Back in 2010, when Sheila Ki Jawaani hit the silver-screen, people couldn’t stop talking about Katrina Kaif’s six-pack abs. Aside from establishing herself as a great dancer, Kaif also made it clear that she took her fitness very seriously. Over the years, the Bollywood actress has followed a strict routine, whether she’s shooting on sets, or outdoors. Collaborating with Reebok India, the superstar talks about her fitness journey, the importance of being healthy, and what it means to be the new face of the fitness and lifestyle brand, Reebok India.
ELLE: What does fitness mean to you?
Katrina Kaif: You are fit when you are wholesome. Fitness means to be and to feel healthy. Fitness to me is a healthy lifestyle driven by discipline and self-control. Waking up early, drinking plenty of pure water, eating healthy greens, everything is a part of it. Fitness should enhance your ability to do your job and improve your resistance to stress to give you the strength to cope with it in a better way. It should allow you to have better relationships and be at peace with the person you are.
ELLE: How would you describe your fitness journey over the years? How has it impacted your lifestyle in general?
KK: My meaning of fitness has evolved over the years. It used to be very target and shape driven earlier with very less importance on how I felt about it. On the contrary, I have now started listening to my body and I know when it needs to be eased out. I know when it needs more flexibility training, more mobility training or some gentle stretching. Being at peace with your routine only comes with time and I’m happy with where I am at this point. In terms of my lifestyle, I think it has made me a more disciplined person.
ELLE: Are there any particular forms of fitness or sports that you’re drawn to?
KK: Yoga is one of my favourite forms of exercise to connect with my inner self. I think it helps you in so many ways and what it does for the state of mind is phenomenal. Because our lives are usually so fast paced and everything is about instant gratification, sometimes it becomes difficult to notice the small changes. With yoga, you feel that difference. Meditation is also very important for health as well as your mental state. As a sport, I love swimming. I choose my training as per what’s going on with my work.
ELLE: Why do you think people need to incorporate some element of fitness in their life?
KK: Fitness not only helps you maintain your body but blocks negative thoughts and distractions from daily worries. It has the ability to lift your mood and improve your sleep patterns, increases energy and maintains physical functionality. Most importantly, fitness to me, makes me feel better about myself, on the outside and within.
ELLE: Tell us a little bit more about your association with Reebok.
KK: I believe Reebok is a perfect fit for me and I am very happy to join hands with a brand that believes and encourages the same thoughts as I do. Fitness, dance and other physical activities are a big part of my life and to be able to team with a brand who stands by and supports similar vision is phenomenal. It is an opportunity for me to discuss fitness, and curate interesting dialogues and conversations around fitness, women training, body image, amongst others. This is a big part of my life and it is great to be able to have a partner in that. I also find Reebok products really amazing, which come in different styles and colours. In fact, my wardrobe is filled with a lot of Reebok crop tops and sweatshirts.
ELLE: How do you incorporate fitness into your daily routine? How do you maintain that routine when you’re shooting on location?
KK: My fitness routine changes according to the role I’m training for and the movie I’m doing. For example, for Bharat, I switched mainly to Pilates, yoga and cardio because I wanted a very easy and relaxed routine since the character I was playing wouldn’t have been able to spend that time working out. I didn’t want it to look like it had been developed at the gym but something that was more natural. When I’m in between achieving a goal, I like to take it take it very easy and give my body that time to relax and not be pushed to a very high level.
Sometimes, when I have a stage show, or a photo shoot, I touch base with my functional training again with all the weights, lunges, etc. I will then do that for almost a week to 10 days and balance it later for the rest of the month with easy stuff.
ELLE: What keeps you motivated? How do you pick yourself up on the bad days?
KK: As a person, I like to drive myself and I like to work hard which sometimes makes it hard for me to keep going. Taking a vacation once or twice a year is a great way for me to switch things up and keep myself motivated. I am currently planning a beach trip for my birthday. I think it’s really important to switch off for five-six days every now and then.
On bad days, massages are the saviour. For me, a good massage goes a long way to de-stress my mind and body for everyday tasks.
ELLE: Your top three nutrition rules.
KK: I don’t swear by any particular rules for my diet. I don’t follow any fad diets. I try to keep it light after 7pm. I try eating good amount of protein, vegetables, carbs like rice, potatoes and sweet potatoes to name a few, I just avoid dairy, gluten, wheat and too much refined sugar. It is very important to be aware of the foods you crave and allow yourself to indulge in them from time to time but also be able to stop yourself and not lose focus of your goal.
ELLE: What advice would you give to a newbie, who’s just starting off their fitness journey?
KK: Eat healthy and exercise. You have only one life and you have only one body. I’m not recommending any particular type of body shape or exercise or body image, it’s your body’s well-being and the feeling that it brings along with it. It’s about the mental peace, the discipline and that sense of achievement. You are the only person who knows what’s right for you and it’s only for you to decide what physical target you want to achieve. Once you decide and reach that goal, you feel that sense of achievement which gives you the motivation to pursue other things in life. It’s great to have that sense of determination and drive for everything in your life.
