit juice.

My breakfast is:

Two boiled eggs or an omelette sandwich with cold coffee.

My lunch is:

When I am shooting, I eat unit food. I tell them for sada dal without oil. I have it with roti and curd. I love curd.

In the evenings:

I munch on a fruit or digestive biscuits and drink cold coffee.

My dinner:

Is light. A bowl of soup, fish or grilled chicken or a bowl of dal.

I am fond of desserts: I like rasgullas, they are light.

I am a North Indian:

And like sarson ka saag and makai di roti. I have just acquired a taste for it because in my growing years, I hated it as I found it kadwa. I am also fond of lassi.

My Fitness Regimen:

I work out four times a week. I play golf and swim at times. At the gym, I cycle for half an hour and then do weights and free hand exercises.

Other Food Favourites:

My favourite restaurants:

Thai Ban in Mumbai. In Delhi, I like Bukhara and Baan Thai. In Singapore, the ambience at Esmirada is lovely. In Paris, little restaurants run by families, leave you with a warm feeling.

My favourite dining friends:

Chitra, my brother's wife. Otherwise, it's my husband and my family.

I can cook:

Excellent pastas and salads.

My favourite cook in the family is:

My mom. She makes lovely palak and dal.

One thing I can't resist buying: Fruits.

My childhood memory of food:

My mom would make awesome nankhatais. When she did, the whole house would be filled with its aroma.

My fridge always has:

Milk, curd and meetha. In sweets, there should be chocolates and patisa.

My idea of a romantic meal:

Would be on a yacht on the Nile. A beautiful sunset, perfect wine, nice weather would be good. The meal should have no garlic, onions and fish.

Chitrangada's favourite recipe: Spaghetti Arrabiata

Ingredients

1 packet spaghetti

2 tbsp garlic paste

6 big tomatoes

10-15 basil leaves

2 to 3 tbsp olive oil

100 gms fresh cream

1 bunch spring onions (finely chopped)

Salt to taste

Tabasco sauce

oregano and paprika, as per taste

Method

Boil spaghetti till al dente. Boil tomatoes till the skin starts peeling. Cool and remove the skin. Finely chop them. Lightly heat oil in a pan. Add garlic and sauté till soft. Add the tomatoes. When they are half cooked, add spring onions. Cook on a low flame till thick. Stir at regular intervals. Add salt. Mix well. Tear basil leaves and add to the sauce. Mix well. Remove from gas. Add cream. Add the spaghetti, tabasco sauce, oregano and paprika. Mix well. Serve hot with garlic bread.

Imran Khan's Food for Thought

Imran can't binge

Teen craze Imran Khan is not a big eater. But the flavour of 2008 can cook a simple meal. A self-confessed healthy eater, this slim youngster steers clear of sweets and colas. Talk about self-restraint!

Imran Khan's Diet Routine

I eat: Non-vegetarian food but I am not a fussy eater, I eat everything.

My morning begins:
Early, generally around 7:30 am. I begin my day with cold milk with some chocolate in it.

If I have breakfast:
It's generally omlette.

For lunch I have:
Dal, chawal, vegetables and chicken. When I go to a shoot I carry my lunch. A must-have for lunch is chicken; I need the proteins because I tend to lose weight very quickly.
My favourite vegetable is: Baingan ka bharta.

My dinnertime:
Varies because I have no idea when I'll return from the shoot. My dinner is the same as my lunch.

I like to sip: Water, a lot of it.

In the evening I eat: A roll or a frankie or a sandwich. I like to eat a chicken tikka roll. I am a very healthy eater.

My fitness regime:
Currently because I am doing an action film I work out. Aamir (Khan) has his own gym and I go there around five-six times a week for about two hours.

Food Habits
I am allergic to: Nothing but I hate dahi. I just never ate it so I guess I don't like it.

Bhel Puri has: A childhood memory for me because my mom and I would always eat it together.

When I am shooting I always carry: Lunch and dinner. I carry home food because set food is very oily. I also carry fruits. My favourite fruit is kharbooja.

In my fridge you will always find: Milk.

Sunday lunch is: Nothing special, it's always the same.

Nobody in my family Cooks. We have a cook who makes very good baingan bharta.

I can cook: Dal and chawal. I can also make a really good chilly con carne.

My best dining friend is: Avantika. We like to go to Don Giovanni.

My comfort food is: Dal-chawal.

In food stuff I can't resist buying: The ingredients for what I am planning to cook. I am not an impulsive buyer.

I feel guilty about: Nothing. I don't eat sweets and I don't even drink soft drinks. As I said unhealthy things are not for me.

I am from Mumbai: And I love vada pav. I pick it from any street where it's available.

My idea of a romantic meal: When I'm out for dinner I focus so much on the food that it's not really a romantic affair. I don't talk or anything.

My favourite restaurants are: Don Giovanni and Caravan Serai.

My favourite cuisines are: Mexican, but we don't get Mexican food in India. I have spent a lot of time in California where the Mexican food is good. I don't like Tex Mex, it's horrible. It's Americanised Mexican. I would rather go to places with authentic Mexican. I also like Indian food and sushi.

I relish: Gujarati food. I have a friend who is a Gujarati and I love the food at his place. I don't know the name of the dishes, there is karela stuffed with maida and khatti meethi dal.

My favourite spice is: Green chilly. I like it a lot.

My favourite kitchen appliance is: A standard frying pan because it's versatile.

My favourite beverage is: Fruit juice.

My favourite poison is: Beer.

My favourite fruits: I don't really like fruits but I make it a point to eat them.
I feel fruits: Don't really have a personality.

