At 46, Vidya Balan continues to inspire millions not just with her powerful performances but also with her renewed commitment to health and fitness. On her birthday, let’s take a look at the actress transformative fitness journey that has left fans amazed by her toned physique. Vidya’s secret to staying fit lies not in conventional weight loss methods but in embracing a balanced approach that suits her individuality.
In a recent interview with Galatta India, Vidya opened up about her weight loss transformation and how she’s learnt to navigate societal judgements about her body. She reflected on her early struggles with weight and the criticisms she faced, often labelled as the “fat girl.”
Vidya Balan’s weight loss secret
Sharing her weight-loss mantra, Vidya revealed, “You know, all my life, I have struggled to be thin. I have dieted and exercised like crazy, and sometimes I would lose weight, and it would come back… and then, early this year, I met a nutritional group called Amura (Amura Health) in Chennai. They said, ‘It is just inflammation; it is not fat.’ So, they put me on a diet to get rid of the inflammation—elimination of inflammation, it is called—and it worked beautifully for me and the weight went like that because they eliminated foods that were not suiting me.”
She highlighted how understanding her body’s unique needs changed everything. As a lifelong vegetarian, Vidya learnt that not all vegetables suit everyone. “I didn’t know Palak and Doodhi don’t suit me. We think all vegetables are good for us, but that is not the case. You have to figure out what’s good for you, as just because it is good for someone else, it may not be good for you.”
Breaking the gym myth
Another surprising aspect of Vidya’s fitness journey was her decision to stop working out entirely. Despite years of intense training, she discovered that rest was what her body truly needed. “They (Amura) asked me to stop working out. You know everyone has been telling me, ‘Oh my God, you are your slimmest,’ and I have not worked out all year. This is the first year that I have not worked out,” the ‘Hamari Adhuri Kahani’ star stated.
Vidya acknowledged the emotional and physical toll gym routines had on her body and how her new approach brought unexpected results. “I used to be a beast in the gym. And I had people telling me, ‘You must not be working out at all.’ And now, people tell me, ‘So what are you doing?’ and I am like, ‘No, I don’t do anything.’ I am just enjoying myself, and I am feeling healthier than ever.” Through her journey, Vidya Balan has shown that fitness is not about fitting into a mould but about understanding and nurturing one’s body.
