‘I Need to Have Physical Activity Daily’: Shriya Saran

MY WORKOUT

A workout is something that has become essential for my existence! And not just because I’m an actress, but because I need to have some sort of physical activity every day. My workout is not the same everyday. I alternate between cardio thrice a week, a game and swimming. I love swimming and I can never get enough of it. I also practise yoga for 45 minutes, at least. I practise what is known as Isha Yoga and follow it with meditation and Sham Bhavi as well. The one thing I stay away from, is weights. I believe that they simply don’t suit me.

MY DIET

It’s very tough for me to follow a stringent diet when I’m travelling. However, when I’m at home, I begin my day with a glass of orange juice, since I believe it cuts the fats in the body. I follow that with a masala omelette (with only egg white), a dosa or sometimes a paneer paratha. I make sure that I eat every two hours. My mom makes channa cutlets for me, which are delicious, filling and healthy, all at the same time. When I’m travelling, my diet consists of a lot of grilled fish or chicken. Sometimes, I have muesli or a salad as an evening snack.

Dinner at home is whatever my mum fixes, although I avoid carbs at night. My weakness (and comfort food) is dark chocolate and I make sure that the fridge always has some, especially when I’m at home!

HAPPINESS QUOTIENT

Happiness is a habit we need to inculcate in ourselves. It has to be an everyday agenda — we have to work on it. For some people, it really has become a process today. I guess we have to figure out what makes us happy and then work on it. For me, a good read, time with friends, and work make me very happy.

IDEA OF RELAXATION

Listening to music, reading, dancing, swimming, yoga or spending a day at the spa pampering myself, relax and refresh me. Recently, I’ve discovered that playing with my nephew is completely rejuvenating!

Sonam Kapoor Talks About Her Major Weight-Loss Programme

Sonam Kapoor makes most women I know want to be like her. Naturally beautiful, super-fit and radiating health and happiness! She burst into the scene after a major weight-loss programme and has not looked back since.

She's the quintessential Prevention woman who took charge of her weight, health and came out looking fabulous! The actress speaks about her health routine.

Here's what Sonam looked like when she weighed 90-odd kgs

Sonam as she looks now

Peshawarls love rich food, how do you deal with your genes?
We are from Peshawar-a city where rich food and eating with abandon are
a way of life. I am very proud of my roots. But I realised it is neither healthy nor practical to live that way. Being an actor, I cannot afford to be sloppy. I need to be healthy all year round. Of course, having a health-conscious mother has been a blessing. She's always made sure we ate , wholesome meals, and as a family, we avoid overeating.

So how did you end up putting on weight?
I was in a boarding school in Singapore for two year and somehow put on a lot of weight while I was there. Since I never planned on a film career, I neglected my diet and put on so much weight.

You when did you decide to lose weight?
I would have continued being obese and unhealthy but for director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I started assisting him on Black, and one day out of the blue he asked me to take up acting. Acting in films means having a fit body. So I started working on my weight. Eventually he offered me Saawariya. But to set the record straight, I had actually started los¬ing weight before I was offered any film.

Tell us about your battle plan?
In all fairness, it was my mother who helped me get rid of my excess weight.
The first thing she did was to keep me off the stuff I was so fond of as a teenager-chocolates, ice creams, fried foods and sweets. My goal , was to lose 35 kilos.

I started weight training with trainers Shervir and Monisha; artistic yoga and Power Yoga with Bharat Thakur; Pilates with Yasmin Karachi¬wala and general fitness with trainer Zarine Watson. My training in Kathak helped me too. It's a vigorous form of classical dance and helps you get a toned body.

In addition, Zarine put me on six small meals a day-low on carbs and high on protein. My breakfast consisted of oatmeal and fruits. Post-work-out, I had brown bread with egg whites. Afterwards, it was a protein shake with juice. Lunch comprised dal, sabzi, one ragi roti, salad and a piece of chicken or fish. The evening snack, was high-fibre crackers with chicken cold cuts or egg whites. At dinner, it was soup, salad and a piece of chicken or fish. I followed this routine for a year and lost 35 kilos in all!

How do you keep healthy?
I never binge and eat everything in moderation. Also, I never ignore my cravings. I eat whenever a craving strikes, but in small portions. When I felt like chocolates three weeks ago, I didn't hold back, I took a small piece. When I'm traveling I carry an apple or sandwich or health bars to satisfy myself without piling on excess calories.

My grandmother taught me to sip on warm water first thing in the morning. It flushes out toxins from the system. I follow it up with honey and lime water. Another must for me is a 'no smoking' atmosphere, at home, work or in public places.