I am not a: Dessert person. Unlike some people, I don't crave sweets. I like dark chocolates though.

Kareena Kapoor Talks about how and why she lost weight

Ever since Kareena Kapoor made a recent appearance at an event looking gaunt and washed out, warning bells began ringing in our heads. Was the drastic weight loss for a film role or was the normally healthy actress taking 'being fit' a little too seriously? When we first wrote about her unusually small frame last week, Kareena light-heartedly laughed off our concern. Then the story exploded in the media, with news channels going as far as to say that the actress is suffering from bulimia (an eating disorder where people purge food they've eaten by inducing vomiting) and is anorexic. Needless to say, the actress is upset with such talk and wants to clear the air.

Have you lost weight because of an eating disorder?

Are you mad? I am far from anorexic! I have lost weight for my role in Tashan. I've been training to do some action scenes hence the sudden trim-down. It's a great role and required it

So people are making an issue out of nothing?
That I have supposedly become anorexic is making national headlines and has gone completely out of hand! Everywhere I go, people ask me why I've lost so much weight. It feels good to know that I am so important, but I don't want people to panic. It's bizarre. When I put on weight people say I'm fat, when I lose it people say I'm anorexic!

Who is helping you with it?
I have a dietician called Rujuta Divekar and a yoga trainer from Bharat Thakur's school, whom I hired especially for Tashan. I'm following a healthy diet and a regular workout and fitness regime and feeling great. I've stopped eating junk food till Tashan gets over in November. I promise that after the filming is over I will start eating everything!

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What is your mother's reaction to the rumours?

Well, she is concerned and keeps asking me to go and eat Chinese food with her (Bebo's favourite cuisine)! However, I'm off that too for the moment. I have worked very hard in the last seven months, so please don't take away from it by calling me anorexic. I just have to maintain it till November.

Some people think you're starving yourself.

Please! I don't starve. I am a Kapoor and our family's middle name is food. Till a month ago, I was eating lots of junk food like sandwiches, noodles, etc., but now I am preparing for a major shooting schedule so I have to maintain my weight. I am doing lots of yoga to tone up my body. After Tashan you will get to see a curvy Kareena once again.

Book By Kareena's Yoga Guru Payal Gidwani Tiwari


How much weight have you lost since you started training?
About five kilos and it's all thanks to a healthy diet and regular exercise. Hollywood stars too have dieticians monitoring their food intake and physical exercise. When those stars lose weight why aren't they called anorexic?

Interview Dated: Tuesday, July 10, 2007

‘Healthy Food and Daily Workout Keep Me Happy’ - Neha Dhupia

My workout regimen:

I am health conscious and workout with a personal trainer. My Fitness Secrets include yoga and a visit to the gym for spinning exercises. It is rarely that I skip my fitness Routine. The day I miss out on these, I make sure I go for a swim. Nowadays, due to rains, my swimming has gone for a toss. I have learnt from Akshay Kumar and believe that if you don’t set aside at least one hour in a day for your health regimen, you don’t love yourself enough.

My daily diet:

My dietician, Pooja Makhija, takes proper care of it. My Diet chart keeps changing in accordance with where I am shooting. When I am travelling, it is in keeping with the outdoor agenda otherwise it is mostly the nongreasy, home-made food I indulge in. Basically it is a well balanced diet with greens, nuts and fruits that keeps me fit and healthy.

My happiness quotient:

Healthy food and daily workout keep me happy and energetic. On the work front, I do not like to burn out, so I take the much-needed break.

The male actors on Ekta’s Kahaani Hamaaray Mahaabhaarat Ki reveal their workout routines

ALL TONED UP!

The actors in Ekta Kapoor’s epic soap Kahaani Hamaaray Mahaabhaarat Ki on 9X say they had to hit the gym regularly and work out hard to suit their macho roles in the period drama. Actor Ronit Roy, who plays Bhishma Pitamah in the new technologically enhanced version of the epic Mahabharat, has a strict fitness regime and claims no actor has been working harder than him to get into shape.

“I started with training for three hours a day and now I work out for about two hours every day,” Ronit says. “I have worked extremely hard on my physique, in fact nobody has worked harder than me.” Chetan Hansraj, known for his welltoned, tall and broad body frame, plays the role of Bheem, considered the most powerful of the Pandavas. Even he vouches for the fact that Ronit worked really hard on his body.

Chetan also follows a strict training and diet routine. “It took me almost four months of training and nutritional control to get into shape for the role. I have also been on a high protein, low carbohydrate diet. I had to stop my intake of cheese and rice and my diet mainly constituted of chicken with other supplements,” reveals the actor. Although he isn’t much of a workout person, Chetan, who played the negative role of Sasha in Kahaanii Ghar Ghar Kii, had to drag himself to the gym. “It has been very difficult for me because I’m a very lazy person,” he confesses.

Compared to other members of the team, model-turned-actor Aryan Vaid, who essays the role of Duryodhan, says he didn’t have to work too hard. “I haven’t put in any special efforts in terms of physique, neither did I change my diet. I think I was already in good shape and I guess that’s the reason why the producers cast me,” says he and adds that working out has become a habit for him now. “I generally workout for one-and a-half hours in a day and I have been working out for the past 16 years,” he says.

Actor Harshad Chopra, who is also a fitness freak like Aryan, plays Arjun in the mega serial. “I have always been a fitness freak. My workouts have been more or less the same,” he maintains. Harshad said bagging the role of Arjun just motivated him to continue his workouts. “When I was offered the role, I knew that I would have to wear period costumes and appear semi-nude on screen for the role, so I had to look good and couldn’t have compromised on the physique. It was almost like a new motivation for me to keep fit, ” he said. Kahaani Hamaare Mahaabhaarat Ki is one of Ekta’s most expensive and lavishly produced shows on television with spectacular sets and designer costumes. It has an array of popular TV stars including actresses Sakshi Tanwar and Anita Hanssanandani.

