A quick scroll through Radhika Karle’s Instagram feed will inspire you to give wellness a go. Instead of intense workouts and crazy moves, her feed demonstrates easy to do exercises whilst busting pilates myths, and features nutritious recipes that are delicious and suited for culinary rookies.
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Post her masters in nutritional science, Karle turned to Pilates while pursuing a fellowship in adolescent and sports medicine in USA. Fast forward to 2020, this 42-year-old fitness guru is running a popular pilates studio, Balanced Body in Mumbai and training Bollywood actors, like Sonam Kapoor.
She’s recently added another feather to her cap with the launch of Pure & Healthy (Roli Books), a step-by-step cookbook written in collaboration with culinary expert Vidhu Mittal, which includes many easy to cook recipes that pack a nutritional punch. Case in point: garlic-flavoured spinach mash and pattidar shorba (a leafy soup). Ahead, Karle gives us the primer on healthy eating and exercise.
ELLE: What can we expect from Pure and Healthy?
Radhika Karle: It focuses on healthy, indigenous and easy to prepare foods that our grandparents cooked and consumed, as well as some modern-day superfoods that have great nutritional value. The book has an easy-to-follow meal plan in the index, so whether you are looking for weight management or have a specific condition that needs dietary guidance, it has you covered.
ELLE: What is your fitness philosophy?
RK: Find a workout that you love and you will be more likely to stick to it. It is important to add resistance training to your routine to gain muscles as they’re the fat-burning machinery of your body.
ELLE: How do you keep motivation levels high during tough regimens?
RK: Setting goals, both short-term (one to three months) and long-term (six to twelve months) works well. From being able to do a handstand to running a 10K marathon or feeling good in a swimsuit—all these can be goals for the same person and it is important to vary them. On days when I don’t feel driven, I start with an easier workout and before I know it, the endorphins take effect and I’m back to kicking my own butt.
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ELLE: What is one Indian superfood that is often overlooked?
RK: Rice—be it Kerala red or brown, is unfortunately, the first thing to get knocked out of a meal plan. It’s important to incorporate it in the right quantity and add vegetables, legumes, lentils or even an egg to increase portion size without adding on too many calories.