A lot of people still think starving can help you stay slim.
Yeah, looking at my figure people often assume that I don't eat much. On the contrary, I eat every two hours. Since my day is packed with strenuous physi¬cal activity-shooting, swimming or dancing-I never allow myself to go hungry for too long. If I feel peckish I snack on nuts and dry fruits.

Drinking plenty of fluids through the day is also a must for me. I drink coconut water every hour or two; it not only quenches my thirst but also helps me feel fun. Other natural drinks such as cucumber juice and buttermilk also help me stay hydrated and keep my energy levels up.

I am quite particular about avoiding fried foods and sweets. Salt and sugar are silent killers so I consume both in moderation by switching to natural sugars and seasoning in my food.

What's your Fitness Routine?
I was very sporty in school and played rugby, basketball and other games regu¬larly. This has helped me develop flexibil¬ity to step in and out of different exercise routines with ease. I feel cardiovascular exercises work best for me in combination with weight training. Each day of the week I focus on a particular body part, such as the abdomen, arms, shoulders or waist.

I do 30 minutes of cardio every day. Two days a week I follow it up with dance exercises learnt from Ashley Lobo. On other days I practice Bharat Thakur's Power Yoga. It is very strenuous but has immense health benefits. In summer, I like to swim as much as I can. Whenever I get the time, I play squash too, which requires a lot of strength. I try to do different workouts and balance them out in order to keep my motivation high; plus mixing exercises helps burn more calories.

What are your learnings from your weight-loss journey?
Erratic work schedules often make maintaining your weight difficult. But its possible as long as you eat healthy every day and work out a bit daily. Also its important to undergo a medical check-up to ensure that you havn't put on weight due to a medical condition.

What's next on your Agenda?
I thought I had slimmed down enough but my father got me a fat-free, sugar-free cake on my birthday this year, just to remind me that I am in an industry full of female actors who are slimmer than me! I know I need to be on top of my weight. Not because I am vain, because I have reached a stage when I cannot be anything but healthy!

Sonam's food diary

Breakfast
An egg white omlette, a toast, a seasonal fruit, a glass of warm water. When bored with this, I try an idli, or poha.

Lunch
Chicken, rotis, a seasonal vegetable, curd and fruits. I try to avoid red meat. Once in a blue moon, I do have white rice too. My rotis are made of bajra, bran or jowar or any low grade protein-rich wheat. I also have a few cups of tea without sugar through the day.

Dinner
What time I eat dinner is more important than what I eat. I usually have it by 6:30 pm. On most days it is a veg/chicken sandwich, salad and may be some crispy French fries (but not too many!). I also enjoy fish- grilled or cooked in a Spartan gravy. If I still feel hungry then I end my day with a glass of soya milk or a protein shake before going to bed. In addition, I take multi-vitamins.

Blood Type Diet Helps Sanjay Dutt Shed Kilos and Get Fitter

Sanjay Dutt is a much thinner man today. Since January 1, the actor gave up drinking and followed a diet strictly. And the effect is showing.

Says a source close to Dutt, "Sanju Baba has lost 15 kilos since Kidnap's release. He's also following a great diet called the Blood Type Diet. Also, when he had a party recently, the actor didn't touch liquor."

The source adds, "It has been tough to give it up completely but Sanju has managed. Recently, some people met him on the sets of Blue when he was shooting with Kylie Minogue and complimented him on his new slim and fabulous look."

Dutt is also following the Blood Type Diet. "Somebody gave him Dr Peter D'Adamo's book, Eat Right For Your Type. The book is about how one can eat right and lose weight if one follows the diet. Since then Sanju's been hooked to the diet. His blood group is 'O'. Apart from giving up alcohol completely, the Type 'O' diet says he can eat red meat but no oranges. Sanju's focusing more on lean, organic meats, vegetables and fruits and avoids wheat and dairy products. Sanju's also avoids too much caffeine. Caffeine can be particularly harmful because of its tendency to raise adrenaline and noradrenaline, which are already high for Type 'O'. Sanju is also regularly working out strenuously. Apart from films, Sanju has just flagged off his political career and wants to be fit so that he can give it his best."

It’s all in your blood - Peter D’Adamo who wrote the book, Eat Right For Your Type

'Eat Right For Your Type' Book available on Amazon.com. Get Details >>

What is The Blood Type Diet?

