Saif talks about how he started smoking at the age of 16 to look cool and got addicted to it. He almost had a heart attack at the age of 32 because of his smoking habit. In the end, he urges people to quit smoking or not take it up because characters in the film smoke.

While Saif has had his share of unfit days, he now looks better than ever and much more in shape than his initial days in the industry. Even at 42, he can romance leading ladies much younger to him convincingly onscreen, be it Deepika, Jacqueline or his wife Kareena. So what’s the secret to his fitness fundas? Let’s find out!

Saif starts his workout regimen with light warm-ups which is followed by stretching and skipping. Following the footsteps of his wife Kareena, he too practises yoga for relaxation now. Apart from this, he also does kickboxing to tone-up his body. His trainer Ziabuddin Khatib has often said that Saif is one of the fittest actors in the industry today. His fitness routine also includes shadow training and punching bag sessions for intense muscle contraction.

One’s diet plays a major role in one’s fitness regime and Saif is no stranger to eating healthy food. Though a non-vegetarian, he knows that turning a vegetarian will help clear his system and he’s contemplating turning one for some time at least. His meals are balanced, nutritional and healthy to give his body the required energy after his strenuous workouts and shoots.

Wife Kareena’s dietician Rujuta Diwekar has planned a diet for him too which includes 5-6 meals (breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, evening snack, dinner) which comprise 15% fats, 30% proteins and 45% carbs. He believes that to stay fit, one must eat the right food – one which is high in energy content and low on fats, one needs to exercise right, under a trainer’s guidance and give one’s body adequate rest as well.

Now that you know how Saif keeps fit, incorporate his fitness fundas in your workout regimen and get a toned physique like his. 

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A well-defined waist is a major turn on and perhaps the most difficult area to work on. Apart from working out hard in the gym, you also need to eat right to get those sexy curves. But once you have them, you can flaunt them in any apparel – saree, tank tops, evening dress, etc.

So instead of hiding those love handles under baggy T-shirts and loose tops, try these exercises to get a fab, curvy waist that you can flaunt. The following exercises will help you achieve your dream waist.

Side bends

Seated torso rotation

Side crunches

These Bollywood actresses have the sexiest mid-riffs in B-town but who is the winner amongst them is for you to decide. Vote for your favourite actress who according to you has the most desirable waist. 

Parineeti Chopra

She is the current heartthrob of almost every man. (We are still figuring out the reasons!) Parineeti herself admitted in the media that before joining films, she wasn’t just chubby but very fat. Hmm…we wonder if didi Priyanka give any of her secret fitness tips to Parineeti?

Sonam Kapoor

On number 2, we have our darling ‘Miss Style Icon’ of Bollywood Sonam Kapoor. Sonam who is known for her clothes rather than her acting skills weighed 86 kilos before she signed her first film Saawariya. She reduced 30 kilos to get that sexy look in her film.

Also read: Sonam Kapoor’s weight loss secrets

Adnan Sami

Singer, who used to travel with a custom-made wheelchair just because of his weight, literally shocked the world with his drastic weight loss in 2007. Adnan, who weighed 206 kg, lost over 130 kilos in just one year.

Sonakshi Sinha

Well, on number 4, we have the beautiful Joker, oops! Daughter of Shaturghan Sinha. This Mast Mast Nain of Sonakshi once had oodles of fat beneath them. But to become Salman’s “Rajjo” Sonakshi reduced 30 kilos to get her svelte figure for Dabangg.

Jackky Bhagnani

Recently been seen doing Boom-Boom on screen, Jackky Bhagnani looked exactly the opposite in his childhood days. Before his debut film Kal Kisne Dekha, he weighed 130 kg. Jackky who now confidently poses for those shirtless pictures, had to go under a gruelling exercise regime and strict diet plan for over two years to lose 60 kg.

Esha Deol

Remember, the actress who flaunted her athletic body with those six pack abs in a bikini? Yes, we are talking about the daugher of Dharamendra and Hema Malini, Esha. She was shunned by the industry for her baby fat in her debut film Koi mere dil se Pooche.