I weight-train four days a week and concentrate on one body part every day - Neil Nitin Mukesh

My workout regime:
I am extremely health-conscious and very regular when it comes to my workouts. My aim is not to acquire six-pack abs though. I just Exercise to stay fit. I weight-train four days a week and alternate them with cardio exercises like jogging or spinning. Skipping also is fab and I do it often. My workout lasts for anything from one to one-and-ahalf hour. I like to concentrate on one body part every day.

My daily diet:
I’m not too diet-conscious, but I like only homemade food and am somewhat fussy about it. In fact, even for my outdoor shoots, I have a cook around, so I don’t miss my ghar ka khaana. Boiled chicken is one of my favourites. Since I workout, my protein intake is quite high. But I do go easy on carbs. I do binge on chocolates. I have a sweet tooth and I can finish huge bars at one go. So, they definitely are my weakness.

My happiness quotient:
The fact that I’m working keeps me happy. Just being on the sets gets me all charged up. That’s when I’m the happiest. That apart, simple things in life also make me happy. Spending time with family amidst hectic schedules always brings a smile to my face. I am not a party animal, but prefer lazing around with my friends. Catching up with them makes me happy. Also a good workout never fails and definitely adds to my happiness quotient. I am quite a positive person and it’s not a tough job to make me happy. So, I never really have to strive to be happy. Thank God!

My idea of relaxation:
Staying in bed. Watching movies. Chilling out with friends. Going for a long drive. Just doing what I like to do relaxes me. I love swimming and that also relaxes me immensely. Spending some quiet time alone with just myself for company always works. But even having a lovely dinner with my family is a great way to unwind after a hectic day.

Source: Times of India

Shamita Shetty Shares Her Fitness Secrets

Six days in the gym, located on the sixth floor of her building, is what gives Shamita Shetty a super-toned bod. And she sportingly agrees to share her secrets of getting into shape.

Shamita has some pointers:

>> I change my exercise routine every two months because my body gets used to a particular kind of workout and then it stops responding to exercises. It's the same with others too.

>> Introducing new exercises shocks the body. Once your body gets used to the new one, go back to your routine workout. I change my exercises once in every four weeks.

>> I normally have a tight stomach but there are times when it goes loose. Yes, some times abdominal exercises don't work for a person like me too! Especially for someone who does abs three times a week, leaving a gap one day. At such a time, I stop the exercises completely. Like I said before, it's important to shock your body from time to time.

>> I normally work on different parts of my body. I distribute - I do upper body twice a week and lower body twice a week. One day I will do my chest and back, one day I will do my arms.

>> After the exercises, it's important to do your stretches. In fact, I do my stretches in-between each sets. It's important for your oxygen and blood flow. I also do three days of yoga. Yoga loosens the muscles and increases the flexibility.
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Currently, Shamita is doing circuit training.

She does this once in four weeks, and there are two ways to do this: A full body circuit training or just the upper or lower body circuit training.

So, what does circuit training actually mean?
"It means you take one exercise each and mix it together to make one set of three or four different exercises, depending on how strenuous you want the workout to be. Let me explain, one set will have exercises for the upper body, one back, one tricep, one biceps, that would be one set all put together back-to-back. Like this you make four sets," she explains.

You can also do full body circuit training. Here, you choose one big muscle and two small muscles. Your back is a big muscle. And when you really want to burn calories, you work on the legs. "So you do one exercise for your back, one for tricep and one for your bicep," says Shamita adding, "Remember these exercises are done back-to-back."

Each exercise in the sets is to be done 15 times. Shamita shows us full body circuit training, with a set of four exercises each, but before that some warm-up. It's a must.


Shamita's Daily Fitness Routine

The Beginning

Warm-up is very important. It helps ready your body to the strenuous workout ahead. Your heart rate has to go up to a certain level, so that the blood flow to your working muscles is sufficient.

Though 30 minutes of warm-up is not necessary, Shamita prefers doing 30 minutes - 15 minutes on the treadmill and 15 on the cycle.

Treadmill:

"I do brisk walking on the walker on 6.7 speed," Shamita informs. She hates doing cardio and to compensate for that, she hits the treadmill a little longer.

Cycling:

From here, she gets on the cycle. "I don't pedal too fast, but just enough to ready myself to the workout," she says.


Circuit Set 1

Squatting:

Rest your arms backwards on a low bench and support your body weight. Bend your legs a bit and do squats. This exercise takes a lot of strength and should be done at the beginning of circuit workout.

Tricep Pulley:

This exercise I do sitting down where the pulley has to be pulled down. This targets your lats, which is the side of the back.

Bicep Pulley:

For the biceps, you need to stand and do the exercise. You don't rest during the sets really since it's a circuit. But you can take a break to take a sip of water if you feel like.

Dumb bells (sitting):

Sit straight with arm stuck to the shoulder. Now raise the dumb bell with bending just the elbow. I normally like to concentrate on my triceps because that is generally my weak area. I put on weight here easily and I tend to lose weight on my lower body.


CircuitSet 2

Leg extension:

Targets your quadriceps, which is the front portion of your thighs. It's an isolated exercise for the quadriceps.

Chest press (lying down):

You need to stand with your legs slightly apart, with equal balance on both of them. Then you pull the lever down. This exercises your chest as well as a bit of your arms as well.