A chemical reaction occurs between one's blood and the foods one eats. The reaction is caused by a factor called lectins (proteins found in foods). These have agglutinating properties that affect one's blood. So when you eat a food containing lectins incompatible with your blood type antigen, the lectins target an organ or bodily system and begin to agglutinate blood cells in that area. Your blood type diet is the restoration of your natural genetic rhythm and works because you are able to follow a clear, logical, scientifically researched plan based on your cellular profile.

About Type O

There are four blood groups — A, B, AB and O. Type O profile was the first blood type. Aspects of the Type O profile include leadership, extroversion, energy and focus and Type O's can be powerful and productive. When Type O wiring gets crossed, as a result of a poor diet, lack of exercise, unhealthy behaviors or elevated stress levels, Type O's are more vulnerable to negative metabolic effects, including insulin resistance, sluggish thyroid activity, and weight gain.

Also Read: Let Your Blood Type Decide Your Diet

'Don't Lose Your Mind Lose Your Weight' by Kareena Kapoor's Dietician Rujuta Diwekar

Kareena Kapoor recently launched a book "Don't Lose Your Mind Lose Your Weight", penned by dietician Rujuta Diwekar, who's responsible for making the actress achieve her size-zero figure.

The book is No 1 on the bestseller list and has already sold 10,000 copies. Rujuta says, "Kareena had predicted that it'd be a sellout! That's why I have dedicated this book to her." The book - 'Don't Lose Your Mind Lose Your Weight' - also carries a foreword by the actress. BUY THE BOOK NOW FOR ONLY Rs 119/- CASH ON DELIVERY.

Lose it, right

Talking about how she got the idea for the book, Rujuta says, "I once met a 24-year old girl who was planning to get married and wanted to lose weight.

She wore electric belts that gave her rectal bleeding. She also had lot of coffee with sweeteners, to kill hunger pangs. In the process, she got so dehydrated that for nine months, she didn't get her periods.

I wanted to write a book for people like her. To educate them about the right way to lose weight; in a healthy manner, without any side effects."

Finally, it was Kareena who made national headlines last year with anorexia and size-zero rumours, who suggested that Rujuta write a book.

Rujuta says, "Bebo told me there was so much media speculation about her diet that it was time to set the record straight. Essentially, it was about maintaining the body shape while keeping her energy levels high."

Rujuta took three months to complete the book. "From October to Deember 2008, I switched off my cell from 8 am to 8 pm and just wrote and wrote about all my experiences in my diary and laptop." She gifted the first copy of her book to Kareena. BUY NOW >>

Bebo: Diet stickler

Today, Rujuta prescribes diets for Kareena and her beau Saif Ali Khan. "Bebo follows everything strictly but Saif sometimes eats what he feeels like.

He asked me to help him, after seeing Bebo's weight loss and toned body."

Recently, Rujuta worked out a diet for Kareena in Delhi when she was shooting for Rensil D'Silva's film. "Kareena was having daal makhni, parathas and paneer tikkas.

Because of the Delhi smog, she got a throat infection but since she had been eating correctly, she recovered faster than she would have normally done.

I am amazed at Bebo's dedication. She is the most down-to-earth star I have met."

Excerpts from Kareena's foreword:

"Rujuta focuses on nutrition and not just calories. Amazingly, she helps you to keep the nutritional value of what you eat, as compared to how many calories you consume, high.

And still enjoy what you're eating! I have learnt what Rujuta means when she says, 'Be smart about food.' Now, thanks to her book, you can too. I'm certain you'll find it good enough to eat."

Excerpts from Don't Lose Your Mind Lose Your Weight

Anti-aging

To keep the face and body from aging, work at keeping body weight to optimum. To have a young face, you must not allow your body weight to go up from its optimum.

The second thing that you must do is include healthy fats in your diet, like nuts (including peanuts), cheese, ghee, paneer and fish.

Including fats not just provides your facial skin with the moisture and raw material that it needs to keep from wrinkling, but also helps you burn fat effectively there, by not allowing your body fat levels (body weight) to go up.

Coffee post dinner

Well, coffee for one, will come in the way of your sleep, you know that. It will interfere in the digestion, specifically in the absorption of minerals like iron and calcium.

And on low levels of calcium and iron, fat burning suffers (oh no!). Wait, one more, coffee makes your stomach acidic so you wake up bloated and constipated.

And now for the proof. When you wake up in the morning, brush your teeth, stand in front of a mirror, put your tongue out and look at its colour.

It will have a thick deposit. These are the toxins settled on your tongue after your night's sleep. Still want that coffee?