Also read: 7 best ways to lose weight in 1 week

Kareena Kapoor

The poster face for size-zero, Kareena, was lashed out by critics for her figure when she did Yeh mera dil pyaar ka deewana. But Kareena did a strong comeback in Tashan. She put the screen on fire by flaunting her super sexy and ultra slim body in her debut bikini scene. Her incredible shrinking figure became a national obsession almost overnight.

Adhyayan Suman

Ex-boyfriend of Kangna Ranaut who did his debut in Raaz- The Mystery Continues, was quite “big” as a teenager. Adhyan lost 45 kg in five months to get his perfect physique. With an inspiring daddy, Shekhar Suman for motivation, we assume, this wouldn’t have been such a problem for Adhyayan.

Arjun Kapoor

Our Bollywood ladies are not the only ones struggling with weight problems. Son of producer Boney Kapoor, Arjun made his debut in the industry with Ishaqzaade. Arjun who flaunted his six pack abs in Chokra Jawan song, weighed 130 kg before being signed by Aditya Chopra in his film.

Also read: Arjun Kapoor’s weight loss story

Katrina Kaif

Our super gorgeous Sheela too had her days of baby fat. Yes, Katrina was never fat but wasn’t fit either. Well watch her first film Boom (at your own risk!) you will see the difference between then and now. That sharp and symmetrical jaw line was definitely missing in her initial days in Bollywood.

Mimoh Chakraborty

Wondering who he is? Well, he is the son of the original ‘Disco-dancer’ of B-town Mithun da. After making an unsuccessful debut in Jimmy, Mimoh lost oodles of weight. After that, he looked so different, that it was difficult to recognise him in his come-back film Haunted.

Alia Bhatt

The young star of Bollywood who made her debut as a lead actress with Student of the Year was not always as gorgeous as she looks now. This debutante was made to follow a strict diet under daddy Mahesh Bhatt’s supervision for three months. Result? Alia was 16 kg lighter on screen after shedding all that puppy fat.

Zarine Khan

She fought intense media scrutiny following her debut film- Veer. She was almost written off by critics for her larger-than-frame screen presence. However, the actress worked extremely hard on her fitness and has now finally shed off all those extra kilos. She took on from 100 kg and is now 55 kg. Way to go Girl!

Content sourced from BollywoodShaadis.com

Yuvraj Singh: Life can be kind and cruel in equal measure as star cricketer Yuvraj Singh found out. 8 months after helping the nation lift the Cricket World Cup he was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor . Not one to give up he battled his way through three rounds of chemotherapy and even made his way back into the Indian team. Find out how Yuvi fought and beat cancer.

Hrithik Roshan: Though he had no major releases this year, he was in the news for his ‘ten week fitness regime’. The actor made the risqué move of displaying his ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures as well. His aim was to spread the message that going from fat to fit was not as difficult as imagined.

Arjun Kapoor: This actor made a big splash on screen in his new avtar in the movie Ishqzaade. But behind it all is a big secret. Arjun Kapoor wasn’t always fit. He lost around 50 kilos to look as ravishing as he does now. To find out how he did it, read here.

Farhan Akhtar: Known for being a director, producer, script writer and now ace actor, the actor’s most recent venture ‘Bhag Milkha Bhag’ has him  absolutely ripped and lean. Not known so much for his fitness, the actor has wowed audiences with teasers from the film that show off a chiseled body and drool-worthy six-pack abs.

Vidya Balan:  Recently married, Ms Balan takes her roles very seriously, even if it means she has to put on almost 20 kilos like she did for the movie ‘The Dirty Picture’. The movie did do well at the box office, but the actress’s weight gain received a lot of flack. Find out how the young actress lost all that weight to gain back her svelte figure, in time for her wedding trosseau.

Salman Khan: The original poster boy of fitness in Bollywood, Salman Khan has a body that can challenge any 25 year old’s. 2012 also saw Salman’s fans worried, as the actor got operated for a rare facial nerve disorder, but the superstar emerged stronger. This year saw Sallubhai flex in Dabang 1 and Dabang 2 that grossed well over 100 crores at the box office. So what is the secret to his undying youth and fitness? Read more here.