Leg curl:

Lie flat on your stomach and curl your legs around the machine (see picture) and pull it upwards.
With dumb bells (sitting):

This one is for your triceps. You need to sit, with back straight, and then take the dumbbell over your head. I give support with my other hand, just two fingers, because your hand tends to move with you are moving the dumb bells up and down. Do it for both hands.

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Circuit Set 3

Dumb bells with ball to support the back:

I do this exercise using a ball for my back support, since I have a weak back. I move the ball on my back up and down holding the dumb bells downwards.

Rowing:

The rowing action is for your centre back. This helps tone the back muscles.Bendover rose: You half squat with hips jutting out and raise both your hands backwards. Make sure your elbows aren't bent. This works on your triceps.

Hammer curl:

This exercise works on your biceps. This is done sitting on a bench, with your feet on the ground. Your arms should be on the sides, and you just lift the dumb bells (holding it vertical), bending just the elbow.


Circuit Set 4

Repeat:

I would repeat one of the back exercises.

Leg Press:

Lie back and push the weight away from you. The term leg press also refers to the apparatus used to perform this exercise. This works on your quadriceps, and partially on your Hamstrings and calf.

Inclined chest press:

Again, the weight you use entirely depends on your requirement and also your comfort level. Do this 15 times.

Preacher curl:

This is done resting the elbow on an inclined board or support. All you do is bend the elbow to lift the dumb bell, one hand at a time.


Shamita's Gym Mantra: Exercise regularly, eat right and on time, choose fruits over juices and go slow on carbs after 7 pm

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I Am a Chicketarian, Chicken in Any Form is Nice: Vasundhara Das

Diet Routine

I begin my day:
With a cup of hot chocolate.

Breakfast:
Usually egg whites, scrambled or omelette and may be a glass of juice.

Lunch:
I generally time my recordings so that I can eat at home. But if the studio is far then I try to catch with somebody who I haven't seen in a while. I prefer to have home food. If am heading for my recording then I prefer to eat light, as it helps me to work. A couple of rotis, dal and an oil free sabzi would do well for me.

I don't Snack in the evenings.

Dinner:
If I have eaten dal, sabzi in the morning than I have something in chicken although we do not cook non-vegetarian at home. My dinner would be a chicken breast with some stir-fried or sautéed vegetables with some soup. I relish a Lebanese lentil soup. It's quite filling, a meal in itself.

Fitness Regime:
I do yoga. I do my pranayam and asanas for an hour and a half.

---

Some Foody Favorites of Vasundhara Das

I am: A chicketarian. Chicken in any form is nice whether it is in gravy or tandoori or plain grilled, Continental style. Seafood is not my cup of tea, the smell puts me off.

I love: Vegetarian food but what vegetable depends on which side of the bed I wake up. Sometimes its just roti, dal and a vegetable. I come from a vegetarian household and I am a South Indian we have a huge variety of vegetarian food. At times I want a proper South Indian meal at other times its just salads.

I love: Meetha. Bengali sweets especially rasgollas.

I carry with me: Some warm water, and if I am not in a mad rush some herbal tea.

In foodstuff: I don't avoid anything for my throat but try to avoid fried stuff. Cold things don't affect my voice. My folks would keep me away from cold things as a child but as I grew up, I realised that they don't have a direct affect on my throat.

My fridge is stocked with: Panchranga pickle from the north and South Indian pickles. And pasta sauce is a permanent fixture.

An honest admission: I don't cook much but whenever I do, the meal turns out quite nice. I can make dal, chawal and really nice rotis. My mom is surprised when she sees me making rotis in the kitchen. I also make good pastas and soups.

My favourite cooks in the family: I like different dishes made by different people in my family, since half a dozen of my relatives live close by me in Bangalore, I often walk into their homes. My mom makes sumptuous baigan bhartha, my cousin and I usually fight over it. My aunt and mom makes awesome rasam and peas kozhambu.

One dish that I expertise in: Lentil soup, I make it really well.

In restaurants: In Bangalore, my favourite place is The Only Place, a continental restaurant. In Mumbai, I am huge fan of Urban Tadka and Masala Mantar for North Indian food. I also like Indigo in Delhi.

Italy is great for food if you are almost vegetarian. Spain has huge carnivores, I remember this place La Biotica in Madrid. It specialises in organic vegetarian food and it was interesting as they make vegetarian food without using the curry and masalas.

My favourite cuisines: Anything not fishy. I also like Italian and Thai devoid of fish sauce.

My favourites in South Indian food: I am an Iyengar and I am really proud of the food we put out. It's very unlike other South Indian food. We use a lot of mustard and hardly any coconut.

My favourite beverage: I love fresh orange and pomegranate juice.

My favourite poison: An occasional glass of white wine.

My idea of a romantic meal: I would like a candle light dinner with Maria Chivan playing Spanish love songs. A glass of white wine with continental/Italian cuisine would be perfect.

Vasundhara's Favourite Recipe: Lebanese Lentil Soup

Ingredients:
3 tbsp olive oil1 large onion, finely chopped1 celery stick, chopped2 1/2 cups yellow moong dal, washed and soaked for 30 to 40 minutes5 cups vegetable or chicken or meat stock5 medium sized tomatoes, peeled and roughly choppedJuice of a lemon½ tsp red chilli powderSalt to tasteFreshly ground pepper, as per taste

Method
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add the onions and celery. Sauté till the onions become soft. Add the stock. Mix well. Add the lentils. Boil it. After it boils, simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or till the lentils are soft. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, red chilli powder and lemon juice. Cook further on a medium flame for 8 to 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Sonam Kapoor's Tips On How To Keep That Flab At Bay

Exercise regularly. It helps you stay fit, flexible and improves blood circulation. Do a combination of stretch exercises, along with cardiovascular and some strength training.