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(OR)

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I Eat the Right Food, Do Yoga and a Bit of Pilates: Freida Pinto

Freida's thought for food
I am: Non-vegetarian.

My favourite food: I love Italian cuisine. My palate is pleased by seafood risotto with porcini mushrooms. Besides that I love my Manglorean seafood dishes and the sukha chicken.

Diet Routine:

I begin my day with: A few glasses of water.

My breakfast is: A bowl of cheerios honey nut cereal, a glass of milk and fruits.

My lunch is: Light and simple. Sprouts, vegetables, chapattis with curd and dal sometimes.

My evening snack is: Oatmeal cookies or nachini chips. Health food items fascinate me.

My dinner is: Baked fish or roasted chicken and vegetables. I avoid rice and chapattis for dinner.

My fitness regime:

I don't like to gym. I find it boring. So I eat the right food, do yoga and a bit of pilates.

Favourites

In sweets I like: Rasmalai… yummy! I also love dark chocolate.

My favourite restaurants abroad: In Singapore, I dined at Song of India. It serves Indian food with wine. The recipes are tweaked a little to incorporate a slightly western touch yet it retains the Indian flavour. The presentation is top class. There is nothing like our desi food with an international twist. I also loved the food I ate in these little restaurants by the sea in Phuket! They served the best seafood salad I've ever tasted!

I visited Afghanistan a few years back and had: An iftar feast! It's rich food but it's delectable to the core and a meat lover's paradise.

I am very much from Mumbai and I love: Mahesh Lunch Home, Apoorva, Basilico, White, Mezzo Mezzo and almost every restaurant at the Sheraton.

I can cook: Really good spaghetti Arrabiata, though I am not much of a cook.

My favourite cooks in my family: My mother and my grandmom. I love my naani's fish curry and mom is an expert at roast chicken and fish preparations.

My best dining friends are: My sister and my boyfriend. They both love experimenting with food. My sister tries dishes that may sound repulsive. Fortunately, she has a knack to pick out the best.

My idea of a romantic meal: By the sea or on a hill or mountain with Jack Johnson playing in the background! Wow!

My Sunday lunch is: Either some yummy sea food or a chicken dish. I have my roots in South India so instead of the regular rice and rotis, my mother makes rice pancakes and other rice preparations.

One thing I can't resist buying in foodstuff is: Health food items. I don't know if I enjoy eating it but I am plain fascinated with the concept!

I feel guilty after eating: Foodstuff with MSG and hydrogenated fats. Bakery products give me the strongest guilt pang.

My childhood memory of food is: Eating a special Manglorean jackfruit vegetable with rice in my dad's quaint little house in Mangalore. My dad's mum and sister-in-law would prepare the best traditional vegetable dishes Also, I remember gorging on my aunt's onion and aloo parathas in her Noida home.

I think I resemble: Strawberries! They are sensual, sweet, tangy and desirable!

My fridge always has: Sprouts and milk. But because my sister is a cheese lover we also stock cheese for her.

I always carry with me: Fruits, oatmeal cookies and granola bars.

My comfort food: Seafood. Give me dal, rice and stuffed mackerel and I will forget all my woes!

I am averse to: Custard apples.

My favourite spice: Bay leaf, black pepper corns and cardamom.

My favourite beverage: Fresh fruit juices.

My favourite kitchen appliance: None! They scare me.

My favourite foods are: Butter garlic calamari, shrimps, baked salmon, stuffed pomfrets, mackerels, mussels and shellfish. Apart from sea food, one dish I absolutely love is the nawabi galouti kebabs.

Sensual, sweet, tangy and desirable - That's how Slumdog Millionaire star Freida Pinto describes strawberries — the fruit she most resembles

My director Danny Boyle's favourite food: Strange I never asked him that. But I can tell you my co-star Dev Patel's favourite food is the crabs at Mahesh Lunch Home! He misses it big time in London.

On the sets of Slumdog Millionaire: Tian were the official caterers. We had a wide variety of Italian, Chinese, Thai and Indian cuisine. Sometimes I opted for simple dal rice and sabzis.

Anil Kapoor ate: I have no idea. I ate with my co-star and make up artists from Fat Mu! They were a lot of fun.

Freida's favourite recipe:

Roast chicken and red chilly

Ingredients
1/2 kg broiler chicken (cut into medium sized pieces)
1 tbsp oil
3 to 4 Kashmiri chillies
Few peppercorns
1 small piece cinnamon
Few strands of saffron
1/2 tsp cumin seed powder
2 to 3 tomatoes (finely chopped)
Salt to taste

Method
Clean and wash the chicken pieces.
Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add the chilies, peppercorns and cinnamon.
When the spices become hot, add the chicken pieces along with saffron and cumin seed powder. Add salt and mix well. Add tomatoes and mix well. Cook on a low flame till it becomes tender and dry. Serve hot.

