The actor reveals her post-baby body and how she got it, in an exclusive interaction with Prevention.
Shilpa's knocked off almost 20 kilos (she calls it the 'Viaan fat') within 10 months of giving birth to her son. "I have 1 kilo to go," she says, clearly proud of her achievement and quickly interrupting anyone who credits her genes for her active metabolism. "It's not fair to say it's only because of my genes. Yes, I do have my father's athletic genes and a good metabolism, but this weight loss is mostly due to my effort," says the actress, dance show judge and entrepreneur.
Finding Fitness
Dedication, that's the bedrock of her shapeliness. "My body worked very hard to deliver a baby," says Shilpa whose son turns one this May. Now she's working very hard on her body to get back into the svelte, lithe figure she's known for. It's not unknown territory for Shilpa who is known to be disciplined about her fitness regimes and also released her own yoga CD a few years ago. Currently she's enjoying her role as a judge for the dance competition Nach Baliye on Star Plus. But, baby Viaan is the centre of her universe. "Everything changed after Viaan was born. Everything revolves around our son now. Our day begins and ends with him, Raj and I both put our son first. So if I've to be at work one day, Raj brings his meetings home." When she returned home with her baby, Shilpa gained another 5 kilos. "I ate things made with ghee and drank whole milk. Like most mothers, my attitude was old school?baby comes first." When her son was five and half months, she began her weight-loss and fitness programme. It began with an hour of CrossFit four times a week and yoga once a week.
"You lose a lot of your strength when you deliver a baby. Your core becomes very weak so you have to build it from scratch. I used to be able to do 50 crunches at a stretch, but after Viaan, I could only manage 10 and was unable to run for more than two minutes." She shed 3 kilos in the first month and a remarkable 18 kilos in the following three months. All this without resorting to a strict diet plan? "I have always been averse to any kind of dieting," says Shilpa. She once tried a Blood Group diet and "it was such a mistake," she gained 3 kilos and Raj piled on 7! "Eating a balanced diet has worked best for me.
I eat enough of the right things and save indulgences for the week. Eating ends." Her tip: "Don't snack between meals, and control your portion size." Food for Thought It cannot be easy staying disciplined, especially with a Punjabi husband who loves his food, but Shilpa ensures that whoever eats in her home, eats right. "Raj is a Punjabi man who loves his rajma. But he's very cool and eats whatever is cooked. The menu is my decision and being healthy does not mean giving up on taste. This healthy eating eventually rubs off on everyone, and those who come home have no choice," she laughs. Shilpa's candour is refreshing. When we touch on the topic of beauty she says she "is average looking. Just look at my pictures from 20 years ago," she laughs. "But as film stars, we have a team of people to look after us. At the risk of being immodest, I would say that I know my flaws and my forte.
My personality is my strength. Beauty is just skin deep." Like every other young woman, Shilpa has gone through her phase of experimentation and mistakes. Rewind to her 1997 film Zameer. "Blonde hair, blue eyes, red lipstick- what a mistake! But I am human. I joined the industry very young and had to find my way on my own. I had the best body and copied all the latest styles from fashion glossies. I made a statement with what ever I could afford at that time," she says candidly. In a New Role Shilpa calls herself a full-time mom, but she's also working on producing a Bollywood film, is a partner at Iosis Spas and Wellness, has her fitness enterprises, TV commitments and supports husband Raj's projects. But her priorities are clear. "When I was working, I gave it my 100 percent, when I got married I enjoyed doing the things I had missed out on. Now I am basking in motherhood. I will ensure I am always around for my child. Other things will have to fit around that," she says. Then on a more thoughtful note, she says how being a good mother demands a lot of time and effort, yet mothers shouldn't feel guilty about needing some 'me' time. "A lot of ordinary women out there are doing the extraordinary job of being a mother. Everything (your roles as wife, daughter) can be adjusted, but bringing up a child is a 24X7 job and the most difficult role to play (well)," she says.
Four life lessons from Shilpa Shetty
Shilpa’s heart was broken by the Khiladi of Bollywood, Akshay Kumar but she never gave up on love. The rumour mills were abuzz about her ‘relationship’ with director Anubhav Sinha, but she firmly denied them. After winning Big Brother, Shilpa went to launch her signature perfume S2 and met Raj occasionally for the launch preparations. On their first media appearance, Shilpa called Raj, her ‘business friend’ but their frequent meetings soon took a personal turn.
Lesson Learnt: So girls, no matter how many boys break your heart; don’t ever settle for anyone except for your Mr. Right.
You may be seething in anger and may want to kill your ex for two timing you, but in public, you must always be at your dignified best. Even though Shilpa was heartbroken after her break up, she has often said in interviews that there is no animosity between her and Akshay and they are good friends. Akshay and Shilpa have come face to face on a number of occasions, most recently on the celebrity dance show Nach Baliye, but Shilpa has always been pleasant to her ex-flame.
Lesson Learnt: Your ex may be the devil’s incarnate, but you should never wash the dirty linen in public.
Life wasn’t easy for this gorgeous actress, but things took a turn for worse when she entered the celebrity Big Brother 5 in 2007. Racial slurs by her fellow contestants Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd, Jack Tweed and Jo O'Meara rattled her but she did not give up. She stayed in the house and soon emerged as Britain’s favourite with 63 per cent votes.
You may be swiftly climbing the success ladder, but don’t forget your family in all that excitement. Shilpa decided to take a break from her acting carrer for a year after her son Viaan was born. She signed up for a couple of endorsements, but ensured that her schedule would not take up too much of her time.
Lesson Learnt: Family comes first, always! And Ladies, enjoy each and every phase of your life. Motherhood is a blessing and do not let any nasty comments about your weight or appearance affect you.
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