ELLE.IN 117 JULY
S
onakshi Sinha is probably the most relatable
fitness icon out there. She hates going to the
gym (“it’s always a struggle”), dreams of having
six-pack abs (“just once in my life”), and isn’t
prepared to give up on cheat meals (“I can binge
on pizza, rice and noodles”). At a time when we only
see perky butts and effortless post-workout selfies, the
actor casually bares her efforts towards getting fitter on
Instagram. Sometimes she’s holding a headstand and
bemoaning the months it took to perfect it, other times
she’s attempting a complicated inversion at the Pilates
studio while her whole body is visibly trembling. Like
most things in her life, Sonakshi shares each moment
with confidence and never lets the grind get her down.
Her outspoken and spirited attitude filters into her
outlook towards fitness as well, which is you don’t have
to be super fit to be proud of your
workout, every step counts.
The actor who spent most of her
20s working non-stop (her debut
film Dabangg released in 2010)
has found a peaceful balance in her
30s. This year she is making efforts
to dedicate time to her health,
while also gearing up for three film
releases: Mission Mangal where
she plays a scientist working on
India’s Mars Orbiter Mission, an
untitled comedy with T-Series, and
Dabangg 3 where she reprises her
role as the feisty Rajjo. Sonakshi
weighs in on her her drive to stay
fit and the importance of building
your self-worth.ELLE: What renewed your
enthusiasm to hit the gym?
Sonakshi Sinha: Recently my [film]
shoot got pushed and I tried Pilates
because I had nothing better to
do. Now that I finally found some
time to take care of myself, and the
fact that this workout has showed
such amazing results on me, it just
stuck. You see, I’m not someone
who takes to fitness naturally, and
it’s always been a struggle for me
to go to the gym. I can’t find the will to pick myself up
and go workout at a gym, but I think I found balance
with Pilates. It’s not stressful on the body and I love the
results.ELLE: What keeps you motivated to continue?
SS: I’ve been at my fittest best over the last few months,
and I don’t want to lose that feeling. I enjoy working
out with my friends—that’s a motivator too. We get into
a healthy competition, like who can do more reps or
who’s the last one to give up. I am yet to meet someone
who can hold a headstand longer than me.ELLE: Has your healthy lifestyle influenced other
aspects of your life?
SS: I’ve always believed that it’s not about perfection;
it’s about enjoying the journey and doing what’s best
for you. Being an overweight teenager taught me a
lot of things, like my confidence never depends on
how I look. I started losing weight at 18 or 19 when I
realised I couldn’t run on the treadmill for more than
30 seconds, which is shameful. I felt this is something
I had to do for myself and not just to look a certain way.
I also know that it may not be the
same for a lot of girls who are very
conscious about the way they look.ELLE: Your honest workout videos
and pictures have been giving
us major fitness inspo. What
encouraged you to share this
journey on Instagram?
SS: I actually do it for myself, as a
pat on my back. If this motivates
even two people that’s great—I’m
not doing it to show off. If you feel
good in your skin, you don’t have
to change anything about yourself.
Even when I was overweight, I
always felt good about myself.
What I really hope for is that
every girl is able to look beyond
her appearance, and doesn’t let
a number on the weighing scale
define her.ELLE: There were several instances
when you were fat shamed on
social media. Did this ever shake
your confidence?
SS: Maybe earlier in my career.
I had put on some weight right
after my debut mostly because I
was shooting non-stop for a year. I
was also doing roles that required me to look very real
so I was quite happy in my personal space. When the
comments started getting to me, I gave it some thought
and figured why should I let this affect me? I was still
getting great work, and if five people had something
stupid to say about my appearance it made no real
difference to my life.ELLE: How do you practice self-care?
SS: Anything that makes me happy is self-care, like a
random day off, spending time with my friends and
family, playing with my two dogs, a food binge session
or just watching my favourite TV show—right now I’m
watching Suits. If you are mentally happy, everything
falls into place: your outlook towards life is better, you
feel better, and you do things that are good for you.SONAKSHI’S
HEALTHY TAKEAWAYS
1 “Stay hydrated. It’s the best
thing you can do for your body
and your skin”
2 “Find an activity you like and
stick with it. The key is to continue
doing it to get results”
3 “Eat clean. I recently learnt
this and it has improved my skin and
energy levels”
4 “Don’t compare yourself to
others. Everyone has a different body
type and it’s important to follow your
own fitness journey”
5 “Be happy. Find happiness in
the small things, like spending time
with your friends and family because
the big things happen rarely”— MAMTA MODY