I Do Cardio, Martial Arts and Running: Esha Koppikar

My workout regime:

I don’t follow a particular workout regime. I keep changing my workouts to let my body get used to all types of regimes. I do cardio, martial arts and running. I even do yoga, which includes functional training. I do a lot of power training as well. I believe in leading a healthy lifestyle in all spheres of life. I don’t believe in size zero. I work out within the proportions of my body frame. For me losing inches is more suryanamaskars. I do functional training for important than weight loss. Fitness taekwondo to strengthen all my muscles involved in martial arts. Strength, speed and power are all achieved through should be achieved naturally and not through artificial methods. Fitness to me is all about creating an aesthetically pleasing physique in a healthy manner.

My daily diet:

When I wake up I drink a glass of lukewarm water with lemon and honey. Then I eat a bowl of fruits. I eat every two hours and in small quantities. I love sweets, especially pastries. I binge on a Sunday. I eat fish and vegetables for lunch. I am a fishiterian as I prefer fish and try to avoid meat as much as possible. I snack on cucumber or tomato slices. My dinner includes salads and fish.

My happiness quotient:

My family is my greatest support system. I don’t feel depressed about anything. I also have a great partner (Timmy Narang) who is just a call away. Besides, I have great friends as well. Sometimes they come over and then we go for a movie. Even working out at that time peps me up.

My idea of relaxation:

Gorging on delicious foods that I like rejuvenates and relaxes me. I would probably grab a nice pastry or go shopping or attend a yoga class to make myself feel good. It all depends on my mood. I could even chat with my friends.

- As told to GLACXY FERRAO

Riya Sen

Who: Riya Sen, actor
AGE: 27

What does age mean:
Nothing can stop you from getting older. So, I don’t really think about it. I believe it's all in your mind!

Are you good for your age?
Absolutely, I look fantastic for my age. I don't want any cosmetic surgery or botox treatment.

Beauty regime:
I never sleep with my make-up on. I use expensive skin products. I use Neutrogena cleanser for removing make-up. For skin, I use La Mer moisturising cream. In make-up, I use brands like La Prairie and Guerlain. Also I make sure that the lip brushes, make-up sponges and blushers are washed after every two days. I oil my hair regularly with olive oil, coconut oil or almond oil.

Fitness regime:
I’m not into fitness too much. My good genes have given me good looks.

Diet chart:
Lots of water. I’ve never been on diet, infact I love junk food.

Rani Mukerjee Sets Up Gym at Home With Help From Her Trainer Satyajit Chaurasia

Gymming at home has become quite the fad with B-Town biggies. Now Rani Mukerji joins the elite list.

Aamir Khan and the actress share the same trainer (Satyajit Chaurasia), recommended to Rani by the actor.

Says Satyajit, "Rani's been working out with me for the last five years. I recently helped set up her own personal gym at her Juhu bungalow.

Though I set up a gym at her Yari road flat too, the Juhu one is better. We started with just the treadmill and now have the ellipticals, exercise bikes, weight benches, pull-up bars, exercise balls, dumb bells and weights stuff suitable for women."

Satya who also set up Aamir's gym at his Bandra residence says that Aamir's space is bigger. "But Rani is very enthusiastic about working out and always keeps track of the latest gym equipment.

We were looking at fitness machines that provide the means for diverse, coordinated resistance training. Rani was very keen on buying one but I advised her against it as it was very expensive.

It would have cost her almost Rs 10 lakh. Instead I substituted it with dumb bells and that's working out fine." Rani's works out at her personal gym for two hours daily and alternates between yoga, combination circuit and weight training, cardio and the ellipticals.

Satya informs, "Rani hasn't lost much in terms of weight but she has toned up a lot. She's small in size so she doesn't need to lose weight but needs to acquire lean muscle."

The actress maintains a balanced diet of 40 per cent carbohydrates, 35 per cent proteins and 15 per cent fat. The trainer informs that she changes her diet every 10 days. "Her current diet includes lots of green vegetables, egg whites, fish, sprouts and karela (bitter gourd) shots."

After Rani, Satya is now helping Saif Ali Khan set up his own personal gym at his ew Bandra residence. Saif is working on a muscular body for his next, Agent Vinod.

Satya says, "Saif has told me that he wants to now build the best body in the film industry today much like Aamir."