Deepika Padukone: A model before she joined the film industry, she has always been known for her lithe body. The actress showed off her curves this year in the movie, ‘Cocktail’, where her bikini body was well appreciated by the critics. Find out how she maintains her envious body.

Kareena Kapoor: The actress who brought ‘size zero’ to the industry was happy with her curves this year. Her recent item number in Dabangg 2 had her gyrating with a really fit body.To know how she lost all that weight and maintains her figure, read on.

Saina Nehwal: This year saw, this young badminton player fight hard for a medal in the Olympics. Saina, well known for her badminton skills, had to change her strategy to win against the Chinese players. Find out what helped her bag that precious bronze.

Gagan Narang: He won us accolades at the Olympics as the second Indian shooter to win a Gold medal. Although one may think shooting as a sport does not require one to be fit, it does need the person to be more than fit, both physically and mentally. Here is how Gagan Narang did it.

So, as you can see, being a celeb doesn’t guarantee a good body and health. They need to work hard like everyone else battling the same demons that everyone else does. 

People who suffer from mental disorders or mental illness are an integral part of our society. They are called by many names – mentally challenged, ‘special’, differently abled and a variety of other names – some of them demeaning. Though known more for its mainstream image, Bollywood has over the years seen many actors playing characters who suffered from mental illnesses. On World Mental Health Day we shed light on some of the more common mental diseases portrayed by B-town characters:

AUTISM (Barfi!) :

The recent blockbuster Barfi! saw Priyanka Chopra as a young girl suffering from Autism. Autism affects about 1-2 people per 1,000. It is a disorder of neural development and is usually first noticed in children from the age of three. It is characterized by impaired social interaction, communication and restricted repetitive behaviour.

How autism functions is by altering the way the child processes the information he/she receives. This is usually a mismatch of the nerve cells and synapses and how they are organized. It is a part of the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). The factors that cause this disorder are not yet known but can be associated with some birth defects.

This condition has seen a rise in the past few years, mainly thought to be due to the fact that diagnostic techniques are improving, helping more children to be correctly diagnosed.

Early indicators of the disorder are:

• The baby does not start to babble or point by the time they are one year old
• No single words by 16 months (for ex: mamma, daddy etc.) or two word phrases by age 2
• Does not respond to his/her name
• Loss of language and failure to mix with people
• Poor eye contact
• Repetitive and compulsive lining up of toys of other objects
• He/she does not smile or have social contact

Indicators later in life:

• Impaired ability to interact with peers
• Absence of imaginative or social play
• Repetitive or unusual use of language
• Preoccupation with certain objects or things.
• Inflexibility and adhering to a fixed routine or ritual

 Asperger’s Syndrome (My Name Is Khan)

In the movie ‘My name is Khan’ Shahrukh Khan was a man afflicted with Asperger’s syndrome. He received wide acclaim for his accurate portrayal of the character, and is said to have done a lot of research on the topic.

Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger’s syndrome or Asperger disorder, can be classified as an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This condition is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction, restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviour and interests. Unlike other autism spectrum disorders patients suffering from this disorder show a better development of linguistic and cognitive development. A common symptom seen in people with Asperger’s syndrome is clumsiness, unusual use of language and trouble handling social situations.

Alzheimer’s (Black and U me Aur Hum)

In the movies ‘U me aur hum’ and ‘Black’, Ajay Devgan and Amitabh Bachchan portray men suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Although the movies discussed the character in detail the condition was not the central theme of the movie. None the less, Alzheimer’s got the much needed limelight.

 Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death. The cause and progression of Alzheimer’s disease are not well understood but research indicates that the disease is associated with plaques and tangles in the brain. Although the condition progresses differently for different patients there are some common symptoms. Usually some early symptoms are mistakenly termed as ‘age-related’ or due to stress, but the most glaring indicator is difficulty in remembering recent events. The common tests for the condition are to evaluate behaviour and thinking abilities and a brain scan. As the condition progresses the patient exhibits symptoms such as confusion, irritability, aggression, mood swings, trouble speaking and long term memory loss.