Do a lot of deep breathing exercises. Most of us don't breathe right and that causes a lot of health problems.

Don't starve yourself but try and eat as healthy as possible. Avoid red meat and trans fats which are found in cakes and biscuits. Everyone has a tendency to munch on biscuits when they are hungry. Switch to a healthier snack like soya chaklis or peanuts.

Avoid white processed foods like sugar, salt, white bread and white rice.

Supplement your diet with a good amount of proteins like soya, chicken, eggs, fish, paneer and tofu.

Stay well hydrated by consuming lots of water, rgeen tea and a variety of vegetable juices. I read somewhere that green tea washes out the oil in the body.

Never sleep on a full stomach. Have your dinner at least two to three hours prior to your bedtime. Oily and heavy dishes are taboo at night.

Get the necessary right hours of sleep. That helps your body regenerate cells. If your body is rested, it will work better towards staying healthy.

Go for massages when you can. They help relax your stressed muscles. A deep tissue massage can do wonders to refresh and uplift you.

Above all, always feel good about yourself no matter what size you are!

Source: Filmfare July 2008

Bipasha Basu's Diet Routine

Bipasha’s diet starts with tea, almonds soaked overnight and warm water.

Breakfast
At 9 am, she has six egg whites, mushroom and toast with porridge, skimmed milk and fruits.

At 11 am, one apple.

Lunch
At Sharp at 1 pm consisting of green vegetables, dal, grilled chicken or fish, green salad, two soya chapattis and strictly no rice except her birthday, which is quite an achievement for a Bengali!

Evenings
She has tea at 5 pm with digestive biscuits.

Dinner
Dinner is at 9 pm with dal, salad, three vegetables cooked in olive oil, grilled fish or chicken with a miniscule portion of dessert.

Sounds exotic? Well, that she is, dark and Indian in essence, and now very fit!

Bipasha Basu Balances a Fitness Routine of Yoga and Cardio

Beautifully Balanced Bips
SHE has strong views, knows her plus points and is quite clear where she wants to be. In the time we spent on an outdoor shoot in Bangkok, I couldn’t help but notice Bipasha Basu’s change in attitude. Having known her from her modelling days in 1997, where she was laidback about fitness, it’s great to see she actually had a personal trainer accompany her on an outdoor of 25 days! This sudden change happened as late as 2004, and I strongly suspect her super-fit boyfriend must have something to do with it. She has no vices like drinking or smoking.

Obsessed with the Suryanamaskar (she does a 108 of these a day!), the exotic face and voluptuous body of the ‘90s has given way to a more sculpted face and a fit body to die for. A trim exterior is backed by a strong core (thanks to some disciplined yoga with BharatThakur’s team). She spends two hours, six days a week in the gym. For someone who used to dread dance sequences, she’s become the Bidi Jalailay girl, who also happens to be the only nonsporting person to endorse Reebok!

She trains in the morning. Her routine is Day 1 — upper body, Day 2 — abdomen workout, Day 3 — legs and lower body, Day 4 — gluteus maximus, Day 5 — upper body, Day 6 — abdomen and gluteus maximus, accompanied by 108 Suryanamaskars daily with 50 minutes of cardio, and a 10-minute warm-up, which includes stretching, and holding dance postures with emphasis on breathing. Weekly four times, the 50 minutes of cardio is split up into 20 minutes on the treadmill, 10 minutes on the elliptical machine and 20 minutes on the rowing machine, twice a week. She also does a spinning class a week. She believes in weak-point training, works especially hard on her triceps and does the Bhujangasana really well.

A victim of an injured left knee, she does physio for it. Being flat-footed, she grips paper with her feet to overcome the problem. Post a trip to Rio, she started working on the gluteus maximus, as a ‘good butt’ is a sign of a great body! She is a strong believer in circuit training, which keeps the heart rate up. To break monotony, she adopts a new routine every four months. She uses yoga to strengthen her lower back, core muscles and redevelop her left knee muscles.

Equipped with little knowledge three-and-a-half years ago (which included running with bad shoes), she caught on by reading and with help from her trainer Paul. She doesn’t train when very tired and averages six-and-a-half hours of sleep.

Also Read:

Bipasha Basu's diet Routine

Bipasha Basu's Beauty Secrets Revealed

Treading Too Hard: Over-Exercising Has Taken its Toll on Bipasha’s Knee

Genelia D'Souza Makes it a Point to Eat Every Two Hours So the Need to Snack Doesn't Arise.

Genelia D'Souza, the petite actress from Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na, makes it a point to eat every two hours so the need to snack doesn't arise. She likes spicy food and remembers binging on pizzas and burgers during her childhood. Cooking is not her forte though and at best can manage fries and omelettes

Genelia's Food for Thought
I am a non-vegetarian. My favourite is chicken. I eat fish five times a week because I am a Manglorean and fish is our staple diet. I probably have chicken once a week and mutton once in a blue moon. I try to avoid red meat.


Genelia's Diet Routine

I begin my day with:
A glass of warm water. Later, I get really hungry since I don't have any carbohydrates at night. I like to have a proper breakfast, first thing in the morning.

My breakfast:
Two egg whites with a slice of bread. Quite often I have a South Indian breakfast, idli for instance. Half an hour later, I have a cup of coffee.

I keep a gap of half an hour between all my meals. Like for instance, in the morning if I eat an omelette, I have my coffee after half an hour. In the mornings after I have had my glass of water and if I have a very early shoot (5:30 or 6 am) I have only a glass of vegetable juice since I can't eat breakfast so early in the day.