Source: mid-day.com

Eesha Koppikhar’s Detox Programme

Getting detoxed! Eesha Koppikhar shares her eight-day experience

Recently Eesha was in no mood to celebrate the New Year after the Mumbai terror attacks. So she decided to herald it in a unique way by undergoing a detox programme at a place in Andheri for eight days. The actress kept her energy levels high by playing basketball, doing martial arts training, and also indulging in core strengthening exercises. “Chef Maxie designed a special menu for me full of healthy foods like vegetable juices, salads, etc,” she tells us. She underwent functional training, too, over there. “I indulged myself in the different types of massages. It was a rejuvenating and relaxing experience and I’m feeling healthier than ever.”

What is Detox?

Detox, short for detoxification, is the removal of potentially toxic substances from the body. The term is used to refer to diets, herbs, and other methods of removing environmental and dietary toxins from the body for general health. However, it is also primarily thought of as a treatment for alcohol or drug dependence. Detox is a sample two-week detox diet plan to support detoxification by increasing elimination from the body, cleansing the body, enhancing circulation to clear toxic substances, eliminating foods from the diet that require detoxification or are allergenic, etc.

Asin is a Water and Milk Baby

Asin's thought for food
I am: A non-vegetarian.

Diet Regime:

I start my day with: A cup of oats or a bowl of muesli and some fruit. Sometimes, I have an egg or idlis.

The minute I get up: I have to have my breakfast. I am an early riser — I am usually up by 6 am. But it depends on my schedule — if I have slept late then I wake up at around 9 am.

A traditional Malayalee breakfast is: Appam, idli dosa or utta payam which is made of fruit or puttu kadala which is made of chana.

I am not a: Coffee or tea drinker. I am actually a water and milk baby.

My favourite fruits are: Mango, jackfruit, custard apple, different types of bananas.

I lunch on: A few chapattis or a bowl of rice with vegetables. There are usually pulses for protein. I also love fish.

My favourite vegetable: Carrots.

My lunch is prepared by: My mom. She is responsible for my food, so I carry my food to the sets. I am not fussy about food and I don't mind having unit food. But since mom makes it with so much love and care, I make it a point to have the dabba that she has made.

Lunch on the sets: Is amazing. In the South, the variety you are offered is mind-blowing. I am not exaggerating, there are eight different items. But, as I told you, I carry my own food.

My favourite Kerala dish: Rice and prawns — eating that is sheer bliss.

Food on the sets of Ghajini: Aamir loves south Indian food. He was on a strict diet, so I would tempt him with chocolates and ice creams.

I snack on: Fruits or coconut water or nuts. I have an early dinner but I don't have any snack thereafter.

My dinner: Is usually quite early, at around seven pm, if I am at home. But it's delayed if I am shooting. I have whatever mom has made. In Malayalee it's called palhara. Mom usually likes to have rice but I don't have rice for dinner. There is kappa and meen, which is tapioca and fish or we have rice porridge, also known as kanji. I also have eggs or chicken for dinner.

My favourite desserts: I don't have any sweets. I prefer fruits. I enjoy Indian sweets more than foreign chocolate, because there is so much variety — jalebis, laddoos, Mysore pak, payasam. I love Indian sweets but I indulge in them only occasionally. At home, I am the least health-conscious person. My mom and dad are more health-conscious than I am, so fortunately there is no temptation. I don't have that big a sweet tooth, I can resist sweets but if somebody offers them, I don't mind having them.

My fitness regime:

I do cardio and when I get the time, I do weights.

Other Favourites:

A childhood memory associated with food: A fruit called chamba used to grow in my backyard. It was a pink fruit that would become red when ripe. I don't think it has a Hindi or English name. I used to love that fruit. One day, my mum sent me to school with a packet of this fruit to give my friends; and they just loved it. Soon the whole school came to know about it and they would ask me for the 'pink fruit' because they didn't know the name (I went to the Naval Public School and there were a lot of North Indian girls studying there). So in school, I became famous as the 'pink fruit girl'. Also my friends used to come home for 'more curry' (pulisheri), which is made of curd and turmeric. I was known by colourful food — pink fruit and yellow curry.

In my fridge you will always find: Fruits. There is no junk food.

My Sunday Meal: We don't have a special Sunday lunch. In Kerala, we would have a lot of non-vegetarian items with appam.

I feel guilty about eating: Indian sweets.

Eating out: I don't eat out so I don't have any favourite restaurants.

My favourite cuisines are: Indian, Chinese, Italian and Thai and sometimes Mexican.