 Bipolar Disorder (Heroine)

The recent movie Heroine also had leading lady Kareena Kapoor suffer from Bipolar disorder. Although this movie does not focus on her illness and more on how the illness caused the downfall of her career, it still helped in bringing the condition and its management to the forefront. Let’s find out what Bipolar disorder actually is.

Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder also called manic-depressive disorder. It is a mood disorder, and people usually experience disruptive mood swings that range from a frenzied state known as mania to depression. These extreme mood swings are separated by a ‘normal phase’ as well. Although in some individuals, depression and mania may rapidly alternate, which is known as rapid cycling. Severe manic episodes can sometimes lead to such psychotic symptoms as delusions and hallucinations. The prevalence of this condition is the same in men and women, and across all ethnic groups.

Schizophrenia (Tere Naam)

Actor Salman Khan did one of his most widely acclaimed roles in the movie ‘Tere Naam’. In the movie he essayed the role of a schizophrenic. His interpretation of the condition was accurate, but not all schizophrenics have to be in an asylum! 

Schizophrenia is a condition that affects the patient by young adulthood and continues till old age, in almost all cases. It is a mental disorder that is characterized by breakdown of thoughts and poor social responsiveness. People with schizophrenia are likely to have additional conditions, including major depression and anxiety disorders. Almost 50% of the patients have a substance abuse problem. They experience social problems, such as long-term unemployment, poverty and homelessness. The most common symptoms that patients have are auditory hallucinations, paranoid behaviour, delusions, and disorder in speech and thinking. As this condition progresses it leads to social degradation or isolation. A diagnosis is usually based on observed behaviour and patients reports.

As commonly thought schizophrenia does not imply a split personality, or a multiple personality disorder, rather, the term Schizophrenia means a ‘splitting of mental functions’, so named because of what the patient presents.

Dyslexia (Tare Zameen Par)

The movie ‘Tare Zameen Par’ was a huge hit due to its tear jerking portrayal of a child battling Dyslexia. The movie shows how Darsheel Safary, the protagonist of the movie, struggles with the ridicule he faces for behaving in a manner completely normal to him.

Dyslexia , is also commonly known as Developmental reading disorder (DRD). It occurs when there is a problem in the Wernicke’s area, the lobe of the brain that helps to interpret language. Usually misdiagnosed as a vision problem, this condition is commonly misdiagnosed. It is a specific information processing problem that does not make the person’s intelligence decrease in any way. Children and individuals with this condition usually have normal to above average IQ. They are capable of grasping and solving the most complex problems. Dyslexic children need special care and attention, with regards to treating them and not making them feel left out. DRD may appear in combination with developmental writing disorder and developmental arithmetic disorder. Since all of these involve using symbols to convey information it is sometime hard for the patient to grasp. DRD is known to often run in the family.

In general, symptoms of DRD may include:

• Difficulty determining the meaning of a simple sentence
• Difficulty learning to recognize written words

Mental retardation (Koi Mil Gaya)

The movie revolved around a boy living and coping with mental retardation. Hritik Roshan portrays the role of the man with panache, and does justice to his role as a mentally challenged boy. So what is mental retardation?

 Mental retardation refers to a condition which appears before adulthood. The characteristic symptoms of the condition are significantly impaired cognitive functioning and deficits in two or more adaptive behaviours. 

 Most people who suffer from this condition do not show any external symptoms. So the ‘typical appearance’ thought to be the landmark of this condition is no longer true.

Usually babies that are mentally retarded learn to sit up, crawl or walk later than their counterparts. Both adults and children with mental retardation may also exhibit some or all of the following symptoms: 

• Delays in speaking (oral language development)
• Deficits in learning and memory skills
• Lack of social inhibition
• Difficulty with solving  problem
• Delays in the development of adaptive behaviors such as self-help or self-care skills

Mental retardation is no longer the politically correct term to be used for this condition, the term intellectual disability or intellectually challenged is now preferred.

