Amrita Arora on ‘getting back in shape’: ‘It takes a lot of effort’

Actor Amrita Arora, 45, recently spoke about her fitness routine for healthy ageing and opened up about a time when she ‘let myself go’. “You can either find me walking on a road or a treadmill. I go to the gym a lot. I’m very particular about what I eat. It was never like that. I had a couple of years where I let myself go. It took me a while to get back in shape and find that rhythm again. It’s not always so smooth as it looks. It takes a lot of effort, hard work. You have to make certain sacrifices. If I feel I have really binged, I go to the gym harder,” the Ek Aur Ek Gyarah actor told Pinkvilla Lifestyle Plus.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.

Her experience highlighted an important truth about fitness: maintaining healthy habits is often more challenging than starting them.

“Changes in schedules, stress, family responsibilities, and motivation can disrupt even an established routine. Returning to regular exercise and balanced eating requires patience rather than expecting immediate results,” said consultant dietitian and fitness expert Garima Goyal.

Walking is an accessible way to increase daily physical activity and support cardiovascular health. “Whether performed outdoors or on a treadmill, it can improve endurance and contribute to overall energy expenditure. Gym-based resistance training offers additional benefits by strengthening muscles, preserving lean body mass, and supporting functional fitness as we age,” said Goyal.

Nutrition also plays a crucial role. “Being mindful of food choices can help people meet their nutritional needs and manage energy intake, but a healthy diet does not require rigid rules or eliminating every food considered indulgent. A balanced pattern that includes adequate protein, fibre-rich foods, vegetables, fruits, whole grains and healthy fats is generally more sustainable than an approach built around restriction,” Goyal told indianexpress.com.

Here’s what you should note (Photo: Freepik)

Reflecting on her confession that she exercises harder after feeling she has binged, Goyal shared, “While physical activity is beneficial, exercise should not become punishment for eating. A single large meal or episode of overeating does not undo long-term progress, and attempting to compensate with excessive exercise can create an unhealthy cycle of guilt, restriction and overtraining.”

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A more balanced response is to return to regular meals, resume the usual exercise schedule, and understand what contributed to the overeating, whether it was hunger, stress, emotions, or simply a social occasion. “If episodes of binge eating or compensatory exercise occur repeatedly, professional support can help address the pattern,” advised Goyal.

Fitness is not about getting everything right every day. “It is about building habits that can withstand imperfect days and adjusting them when life changes,” Goyal expressed.

Consistency matters more than perfection. “Walking regularly, strength training, eating adequately and allowing recovery can support long-term fitness. The goal should be to exercise for strength, health and well-being, not to earn food or burn off guilt.”

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.