My lunch:
Two rotis, a vegetable, a fish/chicken dish. I follow this every half an hour to 45 minutes diet throughout the day. I am on this high protein diet so I have egg whites throughout the day.
As far as possible, home food. When I am shooting, I try and carry food from home.

My favourite in Manglorean food is: Mom-made delicious baangra fish, fish curry and prawns. My mom is convinced that fish is brain food. We have grown up eating a lot of fish. In vegetables I love Palak. I love mushrooms in gravy, not dry. I need my food to be spicy and tasty. I don't enjoy bland food at all.

Sunday lunch is:
Usually a feast. The varying menu ranges from fish, chicken, rice, roti, salad and meetha. We don't have a sweet tooth, really.

Evening snack
It is not so essential but I like to have a grilled sandwich or poha once in a while.

My dinner:
I avoid carbs but when one is out shooting one has fewer options. In the night, if I am at home, I eat a tandoori chicken. Both non-vegetarian and vegetables are a must in my meal.


Genelia's Fitness Regime:

I am not really a fitness freak. In fact, I hardly work out. I have been an athlete all throughout school and college and that has really helped me stay fit. I eat every half an hour so my metabolic rate is high. But if I have to work out then I might jog and do a few crunches. I don't go for heavy workouts; I have a trainer who comes to my place. I work out for half an hour at the maximum. I love to run and I enjoy jogging.

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Some of Genelia's Diet Likes and Dislikes

I am in love with:
Indian food. I enjoy tandoori stuff and kebabs. At home, I even eat biryanis and curries because mom makes everything in minimum oil.

I am not fond of sweets:
But occasionally I eat a gulab jamun or a Toblerone chocolate.

I am very much of a:
Person who likes to dine out. I chill out at Tratorria. Tetsuma is another favourite place. It has really good Japanese food. I am a regular at Taj Lands End. I like Masala Bay a lot.

My favourite cuisine: Indian and Chinese food. I do enjoy Thai food once in a while.

The food on the sets:
For Mere Baap Pehle Aap we shot in Goa and Kerala. In Goa, I enjoyed the food available in the shacks on the beach. I enjoy eating local food when I am in Goa.

While shooting:
For Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Naa we would binge on biscuits every half an hour and that became a joke on the sets. I am a major Cream Cracker freak. I eat them when I am not eating egg whites.

While shooting, I always carry:
Khakras and dry bhel. I keep eating every half an hour so the need to snack doesn't really arise.

My best dining friends are:
Most of my friends are foodies.

I haven't really ventured into:
Cooking as yet. I have baked a chocolate cake once. It turned out rather well. I can manage French fries and an omelette at best.

My favourite cook in the family:
My mom. She is a terrific cook and what's more, makes very healthy food. She presents her food well. It's clean and essentially low cal. She makes excellent baked dishes (which is not low cal) and fish curries.

The fruit or vegetable I resemble:
A cucumber as I am very cool and patient by nature.

Childhood memories comprise:
Binging on pizzas and burgers. Most of the time I would carry dabba to school but would want to eat pizzas.

When I am shooting in the south:
My favourite meal is the Hyderabadi biryani. I forget about the calories when Hyderabadi biryanis comes in front of me.

In foodstuff I dislike: Peas

My fridge always contains:
Cheese. I am a major cheese lover. I like the smoked cheese and I enjoy camel cheese. I enjoy cheese even though some cheese is bitter in taste. I enjoy eating different kinds of cheese.

My favourite beverage is: Diet coke.

My favourite spice is: Cinnamon.

My favourite kitchen appliance is:
Microwave. It's extremely convenient to warm up food at any time.

My comfort food:
I don't look at food as a comforting factor as I follow this 45 minutes eating regime. I am always munching on something.

My idea of a romantic meal: Haven't been on one as yet and so I don't have a clear idea. Maybe a long drive

Genelia's favourite recipe: Red masala fish curry

Ingredients:
1 medium sized pomfret, cut into slices½ tsp turmeric powderA few curry leaves1-2 green chilies, chopped1 tsp oilA big tamarind, soaked in little waterChopped coriander leaves2 slit green chilliesSalt to taste

To be ground:
½ coconut, 10 cloves garlic, 1 ½ tsp. cumin seeds, A few pepper corns, 8 Kashmiri chillies, deseeded1-2 cloves, 1 small cinnamon stick.

Method
Clean and wash the fish. Apply turmeric powder and salt. Keep aside for 30 to 40 minutes. Heat oil in a non-stick kadai, add curry leaves and green chillies. When the aroma rises, add the ground masala and a little salt. Sauté lightly. Add water depending on the consistency you need. It should not be too watery or too thick. Boil well on a low flame so that the raw smell goes off. Add the fish pieces and the tamarind water. Cook for a few minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and slit green chillies. Remove from the gas and cover it for some time, before you serve so that the flavour is retained. Serve hot with steamed rice. During summer, you can use half a raw mango instead of tamarind. It gives a lovely tangy taste.

Secret Behind Amisha Patel's Sizzling Hot Figure

Amisha Patel is still receiving compliments for her sexy avatar in Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic. The actress who has been working hard in the gym with two trainers Khushru Cooper and Girish Bhaskar. That, along with a disciplined diet is the secret behind her sizzling hot figure.

When quizzed about her Fitness Routine Amisha says, "I never miss my gym routine. Sometimes due to the erratic shooting schedules, it becomes difficult to follow a regular schedule. But then I make it to the gym before the shoot or after it ends. Luckily, I am blessed with trainers who don't mind flexible timing."

She further adds, "We don't believe in unhealthy methods of eating or drinking to get immediate results. It's not about temporary fitness. To me, it's about being fit for life."