My favourite spice is: Chilli. I love spicy food more than sweet.

My favourite beverage: Coconut water.

My favourite poison: I don't drink.

My idea of a romanic meal: I like the backwaters in Kerala — they have nice hotels and houseboats on which they cook fish on the houseboat. I would like to eat traditional food.

Asin's favourite recipe: Fish molee

ingredients
1/2 kg fish fillets
1/4 cup refined vegetable
oil1 cup onion
sliced 1 tsp garlic
crushed 1 tsp ginger
crushed 6 green chillies half slit
1/2 tsp peppercorns crushed
Few sprigs of curry leaves 2 cups
thin coconut milk
1 big tomato cut into four
1 cup thick coconut milk
Salt to taste

Method
Clean fish well in salted waterHeat oil in a pan. Saute onion, garlic, ginger, chillies, peppercorns and curry leaves. Add thin coconut milk and stir to simmering point. Add fish pieces and salt. Cook the fish over in low heat with the lid on, until gravy thickens.Stir in tomato and thick coconut milk. Continue to cook in low heat for a few minutes, taking care to see that the curry does not curdle.

What This Celeb Mom Did to Get Back in Shape After Her Pregnancy

TV host Mini Mathur is mother to five year-old Vivaan and Five month old Sairah

"Since with Sairah, it was my second pregnancy, I was more aware of what was good for me and what I should avoid. I read a lot and did some Power Yoga for those 9 months.

Mini's exercise routine
Three days a week: Power Yoga for one hour.
Three days a week: 40-minute walk, and a 30 to 40 minute swim.
A daily set of squats.

Thanks to this exercise routine, she was able to go back to her initial weight in just 19 days after delivering Sairah. She says she experienced no fatigue during the pregnancy, and her social life was unaffected.

Workout Regime Aamir Khan Followed to Achieve the Ghajini Look

It took Aamir 13 months of workout, with a daily regimen of about four hours, to achieve the next to impossible look for 'Ghajini'," Satyajit 'Satya' Chaurasia, who trained the actor for the film

Aamir Khan used to get tired exercising and sometimes even used to shriek in pain and cry doing the stomach crunches, but he did not skip a single day. Every week his body used to show results and that kept him going

Aamir is known for his intense performances. Personal trainer Satyajit Chaurasia is not one to let go easily and was responsible for making Aamir go the extra mile.

"The Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" and it was sometime in Dec 2006 that Aamir Khan 'Perfectionist' decided to take the first step of getting into the character for his role in Ghajini. Aamir is known for giving everything to his role and for Ghajini he knew he had to get all toned up and look absolutely in shape. Hence, he caught hold of good friend and personal trainer Satyajit Chaurasia and started his vigorous workout schedule. While the whole world is now going ga-ga over Aamir's new muscular look in Ghajini, only the actor knows the effort and pain gone into developing each and every muscle in his body.

Getting the perfect body has more to do with your mental endurance level rather than your physical endurance level. He also adds that to get the right physique apart from a good workout session, one also needs to have a balanced diet and get good, adequate rest. Aamir`s diet consisted of 16 egg whites each single day and no matter how busy he was, he managed to get at least eight hours of sleep during his training.

Most of the time, Aamir used to work out at his own gym along with his personal trainer Satya. In fact many years back, it was Aamir who encouraged Satya to develop a career in personal training when he had come from Nagpur with the hopes of making it big in Bollywood. Today, Satya runs the popular Barbarian gym in Mumbai that boasts of a clientele comprising the Who's who of Bollywood. Known to be a taskmaster, Satya is seen pushing Aamir, as the actor sweats it out doing the 'inclined sit-ups' to get those washboard abs.