Major depressive disorder (DEVDAS)

The movie Devdas has Shahrukh Khan depict a lovelorn, depressed and alcoholic man, who eventually dies of liver cirrhosis.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) or clinical depression is sadly a mental disorder which isn’t taken very seriously. The condition leads the person to believe that life is not worth living. A constant sense of doom surrounds the people suffering from this condition.

Clinically this condition is usually diagnosed by the patient’s own experiences and mental ability tests. The condition usually affects a person’s family and interpersonal relationships, it disrupts work and school life, sleeping and eating habits and the overall health of the person. It usually impacts the person’s wellbeing and may lead to the person to substance abuse and more often than not is linked with suicidal tendencies. Research suggests that the condition can be compared to chronic medical conditions such as diabetes.

Mental illness is not a bane or something to hide from; confronting and solving the problem is sometimes simpler that hiding or not facing the problem head on.

Always remember problems are not stop signs they are guidelines- Robert H. Schuller 

The guidelines for use of these spots is as follows:

• Anti-tobacco health spots of minimum 30 seconds shall be shown at the beginning and middle of films which have scenes displaying tobacco products or their use.
•  An audio-visual disclaimer of minimum 20-second duration on the ill-effects of tobacco use shall also be displayed at the beginning and middle of these films.
• The spots and disclaimers prepared by the health ministry will be provided to the Central Board of Film Certification.
•  Films showing use of tobacco products shall also be required to display an anti-tobacco health warning in the form of a static message during the period of display of the tobacco products or their use in the films.

In an effort to make the move more effective the Ministry of health and family welfare has agreed to bear all the costs of producing such health spots and disclaimers. They have also agreed to drop the clause that necessitated ‘UA’ certification for films showing tobacco products or their use.

Various studies have shown that depiction of tobacco use in films is directly linked to youngsters taking up smoking in a move to depict their onscreen heroes and heroines. HRIDAY says that adolescents exposed to tobacco use in Bollywood films are twice as likely to be tobacco users.  Indian women too consume tobacco in one form or another more than their counterparts with over 20% women known to be regular tobacco users. The Health Ministry has already issued a notification against depicting smoking on screen. HRIDAY has also written to ‘Heroine’ director Madhur Bhandarkar urging him to toe the line. About

HRIDAY had also written to ‘Heroine’ director Madhur Bhandarkar urging him to abide by the notification and gave reference of movies who have already complied to it. In India, high prevalence of tobacco consumption is one of the major challenges to health and about 2,700 Indians die every day from tobacco use. About 5,500 start using tobacco daily and over 15% minors use tobacco in India.

The CBFC was also directed to view the movie and file a report in sealed cover on next date of hearing. The film’s producer, UTV Software Communication, approached the court seeking issuance of a board certificate for the movie without the conditions related to anti-smoking messages. The producer also sought the setting aside of letter issued to them by the information and broadcasting ministry Aug 2, imposing an additional condition that films that have smoking scenes should start with a 20-second warning on smoking hazards.

According to the ministry’s letter, producers have to shoot the 20-second message on the actor seen smoking in the film, repeat it in the middle of the movie and also have a static message on the screen during the entire length of a smoking scene. The petition said the ministry requested the CBFC to advise the film makers to ensure “a 20-second anti-smoking message as approved by the health ministry with voice-over of the actor who is seen smoking in the film to be displayed at the beginning and in the middle (after interval) of the film”. Another condition imposed on film makers was that a static anti-smoking message should be “displayed for the duration of the smoking scene in the film”.

Having no objection with the 20-second message at the beginning and in the interval of the movie, UTV’s counsel Parag Tripathi and Atul Nanda opposed the proposed static anti-smoking message during a scene. ”It would kill the creativity of the scene,” the film producer said.  The production house had incurred over Rs.30 crore on the film by July-end, said the producer. UTV said that the production house had been burdened with the “unreasonable and arbitrary requirement” to display a message during smoking scenes. The requirement “infringes the constitutional freedom and rights guaranteed to the petitioner”, said UTV. 