She sheds light on her training, "When I am not shooting, I have my normal workouts in the morning and then go for narrations, styling, and jogging. Sometimes I split my workout schedule. I do weights in the morning and spinning n the evening. When I have limited time for working out, Khushru and Girish keep that in mind and design my workout accordingly.

Strict and smart
Talking about her much talked about Lazy Lamhe look, Amisha says, "Khushru was very strict when I was shooting for this movie. I had to be very cautious with my diet, avoiding fried food, cheese and fats. Knowing I have a sweet jaw, Khushru used to call to check that I wasn't eating a lot of sweets." The actress says you have to be honest with your trainers and cannot cheat on your diet, "Trainers are like doctors. They need to know everything you do, so they can guide you properly."

Girish, her spin trainer adds, " I just don't train her hard but I train her smart."

The actress is soon leaving for a month-long schedule to South Africa for Chatur Singh.

This role demands that she play sexy diva again. She laughs, " I'll try my level best."

Here's how Amisha works out
Amisha's trainer Khushru finds her very disciplined as far her workouts are concerned, "We work out depending on her shooting schedule. Four times a week is a minimum. We work out on the lower as well as upper body twice a week. Upper body workout is followed by cardio and abs training follows the lower body workout.

We started working out 15 months back and it has been the same for the past six months. Our idea was to make her look hot and voluptuous and not skinny or give her a size zero figure."

As for her diet he says he hasn't given her a list of what she should eat or avoid, "There are no restrictions as such on her diet. She knows how to control herself. I have advised maximum amount of proteins, multivitamins and loads of water."

Source: Mid-day
Date: 12th July, 2008

Shilpa Shetty's Biggest Fitness and Diet Secrets Revealed

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Most people believe that hitting the gym to keep fit and lose weight is the right option. But I don’t go by that. There are several things that one needs to know about one’s body to get the weight you have in mind.

I don’t gym much. I believe in yoga which I do religiously every day for an hour. Before going for Big Brother, I realized my Indian figure of big curves would not suit the European concept of beauty. It was then that my trainer suggested weights to get the toned look.

I also believe in eating right. I am a hard core non vegetarian and I eat chicken and fish. Fish is a great source of omega 3 oil which keeps the skin elasticity firm and is a great source of protein with minimum fats. Lean chicken is something I can eat everyday. I avoid red meat. That only increases cholesterol and fat quotient in the body.

But I will share the readers my biggest secret for keeping a good body. I only drink warm water. It helps clear toxins from the body and increases the metabolic rate, which in turn helps in burning fat. I did not like drinking water, but once I started drinking warm water, I realized that I needed to drink more to quench my thirst. Today I carry my bottle of warm water whenever I step out of the house. And I do believe that this is one of the key factors in helping me maintain my weight as well as giving me a clear skin and a healthy body.

Source: Indiatimes

Date: 3rd July 2008

Sharad Malhotra

What’s your fitness mantra?
Eating healthy food, getting good sleep and positive thinking is my mantra for staying fit.

Do you go to the gym daily?
As my shooting schedule is very tight, there is no time to go to the gym. I jog and do skipping to keep myself fit

What does your exercise regime consist of?
I do more of cardio than weights. I do weights once or twice a week. Besides that I go more for free hand exercises like push ups and pull ups.

Are you a foodie?
Yes, I am big time food lover. Coming from Calcutta there has to be craving for food.

Are you a vegetarian or non- vegetarian?
I am vegetarian only on Tuesdays.

What is your fav cuisine?
I love to eat basic Indian food especially Punjabi, Mexican and Thai.

Which is your favourite dish?
Tandori Chicken and Dal Makhani.

Favourite restaurant?
Mista Bhaji at Four Bungalows and Papa Pancho in Bandra

What do you like to see in your dabba every day?
I don’t get my dabba but order food from hotels like Main Land China. I love to see chicken and dal roti in my dabba

Do you like to cook?
I am not a great cook

I Use a Lot of Home-Made Packs to Take Care of My Skin and Hair - Sameera Reddy

I have my eight hours sleep, which is important for good skin. I use a cleansing cream and jell to clean. I avoid make-up when not working. It allows my skin to breathe.

I use a lot of home-made packs to take care of my skin and hair:

Hair Care

I use a pack of yoghurt, amla juice and methi to keep my hair strong and smooth. I oil my hair at least once a month and wash it every two days.I do feel that one should avoid ironing and colouring one’s hair as the hair gets damaged. I use L’oreal hair products

Skin Care

For skin I use La Mer. I go for skin exfoliation once a month and always keep a face wash handy. I believe that you need to feel good about yourself and the radiance will show on your face.

Beauty Tips from Sameera

• I wash my body with curd and honey as frequently as I can.
• I apply lip balm to my lips.
• I use Christian Dyer Mascara to my eyes.
• I practice Kathak for fitness.
• I keep my mind clean and free from all tensions.
• Eating good food, sleeping sufficiently at nights, listening to music are my activities those keep me healthy.
• I also swim frequently to keep my body in shape.
• I apply camphor cream after using apricot scrub.
• I use very less make up when I'm off screen. That's my beauty Regime and the secret of my happy and healthy life".

I Find it healthier to have smaller meals through the day - Sameera Reddy

I try to eat on time and sleep on time. I skip aerated drinks, have lots of fruits, a healthy vegetarian lunch and a high protein dinner between 8-9 pm. I include lots of salads and veggies in my diet.

Diet Routine

Breakfast

I only eat fruits for breakfast, especially papayas and pears. No tea or coffee for me. I drink Soya milk. I drink Vera juice as it detoxifies your body.