Aamir Khan on his eight-pack abs

Aamir Khan is looking stunning these days, while other Khans are sporting six-pack abs, Aamir has gone two pack ahead with his physique. Aamir reveals the secret behind his ripped Ghajini look. Read below to know more: Talking about his physique Aamir says, “I needed this kind of physique because the kind of action you see me doing, you will believe I am capable of only because of my body.” “It took three hours of workout every day. I began on March 15, 2007, one day after my birthday, and it went on till April 21, 2008, I learnt a lot about fitness in this period. And how far I can push myself.” “All credit goes to my physical trainer Satyajit Chaurasia and diet by Dr. Vinod Durandhar. The workout was a cycle of three days…” “Mondays I did chest and back, Tuesdays I worked on the arms, and Wednesdays I exercised my shoulders and legs. Then I would repeat the cycle. This included cardio every day of between half-hour to an hour.” “I did abs to work the core muscles and get the six-pack, say 1,000 crunches. On days when I felt good, I would push myself more. There was no time to think… because I’d be screaming in pain!” “I was particular about getting eight hours of sleep. No matter what time I went to bed, I’d get eight hours, then get up and start training.” It was tough, because I was into post production for Taare Zameen Par at the time. And I’d finish my workouts, shower, crash out for a while to regain strength, then go to work.” “It was a balanced diet, one-third fat, one-third carbs, one-third protein, but normal food, rotis, rice, sabzis, chicken, 16 egg whites, fruit, and four litres of water. All cooked in three teaspoons of oil.” “No, not olive oil. There was no sugar, no potatoes, no bananas, no red meat, no egg yolks and no fried stuff. The diet changed every month.” “In the last week and before I went on the sets of Ghajini, I cut down salt. And the last three days, I took myself to the brink of dehydration by having just one glass of water a day. This cut that last bit of fat. And the body looked lean and ripped.” So guys now you know how to get that lean mean Aamir Khan’s look from Ghajini.

Pictures of Aamir working out with his physical trainer Satya to get the Ghajini look

Aamir Khan when he started his training

I Don't Eat Anything in Between Meals: Jiah Khan

Jiah's thought for food

I am: A non-vegetarian but I am not so much into non-vegetarian fare.

Jiah's Diet Routine:

I begin my day with: Cereal and milk. I don't eat anything in between meals.

I have lunch: Around 1 pm or 2 pm. If I have a shoot coming up, I stick to proteins and salads. If I am in London, I eat burgers and French fries. I like Caesar salad. For proteins, I eat grilled fish, kebabs, chicken and an egg white omelette.

When I don't carry lunch: I eat unit food as long as it's healthy. I like dal chawal.

A must have for lunch: Amazing green chutney that my maid makes. I also have cheese sandwiches or sprouted salad. I like having curd.

I drink a lot of: Water and diluted apple juice. I dilute it as I don't like it sweet.

In the evening: I don't snack, I eat dinner by 6:30 pm or 7 pm.

For dinner: I eat home food; dal rice or chicken curry.

The last thing I have before going to sleep: Is a glass of milk.

Fitness regimen:

I lost a lot of weight over the past year and now I am just trying to put it on. Otherwise, I dance and do yoga. I think being young helps because your metabolism is high at this age.

On a working day: I get up early, otherwise I don't wake up till 9 am.

Indulgences and Dislikes:

I love chocolates: My mom bought me an advent calendar and there is a chocolate on each page. There were 24 chocolates and I finished them all. I like truffles and Swiss chocolates. Apart from that, I like rasmalai.

I am allergic to: Pollen.

I dislike: Onions. I have never liked them.

One food that has a childhood memory for me: A cereal called cocoa puffs. I have been having it since I was seven.

My fridge always has: Milk and cheese.

My favourite cook is: My mom, Rabia. She makes everything well — Indian, Italian. When we were living in London, each time my mom made Indian food, it was like Christmas for us.

I started cooking when I was: Seven. Cooking was a subject in school. I made chicken pasta once and my family ate it within two minutes flat, I didn't even get to taste it. I don't get time to cook when I am shooting but the last time I was in London, I made salmon, grilled vegetables and a French muffin salad.

My best dining friends are: My younger sisters, Karishma and Kavita. We used to go to Wasabi a lot. I love sushi. I also like Olive and Mezzo Mezzo. We always eat Continental when we go out.

I can't resist buying: Bourbons. I love them.

One dish from my hometown that I like: My mom's from Lucknow so ideally I should be saying biryani. But because I have grown up in England, I relish fish and chips.

My idea of a romantic meal: Oysters and caviar.

Jiah's favourite recipe:

Chocolate Cookies
ingredients:
1 cup walnut pieces
2 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate
1 cup butter or stick margarine, softened (2 sticks, no substitute)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

Method:
Whirl walnuts in food processor until powdery (or use a nut mill to grind finely). Set aside. Whirl chocolate until powdery. Set aside. Bake the ground chocolate at 275degrees. Pre-heat oven to 275 degrees. In a mixer bowl, combine butter and sugar, and beat until fluffy. Add vanilla and chocolate and mix thoroughly. Gradually mix in flour, walnuts, until well-combined. Drop cookies by heaping teaspoons, slightly apart, onto un-greased or parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake till cookies are firm and lightly browned. Let cookies stand on baking sheets for about five minutes before removing them to wire racks to finish cooling.