The government is really clamping down

Source: IANS

Bipasha Basu: One of the fittest actresses in Bollywood, we are certain her ex-beau John Abraham’s fitness mania rubbed off on her. The Bong girl is a fitness freak and has different training routines for each day of the week! Each of them focusses on specific body parts. Bips does everything in moderation. That includes yoga, stretching, dance, cardio, spinning and circuit training. Surya namaskars are her favourite and she is known to do a hundred of them every day! Looking at her bootylicious figure we are inclined to believe that she is doing it right!

Sonam Kapoor: 

It’s a well-known fact that the actress had adolescent weight problems. It seems like not only has she left those problems behind but seems to have a set new precedence for fitness in the industry. She follows a strict regime of Bikram yoga. She also does other things like weight training, yoga and Pilates. When she gets the time she plays squash or swims. Considering her earlier weight problems, we recommend the lassie stick to her regime strictly.

Kareena Kapoor: B-town’s original size-zero girl, Bebo is back in her size zero avatar for Madhur Bhandarkar’s Heroine with the help of celeb dietician Rujuta Diwekar and trainer Payal Gidwani Tiwari. Her regime includes power yoga and surya namaskars. She also does 500 kapalbhatis a day. For those not in the know, kapalbhatis are a form of breathing exercise that helps increase lung capacity, popularized by Baba Ramdev.

Bebo also stays away from crash diets and eats several small, well-planned meals throughout the day. This keeps her metabolism up and helps burn calories even at rest. Her diet is mostly vegan and consists of soups, fruits, salads, hummus and yogurt.

Shilpa Shetty: One of the first actresses to release a fitness DVD, Shilpa has always been one of the fittest yet curvaceous ladies in the industry. She is a big yoga fan, particularly the Ashtanga variety. Apart from working out, the actress does simple things like taking the stairs instead of the lift. She strictly adheres to a soup and salad diet. Other things you will find on her table include pulses, brown rice and brown bread. To maintain her flawless skin she drinks aloe vera juice and green tea.

Hope you’ve been inspired by these B-town gals to start a fitness regime of your own and stick to it. Film star or not, it takes dedication and perseverance to stick to your fitness goal.

Source: www.bollywoodlife.com 

While actresses of yesteryear, not to mention her contemporaries like Vidya Balan and Sonakshi Sinha scorched the big screen with their voluptuous curves, Bebo thinks big is not cool. She has been dieting like crazy for the past month to get her ‘Size Zero’ figure back; though this time she claims it’ll be a size zero with curves.  “I have gone back to the size-zero look I had in Tashan, but this time it is curvier. I wanted this body for my item song. Since it is a rigorous and raunchy number, I decided to go for a slim and sexy look but I still have curves in the right places. It may be a trend now with some actresses, but I definitely don’t want to look plump or fat!”

New goals, new diet

Kareena’s celebrity dietician Rujuta Diwekar has amended her diet to get her back in shape. According to Kapoor, the key to the perfect figure is augmenting a proper diet with the right amount of exercise. Diwekar keeps changing Kapoor’s diet so that she doesn’t get bored. She reveals that on a recent trip to Turkey she ate nothing but hummus with pita bread, salads, strawberries and olives.

Incidentally for those not in the know hummus is a Middle-Eastern dip which is made with chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. Hummus has immense health benefits. It’s high in iron, foliate, Vitamin C and Vitamin B6. The chickpeas in hummus make it an excellent source of protein and dietary fibre, whereas the tahini consisting of sesame seeds is an excellent source of methionine, complementing the proteins. It also has virtually no trans-fats and is very popular with vegetarians as a source of protein. When eaten with pita bread it serves as a whole meal; a very good protein-fibre combination.

For dinner she roped in an Indian cook to make her old-fashioned daal, rice and sabzi. Kareena said the key to a right diet is to have the carbs and proteins in equal proportion.

Exercising right

It’s not only about the diet and the actress did regular yoga up to 40 minutes of asanas and 50 surya namaskars.  She exercised twice a day.

No fad diets for her

The lady also hit out at fad diets saying the no-carbs diet was silly. She has no qualms about eating potato and rice from time to time

It will be interesting to see what the ‘Size Zero with curves’ looks like. 

Also read: Bollywood endorsed diets