Being a wife, mother, hostess, fashion designer, Mandira Bedi wears many hats. Yet, she never allows her multiple roles to come in way of her fitness. She continues to be as svelte and fit as she has been since we first saw her as the pretty Preeti in Bollywood caper ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge’. Mandira, for a long time, has been a poster girl for a lot of people out there who are looking to lose their extra inches.
What is your way of staying fit as a fiddle?
Fitness is very important for me. I have been exercising for 8-9 years. And I make sure to workout 5-6 days a week on an average. I also eat sensibly. That’s what keeps me fit.
What kind of food do you take to stay healthy?
After I wake up, I have milk and follow it with breakfast comprising fruit or eggs/omelet, and toast. My lunch consists of dal, sabzi and roti. I don’t eat rice except on Sundays. At around 5 pm in the evening, I feel hungry and prefer having handful of chana, peanuts, popcorn or soya chips. Then, 8.30 pm is my dinner time. On days I am not trying to lose weight, I eat dal, sabzi and roti.
Do you take any health supplements?
No, I used to have protein shake earlier but not now I don’t any take supplement. But make sure to get my protein from eggs, soya, paneer and milk.
After delivering your babies, how did you get back to your pre-pregnancy body?
When I got pregnant, I used to weigh 50-52 kilos. I used to feel good about myself at that time. But by the time I delivered my baby, I put on 20-22 kilos. Everyone around me used to tell me that since it took me 9 months to put on weight, the extra kilos will go away only after working out for 9 months. But I gave myself the challenge of losing my post-natal weight in 6 months. In that period, I continued to breastfeed my baby. I also controlled my diet and exercised a lot twice a day till I achieved my fitness goal.
Any health tips for working moms and desk-bound professionals?
My one piece of advice for all is that it is all about making time for exercise. Earlier I used to go to the gym and spend 1.5 hours there working out but now I have stopped that practice as my time is very precious. Now, in the basement of my house, I have opened an mini-gym for myself by buying some weights, skipping rope and a stepper etc. I have developed a circuit routine consisting of cardio and strength training which I follow religiously for 40 minutes. So my point is that we can adapt to any change in our environment if we really want to say fit. The key is to make time for workout.
Mandira, how did your love affair with sarees begin?
I started wearing the saree during cricket world cup in 2003 and with that I became connected to the garment. I used to wear it everywhere be it on the red carpet of an event or any special affair. That’s how people started associating me with the saree. I had designed a saree a year ago and my hubby saw and like liked it a lot. He has been my source of support in everything I have done. After I had showcased my sarees at a couple of exhibitions, I got motivated to put forth a new collection at the Lakme Fashion Week 2014.
What was your agenda behind the saree collection you put forth at the LFW 2014?
Well, I believe in the last 5 months people are coming to buy sarees more often. Saree is versatile garment not connected with age. You just have to wear it well. For my LFW show, I had lots of wonderful and accomplished women walk the ramp for me like my mother as the showstopper, skin expert Dr. Jamuna Pai, divorce lawyer Mrinalini Deshmukh, dietician Pooja Makhija, jewelry designer Shaheen Abbas, Fitness expert Yasmin Karachiwala, and blogger Miss Malini. I dedicated my saree collection of bright colors to all the women of substance. I wanted my show to be different and will never forget my first stint at LFW.
Who are your fashion icons?
I don’t really look at someone as an icon as my inspiration are fabrics and colors. But I think Rekha (actress) carries off saree better than anyone else.
Who are your health icons?
For me, women who are strong and fit are iconic.
An actress, a designer, a hostess - What's your mantra to multi-task?
I don’t have a mantra as such. I think every woman has to find her own formula.
source: pinkvilla.com