Lunch

Afternoons I normally have a healthy vegetarian lunch. I eat two roti with vegetables and green salad. But Occasionally I have boiled chicken, a light salad, and any vegetable but cooked without oil for lunch.

Evening Snack

Late in the evening I again eat a little fruit, a bowl of sprouts, sunflower seeds and lots of nuts.

Dinner

At night I have green chicken and some protein foods to give me strength. A high protein dinner between 8-9 pm. Some times for dinner, I prefer grilled fish and salad or any juice like mosambi or carrot juice

"Since the body's metabolism slows down, it's better not to eat later than 9 PM"

Binge

I do not binge. I used to, but not anymore. Even if I did, I’ll eat healthy food like lots of pickle and roti.

I also find it healthier to have smaller meals through the day rather than having two heavy meals. I smoke very occasionally.But when it comes to food, once a week I let myself go and eat whatever I want to."

Favourite Food

My favourite is Japanese dish – Sushi that has raw fish in cooked rice. But my most favourite thing in the world is ‘dosa’

Diet Tips From Sameera Reddy

Food intakeI strongly believe that you look what you eat. I am too much of a diet conscious person. I always carry my tiffin and eat only home made food. I don’t eat chapatti also. Instead I prefer to have ‘Pesurotte’. It’s a Telegu dish, a kind of roti made of ‘moong’ paste which is cooked on a nonstick pan and is very healthy for the body. I am not too much of a non -vegetarian person also. I have lots of vegetables and salads. I love aachar (pickles) but I can’t have it every day. As for my favourite thing in the world , it is ‘dosa’ which also I get to have only rarely.

Say no to - I never drink because my body is allergic to alcoholic stuff. Even if I take one drink, I am sure I will puke. Even too much of oil and spice in food makes me feel sick. I avoid mustard oil too. I never gorge on out side food / ‘road ka khaana’ even when I am shooting.

I avoid bread since it is fattening. My mantra is: just train your tummy to consume only 75 percent of its capacity and not 100 percent.

Sweet temptations

When I was a child, I used to be quite fat. I was a chocolate and pastry freak. Not anymore though.

A home remedy for readers.

When ever I have acidity I drink straight nimbu (lemon) juice without water. Strangely people think it adds acidity but actually cuts it down.

A Quick Recipe for the readers.

I usually cook idli, dosa and chatni. My favourite is moong bhel (sprout bhel). Just throw in some moong, cut some onion, tomato, some meetha sauce and chatni and then mix it. You have a healthy chaat in 5 mins.

Bipasha Basu's Revealed The Methods To Keep a Beautiful Skin

BIPASHA'S BEAUTY REGIME

1. Drink 10 glasses of water a day

2. Apply sunscreen with a high SPF every time I step out in the sun

3. Eat small meals, around six times a day at regular intervals. Involve the superfoods in your diet judiciously.

4. Exercise four times a week at minimum for an hour a day

5. Minimum 7-8 hours of sleep a day

6. Use good quality make up products

7. Removal of make up is very important too

8. Keep your skin clean

METHODS TO KEEP SKIN CLEAN FOR NORMAL TO DRY SKIN
Half cup cold milk + 5 drops of olive/sesame oil. Put this in a bottle and shake well. Cleanse skin with cotton wool with this mixture twice a day. Softens the Skin
METHODS TO KEEP SKIN CLEAN FOR OILY SKIN
Rose water + Lemon Juice in same proportions. Cleanse your skin with it or keep it on for 10 minutes and wash. Reduces pimples and acne.
METHODS TO KEEP SKIN CLEAN FOR OILY TO COMBINATION SKIN
One fourth teaspoon Lemon Juice + One teaspoon cold milk + one teaspoon Cucumber Juice. Cleanse face with this and wash.

9. Hydrate your skin with moisturizer from a good brand depending on your skin type

10. Use natural homemade face scrubs and packs

SCRUBS FOR NORMAL TO DRY SKIN
One teaspoon Gram Flour (besan) + one teaspoon Lemon Juice + one teaspoon Sesame Oil + one teaspoon Milk powder. Apply on face for 15 minutes, dampen with water and rub off gently. Wash.
SCRUBS FOR OILY TO COMBINATION SKIN
One teaspoon Gram Flour (besan) + One teaspoon Lemon Juice + One teaspoon Rice Flour + Two teaspoon Yoghurt. Apply on face for 15 minutes, dampen with water and rub off gently. Wash.

11. Eye care - Before sleeping put almond oil around your eyes using your ring finger gently

12. Hair should always be cleaned with a good shampoo and conditioner. (I personally, like my brand Clinic All Clear, it’s for all hair types).
Once a month, a deep conditioning treatment must be done.

Take one teaspoon vinegar + one teaspoon glycerine + one egg. Beat it together well. Massage mixture into scalp. Then wrap the hair in a hot towel for 20 minutes before washing. This gives the hair body and bounce and it keeps it shiny and manageable. Also, I highly recommend a head massage, once a fortnight with olive, coconut, or almond oil mixed with castor oil

13. Good pedicure and manicure is a must

14. Do not overlook the body and only take care of the face. For body apart from a wash use a scrub occasionally

BODY SCRUB FOR OILY SKIN – Gram Flour (besan) + a little Turmeric Powder + Yoghurt. Apply paste for 20 minutes on the entire body. Scrub it off with water, for healthy glowing skin
BODY SCRUB FOR DRY SKIN – Gram Flour (besan) + a little Turmeric Powder + Cream of milk (malai). Apply paste for 20 minutes on the entire body. Scrub it off with water, for healthy glowing skin